Local News

CHICAGO ROADMAP COLLABORATION MAKES PROGRESS

Chicago Public Schools and City Colleges of Chicago collaborated in 2020 to create the Chicago Roadmap to support students on their path to and through college as they make their way to their careers. Now, a year later, a progress report is out that highlights best practices and implementation of programs.

ComEd Launches New Job Training Program

ComEd has announced the CONSTRUCT Business Operations Academy, a new pilot program to increase the pool of qualified minority candidates for entry-level administrative and project coordinator roles in the utility, construction and related industries. The program is administered by YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and is funded by ComEd and INTREN.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas to share government transparency and social equity initiatives at real estate and tax conference in the Dominican Republic

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas will discuss how advancements in the Treasurer’s Office have increased transparency and efficiency while promoting social equity during a conference next week in the Dominican Republic.

CONGRESSIONAL REDISTRICTING PLAN CLEARS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Illinois lawmakers gave final approval in the early hours of Friday morning to a new congressional redistricting plan that divides the state into 17 districts, one fewer than it currently has due to its loss of population since the 2010 U.S. Census.

The Village Of Matteson Is One Of The Finalist For The Southland Casino

The Village of Matteson has been named a one of two finalists for the Southland Casino. The Village of Matteson made a presentation to the Illinois Gaming Board on October 13th. The Village Homewood is the other finalists. There were four applicants for the South Suburban Owner’s License. Charles Schmadeke, chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board said it was not an easy task and each applicant had positive attributes. He added, the decision was based upon the Illinois Gaming Board’s statutory duties and standards that have been set.

Retreat continues To Give Representation To Purveyors Of Color

For so long, there was a lack of representation across the culinary industry. With Theaster Gates’ commitment to uplifting Black and Brown entrepreneurs in the arts across the board, it has been very important for him to create, make and activate space, especially at the Retreat Currency Café.

Initial Allocation of 2021 Emergency Rental Assistance is 100 Percent Disbursed

Governor JB Pritzker today announced that $505 million of the initial tranche of Illinois’ 2021 emergency rental assistance from the federal government has been distributed, as Illinois leads the nation in getting this funding out the door faster than any other state. More than 57,000 households have now received assistance through the Illinois Rental Payment Program (ILRPP). With Illinois’ initial 2021 allocation of rental relief funds fully paid out, IHDA will open a new round of assistance funded by a separate federal bill on Monday, Nov. 8.

Homeownership Is The Key To Wealth Creation

Steven Hunter has made it his mission to help more people on the South and West sides of Chicago to become homeowners. Hunter, the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the McDonald’s Corporation, has seen the power of homeownership and wealth creation.

Military veterans, here’s information that may be helpful to know about your health benefits

Individuals eligible for Medicare, including veterans, have an important decision to make before Tuesday, December 7, the Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan Annual Election Period (AEP) deadline. Selecting the plan best suited for your individual health needs is a critical decision, as the plan you select is the coverage you’ll have for all of 2022, with few exceptions. For Medicare beneficiaries who also receive health care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), there’s even more to consider.

Traveling Black Women Founder Urges Black Travel Influencers

The fear of travel among members of the Black community is deeply rooted. Historically, safety concerns coupled with a lack of representation created the narrative that Black Americans were excluded from leisure travel. As that narrative now shifts, Traveling Black Women Network founder Dr. Nadine C. Duncan is urging Black travel influencers to venture beyond the spoils of social media and curate tangible travel opportunities for the people closest to them.

Two-Thirds of Parents Plan to Get Them Vaccinated Against COVID: Poll

In some heartening news on the COVID vaccine for kids front, two-thirds of American parents of children ages 5 to 11 plan to get their youngsters vaccinated when COVID-19 shots are approved for that age group, a new survey shows. However, more Black (49%) and Hispanic (47%) parents were “very worried” about their child contracting the virus than white parents (33%).

Chicago Sky Celebrate WNBA Championship Win

The Chicago Sky win their first Championship Title in its 16-year history. Chicago celebrated the Chicago Sky’s WNBA Championship Win with a parade and rally in Millennium Park.

Mox.E Women to host first Women’s Conference

Mox.E Women will host the first annual Mox.E Women Conference from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 30, at Mox. E Chicago, located at 1449 S. Michigan Ave. The conference also will be available virtually.

Career readiness program founder leads with LUV

Cosette Nazon-Wilburn is a humanitarian at heart. She was blessed with having parents who were committed to transforming a community. And, she wanted to do the same. It led her to create The LUV Institute, which stands for Love, Unity and Values.

3Arts awards nearly $1 million dollars

3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit grant making organization, will award Chicago artists with nearly $1 million in unrestricted cash grants during the 14th annual 3Arts Awards, taking place virtually on Monday, Nov. 1, live on YouTube. The virtual event is free to the public and features three world premiere performances by past 3Arts awardees. Registration is required at https://3arts.org/event.