The Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR) provides an excellent example of a Chicago grassroots neighborhood organization where members use multiple strategies to make public safety a neighborhood priority. The creation of a “culture of safety” is central to the mission of a …

People have varying points of view about travel, especially post pandemic. There’s the COVID-19 factor, gas prices resulting in more expensive road trips and airline travel. If the Chicagoland resident, of either city or suburbs, steps outside the box of traditional travel, there are all sor…

We are excited to present the July 2022 issue of Chicago Star! Founded during the pandemic in March 2021, this paper brought positivity to our communities when we needed it the most. We are proud to continue this mission as the go-to source for delivering uplifting news you can use to neighb…

Party in aisle two! Chicago Star's Streeterville Week Kick-Off Party was a great success at Mariano's Lakeshore East on May 20th! Thanks to our hosts, Mariano's and its team leader Amanda Puck, store director Scott Wilson, Chris Weir, Amari Walls, Jajuan Harvey and J & L Catering who hel…

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, Commissioners Alma Anaya (7th District) and Brandon Johnson (1st District), and the Cook County COVID-19 Recovery Small Business Assistance program network, today announced its “Together We Thrive” initiative and the official launch of Small Busi…

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, and local and State organizations announced Wednesday that Kimberly-Clark, a multinational company that produces brands such as Kleenex and Huggies, plans to open a commercial center for North American consumer products in Chicago.

Last week, the Chicago City Council approved the plans for hospitality management company SMASHotels (Smash Interactive) to build “Surge,” an Esports virtual reality stadium, which will also include the SMASHotels’ corporate headquarters at 2601 S. Wabash Ave in Bronzeville, located in the 2…

The Englewood Connect project, a proposed development described by city officials as an "eco-food hub" designed to employ and feed area residents, is one of three winning INVEST South/West proposals announced earlier this month.

Nearly five dozen Illinois small businesses, including more than 50 businesses in Chicago, were selected for the Rebuild Distressed Communities program's first round of grant funding, totaling $1.7 million, State officials have announced.

One of Chicago’s most iconic landmarks, Navy Pier, is opening its first-ever hotel this Thursday, March 18. 

Meal Village, a locally-made, non-subscription-based food meal delivery service, offers an alternative to home cooking by delivering comforting meals to Chicagoland residents for just under $10. 

Nonprofit organizations in the Chicago Urban Area, which includes the City of Chicago and Cook County, are encouraged to apply for funding for protection upgrades. For this grant program, the US Department of Homeland Security allocates a total of $180 million to eligible 501(c) (3) organiza…

Now that Chicago’s test positivity rate has dropped to 2.9 percent, moving into the “lower risk” category, Mayor Lightfoot announced today that bars and restaurants are now permitted to operate at a 50 percent capacity as well as remain open until 1 a.m. 

For a fourth consecutive year, NBC 5, Telemundo Chicago, and Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation launched their 2021 Project Innovation Grant Challenge for non-profit organizations beginning on Jan. 8 and will close the deadline on Feb. 12. 

It appears there will be more than just love in the air come this Valentine’s Day, as Southwest Airlines has plans to expand into O’Hare International airport come Feb.14. 

Located on floors 30-46 of the 900 North Michigan skyscraper, Four Seasons Hotel- Chicago is finally complete after undergoing a year-long renovation, which began Nov 2019, according to a company news release. 

After more than four decades on the Magnificent Mile, the Macy's store at Water Tower Place will be closing its doors following a clearance sale that will begin this month and last for about eight to 12 weeks, the company announced Tuesday, Jan. 5.

The Gap's three-story Magnificent Mile location is set to close early next year, Gap Inc. has confirmed.

Celebrity appearances, professional insight and live painting will boost a Loop recovery effort during a virtual fundraiser at 5 p.m. this Thursday.

Residents rallied behind their neighborhood businesses at the inaugural Streeterville Week celebration held Nov. 13-22, a new event designed to raise Chicagoans’ spirits and bring the downtown community together.

Chicago-based Aon is spending $30 million to expand its corporate apprenticeship program over the next five years.

A citywide Stay-at-Home Advisory is being described as the “key pillar” of a new plan to keep Chicagoans safe. According to a press release from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), it app…

Chicago is launching four initiatives designed to provide financial aid and resources to restaurants, bars and hospitality workers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting indoor dining closures, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Thursday, Nov. 5.

In response to a surge in COVID-19 cases, Chicago is implementing restrictions that limit operation hours of non-essential businesses, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and public health officials announced Thursday, Oct. 22.

Demographics and urbanization are factors that business leaders should monitor closely in the future, according to a new study by Aon.

Nielsen's Global Consumer Business, an international data and measurement firm, has announced its Chicago office will serve as the company's global headquarters starting in 2021.

Streeterville businesses that incurred damage and financial losses during a wave of widespread looting Aug. 10 have seen an outpouring of support from local residents.

Palos Health and Northwestern Memorial HealthCare are taking steps toward a potential affiliation, Northwestern Medicine announced in a Sept. 11 news release.

Amazon announced today that it would hire new employees to fill more than 100,000 open jobs throughout the U.S. and Canada and, according to several media reports, over 5,000 of them will be in Chicago.

Global professional services firm Aon has released the results of a new COVID-19 Pulse Survey focused on how companies are rethinking their human capital strategies in response to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chicago Tribune reported on August 17 that Prudential Insurance Company of America is suing to have its named removed from the buildings and plaza at the corner of Randolph St. and Michigan Ave. The company cited an alleged $10 million overdue payment from Sterling Bay over naming rights…

When life throws you a curveball, you have to adapt. For the Young Professionals of Streeterville (YPS), that meant having to change up its plans for social events, which were no longer allowed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chris Pena, born in Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood, moved to nearby Calumet City when he was six years old. The son of a father who worked for Ford and a mother who was employed by ComEd, he graduated from Marian Catholic High School in 1993 and took a job on the assembly line at Ford’s Chic…

On June 25, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot launched Chicago Connected, a program designed to provide free, high-speed internet access to the households of Chicago Public School (CPS) students.

Professional services firm Aon announced today that it will lead a number of employers and organizations in a multilateral program designed to re-introduce fundamental aspects of society and the economy.

New Eastside resident and entrepreneur Mary Kuiper has become a fashionable force in the effort to reduce coronavirus by introducing a colorful new line of facemasks called Cool Shield.

Groupon will lay off or furlough 2,800 employees — roughly 44% of its workforce — in a two-part plan announced yesterday. Founded in 2008 in Chicago, the company offers online deals on goods and experiences through a model inspired by the bargaining power of traditional volume discounts. The…

By Daniel Patton, April 8, 2020 Chicago-based folk band Sones de México Ensemble is preparing to share a dose of good fortune with its fans. As one of 175 recipients to receive an arts grant from the from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the group will receive its payment nearly…

By Daniel Patton   Mariano’s is devoting its legendary innovative finesse to a customer wellness effort that goes beyond even today’s new standards for retail excellence. Besides introducing a dozen Safety Protocols, the store will soon begin delivering its signature events straight into sho…

by Doug Rapp A local eatery is offering mid-week wine deals. On Wednesdays, Pinched on the River, 443 E. Illinois St., is offering first glasses of wine for $1. From 6 to 8 p.m. on hump days, customers can try a glass of red, white, rose or sparkling wine for a buck. The choices will be rota…

Gentleman’s Cooperative a collection of services, activities in one downtown spot by Mat Cohen One of the most interesting spaces in Chicago combines style, confidence and luxury to create a haven in the middle of the city. The Gentleman’s Cooperative, located at the penthouse of 111 W. Jack…