David Solzman’s  “Yin Yang” photo taken on the lagoon in Jackson Park is a fitting representation of  the Friends of the Parks’ annual  gala.

Friends of the Parks’ 2018 Parks Ball 
Thursday, September 20 
6pm – 9:30pm 

Friends of the Parks’ Park Ball 2018, “A Black and White Party for the ‘White City’,” will celebrate the 1893 World Columbian Exposition (nicknamed the White City for the color of the buildings in the fairgrounds) in Jackson Park and the Midway.

Join Friends of the Parks for a dinner and dancing cruise aboard the Odyssey, departing from Navy Pier near the Ferris Wheel (an attraction first introduced to the world at the Expo) with a tour to Jackson Park, weather permitting. We promise it will be tons of fun!

Funds raised will be used to support signature programs of Friends of the Parks, including environmental stewardship education for youth, park clean-up, and policy and advocacy work.

Click here to BUY YOUR TICKETS to the Parks Ball today!

One of Chicago’s most unique eating experiences is back: the McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum’s Bridge Lift Breakfast resumes in September in the southwest tower of the Michigan Avenue bridge.

Noshers can view the raising and lowering of the DuSable Bridge (Michigan Avenue) from inside the Gear Room of the museum located in the five-story, 98-year-old bridge tower while enjoying a light breakfast of bagels, muffins, pastries, coffee and fruit by Corner Bakery Café.

Recently named one of “The Most ‘Chicago’ Things To Do In Chicago” by Thrillist, the five-story McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum is operated by the non-profit environmental group Friends of the Chicago River.

The museum offers spectacular views of the Riverwalk, the Chicago River and the skyline along Michigan Avenue as well as the machinery of the bascule bridge. Chicago’s fall season is marked by boats returning from Lake Michigan to their winter storage on the Chicago River requiring the raising and lowering of the city’s iconic bridges.

The Saturday Bridge Lift Breakfasts are scheduled for September 22nd, September 29th, October 6th, October 20th and October 27th.

Call the museum at 312-977-0227 or email JColes@chicagoriver.org to make a reservation. Bridge Lift Breakfasts are $15 per person. Saturday lifts begin around 9 a.m.

Founded in 1979, Friends of the Chicago River is an award winning nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve and protect the Chicago River for people, plants, and animals. With over 6,000members, volunteers, and online advocates, Friends works to make the river greener and more accessible, while building awareness of the benefits that a clean, healthy river can bring to communities across the watershed. Friends of the Chicago River is working to make the Chicago River one of the world’s greatest metropolitan rivers. For more information on Friends of the Chicago River, please visit our website: www.chicagoriver.org.

To print a copy, please click HERE.

To print a copy, please click HERE.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s Safe and Secure program is a multi-faceted effort to increase safety across the CTA system and provide a more secure, comfortable traveling experience.

Work is under way to upgrade old cameras to high-definition and add new cameras at four stations along the Blue Line: Clinton, LaSalle, Grand and Chicago. The work, which occurs during evening and overnight hours to minimize disruption on service, will be complete shortly after Labor Day.

Through Safe & Secure, CTA will add 1,000 new cameras and upgrade more than 3,800 older-model cameras throughout the system. Additionally, new lighting, repairs and other improvements will enhance safety at all 146 CTA rail stations. New cameras will also be installed at more than 100 CTA bus turnaround locations and video monitors will be added to all CTA rail stations to aid personnel in monitoring station and customer activity.

CTA’s security camera network has doubled in size since 2011. The cameras, found at every rail station and on every bus and train, have been an important tool to help Chicago Police identify crime suspects and detect crime patterns. All of CTA’s buses and trains have multiple cameras. The newest buses have 10-14 cameras per vehicle depending on size.

Additionally, CTA has worked closely with the Chicago Police Department’s Public Transportation Unit to strengthen and deploy strategies to fight crime that include expanded police patrols, rail saturation missions and undercover operations. Since June 2011, CTA cameras have aided Police in the investigation, arrest and charging of more than 1,300 individuals.

CTA’s Safe and Secure is funded by a new, innovative fee on ride-hailing services, the first such fee in the country dedicated to public transportation improvements.

For more information on CTA security efforts, visit transitchicago.com/security.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 8/24/18

To print a copy, please click HERE

The Chicago Help Initiative is the charity benefiting from Run Mag Mile.  All donation proceeds will benefit the year-round weekly meals and programs of The Chicago Help Initiative for people in need and experiencing homelessness in downtown Chicago.

Rally your family and friends, neighbors co-workers, build a team and sign up for RUN MAG  MILE to build a better Chicago for everyone.  For more information and to register, click HERE.

CHI is also in need of volunteers to help with the race.  Interested?  Click HERE.

Have you heard of The Chicago Help Initiative?  It is one of six non-profit organizations that RNRA supports each year as part of our philanthropic community efforts.  Every Wednesday evening, The Chicago Help Initiative (CHI) gathers at the dining hall of 721 N. LaSalle Street to serve a warm meal on white-clothed tables to 130 guests in a safe and dignified setting.  An additional 70 individuals receive a bag meal to go.  The nutritious and delicious food is provided by local restaurants and hotels from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile and River North areas.

CHI offers more than just food. It’s mission is to assist guests in bettering their lives and becoming contributing members of the community again, offering medical assistance, mental health services, adult learning classes, employment resources and more.  To learn more, click HERE.