Two teenage boys were transported to the hospital after they were rescued by friends and bystanders from Lake Michigan at Illinois Beach State Park near Zion Monday evening.

The Beach Park Fire Department and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded around 6:15 p.m. Monday to Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park, 1 Lake Front Drive in unincorporated Zion, for a report of a water rescue.

911 callers reported two people in Lake Michigan struggling approximately 100 yards from shore.

Beach Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Thomas Hopkins said crews arrived and learned two teenage males had been in distress in the water.

They were rescued by friends and bystanders and were on shore when emergency crews arrived.

A significant response was initially dispatched but was downgraded after it was determined that no one was still in need of rescue, Hopkins said.

The incident happened at the main beach while the victims were swimming with their friends.

Hopkins said paramedics provided medical care to both of the victims and transported them to Vista Medical Center East in Waukegan.

One of the victims, who was doing worse than the other, seemed to improve by the time the ambulance arrived at the hospital, Hopkins said.

Both were awake and talking. Their exact conditions were not known but they were both expected to survive.

Hopkins said visitors at the state park should be cautious and aware. The state provides life preservers at the beach for patrons to use.

Hopkins also said that the state has made safety improvements but Lake Michigan still can be “very dangerous.”

The Zion Fire/Rescue Department assisted the Beach Park Fire Department during the incident.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The ‘Big Boy’ Locomotive is making its way back west from Philadelphia, and is in the area on Wednesday and Thursday.

It has a 30-minute stop tomorrow morning at 11:30 in Continental, Ohio, about an hour east of downtown Fort Wayne. Then, it will travel into New Haven from the east.

Recommended viewing spots are along Dawkins Road near Webster Road at Jefferson Township Park or in town at the New Haven City Hall parking lot.

Train officials remind spectators they should remain more than 25 feet away from the tracks to avoid trespassing and to stay safe.

After an overnight stay in New Haven, which is not open to the public, it will travel through downtown Fort Wayne around 9 am Thursday.

It will then make a 30-minute stop in Knox, Indiana, about 2 hours west of Fort Wayne, near South Bend and Valparaiso, which is open to the public at N. Main St. and W. Bender St. from 12:30 to 1p Central Time.

Crowds have been very large and officials suggest arriving early.

In June, Big Boy stopped here on its way to Philadelphia for the Fourth of July as part of the historic coast-to-coast tour in celebration of the United States of America’s 250th birthday.

Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam engine, weighing in at a whopping 1.2 million pounds. Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned for Union Pacific, the first being delivered in 1941, where they were used to haul equipment in support of the war at the time.

You can track the historic locomotive through a live map of the train’s location, here.

It’s all about the food at the Iowa State Fair, and a panel of judges has named their top new foods coming to the fair in 2026.

From an initial list of 84 entries, the field was narrowed to 11 contenders. Judges tasted each of the 11 new foods and voted for three finalists during a Facebook livestream event from the fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 14.

Those three will compete for fairgoers’ votes for the 2026 Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair.

Last year, Winn & Sara’s Kitchen’s bacon chicken ranch eggroll took home the top honor.

These three finalists will face off in public voting Aug. 13-19 at the Iowa State Fair. The winner will be announced Aug. 21.

What are the top three new foods at the 2026 Iowa State Fair?

All-American Scrambled Egg Roll

Winn & Sara’s Kitchen will try for its third-straight win with a breakfast offering. The All-American Scrambled Egg Roll is stuffed with bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs and cheddar, finished with cheesy ranch.