While work continues on renovations at O'Hare airport, a recent survey ranked it near the bottom in customer satisfaction.

Why it matters: O'Hare is one of the nation's busiest airports, serving more than 73 million passengers a year, and along with Midway brings in $45 billion a year in economic activity.

Driving the news: The new JD Power & Associates North American Airport Satisfaction Study ranks O'Hare at the bottom of the "mega" airport category.

• Midway also ranked low in the "large" category.

Methodology: The study looks at flight delays, airport costs and crowds. It also surveys customers on the uniqueness of the terminals, including decor, signage, stores and restaurants that celebrate the region.

Between the lines: These customer satisfaction surveys are precisely why the city is renovating its global hub.

Yes, but: The $8.5 billion renovation project has been plagued by delays, putting O'Hare years behind other big city airports.

Flashback: The city announced the project in 2018 under then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The plan: Renovate the whole damn place while adding a global terminal that would connect the entire airport by 2026.

• But pandemic delays and rising costs for materials and labor ballooned the cost by a few billion dollars.

State of play: While the bigger redevelopment plan inches forward, it hasn't stopped the airport from renovating the look and feel of some of the other terminals.

• The city completed terminal 5 renovations last year, while terminal 3 renovations are set to be finished in 2027.

The intrigue: The overall project is expected to be completed in 2032, six years later than originally planned.

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👋 Hi, it's Carrie!

I recently took a tour of Midway Airport's first-ever lounge, The Club MDW.

State of play: The new lounge is part of the Midway Modernization Project, which is run by the Chicago Department of Aviation and a group of private companies, including Midway Partnership, which oversees The Club MDW.

What to expect: The lounge is located next to the Central Market between the A and B concourse and Priority Pass holders can get in for free while other guests can pay $50 for a day pass.

• In the morning, there's breakfast fare like waffles topped with blueberries, scrambled eggs with cheese, mini muffins, coffee and tea.
• It switches to a lunch buffet at 11am and always includes a vegetarian option, a rep from Midway Partnership told me.

Yes, but: Capacity is 65 people seated and 97 standing so there's a chance The Club MDW will be full if you want some snacks or a "Chicago Fizz" cocktail before heading to your gate.

Caveat: The restrooms don't have showers like some airport lounges.

The vibe: The same as most airport lounges — someone reading the Wall Street Journal, another watching a show on their iPad, parents sipping wine and beer while their kids are distracted by screens.

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Illinois was one of a handful of states that saw the biggest influxes of new residents from foreign countries in 2023, according to new Census migration data.

By the numbers: The data tracks people who moved to the U.S. from abroad. Of all those movers — close to 32.5 million — nearly a quarter were immigrants or Americans who had been living in a foreign country a year ago.

• Illinois (32%), which led the Midwest, was higher than the national average.

Worth noting: The Census data attempts to capture all residents of the U.S., regardless of their legal status, though undocumented immigrants might be less likely to participate.

📝 CPS officials say they've rescheduled Thursday's school board meeting for Nov. 1 after previously posting Dec. 12 as the next meeting. (Tribune)

💻 OpenAI and Microsoft are funding a $10 million AI collaboration in several cities, including Chicago. The Sun-Times and WBEZ will use the program for transcriptions and news summaries. (Axios) 

🐀 Chicago has been named the "rattiest city" by the pest control company Orkin for the 10th straight year. (Block Club) 

✏️ Pencil in an upcoming event.

Spooky SZN Costume Yacht Party at Anita Dee Yacht Charters on Oct 27: Unwind from the week and relax on the water while you indulge in breathtaking views of Chicago Insta Worthy Skyline.

Hosting an event? Email [email protected].

Keeping any Chicago business afloat for 15 years is tough, but keeping an independent hip-hop record label going strong is almost miraculous.

The big picture: Closed Sessions is celebrating its anniversary with a big show Thursday night at the Avondale Music Hall.

• The label, co-founded by Alexander "DJ RTC" Fruchter and Michael Kolar, has signed, developed and nurtured such artists as Jamila Woods, Femdot, Boathouse and Kweku Collins, just to name a few.

What they're saying: "Running Closed Sessions is almost like breathing to me at this point," Fruchter tells Axios.

• "I'm thankful to make it 15 years and still be functioning at a high level."
• "It has been incredibly difficult with the changing music industry," Fruchter says. "Yet for some reason or another, I keep pushing this boulder up the hill because I simply love Chicago hip-hop."

If you go: DJ Muggs will headline Thursday's 15-year-anniversary show with several Closed Sessions acts also on the bill. Doors open at 7pm at the Avondale Music Hall. $30.

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Nearly all of you guessed correctly that Monica was standing in front of the old Dearborn Station at Dearborn and Polk in Printers Row.

Backstory: Built in 1883, it served as one of six intercity downtown Chicago train stations starting in the late 1880s and operating until 1971.

• It's where Jurgis, Ona and family arrived in Chicago in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle."

State of play: Today it houses, among other businesses, Chicago's Jazz Showcase.

Want to play more? Check out our archives here.