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Friday, March 26, 2021

What's good, Bronzeville?! First, we heard you could be Illinois' third National Heritage Area, and now you're going to build your 108-square-foot esports stadium. As the granddaughter of a Madden football coach — not the one you're thinking — I feel qualified to comment on all sports. Here's the Madden endorsement you didn't want or need: I, too, think esports is the way of the future.

But for real, I'm down to see the restaurants, bars, and virtual reality at the $30 million arena. Where are we meeting up, friends?

⛅Expect a little rain and a little shine the next few days. We'll be somewhere between 40 and 60 degrees all weekend long.

🗞️Today's Top Stories

Calling for transparency for violence prevention committee. The city's Violence Prevention Planning Committee was revamped last summer, but has only met once. To the confusion of the public and even committee members, the December meeting was held behind closed doors.

But community members and grassroots organizers were notably missing from the 90-person committee. [The Trace]

While the country figures out where to go following the Atlanta and Boulder shootings, where does Chicago fit into the national conversation?

COVID cases are up but some restrictions lift. Outdoor dining and baseball games are among the activities Lightfoot is beginning to allow — even as cases increase. When asked if she was sending mixed messages, the mayor said the increase was due to maskless indoor socializing not outdoor events. [Chicago Tribune]

📠Vax Fax

💉If you live in one these zip codes and are 65 and older or an eligible essential worker, call 872-588-3000 to get vaccinated at the Lawndale Christian Health Center Arthington Street or Ogden Avenue location. [LCHC]

😷Archer Heights residents 18 and older can fill out this form to get a call to confirm vaccine appointments at Lawndale Health Center's Archer Avenue location. [LCHC]

👀Stories We're Watching

Chicago Proud Boy considers running for office. Edgar “Remy Del Toro” Gonzalez is planning to challenge State Sen. Antonio Munoz in next year's election. The former leader of the Chicago chapter of the Proud Boys was seen at the Jan. 6 insurrection in D.C. [Chicago Sun Times]

Feeding the soul and pocketbooks. Englewood Connect board member David Blackmon hopes to help up-and-coming retail and culinary entrepreneurs at the $10.3 million food hall and business incubator. [Eater Chicago]

What to do with $1.9 billion? Progressive groups think the city's latest federal aid should go directly to Chicagoans struggling. The Right to Recovery is asking people how they would allocate the money. [WTTW]

🎙️Today's Podcast

Seems like everyone and their mom got a vaccine from Loretto Hospital — except the people the doses were actually for. We were joined by Block Club Chicago's Kelly Bauer, who broke the story, and the Triibe's Matt Harvey, who has been talking to Austin residents dealing with the fallout.

❝You listen to the press conferences and they’re always talking about how it’s so important to get these people vaccinated…then with something like this Loretto Hospital thing…the best y’all could do was take away the vaccinations, the vaccine doses, from Austin?” —Matt Harvey, reporter

Listen to today's episode

Expect daily shows from us every weekday next week! 😊

📚Weekend Longreads

Time to finally read those long articles you've had bookmarked all week. We know you have just as many tabs open as we do — maybe more. 👀

'Celebrate all of us.' Black activists protesting anti-racism and police brutality are also people who skate, sing, write, dance, and perform, wrote 22-year-old college student Naira. "Where did we agree to sign away our identities when we decided to fight for freedom?" [Injustice Watch]

🎥Also watch Naira's performance of her poem "The Allegory of the Activist."

'South Side' five-year anniversary. Natalie Moore's award-winning book interweaves reporting and memoir to tell the story of segregation of the city's South Side. [Natalie Moore]

Feel free to send feedback, thoughts, opinions, dog videos, etc. Talk Monday!

—Sidney Madden (@sidney_madden_)

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