Latest news with #AuroraCityCouncil
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
For Viviana Ramirez, serving Aurora was ‘happy work'
Former Aurora Chief Community Services Officer Viviana Ramirez, who was one of many in upper city management who recently left their positions alongside former Mayor Richard Irvin, looks back on her time at the city as 'happy work.' After rising through the ranks of the Aurora Community Services Department for the last several years, Ramirez served out her official last day in Aurora's city government on May 13, the same day new Mayor John Laesch was sworn into office. Laesch has since appointed Nicole Mullins to Ramirez's former position, which was approved by the Aurora City Council last week. An attorney with a background in defense, Ramirez told The Beacon-News in a recent interview that she calls her time at the city 'happy work' because 'it was everything that I loved about working in the community, minus the adversarial system.' Ramirez was first hired at the city of Aurora in 2021 as the community engagement manager, which means she managed the city's community engagement group as well as youth, senior and disability services. She said that was probably a good decision by Irvin because, although the two knew each other from both practicing law, the position allowed her to learn how city government worked. After shifting to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office to help build its conviction integrity unit, Ramirez returned to the city as director of Community Services in 2023. She worked under Martin Shanahan, who was at the time the chief community services officer, until she took over his role in 2024 when he left to become Plano's city administrator. As chief community services officer, Ramirez managed what she said was technically three divisions but really operated like seven — public art, the Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum, innovation, community development, senior and disability services, youth services and grants. Each of those functions was made up of experts in their own fields, she said, so the goal of the overall Community Services Department was to identify gaps within those divisions, as well as finding new programs and initiatives, to better serve Aurora residents and improve their quality of life. And she said that went for every resident, since there was always a focus on inclusivity and accessibility. 'Every program and initiative, I think we approached it from the lens of, 'Everybody, regardless of race, demographic, economics, we want to be there for you,'' Ramirez said. When asked what she was most proud of doing at the city, Ramirez first pointed to the family festivals. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked directly with neighborhood groups on these festivals to bring a sense of community back to 'the pockets of Aurora where they could really benefit from that,' she said. A more recent program Ramirez said she was proud of was the Mobile/Express Consulate Initiative, which brought consulate services to Aurora so residents did not need to take time off of work or travel to get these services. She called the program a 'big win for our residents and our community.' Plus, Ramirez said she was also proud of the new-this-year Neighborhood Empowerment Beautification Grant, which offers small grants to homeowners to improve the outside of their homes. At one point in her career at the city, Ramirez remembered thinking, 'Wow, this is so cool, I'm getting paid to think of what programming I can bring to city residents to enhance their life?' 'That's happy work right there,' she said. While there were many newsworthy programs Ramirez worked on, such as the Aurora Promise educational savings account program, a lot also went on behind the scenes, according to Ramirez. For example, she said her department always tried to offer excellent and professional customer service, even when it related to something her team wasn't directly responsible for. Something Ramirez said she was going to miss about working at the city was being part of a team that put residents' needs above anything else. She will miss sitting down at a table to brainstorm and talk through initiatives, or to identify gaps and plan to fill those gaps, which she said was the 'cornerstone' of the department. Plus, she felt supported by Irvin's team as well as the other city chiefs, she said. That camaraderie, professionalism and support, particularly from the mayor's office, she said, contributed to making it 'happy work.' 'I cherish the time that I spent with the city,' she said. 'I thought the old administration had such a wealth of knowledge — their backgrounds, their experiences — that it was one of those places that you've just felt happy coming to work.' Ramirez said she will always feel honored to have been part of the Irvin administration, but her work for the community will continue. That same positivity and innovative way of thinking will now be brought forward to the way she serves her clients, she said. She chose to leave the city, she said, because she wants to 'return to the practice of law to focus on the areas I am most passionate about,' which is both a personal and professional decision to 're-engage with my legal career and continue serving the community.' rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
27-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
For Viviana Ramirez, serving Aurora was ‘happy work'
Former Aurora Chief Community Services Officer Viviana Ramirez, who was one of many in upper city management who recently left their positions alongside former Mayor Richard Irvin, looks back on her time at the city as 'happy work.' After rising through the ranks of the Aurora Community Services Department for the last several years, Ramirez served out her official last day in Aurora's city government on May 13, the same day new Mayor John Laesch was sworn into office. Laesch has since appointed Nicole Mullins to Ramirez's former position, which was approved by the Aurora City Council last week. An attorney with a background in defense, Ramirez told The Beacon-News in a recent interview that she calls her time at the city 'happy work' because 'it was everything that I loved about working in the community, minus the adversarial system.' Ramirez was first hired at the city of Aurora in 2021 as the community engagement manager, which means she was over the city's community engagement group as well as senior and disability services. She said that was probably a good decision by Irvin because, although the two knew each other from both practicing law, the position allowed her to learn how city government worked. After shifting to the Kane County State's Attorney's Office to help build its conviction integrity unit, Ramirez returned to the city as director of Community Services in 2023. She worked under Martin Shanahan, who was at the time the chief community services officer, until she took over his role in 2024 when he left to become Plano's city administrator. As chief community services officer, Ramirez managed what she said was technically three divisions but really operated like seven — public art, the Grand Army of the Republic Military Museum, innovation, community development, senior and disability services, youth services and grants. Each of those functions was made up of experts in their own fields, she said, so the goal of the overall Community Services Department was to identify gaps within those divisions, as well as finding new programs and initiatives, to better serve Aurora residents and improve their quality of life. And she said that went for every resident, since there was always a focus on inclusivity and accessibility. 'Every program and initiative, I think we approached it from the lens of, 'Everybody, regardless of race, demographic, economics, we want to be there for you,'' Ramirez said. When asked what she was most proud of doing at the city, Ramirez first pointed to the family festivals. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, she worked directly with neighborhood groups on these festivals to bring a sense of community back to 'the pockets of Aurora where they could really benefit from that,' she said. A more recent program Ramirez said she was proud of was the Mobile/Express Consulate Initiative, which brought consulate services to Aurora so residents did not need to take time off of work or travel to get these services. She called the program a 'big win for our residents and our community.' Plus, Ramirez said she was also proud of the new-this-year Neighborhood Empowerment Beautification Grant, which offers small grants to homeowners to improve the outside of their homes. At one point in her career at the city, Ramirez remembered thinking, 'Wow, this is so cool, I'm getting paid to think of what programming I can bring to city residents to enhance their life?' 'That's happy work right there,' she said. While there were many newsworthy programs Ramirez worked on, such as the Aurora Promise educational savings account program, a lot also went on behind the scenes, according to Ramirez. For example, she said her department always tried to offer excellent and professional customer service, even when it related to something her team wasn't directly responsible for. Something Ramirez said she was going to miss about working at the city was being part of a team that put residents' needs above anything else. She will miss sitting down at a table to brainstorm and talk through initiatives, or to identify gaps and plan to fill those gaps, which she said was the 'cornerstone' of the department. Plus, she felt supported by Irvin's team as well as the other city chiefs, she said. That camaraderie, professionalism and support, particularly from the mayor's office, she said, contributed to making it 'happy work.' 'I cherish the time that I spent with the city,' she said. 'I thought the old administration had such a wealth of knowledge — their backgrounds, their experiences — that it was one of those places that you've just felt happy coming to work.' Ramirez said she will always feel honored to have been part of the Irvin administration, but her work for the community will continue. That same positively and innovative way of thinking will now be brought forward to the way she serves her clients, she said. She chose to leave the city, she said, because she wants to 'return to the practice of law to focus on the areas I am most passionate about,' which is both a personal and professional decision to 're-engage with my legal career and continue serving the community.'
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Aurora CIO Michael Pegues reflects on his time at City Hall
Former Aurora Chief Information Officer Michael Pegues left his position recently alongside former Mayor Richard Irvin. Both Irvin's and Pegues' official last day with the city of Aurora was May 13, when new Mayor John Laesch was sworn into office. Although working for the city was the 'defining moment' of his career, Pegues told The Beacon-News he resigned both because of his loyalties to Irvin and because he said his values do not align with the new administration. The chief information officer position is now held by Ram Tyagi, who was appointed by Laesch and confirmed by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday. Irvin brought in Pegues after his first successful bid for mayor in 2017. The two grew up together, but Pegues said he had just came back from 16 years working overseas and reconnected with Irvin. At the time, Pegues was a vice president at the financial firm Morgan Stanley, but he took a pay cut to work for the city of Aurora, he said, because he wanted to pay it forward to the community he grew up in. When he came home to Aurora, he saw a 'digital divide' and children that didn't have access to technology and STEM education, he said. 'I said, 'This is my opportunity as an African-American CIO to give back to my community,'' Pegues said. 'I see myself in these kids, and I'm like, 'This is where I can make a difference.'' In an email sent to city staff, colleagues and partners before his last day working at the city of Aurora, Pegues said he had an 'incredible and productive tenure' that was 'marked by groundbreaking innovations and transformative progress.' He also used that email to highlight 'pivotal technological transformations' that were achieved in a relatively short time under Irvin's administration. Those achievements included, among many others, he said, the No Child Left Offline initiative that helped bring high-speed internet access to underserved communities during the COVID-19 pandemic; open data portals and advanced analytics for crisis response, like during the Henry Pratt workplace shooting; as well as improvements to the city's network, infrastructure and cybersecurity. 'Through these efforts, we have cemented Aurora's reputation as a regional technology hub—recognized nationally and globally,' Pegues said in his email. 'What we accomplished together has not only shaped the city but laid the foundation for continued innovation for years to come.' For his efforts, Pegues has been recognized both locally and nationally. In 2024, he was recognized as a Local IT Leader of the Year by StateScoop and one of the top 10 city government CIOs by Government CIO Outlook, then in 2025 he was named the Leader of the Year by the Aurora African-American Heritage Advisory Board. Pegues said it is the camaraderie, the drive and the support from the mayor's office he received in his time as CIO that he will miss the most about working for the city. The administration 'accelerated' economic development, public safety and education, he said, which are all built on a foundation of innovation and technology. Like how Irvin often claimed his administration did more economic development than decades of past administrations, Pegues felt the same way about innovation and technology, he said. 'To my staff, to all the city department heads, to our partners, I am completely grateful,' Pegues said. 'We've fundamentally changed the landscape in all of these different areas here in the city of Aurora.' Although he will no longer be working at the city, Pegues said he has other opportunities within the innovation and technology sphere that will allow him to still do work related to smart cities. 'We're going to come back with a bang,' he said. 'I'll still be contributing to the growth and prosperity of the city of Aurora because this is my hometown, and I'm going to be here.' rsmith@
Chicago Tribune
26-05-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Former Aurora CIO Michael Pegues reflects on his time at City Hall
Former Aurora Chief Information Officer Michael Pegues left his position recently alongside former Mayor Richard Irvin. Both Irvin's and Pegues' official last day with the city of Aurora was May 13, when new Mayor John Laesch was sworn into office. Although working for the city was the 'defining moment' of his career, Pegues told The Beacon-News he resigned both because of his loyalties to Irvin and because he said his values do not align with the new administration. The chief information officer position is now held by Ram Tyagi, who was appointed by Laesch and confirmed by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday. Irvin brought in Pegues after his first successful bid for mayor in 2017. The two grew up together, but Pegues said he had just came back from 16 years working overseas and reconnected with Irvin. At the time, Pegues was a vice president at the financial firm Morgan Stanley, but he took a pay cut to work for the city of Aurora, he said, because he wanted to pay it forward to the community he grew up in. When he came home to Aurora, he saw a 'digital divide' and children that didn't have access to technology and STEM education, he said. 'I said, 'This is my opportunity as an African-American CIO to give back to my community,'' Pegues said. 'I see myself in these kids, and I'm like, 'This is where I can make a difference.'' In an email sent to city staff, colleagues and partners before his last day working at the city of Aurora, Pegues said he had an 'incredible and productive tenure' that was 'marked by groundbreaking innovations and transformative progress.' Those achievements included, among many others, he said, the No Child Left Offline initiative that helped bring high-speed internet access to underserved communities during the COVID-19 pandemic; open data portals and advanced analytics for crisis response, like during the Henry Pratt workplace shooting; as well as improvements to the city's network, infrastructure and cybersecurity. 'Through these efforts, we have cemented Aurora's reputation as a regional technology hub—recognized nationally and globally,' Pegues said in his email. 'What we accomplished together has not only shaped the city but laid the foundation for continued innovation for years to come.' For his efforts, Pegues has been recognized both locally and nationally. In 2024, he was recognized as a Local IT Leader of the Year by StateScoop and one of the top 10 city government CIOs by Government CIO Outlook, then in 2025 he was named the Leader of the Year by the Aurora African-American Heritage Advisory Board. Pegues said it is the camaraderie, the drive and the support from the mayor's office he received in his time as CIO that he will miss the most about working for the city. The administration 'accelerated' economic development, public safety and education, he said, which are all built on a foundation of innovation and technology. Like how Irvin often claimed his administration did more economic development than decades of past administrations, Pegues felt the same way about innovation and technology, he said. 'To my staff, to all the city department heads, to our partners, I am completely grateful,' Pegues said. 'We've fundamentally changed the landscape in all of these different areas here in the city of Aurora.' Although he will no longer be working at the city, Pegues said he has other opportunities within the innovation and technology sphere that will allow him to still do work related to smart cities. 'We're going to come back with a bang,' he said. 'I'll still be contributing to the growth and prosperity of the city of Aurora because this is my hometown, and I'm going to be here.'
Chicago Tribune
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Economic development seen as key to legacy of former Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin
For the last eight years, Richard Irvin got the chance to live out his longtime dream: being the mayor of his hometown, Aurora. It was hope that drove Irvin, who grew up in low-income housing, was raised by a single mother and was the first in his family to graduate from both high school and college, to make a name for himself, he recently said in an interview with The Beacon-News. And it was that same hope that he later turned towards the city, Irvin said, to make his hometown into something, too. 'I'll be known for a lot of things, but I think what I did best, and what I was able to convey to our residents, was hope,' he said. Irvin became the 59th mayor of Aurora, and the first African American to ever hold the title, after he was first elected in 2017. Before that, he served on the Aurora City Council for 10 years as an alderman at-large, and he was also the first African American man to be elected to that position. 'This has been an absolutely fun ride,' Irvin told a group of gathered elected officials, city staff and others from the community who packed the lobby of the Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora on May 6 to help say goodbye to him and those from the mayor's office who were also leaving alongside him. His time as mayor ended when the city's new mayor, John Laesch, was inaugurated on Tuesday. Laesch defeated Irvin in the April 1 consolidated election, an ostensibly nonpartisan race that saw significant spending from the state Democratic party and which many considered to be divisive. The win over a sitting mayor was a rarity for Aurora. The last time an incumbent elected mayor conceded defeat in an election was in 1997, but even then David Pierce withdrew ahead of that year's consolidated election after what he saw as a lackluster showing in the primary to opponent David Stover. Irvin's two four-year terms as mayor of Aurora were marked by significant economic development efforts throughout the city but also by tragedies such as the Henry Pratt mass shooting and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as significant pushback and criticism for many of those same economic development projects others view as successes. At one of his last city meetings as mayor, the May 6 meeting of the Aurora City Council's Committee of the Whole, Irvin said his outgoing administration 'made a long-lasting impact and fundamentally changed the face of this city as we know it.' Many locally involved in Aurora's civic sphere have recently told The Beacon-News similar things when asked to think about Irvin's legacy as mayor. Some said Irvin helped to turn around the city's once-negative reputation, while others talked about his ability to build a good team, but all who were asked about his legacy mentioned economic development, particularly in downtown, as something he will be remembered for. Irvin has often said, particularly during his recently unsuccessful reelection campaign, that he has done more economic development than six or more decades of past mayors put together. And according to Curtis Wilson, who last year was honored as Aurora's first-ever Volunteer of the Year for his efforts across every part of the city, Irvin has earned the right to brag about that. A large part of Irvin's legacy, Wilson said, will be related to economic development and prosperity of the city. A large part of Irvin's economic development efforts have been centered around Aurora's downtown. Chuck Nelson, a lifelong Aurora resident who was formerly Irvin's deputy mayor but who also was selected to be part of Laesch's transition team, said what Irvin did to downtown has been 'transformational.' 'There's certainly more interest and activity in the downtown than I've ever seen,' Nelson said. Using financial incentives backed by the Irvin administration and approved by the City Council, a number of downtown historic buildings were or are in the process of being redeveloped to house apartments and commercial space. A notable example of a downtown redevelopment project is the over 130-year-old Hobbs Building, its onion dome a longtime piece of the Aurora skyline, which city officials have said was once near-collapse but now holds three new restaurants — Leilani Asian Fusion, Giardino Trattoria & Pizzeria and Touche French Creole — along with 33 apartments. Aurora's downtown is also seeing new development with the under-construction East Bank Apartments along North Broadway. Like many of the downtown redevelopment projects under Irvin's administration, this project by DAC Developments was given financial incentives from the city, which in this case total around $12.6 million. Alongside many of the redevelopment projects, a large number of restaurants, coffee shops and similar establishments opened up in downtown Aurora during Irvin's time as mayor. In addition to those in the Hobbs Building, other examples include Arthouse, Society 57 and Altiro Latin Fusion, among many others. 'If you walk around downtown, a dead and desolate place before 2017 when I took office, and you see life teeming and excitement spreading with people walking their dogs, jogging and simply taking a stroll in our downtown, that transformation happened under the Irvin administration,' Irvin said during his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting. Mike Saville — Aurora's 6th Ward alderman who has been on the City Council for nearly 40 years, perhaps the longest consecutive term ever served, and who was on Laesch's transition team — said the downtown's redevelopment was 'an important milestone for our community.' 'It was the last piece of the puzzle that we needed to put together that we've been planning on and allocated city resources for many, many years,' he said. Along with Irvin's focus on downtown economic development was his support of arts and entertainment, which many have said help to support those economic development efforts. Aurora is now known as a theater district both locally and regionally, meaning people are coming and attending shows here, Saville said, which is good for the community in the long run. Tim Rater, the Paramount Theatre's president and CEO who recently was recognized as the 2024 Chicagoan of the Year in Theater by the Chicago Tribune, said Irvin's administration was fully behind his organization even during the COVID-19 pandemic, which hit the theater hard. And, despite the pandemic's setbacks, the Irvin administration supported the Paramount not just in getting back to what it previously did but in being bigger than ever before, Rater said. 'Much of what we've done over these past eight years wouldn't have been possible, especially since COVID, without their support,' he said. 'There would be no BOLD Series, don't know that we would have the (Paramount School of the Arts) reopened and there certainly would be no Stolp Island Theatre.' More broadly, Rater categorized Irvin as 'a builder.' There are certain types of leaders who focus on developing and moving things forward, he said, and Irvin's mind always seemed to be on the next project. And those projects extended far beyond Aurora's downtown. One notable example is the new $360 million Hollywood Casino resort currently being built along Farnsworth Avenue and Bilter Road, across the street from Chicago Premium Outlets mall and near the Interstate 88 interchange. That new casino is set to replace the existing Hollywood Casino in downtown Aurora. Irvin has previously said he and his administration pushed hard for Hollywood Casino's parent company, Penn Entertainment, to build a new casino in Aurora and even helped to get state laws changed so it could be relocated. The project was also supported with a $50 million up-front financial incentive from the city, which is set to be paid back through taxes generated by the project through a tax increment financing district, also called a TIF, or by Penn Entertainment directly if the taxes produced are not enough. Local officials were worried that Penn Entertainment might pull out of Illinois altogether as its casinos in both downtown Aurora and Joliet brought in less and less money, according to past reporting. The Aurora casino contributed about $15 million a year in gaming taxes to the city at its highest point, but that has fallen to just below $6 million in recent years. Many who spoke to The Beacon-News said the city's new casino, when it opens in 2026, will have a significant impact on the city's finances. The city's gaming tax in part goes to support initiatives by Aurora aldermen to improve quality of life within their wards. Another major project within Aurora under Irvin's time as mayor, which also received significant financial support from the city, was the redevelopment of the old Copley Hospital on Aurora's near East Side. Now called Bloomhaven, the award-winning project now holds on its campus a new VNA Health Primary Care Center, an independent living community for adults with intellectual, cognitive and developmental disabilities called Weston Bridges, a senior living community called Bardwell Residences, Cafe 1888, the East Aurora School District 131 headquarters and a neighborhood park. Aurora's Fox Valley Mall is also currently being redeveloped to include residential buildings, open space and more, an initiative that started under Irvin's administration. Plus, as Irvin mentioned in his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting, the city has approved the construction of many neighborhoods and other residential developments during his time as mayor, including a large new Del Webb senior living community on the far southeast side of the city. All that his administration was able to accomplish was done while also dealing with significant challenges, such as a polar vortex, the Henry Pratt mass shooting, the COVID-19 pandemic and more, Irvin said during the speech. Alex Alexandrou, who recently retired after serving under four different mayors and was most recently Irvin's chief management officer, said the COVID-19 pandemic in particular disrupted the administration's plans. The city worked hard to keep what he sees as the city's 'four pillars' — the Paramount, the Hollywood Casino, the Chicago Premium Outlets mall and Fox Valley Mall — from shutting down permanently, according to Alexandrou. Plus, he said the city also worked to help small businesses and organizations like Hesed House homeless shelter during that time. Saville said that another of Irvin's legacies will be the mass vaccination clinics that helped to keep residents safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many, including Irvin, said that none of these things were done alone. According to Nelson, Irvin was able to surround himself with talented and dedicated people, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when he pulled together not only city leaders but also regional leaders, state elected officials and health care professionals. Plus, Alexandrou said Irvin's aggressive agenda pushed staff to be creative and think outside the box. 'We worked hard to get rid of that negative perception that plagued Aurora and replaced it with prosperity, with an energy and excitement that is palpable,' Irvin said in his speech at the May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting. 'We brought pride back to Aurora.' Irvin told The Beacon-News that he did nearly all of what he set out to do, and the rest he was planning to do in his next term if he was re-elected. So now, the legacy he is leaving behind is a new Aurora and the hope of a better city that now exists, he said. According to Nelson, people might just look back on Irvin's time as mayor and say that he was on the way to building a financially sustainable community. He mentioned the falling tax rate, meaning that residents are now paying a smaller percentage of their home's assessed value. Plus, Saville said that the new casino will add an economic base to Aurora that it has been striving for. And while economic development may be one of the defining features of Irvin's time in office, it has also been the source of significant pushback from many in the community. That backlash came to a head in the most recent election, where he was beaten by Laesch, who has been one of his fiercest critics. While Laesch acknowledged Irvin's significant investments particularly in downtown during his inauguration speech, he said those investments have left the city in serious debt. Alexandrou, in an interview with The Beacon-News about Irvin's legacy, said debt is a hard topic but that the city took it on for the right reasons and are seeing the results. Many of the economic development-related debts the city has taken on, similar to the one set up for the casino, are set to be paid back to the city through taxes generated by the incentivized developments that were projected to cover the full cost of debt payments. Irvin has also been criticized for economic development incentives directly, not just because of the debt they put the city in, particularly when those incentives went to people or organizations that Irvin had ties to. But he told The Beacon-News that, while he has been categorized by some as someone who sold Aurora out, he really had to convince developers to buy-in to the city. 'The problem is, people forgot what we were in 2017 when I took office,' Irvin said. 'They forgot what we were, and people assumed we were this successful city the whole time.' In the most recent election, Irvin was the subject of an ad campaign primarily in the form of mailers paid for by the state Democratic Party tying him to President Donald Trump, whom a majority of the city's voters rejected in November. And while Irvin did unsuccessfully run for governor as a Republican in 2022, a campaign in which he repeatedly slammed Gov. JB Pritzker, his local track record tells a more complicated story, particularly because of Irvin's support for efforts around diversity and inclusion. When asked if he regrets his decision to run for governor, Irvin said he didn't. Although he wishes he had done lots of things differently in life, he always has taken chances. 'How would I ever know who I was and what I could achieve in life unless I tried?' Irvin said. At that May 6 Committee of the Whole meeting, one of the last he attended as mayor, Irvin received a number of recognitions from local groups such as the Aurora Puerto Rican Cultural Council, which presented Irvin with its inaugural Saizon and Corazon Award, and the Aurora African American Heritage Advisory Board, which renamed its annual community recognition the Richard C. Irvin Nia Award. Although Irvin's name likely won't be seen around Aurora City Hall anymore, there are still places to find it. Touche French Creole, which recently opened in the Hobbs Building, has renamed its popular Shrimp and Grits dish to 'The Irvin Grit' in tribute to his leadership style. And, the Aurora Housing Authority announced at the May 6 meeting that it will be renaming the community center at the Indian Trail Housing Complex, which is in the same building Irvin grew up in, as the Richard C. Irvin Community Center.
