The Renaissance Letter: Gun violence rocks Harvey on New Year’s Day

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Harvey recorded its first homicide of 2025 on New Year’s Day amid several incidents of gun violence citywide. Here are the top five things to know about Harvey and the south suburbs for the week of Jan. 6, 2025.

5. Harvey eligible for pollution reduction funding, nonprofits announce

South Holland, Markham, Calumet City, Harvey, and Hazel Crest are eligible for a total of $2 billion in federal funding to combat pollution and emissions through the Inflation Reduction Act’s Community Change Agents program. Environmental nonprofit Delta Institute is stewarding the effort with South Holland, the primary partner.

The other three municipalities will serve as collaborative partners, according to a spokesperson from Elevate, another nonprofit that co-produced a report on clean energy in the Southland for the endeavor. To access funding, each municipality will be required to develop a pollution reduction plan. The amount each receives will be contingent upon project scope.

4. Pace seeking public comment on suburban bus network redesign

The region’s bus provider is considering new ways to reimagine the transit system as part of its ReVision Initiative. The draft plan is slated to be released mid-2025. But community feedback is needed before then. Submit your thoughts on two new concepts here.

3. NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” filming in Harvey this weekend

Street closures are coming to the downtown Harvey area as NBC’S “Chicago P.D.” will film in the city this weekend. The show notably stars Harvey native LaRoyce Hawkins as Det. Kevin Atwater. There will also be no parking and tow zones established on and around Center Ave. Plan ahead and review the full list of tow zones and road closures here.

2. GoFundMe seeking donations after baker’s home broken into

Ceminya Winters and her family’s home was broken into over Christmas while they were away in Missouri. Winters is widely known amongst Harvey’s young people for her bakery business, creating unique designs and showing the behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram. She created a GoFundme campaign seeking $8,000 to cover what was lost. “They took Tvs, Laptops, Ipads, Clothing, Shoes, game consoles, Jewelry, Life size piggy banks for my 2 daughters, and their Christmas gifts,” Winters wrote. As of Monday, the family has met over half its goal.

1. Man shot and killed on 157th St. and Paulina Ave.

A man was murdered on New Year’s Day at 3:35 P.M., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Office ruled the death a homicide as a result of multiple gunshot wounds. Harvey police blocked off streets. Amid a blackout regarding gun violence in Harvey, it’s unlikely police or the mayor’s office will release additional details. 

That followed other incidents of gun violence to ring in the new year, including a pastor who’s member had her car’s back window shot out. According to 2024 year-end data released from the county medical examiner, Harvey tied at number two for homicides across suburban Cook County, with Dolton and Maywood.