It appears to be an official Facebook page for Ald. Lyle who represents the 6th Ward on the Chicago City Council. There isn't much info other than office hours at the service office on 75th Street, a shared link for this blog's Twitter feed and pics of events around the ward such as Ward Picnics, parades, or even public artwork in the ward. It could use some more fans so join up! (Note: They also have a NING social networking site as well. )This month, several churches on the city's South and West Sides have recruited local farmers and urban growers to peddle their produce at farmers markets, filling what organizers called a void in fresh fruit and vegetables in their communities.Via Concerned Citizens of Chatham Facebook page, join up there!
Last week, Trinity United Church of Christ on the Far South Side unveiled a weekly farmers market in their church parking lot. On Saturday, Greater Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in North Lawndale will launch a similar open-air market on the West Side.
Trinity and others have planted seeds for a community garden as well.
Rev. Paul Robeson Ford, pastor of Avalon Park Community Church, said he wants the Far South Side neighborhood to "be on the front end of this new green economy." Members of his United Church of Christ congregation recently planted tomatoes, spinach, broccoli and peppers.
"This is an exercise that can help us toward healthy eating. It's an exercise toward self-sustained communities," Ford said.
According to a recent report by the Minnesota-based Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, the churches' efforts are in line with a growing nationwide movement within the faith community to promote wholesome diets and encourage Christians to care for and cultivate the Earth.
The healthy-diet initiative also represents an emerging social justice movement in African-American churches in neighborhoods without major grocery store chains -- areas also known as "food deserts."
Some churches plan to donate their homegrown produce to food pantries and soup kitchens. Others intend to offer the harvest to their congregations with recipes to preserve their African cultural cuisine and health.
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Many of the churches involved are in food deserts. Researchers have found residents there tend to buy food at gas stations and convenience stores.
The most recent research by Mari Gallagher, a Chicago-based consultant, showed that more than 600,000 Chicagoans live in food deserts, most of them are African-American, and many are classified as working poor without a car.
Gallagher said supermarkets or healthy alternatives such as farmers markets add years to the lives of residents suffering from cardiovascular and kidney diseases and diabetes.
The good news, such as it is: Job losses in the Chicago metropolitan area slowed in June. We still lost jobs, though. The unemployment rate stands at 10.3 percent for the state, 10.6 percent for the region.BTW, I found a website Our Community, Our Choice that proclaims support for a Wal-Mart in Chatham, however, this website is supported by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. I'm not sure if the website was as a result of grassroots support in Chatham for Wal-Mart in or otherwise. If you got Twitter you can join them there or on BlackPlanet as well!
The area's job losses have been on a steady, dreary march this year: 37,200 in January, 37,700 in February, 22,500 in March, 27,000 in April, 37,600 in May, and 2,300 in June, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
More than 200,000 jobs have been lost since the start of the recession.
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Yet the company and the alderman [Howard Brookins, 21st Ward] face huge resistance from the City Council to a proposal for a Wal-Mart Supercenter on the South Side, at 83rd Street and Stewart Avenue just west of the Dan Ryan.
What's there now? A vacant lot. A vacant lot where no one is working.
The construction of that store on that vacant site would put hundreds of Chicagoans to work. Once the store was opened, at least 500 people would get jobs.
"This should be a no-brainer," Brookins told us. He has pleaded with his fellow aldermen to allow a vote on an ordinance to push the project forward. But the ordinance remains stuck in the Rules Committee, which is run by Ald. Richard Mell (33rd).
More than 40 Bronzeville residents packed into a schoolbus last night to visit Mayor Richard M. Daley's house, demanding that city officials approve 500 vacant, city-owned lots in their neighborhood for affordable housing.What do you think might be the effect of a possible Olympic games on Chicago's black neighborhoods? Might they be positive with new development in black communities or could this drive out of the city a significant number of black Chicagoans?
The residents, members of the Housing Bronzeville, want the City Council to approve their proposal before its August recess. Their goal is to have officials set aside the lots for middle-income families, ahead of the International Olympic Committee's decision on which city will host the 2016 games.
The activists say the Olympics could displace tens of thousands of residents in the historic Bronzeville neighborhood if the city does not commit the lots to homes for families making about $40,000 to $60,000 per year.
Their concerns echo those of other residents in South Side communities who have said they worry that an Olympic spotlight would lead officials and businesspeople in the city to gentrify historic black neighborhoods.
THose are all touchy feely feminized hang wringing pseudo-studies. The real reason blacks will ALWAYS fall behind intellectually is IQ a.k.a. genes. The only way blacks will achieve as whites is test and grade padding which is what is currently being done.If this is what you believe then steer clear of this blog. No one is BORN stupid! The person who wrote this comment may not be very smart himself if he believes that.
At 12:37 a.m., a gunman shot a 24-year-old man in the hip area on the 7900 block of South Cottage Grove, according to police.The suspect is not in custoday as of yet, but hey Calumet Area Detectives are investigating this!
The man told police he did not know the shooter and the gunman “walked up and shot him,” but the victim’s girlfriend -- who was also on the scene -- told police the two were arguing because her boyfriend owed the gunman $15, police said.
The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in serious but “stable” condition, according to police. Nobody else was injured.
The mayor used his annual State of the City address to tackle the issues that have touched a nerve with Chicagoans. They range from higher taxes, youth violence and government corruption to video poker, the Olympics and Chicago parking meters.One way to insure that CTA won't raise fares in the near future.
“People are upset about a lot of things. They’re worried that they might lose their jobs — or they’ve lost their job or their home or their health insurance. They won’t be able to pay off the student loans or even take a vacation,” Daley said.
“The want to know we can get all we can from every tax dollar and manage government prudently, transparently. They want to know their streets are safe.”
To keep his hand out of taxpayer pockets, Daley urged the Chicago Public Schools, City Colleges, the CTA, CHA and Park District to hold the line on taxes, fees and fare hikes this year and to order their top level executives to join the furlough frenzy.
On the $1.15 billion privatization of Chicago parking meters tied to a steep schedule of rate hikes, Daley said he has instructed his staff to review the 75-year lease to “determine how we can make it work better for the people of Chicago.”
Turning to the controversy surrounding his pledge to make Chicago taxpayers the final back-stop against Olympic losses, Daley said the “low risk to taxpayers” makes it worth the gamble.
The Chicago Transit Authority announced Wednesday it will not have to cut service or raise fares in spite of taking another hit — this time $35.2 million — in anticipated funding this year. The mass transit agency cited increased ridership, conservative budgeting and tightly controlled costs for its ability to maintain current service and fare levels. Officials did warn, however, that they may not be able to hold the line if there are additional losses in funding.Thanks for providing more information Crain's. :)
The CTA originally based its 2009 budget on the expectation it would receive $723.3 million in public funding, but it’s now likely to receive only $541.4 million.
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The 25% loss in funding is the result of the Regional Transportation Authority having to revise its funding estimates after revenue from sales taxes and real estate transfer taxes came in far below budget projections.
The Illinois Attorney General's office filed lawsuits [in Cook County Circuit Court] against several companies Wednesday, alleging they violated the Illinois Mortgage Rescue Fraud Act.
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In each suit, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan charged that the companies collected upfront fees for the promise of helping borrowers negotiate with mortgage lenders then failed to perform any services.
In fourth-grade math in 2007, white Illinois students scored 32 points higher than their African-American counterparts on the 500-point national test. The national gap was only 26 points.
By eighth grade, white Illinois kids scored 38 points higher than black peers. Nationally, white eighth-graders outpaced blacks by 31 points.
The disparity was largely due to black Illinois students doing worse than African Americans nationally.
The results reflect only public school students who took the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
In reading, Illinois' racial disparity was much closer to that of the national average.
Some studies have tied the black-white achievement gap to the fact that African Americans are more likely to be poor, come from single-parent homes, face less classroom rigor and have less-prepared teachers.
McGee said Illinois needs to attack the math gap by teaching teachers to make math more interesting.
"The problem is, kids get to eighth grade and they don't like math because it's not taught in an interesting manner,'' McGee said.
Our budget fallout tracking project has so far identified nearly 15,000 individuals already affected by the state budget impasse -- either social service providers who have been laid off because of the fiscal uncertainty, or clients of those private agencies who have lost their services as a result. With a bird's eye view, our map illustrates what the inaction in Springfield has already cost the state.Well worth your time if you're concerned about the budget impasse in Springfield.
Given the shabby nature the Democratic Party’s treatment of U.S. Senator Roland Burris because he dared buck the elite Democrats by not quitting when they demanded, they quickly abandoned him politically. It’s reported he’s has a meager $20K in his political war chest, a paltry amount in a state rich with Democrat powerhouses. Roland should return the favor, and abandon the Democrats by switching to the Republican Party.Interesting!
Kennedy-King College and Wight & Company, a leader in integrated architecture, engineering and construction solutions for the built environment, are pleased to announce that the public opening of the Sikia Restaurant will be on August 7, 2008. “Sikia” is a creation and operation of the highly acclaimed Washburne Culinary Institute. The Washburne Culinary Institute’s new restaurant, designed by Wight & Company, is the second restaurant for the Washburne Culinary Institute.Another place in the neighborhood where we can go eat.
“Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy excellent gourmet cuisine in the beautifully designed dining room—the menu and modern décor reflect an African influence,” says William Reynolds, Provost of the Washburne Culinary Institute. An African symbol inspired the thematic direction. “Sikia” is symbolic of peace and harmony and depicts two fish biting each other’s tail with the message that “no one should bite the other.”
“Washburne Culinary Institute’s leadership established the vision for this fantastic project and was a true partner through the design process,” said Janet Lougee, Vice President, Wight & Company. “It is great working with a sophisticated and knowledgeable client who values quality design.”
Does Chicago’s tradition of “aldermanic prerogative” — which grants city council members power over much ward-level zoning and development decisions — violate equal protection rights guaranteed under the 14th Amendment of the Constitution?Honestly I take no issue with the idea of Aldermanic prerogative. Just like any practice or understanding it can be abused. I could call this, if true about Fioretti, a case of abuse though at least Fioretti isn't being bribed he's just supporting a local union.
Does such a prerogative even exist?
Those are some of the questions attorneys representing the Congress Plaza Hotel and the City of Chicago started debating at a trial in federal court that started July 8.
In 2007, the Congress Hotel alleged in a lawsuit that the city and Ald. Robert Fioretti, whose 2nd Ward includes the hotel, conditioned issuance of various permits, including those for a rooftop expansion and a sidewalk café, on the resolution of the now six-year-old strike at the hotel.
By doing so, the suit claimed, Fioretti and the city interfered in federal law that governs labor disputes, among other violations. The city denied the allegations.
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“In the City of Chicago, the Alderman of the ward where building and construction takes place must approve the proposed construction plans before the various city departments will issue necessary permits,” the suit reads, an allegation city lawyers denied.
Fioretti told Chicago Journal aldermen do not have complete sway over what happens in the areas they represent.
“Sure we should know everything that’s going on in the ward — we weren’t elected to be without a voice,” he said. “But there’s not an untold privilege alderman have in their wards. Anybody that thinks that is naïve.”
Mayor Richard Daley on Wednesday defended his decision to solicit private collection agencies to go after City Hall's debtors, noting the difficulty of persuading many scofflaws to pay the city what they owe.And now the Alderman's comments:
The Tribune reported Wednesday that the cash-strapped Daley administration is seeking bids from collection agencies that would then get a percentage of whatever they collect from people with unpaid parking tickets, water bills and other debts. "People refuse to pay," Daley said. "Yeah, they do that. They want to waive the interest. It's hard, to be very frank. Some went bankrupt, some you can't find, some just refuse to pay."
According to bid documents, however, the city sends out letters to debtors itself or hires law firms to try to recover what is owed.
The city uses a private company to bill for emergency services such as ambulance rides. That company in turn hires another firm, a local collection agency, to deal with overdue bills.
Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) said it is better for the city to hire law firms than collection agencies. "Law firms have a lot more at stake to ensure that they are being professional in what they are doing," said Lyle, who is an attorney. "They have law licenses in the balance."
She said she often hears from constituents complaining about debt collectors who call at odd hours and are "misrepresenting things."
Embattled Illinois Sen. Roland Burris says he's loved serving in Washington but won't run for a full term next year because of the high cost of raising money for a campaign.The CapFax covered this announcement earlier today!
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