Block Club Chicago

Block Club Chicago is a digital news website that provides diverse coverage of Chicago’s many neighborhoods.

• In Englewood, Thousands Of Tulips Are Blooming — During The Winter. — Tulips are typically grown in the spring and summer. Southside Blooms' new growing system will produce 18,000 in time for Valentine's Day. Here's how you can order a bouquet. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• A Survivor Torah From The Holocaust Now Housed At Jewish School In Lakeview: ‘It’s For All Of Us’. — Survivor 1089 is one of a handful of Survivor Torahs in the Chicago area. It was gifted to Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, where students take the lead in protecting it. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Pride South Side Creates Space For Black Queer Joy And Unity: ‘Here, You Feel Welcome’. — Local queer artists, including BellaTheeStallion, Yng Romance, Jade The Ivy, delighted the crowd as part of Chicago Black Pride Weekend. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Parents Frustrated As Chicago Public Libraries Phase Out Museum Passes: ‘This Is Reducing Access’. — The popular program is being replaced by the statewide Explore More Illinois offering free and discounted passes to cultural attractions. Some feel the new program is poorly advertised and more restrictive. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Chonk The Thicc Snapping Turtle Is A Superstar — And Great News For The Chicago River. — Experts are attributing the return of local wildlife to improvements in the water quality of the Chicago River over time. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration At West Side Church Where King Preached Returns In-Person After 3 Years. — At the event at Stone Temple Missionary Baptist Church, speakers vowed to put King's ideals into action and disavowed racism and antisemitism. 2023. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Underground Chicago Tour (Plus Rats!) Takes Visitors On A Stroll Through Chicago’s Underbelly. —The man behind Chicago's Ugly Buildings tour was inspired by a client whose young cousin wanted a tour that focused on rats. 2022. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• After Racist Video, Threats And Slurs, Students Walk Out At East Side High School: ‘Something Needs To Be Done’. — Chicago Public Schools is investigating after George Washington High School students reported racist incidents, including someone writing in a bathroom that a Black student would be burned and hanged. 2022. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Roseland Neighbors Complained About A Problem Building For Years. The City Only Tore It Down After A Man Was Fatally Shot. — The house had numerous safety issues, attracted squatters and was an eyesore for neighbors. They complained for years, but it wasn't until this week that the city tore down the building. 2022. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Timuel Black Honored At Homegoing Funeral Service In Hyde Park: ‘He Had An Unquenchable Spirit Of Hope’. —Black, the iconic civil rights activist and educator, died just shy of his 103rd birthday earlier this month. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Chance The Rapper And Common Push For Parole In Illinois: It ‘Will Begin To Correct The Harms Of Long-Term Incarceration’. — The rappers urged state lawmakers to pass a bill to make people eligible for parole after they’ve served at least 20 years in prison. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Lions Have Finally Returned To Lincoln Park Zoo After Nearly 2 Years: ‘A Place To Learn And Love And Grow’. —People can see the zoo's four lions — as well as red pandas, snow leopards and other creatures — at its newly reopened habitat. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Chicago Party Aunt’s Netflix Show Promises Laughs — And A More Fun Side Of The City Rarely Seen On TV (VIDEO). — Chicago Party Aunt" premieres Sept. 17 on Netflix and features a number of references, Easter eggs and cameos from Chicago legends. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Superdawg’s Been A Chicago Icon For Decades. Here’s What Makes Their Hot Dogs So Special (VIDEO). — The Far Northwest Side drive-in is still family-owned. Its hot dogs — excuse us, we meant "Superdawgs" — are particularly beloved. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.

• Lions Will Come Roaring Back To Chicago This Fall In Lincoln Park Zoo’s Renovated Habitat. — Ziplines that bring food to the lions, simulating prey, have been installed, and there are lots of shady spots for the big cats. 2021. Read a preview. ✦ View as PDF.