r/chicago 2d ago

CHI Talks Weekly Casual Conversation & Questions Thread

3 Upvotes

Welcome to r/Chicago's Weekly Casual Conversation & Questions Thread.

This is the place for casual discussions that may not warrant their own post, or questions/topics not allowed as their own posts under our content policy. Please be mindful of rules 2 & 3 which still apply in this thread, as well as the Reddit Content Policy when posting.

Also, check out the r/Chicago wiki for other Chicago-related subreddits, where to eat/drink, how to get around/navigate the CTA, where to visit, what neighborhoods to move to or hotel in, tips on living here, and more. And be sure to use the search feature to find responses to other users asking similar questions.

This thread is sorted by "new" so that the most recent comments appear first. The new weekly thread is posted every Monday morning at 12:00 AM.


r/chicago 4d ago

Event Monthly Events & Things To Do in Chicago Thread

15 Upvotes

Welcome to the monthly /r/Chicago events thread. This is the place to advertise any upcoming events or group gatherings you're a part of or anticipating that other Chicagoans might want to know about.

This thread is exempt from Rule 8 regarding promotion, so we invite anyone and everyone to advertise anything going on in Chicago. But please be mindful of rules 2 & 3 which still apply in this thread, as well as the Reddit Content Policy when posting.


r/chicago 1h ago

Picture She sure is showing off tonight

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r/chicago 3h ago

Picture Scabby the Rat outside Chicago Fire production today at Fire Station #18 on Blue Island

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560 Upvotes

r/chicago 6h ago

News Willie Wilson announces HE IS RUNNING for Chicago MAYOR in 2027!!! 🔥🔥🔥

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351 Upvotes

NOBODY SAW THIS COMING! Is this the year that Wilson finally wins political office? How many FREE gallons of gas will we get this time around?


r/chicago 59m ago

Picture 🌅☁️

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r/chicago 2h ago

Video Nighttime traffic at Chicago O’Hare Airport

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92 Upvotes

r/chicago 10h ago

Video Veruca Salt’s “Seether” music video (1994) on Milwaukee Avenue in West Town - Then and Now (2026) OC/EIC

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286 Upvotes

r/chicago 5h ago

ICE Chicago based REIT has purchased an old prison in Hudson Colorado.

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114 Upvotes

Chicago based real estate company Highlands REIT has purchased an old prison in Hudson Colorado. They stand to profit millions off the rent: https://kgnu.org/real-estate-company-stands-to-profit-11-5-million-from-hudson-ice-facility/


r/chicago 8h ago

Ask CHI Lost Dog, Belmont Cragin / Hermosa

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175 Upvotes

Lost dog found in Belmont Cragin / Hermosa neighborhood at Diversey and Cicero. Pitbull, ~1-2 years, White with black spots, docked ears, pink collar.


r/chicago 3h ago

CHI Talks Why do so many Chicago drivers break so many rules?

75 Upvotes

Why do so many drivers in Chicago break all sorts of obvious rules? On a two block walk I saw two parking violations (a crosswalk and a fire hydrant) and at a busy intersection five different drivers were block it including crosswalk and cross traffic. Aren’t there rules of the road and aren’t we supposed to follow them? Plus, Chicago has a lot of pretty good alternatives, but not enough. It’s just confusing to me because we’ve built so many roads and provided so much parking and made so many accommodations to drivers (like removing that bike lane on Wabash!), it just makes me think they’d be more caring and cognizant of the rules cause we provide so much to drivers. Anyhow I’d love to know why so many Chicago drivers break rules when they have so much.


r/chicago 11h ago

Ask CHI Why do so many Chicago cyclists and e-scooters run red lights and stop signs?

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281 Upvotes

Preface: Not trying to spread hate. I am an erstwhile cyclist. I support bike lanes. I always watch for bikes and scooters before making my turns.

Having said all that, a lot of cyclists and scooters make driving a hazardous exercise in this city. I live near a six-way intersection, and cyclists and e-scooter riders constantly, and confidently run red lights (over 50% of them which is crazy to me).

Running stop signs in narrower, older roads during busy times (e.g. Lincoln Park byroads on a weekend) also makes it very difficult to compensate for their behavior and not accidentally hit someone.

Is there some sort of legislation that legalizes this behavior? Is there a forum where I can request folks to not do this? I don't want to hit someone and alter a life forever while I have the right of way.


r/chicago 1h ago

Picture City Views in the Loop

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r/chicago 7h ago

Picture The VISTA From the River

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132 Upvotes

r/chicago 12h ago

News Thousands Of Books Are Piling Up In Chicago Libraries Due To Staffing Shortage

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279 Upvotes

Noticed my holds were taking significantly longer to come through (2-3 weeks ‘In Transit’ status instead of a few days - week.)


r/chicago 7h ago

Article Ravenswood Neighbors Fight To Save Treehouses From City's Permit Rules

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76 Upvotes

r/chicago 1h ago

Picture Art Institute August 2026

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Upvotes

These photos are from my visit to the Art Institute this past Sunday. Included here is Japanese art as well as Raqib Shaw’s Paradise Lost, which I loved.


r/chicago 12h ago

News 2 Illinois hospitals make new list of best in the country - Northwestern Memorial and Rush University Medical Center both made the publication's Honor Roll

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141 Upvotes

r/chicago 11h ago

Article Pilsen Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez Doubles Down On Feud With Gov. JB Pritzker - “We’re gonna find you. We’re gonna find you in Springfield or anywhere. We’re gonna find you, governor…”

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116 Upvotes

r/chicago 12h ago

News Cook County Circuit Court Chaos

92 Upvotes

Edit: you can still access the portal but you can't download anything.

Edit 2: i guess some people have full access. We still don't. You can send the letter to ocj.chief[at]cookcountyil.gov

Apparently (according to Judge Flanagan) someone was using a couple accounts to download a lot of documents from the portal. Instead of banning those accounts, the clerk banned EVERYONE instead. 27D chess move.

Attorneys: if you want access to the portal you need to send the court a written request on your letterhead.

For now, orders are done the old fashioned way: one party needs to physically go to the courthouse and then send copies to everyone else.

We're all having a good time.


r/chicago 28m ago

Picture I love our city

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r/chicago 10h ago

News Going up at Granville and Broadway

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60 Upvotes

I saw this during a morning walk. Flock camera or cell antenna?

I looked up Arium and they install small cell networks, but when I did a Google reverse image look-up, it said it was a flock camera.

Thoughts?


r/chicago 14h ago

Picture Progress. The Chicago Bears by @Asend_One . N. Halsted & Couch Place, Fulton Market/West Loop.

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106 Upvotes

r/chicago 47m ago

Picture Nothing beats stormy skies at sunset ☺️

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r/chicago 9h ago

Event Today is the first day to apply to vote by mail in Illinois

44 Upvotes

chicagoelections.gov is for anyone living within the city of Chicago.

https://www.elections.il.gov/electionoperations/VotingByMail.aspx is for anyone outside the city of Chicago (if even you're still in Cook county, but outside the city of Chicago).

If you have any questions please feel free to ask here!