Hello again Chicago! We're bringing you the latest town highlights. Don't miss out, keep going! ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Solidarity Sidekick 5K – Supporting ALS Awareness Along Route 66 and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What did the tree say when Spring arrived? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Beluga Whale Dies At Shedd Aquarium After Rescue From Closed Marine Park In Canada (patch.com) — Chicago's Shedd Aquarium is mourning the sudden death of Peekachu, a 23-year-old beluga whale recently rescued from the closed Marineland park in Canada. Staff say she initially showed promising signs of adjustment in her new Chicago habitat but declined rapidly this week, and a necropsy is expected to clarify her health issues and cause of death.
2. Chicago Mayoral Candidate Toni Brooks on Nonprofit Work, Affordable Housing and Reallocating City Funds (wttw.com) — Chicago voters get a closer look at mayoral hopeful Toni Brooks, who's pitching a grassroots campaign focused on auditing city finances, expanding affordable homeownership, and reallocating funds without raising taxes. The Chicago-born nonprofit leader and veteran also touts a "Shared Power Fund" and West Side housing ideas as she gathers signatures for the upcoming mayoral ballot.
3. Report: Chicago TIFs drove up taxes (bigcountrynewsconnection.com) — A new University of Illinois Chicago report says the city's heavy use of tax increment financing has raised property tax rates by about 13.7% between 2014 and 2023 while diverting revenue from schools and parks. Researchers argue most captured growth would have happened anyway and urge scaling back downtown TIFs and tightening state law to protect taxpayers and neighborhoods.
4. Chicago records show alderman's office raised concerns about South Chicago Chapel months before raid (abc7chicago.com) — Chicago records reveal 10th Ward Alderman Peter Chico's office flagged odor complaints and licensing questions about South Chicago Chapel months before authorities discovered more than 50 decomposing bodies there. Newly obtained city documents outline years of resident complaints, disturbing conditions found during the August 6 inspection, and a related storage-unit check that turned up only empty caskets, with some inspection outcomes still unclear.
5. Bridgeport residents push back on Amtrak plan for Chicago maintenance facility; Durbin and Duckworth seek answers (cbsnews.com) — Bridgeport neighbors are pushing back hard against Amtrak's $900 million plan to move its 24/7 maintenance facility from the South Loop to a viaduct just feet from homes near Guaranteed Rate Field. Residents, Ald. Nicole Lee, and Illinois' U.S. senators are demanding detailed plans, noise and traffic answers, and real community input before construction is expected to start this fall.
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Ok Chicago! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: What a re-leaf! (Thank you Flo G. for sending it in!)
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