Feb. 16, 2009 – A legislative effort to require CPS to develop a comprehensive facilities plan addresses a longstanding concern of advocates for neighborhood schools: without public oversight and accountability, they say, the district's decisions on building, repairing, closing and privatizing school facilities are arbitrary, opaque, and unfair. State Representative Cynthia Soto — whose bill would enact a...
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Feb. 2, 2009 – Homeless shelters around the state are facing increased demand, according to a new report from Housing Action Illinois (pdf), and new figures from the Chicago Community Trust show calls for homelessness prevention assistance are up sharply. The findings add to evidence cited recently by the Center for Budget and Policy...
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Jan. 21, 2009 – One day after President Obama's inauguration, immigrants are stepping right up to ensure that their issues get attention from the new administration, holding actions in Washington D.C., Chicago, and elsewhere. Today in Washington, the Fair Immigrant Reform Movement and groups from across the country, including members of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee...
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Jan. 14, 2009 – With the still-growing housing crisis at the core of the sharpest economic downturn since the Great Depression, advocates called for affordable housing to be a key component of stimulus and recovery plans. "Housing is infrastructure," said Jack Markowski of the Chicago-based Community Investment Corporation, alluding to massive infrastructure investments planned in the forthcoming stimulus program....
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Jan. 9, 2009 – In response to complaints by animal rights activists, one horse carriage company is no longer operating on North Michigan Avenue as of January 1 for violations of city code. Kerri Stojack of Ald. Scott Waguespack's 32nd Ward office said the Department of Consumer Services has not renewed the business license of JC Cutters Ltd....
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Dec. 31, 2008 – Peace groups from around the region will hold a daily vigil throughout January in Hyde Park, blocks from the home of President-elect Barack Obama, to show support for the progressive agenda on which Obama ran. "We are trying to remain hopeful, but we understand that there is tremendous pressure on Obama to...
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Nov. 25, 2008 – Bob Jackson has kept CeaseFire's Roseland office open since August of 2007, when he and his staff of 15 outreach workers were laid off after Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed $6.5 million in state funds for the violence prevention program. He's paid rent and utilities, mainly out of his pocket, running a one-person office on...
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Nov. 14, 2008 – Student writers and supporters of Youth Communication Chicago (YCC) will rally at noon on Saturday, November 15, in front of the group's Columbia College office at 619 S. Wabash, to call attention to the organization's financial crisis. After 32 years of publishing New Expressions as a vehicle for young Chicago writers, YCC suspended operations...
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Nov. 13, 2008 – When the Chicago City Council considered an ordinance banning chickens from the city late last year, the folks at the Angelic Organics Learning Center in Woodlawn e-mailed fellow urban agriculture supporters. The ordinance was tabled, but the center heard back from several Chicago chicken owners and many others who were interested in learning more. It's...
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Oct. 24, 2008 – Lathrop Homes residents and supporters held a rally this Thursday, Oct. 23, in support of a new proposal to lease vacant apartments at the CHA development. Lathrop Homes Local Advisory Council president Juanita Stevenson was scheduled to present the proposal to the CHA board earlier this week. Two-thirds of Lathrop...
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