Local News
HSHS President and CEO Damond Boatwright Elected to Serve as Chair of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board
Damond Boatwright, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hospital Sisters Health System (HSHS), has been elected to serve as Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA). The IHA Board is the policymaking body for the Association, which represents more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems across Illinois. Boatwright ’s one-year term as Board Chair began on Jan. 1, 2026. The first IHA board meeting of the year is scheduled for Jan. 23.
THE JOFFREY BALLET CELEBRATES TRAILBLAZING 20TH CENTURY DANCE LEGENDS WITH AMERICAN ICONS, February 19-March 1, 2026
Continuing its 70th Anniversary programming, The Joffrey Ballet presents American Icons, a program of dynamic works by four trailblazing artists of the 20th century: The Joffrey Ballet co-founders Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino, founding Joffrey alum Glen Tetley, and prolific dance pioneer Martha Graham. Witness the daring and enduring spirit that defines the Joffrey's maverick legacy for ten performances only at the historic Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive in downtown Chicago, from February 19 through March 1, 2026.
Manley Meets with Special Olympics Illinois
State Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, spoke with leaders of Special Olympics Illinois to discuss potential legislation to help persons with intellectual disabilities. This comes on the heels of launching Manley’s initiative, the Illinois Legislative Neurodiversity Caucus (ILNC).
Giannoulias Moves Commercial Truck Renewal Process Online
The Secretary of State’s office is making it easier and faster for Illinois-based commercial trucking firms to renew their federal registration credentials by expanding online filing and payment options.
More than $1.76 million awarded to Chicago arts organizations by Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (GDDF) is pleased to announce it awarded more than $1.76 million in grants to 66 of Chicago’s small arts organizations and arts advocacy organizations in 2025. Twenty-seven Chicago area arts organizations received multiyear grants of $30,000 or more.
Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, R. Gregory Christie win 2026 Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Dr. Jewell Parker Rhodes, author of “Will’s Race for Home,” and R. Gregory Christie, illustrator of “The Library in the Woods,” are the winners of the 2026 Coretta Scott King Book Awards honoring African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults.
Governor Pritzker Awards More Than $17 Million Through the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program
Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) awarded more than $17 million in funding to 39 program recipients, serving up to nearly 2,000 community members statewide, to expand the Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program. The program creates a qualified talent pipeline of diverse candidates in the construction and building trades.
New RAND Study Shows U.S. Poison Centers Save the Nation Billions Each Year
U.S. Poison Centers save $3.1 billion every year in medical costs and lost productivity, according to a new independent study released by America’s Poison Centers®. Conducted by RAND the report confirms that Poison Centers provide substantial economic and societal benefits for communities across the country. The Illinois Poison Center (IPC) responds to approximately 70,000 cases annually, providing critical services to prevent poisonings and 24/7 expert support to families and individuals in the community.
Michael Reese Health Trust Announces New Initiatives to Prevent Domestic Violence, Reach People Who Cause Harm
With domestic violence deaths more than doubling since 2022, Michael Reese Health Trust is launching new initiatives aimed at reaching people who cause harm to interrupt cycles of violence. This includes exploring a new dedicated hotline for people who cause harm paired with innovative new programming geared at those voluntarily seeking help. This new phase of Michael Reese’s decades-long work to prevent domestic violence is informed by a year-long landscape scan of policies, funding, and strategies for people who cause harm in Cook County.
UChicago Medicine to open Ralph Lauren Center to expand access to cancer care and support for South Side and Southland
The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has awarded a grant to the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center to establish the UChicago Medicine Ralph Lauren Center, reflecting a joint commitment to bridging gaps in cancer health and expanding cancer care in the city’s vulnerable communities.
CHICAGO TAKES FLIGHT: O’HARE CROWNED AMERICA’S BUSIEST AIRFIELD
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that O’Hare International Airport is the busiest airfield in the United States, according to newly released preliminary data from the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2025, 857,392 aircraft landed or took off from O’Hare—more than any other airport in America.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON, CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY OPEN FOOD PANTRY IN WEST GARFIELD PARK
Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Library (CPL) announced the grand opening of the Library-Based Food Access program at Legler Regional Library, a full-service food pantry created in partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys Releases Its 2025 Annual Report on the School-to-Prison Pipeline and Its Impact on Black Boys in the United States
The U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys (CSSBMB) has released its 2025 Annual Report, a comprehensive federal analysis examining how exclusionary school discipline practices continue to undermine educational equity, civil rights, and equal protection for Black boys across the United States.
Elvira Dyangani Ose Appointed Artistic Director of the Second Edition of Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has appointed Elvira Dyangani Ose as Artistic Director of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial to curate its second edition which opens in the autumn of 2026 and runs into 2027.
