- CTA Ridership Fell 3% Last Year, But 'L' Ridership Is at Highest Level in 50 Years (Tribune)
- Garcia Vows to Remove Red Light Cams "Because Chicagoans Want Them Gone" (Tribune)
- Yearlong Purple Line Reroute for Wilson Stop Construction Starts Monday (RedEye)
- Driver Kills Andrew Smith, 41, Injures 3 Others People in West Garfield Park (Sun-Times)
- Semi Driver Hit Disabled Car in Long Grove, Fire Destroys Both Vehicles (Sun-Times)
- "Superloop" Would Link Commuter Stations to Lakefront Tourist Destinations (Gazette)
- Plan for South Lakefront Could Include Separated Paths Plus a "Wave Organ" (DNA)
- Protesters Shut Down Mag Mile to Pressure U. of C. to Build Trauma Center (Tribune)
- Northbound Trains Will Skip Several Stops This Weekend Due to Red Track Work (DNA)
- Blair Kamin's Take on the Massive Riverfront Map Mural at 300 South Wacker (Tribune)
- Tour de Fat Fundraiser for West Town Bikes Returns to Palmer Square on 7/11 (Chicagoist)
Get national headlines at Streetsblog USA
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Due to a funding shortfall, Streetsblog Chicago has suspended publication of orginal articles. Please see Streetsblog Editor-in-Chief Ben Fried’s message about the hiatus, and my post about the effort the revive the site via local fundraising. In the meantime, I am continuing to produce Today’s Headlines on a volunteer basis as a service to readers.
The Chicago Community Trust, a charitable foundation that was one of the early funders of SBC, has been impressed by the outpouring of support the site has received since we announced our hiatus on January 8. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and readers like you, by February 16, we had raised $34K of the $75K needed to fund a year of operations.
As a result, CCT has very generously offered us a challenge grant. If Streetsblog reaches $50K in donations and sponsorships by our April 8 deadline to reboot the site, the Trust will provide the last $25K needed to resume daily publication of original reporting. In other words, our finish line is within sight.
However, we still have a lot of work to do in order to win that CCT funding that will allow us to relaunch. If you haven't already done so, please donate to the Streetsblog Chicago Resurrection Fund today. While donations are not tax-deductible at this point, in the very unlikely event that the site does not relaunch by April 8, your money will be refunded.
If you've already contributed, thanks so much for helping us attract the challenge grant. As an added incentive to first-time donors, as well as those who'd like to make an additional contribution to help us win the CCT funding, anyone who donates $100 or more from this point on will get a copy of my book "Bars Across America." Donate $200 or more and we'll also throw in a copy of the anthology "On Bicycles," to which I contributed a chapter about Chicago's West Town Bikes, while supplies last.
We're hosting a Donor Appreciation Party on Wednesday, March 25, 6-9 p.m. at Revolution Brewing's Kedzie Avenue taproom, 3340 North Kedzie. All Streetsblog readers are invited to attend this free event, and everyone who has contributed $100 or more will get a complimentary beer courtesy of RevBrew, plus their free book(s).
Please feel free to spread the word about the challenge grant to potential donors, or contact me at 312-560-3966 or greenfieldjohn[at]hotmail.com with leads on other possible funding sources. To keep you apprised on our progress as we enter the home stretch, I'll be updating the above Donate-O-Meter along with Today's Headlines each morning.
Thanks again for your continuing support.
- John
