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Dear Neighbors,
This week, we celebrated our local business community—welcoming both new businesses and recognizing longtime neighborhood favorites. On July 30, Trader Todd’s marked 25 years in Lakeview, and this weekend, Guthrie’s Tavern celebrates 40 years. We also welcomed a new addition, Cielito Paradise, a family-owned specialty Colombian coffee shop now open in the neighborhood.
I was also proud to attend National Night Out, an annual event dedicated to strengthening police-community partnerships and promoting neighborhood safety. Events like this give residents the opportunity to connect directly with local law enforcement in a family-friendly setting, strengthening trust and reinforcing our shared commitment to keeping our neighborhoods safe.
  
The Community Commission for Police Safety & Accountability (CCPSA) has begun its search for the next Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Community input will play a key role throughout the search—whether you're a resident, business owner, or community leader we encourage you to share what qualities, experience, and priorities you believe the next Superintendent should have by completing the Commission's feedback form. CCPSA will also be hosting listening sessions—with at least one the North Side, South Side, West Side, and virtual—to gather recommendations from Chicagoans before selecting candidates. Please save the date for the North Side listening session on September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at DePaul College Prep (3300 N. Campbell), as well as the virtual listening session on September 10 at 6:30 p.m.. Visit the Commission's Superintendent Search webpage for more information and to stay up to date on the process.
The safety of our community remains our highest priority; my office will be attending the upcoming August 11 court hearing for Willie Wright, one of two men who have consistently harassed residents in the Ward. If you are interested in joining alongside our office via Zoom, please email us at [email protected]. We encourage anyone who feels unsafe or witnesses troubling behavior to call 911.
Last night, an individual in the ward was the victim of an armed robbery after arranging what they believed would be a laptop sale through an online marketplace. The victim immediately called 911, and thanks to the Chicago Police Department's swift response, the laptop was recovered and the offender was taken into custody and charged. I’m grateful for CPD’s quick action and, most importantly, that no one was injured. As a reminder, if you are meeting someone for an online marketplace transaction, consider using the lobby of your local police station as a safe meeting place.
Additionally, to support the everyday work of our emergency responders, we want to remind residents that all properties must have their address clearly displayed on both the front and rear of the building. Clearly visible address numbers allow police, fire, and EMS personnel to quickly locate the correct address whether they’re approaching from the street or the alley, helping them reach you as quickly as possible in an emergency. If you need rear‑alley numbers, our Ward Office at 3223 N Sheffield has free address numbers available for pickup. If you are unable to come by the office and need rear-alley numbers put up for you, please email [email protected] or call 773-525-6034.
  
We are heading into a busy weekend in the Ward with several events taking place throughout our neighborhood. Market Days returns on August 7-9. Halsted will be closed to vehicle traffic, with no access to surface parking lots or parking garages from 7 a.m. on Friday, August 7 until 8 a.m. on Monday, August 10. For more information about street closures and parking restrictions, you can visit the Northalsted Business Alliance's website. On Saturday, August 8, Ashley McBryde will perform at Gallagher Way as part of the Budweiser Concert Series.
There are also two free, family-friendly outdoor movie screenings. On Saturday, August 8, ELIO will be shown at Margaret Donahue Park as part of the Chicago Park District's Movies in the Parks series, and on Sunday, August 9 Central Lake View Neighbors' Movies in the Park returns with Zootopia 2 at Hawthorne School.
  
Lakeview Taco Fest returns to Southport Avenue from Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, bringing more than a dozen taco vendors to the neighborhood. This family‑friendly event features two live music stages, daily Lucha Libre wrestling shows, and activities for kids throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, August 22, my annual Kids Bike Parade kicks off at 9 a.m. in Southport. We’ll once again take advantage of the Taco Fest street closures for a fun ride from Newport to Addison and back. Helmets are required, and decorated bikes are encouraged!
We are partnering with the offices of State Rep. Croke and State Sen. Feigenholtz's offices on a back-to-school supply drive. New or gently used school supplies can be dropped off at the 44th Ward Office through August 14. All donated items will be distributed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to support children in need. For questions or additional information, contact [email protected] or call 773-348-8974.
 
The City's Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights (CIRR) is hosting a series of virtual events to help residents understand recent ICE activity and updates to immigration policy. On Tuesday, August 11 from 1-2 p.m., CIRR will host a virtual immigration briefing covering recent legal and policy changes and what they mean for Chicagoans. You can register for the briefing here.
In addition, CIRR will hold two informational meetings focused on the recent increase in ICE activity, what residents should expect, and how families can prepare. These sessions will cover recent enforcement trends, explain your rights during traffic stops, and discuss how families can prepare, including planning for temporary guardianship of children in the event of detention or deportation. The first information session will be held in English on Tuesday, August 11 from 6-7:30 p.m., followed by a session in Spanish on Tuesday, August 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. Register for the information session here.
The Air & Water Show returns next weekend for its 67th year on August 15 and 16 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a full rehearsal scheduled for Friday, August 14. This free showcase can be viewed along the lakefront between Fullerton and Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach serving as the focal point. Please note that during both the rehearsal and official shows, residents may experience intermittent loud aircraft noise, especially near the lakefront. Additional vehicle, cyclist, and pedestrian traffic is also expected. As one of the nation's largest free admission air and water exhibitions, the event draws hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors to Chicago's lakefront each year. Click here for more information.
As a reminder, my office will be closing at 1 p.m. tomorrow for a staff development day. We will reopen at 9 a.m. on Monday, August 10.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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Upcoming Resurfacing
Streets:
The summer street resurfacing schedule is now complete. We are waiting for updates on the fall schedule from CDOT. We hope to have more information by late-August.
Alleys:
Wellington, Broadway, and Oakdale:
As part of the Chicago Department of Transportation’s Capital Alley Program, the North/South and East/West section of the alley bordered between Clark, Wellington, Broadway and Oakdale will be undergoing reconstruction for much needed alley improvements. We are still working on getting complete information and will share more next week.
Garbage and refuse will be moved to the curb in front of your property. Alternative parking options may need to be found as garage parking will not be accessible during construction.
If you have any questions on this alley resurfacing, please reach out to our office for more details.
Melrose, Belmont, Halsted, and Broadway:
- Phase 1: Completed!
- Phase 2: Monday, July 27, 2026 to Monday, August 11, 2026, for an approximate duration of 2 weeks weather permitting. The entrance on N. Broadway and W. Melrose St. will be closed. Traffic will be able to enter from N. Halsted St
- Phase 2 will primarily impact 617-625 W. Melrose, 3212 N. Broadway, North/ South alley behind 751-781 W. Melrose
- Due to construction, the following changes will occur:
- Residential garbage pickup will be curbside and we ask that the homeowner relocate cans to the front of the property. If you have private refuse, please contact your service to make special arrangements for pickup.
- Barricades will block sections of the alley.
- Homeowners are advised to seek alternative parking.
- Barricades will be moved by the contractor to indicate access has been restored to garages.
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Wellington/Oakdale Greenway
The Wellington/Oakdale Greenway is scheduled to be striped next week, August 10-14, weather permitting. Crews will start on Oakdale and then work their way to Wellington.
You can find the updated plan for the Wellington/Oakdale Greenway below and on our website 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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Chi Street Work Portal
Have questions about street work happening in your area?
The Department of Transportation has a tool called the Chi Street Work Portal where you can input an address and see all surrounding permits for projects on that street.
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Garbage & Recycling
The next recycling pick-up for the 44th Ward is the week of August 17. You can find your full garbage and recycling pick up schedule here.
Recycling information is now also available through Chicago's Recycle Coach App. To learn more about the app, click 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:
July 27- August 2
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 31'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 42%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 are down 44%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is up 7%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is up 70%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 43%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 62%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 4%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 29%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 21%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're up 60%
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:
Wednesday, August 26th 6:30 PM
Topic: TBD
Uptown Church
1134 W. Wilson Ave.
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CPD Superintendent Search
Following the retirement of Superintendent Larry Snelling, the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) has begun the process of identifying candidates to serve as the next Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Commission is conducting a 120‑day nationwide search and will recommend three finalists to the Mayor.
Community Input Opportunities:
- Complete the CCPSA Community Input Form to share what qualities and priorities you want to see in the next Superintendent.
- Attend an upcoming listening session. The Municipal Code requires the Commission to hold at least four public hearings across the city—on the North Side, South Side, and West Side
—to gather recommendations from Chicagoans before selecting candidates.
Upcoming Listening Sessions:
Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m.
DePaul College Prep
3300 N. Campbell Ave.
Zoom Registration
Thursday, September 10 at 6:30 p.m.
Virtual
Zoom Registration
To learn more about this process, please visit CCPSA's webpage dedicated to the Superintendent search.
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Other Public Safety Alerts
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Charity Scam Alert:
The Chicago Police Department has seen an increase of "charity scams" in the area. In these cases, scammers utilize emotional pressure and fake urgency to persuade you to donate for a cause such as youth sports or gun violence victims. These individuals will offer to set up a small donation on your phone, but then take thousands of dollars.
It is important to never hand your phone to someone you don't know. If you believe that you are witnessing concerning behavior, call 911.
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Mental Health Response Resources
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If someone is in a mental health crisis, NAMI, Thresholds, and Trilogy provide resources and mobile crisis response in which a mental health professional can be dispatched.
This can be done instead of, or in conjunction with calling 911. If calling 911, you can ask for a CIT officer to be dispatched as they have additional mental health response training.
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CLVN MOVIE NIGHTS - AUGUST 9 & 23
8/23 rain date from 6/5
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THE CARE & WATER SHOW -
AUGUST 15
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LAKEVIEW TACO FEST
- AUGUST 21-23
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SOUTHPORT KIDS BIKE PARADE - AUGUST 22
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DINE OUT ON BROADWAY -
AUGUST 21-23
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Merlo Library - Upcoming Programs
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Merlo Library (644 W Belmont) has a wide range of events each week for babies, kids, teens, and adults.
Click here to view all of Merlo's upcoming events, and see below for events this coming week.
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Click here for a full list of Chicago farmers markets.
Wrigleyville Night Market at Gallagher Way
The Night Market at Gallagher Way is back on select Thursdays from 4-8pm in July and August. To view the full schedule, click here.
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Nourishing Hope (3945 N Sheridan), formerly known as Lakeview Pantry, is a robust Chicago nonprofit providing food, mental wellness counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance, to our neighbors in need.
To learn more about their programs, click here.
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Deliver fresh groceries to your neighbors!
- Sign up for a Home Delivery Driving shift with Nourishing Hope to deliver 8-10 orders. Driving shifts begin at their Hub warehouse at 5151 N. Ravenswood at 10:30am.
- You can learn more and register for shifts here.
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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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CLEAR THE SHELTERS - 8/1-8/31
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IMMIGRATION BRIEFING - AUG 11
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ICE SURGE WORKSHOP - AUG 11
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PARK DISTRICT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING
(voting open from 7/27-8/27)
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Voting is now live for the Park District's Participatory Budgeting. Community members have the opportunity to help determine how $500,000 in capital improvement funding will be invested in parks across Chicago by ranking the project categories in order of preference. All community members ages 13 and older are encouraged to participate.
Click here to cast your ballot.
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MAKE YOUR BUILDING
BIRD-FRIENDLY
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CCPSA District Councilor Information Sesstions
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REAR-ADDRESSES
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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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