AustinTalks (http://austintalks.org/tag/austin/page/10/)
Westside Health Authority, Safer Foundation and Habilitative Systems Inc. are among 31 groups receiving funding through the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, which received a $56 million grant from the Chicago Department of Public Health to oversee contact tracing efforts.
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.
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.
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.
A fitness group is offering free classes to men in Columbus Park. The 45-minute sessions are held on Monday mornings beginning at 5:30 a.m.
The city shut down the Columbus Park testing site in July. Residents can be tested at four other Austin locations, including Loretto Hospital and PCC Community Wellness Center.
A couple dozen people gathered Sunday to remember teenager Elijah Sims, who was killed four years ago, and to call for better witness protection. His case remains unsolved.
Former West Sider Jacquelyn Dortch has fond memories of growing up in Austin. She devoted a chapter in her memoir to living in the community, which AustinTalks is republishing here.
Eleven Austin high school students out of nearly 600 citywide have been accepted into the Chicago Scholars program. Since 1996, about 900 students have completed the program, which provides support throughout college and once the participants have graduated.
A $25 million community center would be developed in Austin through a city-owned land sale recently introduced in the Chicago City Council. The proposed North Austin Community Center would be constructed on five acres of vacant, city-owned land at North Laramie Avenue and West Moffat Street.