Celebrate the end of the week and get caught up on the top stories from WTTW News, including an August crime recap, what’s going on with Superdawg’s mascots and more.
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A street tree planted in Chicago in 2022. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)
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August in Chicago was officially dry, according to a climate summary released earlier in the week by the National Weather Service. Total precipitation for the month came in at more than an inch and half below normal, and I don’t know about the rest of you, but my garden is showing it.
I confess, I was a little slow on the uptake that August wasn’t delivering the regular rainfall we’d enjoyed in the spring and early summer. I’ve tried to make up for it since with some serious dousings, and some of my plants have responded — I got a surprising second bloom from my phlox — but others just stare at me with their crispy, drooping leaves and I know I’ve let them down.
So let me ask you this, fellow gardeners: Have you been watering your parkway trees during this dry spell? I’ll go first: No, I haven’t. And that’s not just a “no” for this year, but a “no, not ever.” I’m willing to bet the same holds true for lots of Chicagoans.
Our poor parkway trees. They’re already stuck in some of the worst dirt that passes for soil, roots encased in concrete, breathing in all sorts of pollutants. Add thirsty to that list. Everywhere I walk lately — including to and from the WTTW offices — I see stressed-out trees shedding leaves. There’s a pair of London plane trees I pass that have dropped so many leaves that the sidewalk underneath looks like it’s October or November.
Here’s what Morton Arboretum recommends for established trees: at least 1 to 2 inches of water every 7 to 10 days throughout the growing season, and even more during an extremely dry period. Water slowly, deeply and thoroughly, not just at the base but under the entire “canopy zone” from the trunk to the ends of the branches.
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Chicago police barrier. (Kathryn Kirsch / iStock)
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Fewer people were killed in Chicago in August 2024 than the same month last year, but the number of shootings and shooting victims ticked up slightly, according to Chicago Police Department data. There were 51 homicides citywide in August, a 12% decrease over August 2023. Overall, homicides are down 8.6% year to date, according to police.
Police also reported marked drops in robberies and vehicle thefts in August, down 36.5% and 25.6%, respectively. CPD credited its Citywide Robbery Task Force for the reduction in robberies.
Month to date, violent crimes dropped 18%, while property crimes are down 10%, according to police.
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Superdawg's 12-foot-tall rooftop statues — “Maurie” and “Flaurie” — were removed Wednesday for a little buffing and polishing. (Superdawg / Facebook)
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Superdawg nearly sent its fans into a panic on Wednesday when a couple of trucks with cranes showed up at the hot dog stand and started plucking “Maurie” and “Flaurie” off the restaurant’s rooftop. The 12-foot-tall hot dog statues are more than an homage to Superdawg’s founders, Maurie and Flaurie Berman — they’re unofficial Chicago landmarks.
Fear not. The mascots are just headed to the “SuperSpa” for a “bit of pampering and a little glow up,” Superdawg posted on social media.
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Also From WTTW News:
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Illinois’ economy is growing at a slower pace, new reports show.
Chicago is on high alert for bird migration Friday night. Here’s how to peep passing birds safe.
Some people are rethinking where they get their food and efforts to encourage local food sourcing are creating broader opportunities to address health equity.
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Back in the Day: September 6, 2004 - Barack Obama, Alan Keyes Campaign for Senate Seat
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Twenty years ago today, it was Labor Day when U.S. Senate candidates Barack Obama and Alan Keyes campaigned during a heated but uneven election cycle. Obama, then in the Illinois Senate, chose to address the Chicago Federation of Labor’s annual Navy Pier event, where he spoke to a crowd of about 1,000 people from various unions. Months removed from his star-making keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, Obama told the crowd, “This is going to be a working Labor Day, not just for me, but for all of us.” On the other side, Keyes, a Maryland resident who jumped in the race last minute after primary winner Jack Ryan dropped out, ventured to Naperville, where
he walked in a Labor Day parade. As the Chicago Tribune reports, some onlookers told the Republican candidate to return to his home state. In the general election, Obama would win 70% of the vote.
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What was the best local thing you did this summer?
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Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published.
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Other News From Around Town:
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New Law Bans Illinois Hotels From Providing Complimentary Personal Care Items (Sun-Times)
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Winslow House Is for Sale (Chicago Magazine)
Candlelite, Rogers Park’s Iconic Tavern-Style Pizzeria, Is Opening a Second Location (Eater)
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5:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 10:00 PM
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Newsletter Producer: Josh Terry
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