Local News
Solving Chicago’s Bus Driver Shortage for Special Needs Students
It is no secret that differently abled students face several challenges to accessing education, from finding learning methods suited to their needs to ensuring safety in the classroom. But what is often overlooked are the hurdles special needs students experience simply getting to and from school. Unlike a typical bus route, special needs students require personalized transportation provided by highly trained drivers and aides who pick them up and drop them off at their front door. But the combination of the nationwide school bus driver shortage – which is being felt acutely here in Chicago and Northern Illinois – and the continued increase in students with special needs has made providing this specialized form of transportation even more challenging.
REP. RITA URGES GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO PASS MEASURE TO ASSIST COOK COUNTY HOMEOWNERS
State Rep. Robert “Bob” Rita today urged legislators to pass House Bill 1812 to help Cook County Homeowners appeal their property tax assessments and reduce their tax burdens.
Special Report: Lesser-Known Lobular Breast Cancer on the Rise in U.S. Women American Cancer
The American Cancer Society released Lobular Breast Cancer Statistics, 2025, a report on occurrence and outcomes in the United States for this subtype of breast cancer. Findings show an estimated 33,600 women will be diagnosed with lobular breast cancer or invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) this year. Ranked separately, the disease would be the seventh most common cancer among women in the U.S. The report also finds that incidence rates for ILC have increased more steeply (2.8% per year) than all other breast cancers combined (0.8% per year) from 2012 to 2021. The report is to be published in the journal Cancer, an international, interdisciplinary journal of the American Cancer Society.
IDNR awards historic sites field trip grants to Illinois schools
More than 740 students will visit Illinois state historic sites this school year thanks to grant funding through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) State Historic Sites Field Trip Grant program.
State of Illinois Earns Aetna Workplace Well-being Platinum Award for Fourth Consecutive Year
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) is proud to announce it has received the 2025 Aetna Workplace Well-being Platinum Award, the highest level of recognition offered by Aetna. This marks the fourth year in a row that CMS has earned the prestigious award for its continued efforts in building a culture of health and well-being for State of Illinois employees.
YWCA USA Awarded $10M by Lilly Endowment Inc. to Advance Youth Character Development Nationwide
YWCA USA is proud to announce it has received a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to advance youth character development and leadership across its national network. This five-year investment will support Character Development Through Youth Programs (CDTYP), a national initiative designed to center youth voices in the design and delivery of programming.
Illinois Leads Midwest in Clean Energy Jobs Creation, Now Home to 132K Clean Jobs
Clean energy jobs powered job growth in Illinois last year, adding more than 3,200 jobs and outpacing the rest of state employment growth, according to the ninth annual Clean Jobs Midwest report released today by the national, nonpartisan business group E2, Evergreen Climate Innovations, and the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition. More than one out of every 10 jobs added in Illinois in 2024 — and more than half of all energy-related jobs — was in clean energy.
Department on Aging Offers Free Help to Make Medicare Open Enrollment Decisions
The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) is encouraging everyone with Medicare to check if their plan still meets their needs and budget during this year’s Open Enrollment Period, which began on Oct. 15 and runs through Dec. 7, 2025. Individuals can get free help comparing health and drug plan options by contacting the state’s Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP).
MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF “CHICAGO FALL FEST”
Mayor Brandon Johnson has announced the return of Chicago Fall Fest, a coordinated two-week-long series of cultural and community fall events designed to engage Chicago’s youth and residents of all ages. This year’s effort, which will showcase events through November 2, will provide Chicagoans with events celebrating Halloween, Día de los Muertos, Diwali, and more. Chicago residents of all ages are invited to access additional information on ChicagoFallFest.org.
3Arts announces recipients of 2025 3Arts Awards
3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit grantmaking organization, announces the 17 recipients of this year’s 3Arts Awards: dance artists Wendy Clinard, Chih-Jou Cheng (程之柔), and Torrence “Tea Buggz” Griffin; musicians Tommy Carroll, Ariella Granados,Kara Jackson, and Maxwell Senteney; teaching artists ebere agwuncha, Victoria Boateng, and Tom Lee; theater artists Rammel Chan, Nina Castillo-D’Angier, and Kristin Idaszak; and visual artists Jess Atieno, Leasho Johnson, Fern Logan, and Odette Stout. The organization will honor the new recipients on Monday, November 10 at 5:30pm at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E Randolph Street. Tickets to the 2025 3Arts Awards Celebration include a welcome reception, awards program, and a jubilant after-party. Tickets cost $150-$300 and are available at 3arts.org/tickets. Funds raised during the event will be split between 3Arts and Chicago nonprofit Center for Native Futures.
Michelle Obama’s Girls Opportunity Alliance Celebrates International Day of the Girl
In celebration of International Day of the Girl, former First Lady and founder of The Obama Foundation’s Girls Opportunity Alliance, Michelle Obama, announced a new commitment to support organizations that educate and empower adolescent girls around the world.
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Commemorates National Principals Month
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will recognize National Principals Month throughout October with a series of events aimed at honoring and highlighting the dedication, expertise, and accomplishments of the District’s more than 600 principals.
Gov. Pritzker Establishes Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Governor JB Pritzker joined the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and school leaders, teachers, and students to launch the Illinois Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools program and celebrate the 2025 award recipients at Glen Oaks Elementary in North Palos District 117. Twenty-eight schools from across Illinois received the 2025 designation for demonstrating exemplary academic performance.
Judy Ledgerwood Debuts Monumental Site-Specific Installation at Blue Line Racine Station
GRAY is pleased to announce the opening of JudyLedgerwood’s new permanent, site-specific installation at the CTA’s newly renovated Blue Line Racine Station. The Racine stop renovation is part of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)’s multi-year project to make the Blue Line Forest Park Branch fully accessible.
