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Community Corner

🌱 Pilot Program For Gun Violence Victims + Grammy-Nominated Teacher

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Good morning! In today's Chicago Daily:

  • 🚇 CTA, Metra receive federal funding to make stations more accessible
  • 🎶 A teacher at Senn High School has been nominated for a Grammy
  • 💰 City launches pilot program of grants for victims of gun violence

⛅ The weather:

Clouds giving way to some sun. High: 35 Low: 21.

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📰 Top 5 stories in Chicago:

1. Winter snowstorm to bring frigid temps, blizzard-like conditions ahead of Christmas. The weather forecast this week shows a significant winter storm with the potential to dump upwards of a foot of snow before Christmas. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for the Chicago area from 6 p.m. Thursday to 6 a.m. Saturday. (ABC 7)

2. CTA, Metra receive $185M to make stations more accessible. Chicago will receive a total of $185 million in federal funding to make several of its CTA and Metra stations accessible for riders with disabilities. Currently, more than 40 CTA stations are not in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The project should be completed in about five years. (Chicago Tribune)

3. Cash to gun violence victims: City launches pilot program of grants for funerals, other expenses. Under the new Emergency Supplemental Victims' Fund, families in East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park, Englewood, West Englewood and New City who lose loved ones to gun violence are eligible for $1,500 toward funeral or burial costs. Shooting victims can receive $1,000 grants. And those sustaining debilitating injuries, along with their families, can get up to $1,000 in relocation costs. (Chicago Sun-Times)

4. Teacher at Chicago's Senn High School nominated for Grammy. Nicholas Senn High School vocal ensemble director Trevor Nicholas is one of 10 teachers from more than 1,100 nominations nationwide up for a music educator Grammy. The award recognizes teachers who have made a major and lasting contribution to music education and demonstrate a commitment to the discipline. The winner gets a $10,000 honorarium, along with a matching grant for the school music program. (CBS Chicago)

5. Battle over religious statue about much more than religion. The city's Pilsen neighborhood used to be home to Polish immigrants. Now, it's mostly Latino. Both groups see much at stake in the fate of a replica of Michelangelo's Pietà. The three-ton statue was recently removed from the now vacant St. Adalbert Church and relocated a mile away to St. Paul Catholic Church—a move met with protests from the community. (New York Times)

📌 Today in Chicago:

  • Holiday Cocktail Class at KOVAL Distillery (6:00 PM)
  • Write Club Chicago - A Christmas Feral with Combatants at GMan Tavern (7:00 PM)
  • Holiday Music Trivia at Hey Nonny (7:00 PM)
  • Holiday Trivia Tuesday at Hubbard Inn (7:00 PM)
  • Jenny Bienemann, John Abbey and Steve Dawson at FitzGerald's (7:00 PM)
  • Bald Sisters at Steppenwolf Theatre (7:30 PM)
  • Merry, Merry Chicago! at Chicago Symphony Orchestra (7:30 PM)
  • Merry Christmas Chicago: Nike Boi/Booman Forever/Solo The Dweeb at The Promontory (8:00 PM)
  • Club Indgo, Cash$Tarr, Ill Addicts, K. Marie Sanca at Golden Dagger (8:00 PM)

📱 Social chatter:

  • Blackhawks' ugly sweaters: "We asked the guys to make ugly holiday sweaters and you can bid on them (and other fun gifts) here 🎁➡️ https://e.givesmart.com/events/ugF/i/" (Chicago Blackhawks via Facebook)
  • "South Side" show: "Factual depictions of neighborhoods like Englewood and Chatham add an extra level of comedic depth to a show created by and starring real-life Chicagoans." (Block Club Chicago via Facebook)
  • Lizzo's tribute to Chicago-raised artist Annie Lee's "Blue Monday:" "You get me, you really get me💙 thank you to my creative team for helping me pull this vision off w less than a week to prepare!" (@lizzobeeating via Instagram)
  • 25 best Chicago hip-hop and R&B albums of 2022:"As Black Chicago music continues to evolve and captivate the rest of the world, The TRiiBE proudly presents its inaugural list highlighting 25 of the best Chicago hip-hop and R&B albums of 2022." (The TRiiBE via Facebook)
  • CTA Holiday Train and Bus: "This week is your last chance to ride the CTA Holiday Train and Bus through Chicago." (NBC Chicago)

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You're all caught up for today!

— 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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