Block Club Chicago

Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit news organization that prioritizes digital reporting, focusing on providing trustworthy, unbiased coverage of the various neighborhoods in Chicago. By placing reporters directly within the communities they cover and interacting with their audience both online and in person, Block Club Chicago uncovers and shares the important stories that often go unnoticed by mainstream media.

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Chicago-Shot Indie Comedy 'Oxy Morons' Premiering At Lincoln Square's Davis Theater Tuesday

11 hours ago | blockclubchicago.org | Alex Hernandez

LINCOLN SQUARE — The Davis Theater is rolling out the red carpet Tuesday for the Chicago premiere of a new comedy with a cast that includes former Chicago Bears player Israel Idonije. “Oxy Morons” is the comedic tale of harried logistics company employee Wayne Poss (Jeremy Sumpter) as he and friends steal, smuggle and sell opioids from the United State’s biggest pharmaceutical company.
The Green Mill Tunnels: Network Under Broadway Moved Booze, Coal And Capone

1 day ago | blockclubchicago.org | Josh McGhee

This story originally ran on DNAinfo Chicago, Block Club’s predecessor, in 2016. UPTOWN — Before Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant and Crew Bar and Grill were built on Broadway, there was a route connecting some of the hottest locations in Uptown … underground. Through the tunnels you could reach the Green Mill, the Aragon Ballroom, Bridgeview Bank Building, Shake Rattle and Read and the Uptown Theater. But as times changed, the tunnels were blocked off.
Free Thrift Boutique Launches 'Community Closets' On NW Side

1 day ago | blockclubchicago.org | Molly DeVore

BELMONT CRAGIN — The nonprofit behind the Northwest Side’s monthly, free thrift pop-ups is expanding its reach with “community closets.”Launched by Montclare resident Marisa Ikpoh in 2024, the Give-n-Receive is a free thrift boutique that hosts monthly pop-ups at libraries, aldermanic offices and small businesses in Belmont Cragin, Montclare, Portage Park, Elmwood Park, Oak Park and River Forest. The organization’s thrift pop-ups have grown in the past year, often drawing more than 100 people.
Need A Job? Find One At Black Fire Brigade's Public Safety Job Fair

1 day ago | blockclubchicago.org | Jamie Nesbitt Golden

WASHINGTON PARK — Looking for a job in public safety? Find one at the Black Fire Brigade Job Fair Friday. The nonprofit is hosting the fair 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday at the Black Fire Brigade Training Center, 5349 S. Wabash Ave. Over a dozen companies are participating in the Boeing-sponsored event, offering career opportunities in emergency medical services, fire safety, law enforcement and public safety. Job seekers are encouraged to bring a resume along with their certifications.
Mayor Johnson To Join 'We Walk For Her' March For Missing Black Women And Girls

1 day ago | blockclubchicago.org | Jamie Nesbitt Golden

BRONZEVILLE — Mayor Brandon Johnson and Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) will be among several speakers at this year’s “We Walk For Her” march when it returns to Bronzeville this weekend. The march kicks off 5 p.m. Friday at King Drive and South Cottage Grove Avenue, with a news conference preceding the event. Marchers will walk from 35th and King Drive to Washington Park.
Ex-4th Ward Candidate Wins $1.4 Million In Defamation Suit Against Ald. Robinson's Campaign

1 day ago | blockclubchicago.org | Jamie Nesbitt Golden

BRONZEVILLE — Former 4th Ward aldermanic candidate Ebony Lucas is due $1.475 million after a jury sided with her in a defamation lawsuit against Ald. Lamont Robinson’s political action committee and the 4th Ward Democratic Organization. A Cook County jury awarded Lucas the judgment Wednesday. Her lawsuit stems from the 2023 aldermanic race in which she accused Robinson’s campaign of sending a trio of mailers and text messages to voters painting her as a “slumlord” days before the Feb. 28 election.
Union Dumpling House Taking Over Former Home Of Gather In Lincoln Square

2 days ago | blockclubchicago.org | Alex Hernandez

LINCOLN SQUARE — A new dumpling spot is taking over the former home of Gather in Lincoln Square this summer. In December, the owners of Gather, 4539 N. Lincoln Ave., closed the business after 12 years without offering a reason. Last week, neighbors noticed new signs at the address announcing Union Dumpling House taking over the spot. “At our dumpling restaurant, we joyfully serve delicious, nutritious dumplings made fresh daily, with your health and happiness at heart,” the new signs said.
4 Restaurants Set To Open In The South Loop - And A Beloved Bakery Closes

2 days ago | blockclubchicago.org | Jamie Nesbitt Golden

SOUTH LOOP — Another brunch restaurant is making its way to the South Loop’s stretch of Michigan Avenue, a former Chicago Bear is converting a cozy bar into an upscale speakeasy and a cherished cafe has left the neighborhood. Here’s the latest on restaurant and bar happenings in the South Loop:Bruleé, from chef Emani Nicole Roberts, is set to open in July at 2036 S. Michigan Ave.
City Must Add 1,700 New Crosswalk Signals To Help Blind, Visually Impaired People Under Judge's Order

2 days ago | blockclubchicago.org | Alex Hernandez

CHICAGO — A federal judge’s order outlines how the city of Chicago will install more than 1,700 accessible pedestrian signals over the next decade. The plan is in response to a class action lawsuit filed in 2019 by the American Council of the Blind of Metropolitan Chicago and a group of people with vision-related disabilities.
Chicago's Grocery Tax Was Slated To End In 2026. Now, Mayor Wants To Keep It Going

2 days ago | blockclubchicago.org | Quinn Myers

CITY HALL — Mayor Brandon Johnson and his budget team want Chicagoans to continue paying a grocery tax in 2026 despite the Illinois General Assembly voting last year to phase it out. State lawmakers approved the removal of the 1 percent statewide grocery tax as part of Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2025 budget plan. The change goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026.