Local News
ComEd Celebrates First Graduating Class of New Job Training Program
ComEd announced the first-ever cohort of the ComEd Craft Academy program has graduated, with nine participants demonstrating the knowledge and physical competencies required to enter the craft workforce, comprised of roles in the skilled trades, including entry-level positions such as line workers and construction workers. The Craft Academy launched earlier this year to expand training opportunities for prospective skilled trades workers, a key focus of ComEd’s plan to grow its workforce to meet the demands of the clean energy transition underway in Illinois.
LUV INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
Cosette Nazon-Wilburn founded the Love, Unity and Values (LUV) Institute in 2012 with the purpose of helping young people who were struggling with socio-emotional learning competence. To celebrate the organization’s 10th year, LUV Institute is hosting a Parade of Hearts Tour.
RAOUL, U.S. SECRET SERVICE HOST TRAINING AIMED AT PREVENTING TARGETED SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Attorney General Kwame Raoul partnered with the U.S. Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and the Lake County State’s Attorney’s office in hosting a training designed to prevent targeted acts of violence in schools. The event is part of a series of trainings on behavioral threat assessment that are presented by the NTAC to help prevent mass casualty attacks.
RAPID RESPONSE FUND AWARDS 63 ORGANIZATIONS
Candice Washington founded Brown Books and Paintbrushes in 2017 to educate young children about Black culture through art, literacy and cultural programming. Brown Books and Paintbrushes was one of 63 organizations Chicago Beyond awarded money to as part of its Rapid Response Fund.
30th Annual Green Tie Ball Returns Saturday, Sept. 17
The Green Tie Ball, benefiting Chicago Gateway Green, is one of Chicago’s longest-running and most anticipated gala events. This year, it will take place from 6 p.m. to midnight at Chicago Sports Museum, 835 N Michigan Ave.
Social app wants to bring humanity back to social media
A new social app wants to inspire transparency, normalize moods and recreate the human experience online. The target group is Gen Z, teenagers and young people, between the ages 15-25. Inpathy was founded by Ziarekenya Smith, an entrepreneur based in Detroit, Mich.
CLINK WINE FESTIVAL SHOWCASES BIPOC WOMEN IN WINE AND SPIRITS INDUSTRY
Chrishon Lampley had an idea to start a wine festival because she knew what was missing in the wine and spirits industry. Lampley is the owner of Love, Cork, Screw. She connected with Joyce Dawkins, founder of She ROCKS It: Celebrating Women Who Rock, and they collaborated on creating CLINK Wine Festival, which will take place from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18th, at Wilder Mansion in Elmhurst.
Le Village Cowork Invests in Early Childhood Educators with Equitable Wages and Comprehensive Benefits
Le Village Cowork, a childcare and coworking space, is working to address the so-called teacher pay penalty. At Le Village all early childhood educators receive living wages, paid time off, healthcare coverage, paid family leave, free enrollment for one child after six months, and continuing education opportunities.
ComEd Encourages Income-Eligible Customers to Apply for LIHEAP Utility-Bill Support
August is Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Action Month and ComEd encourages income-eligible customers to be ready to apply for utility-bill assistance when the new program year begins Sept. 1. For fiscal year 2022, $8.3 billion in LIHEAP funding was provided by the federal government – the most ever to help Americans meet their energy needs.
CITY OF CHICAGO RECEIVES TRIO OF RATING UPGRADES FOR O’HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot has announced that S&P Global Ratings (S&P) and Fitch Ratings (Fitch) have upgraded their long-term ratings for Chicago O’Hare International Airport (O’Hare) General Airport Revenue Bonds (GARB) by one notch from “A” to “A+” with a stable outlook. S&P has also upgraded the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) long-term rating from “A” to “A+” with a stable outlook
Examining & Positioning the Path Forward for Black, Hispanic or Latino & Women Founded Companies in Chicago
CHICAGO, PRNewswire -- World Business Chicago, the city’s public-private economic development agency, in partnership with Chicago: Blend and Fifth Star Funds, published an original report detailing the status of startups founded by underrepresented (Black, Hispanic or Latino, and women) founders; as well, the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for Chicago-based startups ready for funding and growth.
UNCLE NEAREST PREMIUM WHISKEY MAKES POWERFUL INC. 5000 LIST
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the most-awarded American Whiskey or Bourbon of 2019, 2020, and 2021, has been ranked among the top 1,000 companies honored on the 2022 Inc. 5000 list. With growth of more than 3,000% since its first year, and nearly 700% during the capture period of this Inc. 5000 list, Uncle Nearest joins an illustrious group of honorees like Microsoft, Facebook, Under Armour, Chobani, Patagonia and many other behemoths who first gained national exposure on the Inc. 5000 list. Every year, Inc. releases the ranking of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America, based on percentage of revenue growth. Uncle Nearest is one of few spirit brands to ever be featured on the list.
Chicago State Foundation Names New Executive Director
CHICAGO -- The Chicago State Foundation (CSF) and Chicago State University (CSU) is proud to announce Melanie Sillas as the Foundation’s new Executive Director. Sillas is a public services professional with more than 10 years of experience across the nonprofit, higher education, and government sectors.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL ANNOUNCES $450 MILLION NATIONWIDE SETTLEMENT AS PART OF OPIOID MAKER ENDO’S BANKRUPTCY
Proposed Settlement Would Provide Cash to Address Opioid Crisis, Require Significant Document Disclosure, and Ban the Promotion of Endo’s Opioids
