Now take your quiz ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Friday, July 31 

Your Daily Guide

Woo-hoo Chicago! August starts tomorrow — our monthly guide hits your inbox later today. Personally, I’m kicking things off at the Wisconsin Dells. I never went as a kid, so this is a really big deal for me! (Jacoby went all the time 🙄) I’ll also be reading at the Comfort Station Sunday, along with some great local writers.

Let’s make this weekend count! And, if you partake, have a blast at Lolla!

Display ad: The Notebook The Musical running August 4 -16

What Chicago's Talking About

PODCAST

New Mayoral Candidates, More Grocery Closures, and Chicago’s Rainy Summer

New Mayoral Candidates

Candidates hoping to get on next February’s ballot can now begin collecting signatures. That includes folks who want to run for police district council, city council, city clerk, city treasurer, and, of course, mayor. On today’s podcast, we discuss the latest. Also: the impact of Chicago’s rainy summer and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s response to recently shuttered grocery stores. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Exploding Geyser Manholes in Chicago

Jets of water burst from manhole covers following Monday’s storm. Chicagoans spotted geyser-like explosions on Randolph Street in the Loop; Jefferson Street in West Loop; and on Blue Island Avenue in Pilsen. The phenomenon is becoming increasingly common in cities following heavy rain — you gotta see it to believe it.

Where Musicians in Town Are Eating

As Lollapalooza rages on, the city is full of musicians — and they shared where they’re eating. Both Will Gorin of Slothrust and Marlon Funaki shouted out Chicago’s Dog House in Lincoln Park. There’s also lots of pizza on the list: Pizz’amici, Pequod’s, Giordano’s, Middlebrow, Pizza Lobo … plus the typical high-end hotspots. [Tribune 🔒]

A rat looking out while sitting in between two metal poles

A Halsted alley rat. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

City Only Plays Defense Against Rats

The city disseminates rat poison based on where 311 calls are placed, but Chicago can’t poison its way out of the problem. To address the growing rat population, the city needs to play offense by assessing garbage and alley conditions, looking for burrows, and treating areas based on severity, not the order of calls, according to the Inspector General. [WTTW]

Long Read: Chicago’s Other President

Chicago produced one American president, but did you know it produced a Lithuanian president, too? Ninety-nine-year-old Valdas Adamkus, arguably Lithuania’s most beloved politician, spent half his life in Chicago. Working for the Environmental Protection Agency here, Adamkus helped clean up Lake Michigan — he then led his home country with a certain Chicago spirit. [WBEZ]

Your Chicago News Quiz

People in a store aisle, there's a sign that says "save a lot. Like, a lot a lot."

The Save-A-Lot at 7240 S. Stony Island Ave. is one of the locations that recently closed. (Chris Sweda/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Another busy week, another Chicago news quiz! Test your knowledge from the week.

How many Save-A-Lot stores just shuttered on the South and West Sides?

2

5

7

11

Test your Chicago knowledge!

What To Do

Friday, July 31

Saturday, Aug. 1

Sunday, Aug. 2

More Chicago Events

👀 Peep this excellent new track from Achillez, a Chicago rapper (who also happens to be Jacoby’s brother).

— Emmi Mack

mailtoinstagramyoutubetiktok