Blagogevich, Activist / Konkol / Starbucks Unionizes / No. 4 Date City

Have a fun weekend, Chicago.

KONKOL COLUMN: Love Brisket? Get To Windy City Smokeout Early For Best In Fest Eats

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Saturday: Pretty. High: 89 Low: 78.

Sunday: Afternoon storms. High: 86 Low: 75.

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• Chicago is one of the best city to go on a date, if you believe this new report. (NBC5)
• Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich joined families of gun-violence victims to complain about prosecutors in Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office. "Common sense tells us if we take a smarter, more aggressive approach against those who do violent crime, we will reduce violent crime," Blagojevich said. (FOX32)
• Monkeypox has caused a looming sense of concern hovering over the "heart of gay Chicago," Lou Foglia reports. “I’m really aware of how close I am to people,” Gabriella Molina said. (WBEZ)
• A sixth Chicago-area Starbucks has voted to unionize. (WTTW)
• Remember, you're not alone. Pro-athletes suffer from depression, too. "I was depressed. Since I was here as a rookie, it had nothing to do with the coaches, it was more so with myself. Not meeting the standards or the expectations that I put on myself. Going back to creating those unnecessary pressures for myself,” Bears running back David Montgomery said at training camp. (NBC5)

For A Good Time, Click:

Saturday:

• Windy City Smokeout At United Center (2 p.m.)
• Yellow Ostrich at Schubas (8:30 p.m.)
• Joystick at Arragon Ballroom (9:30 p.m.)
• Brandi Carlile: Beyond These Silent Days Tour at Northerly Island (6:30 p.m.)
• Joe Rogan: The Sacred Clown Tour at Chicago Theater (10 p.m.)

• Wicker Park Farmers Market 1425 N. Damen Ave. (8 a.m.)
• Windy City Smokeout At United Center (2 p.m.)
• Buddy Guy w/ Todd Park Mohr at Canal Shores (6:30 p.m.)
• I Love The 90s w/ Vanilla Ice, Color Me Bad, More at RiverEdge Park (7:30 p.m.)
• Lany: Summer Forever Tour at Northerly Island (7 p.m.)

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Events:

• First Saturday Evanston Art Events, August 6 (August 6)
• Lowered Costs for 2022, Get Your Cannabis Card in 24hrs from Home! (August 7)
• Evanston Made Maker's Markets (August 7)
• Chicago's Little Italy Festa on Taylor Street (August 11)
• The Evanston Chamber Music Society Summer Music Festival (August 19)
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— Mark Konkol

About me: Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting, wrote and produced the Peabody Award-winning series "Time: The Kalief Browder Story." He was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docuseries on CNN and a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary "16 Shots."

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