Progress continues in critical upgrade of Chicago’s natural gas delivery system

The Peoples Gas program to modernize Chicago’s antiquated natural gas delivery system continued its steady progress in the first quarter of 2023. Data from the quarter has been reported to the Illinois Commerce Commission as part of the commission’s extensive oversight of the Safety Modernization Program.

Jumpstart Your College Journey This Summer with Summer Start, Deadline is Fast Approaching—June 12

Students who graduated from Chicago Public Schools in fall 2022 or spring 2023 are invited to enroll in the City Colleges of Chicago Summer Start session where they can earn college credits and up to $1,000. Classes takes place from June 20 to August 4 and to receive the full payment, students need to sign up, attend and participate in the Summer Start program, and also register for fall 2023 classes at City Colleges.

THEY’RE MOVING ON AND MOVING UP IN ‘RUN THE WORLD’

STARZ released the key art and trailer for the critically acclaimed series “Run the World” set to premiere on Friday, May 26. Vicariously live through Whitney (Amber Stevens West), Renee (Bresha Webb) and Sondi (Corbin Reid) as they fashionably navigate through the ups and downs of life, love and careers in the pursuit to have it all. They’re moving on, and moving up. The second season of the half-hour comedy series will premiere at midnight (ET) on the STARZ app, all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms. On linear, it will debut on STARZ at 9:30PM ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.

DineAmic Hospitality Unveils Fioretta

DineAmic Hospitality invites diners back in time with the latest addition to its growing portfolio of world-class restaurants, Fioretta, an Italian American Steakhouse. Now open, Fioretta is located on the ground floor of global real estate developer and owner Tishman Speyer’s new luxury office tower at 318 N. Sangamon Street in Fulton Market District. The remarkable new space will be reminiscent of a new-age Copacabana, celebrating 1950’s Italian American cuisine with an opulent twist, a steady flow of impressive cocktails and wine, world-class live entertainment, and a glamorous vibe cast over the entire experience.

BLUE BOTTLE COFFEE AND THE WEEKND PARTNER TO LAUNCH "SAMRA ORIGINS"

Blue Bottle Coffee, a global leader in specialty coffee, has announced a partnership with multi-platinum recording artist Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye and his record label, XO. Together, they have created Samra Origins, a brand and product line celebrating Ethiopian culture and excellence in coffee. Named in honor of The Weeknd's mother Samra, Samra Origins pays homage to his family's heritage with a shared respect for Ethiopia — the proud birthplace of coffee.

Chicago Booth Announces Partnership with Chicago Scholars

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business announced a new partnership with Chicago Scholars that will establish a pipeline for students to attend graduate level programs, and create a long-term impact in the Chicagoland area. Chicago Booth is the first graduate program to partner with the 501(c)(3) nonprofit leadership development organization.

Rep. Kelly, with Sen. Menendez & Rep. McBath, Leads Bicameral Letter of 90 Congressional Colleagues Urging ATF to Fully Implement Federal Rules to Help Close the Gun Seller Background Check Loophole

Congresswoman Robin Kelly (D-Ill.-02), with U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Congresswomen Lucy McBath (D-Ga.-07), today led a bicameral letter of over nearly 90 Congressional colleagues urging the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to implement federal rules to designate who is “engaged in the business” of selling firearms to help close the gun seller background check loophole.

Corporate Leaders, Environmental and Energy Experts Highlight Sustainability Challenges, Resources and Opportunities at Chicago Urban League’s 2023 SUMMIT

n Tuesday, May 2, the Chicago Urban League convened nearly 350 business and civic leaders for its 2023 SUMMIT, a daylong conference focused on “Equity in Clean Energy and Water.” Over the course of the day, more than 20 industry experts and corporate leaders shared insights and useful information about addressing environmental and sustainability inequities ranging from access to affordable, renewable energy to safe drinking water, and employment diversity.

U.S. Department of Education Announces $42 Billion in Approved Public Service Loan Forgiveness for More Than 615,000 Borrowers Since October 2021

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) today announced that, as of the beginning of May 2023, it has approved a total of $42 billion in Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for more than 615,000 borrowers since October 2021. This is a result of the temporary PSLF changes made by the Biden-Harris Administration that made it easier for borrowers to reach forgiveness. At the end of the previous Administration, only about 7,000 borrowers had been approved for the PSLF program.

Empowering Local Communities: DoorDash Releases Economic Impact Report, Including Survey Data of Local Dashers in Illinois

DoorDash released its latest Economic Impact Report, outlining how merchants, Dashers, and the DoorDash platform supported economic impact in the local communities we serve across the United States. Alongside the report, we ran a local survey of Dashers in Illinois.

Northeastern Illinois University's Business Innovation & Growth (BIG) Center opens first physical location

Northeastern Illinois University is thrilled to announce the grand opening of the first physical location of the Business Innovation & Growth (BIG) Center at the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS), 700 E. Oakwood Blvd. in Chicago.

Belmont Village Senior Living Caretaker Receives Prestigious Argentum 2023 Hero Award

Belmont Village Senior Living is proud to recognize Janny Flores, caretaker at Belmont Village Buffalo Grove, as the recipient of the 2023 Hero Award from Argentum, the country’s most recognized trade association in senior living. The award is a testament to Flores’ outstanding commitment, compassion, and selflessness in serving the senior living industry with unparalleled excellence.

MCA Chicago Announces the Return of its Free Summer Concert Series, Tuesdays on the Terrace

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago’s summer concert series, Tuesdays on the Terrace, will return to museum grounds from June 13 to August 29. For the first time, Tuesdays on the Terrace will expand beyond the jazz genre to include a diverse range of styles that have unique Chicago roots, including hip-hop, house, blues, bomba, and more, in addition to several jazz performances.

One Poem, One Chicago. Courtesy of the Poetry Foundation.

The Poetry Foundation, in partnership with Chicago Public Library (CPL), Third World Press Foundation, Brooks Permissions, and Northwestern University Press, is proud to announce One Poem, One Chicago. An opportunity to engage Chicagoans in poetry and foster a sense of community through reading, One Poem, One Chicago will launch with a reissue of Gwendolyn Brooks's landmark poetry collection Blacks, which will be available via CPL and public programming.

SOUTH CHICAGO DANCE THEATRE DEBUTS WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘MEMOIRS OF JAZZ IN THE ALLEY’

Interdisciplinary performance event features live jazz score by popular saxophonist Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few, with futuristic retro projection design by Rasean Davonté Johnson

700 CHICAGO WOMEN RAISING FUNDS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS

The Chicago Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is excited to host its third annual fundraising event, Dinner en Rouge. This red-hot fundraiser will take place from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 20, 2023 at the Morgan Arts Complex, 3622 S. Morgan St. Funds raised support community-based programs in Chicago’s under-invested communities.

MCA Chicago announces 21Minus | What Was, What Is

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA)Chicago today announced the 2023 iteration of 21Minus, themed What Was, What Is. Taking place from 1 to 6 p.m. on June 17, 21Minus is an annual festival of teen creativity and passion that fills the museum with exciting, out-there projects that invite visitors to engage with the museum and each other in unexpected ways.

SAS announces first HBCU Fellows

High demand for data science skills generates rewarding career opportunities, but those opportunities have not historically gone to underrepresented populations. Innovative professors at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are forging opportunities for students to engage with data analytics in meaningful and creative ways, ensuring students develop career-ready analytics skills. To supercharge their efforts, SAS developed the HBCU Fellows Program and recently named the four members of the inaugural cohort.

Bank of America Awards Negro Leagues Baseball Museum $1M Grant for New Facility

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) announced it has been awarded a $1 million grant from Bank of America in support of the museum's $25 million capital campaign to build a new 30,000 square-foot facility. This funding will enable the NLBM to provide the latest state of the art technology that will be used to promote diversity, inclusion, and equity through the lens of America's unsung baseball heroes who overcame tremendous social adversity to play baseball. The announcement was made at the NLBM with bank and museum officials alongside Congressman Emanuel Cleaver; Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas; Frank White, Jr., Jackson County Executive; Kathy Nelson, President & CEO, Kansas City Sports Commission and John Sherman, Chairman & CEO Kansas City Royals.

Chicago Public Schools and Partners Host Inaugural Green and Growing Summit

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and District partners hosted the inaugural Green and Growing Summit. CPS, along with Openlands, Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) and Advocates for Urban Agriculture (AUA) organized the summit to strengthen the connectivity of Chicago’s garden education movement by building on the work of the Green Teachers Network and the CPS Garden Educator Cohort.