Harvey City Hall closed and meetings cancelled due to extreme weather

The July 27 City Council meeting, along with the preceding finance committee meeting, have been cancelled after a rash of rain hit the area this afternoon. City Hall is also closed.

By Amethyst J. Davis

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Health

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July 27, 2026

Damage from a storm early afternoon shows trees down as Harvey city workers clear debris from streets, as shown July 27, 2026. Photo from the City of Harvey Facebook page

Harvey City Hall is closing early after a storm came through the area. Tonight’s finance committee and City Council meeting are also cancelled, the city announced on its official Facebook page.

The city posted images of downed trees and city workers cleaning debris.

“A severe storm system has moved through the area, causing flooding and downed power lines in several locations. Please use extreme caution while traveling and avoid flooded roadways and any areas where power lines are down,” the city posted.

According to the National Weather Service, another round of storms is expected to move through the south suburbs and northwest Indiana after 4:00 P.M. Storm clouds have already begun rolling over the area.

For after-hours emergencies, the city advises residents to call (708) 475-2248 and 911 for life-threatening emergencies.

The council was set to discuss zoning and redevelopment of industrial land on 160th St. and Park Ave., discuss lead replacement initiatives, address pet licenses, and appoint new members to Harvey’s planning commission. View the meeting packet here.

Author

Amethyst J. Davis

Amethyst J. Davis is responsible for spearheading the growth and development of the HWH, including outlining the editorial trajectory and content. She also produces “The Renaissance Letter,” our biweekly email newsletter, edits content, and fact-checks stories prior to publication. Amethyst was an administrator at New York University before launching her journalism career. She was previously a member of the Sounding Board, the community advisory board for Chicago Public Media, which includes WBEZ Chicago and the Chicago Sun-Times.

Amethyst is a 2023 Leader of a New Chicago award recipient, as recognized by the Field Foundation and MacArthur Foundation. She was named to Forbes 30 Under 30.

In 2022, Amethyst was a Casey Fellow with the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Black News & Views. She is a sought after speaker on community journalism and has given talks at institutions like DePaul University and the University of Kansas. Amethyst is a regular guest on City Cast Chicago.

She was invited by Harvard University to submit a 2023 and 2024 Nieman Lab prediction. Under her leadership, the HWH has become one of the nation’s most-watched hyperlocal newsrooms. The HWH has received national coverage in publications like Poynter, Harvard University’s Nieman Lab, the National Press Journalism Club Institute, and Editor & Publisher.

A Harvey native, Amethyst is a Brooks Middle School (’11) and Thornton Township High School alum (‘15) and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from NYU (BA’19). She is an alumna of the Data and Policy Summer Scholar program at the University of Chicago.