In April 2020, a smokestack implosion in Little Village blanketed the community in dust, endangering the health of residents during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, eligible Little Village residents have until March 26 to file claims for compensation.

Little Village is known for its business corridor and its Latino entrepreneurship. A space coming to the heart of the neighborhood is designed to help those without access to resources kickstart a business.

Multiple vendors in Little Village say they have been robbed at gunpoint despite efforts to protect them. The latest victims are food truck workers.

The holiday celebration hosted by New Life Centers involved a gift and free jacket giveaway, food, music and children’s character mascots.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, when you spend $100 at a small business, $48 stays in the community versus when you spend the same $100 at a big-box store or national retailer, only $14 stays.

Dave Graham, who a watchdog report said should be fired for “willful bureaucratic negligence” in the 2020 incident that covered Little Village in dust, is now in charge of environmental inspections and enforcement.

If approved by the Chicago City Council, the National Museum of Mexican Art will acquire the building at 2358 S. Whipple St. It would be used by Yollocalli Arts Reach, an initiative of the museum aimed at providing arts and culture programming to teens and young adults.

The fire station at 2358 S. Whipple St. was in use for more than a century but has been vacant since 2011 when a new fire station was built two blocks away. The Chicago Historic Resources Survey determined the two-story structure is significant in the context of the surrounding community.

The pandemic put 26th Street’s annual Villapalooza music festival on hold for a few years — but on Saturday, it’s back with more space than ever for young local artists to showcase their community and culture.

Many Chicagoans were shocked by retail giant Walmart’s announcement that it’s closing four stores this weekend — fully half of its locations in the city.

Walmart says it is cutting its losses in the Chicago market, announcing Tuesday it will close four of its eight stores in the city by April 16.

Little Village is on high alert as two young women have been found dead there in recent weeks. And now with a reported disappearance, 15-year-old Azreya Lomeli, who was last seen walking in Little Village, community members are increasing calls for action from the police.

For the last two years, Discount Mall has been in the middle of a battle between its vendors and property owner Novak Development. Now, half of the mall’s vendors have until the end of this month to pack up and leave.

Improvements to the mall are planned, including new roofs and facades, parking lot resurfacing, new landscaping, new lighting and an underground storm water detention system. 

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) recently hosted a meeting Tuesday with vendors to reassure them he will be fighting to keep the retail hub open. Novak Construction, the mall’s owner, extended vendors’ leases until the end of March.  

It's been one year since 8-year-old Melissa Ortega was shot to death in Little Village. The community is honoring her memory with a mural and peace tree.