Local News
Wells Fargo Announces Artist-in-Residence to Join Efforts to Support Diverse- and Women-Owned Small Businesses
Business Wire - Wells Fargo is expanding its existing efforts to support diverse- and women-owned small businesses by welcoming graphic designer and illustrator Sophia Yeshi as the bank’s first-ever artist-in-residence. For her first project as the Wells Fargo Artist in Residence, Yeshi reimagined the “Open” sign as a bold statement to symbolize the perseverance of millions of small business owners through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic – as well as the long road ahead to full recovery. The new “Open” sign is available for download at wellsfargo.com/ together and later this summer, small business owners can pick up a sign at any Wells Fargo branch while supplies last.
PULLMAN WALMART REOPENS
Walmart, located at 10900 Doty Avenue, host a grand reopening showcasing its new look on Friday, July 9. Walmart staff were joined by elected officials, higher education administrators, clergy and other community stakeholders.
Filmmaker’s sitcom available on Amazon Prime Video
Calvin “Caliko” Coleman used to share his experiences as a family man on social media. People told him those stories should be a sitcom. Coleman decided to develop a sitcom, “The Coleman Show,” and now it is available on Amazon Prime.
City Hall Open To The General Public
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot announced recently, that after 16 months, City Hall has reopened to the public. This announcement marks another milestone as the City of Chicago recovers from the impact of the pandemic. All visitors will still be required to wear masks and social distance appropriately while they are in the building.
ComEd Reports Continued Growth in Clean Energy Job Training and Placements
Training focused on increasing representation of people of color, women and other groups in Illinois’ clean energy workforce produced in 2020 the highest number of graduates and job placements since the programs began in 2017. The annual report on training programs funded by the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) was submitted by ComEd today to the Illinois Commerce Commission and showed 94 percent of trainees, or 684, graduated and secured employment, up from 72 percent, or 433, in 2019.
LAW ALLOWS MAYOR TO ALSO SERVE AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE
Legislation in the Illinois General Assembly has made it legal for sitting lawmakers to run for local elected office. Illinois Senate Bill 825 allows Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones, who also is an Illinois State Representative for the 29th District, to serve in both roles.
Metra to offer weekend express service on Electric Line for Auto Show
Metra will again offer weekend express service on the Metra Electric Line from Blue Island to the Chicago Auto Show at McCormick Place to give south suburban residents a fast and easy way to get to the annual car extravaganza. The show runs from Thursday, July 15 to Monday, July 19.
LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED FOR DEERPATH ROAD BRIDGE BEAM PLACEMENT ON THE REAGAN MEMORIAL TOLLWAY (I-88) IN AURORA
Temporary, overnight lane closures will be scheduled this week on the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I‐88) in Aurora for bridge beam placement as part of the Deerpath Road Bridge Reconstruction Project. The temporary closures on I-88 are necessary to safely accommodate the placement of bridge beams over the Tollway. Bridge beam placement will be scheduled during overnight hours to minimize the impact on Tollway customers.
DOLTON FIRE FIGHTER ROBERT MORGAN SUCCUMBS AT AGE 50
Tiffany Henyard-Mayor of Dolton, Ill—is announcing the sudden death of 21-year veteran Dolton Fire Engineer Robert Morgan who passed away while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. Morgan was 50 years of age and served as a Fire Engineer for the department. He was discovered in his hotel room this morning (7/7). The official cause of death has yet to be determined.
INDIE FILMMAKER’S FEATURE LENGTH DOC AVAILABLE ON HBO MAX
The documentary “Growing Up Milwaukee” begins with footage of the 2016 Sherman Park Riot and the words of Muhibb Dyer, co-founder of Flood the Hood with Dreams, from a 2007 Poetry Unplugged. Then Dyer, in current times talks about the media and statistics and the reality and truth of young Black men and women in Milwaukee.
Preservation of Aff ordable Housing Acquires Island Terrace Apartments near Obama Center
Continuing its 12-year mission to preserve affordable housing opportunities in the changing Woodlawn community, Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) announced it has finalized the acquisition of Island Terrace Apartments from PNC Bank. Located at 6430 South Stony Island, across from the planned Obama Presidential Center, Island Terrace has 240 apartments for a broad range of incomes and household sizes.
VIOLIFE® Teams up with RZA to Launch Grant Program to Promote Plant-Based Eating
Upfield US announced a new grant program, Plant Grants, aimed at promoting plant-based eating through charitable funding, education, and mentorship. This first year is being sponsored by Violife®, an Upfield brand and portfolio of 100 percent vegan cheeses and spreads, in collaboration with legendary hip-hop artist and long-time vegan, RZA. The 2021 Plant Grants program will focus on helping community-based Black-owned restaurants recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic recognizing that these businesses are often the economic and cultural centers of their communities. The program will provide funding to support re-investment in the business, an introduction to plant-based ingredients, and coaching on menu development from two plant-based chef pioneers, Lemel Durrah and Laricia Chandle to inspire Black-owned restaurants to add more plant-based dishes to their menus or convert well-loved recipes to plant-based.
HUD, HHS-HRSA, Rainbow Push Coalition, Family Christian Health Center, Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief And Capital Realty Group Collaborate To Increase Access To COVID-19 Vaccination Among HUD Assist
Federal officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) alongside Family Christian Health Center; Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Rainbow PUSH Coalition; and, Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief were at Concordia Place Apartments, a HUD-assisted multifamily housing complex owned and operated by Capital Realty Group, to provide COVID-19 vaccinations and other resources as a part of a joint agency effort to increase access to COVID-19 vaccinations among disproportionately impacted communities, including HUD-assisted households. Concordia Place Apartments has over 720 HUD-assisted residents of which nearly half are under the age of 18.
FOUNDER WANTS TO NORMALIZE MENTORING
Kelly Fair, founder and executive director of Polished Pebbles, has been in education for more than 20 years. She is a trained speech pathologist and worked with the college prep programs at Christ Universal Temple.
