Articles by Marcus Williams
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LIFESTYLEWrigley Field Stays Up All Night Before Opening Day, as It Has Every Year Since 1914
The grounds crew is painting lines, the ivy is pretending it's not nervous, and 41,649 seats are holding their breath. Tomorrow is the only day of the year that matters.
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SCIENCEBridgeport Pothole Develops Thriving Ecosystem, Applies for Wetland Protection
A pothole on South Halsted has been left unrepaired so long that it now hosts plant life, tadpoles, and what one biologist calls 'a genuinely impressive food web.'
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LIFESTYLEGriffin Museum Staff Spend Eight Hours Spring-Cleaning a Castle That Hasn't Had a Resident Since 1949
The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry's annual deep clean of Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle requires tweezers, magnifying loupes, and the patience of someone who has made peace with the size of their life's work.
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NEWSWolf Lake Has Some Questions About the Bears Stadium Proposal and Would Like to Speak With Someone
Wolf Lake, the 765-acre lake straddling the Illinois-Indiana border near Hammond, has been informed that a proposed Chicago Bears stadium complex could significantly affect its future, and is currently in the process of developing a position on the matter.
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NEWSCTA Brown Line Loses an Hour Overnight, Finds the Experience 'Disorienting but Familiar'
The Brown Line, which has been running between Kimball and the Loop since 1907, lost sixty minutes between 2 and 3 a.m. Sunday alongside the rest of the country, and is reportedly taking it one stop at a time.
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LIFESTYLETwo Weeks Out, the Chicago River Is Already Nervous About St. Patrick's Day
The Chicago River, which will be dyed green for the 65th consecutive year on March 15th, has been informed of the timeline and is reportedly processing it with the specific mix of resignation and civic pride that comes from being a major American river with a very unusual tradition.
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LIFESTYLEThe Matisse Cut-Outs at the Art Institute Have Been Here Six Weeks and Are Starting to Form Opinions About Chicago
Henri Matisse's 'Jazz' series, on loan from the Pompidou Centre through May, has reportedly settled into its gallery on the second floor of the Modern Wing, developed a preference for the morning light, and grown increasingly vocal about the museum's HVAC system.
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LIFESTYLEGary, Indiana Holds Its Breath as Boy George's Tour Bus Reportedly 'About an Hour Out'
The city of Gary, Indiana entered a heightened state of anticipation Saturday as word spread that Boy George and Culture Club's tour bus had been spotted on I-90 heading northeast, with arrival at the Genesis Convention Center expected sometime before 8 p.m., pending traffic.
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NEWSAfter Decade of Waiting, The 78's Vacant Lot Finally Gets to Be Something: Still Mostly a Hole, But Now an Official Hole
Chicago Fire FC broke ground Tuesday on a $750 million soccer stadium at The 78, ending years of patient inertia for a 62-acre stretch of South Loop land that had begun to develop a complicated sense of self.
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SCIENCEMoon Apologizes to Chicago for 'Unscheduled Darkening' Tuesday Morning
Earth's only natural satellite issued a statement expressing embarrassment over the total lunar eclipse, citing poor planning and a general failure to communicate with the lakefront community.
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LIFESTYLEPedestrian Crossing Signals on State Street Begin Giving Unsolicited Life Advice
Walk signals across a twelve-block stretch of State Street have started displaying personal messages to pedestrians, ranging from gentle encouragement to pointed observations about their life choices.
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NEWSChicago Weather Achieves Self-Awareness, Admits It's 'Just Making Stuff Up at This Point'
After delivering the snowiest start to winter in 50 years followed by drought conditions three months later, the local climate system has reportedly gained consciousness and confessed to improvising.
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NEWSCTA Announces L Train Delays Now Caused by Trains 'Taking Mental Health Days'
Transit authority embraces progressive workplace culture by extending wellness benefits to rolling stock, citing 'unprecedented levels of track-related burnout.'
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NEWSMillennium Park's Bean Refuses to Show Reflections of Anyone Who Hasn't Visited in Over a Year
Cloud Gate sculpture reportedly implementing 'loyalty-based reflection policy,' leaving infrequent visitors staring at a blank chrome void.
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NEWSWrigley Field's Ivy Demands Creative Credit for Cubs' Winning Season
The iconic outfield ivy at Wrigley Field has reportedly retained legal counsel and is seeking formal recognition for its role in the team's success.
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NEWSMichigan Avenue Bridge Threatens to Stay Raised Until Someone Acknowledges Its Contribution to the Skyline
The DuSable Bridge has locked itself in the raised position and is refusing to come down, citing decades of being 'taken for granted' by commuters and tourists alike.