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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sun-Times: Your guide to voting early in April 7 runoff


According to the Sun-Times as of Monday you're able to vote early for the April 7, 2015 runoffs. This affects the whole city because of the mayoral contest and if there was a runoff in your ward then this affects you as well.

Regardless the Sun-Times lists all the early voting sites around the city. Early voting ends on April 4, 2015

9th ward community meeting tonight...

9th Ward Alderman Anthony A. Beale and City Department Representatives present a 9th Ward Community Meeting
  • Tuesday, March 24, 2015 
  • 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. 
  • Pullman Presbyterian Church 
  • 550 East 103rd Street Chicago, Illinois 60628 
For more information call the 9th ward office at 773.785.1100

Thursday, March 19, 2015

My Block My Hood My City explorers...



[VIDEO] On this blog we posted video from Jahmal Cole's trip to Altgeld Garden. This was something he recorded in the fall last year. Today he shows us another facet of his My Block My Hood My City.

He takes teens on explorations around the city. Cole likes to say you can travel the world in Chicago as there are many different cultures who live in this city. So he takes teens to Chinatown, Greektown, Pilsen and other destinations. Basically he seeks to take teens from their neighborhoods and have them see the rest of the world.

As an aside I did show a video where the red line ventures to once it leaves the south side starting from 95th Street. Beyond this part of town there is a much larger world.

Is this something you could support?


Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Which era did you ride public transit in Chicago?

Recently I've shown a video courtesy of CTA documenting a trip north along the red line from 95th street. It was to show what's beyond the south side as the trains head north to the other side of the city at Howard Street.

Today, I wanted to share this with you. This you might see if you were on fb and it asks for one thing: using the numbers you see on this picture which era did you ride CTA.

My picks was 2 & 3, and I'm not sure why there were broken into two different eras. That paper transfer and the token seemed to have been used hand in hand when taking CTA during the 1980s and early 1990s. Either way sometimes I miss that era as it seemed like much simpler times especially as a child.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Atlanta Blackstar: 6 Reasons Black Boys Without Disability Wind Up In Special Education

This is a subject I'm often concerned about Black boys in education especially K-12 education. If they already had problems through the 12th grade they will certainly have problems in an undergrad college. The problem to consider: how do they wind up in special education without a disability?
It’s Their Behavior, Not a Disability
Many Black boys who end up in special education do not have a disability. Rather, they have circumstances that spur behavior patterns that are not compatible with the school environment, according to researcher Ivory Toldson. This behavior usually can be corrected by changing something about their surroundings. Researchers divide students into five categories: a true negative — children who do not have a disability and have never been diagnosed; a true positive — children who have a disability and have been accurately diagnosed; a false negative — children who have a disability but have never been diagnosed; a false positive — children who do not have a disability but have been diagnosed with one; or have a specific disability and are diagnosed with the wrong one.
Of course there is more to this than that, but it's something that is of concern. Especially with the news in CPS that Black male students faces a greater possibility of disciplinary action than students of other ethnicities in the public schools here.

BTW, I couldn't find as of this writing of a more recent article. It's an issue of concern especially if we want to figure out why more Black male students in CPS get suspended or expelled. This article I read is from June 2010.

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Out of hibernation...

[VIDEO] Well we finally have our warm temps here in Chicago and artistmac talks about that. The snow that fell on Super Bowl Sunday this year is finally melting. Hopefully the cold temps that kept our young people out of school for at least 4 days within the past two months are nothing more than a memory.

Even better daylight savings time has passed as of this Saturday and then in the next week or so the first day of spring. It seems we've had a miserable winter this year and the end is only around the corner!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Those red light cameras...


Before the end of last month's municipal elections we haven't devoted much coverage to the mayoral candidates. In a field of four voters narrowed the race down to Mayor Emanuel and Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia.

I show this story from our local ABC affiliate regarding the mayor's decision to remove fifty of the city's red light cameras. Of course there are many who aren't feeling Rahm Emanuel who says he's just doing this because he's got a runoff next month and is looking for an edge.

I'll let you decide that and if this might cause you to swing your vote to Emanuel. I do recognize that somehow these redlight cameras have become one of the sore issues in this campaign.

Look no further than this mailer by Harold Ward when he ran for Alderman of the 9th ward.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Mayor Emanuel on Chicago Tonight


[VIDEO] I posted this to Sixth Ward last Saturday. On the February 26, 2015 edition of Chicago Tonight Mayor Rahm Emanuel talks about the run-off and other issues facing the city. Believe it or not since the start of non-partisan mayoral elections in Chicago in 1999 this is the first mayoral runoff.

On February 24, 2015 Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia was able to draw a runoff against Emanuel. Eventually I would like to do more posts on Mr. Garcia as I failed to do so during the course of the campaign.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

CapFax: Ploy or not, Chicago has to administer exams

I've been hearing about this new round of testing CPS students are expected to take. Apparenlty CPS wanted to use this test on a limited amount of students, however, they've decided to administer it to all students 3rd through 8th grades. CPS' argument was that most students in Chicago lacked the technology & technological skill to take a test taken through a computer. Well is this good or bad?

Monday, March 2, 2015

FYI: Bennett Elementary Parent Advisory Council Meeting

Bennett School - 10112 S. Prairie Ave.
 Received this e-mail on Sunday. Hopefully there is some interest in attending this meeting:
  • Bennett Elementary Parent Advisory Council is sending an invitation to the Roseland community organizer to join our first meeting on March 6, 2015 at 6pm. As the new chairwoman, I will like to provide our parents with the best support from Bennett P.A.C, 9th Ward Alderman, and community organizers of Roseland Heights.

    Bennett Elementary Parent Advisory Council Meeting
    Bennett Elementary School
    10112 S. Prairie Ave.
    Chicago, IL 60628
    March 6, 2015
    6:00 pm

    Thank you,

    P.A.C Chairwoman
    Mattie Carter
    M.A. Geography Economic Development
    Certified Community Developer