A new Sheriff’s Police unit dedicated to rescuing runaway or missing children, has recovered more than 200 at-risk juveniles, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced on Tuesday.
Sheriff Dart launched the Cook County Sheriff’s Child Protection Response Unit in October 2012 as a result of his dissatisfaction with the capacity of the local authorities charged with maintaining the safety of wards of the state. In the ensuing 10 months, the unit has recovered 211 juveniles, nearly all of whom are DCFS wards.
The 211 children included 91 males and 120 females. seventy five percent of the females were found at risk of being sexually trafficked.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 4:23 p.m.
Nationally recognized expert on the literacy of African American boys, Alfred Tatum, was named interim dean of the University of Illinois at Chicago’s College of Education, pending approval by the Board of Trustees there.
A professor of curriculum and instruction in the college, Tatum’s appointment follows the retirement of Victoria Chou, dean for 16 years.
Since joining UIC in 2007, Tatum has chaired the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, served as director of the UIC Reading Clinic, and coordinator of the doctoral program in Literacy, Language and Culture.
“Low reading achievement contributes to violence and in some cases unemployment,” Tatum said.
By: Lee Edwards - September 5, 2013 4:19 p.m.
Lincoln Mall, located at 208 Lincoln Mall Dr., adjacent to Lincoln Highway in the Village of Matteson, is still open for the time-being despite early speculation that the mall will close due to numerous building, safety and fire code violations unaddressed by the mall’s owner, Michael Kohan.
Kohan, a New York real estate investor, has a history of purchasing decaying malls and then leaving them in worst condition when he sells them to a new owner.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 4:09 p.m.
Metra Board member Stanley Rakestraw is the fifth Board member to resign from the commuter rail agency following resignation of four other Board members in recent weeks. Rakestraw’s resignation comes after questions arose regarding his residency and in the midst of the recent $718,000 severance payment to Alex Clifford, Metra’s former CEO, patronage allegations and allegations of construction contract interference by recently resigned Board members.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 4:03 p.m.
Chicago State University (CSU) recently received news that it’s one of six universities in the nation to get funding through this year’s Cardinal Health Pharmacy Scholarship Program.
By: Lee Edwards - September 5, 2013 3:59 p.m.
Carla Oglesby, the former deputy chief of staff to former Cook County President Todd Stroger, has been convicted of theft of government property (Class X felony), theft of government property by deception (Class X felony), unlawful stringing of bids (Class 4 felony), and money laundering (Class 1 felony), is facing a possible sentence of up to 30 years in prison. Oglesby’s activity accounts for more than $300,000 of Cook County tax payer funds that have been lost.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 3:37 p.m.
Themed “Asali” which means “Origins,” the 24th Annual African Festival of the Arts, (AFA) the largest neighborhood-festival in Chicago took place throughout Labor Day Weekend with headline artists Brandy and Otis Clay. R&B singers Syleena Johnson, Monifah, Oliver Mtukudzi and Joe B, joined the main stage lineup.
By: Lee Edwards - September 5, 2013 3:30 p.m.
On the 50th Anniversary of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington, several local community organizations staged a day long boycott of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) schools; held a rally in front of CPS’s downtown office at 125 S. Clark; and then led a march to Chicago’s city hall at 121 N LaSalle St. in coordination with 25 other U.S. cities holding similar public demonstrations.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 2:56 p.m.
Business owners and entrepreneurs who are not aware of Chatham Business Association (CBA) may want to connect with the organization which provides a wealth of information on construction projects, business and networking opportunities.
For more than three decades, experienced triathletes and determined newcomers have flocked to the shores of Lake Michigan for one of the largest triathlons in the world. Life Time Tri Chicago is an action-packed tour along Chicago’s lakefront, offering kids, supersprint, sprint and international distance courses.
Nearly 9,000 pro, elite amateur and first-time triathletes competed, and more than 15,000 spectators attended the events which took place on Saturday, Aug. 24.
(L-R) Alison Withers, 12, from Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood, Camryn Clanton, 13, from Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood, and Jamir Madrey, 11, Chicago, all participated in the Life Time Kids Tri, one of the many Chicago Triathlon events.
By: Deborah Bayliss - September 5, 2013 12:59 p.m.
Cook County Board Commissioner, Stanley Moore, held his first annual 4th District Economic Development Forum in conjunction with the Chatham Business Association (CBA) at the QBG Foundation building (806 E. 78th St.) last week.
By: Deborah Bayliss - August 29, 2013 3:14 p.m.
On April 4, 1968, Dr. King, had returned to Memphis to lead a nonviolent march in support of the city's striking sanitation workers and was assassinated by a sniper's bullet while standing on the second-floor balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. As news of King's death spread, violent riots broke out in African American neighborhoods in over one hundred cities across the United States.
On January 26, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. moved with his wife Coretta and their four children to a third floor apartment at 1550 South Hamlin in the North Lawndale community of Chicago. From North Lawndale, King launched what he called the “action phase” of his agenda. The Chicago campaign was focused on (highlighting) racism as a national issue. He led marchers into the Marquette Park and Cicero neighborhoods and declared that “I have never in my life seen such hate … not in Mississippi or Alabama.” He also came to Chicago to show the deplorable living conditions and poverty of African-Americans in the urban north and to display the segregation of housing in northern cities. The 1550 S. Hamlin location was the only place in the North Dr. King ever lived.
By: Lee Edwards - August 28, 2013 3:55 p.m.
The Black McDonald’s Operators Association of Chicagoland (BMOA) is serving Chicago’s communities in and outside of their restaurants.
According to its’ website, the Chicagoland BMOA is made up of 15 Chicago and northwest Indiana McDonald’s owners who take pride in providing leadership while creating and nurturing their African-American communities while providing education and health-focused initiatives.
By: Lee Edwards - August 28, 2013 3:20 p.m.
On August 28, 1963, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, participated in the March on Washington as a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Then, a very young Rev. Jackson was fighting for voting rights, public accommodation equality, jobs, and to stem the tide of uncontested violence against African Americans and their supporters. And in nearly 50 years since that historic day, Rev. Jackson has tirelessly continued to fight and advocate for civil rights for all Americans.
