🌱 FEMA Helps Chicago Hospitals + Students Stage Walkout

Happy Friday, Lakeview! Let's get to the latest neighborhood news in today's Patch Daily.

First, today's weather: A snow shower; breezy, colder. High: 33 Low: 24.

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Here are the top 5 stories today in Lakeview:

1. FEMA doctors and nurses began work at Illinois hospitals this week as health systems experience unprecedented strain amid the omicron surge. More than 2,000 workers have been deployed across the state, with more than 500 additional people arriving next week. (Patch)

2. A student group called The Chicago Public Schools Radical Youth Alliance is planning a walkout today “saying students deserve a seat at the table in negotiations” between the district and teachers' union about COVID-19 safety, Block Club reports. The group plans to rally outside Chicago Public Schools headquarters to demand better remote learning options, access to masks and more. (Block Club)

3. Chicago is averaging more than 4,800 COVID-19 cases per day, 11 percent less than the week prior. “But I can’t say for sure that we are flattening or past a peak,” said Dr. Allison Arwady of the Chicago Department of Public Health. The state reported a new record-high number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients Thursday. (NBC)

4. Potbelly will celebrate its 45th anniversary today by offering a “buy one, get one free” deal on all online original sandwich orders. The sandwich chain began as a mom-and-pop store in Lincoln Park in 1977. (Franchising)

5. Lakeview Pantry was nominated for Best Charity and Best Food Relief Effort in the Chicago Reader’s “Best of Chicago” awards. Online voting is open through Feb. 2. (Lakeview Pantry)

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Today in Lakeview:

• “Scream” opens at Logan Theatre. (5 p.m.)
• Roscoe’s Tavern hosts a “RuPaul’s Drag Race” viewing party. (6 p.m.)
• Paint the skyline at Bottle & Bottega. (6:30 p.m.)
• Catch “Chicago's longest running drinking game show” at The Newport Theater. (7 p.m.)
• See a magic show at Trickery Chicago. (7 p.m.)
• Make sushi and learn salsa dancing at Get in the Kitchen. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Four Illinois prisons are not accepting new inmates due to COVID-19 surging inside the facilities. (Patch)
• The Bagel Restaurant and Deli made Eater’s list of best sick-day standby dishes in the city. (Eater)
• The Chicago Park District’s annual youth speed-skating competition is underway. (Instagram)
• Lakeview Rotary Club is shifting to virtual meetings due to the pandemic. (CLRC)
• High school sweethearts Laura and Jorge Rosales opened Salsa’s Family Market in Lincoln Square this week. (Block Club)

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Thanks for reading the Lakeview Daily! I'll be back tomorrow with more neighborhood news.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based reporter with seven years of experience writing for entertainment-based publications. She represented FF2 Media for five years at film festivals across the U.S., from Sundance to Austin. 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 campus newspaper, she earned honors from The Associated Collegiate Press Association and American Scholastic Press Association. She began working for Patch in 2019.