Local News
Designate a "Water Watcher" this summer to prevent child drownings
As temperatures rise across Illinois and families head to pools, lakes, beaches and splash pads to stay cool, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is reminding caregivers to use a simple life-saving strategy to help keep children safe around water: designate a Water Watcher.
The U.S. Small Business Administration to Provide City of Chicago Residents and Businesses Impacted by the Severe Storms on June 10, June 11, and June 17, 2026 with Low-interest Loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will establish Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) for residents and businesses impacted by the severe storm that occurred on June 10, June 11, and June 17, 2026 to apply for low-interest loans. There will be two locations in the City of Chicago and two located in suburban Cook County municipalities – Alsip and Blue Island. In Chicago, centers will be established at two Chicago Public Library locations, the Pullman Branch at 11001 S. Indiana and the Thurgood Marshall Branch, 7506 S. Racine Ave.
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, Sheriff Tom Dart, and Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library to Host Community Recycling Event
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller, in partnership with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart and the Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library District, will host a free community recycling event on Friday, July 31, 2026, providing residents with a safe and convenient opportunity to responsibly dispose of unwanted household items.
Illinois Hosts First-of-its-kind Statewide Conference to Fight Organized Retail Crime
The Illinois Organized Retail Crime Association (ILORCA) today hosted its inaugural statewide organized retail crime conference, bringing together hundreds of law enforcement officers, retailers, prosecutors, and industry leaders to strengthen partnerships and advance efforts to combat organized retail crime across Illinois.
Historic year for pangolins: Brookfield Zoo Chicago welcomes second pangopup of 2026
Brookfield Zoo Chicago is celebrating a historic milestone with the birth of a white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis)—the second pangopup born at the Zoo this year while celebrating 10 years of pangolin care and conservation.
Treasurer Frerichs Bill to Help Nonprofits Increase Investment Opportunities Is Now Law
Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs' measure to expand investment opportunities for non-profit organizations across the state is now law after Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed the bill.
Illinois Students Raise Awareness of Deadly Radon Gas Through Award-Winning Creations
Local students are being recognized for using their creativity to spotlight a serious health threat hiding in plain sight. The American Lung Association and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency-Office of Homeland Security announced the winners of the 2026 Illinois Radon Poster and Video Contest, where students use their creativity to help raise awareness of radon - a colorless, odorless gas fou nd in homes and schools across the state and the leading cause of lung cancer for individuals who do not smoke.
Illinois Finance Authority's Community EV Charging Program Reaches New Milestone as First Sites Come Online
The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA), in its role as the Illinois Climate Bank, announced today that the first electric vehicle (EV) chargers funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Grant Program are officially online in central Illinois. The sites, located in the City of Springfield and the City of Charleston, are the first of many in the area that will feature Level 2 and Level 3 DC Fast Charging (DCFC) ports.
ComEd Celebrates 10 Years of Workforce Development with Chicago Community Build Event
ComEd recently celebrated 10 years of its Tools of the Trade program with a community bed build event in Chicago, Illinois, where participants gathered to build beds for children in need. Throughout the day, 30 young adults ages 17–19 built 25 beds to be donated to St. Joseph’s Bed Ministry. Combined with a bed build event in Rockford on July 15, where 15 young adults built an additional 30 beds, this year’s Tools of the Trade participants have assembled more than 55 beds for children in need. This marks the fourth year of ComEd’s partnership with St. Joseph’s Bed Ministry, which has provided more than 240 beds for children across northern Illinois.
Commissioner Donna Miller Announces Over $4 Million to Support Infrastructure, Housing, and Community Development Across Southland Communities
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller is proud to announce that more than $4 million in total funding has been allocated for communities and organizations across the 6th District through the Invest in Cook Program and the 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and related federal funding programs.
Unity Lives Through Bronzeville Mural Honoring Chicago Park District
Brothers Amoz and Malachi are living life on purpose while changing the lives of others with their artistic tools. Both brothers are living up to their biblical name sakes as disciples of Christ. Recently the two completed a Mural in the Bronzeville community paying homage to the Chicago Park District. The Mural is displayed at the Kennicott Fieldhouse located at 4434 S. Lake Park Ave.
We, The People…
The convention brought thousands of delegates, youth leaders, advocates, professionals, clergy and community members to Chicago from July 15 through July 22, 2026. Convened under the theme “We, The People,” it offered more than speeches, workshops and ceremonial gatherings. It challenged us to examine the condition of our democracy and the responsibility of a 117-year-old civil rights organization in a rapidly changing nation.
Cook County Hosts Series of Community Baby Showers to Support New and Expectant Moms in Suburban Cook County
Cook County Department of Public Health is hosting a series of community baby showers to connect new and expectant parents with resources and raise awareness about maternal and infant mortality. The first of three community baby showers takes place on Saturday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Harvey Park District’s Gloria Taylor Hall, located at 14821 Broadway Ave. in Harvey, Ill.
COMMUNITY LEADERS, LAWMAKERS PUSH PRITZKER TO REOPEN WEISS, WEST SUBURBAN HOSPITALS
North and West Side advocates are pushing Gov. J.B. Pritzker to use his official powers to quickly reopen two important Chicago-area hospitals that have closed in the past 11 months: Weiss Memorial Hospital in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.