Good afternoon, Chicago. ✶
In today’s newsletter, we’re focusing on the story of a retired firefighter who survived a cardiac event — a miracle he credits to the 911 operator who guided his friend through how to perform CPR.
Months after that call, George Ma’Ayteh got to meet Amanda Garr to personally thank her for saving his life.
Plus, we’ve got reporting on an ex-Citi bank vice president who swindled the elderly, the fate of a historic theater, three restaurants serving ambitious twists on Latin cuisine and more community news you need to know below. 👇
⏱️: A 7-minute read
— Matt Moore, newsletter reporter (@MattKenMoore)
TODAY’S TOP STORY
Retired firefighter meets 911 call-taker who helped save his life: ‘God was resting on your shoulders’
Reporting by Mohammad Samra
A meaningful meeting: Amanda Garr often doesn’t know the outcome of the 911 calls she takes from frantic Chicagoans, but Wednesday morning, she met George Ma’Ayteh — a retired firefighter whose life she helped save.
Lifesaving decisions: Last fall, Garr, a city fire communications operator, accepted a call about an adult male who was unconscious and “wasn’t breathing normally.” Garr quickly notified a dispatcher to send an ambulance before calmly instructing the caller, Paula Anast, how to perform CPR on Ma’Ayteh. Garr credits Anast’s ability to follow instructions, highlighting how they worked together to help save Ma’Ayteh’s life. Doctors told Ma’Ayteh he suffered cardiac arrest, and he had a pacemaker implanted afterward.
Chicago connection: In a sense, Garr was born to the job. Her family has served Chicagoans for four generations. Her great-grandfather, grandfather, father and uncles worked with the fire department as firefighters, paramedics or through the OEMC. Coincidentally, Ma’Ayteh served under Garr’s father, 14th Battalion Chief Barry Garr.
Key quote: “I just love helping people,” Garr told reporters at the OEMC’s Near West Side office. “I know that when people call 911, they’re not calling because they’re having a good day. My hope is to be able to be there and help make that a little bit easier.”
WHAT ELSE IS GOING ON?
- Dexter Reed’s mental health struggles: Court documents and police records offer more details about the man killed last month in a shootout with police in Humboldt Park.
- Ex-Citi VP sentenced: Helen Grace Caldwell, a former Citibank wealth adviser in Chicago who swindled nearly $1.5 million from elderly clients, was sentenced Wednesday to 2½ years in prison by a judge who likened her to a bank robber.
- $2M federal grant to mitigate highway harm: The administration of President Joe Biden has awarded Chicago a $2 million planning grant to figure out ways to mitigate the harm construction of the Eisenhower Expressway did in breaking up communities.
- Remembering Robert Grossman: A lawyer and writer, Mr. Grossman was the principal writer of the 1967 Illinois Housing Development Act, which established the Illinois Housing Development Authority to finance affordable housing across Illinois.
- Selective-enrollment bill: Illinois lawmakers are advancing a bill that would prevent Chicago Public Schools officials from closing any schools or making major changes to selective-enrollment programs until a fully elected school board takes control in early 2027.
- Weather impacting bird migration: As the spring weather warms up earlier, some bird species in the Chicago area are arriving sooner — while others may struggle to keep up with changing weather conditions.
- 3.5 stars for ‘We Grown Now’: This lovely and lyrical, yet haunting and heartbreaking film, juxtaposes the innocence of 10-year-old best friends in Cabrini-Green with the real-life murder of young Dantrell Davis, writes Sun-Times critic Richard Roeper.
EXPLORING THE CITY 🍽️
Chicago restaurant owners, chefs put a twist on Latin cuisines through unique takes on food
Reporting by Dorothy Hernandez
Across the city, restaurant owners in Chicago are putting a unique twist on their food by melding Latin American flavors with other cuisines.
Here’s a sample of where in the city to find unique interpretations of Latin cuisine:
Amaru
Inspired by his upbringing in New York and wanting to uplift and celebrate Hispanic cultures, chef Rodolfo Cuadros celebrates Latin flavors through dishes like yuca frita, fried yuca with mojo verde; piononos, sweet plantains and chorizo wrapped in bacon, and Cuban oxtail.
📍 1904 W. North Ave.
Savanna
Enrique Calderon, who owns Savanna with his brother, Luis, came to Chicago from Ecuador in 2006. He worked in several restaurants, including breakfast institution Ina’s Restaurant. The signature dish is Llapingachos Benedict: poached eggs atop llapingachos, or potato cakes, an Ecuadorian favorite.
📍 3334 N. Halsted Ave.; 4111 N. Lincoln Ave.; 5657 N. Lincoln Ave.
Tsukiji
“Our focus is Japanese culture, with a little twist of the Latin vibe,” says co-owner Jessy Baydoun. Some of the signature rolls include the Guacamole Fusion, shrimp tempura topped with guacamole and adorned with wonton chips, and Rumba, spicy tuna with sliced avocado, fried plantain, unagi sauce and tobiko.
📍 1156 W. Grand Ave.
BRIGHT ONE ✨
Little Village venue Apollo’s 2000 inks landmark status
Reporting by Abby Miller
After owning and operating Apollo’s 2000 for more than 35 years, owners Javier and Lidia Galindo can officially celebrate the venue’s landmark status. That’s because the City Council voted Wednesday to approve landmark designation for the Little Village venue.
The Galindo family — which includes daughters Isis, Naomi and Evelyn Stell — didn’t seriously consider pursuing landmark designation until a few years ago.
When the family started conversations with the city about the landmark process, they found their mission for Apollo’s 2000 aligned with the city’s.
“The goal — and my parents have done this from the beginning of their ownership of the building — [is] to really care for the building and its integrity,” Stell said. “And that’s exactly what landmark designation does, right? It helps ensure the preservation of historical buildings like the Apollo’s 2000.”
Formerly known as the Marshall Square Theatre, the site at 2875 W. Cermak Road was built in 1917.
It was designed by architect Alexander L. Levy, who studied architecture at the University of Illinois and was “a master of movie theater design,” according to a report submitted to the city’s Commission on Chicago Landmarks.
YOUR DAILY QUESTION ☕️
What’s your favorite fusion restaurant in Chicago? Tell us why.
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ONE MORE THING 🤔
Today is the last day to cast your vote in the Chicago Showdown — our low-stakes bracket where you determine the ultimate champion of Chicago icons. Cast your vote here.
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Editor: Satchel Price
Newsletter reporter: Matt Moore
Copy editor: Angie Myers
