The mass shooting in River North that claimed four lives and injured 14 others was the start of a violent Fourth of July weekend in Chicago.

The latest: There were at least three mass shootings in Chicago from Wednesday to Saturday night.

• In addition to the River North shooting, seven people were injured from a shooting in Back of the Yards late Friday night, while four people were injured in a shooting near the Cook County Courthouse early Saturday morning.
• A mass shooting is classified as a shooting that kills or injures more than four people.
• No arrests have been made in any of those shootings yet.

The big picture: Overall, the city's July Fourth shootings were down from last year, with at least 50 shot and six killed this year.

Yes, but: That number doesn't include the River North mass shooting since it technically happened before the weekend began. Also, the numbers don't reflect any shootings from Sunday night.

• In 2024, the Fourth of July weekend claimed 19 lives with 109 shot in total.

Zoom out: Gun violence in the city continues to trend down in 2025, with about a third fewer homicides year over year.

• Mayor Brandon Johnson hopes to have fewer than 500 homicides in 2025, a number not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between the lines: The River North mass shooting made national headlines, reinforcing Chicago's dangerous reputation, despite the lower number of shootings overall.

The bottom line: While law enforcement and anti-violence programs seem to be working in curbing violence, the three mass shootings this weekend prove that there is still a long way to go.

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A North Shore mall is getting a major facelift with new stores slated to open soon.

Why it matters: Plaza del Lago in Wilmette is upping its retail game with new luxury brands and local favorites, which could likely lure shoppers from Old Orchard.

Driving the news: Mall owner WS Development announced it's adding 13 new stores, and at least one Chicago spot making its suburban debut — Streeterville boutique and cafe Space 519 is slated to open there next month.

Flashback: Plaza del Lago was originally built in the 1920s off Sheridan Road and retains its original Spanish-style architecture, with its red stucco roof and white stucco exterior.

Fun fact: Plaza del Lago sits on a strip of land once known as "No Man's Land" before it was incorporated into Wilmette — a hot spot for suburbanites looking for a drink and a good time.

• "No Man's Land became an enclave of uninhibited capitalism amid suburbanites who were an untapped customer base thirsting for a discreet night out. Along the rest of the North Shore, going to a movie on Sunday was considered shameful. Even after Prohibition was repealed in 1933, booze was banned by local ordinances," the Tribune reported.

What's next: James Perse and rag & bone are slated to open on July 9 and Space 519 is scheduled to open Aug. 1.

Zoom out

⚾️ Cubs pitcher Matt Boyd will join Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker on the NL All-Star roster. White Sox pitcher Shane Smith joins the AL All-Star roster. Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki was snubbed. (Axios)

💨 Chicago-area U.S. Environmental Protection Agency workers were placed on leave after criticizing President Trump's direction for the agency in a letter. (ABC-7)

🏎️ Shane van Gisbergen won the NASCAR Chicago Street Race yesterday. Downtown streets should reopen throughout the day today. (Tribune)

🏀 Angel Reese was named to her second straight WNBA All-Star Game roster. She's the only Sky player to make the list. (Sun-Times)

Only 20% of Americans understand grilled meats' link to cancer, according to an American Institute for Cancer Research survey.

Catch up quick: Grilling meats — including hot dogs, chicken and fish — can create potential carcinogens, including heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

How it works: When amino acids, sugars and creatine inside meat are exposed to high heat, a chemical reaction creates HCAs.

• PAHs form outside the meat when fat and juices drip out and cause smoke that sticks to the surface.

Yes, but: Reducing meat's exposure to prolonged flames and heat by pre-microwaving or turning it often can decrease HCAs.

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The MCA's new exhibit, "City in a Garden: Queer Art and Activism in Chicago," explores the city's role in AIDS activism dating back to the 1980s.

The big picture: The multi-gallery show features more than 30 artists, artist collectives and activist groups working from the '80s to the present.

What they're saying: "To read most existing accounts of queer art history and the history of queer activism, it's essentially to read about what happens in New York City and San Francisco," curator Jack Schneider said at a press preview.

• "The goal of this project was really to broaden the scope of scholarship on this subject beyond, or rather, between these coastal meccas."

What to expect: Large color photos of the now-demolished Belmont Rocks, a video recreation of the former bathhouse Man's Country, and a sticker with Mayor Richard M. Daley's portrait with the text "I will not get AIDS," are among the more than 80 works featured.

If you go: "City in a Garden: Queer Art and Activism in Chicago" is at the MCA through May 31, 2026. A dance party hosted by Lucy Stoole and Nico is scheduled for July 18.

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👋 Hey, it's Monica.

Here's the latest in my ongoing quest to track improvements on one of the city's most troubled train lines as lawmakers decide the fate of Illinois' public transit.

The upshot: Schedule and smoking issues have improved, but poor AC could become a problem as the summer heats up.