Local News
Brandy & Monica Announce First-Ever Co-Headlining Tour: The Boy Is Mine - Fall 2025
The highly anticipated The Boy Is Mine Tour was officially announced on CBS Mornings by Brandy and Monica. The iconic GRAMMY Award-winning artists will embark on their first-ever co-headlining run this fall. Produced by Black Promoters Collective, the 24-city arena tour kicks off October 16 and travels across the U.S. through December 7. It also marks a historic moment more than 25 years in the making, building on the legacy of their 1998 game-changing duet "The Boy Is Mine," which spent a record-shattering 13 consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a defining cultural touchstone of late '90s R&B. The song also placed them in an elite group of artists — including Whitney Houston (14 weeks with "I Will Always Love You") and Mariah Carey (16 weeks with "One Sweet Day") — who have commanded the Hot 100's top spot for 13 weeks or more.
UrbanGeekz Chief Exec Kicks Off Roadmap to Billions Conference with 'Founder Firsts Masterclass'
UrbanGeekz founder and CEO Kunbi Tinuoye opened this year's Roadmap to Billions Conference with a dynamic 'Founders Firsts Masterclass', setting the tone for two days of high-impact programming for Black women in tech.
Rep. Kelly rejects deadly cuts to Medicaid at health center
U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly (IL-02) gathered elected officials, healthcare leaders and those who would be directly affected by Medicaid cuts at Cook County Health Blue Island Health Center.
Giannoulias Awarding More than $1 Million in Library Tech Grants to Underserved Communities
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office is awarding over $1 million in new grants to assist public libraries in underserved communities with needed technology enhancements, Secretary and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced recently.
Making a Splash – Safely: Illinois Poison Center Shares Pool Safety Tips for Summer Fun
As summer officially begins, the Illinois Poison Center (IPC) is reminding families to stay safe around the pool.
Gov. Pritzker Takes Action to Protect Veterans from Healthcare Discrimination
In the wake of reports that the Trump administration is proposing rules that would allow VA providers to deny military veterans healthcare based on their marital status and political affiliation, Governor JB Pritzker has directed key state agencies to take every available action to protect veterans’ access to care.
GRAINGER ACADEMY OF THE JOFFREY BALLET LAUNCHES NATIONAL CALL FOR FIVE EMERGING ARTISTS FOR WINNING WORKS CHOREOGRAPHIC COMPETITION
The Grainger Academy of The Joffrey Ballet is seeking emerging artists to submit applications for the Grainger Academy's Sixteenth Annual Winning Works Choreographic Competition. A mission-driven, access-oriented initiative, Winning Works upholds The Joffrey Ballet's core values of Joffrey for All, providing opportunities for everyone, regardless of background, to experience, support, and participate in dance. The goal of the award is to recognize talented, emerging choreographers whose unique perspectives will inspire creativity in the form of original works of dance. Through Winning Works, the Joffrey aims to broaden access for artists who have been historically excluded from the art form and empower those who embody its values to shape the future of dance. The application deadline is July 31, 2025.
Bronzeville Summer Nights Series Returns: Experience the Heart and Pride of Chicago’s South Side July 11, August 8, and September 12, 2025
The vibrant spirit of Bronzeville will be on full display this summer as the Bronzeville Summer Nights Series returns for three unforgettable evenings: July 11, August 8, and September 12. Powered by the Quad Communities Development Corporation (QCDC), this celebrated series invites Chicagoans and visitors alike to explore the thriving local businesses, ongoing residential and commercial development, and rich cultural heritage that define one of the city’s most historic and storied neighborhoods.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES JUNETEENTH TASK FORCE MEMBERS
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the appointment of members to the Chicago Reparations Task Force. The 40-member Task Force includes 25 individuals nominated by the Mayor’s Office and the Aldermanic Black Caucus, and 15 selected through a public application process. The Task Force is composed of community leaders, individuals with lived experience, and representatives of organizations that serve, represent, or advocate for Black communities.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES UPDATES TO LABOR LAWS TO STRENGTHEN WORKER PROTECTIONS
Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the scheduled annual increase in Chicago’s minimum wage, additional enforcement provisions of the Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance, and a scheduled enhancement of the Fair Workweek Ordinance requirements. These changes will go into effect on July 1, 2025, and are part of Mayor Johnson’s ongoing commitment to promote fairness and dignity for working people. To view informational flyers, Frequently Asked Questions, and public notices on Chicago’s labor laws, visit Chicago.gov/Labor Standards.
Treasurer Frerichs Eclipses $5 Billion In Investment Earnings for State Portfolio
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced that he has made more than $5 billion in investment earnings from the state portfolio during his time in office.
10 Companies Invoke the Spirit of Community, Togetherness, and Shared Humanity in Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions
The Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project—an initiative of The Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago—and the Harris Theater for Music and Dance proudly present Unbound: Shattered Frames, Endless Visions at the Harris Theater at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 23. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at HarrisTheaterChicago.org.
Chicago Fire FC Announces Chance the Rapper as Second Artist for the Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo
Chicago Fire FC today announced superstar hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper as the second performer as part of the Club’s 2025 Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo. Chance the Rapper will hit the stage following the Sat., July 26 match-up against Eastern Conference foe New York Red Bulls. Two weeks earlier, after the Club’s first-ever match against expansion side San Diego FC on Sat., July 12, rising regional Mexican music artist DannyLux will kick-off the Summer Concert Series, presented by Café Bustelo.
New Groundswell Coffee Roasters cafe opens in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building this August
Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building and Groundswell Coffee Roasters are excited to announce the opening of a new Groundswell Coffee cafe at the Fine Arts Building in August 2025, located in the storefront at 410 S. Michigan Avenue adjacent to the former Artists Cafe space. The new Groundswell Coffee location will be open Monday-Sunday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, serving the thousands of artists and visitors who frequent the Fine Arts Building each week, including Studebaker Theater audiences and the surrounding downtown community.
