■ Jitu Brown runs for school board PAGE 2
FREE Vol. 38 No. 28
July 10, 2024 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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What’s next for Rev. Ira Acree after his RTA nomination withdrawal?
‘I’m just more determined to do the work,’ he said about his preaching and advocacy By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
In late May, Rev. Ira Acree, lead pastor at Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin, withdrew his name from consideration for the Regional Transportation Authority board, the oversight body for Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace services. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson nominated Acree for the RTA board in March, Acree said. But about two months later, the pastor rescinded his nomination amid opposition by two aldermen during the interview process. Now, Acree, a seasoned activist, is setting his journey into politics aside for the moment to continue living his faith and speaking truth to power, he said. See IRA ACREE on page 9
JESSICA MORDACQ
Felicia O’connor and Rodrick Harris standing in front of a photo of the Great Blue Hole in Belize, their restaurant’s namesake.
Austin’s The Blōōhol offers Belizean delights
“This is the first upscale Belizean By JESSICA MORDACQ The father-daughter team restaurant in Chicago,” O’connor said. Its menu consists of popular Central of owners plans to open In June, father-daughter team Rodrick American and Caribbean dishes that and Felicia O’connor opened The Harris grew up eating in Belize. their restaurant bar later BlHarris ōōhol, a high-end Belizean restaurant “Our Sunday dinner is rice and beans, this month in Austin, the first of its kind in the neighStaff Reporter
borhood, and likely in the city as a whole.
See BLŌŌHOL on page 4
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