In an effort to show that the Gulf Coast is "open for business," President Obama made a quick trip to the coast this weekend, accompanied by First Lady Michelle and daughter Sasha (Malia's off at camp). The Obamas hit the Florida panhandle for a mix of work, play, and photo ops as Obama met with Coast Guard and clean-up workers while also taking in some food, miniature golf, and a swim in the Gulf with Sasha. Said Obama: more ›

Last night, President Obama made the first Oval Office address of his presidency, using the speech to discuss the Gulf of Mexico oil spill as well as the ongoing recovery efforts along the coast (read a full transcript here). Calling the spill "the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced," Obama claimed that within two to three weeks, a cap could be in place that would contain as much as 90 percent of the oil gushing into the Gulf. He also discussed the "recklessness" of BP and talked of a compensation fund provided by BP but controlled by a third party. Obama also used the speech as a platform for energy reform, pushing for less dependence on oil. Following the speech, BP issued a statement, saying, "We share the president's goal of shutting off the well as quickly as possible, cleaning up the oil and mitigating the impact on the people and environment of the Gulf Coast. We look forward to meeting with President Obama tomorrow for a constructive discussion about how best to achieve these mutual goals." more ›

President Obama is headed down to the Gulf Coast this morning for another trip to examine the situation in regards to the BP oil spill, a two-day trip to the coast and his fourth trip to the Gulf since the oil spill overall. Upon returning to Washington, D.C. tomorrow night, Obama will make his first Oval Office speech to the nation to address the situation. Obama will begin in Gulfport, Mississippi this morning where he'll meet with local residents before trekking east to the Alabama coast and finish the tour in Pensacola, Florida. more ›

As President Obama hits the Gulf Coast for another visit, we checked back in with the Google Earth plugin that allows you to compare the oil spill to the size of cities. Needless to say, it's pretty mind-boggling. And keep in mind, this is only surface area. The oil plumes extend hundreds - if not thousands - of feet deep. more ›

Illinois senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) toured Louisiana yesterday with Louisiana senators Mary Landrieu and David Vitter, along with some officials from the Obama administration to address the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Durbin remarked on BP’s handling of the spill, deemed by the White House as the worst in U.S. history, saying “In my mind, BP no longer stands for British Petroleum. It stands for Beyond Patience.” He went on to say that the Obama administration would pressure BP to clean up the spill and bear the cost. more ›

It's been over three weeks since the explosion that led to the current Gulf Coast oil gush and while BP insists there's room for optimism, the spill grows larger, the disaster reaching epic proportions. And while a new clean-up solution has come from, of all people, Kevin Costner, there's still plenty to be angry about. Anger over the incident led to protests this week at BP office locations around the nation, including here in Chicago. Yet despite the outcry over the spill, the turn-out for Wednesday's protest was extremely low (estimated at no more than a dozen people). Still, Chicagoist Flickr pool contributor Katie Scully stopped by to snap some photos of those who came out to show their displeasure with BP, which has also dealt with dust-ups over environmental issues in our neck of the woods. more ›

Emotions have been pretty heated over the recent oil gush in the Gulf of Mexico just off the Louisiana coast. The controversy reaches to BP's policies, its response, and the ongoing troubles of containment. Now, some want to fight back. Tomorrow has been declared "Seize BP National Day of Action" by the group Seize BP and a series of protests across the nation are aimed at the oil company. The Chicago protest will happen tomorrow evening, Wednesday May 12 at 5:30 p.m. at BP's Chicago office at the corner of Michigan and Randolph. Protesters have also gone after President Obama in the wake of the oil gush to protest his offshore drilling policy, approved just weeks before the Gulf incident. more ›

The latest in our region's missing-pet stories comes from Wilmette, where Mary Ann and Howard Sandroff's beloved 35-year-old Gulf Coast box turtle Ruth has disappeared. Ruth normally spends most of her time in her swank backyard pen, but she vanished about two weeks ago; there were no signs of forced entry. Last month, according to the Sandroff's, an animal picked Ruth up and later dropper her in a neighbor's yard (turtles = tough to eat), and that's what they're hoping happens again. more ›

Chicagoist is pet friendly and nothing breaks our heart more than to see homeless dogs and cats. We firmly believe in adopting pets and if you’re thinking about welcoming a new member into your home, check out the latest Chicago arrivals. more ›

Five months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, the future of New Orleans remains mired in doubt and bureaucracy. When the mainstream media shelves substantive debate over the city’s rebuilding to decipher Mayor Nagin’s “Chocolate City” speech, the art world picks up the slack. Two local exhibits and a new play examine The Big Easy, the city and the idea. more ›

Yeah, kind of sounds like the set up for a joke (and there are plenty about this game on Fark). But in suburban Skokie, it's an annual tradition. The Indo Jew Bowl started out as a way for a tight-knit bunch of Niles North High School grads to catch up during the Thanksgiving weekend, by facing off in a friendly game of football -- Indians vs. Jews. And if anybody happens to get hurt, at least there will be planty of doctors on the field. more ›

The mainstream media has moved on to other issues but the effects of Hurricane Katrina are still being felt by people in the Gulf Coast region. Two upcoming shows will try and ease some of the burden for folks who weren’t lucky enough to hit it big at the slots. (Seriously, CNN: was “flooded” really the best verb for the job in that second graf?) The stylish and hip folks at Pistil Magazine will strut... more ›

In case some readers think that we fine folks at Chicagoist have been going overboard with the Macy Field's coverage the past two days, for your perusal today here is a gaggle of news from Hamburger U that has nothing to do with the nutritional quality of its food or its CEO suddenly dropping dead: - Helping those affected by Hurricane Katrina will take years. The possibility of Rita hitting the Gulf Coast would... more ›

The show must go on. Or at least Econ 101 classes. more ›

It’s a bad sign when even watching the news makes you miserable. While the flood waters have started to recede along the Gulf Coast and positive stories are emerging about Katrina survivors reunited with their families, the 24/7 aftermath coverage and Oprah’s inspired but rather graphic reporting have worn us down. As we approach the anniversary of another tragedy, we will set aside time to reflect but still plan to get on with our weekend.... more ›

If your CTA bus was a little late this morning, don’t be too angry: the city’s favorite whipping boy was busy pitching in to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. more ›

Is there other news to discuss outside of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina? If there is, we’re having a hard time paying attention to it. Despite occurring some 920 miles away, the tragedy in the Gulf Coast region has already become a local and state issue as the massive loss of life and property, the looming health and energy crises and the breakdown of the rule of law have a ripple effect across the nation.... more ›

) that killed at the least one hundred people and will cost billions of dollars to clean up. more ›

Along with everyone else, Chicagoist has been watching as Katrina formed, advanced, and finally plowed over New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Our hearts go out to everyone who was there and who lost family and friends, their homes and possessions. In some ways, this storm was reminiscent of Hurricane Andrew, a Category 4 hurricane that immobilized Miami-Dade County (and one Chicagoist staffer) in 1992. Both storms crept slowly towards their target, leaving Miami and... more ›

The new park will be built this winter in Gurnee, on 13 acres of land ajoining Six Flags' Great America. Features of the park will include include slides, raft rides and a wave pool. There will also be a two-acre play area with 17 towers interconnected with slides, bridges, chutes and ladders that would be "the world's largest interactive water play structure." more ›