Dispatches from Chicago's south side.
Local officials [June 29th] are kicking off a multi-year, $1.5-million-plus campaign to restore some of the glitz to Chatham, a once-prestigious African-American neighborhood that lately has been going through a difficult period.And two major Chicago politicians are backing this effort publicly:
The Greater Chatham Initiative—which will include Chatham, as well as the nearby Auburn Gresham, Greater Grand Crossing and Avalon neighborhoods—is designed to "set them on an upward path in the 21st century economy . . . enhance these communities as places of opportunity and choice," according to a statement released to me in advance.
The money will go into programs to rehab and sell now-troubled apartment buildings, attract middle-income homeowners and operate a new local workforce center that will train and place residents in existing jobs.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Chicago) Wednesday to announce an initiative to improve a handful of communities on the South Side, including Chatham, Auburn Gresham, Greater Grand Crossing and Avalon Park.I've been somewhat interested in seeing what can be done to further invest in Chatham and here's hoping that in the next 5 years we will see some progress. I especially would look forward to seeing 79th Street spruced up in the future. It needs it and can be a wonderful commercial thoroughfare for the community.
The two — joined by community leaders, aldermen and other partners — announced the launching of the Greater Chatham Initiative, a collaborative effort to strengthen those South Side communities.
They met at the Chatham Studio Movie Grill, 210 W. 87th St. The main focus of the initiative is to drive investment in those areas and generate neighborhood redevelopment and economic growth.
Come and be a part of an iconic celebration honoring Ms. Izola White and watch a community come together for a woman who has given so much to so many. Izola has done so much for others in her over 50 year history as owner of the restaurant. Through her misfortune, she was forced to close her place due to illness and financial problems. She now faces being placed into a nursing home if her living expenses aren’t met. this fundraiser will help relieve her of this worry and allow her to enjoy her home as she ...turns 90 years old. The effort will also bring a possibility of keeping her dream alive as the new ownership takes place at this location. PLEASE come out and show your support, you won’t regret it!
Key Note Speaker: Jesse Jackson Sr, Alderman Sawyer, Dorothy Brown, Spencer Leak Sr, Greg Hinton, Herb Kent, Emil Jones
Saturday, Sept 8th 3:p.m to 7:p.m dinner reception, live jazz Band, special guest speakers, picture auction (Photos from the restaurant ) and raffles. Minimum donation $250.00
Sunday Sept 9th 3:p.m to 7:p.m is community and Seniors citizens Day in the parking lot of Izola’s Restaurant Live Band, Food & Drinks ,Guest Speakers, Raffles. Open donation( Bring your Chair , Chairs are limited)
Let us know here at The Sixth War if you have further details, or have other comments regarding Izola's. 
My Students: Imagine 25 first graders sprawled across a classroom, each curled into a comfy spot with a book they can read all by themselves. The quiet hum of learning takes over as whisper voices read new stories, sound out words, and practice all the things good readers do. This is my dream for my classroom.What can we do to help? :)
My students are curious, enthusiastic six and seven- year-olds who cannot wait to explore the world of books and reading. They live in a high-poverty neighborhood and have experienced many difficult challenges already in their young lives. However, each day they come to school with smiles on, eager to learn and grow.
My Project: My students are incredibly motivated to read, but unfortunately my classroom library is lacking in high quality books at the students' independent reading level. As emergent readers, my students have a wide range of abilities and previous experiences with books. They need access to books they can read on their own in order to build good reading habits and become strong readers.
The leveled books I am asking for support students as they make their way from highly patterned, beginning readers to books with more complex stories, plots, and dialogue. Finding these high-quality, engaging books in a wide range of first grade reading levels is often difficult and expensive. However, the benefits these leveled readers provide are numerous and valuable. Students' confidence grows as they read books they understand and enjoy, and over time, a love of reading emerges!
As a first year teacher, I am working to build a strong classroom library which truly supports ALL students in their journey to becoming lifelong readers and learners. This project will create a solid foundation for my leveled library that will grow and enrich student literacy for years to come! My students need 21 sets of leveled, "good-fit" books to read independently.
My students need 21 sets of leveled, "good-fit" books to read independently.
South Loop School is an elementary school with two branches located @ 1212 South Plymouth Court with a branch @ 1915 South Federal Street.Friends and Family of South Loop SchoolHarlan Community Academy is close to an organization such as this, but it's in fact the alumni association.
Friends and Family of South Loop School, Inc. is a non-profit 501c3 organization established to enhance the educational experience of students at South Loop Elementary School. Our primary mission is to provide funds for resources not available through the normal school budget but required to operate a successful school. In the past Friends and Family of South Loop School, Inc. has enriched the learning environment at South Loop School by paying for additional classroom resources such as teacher assistants to help increase staff to student ratio, a new science laboratory and new mobile lap top computers.
With this in mind we ask that you consider being a sponsor at our annual spring benefit. We have a few options that provide flexibility for your budget. Your company will have prominent name recognition in gratitude for your support.
Your Support Is Important
Private funding plays a key role in the success of our students. While federal, state and local dollars provide some of the public school's operating expenses, it is not enough to provide access to excellence that our students deserve. With the contributions from parents, friends and local leaders like you we are able to make South Loop the school it is today. With this support, South Loop has seen an unprecedented increase in achievement from 34% of students at or above state standards to 85% in just 4 years time.
Easy Fundraiser with Jewel OscoWe invite other community groups to post items here! We also encourage you to make it easy for people to participate!
Dear Friends and Supporters,We are having a fundraiser with Jewel Osco. When you shop at any Jewel Osco store on the following dates April 20, 21, or 22 and provide the checker with a signed and dollar amount entered Shop & Share identification slip. Jewel Osco will donate 5% of what you spend to our Arthur Turnbull Memorial Scholarship Fund. Slips can be picked up from any board member or from our office at 8441 South Cottage Grove Ave. Thank you for making a positive difference in the lives of our youth.
The maternal grandmother spoke at a campaign kick-off event for Cook County Sheriff candidate Sylvester Baker, who is calling for creation of a domestic violence unit in the sheriff’s office, to be charged with enforcing orders of protection.I found this article thru EveryBlock that indicated an address where the actual article seemed to have deleted the address of Capt. Hard Times at 438 E. 79th Street.
Henry’s daughter, Nova, who was killed along with her granddaughter, Ava, in January — allegedly by an abusive ex-boyfriend, Fredrick Goings — had let an order of protection against the man lapse.
“My daughter had filed an order of protection, but because of her fear, she never followed up on it...so [Goings] was allowed to carry a gun,” the mother said. “When you file a restraining order, there’s so much red tape, so many hoops you have to jump through, they often don’t follow it.”
Henry, wearing a sleeveless black dress and pearls, said she has filed an appeal of a judge’s order giving custody to Curry, father of Noah, as well as Ava. Henry said she will plead grandmother’s visitation rights, and will argue her daughter’s abusive attorney boyfriend coerced her to sign the agreement giving Curry full custody.
Referring to grandparents’ visitation rights, Henry said, “That’s all I’m entitled to (even though) I have raised my grandson since birth.”
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Neither she nor Baker had any criticism for Sheriff Tom Dart’s handling of her case. Baker instead focused on his proposal, charging that under the current system, orders of protection too often fall through the cracks.
Joining the two at the South Side Captain Hard Times restaurant were Ronald and Annette Holt, whose son Blair was shot to death on a CTA bus two years ago; and Willa Pitts, whose sons Kendrick and Carnell were killed this month.
Three years ago, Baker took about a quarter of the vote against Dart in the Democratic primary for sheriff.
