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Dear Neighbors,
The Savannah Bananas are coming to Wrigley Field this weekend with games at 7:00 pm on Friday, 4:00 pm on Saturday and 3:00 pm on Sunday. To accommodate these activities, street closures will be in effect beginning on Friday, July 24th on Sheffield between Addison and Waveland, on Waveland between Sheffield and Seminary, and Clark between Patterson and Addison. Saturday will also bring the Mustache Bar Crawl to Clark Street between Newport and Addison, so please plan ahead if you're traveling through the area.
In the ward this week, I visited Nourishing Hope and learned about the amazing work they do to provide individuals food or support through their social services and mental wellness programming. In 2025 alone, they distributed more than 6 million pounds of food, serving 50,000 neighbors, including 7,000 families with children. Organizations like Nourishing Hope make a tremendous difference in our community, and I'm grateful to have them in the 44th Ward. I am looking forward to collaborating with them in future months!
 
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Public Safety Town Hall this week. We hope the discussion provided a clearer picture of the many agencies and organizations that work together to keep our communities safe and the role each plays in the public safety system. My thanks to the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, and Thresholds for sharing their expertise and answering residents' questions. Below, we've included contact information for Thresholds and NAMI, as well as additional resources from the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
If you missed the town hall or are looking for another opportunity to connect with local law enforcement, mark your calendars for the 19th District's National Night Out on Tuesday, August 4, from 6:30–8:00 pm at Clarendon Park, just north of the 44th Ward. This annual event is a great opportunity to meet local police officers, connect with neighbors, and strengthen the partnerships that help keep our community safe. We hope you'll join us for an evening of community engagement and conversation.
 
That same day, Merlo Library will host its annual blood drive from 12:00-4:00 pm. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can reserve an appointment here. Every donation can help save up to three lives, and your participation can make a real difference for patients across our region.
The Diversey Community Coalition continues to organize against the proposed ComEd substation plan at 1111 W Diversey. If you are looking to get involved, their website has information on the different ways residents can fight back against this proposal, including filing a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
For those who live near 2800 N Sheridan, the first phase of demolition at 2800 N. Sheridan will begin on Monday, August 3 with site preparation, including fencing installation and other preliminary work. Interior-only demolition is scheduled to begin on August 17. Exterior demolition will begin after Labor Day, starting on September 7. Please note that during demolition, the adjacent alley will be closed during active work hours (8:00am - 5:00pm) as needed. You can view the full demolition schedule on my website here.
The City's Department of Streets & Sanitation (DSS) and Department of Environment (DOE) have also launched their new Keep Chicago Clean initiative, encouraging residents and visitors alike to help keep our neighborhoods clean, healthy, and welcoming. Whether you're disposing of trash properly, recycling in blue carts, or picking up litter during a walk, small actions can make a big difference. A cleaner community discourages rodents and protects our local environment and community health. Thank you for continuing to take pride in the 44th Ward and doing your part to help Keep Chicago Clean. Learn more about the initiative on the City's website.
Finally, a reminder that Lollapalooza begins next Thursday, July 30th, and runs through Sunday, August 2nd. You can stay up to date on public safety alerts, transit disruptions, and more by texting 'CHIBIZ' to 67283 or signing up for City alerts here.
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Have a great weekend,
Alderman Bennett Lawson
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Upcoming Alley Resurfacing
Street and alley grinding and resurfacing work is ongoing throughout the ward. Please note that schedules are subject to change, and delays may occur due to weather conditions or equipment availability. We appreciate your patience and understanding as this work is completed. We will continue to communicate any changes as we receive information from CDOT.
Streets:
- Cornelia from Lakewood to Racine - Completed!
- Buckingham from Broadway to Halsted - Resurfacing date is 7/29
Alleys:
- E/W alley between Belmont, Cambridge, Briar, and Pine Grove - Completed!
- E/W alley between Buckingham, Halsted, Aldine, Clark - Resurfacing date is 7/29
- N/S alley between School, Racine, Melrose, and Lakewood - Resurfacing date is 7/29
- E/W alley between Wellington, Mildred, Halsted, and Oakdale - Resurfacing date is 7/27
Alley Corrective Work:
- Phase 1: Wednesday, July 22, 2026 to Monday, July 27, 2026, for an approximate duration of 1 week, weather permitting. The entrance from N. Halsted St. will be closed. Traffic will be able to enter from N. Broadway and W. Melrose St.
- Phase 1 will primarily impact 657-667 W. Melrose, 3219 N. Halsted
- Phase 2: Monday, July 27, 2026 to Monday, August 10, 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
You can find the updated proposal 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 3rd. 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 13th- July 19th
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 29'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 50%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is up 5%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is up 25%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 42%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 78%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 6%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 24%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 14%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're up 2%
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, July 29th 6:30 PM
Topic: Parking Alternative Response Team
Clarendon Park Community Center
4501 N. Clarendon Ave.
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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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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.
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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.
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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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Cook County State's Attorney's Office Resources
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YOGA IN THE PARK - JULY 26
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TREATMENT NOT TRAUMA -
JULY 28
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CFD: FIREFIGHTER FOR A DAY - JULY 30
(Ages 18-30)
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BLOOD DRIVE - AUGUST 4
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NATIONAL NIGHT OUT - AUGUST 4
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CHI ON TAP - AUGUST 16
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DINE OUT ON BROADWAY -
AUGUST 21-23
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CLVN MOVIE NIGHTS - AUGUST 9 & 23
8/23 rain date from 6/5
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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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- Film Screening: The Bridges of Madison County - Monday, July 27, 5:00pm–7:00pm
- Canvas and Conversation - Tuesday, July 28, 11:00am–1:00pm
- LEGO Club - Tuesday, July 28, 3:30pm–4:30pm
- Make a Bento Tote Bag - Tuesday, July 28, 4:00pm–5:00pm
- Micro-RPG Wednesdays - Wednesday, July 29, 5:00pm–7:00pm
- Baby Time - Thursday, July 30, 10:30am–11:00am
- Baby Time - Thursday, July 30, 11:30am–12:00pm
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Celebrate summer reading with the Chicago Public Library
Click here to view summer reading lists, events, and activities for kids, teens, and adults.
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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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Donation Pages & Volunteer Opportunities
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TUBMAN PLAYGROUND
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CHICAGO ANIMAL CARE & CONTROL
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MAKE YOUR BUILDING
BIRD-FRIENDLY
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SUMMER OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHICAGO YOUTH
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JEWISH FREE LOAN CHICAGO
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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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CARE - Accepting Applications Through July 29
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OEMC - Accepting Applications Through July 31
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