Stories by Eunice Alpasan

The 211 call center will be home to more than 50 full-time staff connecting residents to resources such as housing, access to food and utility assistance. The center, 7247 S. South Chicago Ave., is located at the tech workforce hub Xchange Chicago.

Community leaders, supporters and family members held a memorial Thursday at the burial place of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, at Burr Oak Cemetery in south suburban Alsip to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Till’s murder.

The busiest day for O’Hare and Midway airports is expected to be Friday, with O’Hare seeing nearly 285,000 passengers and Midway seeing nearly 58,000 passengers, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation

The Narcan newsstands, which were officially launched during a harm reduction event Wednesday, will be at four locations in Uptown.

The Reader announced it would be introducing Noisy Creek’s event discovery platform, EverOut, as well as entertainment ticketing service Bold Type Tickets to Chicago as a way to help diversify revenue sources, with goals to launch those services early next year.

Two bills aimed at further protecting reproductive rights in Illinois were signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday, expanding protections to health care providers and making contraception and medication abortion more accessible to college students.

Several overnight ramp and lane closures are scheduled to take place over the next week to facilitate the reopening of lanes on the north end of the work zone, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced Thursday.

The pilot is a partnership between the Illinois secretary of state and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Motorists are expected to test vehicle emissions every two years for cars older than four years.

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Tuesday blamed climate change and a poorly built water management system on the recent flooding impacting the West and Southwest sides.

The nearly 190,000-square-foot, multi-use building will be home to NEIU’s Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education. The facility, set to open in 2027, will include classroom space, laboratories, administrative and office space, and general campus space.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs terminated union contracts for most bargaining-unit employees, stripping labor protections for about 400,000 workers. Friday’s rally was part of a national day of action called “Stand for Veterans, Stand for Unions.”

Springfield attorney and former chair of the Illinois Republican Party Don Tracy announced Wednesday he is running for U.S. Senate — adding to a field of candidates making a bid for outgoing Sen. Dick Durbin’s seat.

Texas Democrats gathered with Planned Parenthood affiliate leaders Wednesday in Chicago to highlight Illinois’ role in providing reproductive care for Texas patients and to warn how the dismantling of sexual and reproductive care in Texas threatens access in other states.

The patients range from 40 to 80 years old and reside on the Northwest and South sides. The patients’ symptoms began in late July or early August, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference will be held Aug. 21-24. Events are set to take place at Millennium Park and other areas of downtown. Events are free and open to the public.

Lori Cannon was known for her advocacy work with ACT UP Chicago, the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, in the 1980s. It was during that time, she also co-founded Open Hand Chicago, an in-home meal delivery program for people living with HIV/AIDS.

U.S. Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin were among 17 lawmakers who signed a letter urging the Trump administration to reinstate Environmental Protection Agency employees placed on leave after they signed a statement criticizing the administration for “recklessly undermining the EPA mission.”

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events will give one-time emergency grants between $10,000 to $25,000 to eligible nonprofit arts and culture organizations in Chicago that have experienced recent federal funding cuts.

The bill requires all school districts to offer mental health screenings to students enrolled in grades 3-12, at least once a year, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced an advocacy campaign Wednesday aimed at ending the practice of insurance companies using socioeconomic data — such as credit scores and ZIP codes — to set car insurance rates.

Environmental advocates, elected leaders and workers at the Environmental Protection Agency gathered at Federal Plaza downtown Monday to push back against the president’s reported plans to repeal a key federal determination that allows the EPA to help combat climate change.

Community members and leaders, elected officials, and preservation and national monument partners gathered to commemorate the life of Emmett Till, who would’ve been 84 years old Friday.

The popular downtown event will return Sept. 7 and Oct. 5, closing vehicular traffic on State Street from Randolph Street to Jackson Boulevard. The event — now in its fifth year — features performances, food, drinks, shopping and local attractions.

During a Tuesday news conference to celebrate Union Station’s centennial, leaders highlighted the station’s history, architecture and its role in Chicago serving as a national railroad hub.

The reconstruction of the four Red Line stations includes new track, support structures, bridges and viaducts built along the section between the Lawrence and Bryn Mawr stations, which were more than a century old.

The NASCAR Chicago Street Race, which is held downtown, originally agreed with the city to a three-year contract to host the racing event, with the option of an extension. However, the future of the event remains murky.