September 27 - October 3, 2023

4 6 8 12 15

Arts & Entertainment Event highlights of the week!

SportsWise

The SportsWise team discusses the retirement of Blackhawks' Johnathan Toews, and their up-and-coming rookie Connor Bedard.

Cover Story: 988 lifeline

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Just over a year ago, the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline transitioned to a three-digit number: 988. The change promised to make crisis and mental health more accessible to all. In Illinois, the 988 Lifeline has responded to more than 147,000 calls since its launch, showing the need for mental health services exists. Yet, the 988 Lifeline and a robust continuum of mental health care is still a work in progress.

From the Streets

Nearly two years after a citizens group began urging City Hall to resume treatment of Chicago's parkway trees against the Emerald Ash Borer, the Department of Streets and Sanitation is in the procurement process for a contract – but will work be done in time to save the trees before they die out?

Also, Mayor Brandon Johnson announces a new co-chair of the Workforce Innovation Board, which oversees federal funds for job placement.

The Playground

DISCLAIMER:

Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

Amanda Jones, Director of programs ajones@streetwise.org

Julie Youngquist, Executive director jyoungquist@streetwise.org

Chicago, IL, 60616

The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of StreetWise.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Capitalism Meets Broadway!

‘The Lehman Trilogy’

Told in three parts over one evening, “The Lehman Trilogy” is the quintessential story of western capitalism, rendered through the lens of a single immigrant family. On a cold September morning in 1844, a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is soon joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. And 163 years later, the firm they establish—Lehman Brothers—spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. Weaving together nearly two centuries of family history, this theatrical event charts the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees. Playing Tuesdays - Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 & 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. through October 29 at Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower, 175 E. Chestnut. Tickets start at $30 at www.broadwayinchicago.com/show/the-lehman-trilogy

The Whole Family Gets Mesmerized!

‘Mesmerized: A Ben Franklin Science & History Mystery’

Through fabulous storytelling and fast-paced comedy, Ben Franklin and his want-to-be-inventor niece, Sarah, travel to France where they use the Scientific Method to test a mystical man’s magical cure-all in “Mesmerized: A Ben Franklin Science & History Mystery.”

Kids will laugh as they engage their minds to solve this mystery, fueled with stories about Ben Franklin’s many scientific discoveries and electrifying inventions. Running Saturdays and Sundays through October 15, 9:30 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. at Chicago Children’s Theatre, 100 S. Racine. Tickets are $30 - 40 at chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/mesmerized

Cheers to the Forest Preserves!

Beer in the Woods

Sample 40+ craft beers and ciders while enjoying nature at this Friends of the Forest Preserves (FOTFP) fundraiser at LaBagh Woods, 5275 N. Cicero, Grove 2 from 2-6 p.m. September 30.

Take an expert guided walk through LaBagh’s diverse landscape, create art inspired by nature, get up close and personal with cool animals. Meet business owners who are helping neighborhoods thrive. Food and non-alcoholic beverages also available. General Admission $55, VIP Admission (allows entry at 1 p.m.) $85, Non-drinkers $15 at Eventbrite and fotfp.org/event-item/7th-annual-beer-in-the-woods

Southern Soul!

Tank & The Bangas with Chicago Philharmonic

Founded in 2011 in New Orleans and led by Tarriona (Tank) Ball, Tank & The Bangas will be joined by Chicago Philharmonic for a massive orchestral concert September 30, 7:30 p.m. at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B Wells Drive.

The two-time Grammy-nominated group are a soulful mix of R&B, hip-hop, and spoken word that’s fused into an energetic live performance. Tickets $39+ on auditoriumtheatre.org

Compiled by Dave Hamilton, Mary Mathieu, & Kyra Walker

Sweet As Apple Pie!

Lincoln Square Apple Fest

Usher in the fall with the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce's 36th Annual Apple Fest! The festivities will take place on Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Lincoln Avenue between Lawrence and Sunnyside. Apple Fest is a long-standing tradition in Lincoln Square, bringing community together to celebrate the beginning of autumn with fall food and drink, over 50 vendors and farms with fall essentials, entertainment, activities, and family fun. Make sure to stop by the GiveAShi*t booth to pick up some Tees, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting StreetWise! $5 suggested donation. lincolnsquare.org/apple-fest

The True History!

Native American Education in Illinois Schools: Panel Discussion

Come hear from Native American and education leaders about what is in store for Illinois public school students in 2024, as the state will begin requiring schools to teach about the history of Native Americans as part of their curriculum. Doors to the auditorium open at 5:30 p.m. on September 27 and seating is first come, first served with a 350 capacity. Located at Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.

Jam On!

Edgewater Community Music Jam

Led by Edgewater’s own Mike Kennedy, a musician and retired music and technology teacher, the community jam session at 4 p.m. September 28 is for musicians of all levels who play acoustic instruments. Participants may also be singers and listeners. Sessions will be one hour and include group playing, solo/small group playing, and break/social time. Located at Edgewater Chicago Public Library Branch, 6000 N. Broadway.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Meet Maker-in-Residence: Dahlia Silver

Come meet Dahlia Silver, who explores how quiet activism and memory intersects with fabric, creating positive affirmation and protest banners in the styles of the suffragist movement. Due to the acknowledged excessive overuse of fabric waste, Silver intentionally uses secondhand or recycled materials in her quilts and banners. The event will be at 5 p.m. September 28 at Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St.

Andersonville Arts Weekend

The Arts in Community!

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce presents the 19th annual Andersonville Arts Weekend, with the neighborhood transformed into a "walkable art gallery" from Friday, September 29 - Sunday, October 1. The three-day event represents multiple genres of art: visual, theatre, dance, music, makers, film, culinary, student art, and public art. Returning Arts Weekend mainstays include the Self-Guided Art Walk on all three days and the popular Night of Parties, an evening of artist receptions kicking-off on Friday, September 29 at 5 p.m. FREE. Learn more at andersonville.org/events/arts-weekend

Walk In Their Shoes!

Step Up for Recovery

Join PEER Services, a nonprofit leader in substance use prevention and treatment for teens and adults in Evanston and surrounding communities, for Step Up for Recovery, its annual fundraiser and community-builder. Walk a mile with them at 10 a.m. September 30. to show support for their clients, break down stigma around substance use disorders, and help provide affordable treatment for all. Free T-shirts, music, refreshments, familyfriendly activities, wellness resources, and door prize drawing included at Arrington Lakefront Lagoon Shelter, 1631 Sheridan Road, Evanston.

Changes to the blackhawks' roster

John: Today we are talking about the distinguished career of Jonathan Toews. After playing 16 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, Toews is quitting. Meanwhile, red hot rookie Connor Bedard, who turned just 18 this past July, is being compared to Wayne Gretzky. Those are big shoes to fill. Russell, how do you feel about these two individuals?

Russell: Let me first give a brief detail about Toews. He uncovered a lot in his illustrious hockey career, including gold medals in 2005, 2006 and 2007 at the World U-17 Hockey Challenge, World Junior Championships and World Championships.

John: We can’t forget his participation in the Winter Olympics of 2010 and 2014. Or that while with the Blackhawks, he played a very critical role in the three Stanley Cup championships of 2010, 2013 and 2015.

Russell: He did a lot for the Blackhawks and the whole organization itself, whether it was scoring, playing defense or helping teammates out. He

gave them confidence just by being there.

John: Plus, even though he allegedly has hung ‘em up for the last time, he is still a free agent. Meaning, that he can still decide to play again later. Then, there might be other teams who’ll pick him up for his leadership and championship experience. But otherwise, he's gonna be a Hall of Famer, and he'll be just fine. I want to say thank you to Toews for the decade and a half of great hockey you brought to the Blackhawks. And now on to the next exciting topic: Connor Bedard.

Russell: He is so hot right now, and many people consider him the next Gretzky of the NHL. He was in the WHL (Western Hockey League) playing for the Regina Pats. In 2021, he won the Jim Piggott Memorial Award for rookie of the year and the Bob Clarke Trophy for top scorer. He also became the youngest player

to score 50+ goals in the 202122 WHL season.

John: Yeah, Bedard got many awards in his brief WHL season. But moving forward, can he handle the pressure and continue to perform well? And I say, the jury's still out. But if he is what the experts say he is, then the Blackhawks can expect to hang up a bunch more banners from here on out.

Russell: I don’t know how they did it, but they got the No. 1 draft pick. He’s not going to be like Patrick Kane: Robin to Toews’ Batman. He’s going to step out of the shadow and be himself. He’s got his own goals, so it’s going to be exciting to see what happens.

John: Any final thoughts, Russell?

Russell: Doubling back to Toews’s retirement, I think he should retire in full. There’s always something else (be-

sides playing) to be doing. It’s not going to help anyone walking out and walking back in, never really fully quitting. There’s different ways you can give back to the teams that made you who you are. For example, if you want to be a coach, it’s only going to help the players.

John: I agree, Russell. If you retire, just stay retired. Please don't “pull a Michael Jordan” who announced retirement, but then five minutes later you’ve got him coming back. Do the honorable thing like Dr. J, Roger Staubach and many other famous figures who don't return after retiring. When you retire, leave for good, so that you’re free to do other things.

Any comments, suggestions or topic ideas for the SportsWise team? Email StreetWise Editor Suzanne Hanney at suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

Vendors (l-r) Russell Adams and John Hagan chat about the world of sports.

988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE:

by Francia Garcia Hernandez

Nationwide, people in emotional distress or in a suicidal crisis can get free and confidential help by contacting 988. The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – or 988 Lifeline – provides support by trained counselors who listen to callers and connect them to resources. The national service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In 2020, suicide was the 12th cause of death in the United States with over 45,900 lives lost, according to the Centers for Disease Control Prevention.

Since 2005, a phone hotline provided counseling and support to callers through a 10-digit number. Last year, in mid-July, the National Suicide Prevention Line transitioned to a three-digit dialing code: 988. The federal government invested $432 million in this transition to make the lifeline more accessible to a 988 number that would be as easy to remember as the 911 code dialed in emergencies.

The push for the 988 Lifeline was to make mental health services more accessible to everyone, an existing need exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, 12.3 million adults over the age of 18 reported having serious thoughts of suicide and 1.7 million attempted suicide. Across the adult population, young adults ages 18 to 25 were the most affected, with 13% of them reporting they had serious suicidal thoughts. That same year, 2.7% of young adults attempted suicide.

One year after its launch, the volume of calls shows the need for the 24/7 lifeline exists, said Andy Wade, executive director of the Illinois chapter of National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). As the COVID-19 pandemic increased the urgency and normalcy in prioritizing mental health, the 988 Lifeline and continuum of care are steps in the right direction, he said.

The 988 Lifeline is still in an early development stage -- and could be graded as incomplete – Wade said, which is not negative. “It just means this is a large project that’s going to take several years to fully develop out,” he said.

For the 988 Lifeline to improve access to mental health and crisis support services, more people need to know it exists. More than 80% of adults nationwide “are still not familiar” with the lifeline, Hope for the Day reported this July. It also needs a more robust system of mental health care.

THE LIFELINE AT WORK

When someone dials 988, their call is routed to one of 200 local crisis centers across the nation. All centers operate independently but are collectively administered by the nonprofit Vibrant Emotional Health. Federal funds, often distributed as

state grants by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), help run the 988 Lifeline.

However, it is up to the state to ensure permanent funding sources for their local crisis centers and mobile crisis teams. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, so far eight states have set up monthly phone fees to fund the 988 Lifeline, like they do to fund 911 systems. In the 2022 budget, Illinois created a state trust fund for the 988 Lifeline and transferred $5 million from the state’s 911 fund; it also seeks federal grants.

Besides calls, the 988 Lifeline can be reached via online chats and text messages. Most local crisis centers are equipped to respond to phone calls, but not all respond to chats and text messages.

Callers are routed to a local or state center based on their phone number area code. When a call goes through, callers hear an automated message. They can dial One to connect to the Veterans Crisis Line or dial Two to connect to a Spanishspeaking line.

If no option is selected, the call is routed to the nearest crisis center for a trained counselor to respond. Calls, chats or text messages that are not answered by a local center are

LIFELINE: ITS IMPACT IN ILLINOIS

one of three pillars in the crisis care continuum: someone to call, someone to respond and somewhere to go. It does not necessarily ensure the person gets needed help from local providers.

The 2018 Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan identified crisis response as one framework to suicide prevention, along with education, community awareness and suicide-related data collection.

What the Lifeline doesn’t do is address barriers to continuous mental health support.

On average, in Illinois 1 mental health provider serves 408 people. Yet, there are stark disparities in access to mental health providers by region. In Chicago, a mental health provider serves 345 people, significantly less than other counties, which have a very limited number of mental health providers. In contrast, in Mercer County there is 1 mental health provider for 7,719 people, according to data from the Illinois Department of Health.

A GLIMPSE OF THE LIFELINE IN ILLINOIS

rerouted to another center in- or out-of-state.

Through chat or text line, people seeking help must first complete a short survey to describe their current situation. Then, they are assigned a trained crisis counselor who interacts with them through the same channel.

Trained crisis counselors understand what the person seeking help is experiencing and share help or resources. They are trained to listen to the person without judgment, to provide comfort and to offer support.

Though counselors ask a series of questions related to the person’s name, gender and race, callers can choose how much information they provide and stay anonymous.

While one of the 988 Lifeline goals is to reduce the need for police to respond to a mental health crisis, it is important to remember counselors are mandated reporters. They evaluate if there is an imminent risk of harm to the caller or other people, and if they deem it necessary, they coordinate a mobile crisis response team. Mobile crisis response teams are made up of mental health professionals, but if unavailable, local law enforcement may be asked to respond.

What 988 offers is an initial response to a person in crisis,

In Illinois, the latest available data shows that deaths by suicide increased by 1% from September 2021 to September 2022. The National Center for Health Statistics shows the number of deaths by suicide per 100,000 habitants increased from 10.6 in 2021 to 11.6 in 2022.

The 988 Lifeline operates through six state crisis centers, with a seventh underway. All crisis centers operate independently, with locations in Chicago, Wheaton, Springfield, Bloomington, Batavia and Waukegan. Each center is assigned a primary coverage area by county, area code or ZIP code.

Monthly data shows calls continue to be the most used method for people seeking help. The first month the 988 Lifeline became active, the number of calls received was almost nine times the number of text messages received.

From the period July 2022 to 2023, more than 147,000 calls were routed to Illinois crisis call centers. Statewide, the number of calls received each month has consistently increased. In July this year, more than 12,000 calls were received, almost 2,000 more calls than the year before, Vibrant data shows.

Nearly 9% of in-state calls are abandoned, meaning the call disconnects before it reaches a counselor at a crisis center. The reason a call disconnects varies from the caller hanging up to technical and service glitches, though it is not tracked.

A sign provides information about the 988 Lifeline at a Chicago public transit station (Francia Garcia Hernandez photo).

Because local crisis centers are better positioned to refer callers to local mental health providers and support systems, one of the key metrics to evaluate the success of the Lifeline is the in-state answer rate. In Illinois, this metric for phone calls has improved since the launch of the 988 Lifeline. In June 2022, the state answer rate was the lowest in the nation with just 18%, said Lee Ann Reinert, deputy director of policy and innovation for the Illinois Division of Mental Health at a public meeting in May. This June, the in-state answer rate increased to 83%.

As time has gone by, text messages have more than doubled, from 1,153 in July 2022 to 2,833 in July 2023. However, the in-state answer rate for text messages continues to be below expectations, with just 22% as of this June. The rest are routed to out-of-state backup centers.

The number of calls, texts and chats each Illinois crisis center responds to varies based on its capacity. One of the main crisis centers is operated by Personal Assistance Telephone Help (PATH), a pioneer organization in phone support lines. It has 63 trained counselors on staff out of its Bloomington center and receives nearly 7,700 calls on average each month.

The PATH center has helped expand in-state coverage since it received a state grant in January 2022. It serves as the local center for calls from 85 counties in Illinois, as a backup for other state call centers and it responds to text and chat messages. It is one of three centers that operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On average, the center’s monthly answer rate has remained above 80%, with 82% reported this June.

Two other 24-hour call centers are operated by local county health departments, providing coverage for their respective counties. The DuPage County Health Department center and the Lake County Health Department center have 77 and 12 trained counselors on staff respectively. On average, DuPage County received 700 calls per month in the last year. Its answer rate increased from 69% in June last year to 83% this year. In April, it started responding to texts and chats.

The Lake County Health Department crisis center received an average of 200 calls per month in the last year. Its answer rate in June was 73%, a 16% increase from the same month last year.

Three other crisis centers are in the process of building their capacity, staffing and technology to increase the monthly volume of calls they receive. With it, they are also expected to improve their answer rate, Reinert said.

The Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, also known as C4, provides primary coverage in 19 Chicago ZIP codes, with the rest of Chicago calls routed to backup centers. This

crisis center has seven trained counselors responding to 988 calls, which have consistently increased since its launch last July. For instance, in June last year, the center received 86 calls. This June, it received 528.

Initially, the center struggled to respond to calls. In August 2022, it only answered 20% of the calls it received. However, the state’s Department of Health has worked to consistently improve its capacity, Reiter said. This June and July, it reached a 70% answer rate.

In addition, this summer the state selected NAMI Chicago to expand coverage in the Chicago area. Once it begins operating, NAMI Chicago will run the crisis center for Chicago callers not covered by the C4. Its addition will improve the capacity to respond to high-volume call periods in the city, observed from 4 p.m. to 8 a.m., Reinert said. As NAMI Chicago has operated its own helpline serving parts of Cook County via call and text for several years, it will bring valuable expertise.

STILL A WAY TO GO

Overall, Illinois has reached some of its goals for the Lifeline. All counties are covered by the 988 Lifeline, meeting SAMHSA’s goal of providing access to 90% of individuals in the state by the end of 2023.

Since its launch, it has progressively increased its in-state answer rate and is expected to reach an in-state answer rate of 90% by April 2024, Reinert said.

However, not all crisis centers have the same performance, impacting local people’s experiences. Answer rates were significantly lower at the Suicide Prevention Services center based in Batavia when compared to other in-state crisis centers. The center serving seven counties had an average 32% answer rate in the period July 2022 to July 2023.

And the state is yet to increase its local response rate for text and chat. As of July, the chat and text response rate was

20% - less than half of the 50% required by SAMHSA by April 2024.

Response times also provide insight into how the 988 Lifeline works. When it was introduced, users of the National Suicide Prevention Line shared past negative experiences, including long wait times. On average, in the year since the 988 Lifeline launched, Illinois callers waited 30 seconds for their call to be responded. The shortest wait was 29 seconds and the longest was 33 seconds.

The 988 Lifeline is a resource for people who call at a very vulnerable moment in their life. It can be the door to a continuum of care, connecting them to mobile crisis intervention teams and the crisis stabilization center they may need. But “the connections between all three are still a work in progress,” Wade said.

LOOKING AHEAD

“Overall, 988 is a very positive development and when it’s fully up and running it’s going to be a major contribution to mental health in this country,” Wade said.

The 988 Lifeline can be one of the gateways to mental health crisis support, but it cannot be the only one. Its success depends on the existence of accessible mental health and crisis response services statewide.

“All of the equity issues that you see in primary care, certainly walk over to mental health,” Wade said. In 2020, deaths by suicide in Cook County significantly rose in Black communities, mostly across men and youth.

A trained workforce in mental health, currently insufficient, is key in rural and urban low-income communities who have limited or no healthcare access. To address this issue, NAMI Illinois has focused on increasing the mental health workforce, an architecture for inclusion, to “make it much more reflective of the communities that it serves.”

Cultural relevance and diversity in the mental health workforce are key to overcoming stigma and reaching people who need help, particularly in traditionally underserved communities.

The good news is that community-led programs demonstrate talent already exists. Outreach workers and other experts in community violence intervention programs often provide crisis intercession services and are already engrained in the communities they serve. Other community members have lived experience that could be valuable to enter a career in mental health, Wade said.

“They knew the community, they’re culturally competent, spoke the language,” he said.

On the other hand, more work needs to be done to increase the capacity of mobile crisis response teams who respond to 988 calls when an in-person intervention is needed. Currently, operators of the 988 Lifeline oftentimes rely on police to intervene or respond to crisis situations. With members of communities of color reporting they refrain from calling 911 due to negative experiences with police, this may defer at-risk callers from using the Lifeline.

The state also recognizes structural changes are needed to improve mental health crisis services. In July this year, legislation was approved to develop a state continuum of behavioral health crisis response. The law (HB323) requires the state’s Division of Mental Health to analyze the costs of maintaining a full-response network that extends beyond crisis call centers. Such a network would include mobile crisis response team services, crisis receiving and stabilization centers and followup services.

Francia Garcia Hernandez is a Mexican journalist covering local stories in the Chicago area. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago's MA in Civic Media, she is interested in keeping communities informed and engaged through media.

Request for proposals races against mother

by Suzanne Hanney

Nearly two years after a citizens group began asking City Hall to resume treatment of Chicago’s more than 40,000 ash trees, a request for proposals (RFP) is on the table – but time is running out to meet Mother Nature’s deadline.

Ash trees can be saved by inoculation against the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle, during leaf-bearing season, generally May through October 15. Trees must also have at least half (50%) of their leaf canopy for treatment to be effective.

“On the heels of the driest May in almost 30 years and worst air quality in the world this week, the City of Chicago is poised to make history once again by preserving Chicago’s 43,200 ash trees that help protect millions of residents from dangerous airborne pollutants [ozone and particulates],” Save Your Ash Coalition Chicago Founder and Co-Chair John Friedmann said in an email to media June 20.

The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS), which oversees the Bureau of Forestry, set a July 28 deadline to submit bids, then extended it to August 11.

As of September 8, the DSS was in the procurement process for the contract, “and unable to comment since the award is pending,” according to an email from Mimi Simon, DSS director of public affairs. Simon did not answer StreetWise questions regarding the number of bids or when work might begin.

In fall 2021, Save Your Ash began urging the Chicago City Council to resume ash treatment that ended in 2018, a decade after the beetle first surfaced here. Alds. Andre Vasquez (40th), Matt Martin (47th) and Rossana Rodriguez (33rd) sponsored a resolution signed by 42 City Council members to reinstate the ash inoculation program and Save Your Ash sent a letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In spring 2022, the Bureau of Forestry – with Save Your Ash input – drafted an RFP. The June announcement came after 14 months of city departments’ review and modification.

The RFP sought bids for five years of inoculations equally divided across the city’s three zones. It calls for treatment of 864,000 inches of tree diameter, or 43,200 ash trees that average 20 inches across, Friedmann said.

Each year, according to an addendum for prospective bidders, DSS wanted to treat 4,000 to 5,000 trees in its parkways: the space between sidewalks and curbs. The threeyear contract could be extended with two possible one-year

Before After

extensions. The Bureau of Forestry has funding for this year, but more money would have to be allocated for subsequent years.

A concern for Save Your Ash Co-Chair Karen Daiter is that, at 5,000 maximum per year, the RFP is structured to treat less than half the city’s ash population, or 20,000, in the next four years. The last treatment was in 2018 and it must be repeated every three years to be effective. “If we wait, many will just die if we go with that minimum.”

Ash trees are tough urban residents, Friedmann said, and they comprise about 1 in 10 of Chicago’s parkway trees.

Chicago’s overall tree canopy covers just 16% of the city, which is not even close to the 40 percent recommended by American Forests, the conservation nonprofit that championed the creation of the U.S. Forest Service. Neighborhood tree coverage ranges from 4 percent to 46 percent – often lower in disinvested neighborhoods on the South and West Sides.

mother nature to save your ash trees

Getting closer to 40 percent is important, Daiter said, because it can help Chicago meet its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement. Trees combat climate change because they remove carbon dioxide from the air, they store carbon, and they release oxygen into the atmosphere. This year’s extreme weather – from more frequent tropical storms to wildfires in Canada – proves the need.

“What’s happened this summer to the entire tree canopy, with the heat index, the drought and the weather, is because of climate change,” said Save Your Ash Co-Chair Laura Sabransky. “It makes our case for needing to restore a significant part of the tree canopy in the city even more important, because there is a feeling of urgency.”

Mature trees also manage storm water runoff into sewers, mitigate heat islands, and help people heal faster, said Daiter, who is a psychotherapist. “Trees release something like a natural antidepressant. Just looking at trees, kids have better focus.”

Daiter has been tracking trees in her neighborhood, and anecdotally, she can see some starting to fail. Two years ago, she herself spent $300 to $500 to treat five trees, and they are looking healthier. She said she will do it again next year if the Bureau of Forestry doesn’t get there first.

Save Your Ash began as a private, citizen fundraising group for Northwest Side trees before it switched its efforts to saving the canopy: citywide tree equity. Last year, Friedmann showed StreetWise two ash trees, side by side at Cullom Street and California Avenue. Both had been treated in 2013 and 2016; one tree had significantly less leaf cover, but the healthy one was also treated in 2020, thanks to a private contractor hired by Save Your Ash. (StreetWise, Vol. 30 No. 28, July 11-17, 2022).

The tree that had not been treated since 2016 became infested and was cut down February 3. “Half of the local tree canopy at that intersection lost,” Friedmann said.

Left: Two ash trees were at Cullom and California. The tree on right was treated with private donations but one on left wasn't. It became infested and was cut down February 3: half of the local tree canopy at that intersection is lost (John Friedmann photo). Right: An ash tree being treated (Save Your Ash photo).

Workforce innovation board appointee

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced the appointment September 7 of Smita N. Shah as cochair of the Workforce Innovation Board (WIB). The WIB oversees investment of Chicago and Cook County’s annual Work force Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) allocation from the U.S. Department of Labor: more than $72 million for FY2023.

Shah is president and CEO of SPAAN Tech, Inc., a Chi cago-based engineering and construction management firm with 25 years of expertise in public and private in frastructure projects. She is a member of the Economic Club and Commercial Club of Chicago, and she serves on the boards of MacLean Fogg Company, Inventrust (NYSE: IVT) and ComEd, Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restoring Illinois In frastructure Committee, and the Museum of Science and Industry. She was vice chair of the Chicago Plan Commis sion and was appointed by President Biden to the Presi dential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Ms. Shah has a bach elor’s degree from Northwestern University, a master’s degree in civil and environmental Engineering from M.I.T., and a post-graduate certificate in management studies from Oxford University.

WIB Co-Chair along with Shah is Jacki nior vice president at Northern Trust Corporation.

The WIB is comprised of 20 public and private sector lead ers in business, organized labor, economic development, education, and community-based organizations appoint ed by the Mayor of Chicago and the Cook County Board President. WIOA dollars are administered by the nonprofit Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership): the largest public workforce system in the country.

The Partnership oversees a network of 90+ communitybased organizations, American Job Centers and satellite sites. Since its formation in 2012, The Partnership has helped place approximately 100,000 individuals in permanent employment, collaborated with more than 2,000 employers, and administered more than $471 million in federal and philanthropic funds. Average starting wage was $29+ an hour, and the network provided 7,000 recruitment and training services to 1,000 employer-partners. www.chicookworks.org

-Suzanne Hanney, from online sources

Shah

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the

Last week's Answers

How StreetWise Works

StreetWise exists to elevate marginalized voices and provide opportunities for individuals to earn an income and gain employment. Anyone who wants to work has the opportunity to move themselves out of crisis.

StreetWise provides “a hand up, not a handout.”

All vendors go through an orientation focusing on their rights and responsibilities as a StreetWise Magazine Vendor. Authorized vendors have badges with their name, picture and current year.

Vendors purchase the magazine for $1.15 and sell it for $3 plus tips. The vendor keeps all of their earnings.

Buy the Magazine, Take the Magazine

When you buy the magazine, take the magazine, and read the magazine, you are supporting our microentrepreneurs earning an income with dignity.

New vendor orientation is every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. at 2009 S. State St. Find your nearest vendor at www.streetwise.org