👋 20+ Concerts Happening This Week, Train Adventures & a Sourdough Master

Chicago has long been one of the country’s biggest railroad hubs, and living in the Northwest Suburbs puts us closer to train travel than we might realize.

With a simple Metra ride downtown, locals can connect through Chicago Union Station and take Amtrak to destinations across the country.

A few popular trips include:

• Milwaukee for a quick weekend getaway
• St. Louis for history, food and baseball
• Detroit or Grand Rapids for a Michigan trip
• Kansas City for barbecue and music

It’s easy to forget, but some great getaways and scenic rail routes are just a Metra ride away. And if you’re like me and dread flying, taking the train can be a fun alternative. 🙂(See Destinations)

Scattered showers and storms could help clear out some wildfire smoke after days of poor air quality, but NBC Chicago says any relief may be temporary. Residents should still check conditions before spending extended time outdoors. (Link)

Federal officials now say a lettuce sample tied to a multistate Cyclospora outbreak was a false positive, meaning the source is still unknown. Taylor Farms is still recalling certain iceberg lettuce products while the investigation continues. (Link)

Cook County second installment property tax bills are expected to arrive later than usual this year, with a likely due date around October 1 instead of August. (Link)

• Arlington Heights: July 18 marked 50 years since the line-of-duty death of Officer Alan J. Vargo, who was killed while directing traffic at a crash scene in 1976. The Arlington Heights Police Department continues to honor his service and sacrifice. (Link)

• Bartlett: Bartlett announced its 2026 Star-Spangled Bartlett contest winners, honoring the year’s Most Patriotic Home and Most Patriotic Business. (Link)

• Buffalo Grove: Buffalo Grove Fire is offering free smoke alarm installations through its “Be Alarmed!” program, including specialized alert systems for residents who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Link)

• Des Plaines: The city is expected to approve a roughly $1.1 million contract to begin interior work on The Dime, a planned downtown restaurant at 678 Lee Street that is part of ongoing efforts to bring more activity to downtown. (Link)

• Elk Grove Village: Ten new single-family homes in the planned Tonne Grove development are now under contract after the village held a raffle for current residents. The subdivision will be Elk Grove’s first new one in more than 20 years. (Link)

• Palatine: Palatine Police received $239,000 in federal funding for new police motorcycles and electric bicycles to help officers patrol parks, school zones, trails and neighborhoods.

• Schaumburg: Septemberfest has announced its 2026 Main Stage lineup, with Night Ranger, Warrant and Max Weinberg’s Jukebox headlining the Labor Day weekend festival from Sept. 5 to 7. (Link)

• Skokie: The July 20 Village Board agenda includes updates on Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a Skokie Theatre storefront grant, a new business registration program and the Main Street Streetscape Improvement Project. (Link)

Mazala Pizza (Schaumburg) | Indian fusion pizza featuring bold South Asian flavors and creative handcrafted pizzas. (Link)

Kiara Nail Spa (Skokie) | Relaxing nail spa offering manicures, pedicures, and beauty services. (Link)

Still Yoga (Arlington Heights) | New infrared heated yoga studio | (Link)

InfraHaus (Lincolnshire) | July 22nd | Wellness showroom specializing in premium saunas, cold plunges, steam showers, and home spa solutions. (Link)

Dick's House of Sport (Schaumburg) | July 24th | New immersive sporting goods store featuring athletic gear, interactive experiences, and sports performance services. (Link)

This week, we’re highlighting a local maker with a pretty great story behind every loaf.

Chef SEBA is a Des Plaines-based micro bakery run by Sebastian Nowak, who started with an 8-year-old sourdough starter and a love for real, small-batch baking. After more than three decades in America and a long career in the car business, Sebastian followed his passion and built Chef SEBA around artisan sourdough, organic ingredients, natural fermentation and what he calls the fifth ingredient: love.

His menu includes sourdough bread, cinnamon rolls, scones, baguettes, sandwich loaves, apple tarts, brownies and other small-batch bakery favorites. Customers can order online for private pickup, local delivery or shipping.

My wife and I recently had the chance to try Chef SEBA’s sourdough bread and cinnamon rolls at the Wheeling Tuesday Night Market, and both were absolutely delicious. You can really taste the difference in the quality ingredients and the care that goes into each bake.

If you love fresh sourdough bread, pastries or supporting local food makers, check out Chef SEBA! (Link)

"Be your own spectator; seek your own applause."
- Seneca

Want to get in front of 5,700+ local readers each week?
Partner With Us