La Shawn Ford
Austin Neighbors Are Helping Each Other Get Mental Health Care After Shootings Near Preschool
Some kids said they were too scared to play outside after hearing gunfire, a preschool leader said. A 20-year-old woman was killed and two men were wounded in two shootings days apart.
After 3 Shootings Near West Side Preschool, Trauma Counselors Host Meeting For Community
Neighbors can come to get free health services, and officials and violence prevention experts will talk about the need to end gun violence.
State Lawmakers Poised To Legalize Drug-Injection Site This Year — But Will City Leaders Follow Through?
Public health advocates say they're all in on creating a safe space for drug use. But Mayor Lori Lightfoot says the idea is still "under consideration."
Low Vaccine Rates At West Side Schools Show Need For Public Health Resources, Local Leaders Say
Less than 10 percent of students at Nash Elementary in Austin are vaccinated. State Rep. La Shawn Ford said this is a sign the West Side needs more resources to make schools and communities safe.
Drop-in Mental Health Center Opens On West Side To Give Peer Support To People In Crisis
The center uses a living room model that is an alternative to hospitalization, giving people a safe place to cool down and get support.
Powerful State Senator Got Caribbean Trips, Campaign Donations And Cash Through Loretto Hospital
State Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford accepted campaign contributions from a Loretto Hospital contractor and Caribbean travel as part of her board duties.
Illinois Votes To Stop Jailing People Who Can’t Afford Bail: ‘This Is Not A Just Or Equitable System’
The state Legislature approved the Pretrial Fairness Act, which will end money bond statewide, and other sweeping criminal justice reforms Wednesday.
Supermarket Chain Save A Lot Criticized For Closing Grocery Store In West Side Food Desert: ‘It’s Going To Be Rough’
Save A Lot representatives did not offer an explanation for why it is closing its Austin location, frustrating elected officials who said the company could have asked for help.
West Side Hospital Joins Effort To Include More Black, Latino Chicagoans In Coronavirus Vaccine Trials
Black Chicagoans have seen the most deaths from COVID-19. A vaccine must be tested on a diverse group of people to make sure it will protect communities most vulnerable to the disease, West Side leaders say.
#MaskUpAndLive Campaign Giving Out Masks To West Siders To End Coronavirus Racial Disparities
The campaign is distributing masks at Creative Salon and door-to-door on the West Side.
Here’s Where To Get Tested For Coronavirus On The West Side
Several hundred tests are available at Lawndale Christian Health Center and PCC Community Wellness Center each day, but you must be screened.
New TV Show Explores The Opioid Crisis Out West, As Told By The People Who Experienced It
"When you tell a story, I think that it gives people an option to relate," said host Vee L. Harrison.
