Greg Versch News Today

Thursday brought the first major winter blast of the season, a storm that crawled across the middle of the country, disrupting travel, upending holiday planning and shuttering much-loved holiday attractions including the city’s Christkindlmarket. But though forecasters had called for temperatures to plummet throughout the day into the single digits — a 20 to 30 degree drop from morning — no storm proved too daunting for some hearty Chicagoans.

With temperatures expected to drop drastically in the couple of hours, Chicagoans are making last-minute preparations for the holiday weekend as cancellations are beginning to pile up across the city, from flights to holiday attractions.

The flagship beers at Engrained Brewery & Restaurant can now be found outside the Legacy Pointe Town Center eatery. Several beverages from the Springfield-based microbrewery are now on retail shelves throughout central Illinois, including the local Hy-Vee and Binnys Beverage Depot. Friar Tuck is set to offer the label, although staff said it has yet to hit the shelves at the 3080 Mercantile Drive liquor store. “Several places had been asking for my products for a number of years,” Engraine...