Two unfortunate local stories that ocurred on Christmas

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas unfortunately for the day after I wanted to share with you some sad stories that occurred on Christmas Day that happened locally. To start there was a shooting in Chatham.

One killed, two wounded in separate shootings at start of Christmas holiday https://t.co/SQNZs3vjxR pic.twitter.com/WhZe4KaV9i

— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) December 25, 2017

A brief excerpt of what happened.

A man was fatally shot on the South Side a little after midnight on Christmas Day, authorities said.

He was standing on the sidewalk in the 8100 block of South Wabash Avenue in Chatham when two people came up to him and fired shot, hitting him in the head and chest about 12:15 a.m. Monday. The man was taken to St. Bernard Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

He was identified as Albert Abu, 57, who lived in the same block where he was killed, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. He was pronounced dead at 12:28 a.m. Monday.

To which I must add that, Jahmal Cole's My Block My Hood My City ig noted this on a post he made on Xmas day.

Alderman: Target police, fire contracts to reduce budget deficit - Chicago Sun-Times

Alderman: Target police, fire contracts to reduce budget deficit - Chicago Sun-Times

Mayor Rahm Emanuel could wring $300 million from the combined $1.8 billion budgets of Chicago’s Police and Fire Departments, in part by dramatically altering union contracts that expire June 30, an influential alderman said Thursday.

“There’s no more sacred cows when the taxpayers are hurting like they are,” said Ald. Anthony Beale (9th), former chairman of the City Council’s Police and Fire Committee.

Beale has already infuriated the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) by targeting the $1,800-a-year uniform allowance officers receive as well as duty-availability pay, a $2,800-a-year lump sum that essentially compensates officers for being on call at any time.

Now, he’s going even further.

Instead of having the same number of police officers assigned to every watch and district, Beale is talking about putting officers when and where the crime is. That would allow Emanuel to eliminate 1,400 police vacancies and shrink the police force through attrition.

“I know it’s an unpopular thing to say. ... But if you put the officers where they’re needed vs. where they’re wanted, you could see a reduction,” he said.

 Ald. Beale was a one-time chairman of the city council's police and fire committee. What do you think of his proposal?

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Happy Memorial Day

 

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Happy Memorial Day

Worlee not only honors the military on this day, but also Thomas Wortham, Michael Bailey, and Cory Ankum. The first two police officers and the last one a fire fighter.

Residents train to help first responders during city disasters - Chicago Sun-Times

Residents train to help first responders during city disasters - Chicago Sun-Times

Does anyone out there plan to take advantage of this training:

Since 2004, more than 350 citizens — everyone from lawyers to teachers to civil engineers — have graduated from a 20-hour course that trains them to serve as the eyes and ears of Chicago’s first responders. The team hasn’t been called to duty in a disaster yet, but its members have helped in city evacuation drills.

The course is taught by the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications and the Chicago Police Department.

Last month at the Chicago Fire Academy, 20 students were told not to enter buildings with catastrophic damage or attempt to fight major blazes. “Still, there’s a lot you can do,” said one trainer, Thomas Henkey, of OEMC.

In a parking lot, the students learned how to use a fire extinguisher to put out small fires. They were told to work with a buddy who can watch for danger as the person in front uses the extinguisher. And the class learned about the “fire triangle” — the oxygen, fuel and heat that all must be present for a fire to flourish. “Kick out one of its legs and it dies,” said Matthew Doughtie, another OEMC trainer.

They were warned not to enter a situation that would require a first responder to rescue them.

“We free up a firefighter or a cop. So don’t become the victim yourself,” Henkey said.

Black aldermen unhappy with Emanuel’s police and fire picks - Chicago Sun-Times

Black aldermen unhappy with Emanuel’s police and fire picks - Chicago Sun-Times

Two of our neighboring Aldermen from Howard Brookins in the 21st to Michelle Harris in the 8th has some comments about Mayor-elect Emanuel's appointments to his public safety team. In addition to naming Garry McCarthy the new top cop, he also named Robert Hoff to head the Chicago Fire Department, Gary Schenkel to head the cities emergency management office, and the only black on this team is Public Safety chief of staff Felicia Davis.

Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) added, “I’ve heard in the community, even with respect to Mr. Brizard, that he’s not from here. He’s not [really] African-American. He was born in Haiti. We just hope that we would be able to get some local folks. … Hopefully, this isn’t a sign of things to come — that it’s all outside people. But, we’ll see.”

Ald. Michelle Harris (8th), chairman of the City Council’s Police Committee, did not share her colleagues’ concerns about race. She noted that former Police Supt. “Jody Weis wasn’t black,” either.

It appears Brookins took issue with the appointments of non-Chicagoans to city posts. It appears that Harris has little problem with not appointing a black to the top of the public safety agencies.

Would you rather Rahm Emanuel appoint a black to either head the city police or fire departments?

Fire fighter parking only...

At the Chicago Fire Department station on 79th & Michigan. A warning if you take away the parking spot of any fire fighter here. Picture was taken this afternoon.

Friends, colleagues honor fallen firefighter Corey Ankum at visitation

Ankum's story was first brought to light by Worlee at Concerned Citizen's of Chatham. This story from the Tribune was about Ankum's visitation:

On Wednesday, firefighters from throughout the Chicago area marked their third day of commemorating a fallen colleague.

This time, they gathered to honor Corey Ankum, who friends and co-workers called a promising addition to the force since he started about a year ago.

"One is too many. It's very tough on everyone," Chicago Fire Commissioner Bob Hoff said of the strain of planning and attending multiple memorials taking place most of this week for Ankum and fallen fireman Edward Stringer.

Hundreds of firefighters and Ankum's former colleagues with the Chicago police — he had done a short stint with the force — made their way to Apostolic Church of God on the South Side to salute and pray for him at his visitation service.

Ankum and Stringer were killed Dec. 22 after a roof collapsed on them, in what was the deadliest blaze for Chicago firefighters in more than a decade. Seventeen others were injured, including one fireman who on Wednesday returned to a hospital for follow-up care. He is expected to recover, fire officials said.

Read the whole thing!

Firefighter injured in Chatham blaze

Chicago Breaking News:

A firefighter sustained minor injuries this morning after a fire broke out in a home in the Chatham neighborhood, officials said.

The fire broke out about 6:25 a.m. in a 1½-story bungalow on the 8200 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue, said Chief Joe Roccasalva, a fire department spokesman.

He said there were no injuries to occupants of the building, but a firefighter sustained a minor eye injury and was taken to the University of Chicago Hospitals, he said.

He said the house was badly damaged and heat had spread to adjoining buildings, where it damaged the siding on both.

Aldermen lash out over 911 response times

Well let's focus on Ald. Lyle's comments, but this issue requires more attention than what one Alderman might say about 911 response times:

"We have two different agencies that are both directly involved in providing safety for our citizens that stand up at CAPS meeting and community meetings all over the city and they point the finger at each other. It's intellectually dishonest," she said.

"Maybe people should stop lying to the citizens. They begin to understand that it's a lie — and nobody wants to wear the jacket. But somebody is getting paid to wear the jacket. It's very frustrating for us."

As for the 311 hang-ups, Lyle said, "I just thought it was some mechanism that was built into the system. You got too many calls. You don't feel like being bothered. Just disconnect the people after they wait. I don't think that's what taxpayers expect to pay for."

77-year-old man critically injured in Chatham fire

Tribune:

A 77-year-old Chicago man was critically injured in a fire in a single-family home on the South Side this morning, a Fire Department spokesman said.

The man was rescued from the home in the 8100 block of South Champlain Avenue after someone called emergency crews about 7 a.m., said Fire Department spokesman Quention Curtis.

He was taken by ambulance to Jackson Park Hospital in critical condition, Curtis said. The exact nature of his injuries was not available, and Curtis did not have information about where the man was in the house when he was rescued or if anyone else was in the home at the time.

Fire rescues save 28 people from multi-alarm fire

Well it's good to hear that a good number of people were saved! Courtesy of WGN:

Firefighters made dozens of rescues this morning, from a burning three story apartment building in the Chicago's Chatham neighborhood.

The fire broke out around 1:00 a.m., in the 7900 block of South Ellis.

It started in a basement apartment, but quickly spread to the upper floors.

Firefighters used ladders to bring those residents to safety.

Thankfully no one was hurt and five were taken to area hospitals. The main thing was that people were saved.

Live: Streaming CPD and CFD Scanners

Well it appears that I may not have to buy a scanner as long as this service is available courtesy of Chicago Breaking News (Tribune). Now I just have to familiarize myself with local addresses, police districts, and beats.

Daley appoints new fire chief

Clout St:

John W. Brooks, 50, will become the second African American chief of the Fire Department, pending approval by the City Council. The department has a history of tension between black and white firefighters, but Brooks said he hopes no further incidents occur.

Raymond Orozco, 49, the current fire chief, will be transferred to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications if the council approves that appointment.

Also on Clout St. unrelated to the Fire Department is back to state politics...

Speaker Michael Madigan said Thursday that he would oppose a post-election income tax hike this year but left open the door to raising taxes next year.

The tax talk came after the House voted down a major gambling expansion in a move that was widely expected.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and lawmakers left town without plugging any of the budget holes that led the governor to approve a roughly $59 billion budget only after he vetoed out $1.4 billion.