Located at 4816 N. Broadway St., the Uptown was built in 1925 by architects Rapp and Rapp, who also designed the Chicago Theater and Cadillac Palace Theater.  The Uptown was designated a Chicago landmark in 1991.

Jerry Mickelson, of Jam Productions Ltd., bought the theater in 2008 for $3.2 million. Mickelson owns several well-known Chicago music venues, including the Rivera, The Vic, and the Park West.

Before Mickelson, the theater had been in and out of foreclosure since 1994. Prior to that, through the late ’80s and mid-’90s, the Uptown was owned by Lou Wolf, a slumlord and convicted arsonist who was dubbed “Chicago’s worst landlord” in 1989 by Chicago Magazine.

Mickelson was contacted multiple times with questions regarding the Uptown’s funding issues, but would only comment via e-mail.

“I have been trying to fit all the pieces of the funding puzzle together to renovate the Uptown Theater and am making some progress, but it is a very long road that requires an incredible amount of due diligence,” Mickelson said.

Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48^th Ward) has been alderman of the 48^th Ward since 1989, just eight years after the Uptown closed its doors.

Doug Fraser, Smith’s chief of staff, said the theater’s renovation has long been a ward priority, but that the theater’s size is not ideal for most investor’s business models.

“It’s a tough nut to crack. It’s a big theater, it’s historical,” Fraser said.  “The perception is that this should be an entertainment district and the Uptown should be the anchor.”

Fraser said he foresees the theater being a huge benefit to the neighborhood, but the right combination of private funds and city money just hasn’t happened.

“No one will ever build anything like that again, so you can’t let it go. You just have to keep banging away at it until it eventually happens and that’s our approach,” he said.

John Holden, the former president of the Uptown Historical Society, said the alderman has dragged her feet when it comes to restoring the Uptown.

“Mary Ann, shame on her, it’s been in her ward, she’s been alderman 20 years. I know she’s always talked about wanting to get something going with the theater and nothing’s ever happened on her watch,” Holden said.

Holden said vast sections of the complex need repainting and extensive plasterwork needs to be redone both in the lobby and the auditorium. He also said the Uptown’s lobby used to be used for events and suggested that a restoration of the lobby would be a temporary way to get some use out of the theater.

“I’ve long contended to anyone that would listen that, you know, you could probably do something with the lobby and turn it into a fantastic banquet facility or something like that and maybe moth-ball the auditorium for some time,” Holden said.

Larry Wilker, president of TheatreDreams, has helped restore multiple large theaters, including the Playhouse Square Theater, the “world’s largest theater restoration project,” in Cleveland, Ohio.

Restoration on the Uptown is estimated at $40 million. Wilker said that is a gross underestimation.

“Oh, they’re way off,” he said. “You might do a partial renovation for 40 [million] but if you’re talking about restoring it to the way it looked the day it opened, with all the modern technology, I think you’re closer to $100 million,” he said.

In his experience with theater renovation, Wilker said typically a organization with connections to the theater takes responsibility for raising a combination of state, city and private funds to get the theater restored.

Wilker said the process usually happens this way because theater restoration is a tough investment sell.

“These things are not done as a for-profit venture because they’re not economic. You can’t make back $100 million, no matter what you’re doing there,” Wilker said.

Andy Pierce, a founding member of Friends of the Uptown, a volunteer advocacy organization, said he thinks corporate sponsorship, combined with privately raised funding, is the key to restoring the Uptown.

“You’ve got an owner who may have one or more corporate sponsors and or backers, and if it wants to, it can be the Nokia Uptown Theater or the Schwinn Bicycle Uptown Theater,” Pierce said.

But Wilker said corporations don’t typically sponsor theaters.

“The kind of dollars that are given to stadiums for sponsorship never happen to theaters because the stadiums have television coverage and the theaters don’t,” he said. While ample funding for the theater has yet to be secured, public interest is still high.

Andy Pierce noted that the Uptown Theater’s Facebook page currently has 7,612 members.

“Try and find another non-operating public theater that has over 7,000 friends on Facebook,” Piece said.

By comparison, The Chicago Theater, an operational theater, has 7,970 members on Facebook.

And John Holden said he still anticipates the day when he’ll be back enjoying a show at the Uptown.

“The environment for doing something at the Uptown is as good as it’s ever going to get,” he said. “Those of us who love the neighborhood and love old theaters are really holding out all hope that someday something comes together, but it’s been a long waiting game.”

Owner Jose Barajas said his business has survived the recession because he knows what he has to do to be successful.

“If you have a good product at a good price, people are going to buy it,” said Barajas.

El Solazo, located at 5600 S. Pulaski Road, is a small, authentic restaurant with all the trappings of Mexico: A portrait of the Virgin Mary graces one wall and a sculpture of the Aztec calendar greets visitors as they walk in. Serving everything from tacos to Mexican seafood, prices range from $1.59 to $19 per dish.

Barajas, 29, said he already had the experience and knowledge of Mexican food when he opened his restaurant. He began working in the food industry at the age of 17. He comes from a family that owns a chain of successful Mexican restaurants; one of the restaurants is owned by his mother. He said his family members weren’t upset about his idea of launching a new restaurant on his own in 2007, but they didn’t expect him to have a booming business.

“I didn’t even think I was going to do as well. I just wanted to pay my bills,” Barajas said.

His mother supports him and helps out with his business. He said he is grateful for the experience he gained in his family business, and it was a “stepping stone” for him.

Barajas said he doesn’t know the formula behind his success, but he is sure of what he believes in and what he set out to do.

“The specialty here, I believe, is the fact that whatever we do, we do it fresh and people seem to like what we do,” he said.

Everything in the restaurant is homemade. Barajas has compiled recipes that date back to 1995. He said he is in his restaurant every day and often gets in the kitchen to cook.

“There is not a can of salsa, there is not a can of beans, there is not a can of anything in the back. Everything we do here is from scratch,” Barajas said.

Patrons described the food as authentic, fresh and well prepared.

Erica, 31, who declined to give her last name, said she came across El Solazo as she was driving and decided to stop and try the food. She said the food she finds at El Solazo is the closest she’s found to her grandmother’s style of cooking.

Other patrons offered similar praise.

“I’m very picky about my Mexican food, and this is the closest to authentic Mexican food,” said Maria Juarez.

Juarez, 37, works and lives in the area. She said her favorite plate is chilaquiles verde (tortillas with green hot sauce). The plate is served with rice, beans and a choice of eggs for $5.49 and steak for $6.99.

Other patrons said they like the prices.

“Food here is not greasy compared to other Mexican restaurants on Pulaski, and the prices are very reasonable within my budget,” said Jose Da La Torre.

Jackie Padilla, 20, started working for Barajas one month after he opened his restaurant. She said she sees returning customers all the time.

“They like the food a lot and the service. They say we treat them like friends and not customers,” said Padilla.

Antigona (Antigone) – Aguijon Theater – Chicago, IL Events | Metromix Chicago.

Today, however, he substituted his sleigh for a fire truck, and instead of elves, he was aided by firefighters and paramedics. The mission: bring Christmas to children that otherwise wouldn’t have one. This was mission of the 12th Annual Toy Parade put on by Local 2 of the Chicago Firefighters Union.

Chicago firefighters from Local 2 load donations onto a truck during their 12th annual toy parade.

“We started in 1999 and in our first year we had hopes and expectations of helping 500 children and we exceeded expectations and helped 1,000,” Tim O’Brien, director of public relations for Local 2 said. “We have increased every single year.”

O’Brien has been a firefighter in Chicago for 19 years and came up with the idea; however, he says no one man can do this. According to O’Brien, approximately 4,000 children, from newborns to age 16 will be helped this year.

“The difficult economy has stagnated our growth in the past years but we continue to grow,” he said.

This year the parade included 450 bikes, 600 toys and 200 gift baskets for girls, which included perfumes and shampoos. Around 60 wagons were also collected.

“Our goal was to show the citizens of Chicago how appreciative we are for the jobs we have and to give something back to the community,” O’Brien said. “While firefighters and paramedics have difficult jobs, one of the things we see first hand is poverty. A lot of low-income people are people who need our help the most.”

As the parade passed through Bridgeport it had to stop so firefighters could collect donations from the people. An entire fire truck was loaded with toys, many times forcing the riders to catch items as they began to slipping off the truck.

“The people of Bridgeport are amazing,” O’Brien said as he climbed back abroad the truck. “It’s always the people with the least amount of money that give the most.”

The parade continued along its route until its final destination at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, where it was met by representatives from Catholic Charities, who have partnered with the toy parade.

The toy parade is a part of Catholic Charities’ initiative to bring Christmas to some 21,000 children.

“I am speechless by the generosity of all the firemen and their families,” Anne Bergin, director of board relations for Catholic Charities said. “We are so blessed.”

The generosity of the firemen, paramedics and families for Local 2 doesn’t stop there. They also work with Toys for Troops, especially the 404th infantry brigade and also Housing Opportunities for Women.

“The support of the Chicago Fire Fighter’s Union is absolutely vital to the families we are serving,” Jen Patterson, director of development and communications for Housing Opportunities for Women said.  “These gifts are likely to go to children who would not have a christmas.”

Some 150 toys were donated to the shelter, who according to Patterson, support about 1,400 individuals a year.

“The annual Chicago Firefighters and Paramedics Toy Parade is an amazing example of how people of good faith respond generously to the call of an idea as simple as providing Christmas gifts to needy children,” said Monsignor Michael M. Boland, president of Catholic Charities.

The parade could not have been done without all the volunteers who gave their time to help load and unload all the toys. There were some 125 volunteers involved.

“We’re grateful to the men and women of the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 who make extraordinary sacrifices for all of us every day that they report for work,” Boland added. “They’re to be commended for their dedication to the communities they serve and for their generosity to the poor whose families are struggling to make ends meet in these challenging times.”

by Josh Mellin @extinctionblues.com

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Gabriel Villa, Nicole Marroquin, Eric Garcia and Salvador Jiménez spoke last month at the University of Illinois at Chicago event dubbed “La Tierra Prometidad,” which is Spanish for “The Promised Land.”

These four artists are all from Pilsen, a neighborhood on the Lower West Side of Chicago that is home to mostly Hispanics and many thriving artists who want to showcase their work outside of the typical art gallery. The four artists promote their own work and help teach self-promoting to artists all over Chicago.

Villa, who teaches art in the Pilsen neighborhood said, “Artists of color talk about not being represented, [it] feels like they are taking the stance of being victim.”

Villa agreed that artists of color are under-represented in mainstream places. But that didn’t stop him. In 2009, he painted a mural about the Chicago Police Department’s blue-light cameras on the side of a business. Villa wanted to show his idea of what the blue-light cameras actually do, and wanted to show the people of Chicago. Although Villa had permission from the private business to paint the mural, it was destroyed three weeks later under the orders of 11th Ward Ald. James Balcer.

But Villa’s story didn’t stop other artists. Garcia shows his art all over the city and said, “I’m trying to tell a story and influence people’s ideas with my art.”

Garcia uses art to educate and demonstrate the issues in culture. But he doesn’t just use galleries to show his artwork; he is also recognized in art throughout the city streets, where he focuses on making sure people remember his art and remember the message he is trying to convey.

Marroquin agreed. “[In the] public is the best way to show work,” said Marroquin. “You have to work in both traditional and non-traditional places.”

Marroquin works with teens across the United States and helps them create art for studio spaces as well as on the streets across the country. Marroquin helps guide teens to design art on the sides of buildings, in alleys and even as simple as on the sidewalk of a local street. She believes that you have to be able to show your work in both environments to be successful.

“As an artist, my goal is to show the artwork,” Jiménez said. “[I] promote artwork by having [the viewer] see the piece and have it strong enough to stay with them in their mind.”

Jiménez doesn’t necessarily use the streets as a way to get his artwork seen, but uses unconventional spaces like coffee shops, local stores, bars and gyms.

Rigoberto Robles, a 22-year-old full-time student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was amazed at the information in the meeting. “It shows how art affects people,” said Robles.

The meeting even inspired Martha Ramirez, also 22-year-old full-time student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “I received an e-mail about this meeting and it was informing,” Ramirez said, adding that she was interested in finding a way to self-promote her own artwork and will go to these artists for support.

Garcia ended the meeting by make sure everyone understood one thing: “[It] is a challenge to get art into the world and galleries,” but to never stop trying.

The benefit, “Jazz for Justice,” was held in the Grace Gallery at 1741 N. Western Ave. and was attended by about 150 people. Over $2,000 was raised.

Koger’s new attorney, the well-known defense lawyer Jed Stone, spoke briefly to the crowd. He began by saying humorously, “It is a privilege to talk to the Wicker Park Humanist Society,” and then stressed the importance of the case. “This is about the right of peaceful assembly, the right of free speech, the right to videotape, the right to speak out without repression.”

Gregory Koger also spoke, saying he was uncomfortable in front of an audience, but thanking everyone and telling of his discovery of the newspaper “Revolution” when he was in isolation in Pontiac Correctional Center on a previous conviction, and how that changed his life from negative to positive. He also handed out a one-page statement of his views on the larger implications of his case.

Koger was released Oct. 22 on appeal bond after serving two months in Cook County Jail for his conviction on three misdemeanor counts: criminal trespass, resisting arrest, and simple battery. His trial before the Appellate Court will take place “probably some time in the spring of 2011″ according to his attorney.

The original fracas on Nov. 1, 2009, occurred when the Ethical Humanist Society of Skokie canceled an invitation to Sunsara Taylor, a social philosopher, feminist, and communist to speak on the subject, “Morality Without Gods.” The EHS, which proclaims it is “for those who seek a rational, compassionate philosophy of life without regard to belief or nonbelief in a supreme being,” apparently hired a plainclothes policeman and called in the Skokie police to prevent Taylor from making an appearance and short speech in defiance of her rejection.

Gregory Koger was there to record this event by videotape when the police grabbed him. (More on this can be found at dropthecharges.net) Some members of the EHS who resigned over the incident were present at the benefit.

Musicians at the benefit were outstanding. The brilliant avant-garde cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm seemed wedded to his instrument as he soared and shivered with his trio, and Ted Sirota, in what he called he called his first appearance in a solo set, wove magical intonations and mini-explosions on his drums and cymbals. It made one realize that the avant-garde could be full of soul.

On Sunday, Dec. 12 from 4 to 7 p.m., StreetWise magazine will hold its Third Annual Holiday Fundraiser at Praha, 3849 North Lincoln Ave. Praha will edonate 15 percent of their sales to Streetwise.

StreetWise Inc. is a social enterprise organization that helps unemployed and underemployed men and women. By providing social services like employment training and housing support, StreetWise is able to accomplish its mission. The organization also publishes StreetWise Magazine, a weekly publication that vendors at risk of homelessness sell for both profit and a meaningful employment experience — a way to assist on their journey towards financial stability.

Designer Christine Hutchison of Five Accessories will be selling her pieces at the Streetwise fundraiser for the second time. Her unique designs combine fashion and style with social awareness. Five Accessories prides itself on being a social enterprise committed to creating eco-friendly sustainable fashions including handbags, jewelry and home decor.

Five Accessories has five lines from five different countries: Bali, India, Honduras and the U.S. Products to be featured  at the Praha event include the Bamboo and Coconut Shell handbags from the Bali Collection. Five Accessories employs people from small villages to hand-craft the items. Five dollars from each handbag and 15 percent of each jewelry sale go toward a foundation that supports under-privileged school children to help them continue their education.

Also on display at the Praha event will be handbags from the Cambodia line. The bags come in a variety of sizes, the smallest capable of holding an iPad. The bags are hand-made of repurposed mosquito netting  in Phom Phem, Cambodia by members of the group Smateria. A portion of the proceeds are donated to help women and children who are victims of human trafficking and sex slavery.

Off the Street is Five Accessories’ newest line. This income-generating program employs vendors from Streetwise on an hourly basis to create handmade accessories using recycled material from the streets of Chicago. “Off the Street empowers people to stay off the street by using recycled material,” Hutchison said.

Streetwise vendors also collect materials including bottle tops and old transit cards to make the accessories. They get credit towards buying StreetWise magazines by collecting the recyclable materials. With the help of StreetWise, Five Accessories has collected more than 12,000 transit cards.

The products made through the Off the Street Program include picture frames and bracelets. The picture frames are adorned with either transit cards or recycled newspapers. Bottle top bracelets are made from can pop tops and ribbon. The bracelets come in a variety of colors that include purple, green, orange and blue. Each item comes with the picture and story of the individual who made it, and 15 percent of each sale is donated back to StreetWise.

For more information on the Streetwise Holiday Fundraiser, check out the flier on the StreetWise website. Hutchison and Five Accessories with be featured in StreetWise Magazine this December. To inquire about custom orders or online shopping, got to www.fiveaccessories.com.

Cross’ eccentric, go-getter personality is what makes her who she is and it’s what has gotten her so far in her life at such a young age.

Cross, a journalism major at Columbia College Chicago with a concentration in broadcast journalism, was recently chosen, along with 15 other college freshman, from over thousands of applicants for Seventeen magazine’s “Freshman 15” correspondence. With an internship that many graduates could only dream of, at just 18 years old, Cross has already had her writing published several times before.

Taylor Jones, a close friend of Cross, said that although Cross likes to have fun, she is also very business oriented.

“[Bria] is a successful young woman who in my opinion has accomplished so much at her age,” said Jones.

Hailing from Dolton, a southern suburb of Chicago, Cross has already achieved journalistic success at a young age. She started her writing career on the yearbook staff at Seton Academy in South Holland. However, it was at her second school, Thornwood High School, that Cross was asked to write the opening section of her senior yearbook. It was also at Thornwood that Cross’ teacher introduced her to the creator of Chicago-based TrueStar magazine.

At the young age of 16, Cross began writing for TrueStar. It was her intense love for entertainment news and her ongoing persistence that landed Cross with numerous celebrity interviews, with hip-hop artists such as the New Boyz and Omarion.

“I told [TrueStar], ‘I like celebrities, so I’m going to write about celebrities’,” said Cross.

After these high-profile interviews and well-written articles, Cross landed her first cover of TrueStar within only three months of being hired.

“It gave me confidence,” Cross said.

However, it was last summer that Cross landed the correspondence that would upgrade her writing career the most.

While exploring the Seventeen magazine website this summer, Cross came across an “Apply Now” button and then spent two hours filling out an extensive application for the “Freshman 15” correspondence. After several months without hearing from Seventeen, Cross finally got the email telling her to submit a two-minute video about herself and why she would be a good addition to the “Freshman 15.”

Only days before her classes began in September, Cross received the call that informed her of her new Seventeen correspondence.

Seventeen features editor Elisa Benson said that Cross’ excitement for life and upbeat attitude is what earned her a spot on “Freshman 15.”

“We loved her right off the bat,” said Benson. “Her video was super-energetic and fun. We could tell she wanted to fully dive into the college experience and share it with readers.”

However, Cross admitted that she doesn’t know why Seventeen chose her over thousands of other girls for this correspondence.

“I don’t really know what set me apart,” said Cross, “but I’m glad I got noticed.”

Every week, Cross submits a blog, video blog and photos of she and her friends while also answering questions from readers. Cross frequently writes about parties and also of her complications with her roommates.

According to Cross’ blog manager at Seventeen, Kaitlyn Cubria, Cross has what it takes to be a great journalist.

“I think Bria has improved since her first blog/[video blog] entries,” Cubria said. “The journalism industry is tough to crack into. The fact that Bria will have all of these clips from Seventeen will give her that much of a leg up on her competition.”

Although Cross writes for both TrueStar and Seventeen, she has many different ideas for what her future career may be.

“I want to do everything,” said Cross. “I wouldn’t mind working for a PR firm, hosting TRL, or having an online blog. I want to do it all.”

For students and aspiring journalists, Cross offered some important advice: make yourself known.

“Put yourself out there, apply everywhere,” Cross said. “Don’t be scared to try anything.”

Columbia's Radio Station, WCRX

Radio station WCRX will bring the 8th Annual “Holly Jolly Trolley” Food Drive to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository to town on Thursday, December 9th from 8:00am until 5:00pm.

The annual broadcast of the WCRX “Holly Jolly Trolley” Food Drive aims to  increase awareness of the hunger problem in the community and raise money for the Depository.

Students broadcast live in front of the “Holly Jolly” trolley car and in the building’s lobby all day long. Santa and his elves, area choirs and performers, face painters, local celebrities and city dignitaries, vocalists and musicians are part of the broadcast to provide entertainment and attract donors from the college and business community.

You can bid on some awesome items in the  WCRX Holiday Auction that returns this year  including:

• Blackstone Hotel Weekend Package This fantastic weekend package is valued at $600.  Opening bid is $250.00.
• Segway Tour for Two Valued at $130.00, the bidding starts at $75.00.
• Gospel BrunchWe have 4 tickets to Gospel brunch at a value of $220.00.  Bidding starts at $100.00.
• iPod ShuffleThe iPod Shuffle is valued at $79.00.  We’ll start the bidding at $40.00.

During the past couple of years, the drive has raised almost $30,000 and the station has collected more than 3,000 pounds of food. All canned goods and money go directly to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

via Columbia College Chicago : Holly Jolly Trolley.

One of the histories of the Christmas Ship

The arrival of the new state-of-the-art Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw at Navy Pier, 600 East Grand Avenue, on Friday, Dec. 3, 2010 at 8:30 a.m. will be a big time event.

First the cutter will be welcomed in grand fashion by Fire and Police boats, a live military band and hundreds of students throughout the morning. The welcome is organized by “Chicago’s Christmas Ship” Committee, International Shipmasters’ Association, Chicago Marine Heritage Society, Friends of the Marine Community, Chicago Yachting Association, Navy League of the United States, U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Navy Pier.

On Sat., Dec. 4, 2010 at 10 a.m. near the “Captain at the Helm” statue south of the Navy Pier entrance, the Mackinaw will follow  “Chicago’s Christmas Ship” tradition by bringing Christmas trees for twelve hundred deserving families in the Chicago area. Three families, representing the more than twelve hundred families who will be given trees this year, will be present to receive the first Christmas trees.

Following the Christmas tree event, will be a presentation of colors by the North Suburban Young Marines from Great Lakes, Illinois and a memorial wreath laying ceremony commemorating the Merchant Marine officers lost on the Great Lakes. There will be a dramatic fly over by a United States Coast guard helicopter carrying a memorial wreath that will be placed on the waves near the Chicago lighthouse if conditions permit.

Image via Wikipedia

Guest speakers include: Rear Admiral Michael N. Parks, Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District; Commander Scott Smith, Commanding Officer, US Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw

Honored Guests include: Commander Robert E. Bailey, Jr., USCG, Commanding Officer, Marine Safety Unit Chicago, and Lieutenant Peter J. Piaza, Commanding Officer, Marine and Helicopter Unit, Chicago Police Department.

Public Tours of the USCGC Mackinaw will be provided on Fri. Dec. 3rd and  Sat. Dec. 4, 2010 from 1:30 – 5 p.m. The ship USCGC expects to depart Chicago on Sunday, December 5, 2010.

5201960869_57772921d4.jpg (JPEG Image, 324×500 pixels).

I walked in and sat down with a plate of cookies at a recent screening of the documentary, “The Rescue of Joseph Kony’s Child Soldiers,” produced by the Invisible Children activist group. This movie was about Uganda and opened my eyes to the implications of community.

As the movie opened with the words, “Invisible because … no records are kept of their numbers or age” and “Invisible because … their own armies deny they exist,” I quickly finished off the cookies because I knew I couldn’t get emotional with food in my mouth. As expected, the film made me want to cry out in anguish and sorrow. Was it really that good of a movie? The film prompted me, a financially struggling college student, to buy a t-shirt that I vowed to wear the crap out of as well as donate what cash I had on me.

The film revealed a single man rising to power in Uganda and leading a rebel army — the Lord’s Rebel Army (LRA) — which consists of abducted children from five countries surrounding Uganda. The LRA is made up of children as young as 5 years old. They are “abducted” (for lack of a more brutal word) from their homes and families and then indoctrinated into committing murder or, in other cases, used as sex toys. The leader of the LRA, Kony, who is now in his late 40s, surrounds himself with his wives and children, becoming virtually untouchable to outside forces.

To date, an estimated 2,000-plus residents and child soldiers have died in the conflict. To some people, statistics are simply numbers that do not register. Rather than slap in some numbers here, the important thing to realize about the statistics in this film is that the death rate is cringingly high, and the number of abductees is painfully high. It is basically genocide.

“Generations of Ugandan children have not known peace,” a mentor for Ugandan students said to the stunned crowd after the film. “If Bill Gates was killed as a child, where would you all be right now? Without the Wright brothers, many of us would not be here today either.”

The night’s atmosphere changed, however, when I went to talk to Jimmy, an LRA escapee-turned-college-bound Ugandan. The night suddenly changed from a sense of deep urgency and sadness, to extreme urgency and slight humor. As I approached, Jimmy was already in conversation with a blonde girl wearing sweats and a sweatshirt. Her head was cocked and she kept repeating, “uh-huh, uh-huh.”

Jimmy’s voice was low and gentle. I walked up to them and heard the girl say, “But, like, I don’t get it. I know he has a lot of people around him but like, at this point, can’t you just like shoot through them all to get to him?”

I looked at Jimmy, scared to see his reaction to this blatant comment. Jimmy was gracious, however, and explained generously in his soft, accented voice, “No one can kill Joseph Kony because they would have to kill children. And the children close to him do not turn against him because he is their father. Kony has become even more powerful ever since the president of Sudan has joined in supporting him.”

The girl nodded and gave some more “um hmms” and then said, “So is there, like, dancing areas in Uganda because I’m majoring in dance, and I would like really like to go there.”

Did she just say she wanted to vacation in the terrorized country of Uganda? The comment caught Jimmy and me off guard, but instead of getting angry, he laughed and said patiently that there are people and places in Uganda that are beautiful.

To differentiate myself from the slapdash comments from this girl, I asked Jimmy if he was going to continue touring with the Invisible Children roadies group after he enters college. He said he will hopefully continue raising awareness during his college years.

The girl interjected with, “College? Here at Columbia College Chicago?!”

“No…” Jimmy said smiling, “In my own country, Uganda.”

The conversation ended with Jimmy handing us fliers so we can “learn more about what the Invisible Children movement does,” because after that conversation, we obviously needed to educate ourselves. I realized how important it was to donate what I could so that I would not be just another American who watches inhumane atrocities on screen and then returns home to forget.

Later on, Jimmy said that America is the country that will save Uganda, according to Stacy Scott, who also talked to him after the screening. She is part of the Invisible Children Club at Columbia College Chicago, which hosted the event that brought the roadies of the Invisible Children. Jimmy pointed out that Europe and Asia are close to Uganda, yet the United States is the country actually donating money and calling for the salvation of the child soldiers and the demise of Joseph Kony.

At least Jimmy recognizes that not all Americans are dim-witted. To help the child soldiers and other victims in Uganda, you can donate or purchase merchandise from www.invisiblechildren.com. Also, for $35 a month you can pay for a Ugandan student’s education. This last suggestion perplexed me. Could I really shape a whole new population that shares the same values, rules and beliefs? The answer is yes. With $35 a month, one American can raise a community that values education, believes in helping others and teaches peace and not gunfire.

However, doing something for another fellow human being for the sake of being “good” does not interest many people. What I found gripping about the Invisible Children’s donation proposal was the idea that an American could help to create a civilization far away from towering skyscrapers and far away from our paper-doll society in which blatant lies dress up in suits and ties and disappointment comes wrapped in cute presents. I learned that we can help people who live far away from American soil, where  green paper rectangles are dangled above a swamp of ravenous piranhas as bait for an army of hollow, blind slaves.

We can create a community unlike the useless, lazy parasites of American neighborhoods in which jobless beer bellies, 40-year-olds still living with their parents, and bunny-slippered ladies with none or too much makeup are pitied by the many Goodwill stores they slink off to. All of these stores are conveniently located on street corners hundreds of miles nearer to town than the more appropriate discarding areas of the dumps.

With our support, Ugandans could create a new society and not model itself after capitalist America, where gifts are convertibles for speeding past slums and pocket cell phones are used for communicating hate. Instead, gifts are food, family, and friends to be thankful for everyday and not just on Thanksgiving. We could have a part in creating a country in which truth shines without having to be deciphered and disentangled from doubt. We could have a role in creating a nation where what counts, what really matters is what the residents hold dear, and it is all they have — all they really need. Let’s help make a land in which people can start surviving on ships: friendships and love relationships to carry them along. We could have a part in creating something in which time is not confining, manipulative and slippery but, instead, a guiding touch on the back. Uganda could be a place where they will feel back-breaking work, and know their place, exalted in breathing in and out the oxygen they earn. It could be a land in which the volume is always turned up on everything and people feel gratitude for life.

If we helped to alter life in Uganda in this way, with just a small monthly contribution to one Ugandan student, we would perpetuate a chain of peace-minded people on another continent. We could be the builders of a generation concerned not with getting filthy rich but imbued with gratitude.

Performers from all over southern Wisconsin serenade spectators deep underground in the beauty of the North Cave while water drips and mineral deposits slowly grow around you.

As they say at Cave of the Mound, “All music concerts are unique … but this concert series truly ROCKS!!”

Cave of the Mounds is located just 20 miles west of Madison, Wis. off Highways 18 and 151.

Each performance will last approximately one hour. There is a schedule on the Cave’s website.

The concerts cost $7 per person, and part of the proceeds benefit the performing group or their charity of choice. Santa has a workshop there, too. Tickets are available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis and seating is limited. Advance tickets are available online at www.caveofthemounds.com.

Cave of the Mounds is a constant 50° and open year-round. One hour guided tours depart daily.

Enjoying the Shedd Aquarium

On Sunday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Jan. 2, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Shedd will offer special discounts for residents of the 2nd Ward. Enter through the “Group Reception Center” entrance (south side of the building near the bus unloading area) look for the “Welcome 2nd Ward Residents.” Take the ramp to your right and walk up. You will have to prove you live in one of the selected zip codes that make up Chicago’s 2nd Ward.

The Special 2nd Ward Shedd Aquarium Days include:

• “Buy One, Get One Free All-Access Pass” or 50 percent off a single All-AccessPass* [Full Price: Adult: $26.95; Child: $19.95."By One, Get One" 2nd Ward Day Pricing: Adult: $13.50;Child (ages 3-11) $10]
• A 10 percent discount on all food in the Shedd restaurants and gift store items
• A special wristband to identify all 2nd Ward Day guests
• The “Shedd Welcome” to 2nd Ward guests from Shedd interpreter prior to first aquatic show at 10:30 a.m.

The Shedd is a place for communities to gather, families to create memorable moments, grandparents to visit with grandkids and a place for adults to reconnect with their favorite childhood memories. A new adventure can be found each day at Shedd Aquarium.

*Note: The All-AccessPass includes Oceanarium, Wild Reef, Original Galleries. *$2 per person additional for the aquatic show. *$4/person additional for 4-D Theater Experience.

Related articles

• Shedd Aquarium Puts On An Air Show With Birds Of Prey (chicagoist.com)

Bike excitement in December

When: 7-11 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4
Where: Dank Haus, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago
Cost: $35 solo or $60 for couples. (Price includes two free drinks per person, appetizers, entry into the raffle and an evening of fun.)

Register: www.activetrans.org/bash

The Bike Town Bash benefits the Active Transportation Alliance’s work to improve biking, walking and transit in Chicagoland.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel.

The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. The Active Transportation Alliance is North America’s largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by nearly 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

Tourists on a Chicago Indoor Walking Adventure

The tour guests avoid the cold by using underground passages and shortcuts through buildings as they engage with hidden histories and view archival photos via iPad. There are three iPads that the group share. These supplement Amanda’s talk with maps, historic pictures, and ads from long ago that highlight how shopping in the Loop has changed over the years. The tours are limited to 24 people. Normally the tour costs $20/person, but this first few in this indoor series are being offered for free. Contact Amanda at the Chicago Detours site to sign up.

The “Inside the Loop” tour explores the historic beauty of sites like the First United Methodist Church and contemporary curiosities like the Block 37 shopping mall. Chicago Detours founder Scotese keeps things moving with stories about today’s Loop and its past history and add to the experience with the images and maps on the iPads.

From Chicago’s architectural and cultural offerings to the controversy over the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza and a discussion of the odd things that were once for sale at Marshall Field’s, this tour offers a way to walk off your post-Thanksgiving pounds while learning more about Chicago’s secrets.

Chicago Detours will continue to offer the tours on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays for $20 per person through the end of March.

Chicago Detours launched in July of 2010. “I believe that travel should be a meaningful experience,” Scotese said.

Mallory Sohmer, a 2006 film studies graduate, screened her documentary “The Living Documents” at the Ferguson Memorial Theatre, 600 S. Michigan Ave., to an audience of approximately 40 people.

“The Living Documents” chronicles a Nicaraguan attorney, Maria Acosta, and the death of her husband, Frank. Acosta is involved in the privatization of land for Nicaraguan natives, thus trying to stop the selling of this land over the Internet. This controversial work is exactly what led to the death of her husband.

After the screening, hosted by the Student Alumni Association, Sohmer discussed the documentary and her reasoning behind it, while also speaking about her post-Columbia career.

According to Sohmer, she got the idea for this documentary while still a student at Columbia. This documentary started out as a project for one of Sohmer’s film classes called Indigenous Film Making.

“We had to come up with stories to write a treatment on,” said Sohmer. “I found an article on Frank’s murder. I graduated and the story stuck with me. This is the kind of work I wanted to do.”

According to Sohmer, “The Living Documents” was three years in the making. During the filming, Sohmer spent a month in Nicaragua conducting interviews and gathering footage.

“It was a great learning experience,” Sohmer said.

Sohmer’s documentary was screened at the Chicago Latino Film Festival and all throughout Nicaragua. It has also been shown numerous times on the Documentary Channel.

During the discussion, students were encouraged to ask Sohmer questions about her film career, and she had much advice to offer.

The number-one advice she shared was to meet with others in your career and to gather a team.

“Build a network of people,” Sohmer said. “Find people who want to do the same projects you want to do.”

Sohmer also said that she wished she had been better rounded in other studies, such as journalism, to help her in film making.

Sohmer has been working freelance for the past year while also building her own client-base. As of now, she has no plans to make another documentary.

The top 45 students will win a doll and the first place winner will receive a set of all 6 Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls. The winners will be announced and dolls will be distributed during a school event on November 19. Playmates Toys, in partnership with World Vision, is launching this new line of  13.5″ multicultural dolls called “Hearts for Hearts Girls.” Chicago is the first test market to offer the dolls ($24.99 each.)

CONTACT: Gardi Wilks, 708.434.5006, [email protected]
Megan Moriarity, 708.434.5006, [email protected]

via Tomorrow New Line of Charitable Dolls Debut in Chicago – Int. Opp

On  Saturday, Dec. 4 from 2 to 9 p.m., get some extra warmth at the Winter Celebration on Milwaukee Avenue. The nexus of fun will be the Logan Square Holiday Art Sale at Cole’s Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Holiday art from local fine artists will include an assortment of original art and handmade items from paintings, prints, drawings, photography, letterpress, cards, buttons, collages, recycled crafts, silk-screened bags, non-denominational holiday balls, dioramas, jewelry to Mexican wrestling masks. We are all pinching pennies this year, and many items are under $50.

From there, it’s only a short walk along Milwaukee Avenue to be part of the Winter Celebration. Businesses that are participating include the Sulzen Fine Arts Studio, Revolution Brewery and Hairitics, Chicken Run and other local restaurants. Anti-Matter Studio, Threads Etc. and Cafe Mustache will be all gussied up for the event. The LIMIT Community Mural can bring back summer memories if it isn’t too cold.

The Logan Square Holiday Art Sale & Winter Celebration is organized by AnySquared Projects. For information, e-mail , call 773-862-9609 or visit the Logan Square Holiday Art Sale page at www.anysquared.com/2010_holiday/holiday10.htm.

Your key to the day:

Logan Square Holiday Art Sale & Winter Celebration: A 1-day/2-block extravaganza with a flurry of activities including art, artists, and fun!
When:
Saturday, Dec. 4, 2 – 9 p.m.
• Logan Square Holiday Art Sale: 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave., 2nd floor (Cole’s Bar)
• Winter Celebration: California/Milwaukee Area — 2200-2300 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Visit website for details.
(Milwaukee, between St. Georges Ct. & Medill—California Blueline Stop. Off the Milwaukee, Fullerton, & California buses)

For information:
773-862-9609,  or visit www.anysquared.com

“Her bouffant was an hourglass shape and not round, like everyone else’s,” recalled Spatz in a recent interview.

She loved styling hair so much that she got a full-time stylist position during high school. She wanted to drop out and go to work as a stylist, but her mother wouldn’t let her leave school. Instead, her mother gave her tuition to attend a beauty academy as a graduation gift after high school.

From her simple beginnings, Spatz, now 53, owns a well-known salon, Selvaggio, in the Edison Park area on the Northwest Side of Chicago, which does about 250 haircuts a week. Along with one other stylist, she earns about $10,000 a month. Spatz founded her salon in 2005.

“I can cut seven haircuts in five different techniques,” she said. “Being a well-rounded hairdresser is my favorite because I know how to do all three things well.”

She also believes that cutting and styling hair is an important contribution to other people’s happiness. “Hair is an expression of someone’s beauty, personality,” she said. “They can be a chameleon with their hair.”

Spatz, who sports an angled bob with highlights, has warm hazel eyes and a round face. Her love for her clients is contagious, and her positive feelings for her work are obvious. Of Italian descent, Spatz said she loves cooking Italian dishes and decorating her home and her salon; its walls are covered with portraits of the reggae singer Bob Marley, as well as photos of haircuts she feels most proud of.

“I think hairdressers are usually the most happy people in the world; there is a major history to hairdressing that is inspiring,” she said.

Spatz is following a tradition that started thousands of years ago. Evidence of hairdressing dates back to 30,000-25,000 BC, also known as the Ice Age, according to “Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History” by Victoria Sherrow. In her book, Sherrow said this evidence came from two statuettes, as well as scientific discoveries from pictures, artifacts and writings.

Like many hairdressers before her, Spatz was fortunate enough to be trained by some of the true masters of the industry, she said. One of these masters and the most influential to her was the top international hair designer, Irving Rusk.

Before launching her own salon, Spatz was among the select few who were able to work alongside the legendary Rusk. “He would come into Vidal Sassoon and train us,” she said. Rusk drew admirers from all over world. Spatz worked with teams to collaborate on styles and accompanied Rusk to styling conventions in Chicago.

“He was a mentor of mine,” she recalled. “I loved what he did. We worked as a true team. He produced looks that took over the whole industry. People ran to his shows before anything else.”

But her career was not always one of glamor and conventions. Spatz worked for seven years in her own basement after she married and became pregnant with her daughter and, later, her son. While she was working in her home, however, she read hairdressing journals like Estetica and kept up with changes in the industry, she said.

Her previous work places included Sam Martiranos in Northbrook and Vidal Sassoon in the Gold Coast.

A free-spirited type, Spatz moved to London in 1978 to cut hair after seeing an ad for a job there. “It was the height of pure rock. I learned how to cut inversions, mohawks, punky extreme haircuts.”

She also met the rock singer Rod Stewart there.

Spatz moved back to Chicago in 1979 and has lived here since, where she has developed a large circle of admirers, loyal clients and friends.

“I think she’s the best hairdresser in the entire world,” said Glee Mangiamele, 53, Spatz’s best friend. “I don’t care where she is in the world; I’ll go. If she moved to a hut in Jamaica, I’d go out there or fly her here.”

Mangiamele said Spatz is able to make her look her best. “She always makes me feel like I have the best hair in the world.”

Spatz has clients of all ages. Tanya Quershi, 20, a student who lives in Morton Grove, said when she got her first haircut from Spatz, she thought Spatz was cutting her hair too fast. “I got a little scared because she used a razor instead of scissors, but the end result was perfect.”

Allison Spatz, 25, who is Spatz’s daughter, said she refers her friends to her mother and they “rave about her.”

Allison Spatz said her mother cuts hair in a way that enables clients to recreate the same look at home. “She makes it easy. And if you don’t know how, she’ll show you how while you’re in her chair until you feel comfortable to do it on your own.”

She also credited her mother with being able to take a woman’s look and achieve a new style that is appropriate and still fashionable.

Spatz herself said one of her goals in cutting hair is to encourage people to try different hairstyles. “Some are so attached to the same look and hair that they don’t realize what a new look can do for them. They become so regimented,” she said.

Her daughter credited Spatz with putting clients’ interests above those of her own. “She’s honest. If she doesn’t think you’ll look good with the idea you’re thinking of because a lot of people want the most popular ‘in’ look, she will tell you. She helps you create a look of your own.”

Another client, Kristen Hope, agreed that Spatz sincerely cares about her customers. “I feel like I’m taken care of, as opposed to taken advantage of,” she said. Hope said she has been coming to Spatz for haircuts for five years.

Apparently Spatz commands a feeling of deep loyalty from some of her clients.

Spatz tells the story of Delores Hank, 89, a short, bubbly, white-haired client who drives a Mercedes-Benz and always brings cakes or flowering plants to Spatz with every appointment. “She was one of my first clients, and I still do her hair today,” Spatz said, laughing.

Columbia College Chicago‘s International Student Organization wants to celebrate International Education Week (November 15 – 19) in a big way. They are presenting Degrassi: Next Genration’s Shannon Kook-Chun, who plays the openly gay character Zane Park. Kook-Chun will answer questions about his diverse background and how it affects his acting experience.

This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Get your ticket at shannonatccchicago.eventbrite.com beforehand to make sure you get in to this free but popular event.

Shannon was born and raised in South Africa before coming to Canada to study at the prestigious National Theatre School of Canada. Upon graduating, he began working immediately. He appeared on stage at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People and at the Citadel Theatre in their Dora-nominated production of “The Forbidden Phoenix.” He was next seen at the Factory Theatre in the world-premiere production of “The Madness of the Square.”

Entering the world of film and television proved a natural fit for Shannon and he quickly became sought-after. In less than a year, he shot guest star roles in CBC’s “The Border,” “Being Erica,” “Crash & Burn,” “Aaron Stone” and recurring roles in “Durham County.” He is also featured in an upcoming teaser trailer for a feature entitled “Verona,” directed by Laurie Lynd.

This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. The [email protected] has more information if you need it.

via An Evening With Degrassi’s Shannon Kook-Chun.

Related articles

• ‘Degrassi’ gets first transgender character (ontheredcarpet.com)
• ‘Degrassi’ Alum Andrea Lewis ‘Can’t Wait To Share Stage’ With Drake (mtv.com)

KOKO's web gallery

Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO) invites the public to join in the 10^th Annual Bronze Affair Celebration on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 at 7 p.m. at Room 43, on 1043 E. 43rd St.

There will be live music from Crosswind, dinner, dancing and a silent auction, all to benefit KOCO’s 45 years of organizing and service in the Kenwood and Oakland communities.

Call 773. 548.7500 or e-mail for ticket information.

Please upload your photos of election day activities and actions to our ChicagoTalks photo pool. We would love to have your videos, and you can call us at 312 436-1820 and tell your story via cellphone. Get involved, tell us what you think by commenting on our liveblog (online at 5:30 p,m. today.)

Related articles

• TrueStar Radio Special with Two Aldermanic Candidates, One Rapper (chicagotalks.org)
• Chicago Still the Most Segregated U.S. City (chicagoist.com)
• Election Fraud: What to look for … Where to report it … And other tips (chicagonow.com)
• Obama Chicago Rally: ‘I Need You To Keep On Believing’ (capitolhillblue.com)

This Sunday, your hosts Marcel, Mina, and Big Tone, have a call-in special about  the Mid-term Elections and Voting. You can  call in at  773-375-9248. This week, Che Rhymefest Smith and Brian Sleet will be on the show this week. Both guests are running for Chicago Alderman, Smith in the 20th Ward and Sleet in the 6th.

Rhymefest is running for Alderman of the 20th Ward in Chicago. Inspired by his life experiences growing up in a working class, single-parent household, Che “Rhymefest” Smith has carved out a life in art, music and social activism, always using his music career as a platform from which to stimulate social change. For nearly a decade, Che has been professionally writing and producing music and has since expanded not only his craft, but his sense of responsibility for the community that he calls home and for impoverished, underrepresented communities throughout the nation.

Brian E. Sleet was born and raised in the Chatham neighborhood on the Southside of Chicago.  He attended Whitney Young Magnet High school and graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Sociology and a Senior Fellowship entitled “The Black Press: The Missing Link in the Quest for a Black Identity.” Mr. Sleet has been a litigator in private practice, worked on national to local political campaigns, worked for the United States Congress and United States Senate.  He is also a member of the Advisory Board of Jane Addams Hull House, a staunch supporter of HIV AIDS initiatives and any projects targeted at uplifting our youth.

Related articles

• Rhymefest Running for Chicago Alderman (pitchfork.com)
• “Rapper Rhymefest Running For Chicago City Council” and related posts (wenn.com)
• Che “Rhymefest” Smith announces candidacy for alderman: Video (timeoutny.com)

Cricket, a leading provider of wireless services, is looking for Chicagoans who want to make a difference in their communities. Details about the grant program are available at www.chicagocommunityvoices.com.

All Chicagoland-area residents who are in an area where Cricket service is available – young and old – are encouraged to apply with details on the positive change they wish to bring to their communities through the “Cricket Community Voices” program. An esteemed panel of renowned Chicagoans will judge the entries and select 10 winners four times a year to make their ideas come to life. The grants range up to $2,000 based on the need to activate the dream.

You must describe a community service project that you would use Cricket service to carry out. Your plan needs some clear objectives, and should tell which Chicagoland community it will serve. Be sure to be clear about what community problem you are tackling and show how the project will serve as a solution, the requested funding, and projected results. Winning grants will be announced in early 2011.

Veteran community leaders and activists will be the judges for grant funding. The panel is comprised of:

• John Pfeiffer – CEO and executive director of Inspiration Corporation
• Suzy Yehl Marta – CEO and founder of Rainbows for All Children
• Miss Lori – Founder of Miss Lori’s CAMPUS, children’s television host, recording artist, spokesperson and celebrated social media influencer.
• Marty Castro – president of Castro Synergies and chair of the Illinois Human Rights Commission
• René Parson – Area General Manager, Cricket and co-chair of Cricket’s Diversity Council

More details are available at www.chicagocommunityvoices.com, and a formal press release is below.

Written in large letters above the daunting timeline are the words: “Using fossil fuels has a cost we hadn’t understood — until now.” The rest of the museum’s temporary exhibit is devoted to explaining just what that cost is.

“For our generation, there is probably no more important scientific issue that we need to think about in our lives,” said Janet Hong, project manager for the Field Museum. “It’s not something to debate.”

The start of the dimly-lit exhibit, which runs through Nov. 28, explains the basics of climate change with an eight-minute video showing how increasing amounts of carbon dioxide, released from burning fossil fuels and other greenhouse gases, have caused Earth’s average temperature to rise. The exhibit explains that the average rise, 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit, can seem small because extreme changes in world temperatures, like those in the Arctic, are not seen in an average. But the seemingly small increase has huge consequences.

Large, rotating globes with Earth’s image projected onto them show visitors how average climates have changed using colors: shifting reds and yellows represent parts of the globe that are heating up fastest. Other globes demonstrate ocean currents and storm patterns, and how those, too, have changed on a global scale.

Much of the exhibit features interactive displays where visitors can get a hands-on understanding of what Earth’s rising temperatures mean for all living things, especially humans.

One display features an eerie diorama showing how much of Manhattan would be underwater if sea levels were to rise 10 to 16 feet, which would devastate New York and destroy many island countries.

A shocking but real specimen of a bony polar bear climbing over mounds of garbage teaches visitors the consequences of melting ice caps. Scientists believe that soon polar bears will run out of room in their native habitats and be forced to invade human territory.

Other displays focus more on plant life. Huge cross sections of trees dating back to 1772 are put under magnifying glasses with the rings labeled so viewers can understand what environmental factors, such as droughts or fires, caused the trees to die after almost 300 years. A diseased coral reef, pale and misshapen, was also re-created to show visitors the effect rising temperatures have had on oceans.

It’s not all bad news, though. The exhibit focuses heavily on simple ways people can make changes in their lives to reduce their carbon footprints. One of the highlights is a series of interactive touch screens that let users choose small actions like changing light bulbs to energy-saving Compact Florescent Lamps, driving less and planting trees, and then shows them on a large screen what the impact would be if large cities made the same commitment.

Some visitors have already taken steps.

“Oh, we use mass transit, cars with good gas mileage, those energy-saving lights, insulation, minimum-flush toilets,” said Janet Fouts, 68, who traveled to the exhibit from Springfield.

Saving our only planet won’t be that simple, though. The end of the exhibit emphasizes — with graphs, models and video— that a combination of conservation, renewable resources, nuclear power, natural gas and carbon capture is the only way to make dangerous climate changes into more manageable climate shifts.

Teachers Grace and David Barger, a couple who traveled from Tennessee specifically to visit the museum, said they are a minority in their town for believing in climate change. However, David Berger plans to lend his students traveling to Chicago his membership pass so they can learn about the effects of humans’ energy consumption on the planet.

“Maybe it will make them think about their world more,” said Grace Berger, 64. “Because it’s not our world anymore, it’s y’alls.”

The Field Museum, located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., us open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. All access passes are $23-29 for adults, $19-24 for seniors, and $16-20 for children.

Last Wednesday, Oct. 13, more than 200 people crowded into the Humboldt Park Field House to be part of the Humboldt Park Smart Communities launch of its new community portal. The event, which had more than 12 tables staffed by Humboldt Parks Smart Communities organizations and selected technology vendors, showcased both some of the extraordinary work taking place in Humboldt Park and the promise of the increased collaboration between community residents, agencies and local elected officials.

To continue reading and to watch the video, click here.