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Community Corner

🌱 Abortion Protections Strengthened + 'Roseland Portrait Project'

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Chicago.

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(Patch Media)

Good morning, Chicago! Thanks for reading Patch's five-minute guide to the headlines. In today's Daily:

  • 🚦 A portion of Montrose Avenue will get a city traffic study after several crashes and complaints
  • 📜 A City Council committee strengthens an ordinance protecting abortion and gender care
  • 🎨 The "Roseland Portrait Project" paints a new narrative of the Roseland neighborhood

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Times of clouds and sun. High: 43 Low: 34.

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📰 Top 5 stories in Chicago:

1) Shots fired at police prompts SWAT standoff in North Lawndale. Shots were reportedly fired at police amid a SWAT standoff in the 1600 block of South Springfield in North Lawndale. An officer radioed for help after an offender, reportedly barricaded inside a basement, opened fire. Nearby William Penn Elementary School shortly delayed dismissal to protect the safety of students and staff. As of 6 p.m. yesterday, the situation remained ongoing. (WGN-TV)

2) City Council committee adds teeth to city ordinance protecting abortion, gender care. A City Council committee yesterday strengthened an ordinance aimed at preventing out-of-state residents seeking abortions or gender-affirming care outlawed in their home states from becoming targets of investigations. The Chicago Commission on Human Relations is now empowered to "investigate and adjudicate complaints" of "discrimination and retaliation related to housing." (Chicago Sun-Times)

3) 'Horrendous drag strip' on Montrose Avenue getting city traffic study after 2 crashes, neighbor complaints. The traffic study will begin in mid-January and cover Montrose Avenue between Cicero Avenue and Pulaski Road. It will look at ways to make the street safer, explore how feasible it would be to remove existing rush-hour parking restrictions on Montrose and create opportunities for adding parking lane lines, a painted median in the center and bump-outs or curb extensions. (Block Club Chicago)

4) Hundreds of portraits on display paint new narrative of Chicago South Side neighborhood. The "Roseland Portrait Project" installation at Carlson Tower Gallery by Chicago painter John Bakker consists of 404 portraits of residents of the Roseland neighborhood from various backgrounds and vocations—from aldermen and business owners to children and homeless residents. "I wanted people when they saw this to look at this and say, 'Yeah that's the Roseland I know,'" said Bakker. (ABC 7)

5) Families of 3 women who died from heat in Rogers Park apartment to receive $16M. Delores McNeely, 76, Gwendolyn Osborne, 72, and Janice Reed, 68, were found unresponsive in their units last May at the James Sneider Apartments after calls to fix cooling units were ignored. The landlord was accused of keeping the heat on in 90+ degree temperatures. Autopsies showed the women died from excessive environmental heat exposure. The families will split a $16 million settlement. (Patch Chicago)

📌 Today in Chicago:

  • Get Lit: A Snowy Day at American Writers Museum (5:30 PM)
  • Ben Zucker's Fifth Season at Colvin House (6:30 PM)
  • Wachsberge DJs at Sleeping Village (7:00 PM)
  • The Showcase at Chicago Magic Lounge (7:00 PM)
  • No One Heart The Scream at Music Box Theatre (7:00 PM)
  • Host Tom Marker, Toronzo Cannon at FitzGerald's (7:00 PM)
  • Dinner & A Movie: The Godfather at Thalia Hall (7:30 PM)
  • Bingo with Aunt Nance Chicago's Musical Comedy Cougar at Carol's Pub (7:30 PM)
  • Trivia Tuesday: The Bachelorette Edition at Sidetrack (8:00 PM)
  • Spies of the World - Grateful Dead Tribute at City Winery (8:00 PM)
  • Mani Fest at The Promontory (8:00 PM)
  • 606 Open Mic at Subterranean (10:00 PM)

📱 Social chatter:

  • Birch Benders: "Chicago-based Hometown Food buys Birch Benders product line. The aquisition expands Hometown Food's holdings in pancake and baking mixes and could add jobs at its headquarters here." (Chicago Sun-Times)
  • Farewell to Dave's Records: "🎧 "One thing I love about brick-and-mortar record shops is that you never know who you'll meet and how they might reshape your world as a listener, even if all they do is recommend a seven-inch you'll play a few times and then forget. The possibility of those interactions, as much as the vinyl itself, keeps me invested in record shops." -Leor Galil on the final days of Dave's Records." (Chicago Reader via Facebook)
  • Best chicken noodle soup in Chicago: "It's National Soup Month and many people rate the chicken noodle soup at Gene's Sausage Shop and Deli as Chicago's best." (WGN-Radio)
  • Slice to Meet You campaign: "'Slice To Meet You': PAWS Chicago teaming up with Piece Pizza for pet adoption." (CBS Chicago)
  • New CTA bus schedule: "New CTA bus schedule released for more than half of bus routes to improve service, improve tracker." (ABC 7)

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See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Nicole Cvetnic

About me: I'm a Midwesterner and very happy to call Chicagoland home. I love the outdoors—especially hiking—performing arts, photography, good food, travel and gardening. You can find me reading to my toddler, watching tv with my husband or cuddling with our rescue dog.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Chicago Daily? Contact me at chicago_il@patch.com

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