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AUSTINWEEKLY news ■
Vol. 33 No. 34
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A peace garden for veterans materializes in Austin,
June 26, 2019
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austinweeklynews.com
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Also serving Garfield Park
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Gov. Pritsker signs Census bill, page 4
Taliaferro gives Sears redevelopment his blessing After close public vote, the alderman recommended the city vote in favor of zoning changes required for the redevelopment By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter
The redevelopment of the former Sears at Harlem and North Avenues is close to taking flight now that community members have weighed in and Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th) has given the redevelopment proposal his formal blessing. During a community meeting held June 19 at Rutherford Sayre Fieldhouse, 6871 W. Belden Ave., the alderman polled the room of roughly 50 to 60 people on whether they were for or against the redevelopment proposal. Based on raised hands, attendees were roughly split down the middle. The vote, along with phone calls and other forms of community input, seemed to be enough for Taliaferro to make up his mind. The alderman ultimately recommended that the proposal receive the necessary zoning changes that the project requires to go forward. On June 20, the Chicago Plan Commission voted 8-1 in favor of sending the matter to the Chicago City Council’s Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards, which is expected to consider the zoning measures at a meeting on June 25. If the committee approves the measures, they’ll be sent to the full City Council for a final vote — something that could happen next month at the earliest. Taliaferro is scheduled to hold two regular See SEARS on page 13
Yo-Yo Ma plays the West Side
ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, right, takes photos with attendees last Friday, June 21, during the Yo-Yo Ma’s Day of Action at Unity Park in Chicago’s Homan Square neighborhood. More photos on page 6.
Townsend, Muti praise W. Side nonprofit During glitzy 25th anniversary gala, leaders and legends recognized importance of Chicago West Community Music Center By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor
A venerable West Side nonprofit celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 22 with a gala at the historic Empire Room of the Palmer House Hilton downtown — the very room where stars like Tony Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald graced the stage.
On Saturday night, the stage belonged to the children of the Chicago West Community Music Center, an organization founded by Howard and Darlene Sandifer that offers a range of musical instruction to area young people at the Golden Dome field house in Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Ave. The young performers shared the lime-
light with West Side native and pioneering filmmaker Robert Townsend and Maestro Ricardo Muti, the music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. “I’m very impressed by what I heard tonight,” Muti said, before lavishing praise on young performers like Charles Brown,
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See MUSIC CENTER on page 14
Larry Williams,Agent 5932 W. Lake Street Chicago, 60644 (773) 379-9010 larry.williams.b0bk@statefarm.com