IN THIS ISSUE

what to know about illinois’s pause on health insurance programs for undocumented immigrants

“These policy changes will have real world devastating effects on families who have lived, worked, and paid taxes in Illinois for many years.” jade-ruyu yan ..........................................

4 lo que debe saber sobre los cortes a los programas de seguro médico para indocumentados

El cambio significa que las personas indocumentadas verán limitado su acceso a dos programas de seguro médico financiados por el estado y enfrentan costos si ya están inscritos. por jade-ruyu yan traducido por alma campos ................. 5 the exchange chima ikoro .............................................

The Weekly’s poetry corner offers our thoughts in exchange for yours.

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Mell Montezuma

Shane Tolentino

Fact Checking: Savannah Hugueley

Fact Checkers: Kelli Jean Smith

Kate Linderman

Christopher Good

Alani Oyola

Jade-Ruyu Yan

Layout Editor Tony Zralka

Special Projects

Coordinator Malik Jackson

Managing Director Jason Schumer

Office Manager Mary Leonard

Advertising Manager Susan Malone

Webmaster Pat Sier

The Weekly is produced by a mostly all-volunteer editorial staff and seeks contributions from across the city. We publish online weekly and in print every other Thursday.

Send submissions, story ideas, comments, or questions to editor@southsideweekly.com or mail to:

South Side Weekly 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Chicago, IL 60637

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After a week of flood warnings, Chicago saw highways, roads, and more than 2,000 basements flooded. On July 3, some of the neighborhoods hit the hardest included Garfield Park, Midway, and Bridgeport—Garfield Park alone received 8.12 inches of rain. According to WTTW, the last time Chicago saw nine inches of rain was in 1987. While some residents were left to deal with the arduous task of pumping water out of their basements, many took rafts to the flooded streets to make the best of extreme weather conditions.

The I-55 was subsequently closed and eastbound lanes on 290 were shutdown. Cars were stuck in the high waters leaving many questioning the city’s responsibility to mitigate increased flooding. While Brandon Johnson expressed intent to use funds from the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal to improve the city’s framework, on the city’s website, the only responsibility the city assumes is for “placing restrictors—known as ‘Rain Blockers’—in [catch basins] all over town.” Residents in the West side of Chicago, including the nearby suburbs, were the hardest hit with some reporting water levels reaching three feet in their homes.

Migrants transferred out of police station; police under investigation for sexual misconduct

Last week, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) launched an investigation after learning of allegations of inappropriate sexual contact between police and migrants sheltered at the 10th district police station, which serves the North Lawndale and La Villita areas. Community members—including members of the Ogden Police District Council—protested outside of the station the next day to denounce the abuse and demand transparency from CPD, which had yet to release a statement or provide details of the allegations. Various 10th district officers are accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual contact with migrants, and one officer of impregnating a teenage girl. A spokesman later said the department’s bureau of internal affairs is investigating. On Friday afternoon, about forty migrants were transferred out of the station without advance notice.

“ThoughtPoet” Veney

op-ed: south shore residents ask ‘what about us?’ a cba is the city’s chance to deliver for them

The CBA ordinance would bring housing stability to a neighborhood that leads the city in evictions and prepares for the construction of the Obama Center. brandon patterson ................................

9 40,000 house heads turn out for chosen few picnic and festival michael liptrot and max blaisdell, hyde park herald 10 workers at museum of science and industry unionize malik jackson kia smith restorative justice court promises an alternative for young adults max blaisdell ........................................ public meetings report

The picnic and house music festival has been hosted in the park by the South Side DJ collective Chosen Few since 1990.

PPE accommodations and pay inequity among issues that spurred the union drive.

12 dj hustlenomics on his start, the chief keef era, and new ventures He is rarely seen or heard, but his impact is felt— people don’t realize that he helped launch the careers of prominent Chicago artists.

The practice is part of an approach to addressing harm that brings together those affected and their community.

A recap of select open meetings at the local, county, and state level

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19 congo square theatre puts on a festival for the community scott pemberton and documenters kristian parker ..................................... 21 ‘soot on the windows meant food on the table’ nabeela washington ............................. 22

On July 29, the third of three theater festivals will take place at the Silver Room Block Party.

A Field Museum exhibit highlighting the heritage of the Calumet region, and the last in a series of four stops, will come to a close this fall.