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Dear Neighbors,
May 15th marked three years since I was sworn in as your Alderman. I'm proud of the progress we have accomplished together, and am grateful for the opportunity to work alongside all of you. If you missed it last week, you can review my 'Year Three in Review' here to see some of the highlights over the past year.
To kick off Memorial Day weekend, the annual Belmont Sheffield Music Festival returns for its 41st year. From Friday May 22nd through Sunday May 24th Sheffield will be transformed with two stages of live music and dozens of food and retail vendors. Please be mindful of street closures and parking restrictions along Sheffield, School, and Wilton from Friday, May 22nd at 12:00am through Monday, May 25th at 6:00am. You can find more information about the festival and street impacts here.
Another annual event marking the start of summer — the beloved WOOGMS Memorial Day Parade returns on Monday May 25th. The parade kicks off at 11:00am at the corner of Wellington and Pine Grove. As the saying goes, "Everybody marches, nobody watches!" Bring your whole family to this pet-friendly event for a march around the neighborhood and a performance by the Jesse White tumblers.
 
It was a busy day at City Council yesterday. We passed The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance which establishes protections of free and fair elections in Chicago while honoring Jackson's legacy. You can read the Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Access to Democracy Ordinance here. City Council also passed a measure that would ban the Chicago Police Department from employing officers with ties to far right extremists groups. I supported this measure, and believe that this is a standard all city employees should be held to. You can read the ordinance here.
I was also proud to introduce two new ordinances. The first would fill in some of the gaps in our Ward's Pedestrian Streets along Clark and Belmont. "Pedestrian Street" is a technical zoning term that promotes a pedestrian-friendly experience along commercial corridors. It is important to note that a pedestrian street designation does not make streets pedestrian-only nor does it impact vehicular traffic on the street. The second ordinance I introduced would allow gas stations to have up to 6 EV charging spaces without having to apply for Special Use. You can read the text of this ordinance and track any progress here. I look forward to providing updates on these ordinances as they make their way through the legislative process in the coming months.
Heading into Memorial Day weekend, there's no shortage of great ways to celebrate here in the community. For more ideas, check out the Lakeview East Chamber Memorial Day guide here.
Our office will close early at 2:00pm tomorrow, May 22nd and will be closed on Monday, May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. We will reopen at 9:00am on Tuesday, May 26th.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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Grace Greenway
The Grace Greenway is complete.
This will be a great, safer way for cyclists to travel to and from the lakefront.
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Wellington/Oakdale Greenway
The revised proposal for the Wellington/Oakdale is up for review and we appreciate constructive feedback. You can find a larger version of the flyer provided on my website here.
To submit feedback, you can email [email protected] or call my office at 773-525-6034.
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Reporting Potholes
You can report potholes in streets and alleys through 311 here. If possible, please upload images as well so crews are able to identify the exact location.
For more severe potholes that may need immediate attention, please reach out to my ward office either by email ([email protected]) and include the location and images of the pothole or by calling the office at (773-525-6034).
If your vehicle was damaged due to a pothole, you may be entitled to a financial claim here.
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Divvy Bikes & E-Scooters
We are excited to share that we now have a total of 26 E-Scooter & Divvy Bike docking stations in the 44th Ward!
Reporting Scooter & Divvy Bike Removals
If you see Divvy Bikes or E-Scooters that are not properly returned to a docking station, please report this to 311 here. By contract, shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean.
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Garbage & Recycling
As we approach the Memoria Day holiday, please note that there will be adjustments to trash and recycling collection schedules.
You can find your full garbage and recycling pick up schedule here. Recycling information is now also available through Chicago's Recycle Coach App. You can learn more about the app here.
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To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.
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19th District Weekly Report:
May 11th - May 17th
My office is in regular contact with the 19th Police District about crimes that have occurred recently in our area and that are reflected in the statistics below. The majority of 19th District crimes have occurred outside of our ward. The 19th District also includes the surrounding neighborhoods of Uptown, Lincoln Park, Roscoe Village, Bricktown, Ravenswood, and Lincoln Square.
Please view our website's public safety page here for both proactive measures to stay safe before crimes occur, and also how to respond in the event of a crime. In order to stay safe, please find the the full list of CPD's safety tips here, as well as tips for personal safety, robberies, and vehicles.
Below you'll find Week 20's CompStat breakdown of crime in the 19th District.
Please note, these statistics are a reflection of the entire 19th District. The boundaries are from Lawrence Ave to Fullerton Ave, from the Chicago River to the Lake.
Here are the key points:
- Year to Date, Robberies are down 39%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 are down 50%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is up 18%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is up 27%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 34%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 34%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 16%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're up 9%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 8%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 10%
For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.
See full report below:
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Upcoming Meetings
Community Meetings With CPD (‘Beat Meetings’):
Beat meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS) and are an opportunity to speak directly with CPD officers about your neighborhood. The officers review incidents that have occurred as well as an overview of crime statistics. Find your beat here and view the beat meeting schedule below or in our ward calendar.
 
19th Police District Council
The 19th Police District Council holds monthly meetings. To view all upcoming meetings, you can visit the 19th Police District Council website here.
The next meeting is:
Tuesday, June 30th 6:30 PM
Topic: TBD
Sulzer Library
4455 N Lincoln Ave.
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Other Public Safety Alerts
Honda Air Bag Thefts:
The Chicago Police Department continues to see reports of air bag thefts from Hondas in the area. CPD officers have noted, however, that visible anti-theft devices such as steering wheel clubs have proven to be an effective deterrent, with many of the protected vehicles often being passed over even when neighboring cars were targeted.
Illinois Secretary of State & DMV Scam Text Scams:
There continues to be a rise in fraudulent text messages that claim to be from the Illinois Secretary of State or DMV. These texts often use urgent language, threaten license suspension, registration holds, or legal action in an attempt to trick you into clicking a link or paying an alleged fine. Learn more on the Illinois Secretary of State website here.
Vehicle Theft Tactic Alert:
We want to make neighbors aware of a vehicle theft tactic that has been seen in other cities and may become more common here. Thieves are targeting newer “push-to-start” vehicles by using technology to capture and amplify the signal from a key fob—sometimes from outside a home—to unlock and start the car in seconds. From other cities' observations, this is more likely to occur when vehicles are parked close to a residence and when key fobs are stored near doors or windows facing the street. To help protect your vehicle, consider keeping your key fob farther inside your home, using a signal-blocking pouch, or parking further away.
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Mental Health Response Resources
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BELMONT-SHEFFEILD MUSIC FESTIVAL - MAY 22nd -MAY 24th
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WOOGMS MEMORIAL DAY PARADE - MAY 25TH
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SOUTHPORT NEIGHBORS NATIVE PLANT SALE - JUNE 9TH
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DINE OUT ON BROADWAY - JUNE 12-14, JULY 10-12, AUGUST 21-23
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KIDS BIKE PARADE - JUNE 12TH
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HAWTHORNE MOVIE NIGHTS - JUNE 5TH & AUGUST 9TH
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Merlo Library - Upcoming Programs
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- Play Time - 5/21, 11:00am-11:45am (0-5 years)
- Power Up Thursdays - 5/21, 3:30pm-5:30pm (13-19 years)
- Canvas & Conversation - 5/26, 11am-1:00pm (13 years and up)
- LEGO Club - 5/26, 3:30pm-4:30pm (4-13 years)
- Anime and Manga Club - 5/26, 4:00pm-5:30pm (grades 7-12)
- Pay Time - 5/28, 11:00am-11:45am (0-5 years)
- Click for all program details
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Click here for a full list of Chicago farmers markets.
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Donation Pages & Volunteer Opportunities
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TUBMAN PLAYGROUND
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CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR STATUS - JUNE 4TH
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EMERGENCY FAMILY PLANNING - JUNE 10TH & 17TH
(June 10th - English, June 17th - Spanish)
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SEVEN DAYS IN JUNE - JUNE 1ST - 7TH
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CHICAGO FIRE DEPT: CAMP COURAGE
(June 15th - July 29th, various locations)
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FREE VIRTUAL LEGAL SEMINARS
(Next on 6/17 covering Guardianship & Power of Attorney)
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ST TERESA FOOD PANTRY
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The City is Hiring
Looking for a job? Try working for the City! Click here to see the full list of job openings currently seeking applicants.
Local government employment opportunities:
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City
- City of Chicago
- Chicago Public Schools
- Chicago Transit Authority
- Park District
County
- All - Cook County
- Cook County State's Attorney
- Cook County Sheriff's Office
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State/Other
- State of Illinois
- Secretary of State of Illinois
- PACE bus system
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