Friday, February 28
Prairie State College’s 26th Annual Jazz Fest
On Friday, Prairie State College (PSC), 202 S. Halsted St., held its 26th Annual Jazz Fest with evening performances that took place at the Conference Center Auditorium on the main campus. The culminating event of the two-day Jazz Fest, featured performances from local jazz artists and local schools. The festival lasted Thursday, February 20 to Friday, February 21.
Brother Jacob & His Blues Crew Opens UIC’s 24th Annual Blues Cabaret
Brother Jacob & His Blues Crew, a blues band featuring a young African American blues singer, who has emerged on the scene with 10 years of performing already under his belt, will serve as the opening act for the University of Chicago’s (UIC) 24th Annual Blues Cabaret on Feb. 28 as part of the school’s Black History month celebration.
Wednesday, February 26
CSU Student Receives Future Teachers Scholarship Award
Angela Moore, 39, a disabled, single mother of two children, one of which is a special needs child, refused to allow the challenges of her personal life, to stand in the way of a new career path as she pursues a teaching degree at Chicago State University. Moore is now the recipient of The American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) 2013 Barbara Lotze Scholarship for Future Teachers award.
Rainbow PUSH Hosts Summit to Discuss Future of HBCUs
Rainbow PUSH Coalition’s Chicago office, 930 E. 50th St., hosted a Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU) Summit to identify the most prominent issues facing African American institutions of higher education and to develop viable action plans to address them.
U of C Crime Lab Awarded $1 Million MacArthur Foundation Grant
The University of Chicago made national headlines last week as the recipient of a $1 million John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation grant that was awarded to its Crime Lab; one of seven nonprofit organizations around the world to receive the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.
7th Ward Alderman Hosts TIF and SBIF Informational Meeting
Seventh Ward Alderman Natashia Holmes hosted an informational meeting about Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) at the Bradwell School of Excellence, 7736 S. Burnham Ave, on Wednesday, February 19.
Urban Partnership Bank Sells Its South Shore Branch and Will Close in March
Urban Partnership Bank (UPB) is selling its South Shore banking center at 7054 S. Jeffrey and will close March 22 to make way for much needed retail development in the area as it shifts from a bricks and mortar to an online and mobile application strategy.
Wednesday, February 19
South Suburban Mayors & Managers Discuss Enterprise Zones
The South Suburban Mayors & Managers Association (SSMA) recently hosted a presentation by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) about the benefits of applying for "enterprise zones."
Chicago Teen Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault of 12-Year-Old Girl
Scandale Fritz, 17, pled guilty to two counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault during a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago last week and Cook County Judge Timothy Joyce sentenced Fritz to 13 years on each count for a total of 26 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Historic Pullman Porter Museum to Host Black History Film Series
As we continue into Black History Month and as the nation marks the historic anniversaries of the Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington, the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum will present Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle Film Screenings, a series made possible by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in partnership with the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
U of C Student Found Deceased in Dorm Room
A foul smell emanating from a University of Chicago (U of C) dorm room led to the discovery Saturday, of a deceased student who reportedly had not used his key card to enter his room since Feb. 7, according to a United Press International news report.
Illinois Jobs Now! Assists Military Families Purchase Homes
Illinois Jobs Now! is assisting the Welcome Home Heroes program by providing five million dollars to aid military families in purchasing homes. Welcome Home Heroes is part of Illinois Governor Quinn’s commitment to help Illinois’ military families transition to civilian life, and to strengthen and stabilize communities by making homeownership more affordable.
Sixth Ward Seniors and African American History
At the monthly 6th Ward Seniors‘ meeting at St. Mark AME Zion Church, 7358 S. Cottage Grove Ave. last week, participants enjoyed a “Black History Presentation” by Ronald “Kwesi” Harris. The event was sponsored and attended by 6th Ward Alderman Roderick Sawyer who hosts meetings with his ward’s senior citizens every second Thursday of the month.
Seaway Bank Robbed
A South Side bank was robbed Tuesday morning but no injuries were reported. The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person who committed the act.
Wednesday, February 12
Oak Park Highlights Black History with Several Events
Years after the 1951 firebombing of Dr. Percy L. Julian’s Oak Park home, Oak Park residents--in recognition of Black History Month--will discuss “Why Oak Park Needs a Regional Housing Center in 2014,” part of a series of free discussion forums and film presentations at the Oak Park Library that will continue into March.
Macy’s Salutes Eras of Black Style in Celebration of Black History Month 2014
This February, culture-defining trends take center stage as Macy’s examines the influence of Black style in celebration of Black History Month 2014. From the Harlem Renaissance to urban wear and high-fashion glamour, Black style has influenced popular culture for decades.
State Rep. Rita Continues Gambling Expansion Efforts
Proponents of gambling expansion in Illinois are continuing their efforts to make it happen as Illinois State Rep. Bob Rita (D-IL), the lead House Democrat negotiator for the legislation, announced the second of several planned public hearings on the matter with the next one scheduled for 6 p.m. on Feb. 17 at the Tinley Park Convention Center, 18451 Convention Center Drive.
Ingalls Health System’s "Hearts in the Right Place" Event Focuses on Women’s Heart Health
“Cardiology is one of our major service lines at Ingalls Health System,” said Kim Garrison, Ingalls Health System Marketing and Communications Manager. “Our goal is to impact women’s health. We want to positively impact it; encourage [women] to be more proactive and an active partner in their own health care. We want them to know their risks for heart disease which is deadly but could be preventable.”
Kennedy King College has New President
Former Chief Information Officer of City Colleges and Chicago Public Schools, Arshele Stevens, 45, is the new president of Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted. Stevens, was hired into the position following a nation-wide search.
HIV/AIDS & Transgender Discussion Held at Chicago State University
In tribute to National Black HIV Awareness Day (February 7), the South Side Help Center (SSHC) last week presented the seX Factor: A Dialogue on HIV Prevention and Care on Chicago State University’s (CSU) campus, 9501 S. King Drive, being the school's third year hosting the event.
The University of Chicago Continues Tradition of Honoring George Kent
The University of Chicago’s, Organization of Black Students (OBS), invited political strategist and television correspondent Donna Brazile to speak during its 2014 Annual George E. Kent Lecture Series.
A First-Hand Account of Events Leading to the Murder of Emmett Till
The story of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old African American youth from Chicago who was murdered Aug. 1955 while visiting with relatives in Money, Miss., is one that for years haunted his family and the entire African American community and, some would say, helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement.
Tuesday, February 11
Unemployed Cook County Residents Get a Boost to Get Back to Work
Skills for Chicagoland’s Future (SCF) was recently showcased at a White House summit focused on strategies to reduce long-term unemployment. SCF is a public-private partnership that helps match businesses with current, unmet hiring needs with qualified, unemployed job seekers by closing the skills gap in Chicago and Cook County by providing recruitment, placement and training services at no cost to the job seeker.
Thursday, February 6
President Obama’s Initiative Against Sexual Assault Calls for Public Awareness
U.S. President Barack Obama recently announced a call to action against sexual assaults on college campuses. President Obama signed a memorandum that will create a task force whose charge is to find practical measures to prevent sexual assaults and improve the quality, urgency, perception and speed of responses to sexual assaults within 90 days.
App Challenge for 2nd Congressional Dist. Students
With the fear that the U.S. will fall short in filling technology job openings with American citizens, more and more programs and initiatives are being offered to involve high school and college students in math and technology through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Match) projects and education.
University of Chicago Creates Presidential Library Foundation
Establishing its competitive footing in its quest for the Barack Obama Presidential Library, the University of Chicago (U of C), announced last week the establishment of the Barack H. Obama Foundation, created to oversee planning for the university's possible future attraction.
City Provides Two New Locations for Free Tax Preparation Help
The City of Chicago is promoting its free Tax Preparation Assistance Program in an effort to encourage, eligible Chicago residents, to apply for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). According to the Mayor’s office, 100,000 households in the City fail to claim the EITC, leaving as much as $200 million in unclaimed dollars.
NIKE Black History Month Collection Celebrates Sport Royalty
For the fourth year, NIKE, Inc. is honoring Black History Month with a collection that pays tribute to a group of extraordinary athletes and their unwavering dedication to achieving success at the highest levels. Black History Month is always a reminder that athletes worldwide representing the NIKE, Inc. brand have been inspired by a legacy of Pan-African achievement.
Chicago Urban League, Gary Comer Center, Hosts Black History Month Film Festivals
In honor of Black History Month, the Chicago Urban League and the Gary Comer Youth Center are both hosting Black history film festivals.
Divvy Bikes Look to Expand into South Shore
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Divvy Bikes program, it is a system provided by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) where bikes are rented to users for 30 minute intervals and returned to one of the network of docking stations located throughout a city as part of a bike sharing system. The bikes are rented for 30 minute intervals in order to insure all riders have a bike available to them. CDOT received initial funding for Divvy through federal grants and the City’s TIF funds.