Bright ideas
The Chicago Department of Aviation will give Chicago Ideas Week attendees an inside look at the operations of O’Hare International Airport between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Wednesday, the second day of the week-long expo. Other upcoming Ideas Week events include a tour of The 606 bike and pedestrian path that is currently in development, a course on Intelligentsia Coffee’s business operations and a sneak peek at the forthcoming Navy Pier redevelopment. Visit ChicagoIdeas.com for the full schedule of Chicago Ideas Week programming.
Let there be field house
City officials on Monday hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Chicago Park District’s Ping Tom Memorial Park field house, according to DNAinfo Chicago. The long-awaited $15.2 million, 30,000-square-foot facility is equipped with a fitness center, swimming pool and other amenities. Local Alderman Danny Solis (25th) on Tuesday tweeted an image of the ceremony.
That’s nuts
Northwestern University will not serve peanuts during Saturday’s football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, according to the Chicago Tribune. Ryan Field in Evanston will be peanut-free for the first time ever to afford Wildcat fans with peanut allergies an opportunity to enjoy the game without fear of a possible reaction to the legumes.
Ride with Rahm
Chicago Sun Times columnist Neil Steinberg wrote an article about a Divvy Bike journey he took on Monday that culminated in a tour of the Logan Square neighborhood led by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Black Thursday
Chicago-area Macy’s department stores will be open on Thanksgiving for the first time in 155 years, employees reportedly told the Chicago Sun-Times. In recent years, Macy’s stores had opened for Black Friday at midnight following Thanksgiving. But several workers said they have been told the stores will open at 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day this year.
-Tom Butala