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Community Corner

🌱 Street Racing + Rooftop Bar Named 'Best' in US + Aldermen Spending

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Chicago.

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(Patch Media)

Good morning, friends. I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town. Let's have at it!

  • 💰 Find out how some Chicago aldermen are spending their $100,000 'microgrants'
  • 🚓 A top Chicago cop shares what it will take to stop street racing in the city
  • 🍸 A Chicago rooftop bar was named best in the U.S. on travel site

First, the weather:

Mostly sunny and not as warm. High: 80 Low: 65.

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Top 5 stories in Chicago today:

1) What will it take to stop street racing in Chicago? Here's what the city's top cop says. Last month, the Chicago City Council passed an ordinance that attempts to crack down on illegal street racing across the city. However, the problem has continued to plague neighborhoods in Chicago. And while the ordinance is a good first step, police say the consequences aren't strong enough. "As long as there are no consequences, this behavior will continue," Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said. The weekend saw a rash of street racing incidents throughout the city, resulting in at least nine arrests and seven car impounds. While the ordinance does allow for fines and towed vehicles, Brown would like to see more done.

NBC Chicago

2) Well known Chicago rooftop bar is named best in U.S. Rooftop bars offering spectacular views aren't hard to come by in Chicago. But according to new rankings released by Big 7 Travel, one specific bar tops them all. In fact, the iconic establishment has been deemed the top rooftop bar in the nation. The website released its official Top 50 Best Rooftop Bars in the USA list yesterday, ranking Cindy's Rooftop as number one. Situated on top of the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel in the Loop, Cindy's features a picturesque terrace that offers panoramic views of Millennium Park, Lake Michigan and more.

NBC Chicago

3) How some Chicago aldermen are spending their $100,000 'microgrants.' When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot rolled out her 2022 budget, she offered each alderman a $100,000 sweetener to spend in their wards however they please. After eight months, some of their priorities are coming to light: Emergency shelter for people without housing, private security to augment police, voter "mobilization," a new ward website, youth mentoring, trees and outreach to residents on "what makes them feel safe and unsafe" are among areas where money is going. It's not clear how all the aldermen plan to spend the money. The $5 million "microgrant fund," split among the 50 wards, was billed by the mayor as a flexible "tool" to tailor investments across a diverse city to individual communities' needs.

The Pantagraph

4) Chef Tigist Reda to host "Chicago Chefs Cook for Tigray" event. More than 20 Chicago chefs are stepping up in support of the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia. On September 21, from 6p-9p, Tigray native, chef Tigist Reda, will host "Chicago Chefs Cook for Tigray," in partnership with Health Professionals Network for Tigray. The benefit will take place at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture. Attendees will enjoy world class cuisine from world-class chefs, with performances throughout the evening and a merchandise marketplace, all within the backdrop of an iconic landmark building from the late 1800s. Proceeds from the event will directly support humanitarian relief for women and children in Tigray, and refugees in Sudan.

EIN News

5) Rare Chicago license plate sells for $34,000 at auction. An exceptionally rare Chicago license plate sold for $34,000 at auction Sunday. The estimated value of the plate was listed at $2,000 to $4,000, according to Union-based Donley Auctions. Mike Donley, one of the auction house owners, said the winning bidder wishes to remain anonymous, adding he knows only that the man lives in the United States. The plate, made of flimsy stamped aluminum, was considered the "holy grail" in a collection of vintage license plates and city vehicle tags from the early 1900s. The plate came from the estate of the late Glenview car enthusiast Lee Hartung, and features a silver No. 1 set on a black background. It was issued by the city of Chicago in 1904 and is believed to be the first automobile plate issued in Illinois.

Chicago Sun-Times

Today in Chicago:

  • Lincoln Square Morning Farmers Market (7:00 AM)
  • Aegea Greek Dance Troupe and Lessons at Edgewater Branch Library (2:00 PM)
  • Line Dancing Lesson at Woodson Regional Library (2:00 PM)
  • Film Screening: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II at Rudy Lozano Branch Library (3:00 PM)
  • Rush Hour Workouts at Navy Pier (6:00 PM)
  • Mr. Blotto at Reggies (7:00 PM)
  • Royals vs. White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field (7:10 PM)
  • Chrissy Metz at City Winery (8:00 PM)
  • DJ Cymba and Love Day at Punch House (9:00 PM)

Chatter:

  • Chicago Sky: "Looking at the positives, CP3 had an All-Time GREAT performance. Now we move to Wednesday." (Chicago Sky via Instagram)
  • Lightning strike caught on camera: "Our electronics staff caught a lightning strike just a few hundred yards from our building on their dashcam this afternoon. You can see our radar just to the left of the lightning strike! No rain was falling at the time of the strike." (US National Weather Service Chicago Illinois via Facebook)
  • Drag Story Time: "With Fall Fest around the corner, we have received a few concerns about one of the many programs throughout the month: Drag Story Time. Drag Story Time is a one-time, two-hour program during an incredible 31-day harvest celebration. Lincoln Park Zoo is, and will always be, For Wildlife. For All." (Lincoln Park Zoo via Facebook)
  • "North by Northwest" screening: "North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959, 136 minutes)⁠ ⁠ The Chicago Architecture Center teams up with Music Box Theatre in Lakeview for a special screening of North by Northwest.⁠ ⁠ The only Hitchcock film to pass through Chicago—the Ambassador East Hotel makes a prominent cameo—this classic from the Master of Suspense follows ad man Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) on a manic cross-country journey after he is wrongly accused of being a government agent" (Chicago Architecture Center via Instagram)
  • CPD job post: "The Chicago Police Department is hiring a Deputy Director of Oversight Coordination. Learn more about the position and how to apply here" (Chicago Police Department via Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Tuesday! See you tomorrow for another update.

— Nicole Cvetnic

About me: I'm a Midwesterner and very happy to call Chicagoland home. I love the outdoors—especially hiking, performing arts, photography, good food, travel and gardening. You can often find me reading to my two-year-old daughter, watching a tv series with my husband or cuddling with our special needs dog.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Chicago Daily? Contact me at chicago_il@patch.com

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