FOX 32 News at 5 - Monday, May. 18, 2026

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:09]Now at five, a [music] restaurant owner robbed in broad daylight. Jewelry stolen. Now police are analyzing the crystalclear video and they need your [music] help. A massive deadly house explosion in the suburbs. Investigators now looking into what caused a blast so big it damaged nearby homes. And the Bear Stadium saga has Governor Pritzkar blasting Mayor Johnson on [music] his last minute push to keep the team in Chicago. Thank you for joining us at 5.

[00:00:33]I'm Don Hasbrook. We have a lot to [music] get to tonight, but first, severe storms rolled into the area late this morning. Winds got as fast as 70 mph. For context, a category 1 hurricane has winds around 74 milesPH. This is damage out of Flossmore where you can see trees and power lines down. The good news, no reports of any injuries. So, let's check in on our forecast now with meteorologist JD Rudd as we take a live look outside. A lot of people wondering when we see more sun again.

[00:01:00]>> Yeah, we saw a little bit of sun and we could see more storms later on tonight, Don. Thankfully, things are quiet for us right now. Let's roll back the radar and satellite picture. There was around 10:00 this morning when that fast moving line barreled its way through here. And now that line is on the eastern edge of the state of Michigan rolling through Detroit as we speak. We currently have no storms to deal with right now, but let's travel westbound and take a look because just like last night into this morning, a developing storm complex across the central plain states. This needs to be watched as it could roll its way our direction later on tonight into tomorrow morning and it might be a repeat scenario of what we had. There is a risk of severe weather tomorrow, higher risk for our Indiana counties and our southern counties. I think if we do see anything strong too severe tomorrow, it would be in the morning hours. The rest of the afternoon looks to be quiet, but that hinges upon the timing of a cold front for tomorrow. For this evening, it's not cool at all. It's warm. It is muggy. A chance for showers and storms around midnight and again by tomorrow morning. We'll come back and break this down in more detail here in just a little while. Don, >> thank you. We are following breaking news on the West Coast. Police say three men have been killed in a shooting at a mosque in San Diego. One of those was a security guard at the mosque. Two suspects who police say were teen boys are also dead. Police say it appears they took their own lives. The center is the largest mosque in the country in the county there and is also home to a school. Police say no students were hurt. This is being considered a hate crime. We're keeping a close eye on this and we'll update you as soon as we know more. And we are trying to get more information into a deadly home explosion in the northwest suburbs. It happened last night on Birch Drive in Wonder Lake. Officials say one person was killed, two others were hurt. One of them had to be airlifted to the hospital. The fire also spread to two neighboring homes. Still no word tonight on what caused that explosion.

[00:03:00]Turning now to Melrose Park where a restaurant owner says he was robbed at gunpoint. Leslie Moreno is live at the restaurant. And Leslie, this was all caught on camera. Pretty clear.

[00:03:12]Hey, Da. The owner says he's still trying to process what happened. He says there were customers inside the restaurant when this all occurred. The owner telling us the thieves got away with $10,000 worth of his jewelry. As you mentioned, all caught on camera. Take a look there.

[00:03:28]This all happened on May 12 here at Aripas Express, a Venezuelan restaurant on Lake Street in Melrose Park.

[00:03:35]Surveillance video shows a suspect walking in and out of the restaurant multiple times before police say he finally pulled out a handgun and confronted the owner there. The owner tells us the man came in and had dinner first. He paid then left. Minutes later, he came back and demanded the owner give up his jewelry. The owner says the suspect got away with a golden diamond chain and bracelet in his graduation ring gifted to him by his parents. The owner tells us he's still very shaken by the encounter and says it's something he never imagined would happen inside his restaurant.

[00:04:10]>> It's my graduation ring from when I graduated law school in 2014. It was a gift from my parents and my chains are also valuable. I've had them before coming to America. I've been a resident for eight years now and it's always a shame when it's your own people doing these crimes.

[00:04:27]The Rose Park Police tell us no arrests have been made, but they do have a suspect of interest in this case that they are actively pursuing, and they do believe he lives in this same community.

[00:04:39]We'll have much more on this coming up tonight at 9. We're live here in Melrose Park. Les Mareno, Fox Chicago. The mother of a young woman whose car was ambushed by gunfire on her way to work on the southside is still searching for answers months later. Casey Cronis sat down exclusively with her and has the latest on her fight for justice.

[00:05:00]>> This Wednesday marks five months since Isis O Ganti was murdered. Since then, her mom has turned her grief into support for other families impacted by gun violence. All while continuing to push for answers in her daughter's unsolved case.

[00:05:17]>> This is more than a loss. This is something that you no one should even have to imagine. They took her wedding day from me. They took [music] her child birth from me. All the things that I had dreamed [music] of and and imagined, they took they took our life away.

[00:05:36][music] >> Isis O Ganti's mom says she was meant for big things.

[00:05:41]>> These are the tattoos that we decided [music] to get last summer. What matters is them. And then I have the number eight. The youngest of eight siblings, her mom, Laca Collins, describes her as the glue to their family.

[00:05:55]>> Isis was almost too good to be true. She was a hard worker. She got her work ethic from her mother and her father.

[00:06:04]She was just an amazing person. She was sweet. She was kind, outgoing, ambitious. I can go on and on.

[00:06:12]Just days before Christmas, on the morning of December 20th, the 22-year-old was driving to Little Caesars with her boyfriend, where they both worked as managers. Near 103rd in Indiana, someone opened fire on the couple's SUV. Ounti lost control, crashing into a tree. Her boyfriend survived, but she did not. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office ruling her death a homicide. Her mom says she believes the couple was caught in the crosshairs >> because I know her and the streets wasn't her lifestyle. So, just to think that my daughter was terrorized and she was scared to death before anything happened.

[00:06:52]>> Collins tells us she believes technology like Shot Spotter could have helped investigators respond faster.

[00:06:58]>> They wouldn't have had to wait till 911 call when the accident happened. But she says change starts at home and is pleading with parents to guide their kids away from violence.

[00:07:08]>> This is a show me generation. [music] They need to see people that's like them. That's okay. They need to have jobs. They need to have education.

[00:07:17][music] All the things that they need.

[00:07:19]But most importantly, we have to tackle the mental health. They are immune to hurting people. They're immune to seeing their [music] friends die. my daughter life is over as far as here. She'll always live [music] in my heart. I'll always fight for her. I'll always advocate for her. But now we got to save the ones that's behind her.

[00:07:39]>> When we asked Chicago police whether any arrests have been made in this case, we were told no update is available at this time. Between Crimestoppers, the family, and local activists, the reward for information leading to an arrest is up to $15,000.

[00:07:56]If you have any details that could help investigators solve this case, you are urged to contact police or submit an anonymous tip. Reporting from CPD headquarters, Casey Cronis, Fox Chicago.

[00:08:10]>> In just a few days, the Illinois legislative session is over and we still don't know if lawmakers will pass the mega projects bill. Brett Beagansky is live in Arlington Heights tonight.

[00:08:18]Brett, this bill is directly tied to the Chicago Bears Stadium. Give us an update.

[00:08:24]Yeah, it seems like it's been a long time coming here, Don. The Bears have owned this plot of land for the last three years, but as we speak, it is still undeveloped. There have been conflicts over property taxes, but also how you would pay for infrastructure for a potential new Bears Dome Stadium here in Arlington Heights. There's going to be an NFL owners meeting tomorrow in Orlando, and I confirmed with the Chicago Bears, one of the topics is the future home of the Chicago Bears. They made it very clear to me there are only two sites they're considering. One is here in Arlington Heights. The other one is in Hammond, Indiana. As we all know, state lawmakers in Indiana passed legislation to potentially persuade the Bears to cross state lines and build a new dome stadium with the help of public money. The mega projects bill, as we were just talking about, here in Illinois, freezes the Bears property tax assessments for up to 40 years and allows the Bears to negotiate a payment to the taxing bodies instead of paying property taxes. And while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is trying to keep the Bears in Chicago, he told me last week he feels Soldier Field is the only option. argued the Arlington Heights site isn't a real plan and that Chicago never got a fair opportunity to present their plan to keep the Bears in Chicago.

[00:09:41]But Governor JB Pritskar disagrees, saying the mayor had opportunities to meet with him for the last few years about his plan and had time before session began.

[00:09:52]Then there's February to May. there's all that time to come talk to the legislature, which has my budget in hand, uh or the governor's office.

[00:10:01]Again, we've seen almost nothing out of uh the mayoral administration here on that subject or really any other. And so to show up in May and have a bunch of demands seems like late in the game and and it's unfortunate that's happened most years.

[00:10:17]>> It's not just lawmakers watching what happens in Springfield over these next few days. Brian Rojinsky owns Courtland's Garage in downtown Arlington Heights. He opened about 10 years ago and and Brian told me he's really counting on the Bears to see through their purchase of the former Arlington Park racetrack. After all, his business survived the pandemic. It was some really hard times for him and a lot of business owners there in that downtown area in Arlington Heights. But like so many business owners there, Brian really sees this as a great opportunity to do well on days that may be slow.

[00:10:50]If you had a message for state lawmakers right now, what would you tell them?

[00:10:55]>> Just maybe let's lock get lock in lock yourselves in a room and hammer this whole thing out and make decisions right away. There's no need to keep on going back forth back forth. This make it happen. We need it. Everyone wants it.

[00:11:10]So, I did reach out to Illinois Senate President Don Harmon as well as the co-sponsor on the Senate side of this bill. That's State Senator Bill Cunningham. I'm waiting to hear back from them about when potentially we could hear the mega projects bill on the Senate floor. But keep in mind, it was Bears team president Kevin Warren that promised they would have shovels in the ground here by last December. Of course, that didn't happen. It is still undeveloped. But we also heard from the Chicago Bears that they plan on having a decision about their future home either at the end of spring or sometime in early summer. We'll wait and see. We're live in Arlington Heights tonight. at Brett Pagansky Chicago.

[00:11:48]>> There's a new task force in Cook County.

[00:11:50]We're learning more about how it's supposed to keep transit riders [music] and workers safe. And CPS under fire tonight. A mother says [music] her 12-year-old son was violently attacked by his teacher. The teacher was charged, but the mom is calling for more accountability.

[00:12:14]>> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:12:30][music] >> [music] >> Wow. Wow. Wow. Yeah.

[00:13:11]Yeah. [music] Yeah. Yeah.

[00:13:32]>> [music] >> Wow. Yeah.

[00:13:53]>> [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> A mother is calling out Chicago public schools after she says her 12-year-old son was violently assaulted by his science teacher. Tia Euing is here now with more.

[00:14:52]>> Yeah, Don. The teacher has been identified as 37year-old Elaine Pierce Collins and she's now facing felony charges, but the child's mother says despite the seriousness of this alleged attack, she was not notified for hours after it happened by her son's school.

[00:15:06]These are the images Malachi's mother says she took after the alleged attack inside Persing Steam Magnet School in the 3200 block of South Kamet Avenue on December 12th of last year. She says the photos show redness, scratches, swelling, and bruising around the sixth grader's face and eye. This is the issue Malachi's mother, Marquita Brown, says the incident happened at 10:40 in the morning. She wasn't notified until 2 in the afternoon. She also says when her son went back to school 3 days later, 37year-old Elaine Pierce Collins was still on the job.

[00:15:40]>> Um, nothing happened to the teacher right away. She was um, placed on suspension. But I just wish that this never happens to no other kid that attends John Persian Elementary School.

[00:15:50]>> Now, Brown says she initially believed her son had been involved in a fight with another student until administrators allegedly told her the altercation involved a teacher. That teacher was eventually placed on suspension, but Malachi's mom believes action should have happened sooner.

[00:16:04]According to police and court records, Pierce Collins is charged with two felony counts for aggravated battery and aggravated battery by strangulation.

[00:16:13]He was dragged on the stairs. He was trying to come to um notify the principal of what happened. She was she dragged him. She um she started punching him. She choked him. She strangled him.

[00:16:27]and she um she assaulted my child. The um assistant principal told me that my child had scars on his arm. But when I looked at his arm, when I finally um came home, he had bruises and stuff on his um on his on left side, his um eye, he had blood underneath the eye and on the top. And he had long scratches on the side of his face. When I sent to my child to school earlier that morning, he was in perfect um good health.

[00:16:54]>> Pierce Collins is a referee as well. I did reach out to her for a comment on this story and she declined. According to data though, this is the sixth CPS employee accused of assaulting students this school year. Chicago public schools did say they are aware of the allegations and there's an investigation taking place. The teacher has been suspended during the investigation and when it's all over, a final decision will be made on her future at the school. Tia Ewing, Fox Chicago.

[00:17:20]>> Thank you, Tia. Chicago alderwoman Jesse Fuentes is suing the federal government.

[00:17:24]It's over this encounter with immigration agents during Operation Midway Blitz last fall. Fuentes claims federal agents shoved, grabbed, threatened, and handcuffed her after she arrived at Humble Park Health Hospital.

[00:17:37]She is seeking $100,000 in damages. We have reached out to both the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice for comment, but have not yet heard back. A Chicago alderman is providing more information about his million-dollar lawsuit against the city.

[00:17:51]Alderman James Gardner of the 45th ward is suing the board of ethics, the Office of Inspector General, and former Inspector General Deborah Witsburg. He says each conspired to prosecute him based on claims from a rival knowing there was evidence showing he was innocent. In 2023, the ethics board did rule that Gardner committed ethics violations after he ticketed a resident for having overgrown weeds. Gardner appealed that ruling and he was cleared last June.

[00:18:18]I simply want the truth to come to light. And we are simply calling out individuals uh who who basically went on a witch hunt to make me out to make me be the bad person, the fall guy.

[00:18:34]>> The city has not commented on his lawsuit. So, the CTA just got some serious backup. Terrence Lee is here with details on a new task force.

[00:18:43]>> Yeah. Don brings in the FBI, the ATF, and the DEA. And the timing is no accident. And just last week, a man hijacked a CTA bus at knife point.

[00:18:51]Here's something Eileen O'Neal Burke wants writers to know.

[00:18:55]>> There are two ways to deter crime. The likelihood of being caught and the likelihood of being punished. By working with law enforcement, we are upping the likelihood in both scenarios. That's what I want to send to the writing public that we have heard you. We share your concerns and we are doing everything we possibly can to make this the safest big city in America. And that starts with our transit system.

[00:19:19]>> Cook County United States attorney there. Of course, uh Burke says violent crime on the CTA is already down 22% from last year. Well, now nearly 40 prosecutors are trained to get into CTA camera footage and digital evidence faster. But Burke's task force does not include community organizations. Te Hardman, who spends his days working with young people caught up in violence, says that matters.

[00:19:42]You cannot arrest your way out of an epidemic. Uh violence and violent behavior has become a lifestyle for some people. So we have to work with the people, meet them where they are, and help them out.

[00:19:51]>> Hard says his team, the violence interrupters, has already stepped in front of about 40 situations this year, all before anyone even had to call 911.

[00:20:00]The task force meets for the first time next week. And tonight at 9, Dawn, we'll go into specifics about what they can actually do that they weren't able to do before.

[00:20:10]>> All right, Terrence. Thank you. Let's get an update on our forecast with JD.

[00:20:14]Hi.

[00:20:14]>> Hi there, Don. Yeah, things have been quiet for us here this afternoon into this evening after a ruckus midm morning with that line of showers and storms that came through. Here's the current radar picture. Not a peep, not a squeak, not a nothing. It is quiet. We'll keep it that way as we go throughout the evening into early tonight. But overnight into tomorrow, we may see a couple rounds of thunderstorms and it's possible one or two of those on the stronger side. It will be warm tonight.

[00:20:40]Low temperatures staying in the 60s, upper 60s in most cases. Tomorrow, morning showers and storms should move out of here. A high of 80, but then perhaps some falling temperatures as a cold front comes through. And we could see some redevelopment of thunderstorms along that cold front tomorrow afternoon. Let's just get you through the next 12 hours here. And look how warm it stays overnight tonight. It might be a night where some air conditioners are running or at least some high-powered fans to keep things cool. Couple of rounds of showers and storms. one around the midnight hour, another as we head toward early tomorrow morning, but that hinges on the incoming system that's currently active across the central plains. A peak of the next 5 days shows it will be getting cooler.

[00:21:22]Yes, those are highs Wednesday and and Thursday only [music] around 60. Our team is gathering more news, a lot more to share with you here at 5:00. So stay with us. [music] We're back in just a moment.

[00:21:37]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Wow. Wow. Wow. [music] >> [music] [music] >> Wow. Wow.

[00:22:22][music] >> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:23:01]Yeah. Yeah.

[00:23:13]Yeah, [music] [music] [music] doo.

[00:23:41]Wow. [music] Wow.

[00:23:55][music] Yeah, [music] [music] wow.

[00:24:38]The Ebola outbreak in Africa has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization. Dozens of people are reported dead. The outbreak was first confirmed last Friday. It is being driven by a rare variant of the Ebola virus. There is no vaccine or approved therapy for this particular strain. There have been more than 300 suspected cases and around 88 deaths since the outbreak began. At least one American has tested positive. Officials say they're being cared for in Germany.

[00:25:08]The cruise ship at the center of that deadly haunt virus outbreak has docked in the Netherlands. And officials say hazmat teams boarded the ship and Dutch authorities set up quarantine units for the crew who cannot go back home yet.

[00:25:20]The ship's operator says no current crew members have symptoms. At least 11 haunt virus cases are tied to the outbreak.

[00:25:27]Three passengers have died. 18 Americans remain under observation in specialized facilities in the US. And that suspected haunt virus case in northern Illinois turned out to be negative. The department of public health says testing for the possible case in Wnebago County did not detect the virus. The suspected case was not connected to that cruise ship. Now an update on mosquitoes in DuPage County. They have tested positive for West Nile virus. The health department says those mosquitoes were collected in Rosel, Glendale Heights, and Weaten. That was last Tuesday. Eight batches of mosquitoes in Cook County have also tested positive for West Nile.

[00:26:04]Dozens of families in Aurora are wondering when they'll be able to get back into their homes. The state ordered them out of the Foxhore Apartments today because of possible asbestos exposure.

[00:26:14]Lawrence Scaffiti talked with a physician about the health issues this could cause. Lauren, hey, Don. A doctor tells me exposure to asbestos fibers can lead to serious long-term health problems like chronic breathing issues, lung disease, and even some kinds of cancer. State investigators say renovation work inside the building did not follow proper asbestos safety rules.

[00:26:35]Officials say workers got rid of things like popcorn ceilings and drywall without required protocols to make sure it was safe. Otherwise, doctors say microscopic asbestos fibers can get into the air, which can lead to serious lung diseases. Officials say asbestos is generally considered safe if it's left alone, but when materials are torn out during construction, there can be a problem. Illinois EPA inspectors did end up finding asbestos at Fox Shore. They say the contamination risk is so high, people have to leave their belongings behind so it can all be cleaned by special crews. A doctor we spoke to at Rush says it's a carcinogen and it's best if people just avoid it altogether in these situations. The dose makes the poison. Uh there's no safe amount of asbestous to inhale. Uh you know there are kind of permissible uh asbestous exposures kind of with OSHA guidelines, but the best is none. Uh and more is certainly worse than a little bit. The Illinois EPA has asked the attorney general's office to take legal action against the owner of the Foxhore apartment. Officials say the goal is just to make sure that the building is cleaned up safely and properly. Don, >> thank you, Lauren. Still ahead on the news at 5, getting care closer to home.

[00:27:51]A pediatric neurology program just opened [music] in Chicago. Plus, love at Montrose Beach. The first egg of piping clover season is here. And it has been stormy, gloomy, and muggy all day. JD will tell us when the sun should finally come out again. I'm Cassie Carlson.

[00:28:07]Coming up later in sports, Cubs go from cross town series two division rivalry.

[00:28:11]They welcome in the Brewers who eliminated them in the MLDDS last season and now chasing them [music] in the Central. Tina is live at Wrigley Field with what this rivalry has grown into over the years.

[00:28:28]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Wow. Wow. Wow.

[00:29:02]>> [music] >> La.

[00:29:11][music] >> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:30:12][music] Wow.

[00:30:18][music] [music] [music] Wow.

[00:30:39]>> [music] [music] >> There is a new program for children who need specialized neurological care in Chicago. Inside Hospital on 25th in South Michigan held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony today. They say it's a first for them and they want to deliver highquality care for kids in underserved communities.

[00:31:17]>> We serve with a strong focus on expanding access to specialized neurological care and building services that truly meet the needs and uh for the patients and families of our community.

[00:31:32]And today marks a special and important milestone at Inside Chicago with the opening of our first pediatric specialty clinic.

[00:31:42]>> The pediatric neurology program will offer diagnosis and treatment for conditions like epilepsy, developmental disorders, migraines, and much more.

[00:31:51]There could soon be some new chicks in town. The Chicago Piping Clover Group says Imani and Sea Rocket have laid their first egg of the season at Montrose Beach. Three other eggs are expected to come later. Well, this picture behind me is when the couple had their very first chicks two years ago.

[00:32:06]They had three last year, so they've been busy. By the way, if you're wondering where Bachelor Clover Pippen is, he found love in Waggan with Blaze and they have also laid an egg. All good news. Yeah. Hopefully the Pvers were able to stay dry today. Let's check in with meteorologist JD Rudd. Well, you know, that storm certainly ruffled my feathers today.

[00:32:26]>> A little bit, did [laughter] it, huh?

[00:32:27]Kind of woke you up. Woke me up. Yeah. A little bit of a mid to late morning wakeup call in some cases. It was quiet this morning. Then that line came through with a bit of a ferocity to it.

[00:32:36]>> It did. It was powerful >> and it was gone. Yeah.

[00:32:38]>> And the sun came back out and that was it. So here it is on satellite and radar. Watch the loop. There it was from this morning. We'll kick it back around.

[00:32:44]There it is. And this thing is now rocketed its way all the way through the state of Michigan and now on its way out of Michigan. But we're not done. That storm system was sitting in the central plains this time yesterday. Look what's going on now in the central plains where that big giant L is. Similar setup.

[00:33:00]These are what we call I'm going to get geeky on you for a second. Mezoscale convective systems. What? It's basically a larger complex of an organized storm system. And they get their act together in the afternoon to evening and then overnight they kind of ride this warmer river of air aloft in the atmosphere and they sustain themselves. It's that time of year we see this. I wouldn't be surprised to see what's going on now in Kansas and Nebraska end up here overnight into early tomorrow morning.

[00:33:28]So, it might be a repeat. And going along with that, Storm Prediction Center has a level two risk of severe weather in play for tomorrow. Keeping in mind tomorrow begins at midnight tonight. And that's our window of opportunity. I think from midnight through about 11:00 tomorrow morning to see something strong to possibly severe. It all depends upon the timing of that system and how fast it works its way in. It will be tied to a cold front. And after tomorrow, oh man, we go back down the thermometer once again. Temperatures stalling in the 50s on Wednesday, back to the lower 60s on Thursday. But hang on, the upcoming weekend still looks pretty good. We'll talk about that and time out those storms in more detail here in just a while. Don, >> thank you, J. Could data centers lower Lake Michigan's water level? It's a new concern [music] as more centers pop up.

[00:34:16]We dig deeper in part four of a special series. Plus, >> so yet another rate hike on top of these [music] customers is going to be a true hardship.

[00:34:25]>> Multiple agencies pushing back against Nyore's proposed rate hike. Ahead in Fox Chicago's News at 9, the warning you need to hear as customers could pay the price.

[00:34:40][music] [music] >> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:35:11]>> [music] >> Wow, you Wow.

[00:35:41][music] Wow. Wow.

[00:36:04]Wow. Wow. Wow.

[00:36:16][music] Yeah, [music] [music] wow.

[00:36:58]>> [music] [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:37:14][music] >> [music] >> rising. Utility bills and increased noise aren't the only concerns surrounding data centers. They're also making headlines over fears they could contribute to lower water levels in Lake Michigan. As our series on data centers across Chicago land continues tonight, Brett Beagansky takes a closer look to get to the bottom of those concerns.

[00:38:03]>> I'm worried about Lake Michigan as it is cuz um I was looking at a news article about the ice pack in Lake Michigan and how it was very statistically very low.

[00:38:13]Jeremy Brazili and his family live in Joliet. He's worried about what the future looks like for this great lake, not just because of climate change, but because of the rise of data centers and with as many data centers as we're talking about bringing into Illinois and Wisconsin and Indiana and Michigan.

[00:38:32]What's going to happen to that water source that we take for granted?

[00:38:35]>> The aquafer is Joliet's primary water source, but soon it will no longer be sustainable for residents. [music] In fact, by 2030, Joliet will switch to Lake Michigan water.

[00:38:47]Joliet is one of six South suburbs that [music] recently formed the Grand Prairie Water Commission to buy treated lake water from Chicago. Joliet has a plan to deliver that water to residents through a 62mi water transmission line.

[00:39:03]That line starts here at the Southwest Pumping Station in Chicago's Durkin Park. It consists of new pipes and some that have just been updated. The cost $1.5 billion.

[00:39:13]>> Data center water use is highly unlikely to affect the level of Lake Michigan.

[00:39:19]>> Joel Bromeer is the president and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.

[00:39:23]>> The real concern here in Illinois is the fact that we have this limit on how much water we're allowed to use from Lake Michigan. So the limit in this case isn't isn't being made by the level of Lake Michigan. It's being made by the fact that Illinois has to keep itself under this limit that's been imposed by the by the Supreme Court.

[00:39:40]>> Brummeire is talking about the Lake Michigan diversion consent decree. It's a 1967 US Supreme Court ruling that regulates how much water the state of Illinois can divert from the Lake Michigan basin on a daily basis into the Mississippi River Basin. The [laughter] history behind that ruling goes back even further. Uh this all stems from the late 1800s right around 1900. Uh Chicago was putting its waste water back into it in directly into Chicago River which then flow out into Lake Michigan. There were [music] you know serious health problems associated with that. And so um Chicago reversed the flow of the river and um sent their water built a canal and sent that water downstream. You know eventually it goes to the Gulf of Mexico. Um, there were legal battles over Chicago using this water and not putting it back.

[00:40:32]>> Under this Supreme Court decree, Illinois is allowed to divert more than 2 billion gallons of water a day. That may sound like a lot, but when you factor in multiple large scale users at the same time, it could add up quickly, >> right? So, data centers, farms, residential customers can all be located in the same place. And if they're all drawing from the same water supply, say groundwater or the same municipal supply, [music] um those uses can come into conflict with each other, right? And so if we don't plan smart for how we're going to do this kind of development, you can actually start running into water shortages even in places that are located in this Great Lakes region with this with this great abundance.

[00:41:10]>> Water usage in these data centers is big. Philip Nelson is the president of the Illinois Farm Bureau. He says farmers across the state ask him all the time about data centers, especially when the bureau is on the road. The big concern, water, uh whether it's a million gallons a day, whether that's a closed loop system that recycles that.

[00:41:32]Uh the one in Joliet is building a pipeline from the Great Lakes down just because the concerns that we're hearing locally, this could have an impact on the aquafer where we all pull water off of. And what would that do if you site two or three of these big data centers that's going to dip into that aquifer?

[00:41:54]Nelson is a fourth generation grain livestock farmer in Senica, Illinois.

[00:41:59]They grow corn and soybean. They also raise cattle and hogs and uh I just think there's a lot of unanswered questions right now. The public hearings here locally whether it's Joliet, Manuka, Yorkville, >> thank you for your >> we've had jam-packed crowds of citizens that are worried about these issues. The Alliance for the Great Lakes 2025 water use report says 40 to 75% of people living in Great Lakes states rely on groundwater for their drinking water. It also says there's conflict over groundwater. Concerns about overuse, and it's already happening in states like Michigan, Minnesota, [music] Wisconsin, and Indiana. When the ground water is pumped faster than it can normally recharge, it ends up creating some problems. [music] See, the aquafers can't replenish themselves quickly enough, which can end up lowering the water tables, and then crews end up drilling even deeper wells, which drive up the cost in the process and create even bigger problems.

[00:42:59]That same report mentions a new study that some cities in the Great Lakes are sinking at the surface level. Chicago, Columbus, Indianapolis, and Detroit are subsiding at about 2 mm or more a year.

[00:43:14]That's because of compaction. It happens underground when the space once filled with groundwater collapses. Over time, this sinking threatens public drinking water supplies along with buildings and roads.

[00:43:28]Brett Pagansky, Fox Chicago.

[00:43:30]>> There's still more to cover regarding data centers, Lake Michigan, and our current state laws on water use. You can see our full report online at fox.com or you can stream it on Fox Local. Storms rolled through earlier today and we could be in for round two tomorrow.

[00:43:45]We've [music] also got a cooldown coming. JD has this full forecast after the break.

[00:43:52]I'm Tina. Coming up next in sports, two NL Central heavyweight teams meet for the first time this season. Can the Cubs pass a very important early season test?

[00:44:00]We'll talk about it next.

[00:44:08][music] [music] Yeah, [music] [music] heat. Wow.

[00:44:59][music] Are you [music] Heat. Heat. N.

[00:45:24]Wow.

[00:45:36][music] [music] Wow. [music] I want [music] [music] you.

[00:46:10][music] >> [music] [music] >> So, this is the quiet after the storm, would you say?

[00:46:38]>> I like how you put that. Yeah, it's after the storm, between the storms.

[00:46:41]It's kind of a storm sandwich almost. We had one this morning, we'll have more tomorrow morning. These things are in and out. It is that time of the year, so be prepared. be on guard. But yes, for the rest of this evening, you're okay.

[00:46:51]So, whatever you want to do tonight, go out and do it. No rain, no thunderstorms, nothing like that. Here's the radar picture right now. Spin things up, put it in motion, just kind of show you this is it. We had that line of storms around 10:30 to about noon today.

[00:47:03]It's pressed out of here. It's done.

[00:47:05]It's gone. But we're not done with storms because overnight tonight into tomorrow morning, storms are possible.

[00:47:11]More about that possible wording in just a moment. I think between midnight and 2 a.m. is the first chance. And then roughly speaking, 5:00 a.m. to about 10:00 a.m. tomorrow, there's a risk of storms. And those those could be on the stronger side. And here's why. Here's why I'm saying possible. What we had this morning was leftovers from a storm complex last night. We're doing the whole thing over again. Storm complex developing right now around Omaha, stretching just west of Kansas City down just west of Witchah. That's expected to roll its way eastnortheast overnight tonight. But there are several questions here of what this storm complex will do or not do. Let's jump into futurecast.

[00:47:51]Here's how our computer forecast model plays things out. Again, keeping it quiet for us this evening through most of the night tonight. But ahead of this main line around the midnight hour, it's possible we pop a few showers and storms. And then the computer forecast model says by 4 or 5:00 tomorrow, this thing has run out of gas and maybe we don't see anything. I'm not quite buying that based on what happened this morning and the time of year that we're at. Plus a pesky cold front in the neighborhood providing lift to a warm and muggy atmosphere. The ingredients are going to be there for showers and storms. And this front is going to meander its way through tomorrow morning into tomorrow afternoon. Here's the deal with tomorrow. If we get morning rain and storms, I'm not worried about this front for tomorrow afternoon. If we don't get morning rain and storms tomorrow, I'm worried about the front for the afternoon lighting something up. Either way, behind the front, it will turn cooler for tomorrow evening and certainly into Wednesday. So, here are the takeaways. What we know right now, that current storm complex is going to move our direction tonight. But will it hold together? How strong will it be?

[00:48:58]So, what can you do between now and then? Keep checking back on the forecast. Each new hour gives us new data. And make sure you give yourself some extra time tomorrow morning just in case we do have some bumpy activity in the neighborhood. 80 for the high tomorrow, but dropping quickly in the evening as that front comes through. And there you see Wednesday, it's 58.

[00:49:15]Thursday 62. More showers on Friday. The weekend looks good. 70s, more thunderstorms by Monday. That's your forecast. Time now for sports. Here's Cassie Carl.

[00:49:26]>> Thanks JD. [music] for how intense the cross town series was with the White Sox winning in walk-off fashion. It's not a division rivalry like Cubs Brewers. That has become an amplified one when the Cubs lured Craig Council away from Milwaukee. The Brewers are just a game and a half back from the Cubs right now in the division. And Tina Win is live at Wrigley Field ahead of game one. And Tina, despite the Cubs losing three straight series, they are still holding on to that winning record streak right now at Wrigley Field.

[00:49:54]Yeah, 15 straight home wins for the Cubs here. First meeting between the Cubs and Brewers. The last time these two teams faced each other, it was in the NLDS.

[00:50:02]And the Brewers ended the Cubs this season. Milwaukee comes into Wrigleyfield having won three straight series. Meanwhile, the Cubs have dropped three straight series, including six of their last eight games. Only a game and a half separate these two teams. Safe to say both teams see this as an important early season test while also an opportunity to gain some ground in a highly competitive NL Central. can tell you though that everyone inside the Cubs clubhouse are well aware of the added pressure that comes with facing Milwaukee in this series. The Brewers have won the division three straight years and for a Cubs team that is built to contend, the goal is simple, deth Milwaukee in the NL Central.

[00:50:39]you know, the way that both teams have played over the last four or five years or more makes, you know, this Brewers Cubs, you've been competing for the top of the division in some sense since um, you know, the 2018 um, 163 and then obviously in the last three or four years. So, I think that's a big part of it.

[00:50:58]>> The the Brewers are the team that have won the division for the last three years, I think. So, you know, it's, you know, I think that's what we want to do.

[00:51:08]Um, you know, so that's, you know, last year they they they beat us. Um, and they had a fabulous season. Fabulous fabulous season. Um, so we we've got to, you know, we've got to improve to get there.

[00:51:24]Um, they're they're a good team again.

[00:51:26]No question about it.

[00:51:29]Meanwhile, a heated exchange between Pico Armstrong and a fan is certainly making its rounds on social media. PCA addressed it moments ago, saying he's not on social media, but he is well aware that is certainly blowing up there. He definitely regrets his choice of words. Uh Craig Council also addressed it moments ago saying that uh Pete made a mistake with his choice of words. He's aware aware of that. That's it. You move on. Interactions with fans happen, but this is certainly part of the job. Cassie, thanks, Tina. Coming up on Chicago Sports Tonight, we have more on that viral interaction between PCA and a White Sox fan. [music] Is the Cubs center fielder to blame for responding to the heckling? Danny Parkkins gives us his hot take. And Iowa head football coach Kirk [music] Ference tells us why he moved Bears rookie center Logan Jones from defensive line to center and why he believes he can have the same career [music] trajectory like fellow Hawkeye Tyler Linderbomb. Tune in at 6 on Fox Local, Fox, Chicago Plus, and anytime on YouTube. Well, if you don't believe in the White Socks yet, this past weekend may have changed your mind. They have won three straight series. They went seven and two over their nine-game home stand and are a game back from the Guardians in the AL Central. They'll continue to be without catcher Kyle Teal, though, who will be out for three to six weeks with the sprained LCL in his right knee. The Socks are out west for a series with the Mariners. Noah Schultz is starting tonight. Well, no NHL playoffs in Chicago. AHL playoffs in full swing as the Chicago Wolves look to win another Calder Cup. The Wolves have a two- nothing series lead over the Grand Rapids. Griffiths in the Central Division finals after stealing two on the road. They return home tomorrow night for all to all state Arena for game three win and they advance to [music] the Western Conference Finals.

[00:53:08]Don't forget you can watch Chicago's hockey and Fox Chicago Plus. In the NHL, game seven tonight between the Canadians and Sabres. Winner will take on the Hurricanes and game one of the NBA Western Conference Finals is tonight as well. Spurs visit the Thunder. That's it for sports. We're back after this.

[00:53:26][music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. [music] >> [music] >> Wow. Wow.

[00:54:39]>> [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:54:52][music] >> [music] >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[00:55:33]Wow. [music] Wow.

[00:55:41][music] Wow.

[00:55:52][music] Wow. Wow. Wow.

[00:56:04][music] >> [music] >> Yeah. [music] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:56:32]>> [music] [music] >> A final check of our forecast. We want the heat to stay. It's not >> I think a lot of us would like for that to happen. We're that time of the year.

[00:56:56]There's that constant struggle. This happens every year. We get into May, we're like, "Finally." And then the atmosphere says, "No, I'm not done yet."

[00:57:03]Uh, it's the temperature teeter totter, the seasonal tug-of-war here. 80 tomorrow, 58 on Wednesday, 70 on Saturday, 80 next Monday, and oh yeah, for a little bit of flavor, we'll just pepper in some showers and storm chances. Could see one chance tonight around midnight, another tomorrow morning, but it's very conditional. I'm going to keep my eyes on it and track it for you.

[00:57:21]>> All right, thanks Satie. And thank you for [music] watching the news at 5. You can stream us online. and we'll see you tonight at 9:00.

[00:57:41]>> [music] [music] [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:58:06]>> [music] [music] >> la.

[00:58:23][music] Hey. Hey. Hey.

[00:58:36]Yeah. Wow. [music] Yeah.

[00:58:51]Wow.

[00:58:58][music] Wow. Wow.

[00:59:09]>> [music]