■ Aisha Oliver: Black Chicago’s crossroad PAGE 6
FREE Vol. 39 No. 4
January 29, 2025 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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Community mourns the passing of George Manning Friends and family remember the legacy of longtime Austin resident By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter
George E. Manning II, retired administrator for the University of Illinois Chicago Psychiatric Institute and longtime Austin resident with a passion for music and mentorship, died Jan. 13, leaving behind the extraordinary life he crafted and led in and outside the U.S. A classically trained musician, Manning was especially known for the elaborate parties he hosted over the years at his grand Midway Park mansion with its own ballroom. Saddened by the news of his passing, his friends shared their thoughts about what he meant to his community. Thomas Walker, a longtime neighbor to Manning, lives on the corner, north of Manning’s home. “I’ve known George for over 30 years,” Walker told the Austin Weekly News. “There are four See MANNING on page 3
Fight h like l k a girl,l page 4
The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, at the corner of Madison and Central, will open in April.
Aspire Center on track to open this spring PROVIDED
Part of a plan that aims to revitalize Central Avenue and build wealth for Austin residents By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
After seven years in the making, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation will open in the spring. The Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, as its name suggests, will be a space for free training for trades and career development. But it will also offer services to support financial, legal, emotional, and familial aspects of life. “It’s also what the center is looking
to achieve – what happens within the building and how it transforms individuals’ lives,” said Darnell Shields, executive director of Austin Coming Together – one of the organizations planning and developing the Aspire Center – and a member of the board of directors for Growing Community Media, which See ASPIRE on page 7
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