Chicago
Early voting expands to all 50 wards this week
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Early voting expands to all 50 wards Wednesday, Oct. 14 to Nov. 3, election day. Hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
policing
15th District seeks input from West Side residents
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The 15th Policer District hosted a Zoom meeting last week, seeking community input on the district’s policing strategy for the upcoming year. Residents expressed a need for more transparency, and they want officers to work to build better relationships with the community.
Austin
Chicago architecture tour goes virtual
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Open House Chicago’s tour will feature five sites in Austin from Oct. 16 to 25, down from nine in fall 2019. The sites are: Kehrein Center for the Arts, Austin Town Hall Cultural Center, Third Unitarian Church, the Austin State Bank building and St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. Because of COVID-19, some changes have been made. Instead of the usual two-day weekend, Open House is extending to 10 days.
Community
Austin lawmaker proposes changing the state’s history teaching standards
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State Rep. La Shawn Ford is proposing legislation that would create a commission to review and update Illinois’ history curriculum so that textbooks, class discussion and other course material more accurately reflect history through the inclusion of diverse perspectives.
Community
Masks, hand sanitizer to be distributed Saturday
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Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) will be handing out masks and hand sanitizer 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 10 at two locations, George Rogers Elementary School, 1045 S. Monitor Ave., and Sayre Elementary Language Academy, 1850 N. Newland Ave. State Reps. La Shawn Ford and Camille Lilly also will be at Saturdays’ events.
Community
Chicago Bears community tailgate Thursday in Austin
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Austin residents are invited to attend a Chicago Bears game tailgate tonight starting at 6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Chicago Police Department’s 15th District, 5701 W. Madison Ave. The event is sponsored by Encompass AV, 33 Realty/Cubed Construction and Walking With a Warrior.
Chicago Department of Health
Free flu shots available throughout Chicago
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Find the nearest flu clinic near you. West Side locations include La Follette Park (Oct. 19), Riis Park (Oct. 27) and Columbus Park (Nov. 2). Getting vaccinated this fall is especially important to prevent a convergence of flu and COVID-19, experts say. The Centers for Disease and Prevention recommends everyone – with a few exceptions – who is 6 months of age or older get the annual flu vaccine.
election
Austin minister, other clergy urge Chicagoans to vote for ‘fair tax’ amendment
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The November election ballot includes a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that if approved by voters would allow the state to replace its flat income tax with a graduated one. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is backing the amendment, while businessman Ken Griffin opposes it.
parks
West siders push to change Columbus Park’s name
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Three women have started an online petition to rename 135-acre park in Austin. They hope to soon have a name to recommend to the Chicago Park District, which has the power to make the change. Columbus Park was named a National Historic Landmark in 2003. If the park board approves a name change for Columbus Park, it would be the second – after the renaming of Douglass Park after abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
News
Chicagoans missed in 2020 Census could lead to millions in lost funding
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People with disabilities can be especially difficult to count, as are Black and brown residents, the homeless and the elderly, advocates say – and that undercount can lead to cuts in essential services. It’s not too late to be counted in the once-a-decade census, which helps determine billions of dollars in government funding.