💗 I tried the $22 app for singles

The Quantum Debate Rages On

At a town hall event over the weekend, Mayor Brandon Johnson faced jeers for supporting the initiative. Here’s the latest on quantum in Chicago.

Quantum Shore, the megadevelopment coming to the former U.S. Steel South Works site, aims to house the country’s first commercial quantum computer. The Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, now underway, marks the first phase of Quantum Shore development.

• Ummm … what IS quantum computing? Classic computers process information one piece at a time. But a quantum computer can analyze large amounts of information all at once by relying on quantum physics.
• Umm … quantum physics? Brian Greene, my former professor, explains it.

About that town hall: As progress continues on the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on the Southeast Side, a community advocacy group organized an event for locals to share their opinions. The crowd was not happy: “Reverse the permits. Shut it down. Mayor Johnson, do it now,” they chanted. Johnson, meanwhile, affirmed that remediation efforts will take place on the site, and said that no data center is part of the Quantum Shore plan.

• Previously: University of Chicago scientists called on anchor tenant PsiQuantum to halt construction, citing contamination and other environmental concerns.
• The funding breakdown: The $9 billion project is set to receive $500 million in state funding and an estimated $175 million in tax breaks over 30 years. Johnson also pledged $5 million from the city.

A Pritzker obsession: Although quantum computing is still considered somewhat obscure, Gov. JB Pritzker and his sister Penny Pritzker, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, have pushed to make Chicago a hub for the future industry. Pritzker says he regrets that Chicago is missing out on the original internet boom, and feels strongly that quantum is “on the verge.”

Will quantum be a good neighbor? A recent multimedia investigative series, “Quantum Entanglements,” investigates how this speculative technology is already transforming the Southeast Side. While a coalition of government officials, private industry leaders, and academics keep pushing quantum, Chicagoans worry about displacement, environmental damage, and the erosion of digital privacy.

• Why the South Side? The closing of the former U.S. Steel South Works rocked the community and left space in the area.
• Listen further: We talked in depth about quantum’s potential community impact.

Alders Divided Over ‘ICE Out.’ Also, Is an App For Singles Worth $22?

Twenty-one aldermen have signed the “ICE Out" pledge, promising not to accept money from 12 businesses (including Amazon, Home Depot, and Target) that activists say profited from President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. We discuss what that really means on today's podcast. Also: my recent adventure at an AI-curated singles mixer. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Austin is Officially ‘Soul City.’ So Where’s the Sign?

Millions have been spent building up Austin’s Black-owned businesses, affordable housing stock, and cultural offerings in recent years, in an effort to reverse decades of disinvestment. But residents are still waiting for a promised “Soul City” archway. The delayed structure aims to celebrate Austin’s designation as an official cultural district. It was first promised by city leaders in 2020. [Sun-Times]

• Also: Explore four spots contributing to Austin’s arts revival. [Sun-Times]

Embattled Columbus Statue Gets New Home

After the city took down multiple statues of Christopher Columbus in 2020, the removal from Arrigo Park sparked a lawsuit from the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. Now, the committee’s president is opening an Italian History Museum, where he plans to display the former monument. It could open on Columbus Day. [Block Club]

• Flashback: Some Chicago monuments don’t tell the full story. [City Cast Chicago 🎧]

Old Trees Reduce Flooding — And Save Lives

A new study finds that even a tiny (0.03%) annual increase in Chicago’s tree canopy could save about a hundred residents a year from premature heat-related death, and the only way to get there is to preserve mature trees. Pruning, watering, mulching, and watching out for pests all help give mature trees a fighting chance. [Tribune 🔒]

• In other climate news: Chicago homeowners may still be eligible for flood cost reimbursements. [WTTW]