LINCOLN SQUARE — A Waters Elementary School teacher who emphasizes inclusion in her classroom is one of the 10 Illinois teachers to be awarded a Golden Apple this year.  Olga Nuñez-Johnson has been a bilingual Chicago Public Schools teacher for the past 29 years, and over the past decade she has taught children in the early grades at Waters, 4540 N. Campbell Ave. She has been a first-grade teacher there for several years. Waters Elementary School teacher Olga Nuñez-Johnson. Credit: Provided. Last week, while taking students to recess, Nuñez-Johnson was surprised with a school assembly th ..read more

LAKEVIEW — Pride Parade supporters are pushing back on plans to shorten and shrink the massively popular event, with some questioning: Why not just move the parade — or maybe make the route bigger? City officials and the Police Department have pushed to downsize this year’s Pride Parade — which is set for June 30 — with fewer participants, citing safety and logistical concerns. The changes will cap entries at 125 groups, down from last year’s 199, and start the parade at 11 a.m. instead of noon. There’s also been talk of shortening the route. At the heart of the issue is the huge popularity o ..read more

LOGAN SQUARE — A plan to replace the deteriorating Marcello’s Father & Son restaurant building could bring condos and a new retail spot to Milwaukee Avenue. Halcyon Development Company and Design Group is proposing to redevelop the former restaurant building and an adjacent lot at 2479 N. Milwaukee Ave. into a four-story building with nine condos. The development site sits next to Federales, which took over the former Father & Son’s parking lot last year. Initial plans sent to the 1st Ward Office and shared with Block Club show a four-story building with a rooftop deck and ground-floo ..read more

AVONDALE — Chicago and the music industry have been left reeling from the death of legendary local rock legend Steve Albini, who died Tuesday night at 61. The owner of Electrical Audio studio was famous as the recording engineer — the term he preferred over “producer” — of iconic records by bands like Nirvana, Pixies, Silkworm, The Wedding Present, The Jesus Lizard and P.J. Harvey. By Albini’s own estimate, he worked on thousands of records, from the biggest names in rock to bands just starting out. Albini also started his own influential bands, like Big Black and Shellac. Onst ..read more

CHICAGO — It’s been another whirlwind week for Chicago. See what Block Club reporters captured while covering the neighborhoods this week. A protest ensued after University of Chicago police made an early-morning sweep on the student encampment at the university’s Hyde Park campus on May 7, 2024. Credit: Colin Boyle/Block Club Chicago Gaza solidarity encampment at University of Chicago on May 6 and then May 7.University of Chicago police allowed protesters back on the Quad hours after police made an early morning sweep on the student encampment at the school’s Hyde Park campus on May 7, 2024 ..read more

CHATHAM — The Greater Chatham Initiative is looking for local artists to design murals along 79th Street honoring a gospel music star’s dynamic story.  Mahalia’s Mile, named for singer and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson, is a 1-mile stretch of 79th Street running from State Street to Cottage Grove Avenue.  The Greater Chatham Initiative issued requests for proposals Saturday seeking 10 local artists to design 10 murals for the corridor. Each mural will adorn a building’s facade and illustrate Jackson’s life, from her childhood in N ..read more

ROSELAND — Local truck enthusiasts will celebrate Mother’s Day in style as they hand out roses to Roseland’s older mothers this weekend. Da Take Over truck and car club is leading a giveaway of gift baskets 12:30-2 p.m. Saturday in a show of love to mothers living at the Victory Centre of Roseland, 10450 S. Michigan Ave. Club members are accepting donations of roses and gifts while seeking volunteers to assist with the giveaways, club President Anthony Adams said. To arrange a donation or volunteer with the event, call 872-800-0851. “We’re trying to do the whole building,” Adams said. “When y ..read more

WASHINGTON PARK — Chicago’s dancing crossing guard has won Chicago Public Schools’ Crossing Guard of the Year award. Tammy Anderson will be one of four crossing guards honored at a ceremony Thursday. The Beasley Academic Center crossing guard has been escorting students safely to the school at 5255 S. State St. for eight years, amassing a number of fans along the way with her megawatt smile and dance moves. Anderson found out about the honor on her birthday last month, when Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) surprised her while she was on duty with a personal letter from Mayor Brandon Johnson. “I did ..read more

DOWNTOWN — A popular two-day festival celebrating Mexican Independence Day is expected to draw 12,000 people when it returns Downtown after a 10-year hiatus, organizers said Thursday. El Grito festival will run 2-10 p.m. Sept. 14-15 in Grant Park and is being hosted by the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, city of Chicago, Park District and the Mexican Consulate in Chicago. Organizers revealed details for the festival during a bilingual virtual community meeting Thursday. The festival will take place at Butler Field with one main stage for entertainment, a kids activity area, food a ..read more

CHICAGO — Season three of Christopher Storer’s award-winning show “The Bear” is set to premiere June 27 with 10 new episodes, FX announced Thursday. Like previous seasons, FX will release all 10 half-hour episodes at once on Hulu. The announcement also comes with a new look at season three and an official teaser, though little is revealed in the clip’s enigmatic 30 seconds. There’s more to be discerned in the new promo photo, which sees a suited-up Neil Fak (real-life chef Matty Matheson) staring at something of apparent keen interest to him and brother Ted Fak (Ricky Staffieri) and Carmen “C ..read more