Greyhound Station Community Meeting
August 20th at 6pm
The Chicago School, 400 S. Jefferson
Entrance located at 627 W. Van Buren
Join Alderman Conway and City departments for a community meeting about the City's plans for a municipal bus station following its acquisition of the Greyhound Bus station at 630 W. Harrison.
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This will be an opportunity to hear from the Chicago Police Department, the Department of Transportation, and the Department of Streets & Sanitation about plans for public safety, infrastructure, and operations at the station.
Please register in advance, and we hope to see you there!
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Provide feedback for the next Police Superintendent!
To gather public input regarding the ongoing search for a new Chicago Police Superintendent, the 1st and 12th District Councils are holding community meetings. I hope you can join them to learn more about this search process and share your feedback for our next Superintendent.
- 1st District
- When: August 13th, 6pm
- Where: Old St. Patrick's Church: 711 W. Monroe St., 2nd Floor
- 12th District
- When: Tuesday, August 18th, 6:30pm
- Where: First Baptist Congregational Church: 1613 W. Washington Blvd.
The Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) is hosting a listening session on Monday, August 17th at 6:30pm at Malcolm X College. To sign up for public comment for the 8/17 meeting, please email CCPSA here.
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Little Italy Festa
August 13-16, 2026
Taylor Street from Ashland to Racine
Little Italy Festa returns to Taylor Street today, August 13, through Sunday, August 16! There's no shortage of fun planned, from food and entertainment to a bocce tournament!
Click here to learn more about the exciting family-friendly fun planned for this year's festival.
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Printers Row Art Fest
August 15-16, 10am-5pm daily
701-728 S. Dearborn
Now in its sixth year, the Printers Row Art Fest brings together 100 talented juried artists from across the country, showcasing an incredible variety of artwork, including paintings, street art, jewelry, photography, sculpture, woodworking, and more.
Enjoy fantastic art, live music, personalized poems, and nearby restaurants, cafés, and bars to keep you fueled as you shop and stroll.
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Call for artists: Odyssey Reimagined
Deadline: August 16th
The National Hellenic Museum invites artists to reimagine Homer’s epic The Odyssey through contemporary art, whether your work explores homecoming, identity, resilience, migration, or transformation.
Learn more about the exhibition themes, eligibility, and submission requirements here and at the Artist Virtual Information Session on August 7th at 12:00pm CST.
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Vote Now to Help Shape the Future of Chicago Parks!
Your voice. Your vote. Your parks.
The Chicago Park District's Citywide Participatory Budgeting (PB) initiative gives community members the opportunity to help decide how funding will be invested in parks across the city. Community members can rank the project categories they believe should be prioritized, with the top-voted category receiving funding for improvements throughout Chicago's Central, North, and South Regions.
Voting is now open to all community members ages 13 and up, and every vote helps ensure future park investments reflect the needs and priorities of Chicagoans. Voting is available online or by paper ballot at all park fieldhouses. Learn more here and cast your vote by August 27!
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Serve as a Poll Worker for the November 3rd General Election!
The Chicago Board of Elections is seeking poll workers for the November 3, 2026 General Election, including bilingual election judges who speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, and Tagalog. To learn more and apply, please visit the Chicago Board of Elections website.
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Movies in the Park: The Dark Knight
Mary Bartelme Park, 115 S. Sangamon
August 17th at dusk
Join the Mary Bartelme Park Advisory Council for a screening of 'The Dark Knight' on August 3rd at dusk.
Event sponsors will be in the park starting around 6pm. Hope to see you there!
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Help Keep Chicago Clean!
By picking up your trash and disposing of your recycling in the blue carts, you can take a big step toward making sure our streets, parks, schools, libraries, beaches, and businesses look their best. Find resources to help you become a cleanup champion here.
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VFW Scholarships
Apply by October 31, 2026
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is offering two scholarships for students. The Patriot's Pen scholarship is designated for students in grades 6 -8 and is an essay writing contest. The Voice of Democracy scholarship is designated for grades 9-12 and is an audio recorded essay.
Click the images below to learn more and apply.
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Green City Market - West Loop
Saturdays from 8am-1pm
900 W. Monroe
The West Loop Green City Market is open on Saturdays on Monroe from Peoria to Sangamon! My team and I are looking forward to another season of bringing City Hall to you! The 34th Ward team will be at the market from 9am - 11:00am this week.
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Green City Market brings dozens of local farmers and food producers to our neighborhood every Saturday from May to November. To see what vendors participate across Green City Market's locations, click here.
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South Loop Farmers Market
Printers Row Park, 632 S. Dearborn St
Saturdays from 9am-1pm
The South Loop Farmers Market is back at Printers Row Park for another season! Stop by on Saturdays through October 31 to support local businesses and connect with neighbors.
Daley Plaza Farmers Market
50 W. Washington
Thursdays from 7am-2pm
Visit Daley Plaza on Thursdays from 7am-2pm for the Daley Plaza Farmers Market! This market hosts a variety of vendors, with offerings from fresh produce to prepared foods and more.
The Farmer at the Green
The Green at 320, 320 S. Canal
Tuesdays from 11am-3pm
The Farmer at the Green opens for another season at 320 S. Canal on June 2nd! This season runs until September 29 and brings over 25 local vendors selling seasonal produce, fresh floral arrangements, handmade goods, and artisanal products.
Chicago Vegan Farmers Market
Skinner Park, 1331 W. Monroe
Fridays, 4-8pm
Visit Skinner Park for the City's only all-vegan farmers market, beginning this Friday and running through September 25th! For updates on the market, visit their Instagram.
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Millennium Park Summer Events
DCASE released their calendar of free & exciting summer events taking place in Millennium Park, including movies, fitness classes, and concerts! Whether you're hoping to catch a screening of 'Ratatouille' before Taste of Chicago, a celebration of Chicago's house music scene, or a workout class with a top local instructor, there's something for everyone in this summer's park programming! Click here for a full schedule.
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Know Your Rights Resources
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Turn Lights Off to Protect Migratory Birds
Every spring and fall, millions of birds travel through the Chicago area. For more than two decades, Chicago has been a leader in light reduction efforts to protect these migratory birds. Please join participating buildings and turn lights off after 11 p.m. until daylight during migration and help save birds.
To learn more, visit the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors' website.
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West Loop Historic Plaques Project
The West Loop is steeped in history. In fact, we have 19 historical designations, four historic plaques, and one Chicago Landmarks plaque.
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Four more historic plaques are coming to the West Loop early summer 2026, including a UIC classroom, a condo building, and two parks!
To see the rest of the designations, please visit Connie Fairbanks' website.
If you live in a historic building in The West Loop and have historical information about your building you would like to share, please reach out to Connie to learn the process of installing your very own historic plaque!
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CAPS Meetings
Please join my team at upcoming CAPS meetings with the 1st and 12th Police Districts. CAPS (Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy) meetings are a great opportunity to meet with police, neighbors, and my team about local safety initiatives. To find your beat, click here. I hope you can join us at these meetings!
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COPA People's Academy
Registration now open!
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), which serves as the civilian oversight agency of the Chicago Police Department (CPD), offers a series of learning opportunities throughout the year available to members of the public (civilian and sworn) through its COPA People’s Academy (CPA).
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This six-week condensed version of COPA’s Training Academy is for the public (civilian or sworn) and organizations around the country interested in learning about Civilian Police Oversight, Investigative and Legal Concepts as well as the role of COPA’s Policy, Research and Analyses Division (PRAD). Each course will be taught by COPA Subject Matter Experts.
Session 6 of COPA People’s Academy will be from September 15, 2026 to October 20, 2026 . It will be on Tuesdays from 6:00pm-8:30pm at Wright College Humboldt Park (Humboldt Park Vocational Education Center) – 1645 N California Ave.
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Camera Registration Program
When a crime occurs, Police Officers and Detectives canvass the area looking for evidence to determine what occurred. Video footage can greatly assist in their efforts.
If you have a private security camera that captures the public way and you are interested in assisting in an investigation in the event of a crime in your neighborhood, you can register your camera with the Chicago Police Department.
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By registering your camera, you are simply allowing the Chicago Police Department to contact you in the event of a crime in your area. CPD will not have direct access to your camera system and cannot access camera footage without your consent. This is a free and voluntary program. Learn more on the program website.
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34th Ward Infrastructure Improvements
All dates subject to change based on weather.
With any questions about planned infrastructure improvements, please email bill@ward34.org or call 312-744-6820.
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Street Resurfacing Projects
- 900 block of S. Carpenter - completed
- W. Polk St., from S. Wells to S. Financial - completed
- W. Quincy, from S. Desplaines to end of street - TBA
- W. Rundell, from S. Morgan to S. Aberdeen - scheduled to begin 8/7
- W. Marble, from S. Dearborn to S. Clark - TBA
- W. Warren, from N. Desplaines to end of street - TBA
- N. May, from W. Madison to W. Washington - scheduled to begin 8/10
- W. Gladys, from S. Racine to S. Throop - TBA
- S. Throop, from W. Congress to W. Harrison - TBA
Stamped Crosswalks
- W. Taylor & S. Carpenter - Fall 2026
- W. Taylor & S. Aberdeen - Fall 2026
- W. Taylor & S. Miller - Fall 2026
- W. Taylor & S. May - Fall 2026
Alley Improvement Projects
- N/S alley bounded by Adams, Jackson, Wabash to State - completed
- N/S alley bounded by Arthington, Taylor, Carpenter to Aberdeen - completed
- N/S alley bounded by Lake, Jefferson, Fulton to Desplaines - TBA
New Alley Reconstruction Project
- On hold: E/W alley bounded by Lytle, Ada, Lexington to Flournoy
Curb & Gutter Improvement Projects
- 901 - 927 S. Aberdeen - completed
- 103 - 109 S. Aberdeen - completed (restoration from fiber optic)
- 231-241 S. Jefferson - under construction
- On hold: 1004 W. Tilden
- 110 -120 S. Sangamon - scheduled to begin week of 7/13
Alley Apron Replacement Projects
- 929 S. Aberdeen - completed
- 14 N. Peoria - TBA
Sidewalk Projects
- 1167 W. Madison - completed - punchlist items to follow
- 1221 S. Wabash - under construction
- 125 S. Sangamon - sidewalk replacement scheduled to begin week of 7/27
Bump Out Installation
- W. Polk & S. LaSalle - in progress
- W. Polk & S. Financial - in progress
- S. Jefferson & W. Tilden - scheduled to begin on/around 7/6
- W. Adams & S. Peoria - scheduled to begin on/around 7/13
Residential Lighting Projects
- 1200 & 1300 blocks of W. Flournoy - new poles installed - restoration to follow
- 1000 & 1100 blocks of W. Polk St. - restoration/concrete work in progress
CDOT Electrical Improvement Projects
- W. Tilden, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
- S. Jefferson, from W. Jackson to W. Tilden - currently in progress
- W. Van Buren, from S. Desplaines to S. Canal - currently in progress
Speed Indicator Signs
- S. Loomis, from W. Congress Pkwy. to W. Harrison (by Chicago World Language Academy)
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State/Lake Station Closure
On Monday, January 5th, the State/Lake elevated station closed for demolition and the construction of a new, fully accessible station. The new station is expected to be finished in 2029.
As part of the ongoing State / Lake CTA Station Reconstruction project, a full closure has been implemented on State Street, from Wacker Drive to Randolph Street. Lake Street, between State Street and Wabash Avenue, will remain closed indefinitely. During this closure, emergency sewer repair work will also be completed on State Street.
Local business and driveway access on State Street will be maintained during the closures, and at least one sidewalk will be open at all times for pedestrians. CTA bus detour information can be found here. The underground CTA Red Line train station at Lake will remain open.
Two Week Look-Ahead
Daytime Activities (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Lake Street:
- Water main work.
- Sidewalk vault reconstruction.
- State Street:
- Pavement removal to install retention system.
- Relocate, remove, breakout and support existing utility.
- Water main installation.
- Elevated Track Structure:
- Continue structural repairs, rivet removal and bolt replacements at existing steel connections.
- Subway:
- Rough in conduits from existing electrical room in subway mezzanine rooms to platform tie-in points.
- Demo and strip out finishes in closed off sections of the station.
These daytime activities may result in louder noise and some vibrations in the area. Visit the project website to learn how the team is working to reduce these impacts.
Please note, all work is weather dependent.
To learn more about construction at the State/Lake station and local impacts, visit the CTA's website.
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Work is underway for the Canal Street Viaduct reconstruction.
Canal – Jackson to Van Buren
- On Friday, May 15, the contractor began work on the western portion of the Jackson intersection. The first phase of work will occur in the southwest portion. The second phase will then shift operations to the northwest portion of the intersection.
- The bus depot located at the southwest corner of Jackson and Canal will remain open throughout construction. Each phase is anticipated to last approximately four to six weeks.
Canal – Van Buren Intersection
- Framing for Stage 1 of the Van Buren intersection is underway. Deck placement is anticipated in early summer, followed by a stage switch to the northeast portion of the intersection.
If you have any questions, please email the project email address at CDOTCanalProjects@gmail.com.
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Lake Street Bascule Bridge Rehabilitation
Closure started on 10/6
The full street and sidewalk closure on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is in effect and will last until January 2028. During the closures, access to nearby buildings and residences will be maintained for both pedestrians and vehicles.
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Eastbound traffic will be rerouted south on Des Plaines, east on Washington, north on Franklin, and east onto Lake St. Westbound traffic will be rerouted south on Wacker, west on Madison, north on Jefferson, and west onto Lake St. Click here for the full detour map. During this work, CTA Green and Pink lines will operate normally until September 2026. The work on the Lake Street Bascule Bridge is expected to be completed in January 2028.
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West Bridge House: Daytime work continues. Concrete foundation repairs are nearly complete, and bridge house wall construction is underway.
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West Bridge Leaf: Structural steel repairs are ongoing. The West leaf steel fabrication is progressing to completion for the 12-day CTA outage float-in this fall.
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Reminder – 150 N Riverside Upper Riverwalk Access: Pedestrian access from Lake Street to 150 N Riverside Plaza Upper Riverwalk has been closed since Monday, 1/12/26, and will remain closed until sidewalk restoration is complete, expected later in Summer 2026.
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Halsted Street & Chicago Avenue Bridge Project
The Halsted St / Chicago Ave project is underway. Crews have removed existing street lighting, traffic signals, signage, and bus shelters. Viaduct removal is underway along the north leg of Halsted and the east end of Chicago Ave.
Demolition of the Chicago Ave bridge will continue over the next month. In areas where demolition is complete, crews will begin constructing new bridge piers. Crews will implement measures to minimize disruptions as much as possible, but noise and dust are inherent to the bridge demolition process.
Full closure of the Chicago Ave Bridge began September 29. The current detour map can be found here. The full project is expected to be completed by the end of the year 2026.
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Ashland/I-290 Expressway Viaduct Work
Stage 2 traffic is currently being implemented on Ashland Av from Flournoy St to Jackson St to facilitate the reconstruction of the west side of the Ashland Ave bridge.
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In this stage, traffic configuration will consists of two lanes southbound and one lane northbound on Ashland Ave.
A detour plan for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Van Buren St will be implemented to send traffic to WB Jackson Blvd, SB Laflin St, then WB Van Buren St. A detour plan will also be implemented for the restricted left turn lane from Ashland Ave to Congress Parkway to send traffic to EB Harrison St, NB Wood St, then EB Congress Parkway. In addition, that the west side sidewalk of the bridge will be closed, and pedestrians will be detoured to east side sidewalk of the bridge.
The project is anticipated to be significantly completed by the end of August 2026.
This week, the contractor will perform earth excavation within the medians areas to be reconstructed. There are no changes to stage 3 traffic configuration.
For road construction updates and general travel information please visit IDOT’s Getting Around Illinois website.
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The City of Chicago and Cook County are hiring! View their respective job posting sites below:
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National Hellenic Museum Free Admission Days
333 S. Halsted
During the Taste of Greektown, the National Hellenic Museum is offering free admission from 10am-4pm!
Visit their website to learn more about their current exhibits.
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Summer Rooftop Concert Series
August 15, 7pm
333 S. Halsted
Join the National Hellenic Museum on their Skyline Rooftop on Saturday, August 15 for an exclusive acoustic performance by the incredible Nyxtes Magikes, featuring a captivating blend of traditional Greek songs and contemporary popular hits stripped down for a unique acoustic experience.
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Declarations: 250 Years of Writing Toward Independence
On display through Sept. 7
American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan
Visitors to the American Writers Museum can explore an 1823 William Stone print of the Declaration of Independence, as commissioned by then Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, as well as colonial-era legal documents signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Philip Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
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The exhibit also invites visitors to reflect on works by writers throughout American history that reference the Declaration, including Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harvey Milk and Martin Luther King Jr.
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Summer Screenings from the Chicago International Film Festival
June 3 - August 22, 2026
Hit the road with the Chicago International Film Festival for the 2026 Summer Screenings program, an annual free film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema each week all summer long!
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of Route 66, America’s most iconic highway, this year’s Summer Screenings program will pay homage to the classic “road movie,” in which the journey is the destination.
Featuring everything from gripping revenge odysseys and harrowing ocean crossings to introspective cross-country treks and whirlwind railway capers, these films explore what it means to “hit the road” in countries across the globe.
Summer Screenings films will play on Wednesdays at 6:30pm at the Chicago Cultural Center and Saturdays at 1:00pm at the Chicago History Museum. Tickets are released every Monday at 10:00am for the following week’s films. Doors open at 5:45pm for Wednesday Screenings and 12:15pm for Saturday screenings.
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Volunteer with Hope's Table!
The Hope’s Table ministry is designed to serve the needs of Chicagoans who are homeless or hungry and is sponsored by First United Methodist Church at the Chicago Temple.
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Saturday morning services typically include serving hot meals and food to go, distributing clothing, and connecting guests with legal support through DePaul University’s Neighborhood Legal Assistance Program. Grace Episcopal Church partners in many ways, most visibly by providing space at 637 S. Dearborn. To volunteer or donate, please contact their volunteer coordinator.
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Helping Cats Near You
4th Sunday of every month, 4pm - 6pm
Details here.
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Discuss how to help community cats through TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), what to do with kittens, ongoing colony management, preventing nuisance issues and much more!
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