■ Endorsements stack up for Davis PAGE 5
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AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2024 QUARTER 1
March 6, 2024
THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018. THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.
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FREE Vol. 38 No. 10
The evolution of the community’s plan
March 6, 2024 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
Austin neighbors honor slain Dollar Store security guard One man has been charged in the shooting death of Loyce Wright, a father of four By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Block Club Chicago A Growing Community Media Partner
A suburban man has been charged in the killing of dollar store security guard Loyce Wright, who was honored at a public safety march Tuesday to uplift the grieving family of the father of four. Rodgerick O’Neal, 36, of Maywood, was arrested and charged in the Friday shooting death of Wright, police announced Tuesday. Wright, 43, was working as a security guard Friday at the Family Dollar store at 5410 W. Chicago Ave. when O’Neal walked in around 1:30 p.m. and shot him several times, police said. Wright was taken to Stroger Hospital before being pronounced dead, police said. O’Neal previously worked at the store, and the two appeared to have a prior argument that led to the shooting, police officials said Tuesday. See SECURITY GUARD on page 8
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Austin Coming Together Special section inside
Groups seek climate change solutions as West Side grows hotter, rainier Rising temperatures and increased precipitation has, and will continue to, impact the health of local communities
JULIA SUDNITSKAYA/ADOBE STOCK
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
As a virtual community conversation about impacts of climate change on the greater Chicago area unfolded last week, multiple tornadoes touched down in the western suburbs amid intense downpours and 70-degree weather. Tem-
peratures dropped overnight and, the following day, it snowed. “Today is a perfect case study for us to launch this discussion,” said Crystal Gardner, an Austin resident and founding member of the 290 IPO, an independent political organization representing Chicago’s West Side and the western suburbs, which co-hosted the event.
That week’s whiplash temperatures were connected to climate change, experts said. Harsh changes in weather like this are just one result of the changing climate, which, in addition to having worldwide effects, also influences communities on a local level with rising See CLIMATE CHANGE on page 9
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