AustinTalks | News and information covering Chicago's Austin neighborhood on the West SideAustinTalks | News and information covering Chicago's Austin neighborhood on the West Side

Free food and film festival

By Michelle Meyer | October 5, 2022

The free event, organized by the Austin Eats collaborative, will feature food, films and a panel discussion. It will be held Friday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at By the Hand Club for Kids, 415 N. Laramie.

Sign up now for After School Matters

Chicago teens ages 14 to 18 can apply now for the fall programs that start this week. Teens will be paid for their participation.

Free 3D screening mammograms will be offered to the first 40 eligible women Oct. 5 from 3 to 6 p.m. at the River Forest Medical Campus, 420 William St, Building B. Call 708-763-7911 to request a screening.

West Side credit union likely to be a division of Great Lakes Credit Union

A memorandum of understanding has been signed that will allow the Leaders Network to open a branch on the West Side. The faith leaders group is still seeking donations.

News

Construction on former Laramie State Bank building to start this fall

Construction on the former Laramie State Bank redevelopment project will begin Nov. 11 and the estimated cost has gone up, officials said Friday.
West Siders invited to nearly free concert in Austin

The Chicago Jazz Philharmonic returns to the Kehrein Center for the Arts this Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets will again be just $1. The Philharmonic will be performing “Havana Blue,” an ensemble created by co-founder Orbert Davis that highlights the similarities between African and Cuban cultures.
29th Ward seeks residents’ ideas on what to fund in neighborhood

West Side residents can still submit project ideas for this year's participatory budgeting cycle, the process that lets residents decide how the ward will spend $1 million of aldermanic menu money. "We are about to end idea collection [phase]," said Byron Watson, director of infrastructure and special projects for the 29th Ward.
Poetry on the Patio returns to Austin

Poetry on The Patio, one of the longest-running outdoor spoken word shows in Chicago, made its comeback Saturday after a two-year hiatus. Spoken word poet Markell “Kell-O-G” Mooney has organized this free community event for 17 years in his family home's backyard at 5156 W. Concord Place.
West Siders learn how to prevent drug overdoses

Last week, at the corner of Jackson Boulevard and Pulaski Road, West Side residents and health providers gathered to commemorate the third annual International Overdose Awareness Day. That corner has been a hot spot for drug overdoses.
Cook County to invest in violence prevention programs in Austin, Chicago’s West Side

Several Chicago's West Side organizations – including BUILD Chicago, New Moms and Manufacturing Renaissance – will benefit from $75 million in funding from Cook County that will support programs working to reduce and prevent gun violence. The local organizations were awarded multi-year grants ranging from $1.2 million to $15 million that will be disbursed in several installments over the next three years, starting this month.
After Urban Prep, college-bound Austin students look to future

High school graduation is an important milestone. For Davion Johnson, an honors student from Austin, it was the moment he'd been waiting for "all his life."
Field School students to start classes at renovated Key Elementary building

Students attending a private Christian school will start the year in a renovated building that used to be Francis Scott Elementary School until CPS shuttered it nearly a decade ago. Now the building will house pre-K through eighth grade students attending The Field School.
Don’t miss final back-to-school events this weekend

CPS students still needing school supplies before Monday's first day of class can stop by any one of several events being held this weekend. Congressman Danny K. Davis is hosting his annual parade and back-to-school celebration on Saturday, and Loretto Hospital will be there offering free health screenings from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Columbus Park Refectory, 5701 W. Jackson.
Shootings in Austin down this summer

The number of people shot this summer is down by almost 72% in Austin compared to last year, Chicago Police 15th District's Commander Andre Parham said at this month's 15th District faith-based meeting. The number of people shot in the 15th District is down to 19 from 67, between May 30 and Aug.

Recent Updates

Overdose reversal medication to be available at Austin libraries

Later this month, patrons at three libraries in Austin - 5615 W. Race Ave., 5724 W. North Ave. and 4856 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago woman celebrates 100th birthday with West Side neighbors

Neighbors, friends and family helped Mrs. Lethea Crump, affectionately known as Mother Crump, celebrate her 100th birthday on Sept. 22.
Turn in your gun this week
Eat out in Austin
Open mic at the Austin library
City seeks input from Austin residents

Austin residents will have the opportunity to shape the development of Chicago’s first citywide plan in over 50 years on Thursday, when representatives of the Department of Planning and Development attend the Austin Town Hall City Market to get community feedback on the draft document. Community ambassadors for the plan, known as “We Will Chicago,” will appear at Austin Town Hall Park from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept.
Free Wednesday shows at Austin Town Hall continue

Wonderful Wednesday happens again late today- Sept 14 - from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. It's another free-all-ages, outdoor concert at Austin Town Hall Park , 5610 W. Lake St., featuring musician Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers. At one of last month's shows, over 100 people, from little kids to elders from nearby senior buildings, visited, played and grooved as Larry Taylor brought back the classic West Side Great Migration sounds of Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and his father Eddie Taylor, plus the R&B and soul hits of Tyrone Davis, Little Milton, ZZ Hill and James Brown.
Sign up for Austin’s annual 5K
Don’t miss this Saturday’s Ghan-again festival

CAYTA , Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures, invites everyone from all neighborhoods and all ages to their second, free GhanAgain festival of African connections being held Saturday Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Austin Town Hall Park, 5610 W. Lake St.CAYTA, a nonprofit that promotes travel for local young people, took several West Side young people on a trip to Ghana in early August.
Back-to-school supplies available Saturday
Happy Labor Day
Loretto Hospital offering free overdose prevention training Wednesday

West Side residents are invited to Loretto Hospital Wednesday to learn how they can help fight the opioid crisis. The training is being held in Austin, which has been especially hard hit with record-high opioid deaths.
Pastors, teacher show support for students after shooting near Michele Clark

Faith leaders gathered Monday morning outside Michele Clark High School to show their support for students after three teens were shot Friday afternoon just steps from the Austin school. It was the second shooting near a Chicago public school in less than a week.
Help Austin gardens before summer’s end
Advocates hope new suicide phone number makes it easier to get help

A new three-digit number - 9-8-8 - that launched last month nationwide will make it easier for people in the midst of a crisis or contemplating suicide to get help. Trained crisis counselors are answering all calls made to 9-8-8.
Get a free tree from the city

AustinTalks - News and information covering Chicago's Austin neighborhood on the West Side

Free food and film festival

By Michelle Meyer | October 5, 2022

Sign up now for After School Matters

Free mammograms this week

West Side credit union likely to be a division of Great Lakes Credit Union

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