The swine flu frenzy is dying down just as summer rolls in and that means one thing: time to ramp up the West Nile coverage. Illinois gets the odious distinction of being the first state to have mosquitoes test positive for the virus in 2009. Overall, 44 people died from West Nile in 2008, one in Illinois; there were 20 reported cases in Illinois last year. The city has set aside $3 million for fighting West Nile this year. Check out the CDC's West Nile page for more information. more ›

Because we’re sickies, we love it when we slap a mosquito that was going for our sweet, sweet blood. There’s something extremely satisfying about kicking Pandora’s ass. That said, if we never had to deal with mosquitoes again, we would gladly give up the rush that comes from squashing them. We hate that we have to give up bananas for months at a time. more ›

So you own 17 acres of land filled with old cars, tires, and barrels in Wauconda and the Man wants you to clean up it, what do you do? You tell them to shove it and refuse to pay your property taxes, that's what. more ›

Chicagoist is not normally one for panic and the idea of apocalyptic end-time hysterics, but we’re beginning to look around and think that things are getting pretty wack. Two category five hurricanes in as many months. Planes falling out of the sky on a semi-regular basis. And we won’t even begin to detail all the passport chips, biometrics advances, and other ways to figure out what you’re up to. more ›

Chicago is clearly one hell of a place: we like it, you like it, tourists like it, and - this year - even mosquitos seem to be having a love affair with our town. Yes, it's West Nile season once again, ladies and gentleman, and this year's mosquito crop appears to be especially fond of Chicago. Of the 28 human West Nile cases that have been reported in Illinois this year, 21 have occurred parts of Chicago and the greater Cook County area. more ›

On the list of things Chicagoist loves about summer, "being a sticky, sweaty mess by the time you're done walking the block to the Red Line each morning" ranks somewhere between Cubs traffic and mosquito bites. We do somewhat enjoy watching the napkin brigade openly mop the sweat from their foreheads as they suffer on crowded trains, but overall, we'd generally prefer that it be a little cooler out there. more ›

A 67-year-old man from the Galena area is the first human case of West Nile virus in Illinois this year. The man, who had not travelled outside the area in months, became ill on July 11 and was hospitalized. He is now recuperating at home. more ›