Q & A with Kim Foxx
Kim Foxx, former chief of staff to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, believes that the criminal justice system in Cook County could use some shaking up. And the former Cabrini Green Housing Complex resident believes that she is the person to unseat current Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Mayor Emanuel Announces Start of City’s Debt Relief Program
Chicago Mayor Emanuel announced this week that the City’s Debt Relief Program has begun. The program, passed as part of the 2016 budget process, allows individuals and businesses who owe debt to the City to pay what they owe without additional costs.
Senator Dick Durbin Hosts Panel on the African Diaspora
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) recently hosted an assembly of U.S. diplomats, development specialists and economic empowerment experts during a forum entitled “Going Far Together: Helping the African Diaspora Build Their American Dreams and Helping African Nations Realize Their Potential”.
Chicago Mizzou Alums React to on Campus Student Protests
University of Missouri (U of M) alum Jeffery Beckham, is following the events at his alma mater as closely as he can. He is not surprised by the protests over racial tensions and other issues there.
Social Media Photos of the Mother of a Slain Nine-Year-Old Insinuates she is to Blame
Ever since last week’s horrific shooting of Tyshawn Lee, a nine-year-old who was lured into an Auburn Gresham alley and murdered, those who donated to a Go Fund Me account that was set up to cover the funeral expenses for the boy, have been bashing his parents Karla Lee and Pierre Stokes, thanks to photos shared on social media of the two.
Fight for $15 Day of Action in Chicago
Chicago fast-food cooks and cashiers joined what was billed as the largest-ever strike to hit America’s fast-food industry this week. One year ahead of Election Day, “Fight for $15,” staged walkouts in a record 270 cities, including Chicago.
Black Golfer to Enter PGA Hall of Fame
African-American golfer Charlie Sifford, who was often times referred to as the “Jackie Robinson of golf” for his groundbreaking legacy in the sport, will be inducted into the PGA (Professional Golf Association of America) Hall of Fame this week at a ceremony in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
Chicago HBCU Hardwood Classic Announces Game Schedule
The Chicago HBCU Hardwood Classic (CHHCS) called a press conference to expose Chicago’s youth to what HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) have to offer. The event was held at the Emil and Patricia A. Jones Convocation Center on the campus of Chicago State University, located at 9501 S. King Dr. Community members, clergy and local HBCU alumni attended.
Documentary on Chicago’s Hip-Hop Scene Aims to Tell a Story Rarely Told
New York and Los Angeles usually get the limelight when it comes to crediting the origin of Hip-Hop music. But two local music aficionados from Chicago beg to differ and want to set the record straight.
Chicago Hip-Hop Musicians Start Anti-Violence Campaign
Last month, a group of Chicago Hip-Hop artists and producers launched a new anti-violence campaign, aimed to tell the stories of those who’ve been affected the most by the violence in the city.
Chicago Police Department Hiring, City Launches Recruitment Campaign
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy this week announced that the city is accepting applications to join the Chicago Police Department for the first time since 2013.
Mac Irvin Fire Aims to Give Out 700 Turkeys for Thanksgiving
Representatives of a prominent traveling basketball team want to assist those who need it the most.
“Boycott Star Wars Vi” Hashtag Trends on Social Media
Ever since the first trailer leaked earlier this year of the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” movie, some the fans of the iconic movie franchise were outraged that one of the lead character is Black.
Friends of Bogan Football Player Start a Go Fund Me Account to Help with his Funeral Expenses
Friends and family of Andre Smith, started a Go Fund Me account last week after the student football player from Chicago's Bogan High School, died from injuries sustained during a game against Chicago Vocational High School. The death was the second to hit the Smith household. Andre’s father, Eric, died in 2000 after a tragic motorcycle accident.
Two Men Charged In Fuller Park Triple Homicide
The Chicago Police Department announced that charges were filed against two men in connection with a triple homicide in Fuller Park.
CPS Announces New Charter School Accountability Policy
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced this week a proposed charter school accountability policy that will hold charter schools to the same academic standards as district-run schools and allow CPS to take swift action against poor performers.
South Carolina Police Officer Fired After Confrontation with Student Goes Viral
A video of a South Carolina police officer assaulting a female high school student in a classroom went viral this week. Many social media users used the hashtag “#AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh to voice their outrage over the recording.
Coalition of Police Chiefs Urge Lawmakers to Toughen Gun Laws
The National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence, a coalition of nine national law enforcement leadership organizations, discussed gun violence occurring across the U.S. at a press conference during the annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) at Chicago’s McCormick Place this week.
Community Activist Helps Kids Broaden their Horizons
Jahmal Cole once volunteered at Cook County Jail’s Juvenile Detention Facility Automatic Transfer Unit. “I noticed the teenaged boys were shackled like animals. Once the guard let them out of their chains, the young men approached me, shook my hand and hugged me,” Cole says. “As I sat back and listened to them, I couldn't help but feel like we [Chicagoans] had let these young men down. They grew up in communities with no access to opportunities, while most people live in comfortable Chicago communities wrapped up in an illusion of security.”
Q & A with NOBLE’s President Gregory A. Thomas
Gregory A. Thomas is the current president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Execuctives (NOBLE). NOBLE has nearly 60 chapters and over 3,000 members worldwide.
Ebony’s November Cover Breeds Mixed Emotions
Lately, Ebony magazine has been posting the covers to their upcoming monthly issues on Twitter and on Facebook. The cover they recently revealed for the upcoming November issue…let’s just say folks are talking...a lot.
Beverly Church Holds Prison Industrial Complex Workshop
The Beverly Unitarian Church, located at 10244 S. Longwood Dr. in Chicago, made headlines recently after promoting the Black Lives Matter movement on its digital sign. Now the church has decided to focus on other ways to address the matter of alleged police brutality against African Americas, an issue that has divided the nation.
Youthful Guest Speaker Wows Chatham Business Association
Alexander Buckles, the Supplier Diversity Analyst for the McCormick Place, was the guest speaker at the Chatham Business Association’s (CBA) monthly meeting last week.
Owner of South Holland-Based Syrup Business Enters Local Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame
When Michele Hoskins started her syrup business in her mother’s basement 31 years ago, she had no idea that she would end up in a Chicago area hall of fame for entrepreneurship.
South Side Cubs Fans Fly the “W” in Enemy Territory
When it comes to baseball loyalty in Chicago, it’s pretty cut and dry. South siders are White Sox fans, and North siders are Cubs fans…usually.
Chatham Native Honored at the White House for Bike Advocacy
Olatunji Oboi Reed, the president and co-founder of Slow Roll Chicago, a bicycle movement that aims to transform lives and improve the condition of communities, was chosen this week by the U.S. Department of Transportation as a 2015 White House Transportation Champion of Change.
Rebuild Foundation Opens Stony Island Arts Bank
The Stony Island Trust & Savings Bank, a longtime staple of Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood, recently reintroduced itself under a new name to another generation of residents.
Sen. Durbin Discusses Landmark Sentencing Reform Legislation
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) held a news conference this week at Roosevelt University in Chicago to discuss a landmark, bipartisan agreement he helped broker in the Senate to overhaul the nation’s criminal justice system. The bill tackles the mass incarceration that has disproportionately impacted minority communities across the nation and weighed heavily on the nation’s finances.
Beverly Residents to Local Church: You Caved In
Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood has long been an enclave to many of the city’s law enforcement officers. Ironically, the rallying cry of an organization that has chastised the police for some of their tactics, prominently landed on a digital scrolling sign of a church in Beverly.
Chicagoans Remember Evergreen Plaza Ahead of Demolition
Consumers often times have an emotional attachment to places where they shop. Sometimes, they even give nicknames to their favorite shopping centers. Evergreen Plaza, which is scheduled for demolition this week, was nicknamed “The Plaza.”
CPS Seeks Community Input on Draft Guidelines for School Actions
The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) released a draft last week of the school district annual guidelines for taking school actions, including co-locations or re-assigning boundary changes to expand access to a high-quality education for all students.
Chicago Bulls to Celebrate 50 Years of Basketball this Season
The Chicago Bulls announced last week plans to commemorate 50 years of the franchise’s existence throughout the upcoming 2015-16 season.
Baseball Hall-Of-Famer Provides At Bats For Local Youth Sports Programs
Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Cal Ripken Jr. wants to make sure that kids on the South side of Chicago have the opportunity to engage in sports, something that can positively impact their futures.
Three West Side Men Charged in Shooting
The Chicago Police Department announced this week that three men were taken into custody in connection to a shooting that occurred in the 3000 block of W. Lexington Avenue.
CPS Holding Public Hearings for Charter School Proposals
Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will hold public hearings today, Sept. 30, to receive public comments from students, families, educators and the general public regarding new charter school proposals submitted under the 2014 new schools request for proposal. CPS is required to review new school proposals on an annual basis by state law.
E-Cigarette Advocates Oppose Emanuel’s Tax Vapor Products
The American Vaping Association, a leading advocate for the benefits of vapor products such as electronic cigarettes, is calling on ex-smokers, business owners, and public health advocates in Chicago to oppose Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed tax on vapor products.
Chicago Aldermen Call for Charter School Expansion Moratorium
Last week, during the City of Chicago’s last city council meeting, 42 out of the 50 alderman called on the Illinois State Board of Education and Chicago Board of Education to jointly impose a moratorium on charter school expansion for the 2015-2016 school year.
American Muslims Slam Ben Carson
Republican presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson believes he has the prescription to fix what ails America. Members of America’s Muslim community believe that the renowned neurosurgeon ought to work on his bedside manner.
IL State Rep Bob Rita Gives Update on Blue Island Bridge Project
Illinois State Rep. Bob Rita (Dist.-28th), led a local celebration last week to mark the start of construction on the Division Street Bridge in Blue Island.
The “Frunchroom” Announces a Third Edition Its Speaking Series
The latest edition of the “Frunchroom” speaking series is scheduled to take place Tuesday, September 29th at 7:30pm at O’Rourke’s Office located at 11064 S. Western Ave. in Chicago’s Morgan Park neighborhood.
Local Activists Storm CPD Headquarters to Demand Firing of Police Officer
Civil rights groups including the Black Youth Project 100 and the Southside Organization for Unity and Liberation (SOUL) have been protesting at Chicago Police Board hearings, calling for the city to fire officer Dante Servin. Last week, those groups, along with many others, protested in front of the Chicago Police Department (CPD) headquarters to renew their demands for Servin to be fired for killing Rekia Boyd.
Seaway Bank Parts Ways with CEO
The Board of Directors of Seaway Bank and Trust Company announced the departure of President and CEO Darrell B. Jackson this week.
Local Sexual Assault Victims’ Advocates React to The Patrick Kane Saga
Last week, Chicago Blackhawks star winger Patrick Kane spoke to the media ahead of the team’s training camp at Notre Dame University near South Bend, IN last week.
Englewood Natives’ Performance at Riot Fest Serves a Dual Purpose
Big names such as Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and De La Soul often overshadow underground and independent acts at Chicago’s Riot Fest. However, two Englewood natives shined right along with the big names this year at the popular festival.
IL State Rep. Rita, Blue Island Officials Provide Update on Division Street Bridge
Ill. State Rep. Rita led an event Tuesday evening that outlined the a timeline for the Division Street Bridge in Blue Island, Ill., which closed five years ago after experiencing significant decay.
Bronzeville Native Starts at QB for Army West Point
Since the start of the 2015 season, the United States Military Academy at West Point has celebrated the 125 years their football program has been in existence.
Social Media Responds to Tennis Star’s Incident with NYPD
The social media community reacted last week after a video surfaced of former tennis star, James Blake, being tackled and detained by plain clothes New York City Police (NYPD) officers as he was standing in front of a New York City hotel.
Ill. State Sen. Trotter Backs Police Reform Law
Last month, Ill. State Sen. Donne Trotter (Dist-17th) led the push to support legislation creating law enforcement reforms in the state. Back on August 12, a bipartisan effort established new body camera protocols, making Illinois one the first states in the nation to adopt recommendations of President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
CPD Releases Sketch of Remains Found in Garfield Park Lagoon, Asks Public for Help
Chicago Police Department (CPD) superintendent Garry McCarthy held up a sketch of a toddler whose remains were found in the Garfield Park Lagoon last week, as he made a public plea to anyone who might know what happened.
ValuSolutions Holds Job Fair in Lansing
ValuSolutions, Inc., a human resources management and consulting and recruitment firm is sponsoring the 4th Annual South Suburban Cook County Job Fair today from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Lan-Oak Park District’s Eisenshower Center at 2550 E. 178th Street, Lansing, IL. An estimated 500 job seekers are expected to attend.
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