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Mayor Brandon Johnson and DCASE Announce Winners of the 2025 Chicago Made Music Showcase
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), in collaboration with Next Showcase USA, are proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Chicago Made Music Showcase, held Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater.
ELEVATE ENGAGES SOUTH SIDE BUSINESSES, NONPROFITS WITH NO-COST TRAINING, FINANCIAL RESOURCES, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND MORE
Elevate, a nonprofit organization, is launching an innovative Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, which aims to grow the clean energy workforce on the South Side of Chicago. This no-cost program is designed for clean energy contractors ready to expand into energy-efficiency upgrades, renewable energy, and other related services.
Chicago Public Schools Recognizes Student Progress and Class of 2025 Achievements
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) released the District’s 2024–25 Annual Academic Data, a comprehensive look at student progress and success across the city. The report shows continued gains across key academic indicators, including higher graduation and freshman-on-track rates, stronger college persistence, and a record-breaking $3.1 billion in scholarships earned by the Class of 2025.
AMA, Ad Council and Coalition of Health Care Leaders Launch New Effort to Provide Health Care Professionals with Tools to Prevent Firearm Injuries
With firearm injuries the leading cause of death of children and teens in the U.S., the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Ad Council, in collaboration with a coalition of health care leaders, launched a new digital resource hub at AgreeToAgree.org/HealthCare to empower physicians and other health care professionals to confidently and compassionately engage patients in conversations about firearm injury prevention. The digital resource hub features new “Agree to Agree” campaign videos, fact sheets, toolkits, and conversation guides for clinicians to help patients and their families understand the risks associated with unsecured firearms and best practices for secure storage to help reduce injuries and deaths.
Chicago Public Schools Fill Key Leadership Roles
The Board of Education Thursday, Oct. 23, approved several key promotions aimed at strengthening leadership within Chicago Public Schools (CPS). The newly-appointed administrators bring extensive experience in educational leadership and have consistently demonstrated the skills needed to support CPS students, families, staff, and the broader community.
Assessor Kaegi and Community Leaders Call for General Assembly to Pass Senior Property Tax Relief
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi was joined Thursday, Oct. 23, by representatives from more than a dozen social service agencies and community organizations, called for the Illinois General Assembly to bring property tax relief to low-income senior homeowners in Cook County during this fall’s veto session.
16 Northern Illinois Communities Take Steps to Become EV Ready with ComEd
ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus (Caucus) announced the fourth cohort of communities participating in the award-winning EV Readiness Program, a unique initiative to help local governments in Illinois prepare for the growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and EV charging infrastructure. This newest cohort of 16 organizations will receive technical assistance through the program to streamline policies and implement best practices for safe and effective regional transportation electrification.
Gov. Pritzker Marks Early Completion of Kennedy Expressway Rehabilitation
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) joined workers on the Kennedy Expressway rehabilitation, industry partners, and community leaders to thank the public for their patience and celebrate the early completion of the project. Major reconstruction and renovation efforts were made possible with a $169 million investment through the governor’s historic, bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program. Completed more than a month ahead of IDOT’s Thanksgiving deadline, the three-year project fixed 50-year-old bridges, rebuilt the reversible lane system, added new lighting and other safety features, and restored pavement that had been prone to failures and frequent emergency closures.
Illinois Women Conquer ALZ Honors Caregivers Across Illinois During National Family Caregivers Month
Each year, Illinois Women Conquer ALZ (IWCA) honors the everyday heroes who provide exceptional care and unwavering support to individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. These caregivers, whether family members, friends, or professionals, embody compassion, resilience, and dedication in the face of one of life’s greatest challenges.
Having It Mom’s Way
After a spouse dies, few decisions weigh heavier on the survivor than what to do with the family home. It’s not just about whether to stay—it’s about what happens after that surviving spouse passes on. (Statistically, women outlive their spouses, so we’ll assume that’s the case here.)
Chicago Education Advocacy Cooperative Helps Students
A local organization helps students gain access to employment opportunities through upskilling. The Chicago Education Advocacy Cooperative (ChiEAC) was founded by Dr. Benjamin Drury in 2020. Drury was working at an institution where students voiced their concerns about issues they were having, Drury attempted to direct the students to the appropriate institutional resources, only to find out that they did not exist within the institution’s infrastructure.
Healing House Promotes Mental Health And Wellness
Imagine Englewood If opened the Healing House in May, with the mission to engage the community in a conversation about mental health and wellness. The Healing House is also meant to be a space for resources and connection, while promoting growth in mental, physical and spiritual wellness.
Per Scholas Chicago Provides Access To Tech Certifications
Henrietta Eghan wanted a career in technical writing and was set to get her degree when she had to shift gears to become a full-time caregiver. Not wanting to give up on her dream, she researched programs that could move her closer to her goal. She found Per Scholas and has earned her Google IT Professional Support certification, CompTIA A+ certification and she is currently studying to get her CompTIA Network + certification, which she is using while working as an IT service desk specialist at a hospital.
Malcolm Evans Recognized For His Work In The Community
Malcolm Evans feels a connection to the land and has been passing his knowledge about vegetables to young people through his work as the Director of Farming at the Urban Growers Collective. Evans met Erika Allen, Founder of the Urban Growers Collective, when he was nine years old. He fell in love with farming and 25 years later, he still loves farming and is training the next generation to become farmers. Evans recently received the Charles V. Hogren Courage & Character Award from Cabrini Green Legal Aid (CGLA).
