🚨 What happened to Kid Cop?

Why Funding for Migrant Aid is So Complicated

A contentious City Council meeting this week over funds for asylum-seekers led alders to ask who’s helping Black residents? [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Harvard Professor Lori Lightfoot? 

The former mayor will teach a course about health policy and leadership at the Ivy League university in the fall, talking about her experience leading Chicago through the pandemic. [Sun-Times]

Benny the Bull’s Fat Paycheck

The Bulls mascot pulls in $400,000 a year, making him the third highest-paid NBA mascot after the Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets. [Basketball Insiders]

• What’s a game day in the life of Benny? [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Get sweet deals at Stan’s, Krispy Kreme, and more to ring in the fake holiday. [Chicago on the Cheap]

• Want to celebrate at a Chicago institution? Journalist Arionne Nettles took us to Old Fashioned Donuts, a 50-year-old Roseland institution, last fall. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

This Week’s Must-Read

What happened to Kid Cop, the eighth grader who impersonated a Chicago police officer? Now 28, he’s continued to pretend to be a cop. [The Verge]

🔺 = Sid’s picks

South Side Bike Ride | Friday | 5:45–10 p.m.

Meet at Nichols Park to knock out 15–20 miles. [Free]

🔺 It's Your Park Day | Saturday | 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

More than 30 parks are hosting clean-up events across the city. [Free]

Englewood Peace Fest | Saturday | 2–7 p.m.

Head to Imagine Englewood If's Peace Campus for free food, music, sports, a concert, a resource fair, and giveaways. The event is part of the Wear Orange Weekend to honor gun violence victims. [Free]

Gospel Music Fest Downtown | Saturday | Noon to 9 p.m.

Grammy winners Karen Clark Sheard and Tye Tribbett will headline the Millennium Park fest. Choir Nation is a tribute to church choirs. Rize Youth Co. dancers will give a sneak peek of an upcoming piece. [Free]

🔺 West Side Half-Marathon | Sunday | 8 a.m. to Noon

Cheer on runners as they race through Garfield, Humboldt, and Douglass Parks. Celebrate at the post-race fest. [Free]

Vintage Baseball Game in Elmhurst | Sunday | 2–4 p.m.

What was a baseball game like in 1858? Bring the fam out to Elmhurst University to see the annual game played by 19th-century rules. [Free]

🔺 57th Street Art Fair | All Weekend | Varies

In its 76th year, the two-day fair in Hyde Park will feature work from more than 150 artists as well as live music. [Free entry]

Uptown Art Fair | All Weekend | 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Check out new murals, a block party, small business promos, and more on the North Side through Sunday. [Free entry]

🔺 Lincoln Park Greek Fest | All Weekend | Varies

Nom on gyros and baklava while bopping to modern and traditional Greek music outside St. George Greek Orthodox Church through Sunday. [$10 suggested donation]

Portage Park Hot Dog Fest | All Weekend | Noon to 10 p.m.

Head to the two-day fest to judge hot dogs, compete in an eating contest, and catch the pup parade. [Free entry]

I like to end the week with this virtual bulletin board, sharing your takes, opinions, and announcements.

Pickleball vs. Tennis

After jumping in on the pickleball craze, we asked where you stood on the racket sport debate. And tennis seems to reign supreme with 60% of readers saying they preferred it over pickleball. Why?

Jackie S.: “More space, more strategy, and more running.”

But pickleballers had some good arguments, too:

Debra B.: “It's easy to learn. More experienced players are willing to give tips and play with newbies.”

Jennifer N.: “Matches are quicker. It's fun to play as doubles and meet people as well as a perfect way to get outside and get a great workout! Oh, and the name is way cooler.”

PSAs

Damiane N.: Monday Coffee Co. has started a crowdfunder for their new location! During the pandemic, Chicago natives Amanda Harth and Felton Kizer started selling specialty coffee in the West Side, West Loop, and Washington Park. Now they're ready for their next step.

Kevin S.: Faces of Fitness is a one-day fest with instructors offering different exercise classes July 29. The event was set up to make fitness more accessible to Chicago kids.

Sid (me 👋): Take the City Cast Chicago podcast survey to win a $250 gift card! The City Cast Chicago lead producer application closes tomorrow.

Inside Contentious Council Debate

Tribune’s A.D. Quig and WCIU’s Brandon Pope joined the City Cast Chicago podcast to talk about the $51 million for migrants, a possible pipeline to Lake Michigan from the west suburbs, and a watchdog report on police officers who lied on the job.