Local News
Famous Amos awards $50,000 each to three emerging entrepreneurs across the beauty, music and gaming industries
Famous Amos has announced the winners of the Ingredients for Success Entrepreneurs Initiative (IFS), now in its fourth year. IFS is an annual program that provides $150,000 in capital and ongoing resources to a talented cohort of early-stage, Black entrepreneurs. The program honors the legacy of the late Wally Amos, creator and founder of Famous Amos cookies, who in the 1970s became a household name for aspiring business owners across America.
NBA MVP & Champion Jaylen Brown Launches His Own Performance Brand "741"
NBA MVP and Boston Celtics champion Jaylen Brown has officially launched his debut performance brand, 741, marking a bold new chapter in his career. In a remarkable move, Brown has turned down over $50 million in endorsement deals from major sneaker companies to pursue full ownership and creative control of his own brand. 741 is now available for pre-order at www.741performance.com, with products set to go live for sale on Oct. 22, both online and at select retailers.
ComEd Converts 450 Homes to All-Electric Through Whole Home Electric Program
ComEd joined Elevate and Bickerdike Redevelopment Corporation to highlight milestone progress made on electrifying low-income homes in Chicago and across the northern Illinois region served by ComEd. Through ComEd’s Whole Home Electric program, 450 low-income homes and apartment units have been electrified, with homes retrofitted with all-electric appliances and heating and cooling systems, which are expected to help reduce energy usage, lower net energy costs and lower carbon emissions for the customers and the surrounding community.
CHICAGO NAMED BEST BIG CITY IN THE U.S. BY READERS OF CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
Mayor Brandon Johnson and Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism agency, announced that Chicago has once again been named Best Big City in the U.S. in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, over 575,000 readers voted for their favorite destinations and venues, choosing Chicago as the Best Big City in the U.S. for an unprecedented eighth straight year. The announcement of this award follows a banner summer for our city’s tourism, hospitality, and events community.
Giannoulias Encourages FDA to Review Harmful Chemicals in Food Supply
Ahead of a public meeting to discuss food safety, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is advocating that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) develop a post-market assessment program to test harmful chemicals in our food supply.
Franciscan WorkingWell donates $3,000 to Franciscan Health Foundation food insecurity program
Franciscan WorkingWell recently donated the sponsorship proceeds from a day-long employer solutions symposium to the Franciscan Health Foundation of Northern Indiana’s Food Insecurity Program.
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES NEARLY $7 MILLION IN FEDERAL GRANTS TO SUPPORT JOB TRAINING AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IN CHICAGO
Mayor Brandon Johnson announced today that two Chicago-based organizations, the Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC) and Revolution Workshop, will receive a combined total of nearly $7 million in federal funding to improve job quality, expand access to good jobs and provide high-quality training opportunities for local workers. These grants, awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor, will support critical job training programs aimed at preparing Chicagoans for good-paying jobs in the city's rapidly growing infrastructure and construction sectors.
Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park Announces Board of Managers
The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, LLC, the University-Related Organization (URO) operating the quantum park located at USX on the South Side of Chicago, announced its Board of Managers. The Board of Managers is made up of 14 individuals representing various partners of the project and will be responsible for overseeing operations at the historic campus where leading quantum computing company PsiQuantum aims to build the first utility-scale, error-corrected quantum computer in the United States.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL LEADS COALITION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL IN SUPPORT OF REVISED AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION STANDARD
Attorney General Kwame Raoul led a coalition of attorneys general in support of a proposed revision to the American Bar Association’s (ABA) accreditation standards for law schools. The amended standard would require schools to continue to take concrete steps toward improving access to legal education and the legal profession for all qualified aspiring lawyers.
New Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey indicates recovery and impact citywide
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (GDDF) is pleased to announce the results of its new Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey of 77 small arts organizations based in the Chicago region, conducted August-September 2024. These organizations span artistic genres, from theater, dance and music to visual art, museums, literary and multidisciplinary organizations. All survey participants have annual operating budgets under $1 million, with 73% reporting an annual budget of $500,000 or less—making GDDF’s survey the only recent study of its kind to focus exclusively on Chicago’s small arts sector.
Illinois Celebrates National Women's Business Month
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is celebrating National Women's Business Month throughout October by recognizing the significant contributions of women-owned businesses across the state. Throughout this monthlong celebration, DCEO is elevating resources and opportunities to help bolster Illinois’ women-owned businesses.
The Support Group Launches Fundraiser Campaign
The Support Group, a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates opportunities for young men and women from underserved communities in Chicago, announced the launch of its fundraiser campaign aimed at supporting the Youth Peace Ambassador Program (YPAM). YPAM teaches youth conflict resolution strategies to promote positive peer-to-peer interactions, and restorative practices to effectively cope with the trauma of violence experienced by today’s youth. The campaign, spearheaded by The Support Group’s founders, renowned activist Bennie Henry and NBA Hall of Famer Tim Hardaway Sr., seeks to rally the support of 1,000 businesses across Chicago to each donate $1,000 to YPAM’s mission to educate and mentor Chicago’s youth, steering them away from the perils of gun violence.
Giannoulias Releases Results of Statewide Auto Theft Units
Statewide auto theft and carjacking prevention task force funding has led to thousands of investigations, hundreds of arrests and millions of dollars in recovered vehicles, announced Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, who oversees the grant program.
Gov. Pritzker Celebrates Ribbon Cutting at Illinois Beach State Park
Governor JB Pritzker and local and state officials gathered to celebrate the completion of the Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization Project in Lake County. The $73 million investment provided for the preservation of several miles of natural shoreline in three areas of the park.
