🌱 Shots Fired At North Avenue Beach + 'Taylor Swift Week' Kicks Off

Good morning, Chicago! In today's weekend edition of Patch's daily guide to the news:

• Cook County officials passed a new ban on flavored e-cigarettes.
• The Blackhawks are expanding their training facility.
• Memorial Day remembrances, farmers markets, outdoor workouts and more are on the holiday weekend calendar.

But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny. High: 69 Low: 56.

Here are the top 3 stories in Chicago today:

1. Shots were fired at North Avenue Beach Friday afternoon, just hours after the city’s beaches opened for the summer season, CBS reports. Police closed the area and conducted searches and questioning. “It appeared there had been a group of young men who got into a fight on the beach when someone pulled out a gun and fired a shot,” according to CBS. (CBS)

2. Cook County officials voted this week to ban flavored e-cigarettes this week. Flavored vapes are “specifically designed to appeal to kids, which is despicable,” Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. (Paid source: Tribune)

3. The Blackhawks will expand their training complex on the Near West Side, Block Club Chicago reports. A $65 million expansion is planned for the Fifth Third Arena. (Block Club)

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Today in Chicago:

• Farmers markets are held in Lincoln Park, West Humboldt Park and more. (Times vary)
• Free summer workout classes return to Millennium Park today and run weekly through August. (8 a.m.)
• The Pritzker Military Museum & Library offers free admission in honor of Memorial Day. (10 a.m.)
• The Memorial Day Parade and Wreath Laying Ceremony begin at Daley Plaza. (11 a.m.)
• Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest kicks off in Lakeview. (11 a.m.)
• Mayfestiversary offers beer, food and live music in the Ravenswood neighborhood. (11:30 a.m.)
• Sueños Music Festival begins at Grant Park. (Noon)
• The SummerSalt Market returns to the Salt Shed with vintage vendors, food and drinks. (Noon)
• Summer fireworks return to Navy Pier tonight. The weekly display runs through September. (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The State Senate passed a $50 billion budget plan this week. (Paid source: Tribune)
• Wrigley Field installed 20 bleeding control kits at the ballpark this weekend, making it the first Major League venue in the U.S. to provide the lifesaving first-aid. More than 300 of the kits are installed across the city and were recently used after a shooting outside a Garfield Park library. (WGN)
• Several Chicago bars are hosting Taylor Swift-themed nights this week in honor of the pop icon bringing her sold-out Eras Tour to Soldier Field June 2-4. Tickets are selling for an average of $920, according to StubHub. (Block Club)
• The first 10,000 fans in attendance at Tuesday’s White Sox game will receive a free T-shirt inspired by Guaranteed Rate Field’s celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Night. (MLB)

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That's all for today! The Patch newsletter will be back Wednesday, May 31.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Chicago Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.