Today in Chicago History: John Belushi's death shocks the city
Here's a look back at what happened in the Chicago area on March 5, according to the Tribune's archives.
Is an important event missing from this date? Email us.
Weather records (from the National Weather Service, Chicago)
High temperature: 75 degrees (1983)
Low temperature: 0 degrees (1978)
Precipitation: 0.99 inches (1946)
Snowfall: 9.2 inches (2013)
1962: The Robert Taylor Homes — then one of the largest public housing projects in the United States — opened and its first family moved in. The development had 28 high-rises with more than 4,230 units.
But the complex soon caved under devastating poverty and violence. In the end, the Robert Taylor high-rises failed a congressional 'viability test,' which found it was cheaper to house residents elsewhere than to maintain the crumbling high-rise slums.
Demolition of the buildings began in May 1997.
1982: John Belushi was found dead at the Chateau Marmont, a Los Angeles hotel.
A coroner's report later concluded Belushi died of 'acute cocaine and heroin intoxication.'
Cathy Evelyn Smith was sentenced to three years in prison in 1986 for injecting Belushi with a fatal dose of cocaine and heroin. She was released in 1988.
1997: Chicago White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame.
Vintage Chicago Tribune: Remembering the Go-Go White Sox
Subscribe to the free Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter, join our Chicagoland history Facebook group, stay current with Today in Chicago History and follow us on Instagram for more from Chicago's past.
Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Kori Rumore and Marianne Mather at krumore@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
29 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
A California city just shattered its June rainfall record in one hour
Thunderstorms lit up the skies from Los Angeles to Las Vegas on Tuesday as a rare June storm sparked nearly 10,000 lightning strikes in Southern California and dropped flooding rain all the way to Nevada and Arizona. Some California desert cities, which average little to no rain in June, received more than a month's worth in less than an hour. Needles (San Bernardino County), on the California-Arizona border, measured 1.2 inches of rain Tuesday, making it the wettest June day in the city's history, and also smashed the previous monthly record accumulation of 0.88 inches from 1918. Nearly an inch of rain fell in a half-hour, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates rainfall of that intensity to occur once every quarter of a century in Needles. Desert thunderstorms also stretched toward Las Vegas. Hail the size of quarters fell near Lake Mead and nearby weather stations recorded wind gusts up to 67 mph. Downpours also flooded roads in Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms (San Bernardino County). A flash flood warning remained in effect in Grand Canyon National Park on Wednesday after 2 to 4 inches of rain trapped hikers Tuesday. Thunderstorms were not only confined to the deserts, but stretched all the way to the coast. Los Angeles and Orange counties picked up hundreds of lightning strikes during the afternoon and into the evening commute. Tuesday's storms followed remnants of Tropical Storm Alvin over the weekend. Phoenix picked up 0.24 inches of rain Sunday, the wettest June day in the city in more than a half-century. June rainfall is unusual in the deserts of California, Nevada and Arizona. Cold low-pressure systems tend to become less frequent by midspring while monsoon thunderstorms, sparked by summer heat, are more common in July and August. However, a low-pressure system cut off from the jet stream and drifted toward Southern California and ingested some subtropical moisture, aiding in the rare June soaking. Another round of downpours was predicted Wednesday afternoon in northern Arizona, southern Nevada and southeastern California. Los Angeles and San Diego were forecast to remain dry.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Smoke from Canadian wildfires brings air quality alert, hazy conditions to NYC
NEW YORK — An air quality alert was issued for New York City, as well as parts of New York State, New Jersey and Connecticut on Wednesday in response to southern-drifting, hazy smoke from Canadian wildfires and rising ozone levels. The smoke is coming from fires in the central Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The National Weather Service said ground-level ozone could approach or even exceed unhealthy levels. Ozone is a pollutant that forms when sunlight hits emissions and can cause lung irritation or worsen asthma. As of Wednesday afternoon, New York City was experiencing 'moderate' air quality, but that could tip into levels that are 'unhealthy for sensitive groups,' officials said. Vulnerable people, including the very young, elderly and people with respiratory illnesses, are advised against performing strenuous activities outside during the afternoon and evening until the smoke clears. The alert, which contradicts an earlier notice that the smoke was not likely to have much of an effect on New York City, was set to expire at 11 p.m. Wednesday. Conditions should gradually improve throughout the remainder of the week as the smoke disperses. Along with the city, the air quality alert applies to Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester counties, as well as Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties upstate. Also affected are Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex and Union counties in New Jersey; and Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex and Northern New London counties in Connecticut. In June 2023, smoke from fires in Quebec was funneled directly into New York City and caused a extremely hazardous Air Quality Index of 484 — the highest ever recorded in the city.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why is the air quality bad in central Ohio?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Some residents in central Ohio may notice lower air quality and haze on Wednesday. The reduced air quality is due to smoke from wildfires in Canada. As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, the AQI for Columbus was at 106, which falls into the orange category and is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups. It is recommended that people with heart or lung disease, as well as older adults, children and teens limit time outside, and to choose activities like walking instead of running. A rare COVID-19 strain disappeared overnight. We still don't know which Ohioan had it An AQI between 51-100 (yellow) could pose problems for people who are unusually sensitive to ozone, according to the National Weather Service. An AQI between 100 and 150 (orange) could pose problems for sensitive groups like those with asthma, older adults, children and teens. If the AQI reaches 100-150, even healthy people are encouraged to limit outdoor activities to shorter and less intense activities. Anything over 151 (red, purple and maroon) could create health impacts for the general public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
