The Chicagoland has been hit with one of the largest widespread floods in years.  The heavy rains closed the Edens, Eisenhower and Kennedy expressways during the morning rush.  Waves of continuous thunderstorms continue to pelt the Chicago area.

The widespread flooding caused the cancellation of more than 700 flights and closed hundreds of schools in the Chicago area.  Metra reported to stopping and delaying trains on almost every line.  According to the Chicago Tribune, some evacuations began along the Des Plaines and Fox rivers.

The Edens Expressway began closures around 5 a.m., while the Eisenhower was shut down in both directions between North Avenue and York Road and westbound at Mannheim Road and the Kennedy was closed at Addison Street, Illinois State Police report.

Many travel times this morning ran at least two hours or longer in some areas.  Commuting by public transportation wasn’t any quicker either.

Metra listed delays and/or stopped trains on eight of its lines.  Commuters stuck on trains were told only one train was being allowed into the station at a time due to the outages.

The CTA rerouted 18 bus routes because of floods on city streets.  As of 10:45 a.m., 14 of those routes still had re-routes in effect in certain areas, CTA spokeswoman Tammy Chase said.

Transit officials encouraged customers to allow extra travel time and to be careful.

On Chicago’s Southwest Side, a sinkhole opened up engulfing three cars.  Officials said an aging water main broke, and the weather was being investigated as a possible cause.

All officials are urging to stay off the roads if at all possible.  Predictions for more rain may cause even more widespread damage through the area.

The Joliet Slammers, in partnership with Levy Restaurants, announced a new value-focused concession menu for the 2013 season. The Slammers open Frontier League play against the Traverse City Beach Bums on Friday, May 17 at Silver Cross Field.
Entering their first season under new ownership and management, the Slammers have reduced prices of 20 menu items.
“We try to listen to what our fans are telling us and now you can see that we’ve listened and responded,” General Manager Chris Franklin told Chicago Tribune. “In an industry where product costs continue to rise, we’ve held our ground on all menu items in an effort not to pass the buck to our fans. Our restaurant partner, Levy Restaurants, has been fantastic to work with as we balance value with variety and welcome fans with a truly exceptional experience.”
With such low food prices, Chef Carmelo Santiago suggests that Slammer fans should bring their appetites.
“This year, we are excited to welcome back fans and families with delicious new items throughout the season, from the Cross Roads Grill to the Blue Collar Buffet,” Santiago said.
The Slammers are also adding a new “J.L. Early Bird Menu” for fans that come to Silver Cross Field early on game days, featuring items less than five dollars. The deal is available every game for 30 minutes prior to the gates opening.
“Joliet Community Baseball & Entertainment is about providing value to our fans,” Franklin said.
As the Slammers focus on value for the 2013 season, Joliet baseball fans have a lot to look forward to, for a much lower price.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Fertilizer Plant Explosion Near Waco, Texas

As many as 60 to 70 are predicted to be dead from the fertilizer plan explosion that occurred Wednesday night near Waco, Texas according to West EMS Director Dr. George Smith.

Hundreds are injured. The explosion was reported at around 7:50 p.m.

Everyone within a mile of the fire was ordered to evacuate.

By 10:45 p.m. 61 injured victims had been admitted to Hillcrest, 44 of whom were in serious condition.

The blast was heard in towns as far as 45 miles away.

“What we are hearing is that there is one fertilizer tank that is still intact at the plant, and there are evacuations in place to make sure everyone gets away from the area safely in case of another explosion,” said Ben Stratmann, a spokesman for Texas State Sen. Brian Birdwell.

Buildings near the plant include a middle school and nursing home.

Most of the injuries resulted from debris being thrown from the blast, glass, doors and other shrapnel, authorities said.