On Tuesday afternoon, five Cook County sheriff's police officers and a social service worker set off to patrol the West Side branch of the CTA's Green Line.

• The goal: To send a message that even the smallest infraction would not be tolerated.

The latest: Since the spring, officers have been deployed to ride trains along the Red and Green lines at all hours of the day to fight crime. It's an evolving strategy that Axios witnessed firsthand.

Why it matters: CTA safety remains a major concern for riders. Sheriff Tom Dart's new train patrols represent one of the most ambitious efforts yet to restore order by cracking down on even the simplest violations.

State of play: After deploying officers to the CTA this spring, Dart says they quickly identified fare evasion as the system's most pervasive problem.

What they're saying: "When my folks first came back from their different days out, they were blown away," Dart tells Axios. "On the Red Line, the vast majority of people were not paying. So we wanted to set the tone."

Zoom in: Dart describes the effort as equal parts enforcement and education, targeting smoking, drug use and passengers moving between train cars.

• "I think people learn from it," Cook County Sheriff's Sergeant Michael Yelton tells Axios. "We aren't here to take everyone to jail. We're here to talk to you and let you know this activity is not allowed."

By the numbers: Since launching the initiative, sheriff's personnel have made 225 arrests, recovered 23 weapons and located 10 missing people.

• They have issued more than 1,500 warnings for offenses that would otherwise be ordinance violations and the social service team has assisted in helping over 115 people experiencing mental health issues.
• As of June 22, the Sheriff's Office has spent approximately $3.1 million on the patrols.

Reality check: On the day Axios observed police activity on the Green Line, officers apprehended four people, arresting one for alleged drug possession.

• The other passengers were smoking on the train, drinking alcohol or moving between cars. Officers don't arrest passengers for CTA violations; instead, they escort them out of the station.
• A CTA employee at the Cicero station told officers that 25 passengers evaded fares over a 20-minute period.

Keep reading

Starting tonight, viewers should savor the final bites of one of the most influential television shows ever filmed in Chicago.  

State of play: FX's "The Bear" will release its fifth and final season tonight at 8. All episodes are available for streaming.

Why it matters: The hit series became an unlikely economic engine for Chicago, boosting restaurant tourism, elevating local businesses and providing steady work for film crews.

Zoom out: "The Bear" did wonders for local restaurants. Take, for example, the iconic "Mr. Beef," which is used as the fictional location of Carmy's restaurant.

• The beef stand was a well-known entity in Chicago, serving mostly workers and nearby River North residents. But since the show began, the stand is often seen with a sprawling line out front, complete with tourists taking selfies.

What they're saying: "The impact of 'The Bear' on Chicago's restaurant community is incomparable," One Off Hospitality's Donnie Madia tells Axios. Madia had a speaking role in the show.

• "Years after episodes air, we still have guests coming into Publican Quality Meats looking for a cut of meat because they saw Rob Levitt on the show, or dining at Avec because they remember a dish featured in the show."

Between the lines: Since 2022, the show has been a steady source of work for local production hands.

What's next: While "The Bear" moves on into our collective memory banks, it will be hard for the local industry to find such reliable productions to keep local unions employed.

Go deeper

🎟️ The Obama Presidential Center announced yesterday that the next round of tickets will be released in July. (Axios)

🏟️ Gov. JB Pritzker says the state is still trying to piece together legislation to keep the Bears from building a new stadium in Indiana. (Tribune)

🚨 After a recent shooting, Ald. Timmy Knudsen is eyeing new restrictions on late-night bars in his Lincoln Park ward. (Block Club)

The USMNT takes on Turkey tonight at 9pm.

If you're looking for a place to take in the match with fellow fans, Watch Party Radar has got you covered.

The context: Stefan and Dennis Tan built the database and map because they often travel for work and found it difficult to find a place to watch sporting events with fellow fans.

• "I am Dutch and moved to the US, so I am always hunting for the bar with orange in it (you can imagine how that goes)," Stefan tells Axios.

How it works: Watch Party Radar aggregates websites, social media posts, and articles about venues offering viewing opportunities and makes them accessible on a map.

• No business has to sign up or pay, and it's open to users.

The intrigue: The database started with 100 cities and around 5,000 venues, and now has more than 300 cities and 25,000 venues, Stefan says.

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👋 Hey, it's Justin!

I'm back with another round of questions for a new hyperlocal game show I'm producing.

State of play: I am zeroing in on a date for this live show! I'm thinking August or September at The Hideout. I'll keep you posted.

• In the meantime, let's get your thoughts on the best local commercials because that HAS to be a category in the show.

Take the survey here