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Dear Neighbors,
As we head into Thanksgiving, I’m grateful for this neighborhood and the way our residents consistently show up for one another. Over the past year, neighbors have donated food, volunteered their time, organized drives, and stepped in to help others in need.
I would like to especially recognize 19th District Mutual Aid, a 100% volunteer-run, local network supporting migrant families and unhoused neighbors with welcome kits, legal and housing assistance, and weekly supply sorting at Resurrection Lutheran. Their volunteers recently fulfilled their 3,000th request—representing support for over 12,000 people. This is a powerful example of what it looks like when a community comes together.
As you prepare your own Thanksgiving plans, I encourage you to check out guides from the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce and Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce for local restaurants, catering options, and specials over the holiday. I was thankful to have continued my own annual tradition of service by helping serve seniors at our 44th Ward Thanksgiving meal at Ann Sather in partnership with CPD and Cubs Charities, where we shared good food, conversation, and a chance to slow down before the holiday rush.
In public safety news, we sometimes see an uptick in both online and in-person scams around the holidays, from those posing as charities seeking donations. We encourage residents to exercise caution and use guidance here to verify organizations before giving. We also have previously seen a rise in package thefts this time of year. As a reminder, we recommend shipping packages to secure locations if your front door is visible from the street, or installing a non-transparent covering on glass so people cannot see deliveries sitting inside. Neighborhood buildings that install such coverings have reported declines in thefts. Residents can also review CPD’s full guide to package-theft prevention here.
CPD also recently issued an alert regarding two armed robberies that occurred just after midnight on Tuesday, November 25th, on the 3200 and 3400 blocks of Broadway. Our office will continue to support CPD as they investigate and will work with the State’s Attorney’s Office to ensure the offenders are held accountable once identified. As always, we encourage residents to stay aware of their surroundings, call 911 immediately if you witness anything suspicious, and file a police report at the 19th District station at 850 W Addison if you’ve been the victim of a crime. Read the alert here, and you can also visit our full public safety page here for additional resources and guidance.
We’re excited to welcome Lucky Cat (2806 N Clark) to Lakeview East, the newest addition to our neighborhood’s thriving coffee scene! This Asian-inspired café brings a creative, warm, and beautifully crafted menu—from black sesame lattes to Kyoto-style cold brew and miso-brown-butter cookies—all made with thoughtfully sourced ingredients and an Asian American culinary perspective. If you haven’t stopped by yet, be sure to check out our newest small business.
Mark your calendars: Winterland at Gallagher Way will host a festive Tree Lighting Ceremony next Friday, December 5th. The event is free and family-friendly, with performances, giveaways, and a chance to explore all of Winterland—Christkindlmarket, the holiday train, Santa’s Workshop, and more, just steps from Wrigley Field. Cradles to Crayons will also be on-site accepting holiday donations.
The Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce has also put together a great lineup of December events, from caroling and the Southport Holiday Stroll & Cocktail Crawl to a community menorah lighting and live ice sculpting. While you’re planning your holiday outings, consider picking up a Lakeview Roscoe Village Gift Card, which can be used at dozens of local shops and restaurants. It's an easy way to check off your gift list and keep your dollars local.
If you're looking for indoor fun as the temperatures drop, the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce has put together a Trivia Guide showcasing nightly games at bars and restaurants across the neighborhood. Whether you’re a casual player or a devoted trivia regular, there’s something happening every day of the week, from themed nights to specials and gift-card prizes. You can support local businesses, gather with friends, and stay warm while putting your knowledge to the test.
The Chicago Park District has a full slate of seasonal activities to help you enjoy the colder months. Ice skating is returning downtown, with Maggie Daley Park's rink already open. If you’re looking for a warm indoor escape nearby, the Lincoln Park Conservatory’s Fireside Winter Flower Show display opens today, featuring varieties of poinsettias, fir trees, and more holiday greenery. See the Park District's page here for all programs and events.
As the 2026 budget process heads into December, we’re continuing to gather community input to help guide our work at City Hall. With a range of revenue proposals still under discussion including sports-betting taxes, software taxes, the head tax, and more, your feedback is important. Please take a moment to complete our budget survey here and share your priorities on both potential revenue sources and areas where efficiencies or cuts could be made.
We’re also collecting feedback on the noticeable presence of delivery robots from companies like Serve and Coco in Lakeview. Whether you’ve encountered one on the sidewalk, used them for deliveries, or have concerns or experiences to share, your input will help inform our conversations with operators and city departments. Please consider filling out this survey here.
As a reminder, in observance of Thanksgiving, our office will close early at 2:00pm today and will be closed tomorrow and Friday.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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44th WARD COMMUNITY FOOD BOX
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FUNDRAISER AT SLUGGERS - NOV 29th
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"NUTS ON CLARK" HONORARY STREET NAMING - DEC 1st
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ALPHONSUS ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSES - NEXT DEC 1st
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HAWTHORNE SCHOOL HOLIDAY FAIR - DEC 11th
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INTER-AMERICAN HOLIDAY MARKET - DEC 11th
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HAWTHORNE SCHOOL FUNDRAISER - 20% OFF STATIONERY
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BURLING PARK FUNDRAISER - 20% OFF STATIONERY
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50% OFF PET ADOPTIONS - THRU NOV 28th
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SOUTHPORT HOLIDAY COCKTAIL CRAWL - DEC 5th
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TUBMAN ELEMENTARY FUNDRAISER - DEC 6th
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COMMISSIONER GAINER DONATION DRIVE - THRU DEC 8th
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FREE VIRTUAL LEGAL SEMINARS (NEXT ON JAN 21st)
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LAKEVIEW DOG PARK - DONATION PAGE
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WEISMAN PARK ADVISORY COUNCIL SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
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COMMUNITY FEEDBACK SURVEY ON CPD TRAINING
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REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK - CHICAGO INSPECTOR GENERAL
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REAL ID NOW AVAILABLE IN APPLE WALLET
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To submit a small business for our weekly shoutout, please complete the form here.
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PUBLIC SAFETY & 19th DISTRICT WEEKLY REPORT:
November 17th - November 23rd
CPD October in Review:
The Chicago Police Department has released its October 2025 in Review, highlighting progress in crime reduction and community engagement. Citywide homicides fell by 38% compared to last October, shootings dropped 43%, and overall violent crime declined 23% year to date—to the lowest levels since 2014. The report also spotlights increased compliance with the federal consent decree, new community training initiatives, and more. You can read the full October report here.
Local Public Safety Statistics:
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 most relevant key safety tips below, and the full list of CPD's safety tips here:
-General
-Personal
-Robbery-specific
-Vehicle-specific
Below you'll find Week 47'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 28%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 are down 10%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is down 9%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 is down 35%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 9%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 42%
- Year to Date, Felony Thefts are down 11%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 14%
- Year to Date, Misdemeanor Thefts are down 11%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 20%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are down 35%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2024 they're down 10%
For a list of crime definitions, please see CPD's website here.
See full report below:
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MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE RESOURCES
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SCOOTER REPORTING
Please click here to submit a scooter removal request and here for Divvy bike removal. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean. By contract, shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request.
Please contact our office directly if you see illegal/dangerous activities on green Lime scooters (riding on the sidewalk, two people sharing one scooter, etc). We are able to work with Lime to potentially administer fines, suspensions, or bans if you can include a photo/video of the behavior, and a time and location.
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See below for ongoing construction and infrastructure projects in our neighborhood and on our website here!
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UPCOMING STREET RESURFACINGS
Please see below the list of streets that have begun resurfacing:
Briar from Broadway to Sheridan will be fully repaved the week of December 1st, weather permitting.
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ALLEY RECONSTRUCTION ALERT
11/26 update:
This project has been completed. We expect the final barriers to be removed this weekend, and 44th Ward staff will be moving bins back to their original locations today.
If you have any questions on this alley resurfacing, please reach out to our office for more details.
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HALSTED ARTERIAL RESURFACING
Halsted Arterial Resurfacing - Halsted from Clark to Waveland Ave.
The resurfacing and restriping has been completed. The rainbow crosswalks are currently being repainted. Several are complete, and the rest should be finished within the next few weeks.
This work is part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Arterial Street Resurfacing - North Area Project, in the 44th Ward. Bigane Paving Co. is the general contractor for this project and Wight & Company is providing resident engineering services for the Chicago Department of Transportation.
The project includes ADA sidewalk improvements, curb and gutter removal and replacement as needed for ADA and drainage compliance, pavement patching, milling and paving the existing asphalt pavement, and striping.
Please be mindful of temporary “No Parking” signs as required for the activity listed above. These temporary signs restrict parking during working hours, while adhering to rush hour restrictions, for the completion of the work.
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TREE TRIMMING
Area Grid Tree Trimming – Wednesday, November 26th
Weather and staff permitting, the Bureau of Forestry will be conducting tree trimming in the 44th Ward. The below grid and addresses will have their parkway trees trimmed:
800 W Fletcher
800, 1000 & 1100 W Wolfram
2900 & 3000 N Seminary
1000 W Oakdale
800 W George
As a reminder, in the spring of 2023 the Bureau of Forestry switched to a grid-based system for tree trimmings in place of accepting requests for individual tree trims. This system allows for more of our City's urban canopy to be maintained.
Please be alert of no parking signs posted on the above blocks for this date as the equipment will occupy the public way.
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REPORTING POTHOLES
Please report any potholes you see by entering in all requests through the 311.Chicago.Gov website for those in the street or alley. If possible, be sure to 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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TIPS FROM TOMMY K - NOVEMBER
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GARBAGE & RECYCLING
Recycling pick-ups for the 44th Ward are occurring the week of December 8th. You can find your full garbage and recycling pickup schedule .
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See below for a list of job fairs, networking events, and more!
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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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44th WARD 2025 COMMUNITY MEETINGS
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