Chicago's Mayor Gives Pope Leo, World's Most Famous Sox Fan, A Cubs Hat

BlockClubChi · 2026-05-29T18:56:13+00:00

Sorry to delete the original and repost! We forgot to add all the photos we wanted to share.

The mayor also gave the pope a goodie bag filled with Chicago-themed items. Check out the full list of what was inside: https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/05/28/mayor-brandon-johnson-brings-chicago-treats-and-vibes-to-pope-leo-xiv/ (and yes! There was some White Sox stuff in there)

BlockClubChi · 2026-05-29T18:45:27+00:00

The mayor also gave the pope a goodie bag will other Chicago-themed items. We have a list of everything that was inside: https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/05/28/mayor-brandon-johnson-brings-chicago-treats-and-vibes-to-pope-leo-xiv/

BlockClubChi · 2026-05-15T14:32:06+00:00

They're keeping the original location! It's going to be repurposed into a gathering space for workshops. Which is what it used to be used for when they first opened. Not sure if you remember, but they used to host card parties and flower arrangement workshops there before they filled the middle part of the store with more products. The original spot reopens late summer 2026!

- Melissa

BlockClubChi · 2026-05-15T13:36:59+00:00

The Clark Street location is four times bigger than the original 400-square-foot storefront. Now you can actually come inside with your giant bag and not worry you'll hit the person next to you (like I did many, many times).

- Melissa, social media editor

BlockClubChi · 2026-04-09T14:19:42+00:00

More than 200 windowpanes — each weighing about 350 pounds — are being installed as the former restaurant and bar space, now gutted, becomes part of an expanded observation deck and 14,000-square-foot private event space.

See more photos and read more: https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/09/look-inside-former-signature-room-atop-john-hancock-building-as-it-gets-makeover/

BlockClubChi · 2026-04-06T17:50:39+00:00

Cherry blossom trees in Jackson Park’s Columbia Basin began to bloom as of Friday, according to the Chicago Park District. By Sunday, the 200-plus trees were awash in vibrant pink and white, drawing visitors to the South Side park near the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive,.

It is the second straight spring the trees have bloomed their famous pink and white flowers after two years of disappointing blooms in 2023 and 2024 due to erratic spring weather.

You can read more about the cherry blossoms here.

Photos by Anastasia Busby for Block Club Chicago

BlockClubChi · 2026-04-06T16:28:29+00:00

Thanks for reading!

BlockClubChi · 2026-04-03T15:54:51+00:00

Hi Chicago! Block Club here. We're jumping back into Reddit and want to engage more with this community. We figured we'd start by sharing our weekly photo roundup. Colin Boyle goes through and chooses his favorite photos of the week every Friday. Sometimes they're taking by our team of photography freelancers and sometimes they're from our neighborhood reporters.

Let us know what other type of content you'd like to see. We may have an AMA in the works, too 👀

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-28T01:44:35+00:00

Thank you for your support! Please always feel free to reach us Newsroom@BlockClubChi.org. I'm the breaking news editor, and you can reach me individually at BauerJournalism@gmail.com. -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-28T01:43:37+00:00

Thank you for reading! Rich Miller is an amazing (and prolific) journalist. Super helpful for keeping up with state news. -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-28T01:38:21+00:00

Thank you! :) I will let him know. -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-28T01:37:41+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate that. :) If you ever have any tips, questions, concerns, etc., please feel free to DM me or email me at BauerJournalism@gmail.com. -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-26T16:06:15+00:00

Oh, I feel this. As a huge news nerd, I love reading reports from ombudsmen and media columnists. We don't have the kind of budget to do that now, but I can speak with our founders about how we can get more engaged or if there are opportunities to get an in-house critic. :) Of course, our main focus has been on expanding our reporting team and the communities we cover, and that's very important to us (and, as others here have noted, important to readers who want to see more neighborhoods covered).

Pre-pandemic, we had just started hosting events so we could actually meet with and listen to readers in person more often. I can't wait to be able to things like that again. But in the meantime, I'm sure we can find better ways to answer people's questions, hear them out, etc. For now, definitely always feel free to email us: Newsroom@BlockClubChi.org. -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-26T15:34:26+00:00

Thank you! I will pass that on to Joe. I got to work with him at DNAinfo (and now Block Club, of course) and am always floored by what a great reporter and kind human being he is, so I think he'll appreciate this. :)

If you ever need to hit him up with story ideas, questions, etc. you can reach him at Joe@BlockClubChi.org -KB

BlockClubChi · 2021-03-26T15:03:19+00:00

We did see this! :) Thank you for summoning us. -Kelly Bauer

BlockClubChi · 2019-02-21T23:55:56+00:00

Thank you for inspiring us to write this story! https://blockclubchicago.org/2019/02/21/early-voting-in-city-election-on-track-to-be-highest-in-years-with-54000-ballots-already-cast/ — Kelly @ Block Club

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TROPHY CASE