Local News
CHICAGO FOOTBALL CLASSIC IS BACK!
The Chicago Football Classic is back after a hiatus because of the pandemic. This year, Mississippi Valley State University and Central State University will play on Saturday, Sept. 2nd, at Soldiers Field. It is the 25th year for the football game that features teams from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
The 35th Annual GhanaFest Brings Authentic Cultural Display to Washington Park July 29th
The Ghana National Council of Metropolitan Chicago (GNC) and its Affiliates (tribes) will present its flagship, the 35th Annual Ghanafest, in Washington Park on July 29th from 11:00 AM until 10:00 PM. The “Forward Together” themed event is the most prominent display of authentic Ghanaian culture in the Midwest.
Giannoulias Announces Illinois to Receive Part of $12.4 Million Settlement from Raymond James Financial Entities
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today that Illinois is part of a $12.4 million settlement with Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Illinois is among five other states that discovered Raymond James entities had charged unreasonable commissions on trades that have harmed main street investors, including Illinoisans.
Chicago Public Schools Continues Support of New Students with Welcome Center Pilot
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez announced Monday that the District will continue providing enrollment support for new students at schools across the city and through a pilot Welcome Center at Roberto Clemente Community Academy High School which will provide enrollment services for new arrivals living in the West Town and Humboldt Park communities.. The new Welcome Center builds on the District’s ongoing work to support new arrival students and families as they enter CPS classrooms.
Deadline for Homeowners to Apply for Property Tax Savings is August 4
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi announces that the deadline to apply for exemptions is Friday, August 4, 2023. Exemptions are property tax savings that contribute to lowering a homeowner’s property tax bill. The most common is the Homeowner Exemption, saving a property owner an average of $950 dollars each year. The savings from exemptions are reflected on a homeowner’s second installment property tax bill.
The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials at South Suburban College Calling All Residents for Households Recyclables
Cook County and South Suburban College (SSC) partnered in April 2023 to establish a grant-funded Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) on the SSC Main Campus in South Holland, IL. This innovative facility provides area residents, businesses, and organizations with a dedicated recycling drop-off point, effectively diverting millions of pounds of waste and hard-to-recycle items from local landfills and water systems. Since its opening on April 22, the CHaRM center has processed 36,804 lbs. of materials.
Novae Becomes First Fintech Company to Offer Debt Help to Struggling Americans
Over the last decade, Black-owned fintech company Novae has won numerous awards for customer experience, rapid growth, and innovation in the direct sales and finance space. Now they have a new offering: a program to help consumers get out of debt by obtaining partial debt forgiveness and more favorable repayment terms.
NAMI Honors Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
This July, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) honors the legacy of Bebe Moore Campbell, a trailblazer who tore down barriers to mental health care in underserved communities. Her work crossed boundaries of race, ethnicity and identity, helping to destigmatize people who seek mental health care.
REPLAY LINCOLN PARK INVITES LOLLA LOVERS TO REPLAYPALOOZA
Festival season is in full gear, and Chicago’s favorite pop-up bar Replay Lincoln Park, 2833 N. Sheffield Ave., is making sure to bring the vibes with its latest Lollapalooza inspired pop-up: Replaypalooza. Running through Sunday, August 6, this pop-up will bring to life the incredible artists and bands that make up today’s diverse music scene, with live DJ sets throughout the month, along with festival-inspired photo-ops throughout the entire bar and music-themed cocktails. Each of the weeks have an exciting, new theme, allowing for an experience where everyone’s taste in music is satisfied.
STEM NOLA’S ROCKET DAY ENGAGES OVER 450 PEOPLE FOR ANNUAL EVENT
a leading nonprofit organization focused on promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, recently hosted its annual Rocket Day event. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD STEM) and The Boeing Company sponsored the event last Saturday at the UNO Lakefront Arena. The free three-hour event engaged over 450 K-12 students and caregivers, college and professional volunteers, and elected officials. STEM NOLA is the flagship affiliate of STEM Global Action (SGA). Together with other affiliates around the U.S. and in five countries SGA has engaged more than 125,000 students, 20,000 families, and 5,000 schools.
TWO HIT BROADWAY PRODUCTIONS COMING TO CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce two limited engagements coming to Chicago next year as part of its season line-up. The critically acclaimed new musical, GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY, nominated for seven Tony Awards® including Best Musical, will make its Chicago debut at the CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) from February 13-February 25. The spectacular new version of the Tony Award®-winning musical, PETER PAN soars into the Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph St.) on March 26 and runs until April 7.
Giannoulias Launches Enhanced Secretary of State Website
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office launched a redesign of its website, making it easier to navigate and adding new functions for services that users can access remotely, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced.
Great Lakes Credit Union Leads Charge in School Supply Drive to Benefit Local Schools
Illinois-based Great Lakes Credit Union (GLCU) is thrilled to announce the launch of a community-wide school supply drive, running through August 4, at each of their branches across the region. The credit union aims to use this initiative to provide essential school supplies to local elementary schools and help put big smiles on the faces of young students starting the new school year.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) Chicago and Professor Romi Crawford Announce Inaugural New Art School Modality Program
MCA Chicago, in partnership with SAIC Professor Romi Crawford, announced the New Art School Modality. The educational institution, founded by Crawford, is aimed at democratizing art schooling systems for active problem-solvers and visionary doers.