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FREE Vol. 39 No. 44
November 5, 2025 ■ Also serving Garfield Park ■ austinweeklynews.com
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Grocery co-op is coming to Austin Austin Community Food Co-op proposes West Side’s first community-owned grocery store By JESSICA MORDACQ
Special insert
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Family demands criminal charges in hit-and-run of Austin 9-year-old Anakin Perez killed while crossing the street in front of his school, the driver who fled is given a traffic citation
Staff Reporter
In September, 40 Acres Fresh Market opened in Austin, and is one of the only full-service grocery stores in the neighborhood of over 95,000 people. The Austin Community Food Co-op is working toward adding another grocery store to Austin, this one owned by community members who buy into it. The co-op is part of the local nonprofit Austin Coming Together’s Austin Eats initiative, and the group is now looking for people who want to be involved in developing the grocery store. “Our vision is to strengthen the health, wellness and local economy of the Austin community through a cooperative,” said Alyssa Sherman, Austin Community Food Co-op’s community relations coordinator. She said the co-op’s mission aims to address the continued disinvestment from Austin that has left the neighborhood without food access and stability.
By MICHAEL LIPTROT Block Club Chicago
West Side community members are calling for stronger penalties for the driver accused of hitting and killing an Austin fourth grader outside his school. Anakin Perez, 9, was crossing the street in front of McNair Elementary, 4820 W. Walton St., on Sept. 18 when a woman driving westbound hit him before dragging him under her car, police and family said. Anakin — remembered as a friendly, athletic, lovable and energetic child — was brought to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. The driver was taken into custody that day and See HIT-AND-RUN on page 6
See GROCERY on page 8
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THE ART OF SEEING OURSELVES SPRING 2025 WEST
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