Local News
360 CHICAGO LAUNCHES FIRST JANUARY FITNESS SERIES 94 STORIES ABOVE THE CITY
360 CHICAGO, the iconic observation deck located on the 94th floor of 875 N. Michigan Ave. (the former John Hancock Center), is kicking off the new year with its first January Fitness Series, a lineup of three physical wellness experiences led by local instructors and set high above the city skyline. Taking place throughout January, the series is designed to help guests start the year feeling energized and inspired through fitness-focused classes. Each class runs from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m., and participants are welcome to stay and enjoy the observation deck following each workout. Tickets for all sessions are available now at 360CHICAGO.com.
Illinois awarded $193 million to expand healthcare access in rural areas
Amid federal budget cuts to rural healthcare, Illinois will steward funds to support the state’s rural healthcare infrastructure and drive sustainable change in underserved rural communities
ILETSB and the Cook County Sheriff's Office Announce Nation's First Law Enforcement Crisis Response Therapy Canine Certification Program
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board is excited to announce, in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), a first-of-its-kind law enforcement therapy canine certification framework. This new certification is designed to formally review and certify law enforcement personnel and their trained therapy canines for use in crisis calls, peer support, and community engagement functions.
2026 IL Resident Free Days, Free Nights and a Heart-Pumping Valentine's Day House Party Announced at Shedd Aquarium
Shedd Aquarium is announcing new Illinois resident free days in January and February, giving guests an opportunity to escape the cold and dive into aquatic environments from coral reefs to freshwater rivers.
IDPH Urges Flu Shots, Other Preventive Measures as Influenza Rates Climb Statewide
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is urging residents to take precautions against the spread of influenza (flu) and other seasonal respiratory illnesses, as rates continue to climb across the state. Flu activity in the state has climbed to “Very High” in recent days, the most severe of five categories of respiratory illness activity, as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, COVID-19 rates have climbed to “Moderate” levels in Illinois. These trends are similar to what is being seen across the nation.
Illinois DCFS Opens Post-Secondary Scholarship Application to Current and Former Youth in Care
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is accepting applications for the 2026 DCFS Scholarship Program. Through the program scholarships will be awarded to current and former youth in care for the upcoming school year, with four awards reserved for the children of veterans and two awards presented to students pursuing degrees in social work in honor of Pamela Knight and Deidre Silas, two DCFS caseworkers who succumbed to injuries sustained in the line of duty.
Cook County Launches Campaign to Promote Lead Removal Services
Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) has launched a new awareness campaign, “Lead-Safe Cook County,” to encourage eligible suburban Cook County residents and homeowners to apply for free lead removal services and free home repairs.
ICJIA Announces Grant Opportunities Totaling $50 Million to Restore Communities Impacted by Systemic Racism and Disinvestment
The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) announced two funding opportunities for the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program, totaling $50 million in grants to historically underserved communities.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES $33 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
A South Shore intergenerational housing complex, a new headquarters for a West Garfield Park gun violence prevention organization and a Roseland coffee shop are among 58 neighborhood improvement projects to be supported through $33 million in City development grants, Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) announced.
MCA Chicago announces Chicago presentation of Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is pleased to announce Rashid Johnson: A Poem for Deep Thinkers, a major survey covering nearly thirty years of Rashid Johnson’s (b. 1977, Chicago, IL; lives in New York) practice. Running in the Griffin Galleries from November 7, 2026, through April 25, 2027, the exhibition examines Johnson’s work from his perspective as a student of art history; a consumer and translator of Black popular, literary and intellectual culture; and a cultural participant in the age of globalization and its aftereffects. With works including photographs, videos, large-scale installations, immersive paintings and multimedia assemblages, A Poem for Deep Thinkers asks fundamental questions about the fragile human psyche in the face of ineffable historic forces. Johnson often says “the subject of my work is freedom,” and throughout the exhibition visitors will encounter pieces inspired by radical artistic and political movements from the 1960s to the 1990s that modeled how individuals and communities can resist established orders to carve out new paths through history.
President Obama Invites Chicagoans to Apply for 150 New Full-Time Career Opportunities at the Presidential Center
As the Obama Presidential Center prepares to open its doors in 2026, President Obama personally invited Chicago residents to apply for 150 new full-time career opportunities at the center. See his video here.
DCASE, MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCE $2 MILLION IN GRANT AWARDS TO SUPPORT THE ARTS, UPLIFT CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) and Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the 49 arts, culture, and humanities organizations receiving support through the Johnson administration’s Arts Relief Fund Program, through which the City is stepping in to help sustain arts and culture organizations navigating the loss of critical federal funding, in addition to the 39 organizations benefitting from over $1.4 million in new Neighborhood Access Program (NAP) grants.
Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology Launches “Mastering the State Contracting Game” Webinar Series to Demystify the State Procurement Process for Vendors
The Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology (DoIT) Office of Supplier Diversity, in collaboration with the IT Procurement Office (ITPO), announces the launch of a new webinar series titled “Mastering the State Contracting Game” as part of the “Leveraging Diversity in Technology Procurement” educational series.
National Medical Association and Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health Celebrate Graduation of Climate and Health Equity Fellowship Class of 2025
The National Medical Association (NMA), in partnership with the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health (MSCCH), proudly celebrated the graduation of 14 physician fellows from the Climate and Health Equity Fellowship (CHEF) Class of 2025 this weekend, marking both the completion of the program’s intensive 10-month fellowship and the fifth anniversary of CHEF.
