Local News

City to Start Much Needed Viaduct Upgrades

Driving or walking underneath viaducts in Chicago can be a scary experience taking into consideration the existence of potholes, crumbling sidewalks, poor lighting and trash. Additionally, many of them appear dilapidated and are in need of a good coat of paint.

Chicago Expands Small Business Financing Program

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is expanding the city's Small Business Opportunity Center Program (SBOCP), a comprehensive financial service initiative for small businesses, via new centers that will be located throughout the city. The centers will maintain a $5 million budget designated for small business loans, with authorization to loan out up to $250,000 each.

University of Oklahoma unveils racist chant probe findings

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Members of a University of Oklahoma fraternity apparently learned a racist chant that recently got their chapter disbanded during a national leadership cruise four years ago that was sponsored by the fraternity's national administration, the university's president said Friday.

Raising Minimum Age for Legal Purchase of Tobacco Products will Significantly Reduce Smoking Rates

Statement from National President and CEO of the American Lung Association Harold P. Wimmer, in response to the IOM Report “Public Health Implications of Raising the Minimum Age of Legal Access to Tobacco Products”

Mo’ne Davis Starts Shoe Line for Underprivileged Girls

Remember superstar phenom Mone’ Davis who was striking out player after player in the 2014 Little League World Series?

Endorsements

The Chicago Citizen Newspaper proudly endorses the following candidates who appear on the April 7, 2015, Chicago Runoff Election Ballot. Please join us in our support of them.

21st Annual Black Women’s Expo Returns

The 21st Annual Black Women’s Expo (BWE) continues its legacy of celebrating African American women and girls. This year’s Expo will once again be held at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., from March 27-29.

South Suburban Mayors Launch Organ/Tissue Donor Awareness Outreach

South Suburban Chicago mayors, at least one U.S. elected official and area clergy, came together March 11 at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, to launch Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network’s unprecedented “Mayors for Hope,” an initiative to deliver awareness and education regarding organ donation and transplantation to residents in their respective municipalities and to dispel myths, especially in African American communities associated with organ donation.

Congresswoman Robin Kelly Releases Report Approving Chicago’s Air Space for Third Airport

Congresswoman Robin Kelly (Dist.- 2nd) released a report that was released to her last week, by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which concludes that the proposed South Suburban Airport would have “minimal impact” on current operations at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, 10000 W. O'Hare Ave., and Chicago Midway International Airport, 5700 Cicero Ave. It also concludes that metro-Chicago airspace is capable of handling a third major airport.

Feds: Chicago-area cousins planned US terrorist attack

CHICAGO (AP) -- An Illinois Army National Guard soldier vowed to bring "the flames of war to the heart" of America if he was unable to get to the Middle East to join the Islamic State group, and his cousin bragged that he could kill at least 150 people in a terrorist attack in the U.S., federal prosecutors said Thursday in announcing their arrests.

Preckwinkle Nominates Veteran Public Defender to Head the Law Office

A 23-year veteran of the Public Defender Law Office of Cook County is Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s choice to replace outgoing Cook County Public Defender, Abishi Cunningham, who headed the Law Office for the past six years.

Chicago City Council Passes Ordinance to Address Catalytic Converter Thefts

Have you ever experienced someone crawling underneath your car, in the middle of the night, to cut and steal your vehicle’s catalytic converter, and then having to pay the expenses associated with replacing it? If so, you’ll be happy to hear, the Chicago City Council addressed catalytic converter thefts. The introduction of an ordinance designed to combat this problem that has long plagued Chicago residents.

Gov. Rauner Makes South Side Stop to Push Illinois Turnaround Agenda

Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner visited the QBG Foundation/Chicago Citizen Newspaper headquarters, 806. E. 78th St., last Friday for a lunch meeting, co-hosted by the Chatham Business Association (CBA) and the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council to discuss the minority economic development section of his Illinois Turnaround Agenda. Over 40 south side Chicago business owners and stakeholders attended.

Early Voting for Chicago Mayoral Runoff Election Underway

Early voting for the April Mayoral Runoff Election got underway on Monday and will continue through April 4.

Chicago City Council Unanimous on Obama Library Park Land Transfer

The Chicago City Council last Wednesday unanimously approved an ordinance to allow the transfer of park land parcels in Washington and/or Jackson Park, from the Chicago Park District (CPD) to the City of Chicago, as a way to progressively move forward on the University of Chicago’s proposed Obama Presidential Library bid.