Weekend to Confront Menthol Tobacco

This weekend, in partnership with the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council, CDPH will host two powerful events as part of the No Menthol Chicago campaign, a citywide movement declaring that Chicago is giving Menthol the Blues!

On Friday, August 22, the No Menthol Chicago Poetry Slam will bring together youth and adults to share original spoken word pieces that highlight the health harms of menthol tobacco and uplift visions for a healthier, tobacco-free city.

On Saturday, August 23, residents are invited to attend the No Menthol Chicago Funeral, a symbolic service at Sheldon Heights Church of Christ honoring those lost to tobacco-related illness and calling for an end to the tobacco industry's decades-long targeting of Black and Brown communities. The funeral will be observed as a full service, with reflections, resources to support quitting, and a repast immediately following.

These events reflect CDPH's ongoing commitment to advance health equity and reduce chronic disease as outlined in the Healthy Chicago 2025 Strategic Plan. In collaboration with community partners, CDPH is working to confront the deadly impact of menthol cigarettes and protect future generations from tobacco-related harm.

Both events are free and open to the public.

Event Details

• No Menthol Chicago Poetry Slam
• Friday, August 22 | 6:30 pm
• Kroc Center, 1250 W 119th St, Chicago, IL 60643

• No Menthol Chicago Funeral
• Saturday, August 23 | Noon–1 pm
• Sheldon Heights Church of Christ, 11325 S. Halsted, Chicago, IL 60643

For more information and to register, visit Eventbrite.

Air Sensor Installation Event This Weekend

In partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) has initiated the development of the Chicago Air Sensor Network as a public infrastructure investment to increase the concentration of air sensors throughout the city. The network, once fully operational, will be the largest community air monitoring network in the world with nearly 280 sensors and will supplement the air monitoring data that currently exists to provide neighborhood-level air quality data to the public

In support of the launch, CDPH will hold an air sensor installation ceremony and presentation near 1015 W. Cermak Road (geocode: 41°51'09.0"N 87°39'07.0"W) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, August 23. The event will cover the current progress of the installation of air sensors, the overall value provided to Chicago residents, and the future of the project.

To read more about CDPH's environmental work, visit the CDPH website.

This Week's Mosquito Spray Locations

Last week, CDPH confirmed Chicago's first three human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) in 2025, and the risk of WNV in Chicago remains high. CDPH has sprayed insecticide in several community areas over recent weeks and are spraying to kill adult mosquitoes in three communities this week, August 19, 2025 (Forest Glen, Norwood Park) and Thursday, August 21, 2025 (West Pullman). This is the fourth week of spraying events to occur in the city this season.

Weather permitting, the spraying will begin at dusk and continue through the night until approximately 1 a.m., with licensed mosquito abatement technicians dispensing an ultra-low-volume spray from trucks. Maps of the planned spray zones can be reviewed and downloaded online:

• Tuesday, August 19: Forest Glen, Norwood Park (pdf)
• Thursday, August 21: West Pullman (pdf)

For more information on West Nile virus and how Chicagoans can protect themselves, visit the CDPH West Nile dashboard at chicago.gov/westnilevirus.

Extreme Heat Report Published

CDPH has released a data report on the negative health effects of the Extreme Heat Warning in late June of this year. From June 20-24, 2025, temperatures reached triple digits in Chicago, triggering an extreme heat response from the City, including hospital monitoring by CDPH for heat-related illnesses. Among the findings: People aged 65 or older were roughly twice as likely to experience heat-related illness than those younger than 65, and about 20% of emergency room visits related to heat resulted in hospitalization. To see information broken down by demographic and community area, among other data points, review the full Extreme Heat Report on the CDPH website.

35 Years of the Ryan White CARE Act

Thirty-five years ago this week, Congress passed the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, establishing federal funding for much-needed healthcare for those living with HIV and AIDS. Named in honor of the young AIDS activist, this legislation was a turning point for HIV/AIDS treatment and continues to provide vital services, especially for low-income individuals.

This federal funding is channeled through state and city agencies like CDPH, alongside direct support to community organizations. In 2024 alone, nearly 14,000 Chicagoans relied on Ryan White funding for their HIV care. A staggering 70% of those served by CDPH-funded programs were Black, Latino, or Hispanic.

As CDPH marks this anniversary, we recognize that new HIV cases are at an historic low and people living with HIV are living long, full lives, but there is more work to be done. HIV continues to disproportionately impact certain groups more than others, as Black Chicagoans account for nearly half of all new HIV cases.

Chicagoans can access free HIV testing and connect with HIV healthcare services at the CDPH Sexual Health Clinics. More information at chicago.gov/sti-hiv.

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