Advertisement:

Anti-NATO activists make the connection between military alliance and local immigration battles

What are the connections between the proposed immigration detention center in Crete, a small town just south of Chicago, and an international military alliance? Lots, say a group of activists connecting the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to immigration issues in Chicago. A protest outside of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in downtown Chicago, said Crystal... Read more »
By YanaKunichoff,
today at 2:00 pm
• 1 comment

Will Chicago follow Civic Federation recommendation and cut mental health services entirely in 2014?

Will Chicago follow Civic Federation recommendation and cut mental health services entirely in 2014?
I had never seen the Civic Federation report until last week, but there it was in black and white: a recommendation to shut down Chicago’s mental health and primary care centers, put out months before Mayor Rahm Emanuel ever suggested privatizing or shuttering clinics. It was a therapist at one of Chicago’s mental health clinics... Read more »
By MeganCottrell,
today at 11:38 am
• Leave a comment

Occupy Chicago's Wishing Tree at Trinity Episcopal Church

image.attributes.post_excerpt
Members of Occupy Chicago’s Arts and Recreation Committee and Occupy Chicago Rebel Arts Collective installed their interactive public sculpture, Wishing Tree, Monday night at Trinity Episcopal Church, 125 East 26th St., blocks away from McCormick Place,  the site of NATO summit that begins this weekend. It’s the fourth location for the tree, which took more... Read more »
By Chicago Reporter,
Tuesday at 9:39 pm
• Leave a comment
Advertisement:

Proposed child care cuts to trigger downward spiral: "It put families like me and others in a deeper hole."

Proposed child care cuts to trigger downward spiral: "It put families like me and others in a deeper hole."
Chalonda McIntosh doesn’t often take the day off work. But she will tomorrow, when she’ll head down to Springfield to protest cuts and funding shortages to the state’s child care subsidy program for low-income families. I talked to McIntosh back in November when I was doing a story about the lack of child care centers... Read more »
By MeganCottrell,
Tuesday at 3:06 pm
• Leave a comment

Springfield takes up campaign finance reform, injects confusion over PACs

Springfield takes up campaign finance reform, injects confusion over PACs
Illinois lawmakers will get to work this week on a bill they say would add more transparency to state campaign finance laws that apply to Political Action Committees–and perhaps to clean up some of its convoluted language. The House Elections and Campaign Finance Reform Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 16, to try to move... Read more »
By Nick Moroni,
Tuesday at 1:56 pm
• Leave a comment

Community support pushing minimum wage bill to key vote one year after introduction

Community support pushing minimum wage bill to key vote one year after introduction
State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, the main sponsor of a bill to raise the minimum wage in Illinois, and a coterie of advocacy groups that support the legislation are feeling optimistic. The bill was introduced more than a year ago, in February 2011, and has been stalled ever since. But a vote Wednesday in the executive... Read more »
By YanaKunichoff,
Tuesday at 9:09 am
• Leave a comment
Advertisement:

An Undocumented Life: Violence Against Women Act, a protector of undocumented victims of domestic violence, held up in House

Undocumented women who live with an abusive partner, particularly a U.S. citizen who’s in control of her path to legal status, are the most vulnerable and need protection by the government, said Rep. Jan Schakowsky. But the divisiveness of politics lately is on full display in Congress, where a key piece of legislation that would... Read more »
By MariaZamudio,
Monday at 2:18 pm
• Leave a comment

Race, poverty and politics: Health exchange in limbo; subsidized child care at risk; Obama supports gay marriage; TIF reform?

The Illinois General Assembly is not expected to make any moves to create a state-run health care exchange, Crain’s reported on Thursday. Sources on both sides of the aisle in the statehouse said the inactivity is due to the pending Supreme Court decision on the constitutionality of the President Barack Obama’s sweeping health care law... Read more »
By Nick Moroni,
May 11, 2012 at 1:46 pm
• Leave a comment

State rep. Derrick Smith refuses to testify; lawyer likens his plight to that of Jesus, Dr. King, Mandela

State rep. Derrick Smith refuses to testify; lawyer likens his plight to that of Jesus, Dr. King, Mandela
Although he maintains his innocence, 10th District state. Rep. Derrick Smith refused to testify today before the House Special Investigative Committee considering whether to punish or expel him based on allegations he took a $7,000 bribe. After he read a brief statement, Smith’s lips were sealed throughout the day. But players on both sides of... Read more »
By Nick Moroni,
May 10, 2012 at 5:36 pm
• Leave a comment
Advertisement:

Barber Shop Show preview: Who's your mama?

This week on the Barber Shop Show, our weekly radio show on Vocalo 89.5 FM, we’re talking about the economics and politics of motherhood in honor of Mother’s Day. If motherhood was a job with a salary, how much would moms get paid? About $113,000 for a stay-at-home mom, according to a study by Salary.com... Read more »
By MeganCottrell,
May 9, 2012 at 12:26 pm
• Leave a comment