NNPA Holds 2014 Annual Convention in Portland
The National Newspaper Publishers Association’s (NNPA) 2014 Annual Convention, POWER OF THE PAST—FORCE OF THE FUTURE, gets underway June 25 and continues through June 28 at the Nines Hotel in Portland, Oregon.
Potholes Still a Major Problem for Chicago’s West and South Side
Potholes are still a big problem in many neighborhoods throughout Chicago such as the ones that stretch the length of Fulton Street between California and Sacramento on Chicago’s west side, creating hazardous situations for both drivers and pedestrians. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) says citizens need to report the craters in order to have them repaired.
Africa International House Hosts Unique Weekend Only Exhibit
Something for the art and culture lovers to consider is Stephen “BlackButterfly” Carter’s, one weekend only – exhibition of “DESIDERATA Spring/Summer 2014 entitled: “The Roads Not Taken –The Roads Now Taken” Friday, June 20, at the Africa International House Center for Contemporary African Art and Culture, (AIH), 6200 S. Drexel Ave.
CPS Expands Summer Bridge and Meal Program
As the school-year comes to an end, parents are no doubt in search of activities that will keep their children occupied over the summer. One to consider is Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) free summer bridge and meal program an expansion of its Safe Haven program where 110 sites across the city will offer school-aged children educational activities and meals while they're out of school.
UIC Clinical Psychologist to Create Mental Health Program for Clergy
Dr. Jennifer Shepard Payne, a licensed clinical social worker at the University of Illinois at Chicago, also an ordained minister, is conducting research to find out how church pastors currently address their congregation’s mental health issues and will use the information to create a training program to help guide clergy in addressing those issues.
JET Magazine Transitions to Digital Only Platform, Releases Final Print Issue
For many African American households, Johnson Publication’s JET magazine was very much a cultural component commonly found on coffee and dinner tables nationwide, however; as technology has made way for the new digital age, JET magazine, initially billed as “The Weekly Negro News Magazine,” released its final print issue on Monday as the 63-year-old publication transitions from print to a digital only platform as a way to provide readers quicker and easier access to its news and information coverage.
Obama Library Study Sheds Light on Economic Benefits for Chicago’s South Side
Now might be a good time to start that business venture you’ve been thinking about especially since a study commissioned by the University of Chicago ( U of C) and carried out by an economics research firm concluded that a Barack Obama Presidential Library would provide a “significant economic boon to Chicago’s South side and the city.”
Chicago Apostle Has Global Reach
Apostle Bishop Bridget C. Outlaw, Senior Pastor of New Global Destiny World Vision Ministries, recently received the prestigious, “2014 President’s Lifetime Achievement for Hunger Relief Advocate Award,” a national honor from the White House, offered in recognition of sustained service.
Prairie State College Seeking Community Service Award Nominations
The Prairie State College (PSC) district, 202 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights, is seeking nominations for one of two community service awards, one to highlight a community member and the other is to pay homage to a PSC college graduate.
CSU’s Athletic Department Makes Academic History
The Chicago State University (CSU) Athletic Department has something to cheer about. For the first time in the department’s history, CSU is entering the 2014-15 academic year without one of its teams being under Academic Progress Rate (APR) penalty, according to the APR data released on Wednesday (May 14) by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Chicago Man Convicted in 2008 Home Invasion Murders
One of two Chicago men was convicted in connection with the 2008 execution-style murders of five people during a home invasion on Chicago’s south side, according to Cook County State’s Attorney, Anita Alvarez.
UIC and Northwestern Univ. Collaborate on Hearing Loss Device
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and Northwestern University are collaborating to develop a device to prevent hearing loss in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Chemotherapy patients are often caught off-guard when they find themselves dealing with hearing loss following treatments, according to David Klodd, professor of audiology in the (University of Illinois at Chicago) UIC College of Medicine. “Some commonly used chemotherapy drugs are ototoxic...they can damage structures in the inner ear involved in hearing,” Klodd said.
More Illinois Jobs Now! Funding for Cook County Construction Projects
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced more funding for construction projects in Cook County that includes $466,153 in repairs on Claire Boulevard in Robbins with improvement from I-294 to 139th Street. The job was awarded to Gallagher Asphalt Corporation of Thornton, the lowest of four bidders on the project, according to the Gov.’s office.
New Mental Health Program Launches in Englewood
Thanks to a partnership between UI Health Mile Square Health Center Englewood and Metropolitan Family Services, families and children in Greater Englewood will now have, along with their primary care visits, a mental health screening session and follow-up counseling and support services, through a new, first of its kind, Child & Family Wellness Program at Mile Square’s Englewood Clinic.
Acclaimed Author Sam Greenlee Dies at Age 83
Acclaimed author, poet, film-maker, screenwriter, activist and playwright, Sam Greenlee, perhaps best known for his 1969 novel, The Spook Who Sat by the Door, died May 19 in Chicago at age 83.
Dead Tree Art Commissioned for Chicago Parks
Dead or dying trees will provide a source of organic material for local artists participating in the Chicago Tree Project, a partnership between Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago Park District and the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit (CSE). The project commissions local artists to turn dead or dying trees that are infested with Emerald Ash Borer or other bugs and diseases into living public art.
Mariano’s Grocery Store Coming to Bronzville, Alderman Questions Why No Mariano’s for 5th Ward
Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood will soon welcome a Mariano’s grocery store which is expected to bring about 400 jobs to the area. Occupants of the Oakwood Shores Senior Residence, 3750 S. Cottage Grove, welcomed the news with cheers and applause during a press conference held last week with city officials.
Cook County Land Bank Authority Receives Community Stabilization Funds
If the uptick in Cook County foreclosure rates continue, an additional 7,200 foreclosed properties including nearly 3,200 in the City of Chicago, will be added to area blight next year, according to the Woodstock Institute, a nonprofit research and policy organization that deals with lending, wealth creation, and financial systems reform.
South Suburban College to Get New Roof, Work Courtesy of Illinois Jobs Now! Funds
A new roof is in the works for South Suburban College in South Holland, Ill. as part of a $10.5 investment funded by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! Construction program.
Smith & Wesson AR-15 Sport Rifles Stolen from Englewood Freight Yard
Thirteen semi-automatic assault rifles were reported stolen from a freight train container in an Englewood rail yard, according to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who were notified about the theft of the Smith & Wesson AR-15 Sport rifles on May 4th, said ATF Special Agent Thomas Ahern on Tuesday.
University of Chicago Receives $2 Billion Towards $4.5 Billion Fund Raising Goal
Administrators at the University of Chicago (U of C) are in "full-swing" fund raising mode as they forge ahead towards a $4.5 billion goal. U of C officials announced recently that $2 billion was quietly raised in the first phase of the effort by donations from friends and alumni of the school. Monies raised will, according to U of C officials, ensure that the university maintains its place among world leaders in research and education.
Blacks and the Elusive Attainment of Economic Power
There’s no doubt that African Americans are capable of sustaining economically viable communities; case in point, Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood district, also known as Black Wall Street. At one point, the wealthiest black community in the U.S., mainly because of employment opportunities provided by the oil fields there, a town that consisted of a black-owned newspaper and other thriving black-owned businesses and excellent schools. Unfortunately, those institutions were burned to the ground by racist whites, June 1, 1921.
Forest Preserve Rep Shares Information About Vendor Participation at CBA Meeting
A wealth of information was dispersed at Chatham Business Association’s (CBA) monthly meeting on Tuesday. Patrice Daniels, Contract Compliance Administrator for the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, served as guest speaker and shared information on how to become a registered vendor with the Forest Preserve District and its affiliates.
"Healing Circles" Good Option for Youth Trauma
Imagine being surrounded by gangs, gun violence, death, drugs, poverty, and abductions ...with no way to escape. Sadly, that’s the everyday reality for many African-American youth. This situation, experts say, left unchecked, perpetuates the above mentioned community ills.
Activist to Challenge Mayor Rahm Emanuel
Amara Enyia, 31, gives new meaning to the term, “Black Girls Rock” as she boldly steps into Chicago’s political arena with a fixed eye on a mayoral prize. Though Enyia, an East Garfield resident and community activist with a law degree and doctorate in educational policy, faces an uphill battle in her quest to unseat chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in the 2015 Mayoral election, her courage and wherewithal in doing so, sets an inspirational and empowering tone that sends a message to black girls and black people everywhere that getting involved and taking part in the process is how you bring about change she says.
Thornton High School Teacher Shot Over the Weekend
A Thornton High School mathematics teacher who was shot over the weekend, remained hospitalized as of Monday, recovering from a gunshot wound to the back, according to a spokesperson for Thornton High School District 205. Mathematics teacher, Michael Brown, of Flossmoor, Ill., reportedly was driving his car through Harvey when he crashed into a parked vehicle near 154th Street and Ashland Ave. on Saturday. Harvey police discovered Brown after approaching his vehicle, but reportedly did not know where the shot was fired from or whether Brown was the intended target, according to a Northwest Indiana Times news report.
R.A.G.E. Takes Part in “On the Table” Event
Imagine 10,000 or so community organizations and groups getting together on the same day with the same goal, in their perspective locations for dinner and "On the Table" conversations all centered around planning and strategizing solutions to make their neighborhoods better places to live, work and play. Well that’s exactly what The Chicago Community Trust (CCT) has planned as part of its 99th anniversary celebration. The Resident Association of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.). R.A.G.E. is a well-known Englewood community organization whose mission is to mobilize people and resources to bring change promoting positivity through solution-based approaches.
Jazz Greats to be Honored at Grant Park Jazz Festival
A Millenium Park celebration by Jazz Unites Inc. is planned in honor of the 115th birthday anniversary of the late, great, jazz musician, Kennedy “Duke” Ellington and the 40th anniversary of the first Duke Ellington tribute in Grant Park. The event will also honor Jazz "piano powerhouse" Willie Pickens.
First Round of Schools to Receive Air Conditioning
Students every summer for over 50 years, sat in classrooms with no air conditioning even on sweltering, 90 degree days. Last week, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, announced, the first phase of a five-year plan to provide air conditioning to every classroom.
West Side Pediatrician amongst Those Killed in Afghanistan Last Week
A pediatrician who was part of a west side health center’s staff, was one of three American doctors killed in Kabul, Afghanistan, last Thursday morning when an Afghan police officer, reportedly opened fire in a hospital where the doctor trained medical residents and treated pediatric patients.
Danny Glover to Serve as Keynote Speaker for U of C’s Freedom Summer Commemoration Event
Actor and activist Danny Glover is the featured speaker for the Center for the Study of Race, Politics and Culture’s (SRPC) annual public lecture that commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Summer Project, a 1964 effort that took Northern college students to Mississippi to support African- American's right to vote in that state and resulted in the death of three Civil Rights Workers.
Restaurant Manager Gives Back with "Wingz of Love"
One never knows how the circumstances of their childhood will impact their adult life. For example, a Chatham restaurant manager who experienced homelessness as a child, now gives back to his community every Sunday by donating food he cooks at the restaurant for the homeless and others experiencing food insecurity.
Cook County Board Seeks New Use for Old Building
Cook County Board of Commissioners on March 12 approved a program development team to find a new use for the old Cook County Hospital building on Chicago’s west side. The effort will be led by Chicago Consultants Studio, Inc. (CCS) with the goal of “articulating” the vision of County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle, the County Commissioners and the CCHHS (Cook County Health and Hospital Systems, leadership.
$52.7 Million Investment in Community Transportation Projects throughout Illinois
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn announced a $52.7 million investment in community transportation projects throughout Illinois that is expected to support more than 400 jobs throughout 71 projects, including bike paths, walking trails, historic preservation and streetscape beautification projects with funding from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) – a federally-funded, program that encourages transportation-related projects, according to information released by the governor’s office.
Long Weekend of Gun Violence Leaves 37 Wounded, Four Fatalities
A 17-year-old juvenile, whose name is being withheld, on Monday, appeared in Central Bond Court, at 26th and California in Chicago, and was charged with first degree murder following a verbal altercation that occurred on the 3000 block of W. 53rd Place, early Sunday morning.
Third Ward Ald. Dowell Wants Area Park Named in Honor of Hadiya Pendleton
Third Ward Ald. Pat Dowell and the Chicago Park District are moving forward on the planned expansion of Buckhorn Park located at 4347 S. Calumet St, with a proposal to rename the park in honor of Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed last year while standing with friends in nearby Harsh Park, 4458-70 S. Oakenwald after taking her final exams. Hadiya was only 15-years old.
50th Anniversary: Passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Barack Obama along with former presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and others, gathered last week for a three-day Civil Rights Summit held at the LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson) Presidential Library, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Bill’s passage and to honor Johnson’s legislative legacy.
U of C Part of Multi-million dollar Language Development Initiative
Low income parents can increase their children’s chances of success simply by engaging them in thoughtful and interactive conversation on a regular basis, according to a 1995 study conducted by child psychologists Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley that found by age 4, children in poverty heard 30 million fewer words than their counterparts in more advantaged families.
Cooley High, Classic Black Cinema Remembered
Remember the 1975 film classic, Cooley High, the Black cinema classic, filmed in and around Chicago’s Cabrini Green housing projects, based on the lives of African American kids coming of age in the 1960s and written by Eric Monte, co-creator of Good Times?
Quinn Wants to Keep 2011 Illinois Tax Increase as Part of 2015 Budget Proposal
In 2011, Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn signed what was supposed to be a temporary tax increase where Illinois income taxes were raised from 3 to 5 percent and was supposed to drop back down to 3.75 percent after four years. However, the Gov. announced that Illinois’ 2011 income tax increase would remain in place as part of his proposed $36.8 billion Fiscal Year 2015 Budget plan.
Mayor Emanuel Says No to Plans to Run for President, Addresses New City Initiatives and Successes
Mayor Rahm Emanuel responded with an, unequivocal “no” as to whether or not he would run for president, after he was asked the question by Chicago Citizen Newspaper during a press luncheon with Chicago’s Black media outlets and organizations, held at Ruby’s Restaurant, 3175 W. Madison St. last Friday.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel Introduces New Ex-Offender Re-Entry Program
Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a round table meeting and press announcement at St. Leonard’s Ministries on Chicago’s west side last Friday with elected officials and ex-offenders to announce that the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) will launch a pilot, family reunification program that will allow 50 formerly incarcerated individuals to move back into CHA housing over the next three years.
Triton School of Business Builds New Partnerships with Universities
As a way to provide Triton College students with seamless transitions into four-year universities, Triton College School of Business is working to develop new partnerships with Chicagoland universities including Robert Morris University and National Louis University, where students can legitimately transfer credits towards a baccalaureate business program.
Political Training Group Seeks Women of Color
If you're a woman, and the recent Gubernatorial Primary Election inspired you to run for political office, you can sign up for Emily’s List Political Opportunity Program. A spokesperson for the Emily’s List group says more women of color representatives are needed at the Congressional level.
College Trip Equips Students with Sound Advice
Over the past eighteen years, African American University of Cincinnati (U of C) students and two administrators from the university have embarked upon an annual Spring Break Corporate Excursion Trip as part of the ADVANCE Organization, a professional development student organization designed to help students make the transition from college to career by developing their leadership and networking skills, developing business etiquette, and understanding corporate and workplace cultures. During the trips, students make connections on their visits with a mixture of black-owned, minority-owned, nonprofit and Fortune 500 companies as well as government agencies. The goal is to expose students to experiences that they’re not exposed to in a classroom setting.
History of Bronzeville on Display at UIC’s African American Cultural Center
A collaboration between the University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) African-American Cultural Center (AACC) and the Chicago Blues Museum, provides an up close and personal view of historic Bronzeville by way of an exhibit titled “Migration and Transformation through the Arts: The Soul of Bronzeville,” which features photography, memorabilia, film, video footage and displays from the Chicago Blues Museum’s archival collections.
Quinn Defeats Hardiman, Will Run Against Rauner in Nov. Gen. Election
Following weeks of campaigning , the 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election ended with the Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and his running mate for Lt. Gov., former Chicago Public Schools Chief, Paul Vallas, being nominated to run against Republican candidates, Bruce Rauner and Evelyn Sanguinetti in the Nov. 4 General Illinois Gubernatorial election.
Residents Urged to Sign Up Before March 31 ACA Deadline
In light of the March 31 sign up deadline for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Health Insurance mandate, Dr. Robert Winn, associate vice president for community based practice, University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System, urges African Americans to take advantage of the opportunity to get covered.
South African Art Curator Campaigns to Bring Post-Apartheid Art and Artists to U.S.
On March 14, South African artist, Jabu, who now resides in Los Angeles, will be in Chicago for an exhibit at the Africa International House, 6200 S. Drexel Ave. The exhibit will include a panel discussion with Jabu and art curator, Soraya Sheppard about their experiences under the apartheid regime.
Voters Turn Out for Candidates for Judge Town Hall Meeting
With the March 18 Gubernatorial Primary Election just days away, voters turned out last Saturday morning for the Chicago Citizen Newspaper’s, Candidates for Judge - Town Hall Meeting held at the newspaper’s Chatham headquarters, 806 E. 78th St.