42 Parks On South, West Sides Getting Improved Air Conditioning To Help Battle Heat Waves: The park fieldhouses set to get additional or improved air conditioning systems were chosen using the Chicago Heat Vulnerability Index to identify areas that suffer the most during heat waves.

Beetle Infestation Returns To Welles Park Fields: Adult insects were seen swarming the park’s eastern fields despite previous attempts to reduce their population.

After Saving Ash Trees, Horner Park Beer Fest Has New Goal: Turn Park Into Tree Sanctuary: Proceeds from the festival will help protect the park’s ash trees from invasive beetles and create a database of the park’s tree canopy species as part of a new arboretum effort.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• June’s Producer Price Index
• Empire State Manufacturing Survey
• Fed Beige Book
• Fed speeches
• Earnings from United Airlines, Johnson & Johnson, and more

Hagen’s Fish Market Celebrates 80 Years As 4th Generation Takes Over: Eric Johnson, the 27-year-old great-grandson of one of the founders, now leads the family business — home to one of Chicago’s last natural hardwood smokehouses.

Are Home Depot Dogs ‘The Most Chicago Thing Ever’? Fixin’ Franks Fans Say Yes: The family-run hot dog business, founded in 1998 by Conley Shirley, has grown to 17 stands inside Chicago-area Home Depot stores.

Jackson Park’s ‘Golden Lady’ Statue To Be Regilded For First Time Since The ’90s: Preliminary work to regild the century-old Statue of the Republic was completed last week. Crews will strip, clean, repair and reapply gold leaf to the 24-foot-tall statue.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• June’s Consumer Price Index
• NFIB Small Business Optimism Index
• Fed speeches
• Earnings from JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and more

At ‘Downtown Day,’ Chicago Teens Learn That The City Center ‘Belongs To Everybody’: Amid larger talks over “teen takeovers” and other gatherings, My Block, My Hood, My City’s “Downtown Day” looks to provide kids with a structured and positive way to experience parts of the city they rarely visit.

Papa Hops Softball Tournament, A Morgan Park Tradition, Sees Huge Crowds Show Up For A Good Cause: The 12th annual Papa Hops 16-inch Softball Tournament brought an estimated 7,500 people to Kennedy Park Friday to raise funds for those battling cancer in honor of the late Tom Hopkins.

Baby Ducks Reunited With Mom After Mount Greenwood Neighbors Rescue Them From Sewer: Minutes after a neighbor posted on Facebook about the trapped ducklings, people helped them out of the sewer and reunited them with their mother.

Pianos Popping Up Across City Are For Anyone To Play: ‘Music Is Joy’: Chicago Plays is in its second year bringing public pianos to the city. The nonprofit was founded by Morgan Park resident John McCarthy and a piano outside of County Fair Foods is delighting neighbors.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• Highlights of this week’s market reports
• Earnings from FB Financial and more

After Years Of Stopped Trains And Congestion, City To Improve Problematic Edgebrook Intersection: Transportation officials are seeking input on how to improve the area around the Edgebrook Metra Station. One option: raising the rail line with an overpass.

Shedd Aquarium Rescuing 10 Beluga Whales From Shuttered Canadian Park: The beluga whales will be flown to their new homes as part of an international rescue effort unprecedented in scale, according to Dr. Karisa Tang, vice president of animal health at the Shedd Aquarium.

Pollyanna Brewing To Revive Alarmist Taproom And Its Award-Winning Beers: Alarmist Brewing closed in February after almost a decade in Sauganash. Suburban-based Pollyanna has purchased the business and its recipes and expects to reopen Alarmist later this year.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

Marianne joins Bob for a weekly segment Fridays following the 8:30 am newscast. For more savvy tips, go to Savvy-Planet.Com. Share your own savvy tip: hello@savvy-planet.com. Follow Marianne on Twitter (@marimur), Instagram (@havanagirl), and on Facebook (SirottAndMurciano).

• Earnings from Delta Air Lines, Elite Express, and more

Finally, Chicago Is Getting A Cat Tour Of Its Own In Lincoln Square: Cat tours have taken off in other cities, with hundreds of people gathering to spot cats in windows and on patios. The tour will coincide with the Davis Theater’s annual CatVideoFest.

Artifacts Of Louis Sullivan Building, Demolished In The ’50s, Are Protecting South Shore’s Lakefront: Blocks of carved stone from the Walker Warehouse — early examples of Sullivan’s lauded ornamentation — have served alongside other rubble for decades as a lakefront revetment near Rainbow Beach.

Chief Keef Will Perform In Chicago For 1st Time In 14 Years With Show At Northerly Island: After effectively being blacklisted from performing in the city for over a decade, the South Side rapper will return to Chicago on Sep. 12 as part of his nationwide tour for his latest mixtape, “Skeletor.”

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• Initial Jobless Claims
• June’s Existing Home Sales
• Earnings from PepsiCo, WD-40, and more

Jesse White Tumblers Stun Judges On ‘America’s Got Talent,’ Even Simon Cowell: The youth tumbling team started by former Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White impressed the judges on the reality TV competition Tuesday.

Lincoln Park Neighbors Say They Weren’t Warned Ahead Of Pride Parade Towing Bonanza: Streets and Sanitation says temporary parking restrictions were posted days before the parade, but neighbors whose cars were towed dispute that.

Uptown Theatre Owner Says City Funding Needed For Renovations — But City Says He’s Asking For Too Much: Rep. Mike Quigley recently announced his campaign for Chicago’s mayor at the theater, drawing renewed attention to the long-vacant venue. But the venue’s owner wants more from the city than it can give, officials said.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• Federal Reserve’s Meeting Minutes for June
• May’s Consumer Credit
• May’s Wholesale Inventories
• Earnings from Levi Strauss, PriceSmart, and more

Did You Know You Can Camp In The Cook County Forest Preserves?: Five campgrounds — all a short drive from the city — opened in 2015 but are still somewhat of a “hidden gem.” Campers have access to nearly 100 tent sites and more than 30 cabins.

The System Built To Prevent Massive Floods In Chicago Near Capacity After ‘Stunning’ Rainfall: For the opening weeks of summer, Chicago — especially the South Side — has been inundated with storms and rain. The massive Deep Tunnel system that captures and cleans stormwater is almost at capacity.

Meet The Man Behind The Sky Ride Tap, The Loop’s Last Real Dive Bar: Kyriakos “Carl” Damianides has run the Sky Ride Tap since 1972. While business has slowed and the building’s future is uncertain, “I’m still healthy,” he said.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• May’s U.S. Trade Balance
• Earnings from Penguin Solutions, Saratoga Investment Corp., and more

• Highlights of this week’s market reports
• Earnings from ZJK Industrial, ADS-TEC Energy, and more

Taste Of Chicago Starts Wednesday. Here’s A Sneak Peek Of What To Eat: The food fest returns to its mid-summer slot next week with more than 100 vendors serving everything from arroz con gandules to cheesecake-on-a-stick.

Crime Is Down On The CTA As Ridership Increases, Agency Boss Says: Interim CTA chief Nora Leerhsen on Wednesday said things are going in the right direction at the transit agency — but alderpeople weren’t allowed to ask questions because not enough showed up at the meeting.

3 Free Music Series Return To Northwest Side For Summer: Live on Logan, the Kilbourn Park concert series and the Humboldt Arboreal Society DJ dance parties are back, with the Kilbourn series starting Friday.

4th Of July 2026 Guide: Where To Celebrate America’s 250th Birthday In Chicago: You can celebrate America’s 250th birthday with fireworks shows, parades and other events citywide.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• U.S. Employment Report
• Initial Jobless Claims
• May’s Factory Orders
• Earnings from Apex Tech, FingerMotion, and more

Later on, Bob chats with Producer Hayley Boyd about her new podcast: Hayley’s Rock Block.

Tom Skilling Improvises His Way Through Cameo On ‘The Bear’: Chicago’s favorite weatherman said he thoroughly enjoyed making an appearance on the show’s penultimate episode — in which he was given no scripted lines.

Chicago’s Top Chefs Battle For Best Hot Dog At Windy City Wiener Wars: Lines stretch down the block every Monday outside Perilla in River West as chefs face off in the now-annual summer competition.

O’Hare’s Expansion Forced Chicago To Invest In Wetlands 20 Years Ago. Conservationists Are Seeing Results: Mandated by the Federal Clean Water Act, the O’Hare Modernization Wetlands Mitigation Project resulted in the restoration of more than 500 acres of wetlands, now a thriving home for birds and other wildlife.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• ADP Employment Report
• June’s ISM Manufacturing Index
• Construction Spending
• Auto Sales
• Earnings from General Mills, MSC Industrial, and more

Frosty Fridays Has Become Chicago’s Newest Lake Michigan Morning Meetup: The weekly sunrise plunge, which bears similarities to the defunct Friday Morning Swim Club, started this spring with 15 people and has quickly grown.

Chicago’s Breakfast Sandwich Game Has Never Been Stronger: Chefs are pushing the envelope on creativity and attention to detail to meet Chicagoans’ appetite for the handheld morning meal.

Mayor Wants To Create A Tenant Bill of Rights, Other Protections For Renters: The Protecting Renters Ordinance would also ban “junk” rental fees and require landlords to provide a valid reason for evictions and lease non-renewals.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index
• Chicago Business Barometer
• June’s Consumer Confidence Numbers
• May’s Job Openings
• Earnings from Nike, Constellation Brands, and more

Pride Parade Sees LGBTQ+ Community Celebrate Unity Despite Attacks: ‘They Can’t Take Our Joy’: The 55th annual Pride Parade Sunday was a celebration of freedom of identity and expression amidst renewed attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, parade goers said.

Damen Silos Owner Built Unauthorized Parking Lot, Violating City Code, City Says: Michael Tadin Jr. could face fines of up to $1,000 a day if he doesn’t comply with the city’s request to stop using the lot and submit a plan for the necessary permits, according to the city.

Noisy Electronic Music Fest Riles Lincoln Park Neighbors, Could Prompt Future Ward-Wide Ban: Some residents have blasted the Lakeshore Music & Arts Festival, complaining that bass beats echoed throughout the neighborhood for eight hours daily while trash was strewn about the park.

City’s ‘Keep Chicago Clean’ Campaign Encourages Neighbors To Pick Up Litter This Summer: The campaign will include public service announcements on CTA buses and trains and at Divvy stations and the city’s airports.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• Highlights of this week’s market reports

Marianne joins Bob for a weekly segment Fridays following the 8:30 am newscast. For more savvy tips, go to Savvy-Planet.Com. Share your own savvy tip: hello@savvy-planet.com. Follow Marianne on Twitter (@marimur), Instagram (@havanagirl), and on Facebook (SirottAndMurciano).

1st Phase Of $580 Million Woodlawn Central Development Gets Key City Approval: The Plan Commission approved Apostolic Church of God’s proposal to redevelop 8 acres into a “cultural complex.” The first phase includes 104 apartments and a hotel.

Mayor’s $3 Billion Parking Meter Offer Was $800 Million More Than The Next Highest Bid, Investor Says: The mayor’s office has said a confidentiality agreement prevented them from sharing bid details, but private companies involved said the agreement has been waived “for some period of time.”

City Shelter, Local Rescues Beyond Capacity With Cats — And Kitten Season Isn’t Over: The city shelter is hosting a free adoption event Saturday to create space for more animals. Rescuers are also urging people to spay and neuter their pets to prevent further overcrowding.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• June’s Consumer Sentiment Report
• May’s Retail Inventories
• May’s Wholesale Inventories
• Earnings from Concord Medical Services, Universal Safety Products, and more

Austin’s Frank Lloyd Wright House, Among City’s Most Endangered Buildings, Bought By Nonprofit: Austin Coming Together is taking over the landmarked J.J. Walser House, which has fallen into disrepair and foreclosure.

Grace’s Furniture Building Developers Get $3 Million To Revive Logan Square Gym Plan: The building, which has been vacant for 20 years, could finally see new life as a gym with a ground-floor restaurant, thanks to a city grant.

Museum Of Science And Industry Plans To Open Original South Entrance For 1st Time In A Century: The $22 million renovation will add a wheelchair accessible entrance and an indoor café with a terrace overlooking Jackson Park.

Henry Darger Paper Dolls Brought To Life In New Intuit Exhibit: With “Cutting and Pasting a World,” the art museum examines how a once-popular craft influenced the famous, untrained Chicago artist.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• Initial Jobless Claims
• PCE Index
• Durable Goods Orders
• GDP Revision for 1st Quarter
• Earnings from FedEx, Acuity, and more

Chicago’s Bike Lanes Don’t Hurt Businesses, City Report Finds: As protected bike lanes face opposition in some neighborhoods, city-backed case studies found lanes in a half-dozen corridors have not contributed to a negative impact on economic activity.

Logan Square’s Traffic Circle Redesign Debuts: ‘A Transformational Investment’: The project’s completion now leaves room for more construction to take place in the area, with the Comfort Station and the Blue Line canopy set to get improvements later this year.

With Loud Music And Rowdy Crowds, Neighbors Say West Loop Restaurant Is More Like A Club: Habibti, formerly Akilia Cosina, must take new steps to reduce late-night problems after neighbors and city officials described fights, blocked alleys, public urination and 274 police calls to the business since 2025.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.

• May’s New Home Sales
• May’s U.S. Leading Economic Indicators
• Earnings from Micron Technology, Trip.com, and more

Work Begins On Bronzeville Trail, The South Side’s 1st Elevated Bike Path: Soil testing is underway at the abandoned rail site, which starts near 40th and Dearborn streets and would be a “conduit” to the Lakefront Trail, organizers said.

Pat Mac’s Pack Readies For Annual Bike Ride In Honor Of Late Beverly Teen: For over a decade, Pat Mac’s Pack has raised millions of dollars to support brain tumor research and provide assistance for families of children diagnosed with cancer.

After Devastating Fire, Owner Of Jay’s Backyard BBQ In Austin Looks To Rebuild: A kitchen fire on Friday destroyed much of Jay Young’s 7-year-old restaurant as well as neighboring businesses. A fundraiser has been launched to help Young with repairs.

Sponsored by Great Lakes Credit Union – Committed to financially empowering local communities. For more info go to GLCU.org.