🏀 Derrick Rose debate

🖼 Happy Friday! On this day in 1974, artist Marc Chagall dedicated his work "The Four Seasons" to the Art Institute. It's still one of the biggest attractions at the museum.

• ☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 83.

🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios Chicago members Jori Hume and Liane Gonzalez!

Today's newsletter is 845 words — a 3-minute read.

Chicago native Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA on Thursday, ending one of the biggest chapters in local sports history.

Why it matters: D. Rose is one of the rare athletes who both grew up in Chicago and played for the town's professional sports team.

The big picture: Chicagoans have watched Rose play basketball since he led Simeon High School to state championships in 2006 and 2007.

• Rose, who grew up in Englewood, personified Chicago's toughness, using his explosive play and the chip on his shoulder to compete against giants of the game, like LeBron James.

Stunning stats: The South-Sider is in rarified air, winning Rookie of the Year and then two seasons later, the Most Valuable Player award. The only other Chicago players to do that? Michael Jordan and Candace Parker (WNBA).

The intrigue: Rose made the Bulls perennial championship contenders. But after securing the No. 1 seed in the 2012 playoffs, Rose suffered a massive knee injury.

• For the next 12 months, fans obsessed over Rose's recovery. Adidas even produced a series of ads featuring Rose rehabbing with the tagline "The Return."

Yes, but: The campaign for Rose's return backfired when he suffered complications from the injury. He never recaptured his success, and fans lost patience.

Between the lines: Rose's injuries were accompanied by a sour relationship with Bulls management. The enigmatic superstar also seemed at odds with the media, shying away from postgame interviews and press conferences.

• This relentless drama led to fans cheering the end of Rose's era in Chicago.

What they're saying: Rose penned an open letter to the cities he played in, ending it with "You told me it's okay to say goodbye, reassuring me that you'll always be a part of me, no matter where life takes me."

The bottom line: Rose is a bittersweet, tragic story for Chicago. He created so much civic pride in his short career here, but he was also vilified for not sustaining it.

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Democrats are outspending Republicans on political ads nationwide by about a half-billion dollars since Aug. 1, according to data from analytics platform AdImpact.

• In Illinois, Democrats have doubled Republicans in spending.

By the numbers: As of Sept. 20, Democrats have spent $1.8 billion on ads booked for Aug. 1 through Nov. 5, compared to $1.3 billion for Republicans.

• That includes spending by campaigns (from the presidential candidates down to lower-ballot hopefuls) as well as by outside groups.
• Campaigns alone, Democrats have spent nearly $700 million, compared to almost $400 million by Republicans.

Zoom in: Both parties are spending the most on ads running in Philadelphia, Detroit and Phoenix, among the metro areas tracked by AdImpact.

⚾️ The White Sox fended off record futility again yesterday, defeating the Angels to complete only the second series sweep of the season. They are still tied for the most losses in modern MLB history with just three games left to play. (NBC Sports)

🏛️ At a Thursday night meeting, the Chicago School Board voted to prohibit school closings until 2027. One alder spoke against embattled CPS CEO Pedro Martinez while three others spoke in support, including Ald. Nick Sposato who wore a "Vote for Pedro" shirt. The board took no action on the CEO's status.

👮‍♀️ Police and paramedics will no longer accompany mental health professionals responding to mental health emergency calls in Chicago. (Block Club)

📣 The University of Chicago has received a $100 million gift from an anonymous donor to support the university's work on free expression — on campus and beyond. (UChicago)

🏀 The Sky fired coach Teresa Weatherspoon after just one season. (Sun-Times)

Enhanced rider verification, better navigation tools, and more rider accountability are just a few of the Uber Driver app's latest features.

The idea: These changes are aimed at making the things drivers and couriers do every day safer, fairer and easier.

Check out all the new features.

🤝 Join in on the fun around Chicago.

Silent Disco at Punch Bowl Social Chicago on Oct 19: They are taking over for a party complete with limited edition drinks, eats from our scratch kitchen, and even better music. Grab some headphones and choose between 3 stations to find your perfect jam. $10.

Want your event here? Email local-events@axios.com.

👋 Hi, it's Monica!

After trying and loving Navy Pier's immersive Flyover tour of Chicago last spring, I recently tried its new Iceland experience.

Why it matters: It makes sense for Chicago visitors and hometown loyalists to want to experience our city in this multi-sensory attraction, but I wondered if the Iceland show would be worth the dough ($24-$34) for locals and tourists.

The basics: Broken into three parts, your 30-minute journey staged in the old IMAX area of the pier, starts in a gallery displaying photos and videos of icy, volcanic, lush and mountainous terrain.

• Next, visitors move to a round theater to watch a breathtaking narrated film about Iceland's arctic origins and troll legends.
• The journey finishes in another theater where visitors strap into amusement park-like chairs that thrust into a 65-foot surround screen and simulate flying over mountains, valleys, volcanos, rivers, oceans and buildings in Reykjavik.

The feels: The experience sends you swooping and diving around Iceland while smelling fragrant flower fields and enjoying mountain breezes and ocean mists on your face and legs.

• Don't be surprised if it also sends you to the Iceland Air site looking for tickets to this stunning spot.

Iceland vs. Chicago: While the Chicago Flyover felt like an action film crossed with a rock show, the Iceland experience felt more like reading a thrilling fairy tale and attending the opera.

Pro tip: You can buy your tickets at Navy Pier or get better prices by reserving online.

• Chicago Public School students with ID can buy $10 tickets through this school year.

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Uber is stepping up its measures to keep drivers and couriers safe.

Here's how: The ability to see if a rider has gone through additional verification steps and use hands-free voice prompts are just a few of the app's latest features, designed to improve the driver experience.

Get all the deets.

Edited by Lindsey Erdody and copy edited by Rob Reinalda.

📸 Monica loved visiting Peavy Plaza in Minneapolis where you can take pics that make it seem like you're walking or jumping on water.

🚦Justin is putting together a new bracket to crown Chicago's most annoying intersections. Reply now for nominations!

🏖 Carrie is out today.

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