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Dear Neighbors,
It was a great weekend connecting with neighbors at our Southport Kids Bike Parade, Taco Fest, and block parties throughout the Ward. I also kicked off the start of the school year with students at Tubman, Nettelhorst, Hawthorne, and Inter-American on Monday!
   
Tomorrow, Friday, August 28, Hawthorne Scholastic Academy will host their Back to School Movie Night on the turf featuring The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The movie will begin at 8 p.m..
I'm glad to welcome Uncle John's BBQ (947 W Addison) to the Ward! Stop by to welcome them to the neighborhood, and try some delicious, slow-smoked BBQ!
The Community Commission for Police Safety & Accountability (CCPSA) has begun its search for the next Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. They are hosting a listening session on Wednesday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. at DePaul College Prep to gather feedback from residents on what they would like to see in Chicago's next Police Superintendent. There will also be a virtual 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.
 
Next Friday, September 4, Hippocampus will perform at Gallagher Way at 7 p.m. as the final Budweiser Concert of the summer.
Next Sunday, September 6 Bike the Drive returns. DuSable Lake Shore Drive will be closed from Hollywood to 57th to make way for this event. For more information on Bike the Drive, click here. We encourage residents to anticipate additional congestion and plan travel accordingly.
Later that day, NCAA Volleyball is headed to the Friendly Confines for the first time in history. Nebraska will take on Missouri at 6 p.m. followed by Penn State vs. Kentucky at 8 p.m.. Please note that Sheffield will be closed between Addison and Waveland from September 3-8, Waveland's South traffic land (eastbound traffic) between Sheffield and Seminary will be closed from September 6-8, and Irving Park's north and south curb lanes between Seminary and Clark will be closed for bus and struck staging from September 3-8.
 
Next weekend, the Wellington Oakdale Old Glory Marching Society, "WOOGMS" Labor Day Parade Returns on September 7 at 11 a.m.. March with neighbors from Wellington and Pine Grove to Saint Joseph Hospital because as the saying goes, "everyone marches, no one watches!"
Our annual Senior Picnic will take place on Thursday, September 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.. Join us for an afternoon of music, raffles, and of course delicious food. If you would like to attend, please call the office at 77-525-6034 to RSVP.
Heading into the weekend, please note that the Cubs game on Sunday, August 30 has been rescheduled for 6:20 p.m. for the ABC broadcast.
Finally, our office will be closed for Labor Day weekend beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 4. We will reopen at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 8.
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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.
The schedule for this project is below. Please note that all dates are tentative due to any weather delays that may occur.
Phase-1 (East/West Leg):
- Sawcut/Removal – 08/17 to 08/21 - Complete!
- Frame/Stone/Pour – 08/24 to 09/02
- Cleanup/Open Alley – 09/03 to 09/04
Phase-2 (North/South Leg):
- Sawcut/Removal – 09/07 to 09/11
- Frame/Stone/Pour – 09/14 to 09/23
- Cleanup/Open Alley – 09/24 to 09/25
If you have any questions on this alley resurfacing, please reach out to our office for more details.
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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!
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Divvy for Everyone Program
The Divvy for Everyone Program provides a full year of bikeshare access for just $5 for income-qualified residents.
To learn more about this program, click here.
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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 31. 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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Rodent Control
Evidence of Rats:
- Burrows (holes in dirt or concrete from 1-4 inches wide with smooth edges, that often have an entrance and exit hole)
- Rat droppings
- Gnaw marks and holes on the bottom of garbage carts
- Runways (dark, greasy marks along walls and worm down paths in grass
City Services Through 311 Requests - 311 Link
- Damage garbage carts repair or replacement
- Rodent Control workers can burry an effective rodenticide deep in their burrows
- Inspection of garbage, junk, and debris accumulations or other conditions on your block that may contribute to a rodent issue
How You Can Rat-Proof Your Property
- Find and correct garbage problems. Contained garbage can help cut off a rat's food supply. Common examples include:
- Garbage carts, cans, or bins with lids that won't close
- Plastic bags of garbage not in a bin or can
- Dog feces left for more than a day
- Fruits and vegetables left rotting in gardens
- Overfilled outside pet food dishes and bird feeders
- Overgrown weeds
- Rid outdoor areas debris that potentially shelters rats including old cars, tires, lumber, and bricks
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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:
August 17- August 23
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 34'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 9%
- Year to Date, Aggravated Battery is up 5%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 is up 20%
- Year to Date, Burglaries are down 44%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 57%
- Year to Date, Thefts are up 2%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're down 31%
- Year to Date, Motor Vehicle Thefts are up 23%, and compared to the same 28-day time period in 2025 they're up 59%
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, September 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Topic: TBD
Lincoln Park Presbyterian Church
600 W Fullerton Pkwy.
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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:
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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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HSA MOVIE NIGHT - AUG. 28
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WOOGMS LABOR DAY PARADE - SEPT. 7
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DESTIGMATIZING DEMENTIA
- SEPT. 9
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CSE - SEPT. 9
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SENIOR PICNIC - SEPT. 10
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SNA YARD SALE - SEPT. 19
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RACE TO WRIGLEY - SEPT. 20
Register HERE by noon on 9/19
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ELVN OKTOBERFEST - SEPT. 26
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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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WATER WORKS APPLICATION
(Accepting applications through 9/11!)
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COMMUNITY PARKING PROGRAM
AT SAINT JOSEPH
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MAKE YOUR BUILDING
BIRD-FRIENDLY
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CCPSA District Councilor Information Sesstions
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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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