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Jeffrey P. Haydon, President and CEO of Ravinia, and Christopher J. Klein, Ravinia Board Chair, announced that North America’s longest-running outdoor music festival has begun a sweeping, multiyear renovation of its 36-acre park and venues just north of Chicago. Beloved, iconic features of Ravinia, from the early-20th-century Prairie School architecture to the manicured lawn, will be meticulously preserved for future generations, while a comprehensive upgrade elevates all venues and amenities to state-of-the-art standards for Ravinia’s 400,000 annual guests and more than 100 concerts each year.  Supported by a $75 million “Setting the Stages” campaign, the project begins with a complete renovation of the Pavilion, Ravinia’s largest venue. The signature roof will remain intact while the Pavilion receives a new stage, seating, and lighting, as well as enhanced acoustics and more robust production capabilities. Upon completion in 2026, the transformed venue will be renamed the Hunter Pavilion, honoring Maxine and Thomas B. Hunter III, in recognition of a leadership gift of $10 million from the Hunter Family Foundation. The thoroughly renovated and redesigned back-of-house areas serving Ravinia’s artists will be named The Negaunee Foundation Artist Center in recognition of a major gift of $21 million from The Negaunee Foundation. Ravinia will announce its 2025 season, running from June 6 to August 31, on March 13.

Photo Credit: Ravinia

Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that Jose Tirado, Executive Director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), will be transitioning out of his position. With nearly three years of dedicated service at OEMC, first as First Deputy and later as Executive Director, Tirado brought a wealth of experience from his distinguished three-decade career in law enforcement, including his tenure as Chief of Counterterrorism with the Chicago Police Department. His unwavering commitment to public safety and law enforcement has been a hallmark of his career, both before and during his time at OEMC.  Throughout his career, Tirado has been a steadfast advocate for the safety and well-being of Chicago’s residents. As Executive Director of OEMC, he played a critical role in advancing the department’s mission to coordinate public safety efforts, ensuring the security of all who call Chicago home. At OEMC, he leveraged his extensive law enforcement experience to enhance the City’s 9-1-1 Operations Center, 3-1-1 City Services, Emergency Management, and Traffic Management Authority, bringing a strategic and professional perspective to these critical functions.  Additionally, he played a key role in managing the City’s response to Chicago’s New Arrival mission, ensuring effective public safety measures throughout his leadership.  To ensure a seamless transition, Francisco Velez, Deputy District Chief and Special Events Liaison, will serve as Interim Executive Director of OEMC. Velez brings extensive experience in emergency management and public safety coordination, having played a key role in planning and executing large-scale events and emergency response efforts.

Northern Illinois Community Initiatives, one of the foundations supported by Nicor Gas, is proud to announce its new name as Nicor Illinois Community Investment (NICI). NICI was formed with contributions from Nicor Gas and its parent Southern Company Gas in 2021 to directly support economic impact in under-resourced communities in Northern Illinois. NICI’s new name signifies the growing impact of the foundation since its inception, retaining the signature logo and shorthand acronym that are familiar to its partners, while more closely collaborating with Nicor Gas in economic and community development across Northern Illinois. NICI fosters year-over-year growth by helping nonprofits, small businesses, entrepreneurs and community organizations establish strong foundations for continued success. The change to Nicor Illinois Community Investment represents NICI’s dedication to enduring, substantial contributions — an impact that NICI seeks not just to initiate, but sustain. Each year, NICI commits $1 million through $100,000 grants for high-impact community projects and other programs that support small businesses, entrepreneurs and other critical support for communities in need of targeted assistance. Learn more about Nicor Illinois Community Investment, read about the foundation’s impact and stay up to date with NICI’s growth at www.nici-il.org.

The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) will launch a nationwide search for the next Chief Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), following the announcement that Chief Administrator Andrea Kersten is resigning. The CCPSA thanks Chief Kersten for her service to the City.  By ordinance, when a vacancy occurs in the office of the COPA Chief Administrator, the CCPSA is charged with leading a national search and selecting a replacement. The CCPSA’s selected candidate is subject to City Council approval. If the City Council rejects the Commission’s candidate, the Commission must select a new candidate. The process continues until the City Council approves a candidate the CCPSA selected.  During the search process, the CCPSA is required by ordinance to engage a nationally recognized organization with expertise in government oversight to assist in the search. The CCPSA will provide regular updates on the search process to ensure that Chicagoans are informed and engaged throughout the process. Updates will be posted to the CCPSA website and provided at the CCPSA’s monthly public meetings on the last Thursday of each month.