The current scene on Wabash Avenue in the Loop is a bit cluttered. Green mesh lines chain link fences and sandbags lay on hammered, uneven concrete surfaces and on fence ties. Concrete barriers line the sidewalks and close off southbound traffic lanes. Construction workers sit with their lunch pails and white hard hats. Wooden boards lie on top of holes and lead into temporary entrance ways to businesses and schools. The noise of jackhammers and equipment sound loudly.

At this year’s Taste of Chicago, some menu items of more than 70 local restaurants will be a little less indulgent and little more nutritious. The Mayor’s Office of Special Events has required participating food vendors to add a more healthy option to their selection at the Taste. Cindy Gatziolis, spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, said the office has been noticing a more calorie-conscious trend in food and wanted to encourage the vendors to offer something lighter.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of an international event that began in Chicago: the Special Olympics. Opening ceremonies for Chicago’s Special Olympics track and field events were held at Soldier Field on May 6. Athletes had the opportunity to compete in events such as the 100-meter wheelchair relay or the running long jump at the three day event.

The city’s newly implemented bottled water tax has collected $1.5 million in revenue from January until the end of April, said Department of Revenue spokesman Ed Walsh. The money collected from the tax goes into the city’s general funds that provide city services, such as trash collection, Walsh said. The goal is to earn $10 million a year or $500,000 a month from the tax, said Alderman George Cardenas (12th Ward), who proposed the tax.

While sitting on the curb of Milwaukee Avenue last weekend waiting for a table at a popular brunch spot, I was reminded how summer has been my favorite time of year in the city. And, if the forecast is right, the season has just begun. The winter is when I’m engrossed in books, fixated on a computer screen and in a fixed mindset: school, work, school, work, school, work and “Oh my God, it’s cold.” But, summer is the time to wind down and enjoy the city without more than three layers fastened on and tucked in.

After securing a spot in the playoffs last season, it seemed the Cubs were poised for major league greatness. However, the Cubs suffered a disappointing loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks during their last playoff game. This year is different for the Chicago Cubs for a variety of reasons. For starters, 2008 is exactly a century after the Cubs won their last World Series title. Ex-Cubs pitcher Mark Prior is gone and a variety of fresh faces are now on the roster.

Since the Major League Baseball’s opening series in Toyko on March 25, viewers have seen some very exciting game play through both the National and American Leagues. In Chicago, baseball lovers are divided between rooting for the White Sox or the Cubs. Both teams show signs of smart baseball playing and continue to stand in the top two spots of their divisions.