About once a year, photos from the gargantuan collection, painstakingly arranged and maintained by Indiana University, left behind by amateur photographer and Indiana University grad Charles W. Cushman crop up on one website or another. The photos, spanning 1938 to 1969 (he passed away in 1972), are a treasure trove spanning the entire country (and others) but have a particularly nice collection of photos from that period taken here in Chicago. Our pals at Gapers Block had a fantastic series where they recreated some of Cushman's shots. And Vocalo's Lee Bey took a look at the architectural aspects of Cushman's collections earlier this spring. There's also his NYC shots which have been featured on the Mothership Gothamist. So, now that we're in the dog days of summer, we thought we'd visit the archives and take a few spins through some of his photos over the next few days. more ›

Most of us are off to the beach (except Marcus - that hack is chained to the desk for the weekend) so we wish the rest of of you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend. Enjoy the (unofficially) last weekend of summer! more ›

A 4-year-old girl who was in critical condition after choking at Calumet Beach on Tuesday died Saturday night. The child, Marianna Carabez, was knocked into the water by a wave while sitting on the beach, according to a police report. Carabez was pulled from the water by her father and bystanders and received CPR from lifeguards, but was "in cardiac arrest after choking" when the Chicago Fire Department emergency personnel found her, the Tribune reports. more ›

The 2009 Chicago beach season may have officially begun yesterday, but cutbacks on lifeguard hours and increased fees to visit beaches may put a damper on your summer sun. more ›

Isn't it a little cold to be romping around on the beach at night? Apparently not for an area school's assistant principal and a member of the Blue Man Group. Michael Pressler, 48, the assistant principal at Maine East High School in Park Ridge and Darren Stephens, 45, a performer for the Blue Man Group, were arrested yesterday and charged with public indecency after they were discovered engaged in "in a sex act on Chicago Park District property." The pair were arrested last night at 5:45 p.m. in a lakefront park located on the 4500 block of North Simonds Drive. Both will appear in Misdemeanor Court in February. No word on if either will lose their jobs as a result of the incident, but Tobias Funke is putting on the body paint just in case. UPDATE: The Blue Man Group is now saying Stephens doesn't work for them and never has. more ›