At least 29 tornadoes ripped across Illinois and northwest Indiana last week, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. As residents of parts of these states were recovering and surveying the damage from a destructive derecho that swept through Wednesday night with up to 80 mph winds, they were hit again less than 24 hours later with another round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
A derecho is a widespread and long-lived thunderstorm with damaging winds.
“This is well above average, already, for a typical year,” said Rafal Ogorek, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Chicago office.
Some storm damage in Graceland Cemetery across the Red/Brown Line CTA tracks from my home.
Overall it was another brutal early summer storm front. Thousands lost power and almost a week later are still without service. Somehow mine has never been affected over the 18 years I’ve lived at this address. . Knock on morning wood. (or in my case Trazaboner). My porch as always took a hit and packing and unpacking my summer solitude is becoming annoying. I’m already easily annoyed as it is
Sunday Melita sat in with me as co host since Russian is one of the many languages that she speaks. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Melita is from capital of Georgia, Tbilisi (the country not the state) and our guest is from St. Petersburg Russia and it was a very wise decision and really seemed to make Nadia Kodes open up even more.
The 2026 Argyle Night Market – Opening Night! Mark your calendars for EVERY Thursday in July and August starting July 2nd (5-9pm weekly), and stay tuned for more details
More fun with microwave burritos ala tribute to From Dusk Till Dawn: In the famous opening scene of From Dusk Till Dawn, Texas Ranger Earl McGraw warns his buddy Pete about the dangers of convenient gas station food, dropping this iconic line: “Jesus H. Christ, Pete. When you gonna learn that microwave food’ll kill you faster than a bullet? I mean, them damn burritos ain’t good for nothing but a hippie, when he’s high on weed.”
Ohio 666 Route in Muskingum County, Ohio
State Route 666 is a 14.17-mile state route that runs between Zanesville and Dresden in the US state of Ohio. Most of the route is a rural two-lane highway and passes through both woodland and farmland. For much of its path, SR 666 runs generally parallel to the east of the Muskingum River.
Often considered an “evil” number, due to its reference as the “mark of the beast” in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, 666 has become a symbol of the Antichrist. According to Bible.com, Revelation 13:18 states, “Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”
Chas Cosgrave, public information officer for the Ohio Department of Transportation’s District 5, looked into the matter and explained why modifying a road’s assigned number is difficult, if not impossible.
“Short answer, yes, a state route number can be changed, but it’s rare and only done when there’s a clear transportation need,” Cosgrave said. “Regarding SR 666 near Zanesville, currently, we do not have a logistical reason to change the route designation. State route numbers are established and maintained for consistency, wayfinding, and historical reference. While we understand the concerns raised, simply reassigning a number without a practical transportation need is not something we typically pursue.”
However, there is a precedent for renumbering a road named 666. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration website reveals that in 2003, after years of public outcry and concerns from residents, lawmakers and travelers, New Mexico, working with Colorado and Utah, petitioned to change U.S. Route 666. Proposed Grove City development riles residents
Since the number was widely associated with Satan, some people avoided the highway entirely, which fueled the stigma that hurt the local economy. Safety concerns and the road’s reputation as “cursed” added further urgency. With approval from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the route was ultimately redesignated as U.S. 491 on May 31, 2003.
06/13/2026 Saturday Jessica Edwards and I walked over to Tac Quick to meet with chef-owner Itti Damprapa to discuss her DJing there for my upcoming Sunday late night gigs. We had a drink and drove north to Edgewater Produce during Andersonville’s MidSummerFest and I picked from the produce for some tasty peppers that cost a faction of what I nearly paid at Jungle Jewel the previous day.
The next stop was just west of us in Lincoln Square where we popped into Sojourn for a round of cocktails and left behind a few of Jessica’s DJ cards.
The we picked up some mixer and hung out for a bit on the back porch sipped cocktails on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. It was a good day and was in a good mood and apparently left my brother a lighthearted voicemail saying something about teh KISS Dressed to Kill LP from 1975.
Edgewater Produce 5515 N Clark St, Chicago IL
SOJOURN CHICAGO 4620 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL
Monday July 15, 2026 I was biking very early on Ravenswood and discovered Blind Love by John Airo: A striking, blue three-armed creature located on the SE corner of Ravenswood Avenue and Berteau Avenue.
For over a century, the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor has been home to one of Chicago’s most vibrant and diverse creative communities.
Established in 2021 by the Ravenswood Community Council (RCC), Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce (GRCC), and SSA #31, the Ravenswood Sculpture Garden celebrates this rich history of arts and industry.
Over that time, makers of all kinds- from metalworkers and brewers to painters and carpenters- have laid down roots in Ravenswood. Historic manufacturing centers that once housed giants of industry have been reimagined, each now home to countless talented artisans.
This new public art destination debuted with seven sculptures, including four works commissioned for this project. Following the first wave, we installed three more pieces in the spring of 2022. This magical attraction pays homage to Ravenswood’s creative spirit, delights its residents, and draws visitors to local small businesses. All of the sculptures are located along Ravenswood Ave, between Lawrence Ave and Irving Park Rd.
Monday July 15, 2026 1819 W Montrose Ave Chicago, IL The Jalapeño Jack Pub Burger is a limited-time summer menu item at Culver’s. It features fresh, never-frozen beef topped with pepper jack cheese, a creamy, zesty jalapeño sauce, lettuce, and ripe tomatoes on a lightly toasted, buttered brioche bun. It wasn’t as good as I had hope. Good enough though nonetheless.
6/12-6/14 Final Demonized Weekend Tally: 7 killed, 16 wounded
SubX News charts a slight deviation from the Mayor’s message:
- Chicago’s first full weekend of June delivered another reminder that crime statistics only tell part of the story.Using the official HeyJackAss weekend methodology, Chicago recorded 4 killed and 23 wounded between Friday afternoon and Monday morning.Compared to the same weekend in 2025, homicides increased 33.3%, non-fatal shooting victims increased 130%, and total shooting victims increased 107.7%.Those numbers alone would make this one of the more violent weekends of 2026.The broader reality was even worse.
SubX News also tracks four separate “mass shootings” that wreaked havoc with the Mayors contention that he’s doing a great job with the crime numbers.