AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/category/news/page/24/)
West Side United awarded 39 businesses $10,000 grants in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic to help keep them afloat. Another round of funding will open in September.
About 20 Austin youth have been working on a plan to help combat violence in the neighborhood. Starting June 29th, on every Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m., which are peak hours for violence, the community will have access to activities in arts and culture, fitness, dance, healing circles and sports, among other activities, in the safe zone.
Sgt. Jermaine Harris of the Chicago Police Department’s 15th District shared the good news Tuesday at the monthly meeting of West Side faith-based leaders. “No lives were lost to gun violence in Austin,” he said. Harris thanked ministers and others for being out in the community over the three-day weekend, noting, “It does make a difference, us being present.”
About 30 people gathered at the start of Memorial Day weekend at the 29th Ward Veterans Peace Garden, 5413 W. Madison St., to celebrate the life of Robert Thomas and other veterans.
At last week’s 29th Ward meeting, Ald. Chris Taliaferro said it was time to move past The Loretto Hospital’s vaccine scandal and not let it overshadow the other work the hospital is doing. He also commented on proposals to reform the Chicago Police Department.
West Side elected officials, the city’s top cop and local residents met virtually this week with the goal of promoting a healthy relationship between police and the communities they serve.
“Sunburst” is a painted aluminum sculpture created specifically for the recently refurbished CTA bus turnaround at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Austin Boulevard. The artist, Shinique Smith, was one of nearly 350 artists who responded to CTA’s Call for Artists issued in 2015 for the bus turnaround.
West Side residents received updates Friday on the status of the Laramie State Bank building development and new businesses opening along the Soul City Corridor, which stretches from Austin Boulevard to Cicero Avenue on Chicago Avenue.
Programs are available for victims of domestic violence through Catholic Charities, Sarah’s Inn, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and the Illinois Domestic Violence hotline.
The one dose Johnson & Johnson and the two-dose Pfizer will be administered from 2 to 4 p.m. May 22 at #2 New Mt. Sinai MB Church, 310 N. Laramie.