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Block Club Chicago aims to raise $30,000 to sustain its nonprofit newsroom into 2026. The funding will support local news coverage amidst an evolving media landscape. Generous donors have pledged to match contributions, enhancing community engagement.
Chicago's Millennium Park Christmas tree, a 68-foot Norway spruce from Glenview, will be lit during a ceremony on November 21. City officials announced the transplant, donated by the Mason family, which will be on display until early January. Meanwhile, a proposed residential development on West Kinzie Street faces criticism over insufficient parking from local residents.
The Gale Street Inn in Jefferson Park will reopen under new ownership in early December after closing in June. New owner Paulo Villabona aims to create a community-friendly environment while retaining classic menu items and incorporating live music. Most former staff will return, and existing gift cards will be honored.
Illinois lawmakers passed bills to enhance protections for immigrant communities, limiting federal immigration enforcement at courthouses and healthcare facilities. The new measures ban civil arrests at courthouses and require hospitals and educational institutions to develop procedures to handle immigration enforcement activities. These legislative actions aim to ensure safe access to vital services for all residents, regardless of immigration status.
A federal judge criticized conditions at an ICE processing center in Broadview, calling them “disgusting” and planning a temporary restraining order to enforce improvements. Former detainees testified about overcrowding, lack of food, and unsanitary conditions, prompting the judge to seek immediate relief for those still held there.
Voting for participatory budgeting in Chicago's 35th Ward is open until November 30, allowing residents to influence the allocation of over $1 million for public infrastructure projects. Residents can vote for their preferred project categories, with winners receiving at least $350,000 each for implementation. This marks the 11th participatory budgeting cycle and the first under Ald. Anthony Quezada.
The City Council's zoning committee approved a cannabis dispensary near Wrigley Field and two apartment developments in Andersonville and East Garfield Park on Monday. The dispensary, set to open at 3650 N. Clark St., will be the closest to Wrigley Field, while the apartment projects aim to increase affordable housing in their respective neighborhoods.
President Donald Trump stated that federal immigration agents in Chicago “haven’t gone far enough” in their enforcement actions during a “60 Minutes” interview. He defended the use of aggressive tactics, despite public outcry and incidents involving the use of tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters. Local leaders continue to criticize these operations and seek peaceful resistance.
Three new restaurants are set to open in Bronzeville, including the Southern Southeast Asian eatery Dixie Pura, which recently celebrated its grand opening. Meanwhile, Turner Haus Brewery has paused its daily operations to focus on future plans after operating for nearly two years.
Federal agents apprehended Omar Huerta Cisneros, a man with schizophrenia, in Chicago Lawn while he walked to a grocery store. Bystander Edgar Manzo recorded the incident, providing crucial evidence for Cisneros' family, who struggled to locate him after his detention. Without the video, they would have remained unaware of his whereabouts for weeks.