A laboratory is being created to teach students how to become nurses without all the expenses. Funding for this nursing simulation laboratory is being provided by the government at Chicago State University.  According to J. B. Pritzker, the Democratic Governor who announced the $2.5 million funding:

“That state-of-the-art facility will train thousands of students for jobs in one of the fastest growing industries, and that’s the medical profession, at a crucial moment,” Illinois faces a nursing shortage across a number of specialties.”

As well as being ranked number one of the Midwest pharmacy institutions in the education of minority students by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, according to President Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, it is the only widely-black institution.  Students are made up of: 70 percent African American and 10 percent Latinx.  In addition there are 69 percent women; 61 percent are first generation college students.

Further, for students who study there, there will be a substantially greater pay scale and opportunity, helping students at the university feel a sense of pride.

In other city-enhancement news, the Chicago Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program has just been launched.  In an attempt to facilitate the capacity of property owners to move over to clean energy, PACE is offering low-cost financing for such work to be undertaken in new and existing buildings.  Those wanting to install green roofs, solar panels and other water/energy saving devices will have an easier financial time doing so thanks to PACE.  This loan is only paid back through a special assessment which is automatically added to future tax bills in each property building.