r/chicago • • 23h ago

CHI Talks Weekly Casual Conversation & Questions Thread

3 Upvotes

Welcome to r/Chicago's Weekly Casual Conversation & Questions Thread.

This is the place for casual discussions that may not warrant their own post, or questions/topics not allowed as their own posts under our content policy. Please be mindful of rules 2 & 3 which still apply in this thread, as well as the Reddit Content Policy when posting.

Also, check out the r/Chicago wiki for other Chicago-related subreddits, where to eat/drink, how to get around/navigate the CTA, where to visit, what neighborhoods to move to or hotel in, tips on living here, and more. And be sure to use the search feature to find responses to other users asking similar questions.

This thread is sorted by "new" so that the most recent comments appear first. The new weekly thread is posted every Monday morning at 12:00 AM.


r/chicago • • 23d ago

CHI Talks r/Chicago's 2026 General Election Megathread

52 Upvotes

The 2026 Illinois General Election (AKA the midterm election) will be held on Tuesday, November 3. On the ballot will be races for various local and federal offices such as Governor, Senate, House, and County Judges, among others.*

This thread is the place to post any election-related content such as voting resources and discussion. We will update this page with more resources as they become available.

This thread is sorted by New so that the most recent comments appear first.


Election Resources


Voting Guides - General Ballot


Voting Guides - Judicial Ballot


  • Note: The Chicago mayoral election will be held on Tuesday, February 23, 2027, and will not be on the ballot in November.

r/chicago • • 9h ago

Picture A picture out of my window today. Our city looks like a literal painting sometimes.

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1.7k Upvotes

r/chicago • • 14h ago

Picture Sunday's sunrise at Promontory Point was unreal [OC]

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1.6k Upvotes

r/chicago • • 8h ago

Video Aaron Del Mar, Illinois GOP Lt. Governor candidate, claims he can come up with a housing plan on the spot

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234 Upvotes

This was filmed back in the summer, and his official site still doesn't have a housing plan. Be careful who you vote for this midterm election!


r/chicago • • 9h ago

Article Debate Over Human Waste In Public Spaces Triggers Call For Public Restrooms In Rogers Park, Uptown

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263 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 3h ago

News Chicago mayoral candidates file nominating petition signatures

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50 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 5h ago

News Reminder: Great Time To Place Your Thanksgiving Pie / Food Orders

55 Upvotes

Friendly Reminder!

You can place orders for Thanksgiving pick-up right now and it looks like spots are already starting to sell-out for some popular ones like Hoosier Mama!


r/chicago • • 4h ago

Picture a beautiful building captured on 35mm film

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46 Upvotes

took this on my first visit to Chicago last summer.


r/chicago • • 11h ago

Article Proposal to close the homeless encampment at Ronan Park defeated

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154 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 12h ago

Article Drivers Have Blocked A Bike Lane By The Main Post Office For Years — Despite Free Parking Nearby

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193 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 13h ago

CHI Talks PSA for anybody voting by mail for the midterms:

183 Upvotes

If you have received an email notification from the Board of Elections saying that your ballot is “pending intake,” this means it is scanned and they have it but the vote won’t be counted until Election Day. I just confirmed it with them on the phone!


r/chicago • • 9h ago

Article Feds Finally Agree To Environmental Review Of Proposed Amtrak Facility In Bridgeport

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51 Upvotes

Progress isn’t stopped and the community’s concerns will be addressed. Win-win for the city.


r/chicago • • 15h ago

News NITA has unprecedented power to develop land near transit. How could this change your neighborhood?

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136 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 13h ago

Ask CHI Patient Admin Fee - Chicagoland Doctors

93 Upvotes

Wife got an email from our PCP that they’re going to start charging an annual admin fee. Fee is applicable for all patients, even first time patients. The message says other Chicago-area independent practices are introducing similar fees.

Has anyone else heard of this? I’m livid about it, as that’s an extra $500/year for us. Even if we go a year without seeing the doctor. Maybe I’ve been under a rock, but I don’t recall experiencing this with other medical practices. Has anyone else heard of this?


r/chicago • • 14h ago

Picture Alonzo Smith sold his two-story home at 1816 W. Madison next to the Chicago Stadium for $27,500 in 1987. Had he held out until today’s $7 billion 1901 Project, his estate could have earned between $3-5 million.

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69 Upvotes

Photo Credit: Ron Gordon, 1983


r/chicago • • 1d ago

Article ‘Off-putting’ or ‘a fine tool’? AI slop on restaurant signage is becoming rampant and repugnant.

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462 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 1d ago

Picture Fall foliage 10.25

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1.0k Upvotes

From the 606


r/chicago • • 16h ago

Article Pace Has a ReVision, and Suburban Transit Is Finally Thinking Bigger

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50 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 10h ago

Article In Mayor Brandon Johnson’s fourth budget fight, is it ‘class war’ or reelection war? (Paywall-free gift link)

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15 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 1h ago

Ask CHI Any diy handyman basic training classes for home that are either free or low fees?

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• Upvotes

r/chicago • • 13h ago

Article Green and Pink Line disruptions extended … CDOT replacing portion of Lake St Bridge, interrupting Green Line between Clinton and Clark/Lake, Pink Line between Polk and downtown

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15 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 11h ago

Article So you want to open a restaurant in Chicago...perspective from the owner of North Pond

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12 Upvotes

r/chicago • • 1d ago

Ask CHI Are anyone else's mail-in ballots stuck in "Waiting to be processed by USPS" for several weeks?

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305 Upvotes

Who else hasn't received their mail-in ballot because USPS has been sitting on it? Mail-in Ballot mailed 9/29, still "Waiting to be processed by USPS" on 10/25. I'd love for this to be a "me" problem, but I'm too pessimistic for that.

Reminder: you can still vote, even if it never shows up. Just go to any polling station, today onwards, let them know you requested a mail-in ballot, it hasn't arrived, and request a "provisional ballot." That's a neutered ballot, which only has candidates in the federal election.

Better than nothing, but I'm sure GOP is counting on people not knowing that, or else avoiding the "hassle" they've created.

This is voter disenfranchisement at scale. "Unlike anything that's ever been seen", as Cheeto McTweeto likes to say.

VOTE. F**KING VOTE.


r/chicago • • 22h ago

Article In case you're struggling with the long list of judicial retention decisions. Here's a guide that summarizes anything notable about each judge.

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73 Upvotes