Chicago News on Huffington Posttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2011:/tag/chicago-newsHuffington Post Oprah Fans In Chicago: 'She's Like A Sister To Us'http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/18/oprah-fans-gather-in-chic_n_863471.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
They came from across the nation and from all over Chicago, with several wearing homemade Oprah t-shirts and with one woman sporting the letters O-P-R-A-H on her head, to say farewell to the most successful talk show of the last quarter century and to be surprised -- along with Oprah Winfrey -- as star after star strolled out to tell her "thank you." <br />
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Thousands of fans at the United Center cheered Tuesday night as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/17/oprahs-star-studded-farew_n_863220.html#s280239" target="_hplink">Tom Hanks told Oprah,</a> "Today you are surrounded by nothing but love." <br />
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They continued clapping as Tom Cruise segued into Jackie Evancho, Josh Groban and Patti LaBelle, who all came out singing and roared when Beyonce, Diane Sawyer, Halle Berry, Rascal Flatts, Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Michael Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Stevie Wonder, Simon Cowell, Jerry Seinfeld, Maria Shriver, Rosie O' Donnell, Maya Angelou, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin and Usher took the stage. But the audience stood and clapped loudest of all when Oprah herself, wearing a dark purple dress, first walked onto the stage to say hello. <br />
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"Wow!" she would exclaim minutes later, a sentiment echoed by the fans lucky enough to score tickets from a random lottery, as those from Madonna to Queen Latifah to viewers around the world called her an inspiration. <br />
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"Wow!" echoed Shaindy Kompel, 35, of West Rogers Park, standing inside the United Center after the four-hour-long taping. "It was mind-blowing."<br />
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Her friend, Orah Frankenthal, 36, also of West Rogers Park, wore a homemade green T-shirt saying "Awesome Friend Who Took Me to Oprah" with an arrow pointing to Kompel. Frankenthal said the show was "overwhelming to watch and filled with so much energy." <br />
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Even Oprah seemed floored by all the love, saying a few times during the show that she needed to "process it." <br />
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By the time the doors opened at 5 p.m., a line of fans had snaked around the United Center, even though everyone had an assigned seat. One of those fans waiting to enter was Victoria King, who had tears drawn in eyebrow pencil on her head. <br />
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"She is like a big sister to us," King said of Oprah's impact on Chicago. "She offered to listen to us every day, whenever we needed her, and when she got famous, she was all about giving back." <br />
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At the prospect of the end of Oprah's show in Chicago, King, 56, of the Gold Coast, pointed to her head, saying, "big tears." <br />
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Nearby, Linda Petzke, along with daughters Christina Petzke and Diane Murphy and daughter-in-law Leann Petzke, all from Chicago's western suburbs, had lined up outside of the United Center five hours before show time to ensure they would get inside before the festivities began. <br />
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They had watched Oprah for more than two decades, since she hosted "AM Chicago," which would become "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and Murphy called her "the teacher of all teachers." <br />
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The impact Oprah had on Chicago, they added, has been immeasurable.<br />
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"Most things happen in L.A. or New York," Leann Petzke said. "I think she gave Chicago a voice." <br />
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As for Winfrey, after clapping, crying, dancing and laughing through the evening, she told the audience that "I've never experienced anything like this" and thanked them "for taking me to a place that is beyond joyous." <br />
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That joy, and a sense of an iconic Chicago moment, impacted the fans, as well. <br />
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"Everything felt like I was a part of history," Kompel said as she exited the United Center. "I kept thinking of how amazing it was to be here."<br />
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Check out photos from the show here: <br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/usher">Usher</a>, <a href="/tag/jada-pinkett-smith">Jada Pinkett Smith</a>, <a href="/tag/oprahs-final-show">Oprahs Final Show</a>, <a href="/tag/derrick-rose">Derrick Rose</a>, <a href="/tag/michael-jordan">Michael Jordan</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah">Oprah</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah-show">Oprah Show</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah-guests-chicago">Oprah Guests Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/beyonce">Beyonce</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/will-smith">Will Smith</a>, <a href="/tag/maria-shriver">Maria Shriver</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah-chicago-guests">Oprah Chicago Guests</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah-united-center">Oprah United Center</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
PHOTOS: Inauguration Day In Chicagohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/16/rahm-emanuel-inauguration_n_862620.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
After a long and dramatic journey, Chicago's new Mayor Rahm Emanuel was sworn in Monday. Chicago residents gathered in Millennium Park on an unseasonably cool morning to welcome their first new mayor in 22 years. <br />
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Elected officials from across Illinois (and the country) gathered to watch Emanuel take the oath of office and make his inaugural address. (<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/16/rahm-emanuel-inauguration_0_n_862362.html" target="_hplink">Full inauguration coverage here</a>.) Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden joined Emanuel and outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley on stage. Also present was U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley, whose father and brother governed Chicago longer than any other mayors in the city's history. <br />
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U.S. Senators from Illinois Mark Kirk and Dick Durbin also attended the ceremony, along with U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock; Rep. Jerry Costello; Rep. Jan Schakowsky; Rep. Danny Davis; Rep. Michael Quigley; Rep. Luis Gutierrez; Rep. Daniel Lipinski; Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Rep. Bobby Rush.<br />
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<strong>Check out some photos from Monday's event here: <br />
</strong><br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-mayor-2011">Chicago Mayor 2011</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-mayor-rahm-emanuel">Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel-swearing-in">Rahm Emanuel Swearing In</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel">Rahm Emanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-daley">Mayor Daley</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-inauguration">Rahm Inauguration</a>, <a href="/tag/richard-m-daley">Richard M. Daley</a>, <a href="/tag/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-mayor">Chicago Mayor</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel-inauguration">Rahm Emanuel Inauguration</a>, <a href="/tag/grant-park">Grant Park</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Lonna Saunders: Are College Presidents Encouraging Teen Drinking?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonna-saunders/national-day-to-talk-to-y_b_850835.htmlLonna Saundershttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonna-saunders/
Why are some college presidents and chancellors (136 of them), appearing to encourage teen drinking by signing on to the "Amethyst Initiative" which seeks to lower the legal drinking age? <br />
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April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), is encouraging parents nationwide to talk with their teens about underage drinking. MADD has partnered with Nationwide Insurance to get parents and teens to start talking. But will it do any good?<br />
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Well, Pennsylvania State University Prof. Robert Turrisi thinks so. His research shows when parents talk with their teens about the dangers of alcohol and underage drinking, their children do pay attention to their parents' words of warning by altering their behavior. Turrisi believes that parents should have an ongoing conversation with their teens, and offer them ways to cope with peer pressure to drink. <br />
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Towards that end, MADD is offering a <a href="http://www.madd.org/underage-drinking/the-power-of-parents/" target="_hplink">free download</a>, giving parents information about how to broach the subject and how to help their kids deal with peer pressure to drink. <br />
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When I was a student at Dartmouth College with its fraternity lifestyle and beer kegs in the 1970s, I wore an amethyst ring of my mother's. I remember a guy I dated from Beta Theta Pi, remarking on the beauty of the stone and its delicate silver antique setting. Never did I dream that years later, 136 college presidents and chancellors would get together to lower the nation's drinking age with the amethyst as their "mascot"! For according to the ancient Romans and Greeks, the purple stone, when worn, prevents drunkenness. That's not why I was wearing it. And for the record, it did not ward off intoxication.<br />
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Recently, Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts <a href="http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20110415holy_cross_brings_drinking_on_campus/srvc=home&position=recent" target="_hplink">announced</a> it is trying to get its students to drink on campus, instead of off-campus, because there have been too many complaints from the townspeople about rowdy college students disrupting the peace and engaging in acts of vandalism.<br />
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Colleges need to get out of the business of encouraging students to drink, period! This nod and a wink to underage drinking on college campuses is very wrong and frankly subjects universities to all sorts of potential liabilities. Stop worrying about "town/gown" relations, and worry about saving students' and townspeople's lives! As First Lady Nancy Reagan said in the 1980s, which is still great advice today, "Just say no!"<br />
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What these college presidents and chancellors should be asking themselves is this. Does getting a college education include encouraging students to drink? Shouldn't adults be working on changing the drinking culture on our nation's campuses, instead of on lowering the drinking age?<br />
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That's what Chancellor Charles Sorenson is <a href="http://www.leadertelegram.com/blogs/eric_lindquist/article_bfe339c6-6b87-11e0-b176-001cc4c03286.html" target="_hplink">trying to do</a> at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie after the sixth alcohol-related death in two years. His school was the first to receive the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award in 2002 from President Bush, an award which recognizes U.S. businesses and nonprofits for performance excellence. Why not follow the lead of a chancellor whose school has been honored by the president for performance excellence, in discouraging students from drinking -- not just off campus -- but from drinking anywhere?<br />
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Let's be honest with our teens. Who wants to kiss someone who smells like a beer keg? All the mouthwash in the world will not drown out that stench. Same goes for hard liquor. The hard truth is that booze and drugs affect your performance in a myriad of unwelcome ways.<br />
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Lowering the drinking age will not discourage binge drinking as the Amethyst Initiative has suggested. It will only encourage younger and younger kids to imbibe. Some college presidents don't think its fair that half the campus gets to drink legally and the other half -- the younger kids -- don't. He's right. That's an argument for raising the drinking age to 23. Not lowering it. Then, it's illegal for all of them. But if at 18 years of age, they are old enough to be in our nation's military and fight our wars for us, shouldn't they be allowed to drink, too? No. Nothing is scarier than a drunk kid with a gun. At 18 years of age, they are not mature enough to handle their liquor.<br />
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Sharon Lamb, a psychology professor at St. Michael's College in Vermont and the co-author of the twin books <em>Packaging Girlhood</em> and <em>Packaging Boyhood</em> was <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20110412/ylsosexy12_st.art.htm" target="_hplink">quoted</a> in <em>USA Today</em>, saying that cartoons are now "teaching little boys that you bond by getting drunk." Is that the message we want to send our children? I thought little boys bonded by playing team sports. And girls, too. <br />
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On July 17, 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act was passed. It set the minimum age for purchasing and publicly possessing alcoholic beverages at 21. States that failed to adhere, would lose a percentage of federal funding for their highways. All 50 states did adhere. Let's keep it that way.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/power-of-parents">Power of Parents</a>, <a href="/tag/nationwide-insurance">Nationwide Insurance</a>, <a href="/tag/alcohol">Alcohol</a>, <a href="/tag/teen-drinking">Teen Drinking</a>, <a href="/tag/madd">Madd</a>, <a href="/tag/powertalk21day">Powertalk21day</a>, <a href="/tag/amethyst-initiative">Amethyst Initiative</a>, <a href="/tag/underage-drinking-and-robert-frost">Underage Drinking and Robert Frost</a>, <a href="/tag/holy-cross-college">Holy Cross College</a>, <a href="/tag/uwstout">Uw-Stout</a>, <a href="/tag/mothers-against-drunk-driving">Mothers Against Drunk Driving</a>, <a href="/tag/charles-sorenson">Charles Sorenson</a>, <a href="/tag/robert-turrisi">Robert Turrisi</a>, <a href="/tag/worcester">Worcester</a>, <a href="/tag/packaging-boyhood">Packaging Boyhood</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/st-michaels-college">St. Michael's College</a>, <a href="/tag/pennsylvania-news">Pennsylvania News</a>, <a href="/tag/packaging-girlhood">Packaging Girlhood</a>, <a href="/tag/vermont-news">Vermont News</a>, <a href="/tag/penn-state">Penn State</a>, <a href="/tag/malcolm-baldridge-national-quality-award">Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award</a>, <a href="/tag/sharon-lamb">Sharon Lamb</a>, <a href="/tag/beta-theta-pi">Beta Theta Pi</a>, <a href="/tag/president-bush">President Bush</a>, <a href="/tag/new-hampshire-news">New Hampshire News</a>, <a href="/tag/fraternities">Fraternities</a>, <a href="/tag/nancy-reagan">Nancy Reagan</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Anti-Gay Adoption Bill Voted Down In Senate Committeehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/13/antigay-adoption-bill-sho_n_848685.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
A bill that would <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/antigay-bill-that-would-a_n_848032.html" target="_hplink">have allowed religious organizations</a> to deny gay couples adoption and foster care services was voted down in Senate committee Wednesday. <br />
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The legislation, which was sponsored by Democratic Sen. David Koehler, would have <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/31/illinois-civil-unions-law_n_816243.html" target="_hplink">amended the state's recently passed civil unions</a> law and allowed religious child welfare agencies to "decline an adoption or foster family home application" to a couple in a civil union if "if acceptance of that application would constitute a violation of the organization's sincerely held religious beliefs."<br />
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The Senate Executive Committee <a href="http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1123&GAID=11&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=55940&SessionID=84&SpecSess=&Session=&GA=97" target="_hplink">voted down the bill</a> 7 to 6, with 1 abstention, and it is now dead. <br />
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"This is a huge victory for the LGBTQ community and families across Illinois," said Anthony Martinez, Executive Director of the Civil Rights Agenda, in a statement Wednesday. "This is also a huge win for the tens of thousands of children that are in the adoption and foster system and need loving families."<br />
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Martinez worked to mobilize opponents of the measure earlier this week. The American Civil Liberties Union, Family Equality Council and the Log Cabin Republicans all voiced their opposition to the measure Tuesday. One main issue with the legislation was whether religious agencies would be breaking anti-discrimination laws by rejecting openly gay prospective parents while taking public funds for adoption and foster care services. <br />
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"This proposal would deny loving homes for many children who are in foster care or who are awaiting placement in foster homes," Jennifer Chrisler, Executive Director of the Family Equality Council, said in a statement. "Given the need for adoptive parents in the state of Illinois there is no justification in allowing agencies using public funding to facilitate adoptions to discriminate."<br />
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Martinez <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/antigay-bill-that-would-a_n_848032.html" target="_hplink">told HuffPost Chicago Tuesday</a> that his organization was concerned about the bill passing due to its sponsors. Koehler is a respected and usually progressive senator and his co-sponsor Sen. William Haine is a moderate Democrat. He said he feared the men would have the support they needed to pass SB 1123. <br />
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Sen. Haine said Tuesday that he supported SB 1123 because he felt Catholic groups should not be forced to grant adoptions to unmarried couples if it goes against their religious beliefs. Sen. Koehler's office said Wednesday they would not comment on the bill's rejection. <br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/catholics">Catholics</a>, <a href="/tag/catholic-church">Catholic Church</a>, <a href="/tag/david-koehler">David Koehler</a>, <a href="/tag/gay-adoption-bill">Gay Adoption Bill</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-state-senate">Illinois State Senate</a>, <a href="/tag/lgbt-rights">LGBT Rights</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/william-haine">William Haine</a>, <a href="/tag/sb-1993">Sb 1993</a>, <a href="/tag/lgbt-adoption">LGBT Adoption</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-politics">Illinois Politics</a>, <a href="/tag/civil-unions">Civil Unions</a>, <a href="/tag/sb-1123">Sb 1123</a>, <a href="/tag/gay-adoption">Gay Adoption</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Lonna Saunders: Warren Beatty's Birthday Gift: Dick Tracy is Yourshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonna-saunders/warren-beatty-dick-tracy-lawsuit_b_842362.htmlLonna Saundershttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/lonna-saunders/
Happy Birthday, Warren Beatty! You <a href="http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/128061/20110329/warren-beatty-prevails-in-dick-tracy-lawsuit.htm" target="_hplink">get to keep the rights</a> to Dick Tracy. You won. The Tribune Company lost a few days ago, so it was an early birthday gift as you turn whatever years old this Wednesday, March 30th. <br />
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What was the Tribune Company thinking when it decided to go after the Academy Award-winning director anyway? Who, as it happens, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of his Oscar winning film, <em>Reds</em>, this year with a big April blast courtesy of Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Answer: they weren't thinking. They were so mesmerized with his wife's beauty and talent, it clouded their judgment. <br />
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As if the Tribune wasn't in enough hot water already with their bankruptcy creditors. First they dump the Chicago Cubs because they don't have enough dough to keep them, and then they take the money they saved in dumping the Cubs to go after Beatty? Maybe it didn't happen exactly that way, but to the average Joe or Josie, it sure looks like it. OK, so maybe there was some other motivation. Like, whose autograph were they really trying to get? Warren's or Annette's? Must be an easier way to do it. <br />
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If you're gonna go after Warren Beatty, why not read up on him first? Do some opposition research like the politicos do. There have been enough books written about him. It seems as if a new one comes out every decade. Dick Tracy was Beatty's boyhood hero. A guy doesn't let go of his boyhood hero so easily. <br />
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Look, Beatty's first film of any note was <em>Splendor in the Grass</em> about the bloom of first love with a girl from Kansas played by actress, Natalie Wood. Then a few decades or so later, in real life, he actually marries a girl from Topeka, Kansas -- Annette Bening -- and they have four kids together and live happily ever after. Beatty's not that tough to figure out. Then he goes on to win the Tribune lawsuit when the occupant of the White House is a guy who grew up in Kansas -- even though Donald Trump is now in a dispute with the ladies of <em>The View</em> as to where said president of the first part was actually born. Makes perfect sense.<br />
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Yes, the general public is wary of the litigious nature of our society today, yet as <em>The Wall Street Journal</em> pointed out once upon a time, probably 20 or 30 years ago -- who's counting -- our apparent litigation explosion is actually a direct result of corporations initiating the lawsuits, not so much the guy next door. <br />
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C'mon now. Did the Tribune actually think it had a shot in winning against an icon like Beatty in a civil lawsuit? In the state of California, no less. Heck, when celebs who are accused of murder like Robert Blake and OJ Simpson walk, do you think the trier of fact would pick the Tribune Company against Beatty? To speed things up, Beatty's attorneys should have moved it to Chicago. Miffed Cubs fans would have made short shrift of this never-ending litigation.<br />
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So happy birthday, Warren Beatty, and as you blow out those candles with the wife and kids, remember that when you wish upon a star... Oops, that's Disney. <br />
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Anyway, your public looks forward to your upcoming Dick Tracy project and hopes you can strike a deal to merchandise those Tracy two-way wristwatch radios. They would be tres cooler than the 3-D glasses hawked at the movie theaters. <br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/warren-beatty">Warren Beatty</a>, <a href="/tag/annette-bening">Annette Bening</a>, <a href="/tag/reds">Reds</a>, <a href="/tag/dick-tracy">Dick Tracy</a>, <a href="/tag/robert-blake">Robert Blake</a>, <a href="/tag/oj-simpson">OJ Simpson</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-cubs">Chicago Cubs</a>, <a href="/tag/natalie-wood">Natalie Wood</a>, <a href="/tag/the-wall-street-journal">The Wall Street Journal</a>, <a href="/tag/california-news">California News</a>, <a href="/tag/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, <a href="/tag/tcm">Tcm</a>, <a href="/tag/turner-classic-movies">Turner Classic Movies</a>, <a href="/tag/the-view">The View</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/splendor-in-the-grass">Splendor in the Grass</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Jacqueline Edelberg: Real Rahm, Fake Rahm, and Louder Than A Bombhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacqueline-edelberg/real-rahm-fake-rahm-and-l_b_837922.htmlJacqueline Edelberghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/jacqueline-edelberg/
When the real Rahm Emanuel offered the fake Rahm Emanuel $5,000 to reveal himself, it was anybody's guess who the doppelganger was, or which charity would get the cash. <br />
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Thanks to the magic of <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/376731/march-08-2011/dan-sinker" target="_hplink">Colbert</a>, the whole country now knows that Columbia College journalism professor Dan Sinker is the creator of the infamous <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/dan-sinker-mayor-emanuel_n_829299.html" target="_hplink">fake Twitter</a> account, but few know that he donated his reward to Young Chicago Authors, the subject of the powerful new documentary, <em><a href="http://www.louderthanabombfilm.com" target="_hplink"><em>Louder Than a Bomb</em></a></em> (LTAB). <br />
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Before the film airs on the <a href="http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll<br />
/classifieds?category=search1&SearchType=1&q=Oprah Winfrey&Class=%&FromDate=19150101&ToDate=20111231" target="_hplink">Oprah Winfrey Network</a>, my public school, Nettelhorst, will be hosting a <a href="http://www.nettelhorst.org/resources/films.html" target="_hplink">public screening</a>, followed by discussion with film's co-directors, <a href="http://www.siskeljacobs.com/" target="_hplink">Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel</a> (nephew of Gene). <br />
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As life, politics and art are forever intertwined in my little, big town, here's the skinny:<br />
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LTAB, presented by <a href="http://www.youngchicagoauthors.org" target="_hplink">Young Chicago Authors</a>, is the country's largest teen <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81hXGdFF6TQ" target="_hplink">poetry slam.</a> <br />
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It's fitting that professor (and Nettelhorst grandfather) Bill Ayers has judged the festival for over a decade now, and the performances reflect all the fiery passion and social activism for which he is known.<br />
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"LTAB is a place where the dreams , aspirations, knowledge, and skills of youth are sensible starting points for learning," Ayres says, "where young people are treated as valuable and where they can find ways to become people of values, where children can read critically, speak openly, and think freely."<br />
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In the spirit of this mission, LTAB manages to bring Chicago's youth together across all racial and socioeconomic lines. "For three minutes at a time the students speak about their lives," said LTAB artistic director and co-founder Kevin Coval. "For the other eighty-seven minutes, they are listening to the lives and stories and dreams of others, kids that don't look like them and come from different neighborhoods. In listening, the city shrinks." <br />
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As the only elementary school represented in the LTAB program, Nettelhorst kids are lucky to be a part of such a diverse, collaborative, environment. <br />
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In their integrated Drama and Language Arts unit, our sixth and seventh graders have spent the last few weeks presenting, critiquing, and rewriting pieces inspired by Nikki Grimes' <em>Bronx Masquerade</em>. <br />
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Superstar drama teacher Chad Kimmel insists the LTAB experience has inspired and challenged his students to "find their own voice while learning to listen to others, a skill that will serve them well as adults." My kids, Maya and Zack, age 12 and 10, both think Kimmel's class rocks.<br />
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Rooting the poetry slam at the school level is uniquely Chicago. In other cities, kids begin as solo competitors, and then, winners are farmed into competitive teams. Here in Chicago, however, the program fosters a collaborative environment at the inception, much like a sports team, where kids feel safe to express their strengths and vulnerabilities, all under the watchful eye of caring adults.<br />
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While competition may seem to be the program's primary goal, it's really a bait and switch. Over the three weeks, the competition melts away, and what remains is the core "team" lesson incubated from the beginning.<br />
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That powerful sense of community, in turn, radically impacts the entire school culture. "While Chicago's approach may seem haphazard," Jacobs insists, "we think it should be everywhere. LTAB is the way the world is -- and the way it should be -- and that is <em>transformative</em>."<br />
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The one-two punch of LTAB and @MayorEmanuel's twitter buzz may prove enough of a catalyst to spark transformative change beyond Chicago. Siskel and Jacob's are on a mission to get their film in every school in America, and then channel the resulting enthusiasm into an online writing and performance hub for students, teachers, and parents. <br />
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In much the same way that Dan Savage's <a href="http://www.itgetsbetter.org/" target="_hplink"> It Gets Better Project</a> became an accessible, supportive community, the directors imagine a forum where kids have the freedom to express themselves in boundary-breaking ways. <br />
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At every screening -- and the film has reached over 5,000 students so far -- enthusiastic kids inevitably ask, "Why don't we have this?" The directors hope that someday soon their answer will be "Why, you already do!" If you have ideas about how to support their larger dream, shoot them an <a href="greg@siskeljacobs.com" target="_hplink">email</a>. <br />
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Despite all the movie hype, Young Chicago Authors is a super-strapped not-for-profit, and money helps. Since Sinker revealed himself, donors have logged on to <a href="http://www.causes.com/causes/585820-support-young-chicago-authors" target="_hplink">causes.com</a> to match Rahm's gift dollar-for-dollar, and two local radio hosts kicked in an additional $1,000 each. <br />
<br />
The grand total's up to $12,000 now, which is great, but not nearly enough to keep the lights on. Maybe you'd like to help, too, but are feeling a bit hesitant? <br />
<br />
As the fake Rahm is deep in a time vortex, here's a little twitter nudge from the real Dan Sinker:<br />
<em>"Every dollar that goes to Young Chicago Authors changes lives. Donate if you can." </em><br />
<br />
Need more? Here's a nudge from the real Rahm Emanuel: "I want every child in Chicago, if they have academic interests, athletic interests or artistic interests, to have an adult supervised activity where their own self-esteem can find a voice. Nettelhorst has taken the whole idea turning a neighborhood school it into a community center, and our city is richer for it. After-school programs like <em>Louder Than a Bomb</em> make Chicago unique. And it's a great, <em>great</em> movie. <br />
<br />
Still more? This nudge from brilliant poet and activist Kevin Coval, cuz beyond my City of "Big Shoulders," there's a whole country to beautify:<br />
<center><strong><br />
The Meaning of Children </strong><br />
<br />
<br />
Chicago/America, your children are born, <br />
To travel underground, and supposed to get high <br />
brow bootleg mega-mixes on old Maxwell St. <br />
Sundays; white socks, watermelon and churros. <br />
we are born to over stand and glide high thru tree lined streets, <br />
born to inter-sect, cross-pollinate and miscegenate, <br />
blur all fences and neighborhood lines ever <br />
erected, we <br />
concentrate <br />
in attention delirium cuz there is a city - <br />
country to beautify - <br />
<br />
we are born <br />
to make the hole holy, throw-up and fill in <br />
the widening gap between those who have <br />
and those who have to rent, born to master- <br />
piece the backside of Picasso's cold blooded bird eyes, <br />
born to scratch-bomb the hidden underbelly of CTA <br />
buses and under overpasses cut holes holy in chained - <br />
links where beds could be made and we are born to wreck <br />
freight train mural names emblazoned in the eye's night <br />
of I-94 where Metra tracks chug suburban sprawl, <br />
<br />
we Chicago /america, the children of reagan/Daley, know all <br />
the heroes are broken like our fathers <br />
but who said you had to be <br />
perfect, let's start with honest: <br />
everything we love is stolen, <br />
every melody and word and brush stroke borrowed <br />
or muscled or appropriated from what came before.<br />
<br />
let's be honest about what came before: <br />
DuSable should be a college <br />
at the mouth of the river just east on the north bank <br />
paid for by Chase and JP Morgan and all slave made <br />
institutions, bring on the reparations Sekou Sundiata <br />
echoes in the departed air where his mouth once moved. <br />
<br />
let's be honest Chicago/america <br />
you don't understand us <br />
you are kinda boring and won't listen <br />
when we want to play you <br />
our record since 1973 <br />
<br />
but now that that record <br />
that that record that that <br />
record sells <br />
Cheeseburgers and hondas <br />
and that that record sells <br />
more than imported beatles <br />
<br />
i'll say this <br />
i dig Bach <br />
but do you know who Jesse De La Pena is. <br />
i read Elliot <br />
but do you know MF Doom is Zev Luv X <br />
or that his brother is dead. <br />
i wanted to but was too broke to see Baryshnikov <br />
but do you know Wakka is the illest <br />
b-boy on the planet and lives in a basement <br />
at Noble and Chicago where he cleans <br />
the bodies and rooms of old people. <br />
<br />
Chicago/America <br />
we your children are born to inter-sect, <br />
cross-pollinate and miscegenate <br />
blur all neighborhood fences ever <br />
erected, we <br />
concentrate <br />
in attention delirium <br />
cuz there is a city - <br />
country to beautify.</center><br />
<br />
<center><img alt="2011-03-19-LouderThanaBombCountingGraves.jpg" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-19-LouderThanaBombCountingGraves.jpg" width="500" height="334" /><br />
</center><br />
<center><em>photo courtesy of Siskel/Jacobs Productions</em></center><br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/greg-jacobs">Greg Jacobs</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/poetry">Poetry</a>, <a href="/tag/teen-poetry-slam">Teen Poetry Slam</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel-fake-twitter">Rahm Emanuel Fake Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-mayoremanuel">Dan Sinker Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/jon-siskel">Jon Siskel</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-emanuel-twitter">Mayor Emanuel Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/mayoremanuel">Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/causescom">causes.com</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-columbia-college">Dan Sinker Columbia College</a>, <a href="/tag/bill-ayers">Bill Ayers</a>, <a href="/tag/education-reform">Education Reform</a>, <a href="/tag/louder-than-a-bomb">Louder Than a Bomb</a>, <a href="/tag/young-chicago-authors">Young Chicago Authors</a>, <a href="/tag/nettelhorst">Nettelhorst</a>, <a href="/tag/kevin-coval">Kevin Coval</a>, <a href="/tag/oprah-winfrey-network">Oprah Winfrey Network</a>, <a href="/tag/it-gets-better">It Gets Better</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-impact">Chicago Impact</a>, <a href="/education">Education News</a></p>
Alleged Torture Victim Released From Prison As Ex-Cop Linked To His Beatings Reports To Jailhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/17/alleged-torture-victim-re_n_836916.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
CHICAGO — As a former Chicago police commander reported to federal prison Wednesday for lying about the torture of murder suspects decades ago, a man his detectives allegedly beat into confessing learned he was being freed after spending 25 years in prison.<br />
<br />
Jon Burge, whose name in Chicago is synonymous with police brutality and racism, turned himself in Wednesday morning to begin a 4 1/2-year sentence at Butner Federal Correctional Complex in North Carolina. Hours later in Chicago, a judge ordered 45-year-old Eric Caine released from Menard Correctional Center after prosecutors conceded that they didn't have enough evidence to convict Caine of murder again without the suspect confession he gave police in 1986.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/jon-burge">Jon Burge</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/wrongful-conviction">Wrongful Conviction</a>, <a href="/tag/burge-jail-sentence">Burge Jail Sentence</a>, <a href="/tag/jon-burge-prison">Jon Burge Prison</a>, <a href="/tag/jon-burge-jail-sentence">Jon Burge Jail Sentence</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-police-torture">Chicago Police Torture</a>, <a href="/tag/tortured-confession">Tortured Confession</a>, <a href="/tag/eric-caine">Eric Caine</a>, <a href="/tag/jon-burge-police-torture">Jon Burge Police Torture</a>, <a href="/tag/torture">Torture</a>, <a href="/tag/jon-burge-jail">Jon Burge Jail</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Chicagoans Worry About Loved Ones In Japanhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/12/chicagoans-worry-about-lo_n_834884.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
Renko Yamamoto boarded an airplane in Tokyo Friday bound for O'Hare Airport and her first meeting with her 7-month-old granddaughter Nanako Yamamoto.<br />
<br />
Just hours into the flight, an in-flight message interrupted the movie the 70-year-old Yamamoto was watching: There had been an earthquake in Japan -- a big one. Immediately, passengers started talking with one another about just how bad it might be.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/japan-earthquake">Japan Earthquake</a>, <a href="/tag/japan-tsunami">Japan Tsunami</a>, <a href="/tag/japanese-earthquake">Japanese Earthquake</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Republicans Discuss Reinstating Illinois Death Penaltyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/10/illinois-abolishes-death-_n_833933.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — For a mother who lost her son to violence, Illinois' decision to abolish the death penalty is a betrayal. But to a father who lost two daughters and a grandson, it's simply the Christian thing to do.<br />
<br />
And to a man who was sentenced to die for a crime he didn't commit, it's a civilized step that may inspire other states to halt executions.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty-abolished">Illinois Death Penalty Abolished</a>, <a href="/tag/governor-pat-quinn">Governor Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/karen-yarbroughillinois-death-penalty-ban">Karen yarbroughIllinois Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn">Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-republicans">Illinois Republicans</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-ban">Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/kwame-raoul">Kwame Raoul</a>, <a href="/tag/quinn-death-penalty">Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-illinois">Death Penalty Illinois</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty-bill-signed">Illinois Death Penalty Bill Signed</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-reinstated">Death Penalty Reinstated</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty">Illinois Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn-death-penalty">Pat Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Illinois Death Penalty Abolished, Death Row Clearedhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/08/illinois-death-penalty-ab_n_833250.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — After two decades of debate about the risk of executing an innocent person, Illinois abolished the death penalty Wednesday, a decision that was certain to fuel renewed calls for other states to do the same.<br />
<br />
Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat who has long supported capital punishment, looked drained moments after signing the historic legislation. Lawmakers sent him the measure back in January, but Quinn went through two months of intense personal deliberation before acting. He called it the most difficult decision he has made as governor.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty-abolished">Illinois Death Penalty Abolished</a>, <a href="/tag/governor-pat-quinn">Governor Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/karen-yarbroughillinois-death-penalty-ban">Karen yarbroughIllinois Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn">Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/quinn-death-penalty">Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/kwame-raoul">Kwame Raoul</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-ban">Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-illinois">Death Penalty Illinois</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty-bill-signed">Illinois Death Penalty Bill Signed</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty">Illinois Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn-death-penalty">Pat Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Obama Weighs In On Illinois Death Penalty Ban http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/07/obama-weighs-in-on-illino_n_832551.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
Governor Pat Quinn <a href="http://www.fox2now.com/news/sns-ap-il--illinois-deathpenalty,0,313061.story" target="_hplink">said Monday that he will take action</a> on a bill that would abolish the death penalty in Illinois this week, though he has not said whether or not he supports the measure. <br />
<br />
It's been nearly two months since the Illinois General Assembly <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/11/illinois-death-penalty-ba_n_807680.html" target="_hplink">voted to abolish the state's death penalty</a>, and sent the legislation to Quinn's desk. <br />
<br />
President Barack Obama reportedly weighed in on the measure last week. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/4139429-418/obama-weighs-in-on-illinois-death-penalty-bill.html" target="_hplink"><em>Chicago Sun-Times</em> reports</a>: <br />
<br />
<blockquote>During an encounter with Quinn at the White House last week, the president praised the governor on the legislation and on Illinois' legalization of civil unions, said state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago), a lead legislative backer of the abolition bill and Obama's successor in the Illinois Senate.<br />
<br />
"The governor said Barack had complimented him and the state on our work on civil unions and the death penalty," Raoul said Friday, recounting a conversation with Quinn following his return last week from a Washington, D.C. trip to attend National Governors Association meetings.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Quinn, who has until March 18 to sign the bill, said there's still information he wants to read and research he wants to do before acting on the legislation, <a href="http://www.fox2now.com/news/sns-ap-il--illinois-deathpenalty,0,313061.story" target="_hplink">according to the Associate Press</a>. <br />
<br />
He <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/02/quinn-considers-bill-that_n_830556.html" target="_hplink">has previously said</a> his decision will be based on his conscience. But he has spent two months consulting with prosecutors, murder victims' families, death penalty opponents and religious leaders - including retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa and Sister Helen Prejean, the inspiration for the movie "Dead Man Walking" - as he weigh his options.<br />
<br />
Personally, the Chicago Democrat brings a mixed record to the decision: Raised a Roman Catholic, he says he supports the death penalty when properly implemented. But he has upheld Illinois' moratorium on executions imposed in 2000 by then-Gov. George Ryan. <br />
<br />
Obama's public stance on the death penalty is similar to Quinn's. He has stated that he supports it in egregious cases, but was also a "driving force" behind capital punishment reforms in Illinois, according to the <em>Sun-Times</em>. <br />
<br />
"I feel fairly confident that he's going to sign it," Sen. Raoul told the <em>Sun-Times</em>. ". . .He wants to be respectful to both sides of the issue when he makes his decision."
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/governor-pat-quinn">Governor Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn">Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-ban">Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/quinn-death-penalty">Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/death-penalty-illinois">Death Penalty Illinois</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty-ban">Illinois Death Penalty Ban</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/obama-death-penalty">Obama Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-death-penalty">Illinois Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/obama-illinois-death-penalty">Obama Illinois Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/tag/pat-quinn-death-penalty">Pat Quinn Death Penalty</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
WATCH: Weis Defends Role As Top Cophttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/03/jody-weis-departure-daley_n_830407.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley again defended Jody Weis Wednesday, saying the police superintendent stepped down to search for a job--not because he didn't get a written contract extension. <br />
<br />
"He made a decision for his family, there's nothing wrong with that," Daley said Wednesday, <a href="http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/news/local/chibrknews-daley-contract-extension-not-issue-with-weis-20110302,0,1320446.story" target="_hplink">according to the <em>Chicago Tribune</em></a>. "He has been a great public servant."<br />
<br />
City Hall sources told reporters Tuesday <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110301/il-chicago-police-superintendent/" target="_hplink">that Weis was unable to secure a written contract extension</a> from Daley, and without the written extension, he declined to stay on board. <br />
<br />
Hours before his $310,000-a-year contract expired Tuesday, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/jody-weis-out-chicago-pol_n_829800.html" target="_hplink">Weis left his job</a> rather than wait to be ousted by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, who made it clear he wouldn't renew Weis' contract.<br />
<br />
"I'd like to thank the outstanding members the Chicago Police Department for their professionalism, and dedication to public service as well as the residents that make up the communities we serve," Weis said in a statement Tuesday. "It has given me great pride to have been part of such an outstanding organization and to have had the ability to serve the residents of the City of Chicago."<br />
<br />
Daley tapped former Superintendent Terry Hillard, who headed the department from 1998 until 2003, to serve as top cop on an interim basis. <br />
<br />
One of the reasons all six mayoral candidates gave for wanting to remove Weis from his post was low morale at the police department. Since he was hired in 2008, Weis has repeatedly clashed with the Fraternal Order of Police. <br />
<br />
In <a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Weis-Denies-Morale-Problems-117267258.html" target="_hplink">an interview with NBC Chicago</a>, Weis said he did not think morale was as bad as some made it out to be. <br />
<br />
"To me it just doesn't add up that morale was bad throughout the department," Weis said. (Scroll down for video) "Because I firmly believe in every way I've evaluated morale of the unit, you do not achieve the results that you do when morale is bad."<br />
<br />
Those results were noteworthy: complaints against officers <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/3722609-417/complaints-against-police-officers-down-on-weis-watch.html" target="_hplink">fell nearly 42 percent</a> on his watch, and the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/jody-weis-speaks-out-i-pr_n_803584.html" target="_hplink">2010 murder rate was its lowest in 45 years</a>--even though the department was operating with 1,100 fewer officers. <br />
<br />
"You do not achieve the results that we did in 2010 ... if the entire police department was totally demoralized," Weis said. "They just wouldn't perform."<br />
<br />
Weis, a 23-year FBI veteran and former U.S. Army Captain, was the first outsider hired to run the department in more than 40 years. After a series of embarrassing police scandals made national headlines, Daley <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/jody-weis-speaks-out-i-pr_n_803584.html" target="_hplink">hoped he would clean up the department</a>.<br />
<br />
Within weeks of his arrival, Weis showed how seriously he took Daley's mandate to shake up the department, replacing 21 of the department's 25 district commanders, reassigning desk jockeys to the streets and telling overweight officers to lose their beer guts. But it was his handling of a police brutality case soon after he arrived in Chicago that many officers found most egregious.<br />
<br />
Before Weis took the job, William Cozzi, an officer, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor battery charge after being videotaped beating a man handcuffed to a wheelchair. Set to return to work after serving a two-year sentence shortly after Weis arrived, he instead was charged by federal prosecutors with a civil rights violation after Weis directed the FBI to video of the incident.<br />
<br />
Cozzi pleaded guilty and received a federal prison sentence, which the police union said smacked of double jeopardy. Weis defended his actions, saying they signaled to the department that brutality and misconduct would not be tolerated.<br />
<br />
Weis also angered some officers because he wore a police uniform at department functions, and they didn't feel he deserved to because he didn't come up through the ranks.<br />
<br />
"I just hope people will say the department is being held in a better light than it was three years ago. I've always said it's not about me," Weis told NBC. "There's no man who's over the mission of the Chicago police department. It's always the mission."<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, there is much speculation about who Emanuel will choose to fill Weis' position. While many officers hope that the new mayor will choose someone from within the CPD ranks, some community leaders hope the next top cop will continue confronting police wrongdoing the way Weis did--which may require an outsider. <br />
<br />
"The neighborhood needs to feel that the new superintendent is not going to be a protector of police when they are wrong," South Side activist and Rev. Michael Pfleger <a href="http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/news/local/ct-met-weis-superintendent-20110302,0,859025.story" target="_hplink">told the <em>Tribune</em></a>. "My worry is that you have to make sure that whoever is coming from the system is not going to protect the system."<br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH NBC's interview with Weis here: <br />
</strong><br />
<embed width="576" height="324" src="http://media.nbcchicago.com/designvideo/embeddedPlayer.swf" flashvars="v=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcchicago.com%2Fi%2Fembed_new%2F%3Fcid%3D117286633%26path%3D%2Fblogs%2Fward-room%2F" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" /> <p style="font-size:small">View more videos at: <a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/?__source=embedCode">http://www.nbcchicago.com</a>.</p><br />
<br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-resigns">Jody Weis Resigns</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-leaves">Jody Weis Leaves</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-police-union">Chicago Police Union</a>, <a href="/tag/terry-hillard">Terry Hillard</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-out">Jody Weis Out</a>, <a href="/tag/fop">Fop</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-daley">Mayor Daley</a>, <a href="/tag/weis-steps-down">Weis Steps Down</a>, <a href="/tag/crime">Crime</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-quits">Jody Weis Quits</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-cpd">Jody Weis Cpd</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel">Rahm Emanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis">Jody Weis</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-police-department">Chicago Police Department</a>, <a href="/tag/fraternal-order-of-police">Fraternal Order of Police</a>, <a href="/tag/cpd">Cpd</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-steps-down">Jody Weis Steps Down</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-crime">Chicago Crime</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Rahm Meets His Twitter Imposter In Real Life, For A Good Cause http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/02/rahm-emanuel-dan-sinker-m_n_830577.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
After <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/dan-sinker-to-meet-rahm-e_n_829601.html" target="_hplink">a whole lot of hype</a>, it finally happened: mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel and creator of his Twitter doppelganger Dan Sinker finally met. <br />
<br />
Sinker, whose profanity-filled @MayorEmanuel Twitter account attracted more than 40,000 followers during the mayoral campaign, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/dan-sinker-mayor-emanuel_n_829299.html" target="_hplink">confessed to being behind the tweets</a> to <em>The Atlantic</em> Monday. Since then, he's received a ton of media attention--and even a meeting with Emanuel himself.<br />
<br />
The two met on the set of <a href="http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2124377&spid=" target="_hplink">WLS-AM's "Roe Conn Show with Richard Roeper"</a> Wednesday, where Emanuel made good on his pledge to donate $5,000 to the charity of Sinker's choice. <br />
<br />
Emanuel made the announcement on the "Roe & Roeper" show earlier this month. He said he enjoyed the tweets, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/rahm-emanuel-offers-2500-_n_823928.html" target="_hplink">said he would donate $5,000</a> to the charity of the mystery tweeter's choice if he or she agreed to come forward. <br />
<br />
"I made a commitment because, while many times he's expressed my sentiments exactly, I wanted to support what he's doing," Emanuel said of the tweets during the Wednesday meeting. <br />
<br />
Sinker, an assistant journalism professor at Columbia College, was nervous to meet Emanuel. "I am so not relaxed," he said as Emanuel walked into the studio. <strong>(Scroll down for video)</strong><br />
<br />
Emanuel tried to calm him down:<br />
<br />
"Dude, you have tenure, I already called on it," Emanuel said.<br />
<br />
Sinker decided that the $5,000 donation should go to <a href="http://www.youngchicagoauthors.org/" target="_hplink">Young Chicago Authors</a>, an organization that "encourages self-expression and literacy through creative writing, performance and publication." <a href="http://www.causes.com/jobs" target="_hplink">Causes.com</a> decided to match Emanuel's donation--and hosts Roe and Roeper pledged $1,000 each for the cause. The Twitter account Sinker originally started as a joke ended up raising $12,000 for a local charity. <br />
<br />
"Several of us at Causes followed @mayoremanuel really closely - we all love a good Twitter impostor," Jen Burton, Causes Director of Community, told HuffPost Chicago via email. "When we heard that Rahm Emanuel was offering a sizable charitable donation if the impostor came forward we knew we would be a great fit and decided to jump at the chance to get involved." <br />
<br />
The organization <a href="http://exchange.causes.com/2011/02/causes-will-match-rahm-emanuels-charitable-donation-for-the-identity-of-twitter-impostor/" target="_hplink">wrote a blog post</a> announcing their offer, and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/causes" target="_hplink">tweeted it</a> to both Emanuel and the now-quiet MayorEmanuel account. <br />
<br />
"We want giving to be fun, easy and social - making charitable donations shouldn't always have to be based around tragic events or disasters and this was a great opportunity for us to have a little fun," Burton said. <br />
<br />
The media circus has not ended for Sinker: he will appear on "The Colbert Report" Tuesday. <br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH the initial meeting here. Check back later for more video:<br />
</strong><br />
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="540" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/H0-JmDPDlxU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br />
<br />
<br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/mayor-emanuel-revealed">Mayor Emanuel Revealed</a>, <a href="/tag/young-chicago-authors">Young Chicago Authors</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/mayoremanuel">Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-columbia-college">Dan Sinker Columbia College</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel-fake-twitter">Rahm Emanuel Fake Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker">Dan Sinker</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-mayoremanuel">Dan Sinker Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/causescom">causes.com</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-punk-planet">Dan Sinker Punk Planet</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-emanuel-twitter">Mayor Emanuel Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-impact">Chicago Impact</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
UPDATE: Northwestern President Condemns Sex Toy Demohttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/02/northwestern-university-p_n_830423.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
<em>Updated Story 3/3/2011</em><br />
<br />
A Northwestern University professor is defending a controversial after-school demonstration, which featured a naked woman "being repeatedly sexually stimulated" by a device he called a "fucksaw" in front of students. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/class-sex-toy-demonstration-causes-controversy-1.2501746" target="_hplink"><em>Daily Northwestern</em> reported Tuesday</a> that Prof. John Michael Bailey, who teaches a popular Human Sexuality course at the school, often holds after-class events which include everything from "a question-and-answer session with swingers to a panel of convicted sex offenders." <br />
<br />
Last week, the after-class event featured a naked woman being stimulated by a motorized sex toy called a "fucksaw" on stage, the paper reports. The woman was not a student. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://www.avclub.com/chicago/articles/northwestern-prof-in-hot-water-after-guest-uses-se,52621/" target="_hplink">A.V. Club Chicago explained</a> the toy in question: <br />
<br />
<blockquote>The "fucksaw" in question is basically a dildo attached to a reciprocating saw which, when cranked up to full blast, can drive a person to orgasm.</blockquote><br />
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Students were reportedly warned about the explicit nature of the demonstration, and were urged to skip the event if they were worried about being uncomfortable. <br />
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One school administrator <a href="http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/class-sex-toy-demonstration-causes-controversy-1.2501746" target="_hplink">told the<em> Daily Northwestern</em></a> he was surprised to hear of the demonstration, but said it most likely did not violate school policies. But after the "fucksaw" story made <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41873091/ns/local_news-chicago_il/" target="_hplink">national</a> <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/03/03/northwestern-university-professor-defends-explicit-sex-toy-demonstration/" target="_hplink">news</a> Wednesday, the university's president spoke out against Bailey's after-class event. <br />
<br />
Northwestern University President Morton Schapiro <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/4115230-417/northwestern-university-president-troubled-over-live-sex-demonstration.html" target="_hplink">told the <em>Chicago Sun-Times</em></a> he was "troubled and disappointed" by the incident, and that an investigation into the matter was underway.<br />
<br />
"I feel it represented extremely poor judgment on the part of our faculty member," Schapiro's statement said. "I simply do not believe this was appropriate, necessary or in keeping with Northwestern University's academic mission."<br />
<br />
On Wednesday, Ken Melvoin-Berg, a Chicago tour guide who spoke to the class before the demonstration, told the <em>Chicago Tribune</em> he was receiving a lecture fee, <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-northwestern-to-pay-for-live-sex-toy-demonstration-20110302,0,3942305.story" target="_hplink">from the university.</a> <br />
<br />
"Sticks and stones may break your bones, but watching naked people on stage doing pleasurable things will never hurt you," Bailey told his class in response to the controversy. <br />
<br />
The student newspaper <a href="http://www.dailynorthwestern.com/campus/prof-john-michael-bailey-issues-statement-on-after-class-event-controversy-1.2503135" target="_hplink">published a statement</a> from Bailey following the public scrutiny of the demonstration: <br />
<br />
<blockquote>Do I have any regrets? It is mostly too early to say. I certainly have no regrets concerning Northwestern students, who have demonstrated that they are open-minded grown ups rather than fragile children. I have not enjoyed the press, because I have assumed that reporters will sensationalize what happened and will not provide my side. (A welcome exception to this, mostly, was the Daily Northwestern article.) I suspect that my Dean is not enjoying this publicity, and I do not like displeasing my Dean. To the extent that this event provokes a discussion of my reasoning, above, I welcome it. I expect many people to disagree with me. Thoughtful discussion of controversial topics is a cornerstone of learning</blockquote><br />
<br />
Chicagoist has a photo of the sex toy <a href="http://chicagoist.com/2011/03/02/nu_professor_causes_minor_uproar_wi.php" target="_hplink">here.</a>
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/northwestern-university-sex-toy">Northwestern University Sex Toy</a>, <a href="/tag/professor-john-michael-bailey">Professor John Michael Bailey</a>, <a href="/tag/fucksaw-demo">Fucksaw Demo</a>, <a href="/tag/fucksaw">Fucksaw</a>, <a href="/tag/human-sexuality">Human Sexuality</a>, <a href="/tag/sex">Sex</a>, <a href="/tag/sex-toy-demo">Sex Toy Demo</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/northwestern-university">Northwestern University</a>, <a href="/tag/professor-bailey-northwestern">Professor Bailey Northwestern</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Chicago's Top Cop Steps Downhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/jody-weis-out-chicago-pol_n_829800.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis stepped down from his post as Chicago's top cop Tuesday.<br />
<br />
Weis <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110301/il-chicago-police-superintendent/" target="_hplink">was reportedly unable to secure a written contract extension</a> from Mayor Richard M. Daley, and without the written extension, he declined to stay on board. His $310,000-a-year contract expires Tuesday. <br />
<br />
Daley wanted to keep Weis until he finished out his term, which ends May 16, but the mayor would have reportedly needed approval from the City Council in order to extend the contract. Weis decided to leave immediately after he was not given a written contract extension. <br />
<br />
Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale confirmed the move Tuesday and said that former Police Superintendent Terry Hillard will take over in the interim.<br />
<br />
In a written statement, Weis said it was an "honor and a great privilege" to serve as superintendent and that several factors led to his decision.<br />
<br />
"I firmly believe it would be selfish of me to continue in this position as I actively seek new career opportunities," Weis said. "Additionally, it is critical to have someone in place as soon as possible to prepare for the summer, our most challenging time of year."<br />
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Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel had already stated publicly that Weis would be replaced. <br />
<br />
In 2008, after a series of embarrassing scandals made national headlines, Daley tapped Weis, a 23-year FBI veteran and former U.S. Army Captain, to be the Chicago Police Department's top cop. <br />
<br />
Though his time as superintendent was limited, complaints against officers <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/3722609-417/complaints-against-police-officers-down-on-weis-watch.html" target="_hplink">fell nearly 42 percent</a> on his watch, and the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/jody-weis-speaks-out-i-pr_n_803584.html" target="_hplink">2010 murder rate was its lowest in 45 years</a>--even though the department was operating with 1,100 fewer officers. <br />
<br />
Weis <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/jody-weis-speaks-out-i-pr_n_803584.html" target="_hplink">told HuffPost Chicago in December</a> that he expected to be replaced by the new mayor, but loved his job and loved Chicago. He repeated those sentiments Tuesday. <br />
<br />
"I'd like to thank the outstanding members the Chicago Police Department for their professionalism, and dedication to public service as well as the residents that make up the communities we serve," Weis said. "It has given me great pride to have been part of such an outstanding organization and to have had the ability to serve the residents of the City of Chicago."<br />
<br />
Weis <a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/4045716-418/weis-would-like-to-find-a-job-in-chicago.html" target="_hplink">told reporters Sunday</a> that he was willing to go wherever his career led him, but would like to stay in Chicago. When asked what the future holds for the next superintendent, he said there has been a "strong foundation laid" and that his successor could either "build on that foundation or build another methodology." <br />
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The Florida native was rejected as an "outsider" by the Fraternal Order of Police immediately after he was hired, and many union members accused him of causing low morale within the department. <br />
<br />
Weis said the rejection showed the union's desire to maintain "business as usual." <br />
<br />
During the mayoral race, all six candidates pledged to replace Weis. Carol Marin, who <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/14/the-countdown-city-club-d_n_823223.html" target="_hplink">hosted a televised mayoral forum</a> on February 14, asked if the candidates were "more concerned about police morale" than about getting murders and complaints against officers down. <br />
<br />
Emanuel said that was not the case, but said the city could not afford to have a battle between rank and file officers and the superintendent.<br />
<br />
Daley has continued to defend Weis, even when union members <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/14/jody-weis-says-he-wont-re_n_716968.html" target="_hplink">called for his resignation in September. </a><br />
<br />
"I would like to thank Jody Weis for his service to the people of Chicago over the past three years," Daley said in a statement Tuesday. "He has been successful at both implementing new strategies in our fight against crime and assuring that the conduct of our police officers meets the highest standards so that our residents have confidence that the Police Department is protecting and serving them."<br />
<br />
Mayor-elect Emanuel also issued a statement Tuesday, thanking Daley for filling the vacancy quickly and Hillard for "returning when our police department and city need him." He also thanked Weis for "his service and for reducing violent crime during his tenure."<br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-leaves">Jody Weis Leaves</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-resigns">Jody Weis Resigns</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-police-union">Chicago Police Union</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-out">Jody Weis Out</a>, <a href="/tag/fop">Fop</a>, <a href="/tag/crime">Crime</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-cpd">Jody Weis Cpd</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-quits">Jody Weis Quits</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel">Rahm Emanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis-steps-down">Jody Weis Steps Down</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-daley">Mayor Daley</a>, <a href="/tag/jody-weis">Jody Weis</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-police-department">Chicago Police Department</a>, <a href="/tag/cpd">Cpd</a>, <a href="/tag/fraternal-order-of-police">Fraternal Order of Police</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-crime">Chicago Crime</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Rahm To Present Twitter Imposter With $5,000 Check Toward Charity Todayhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/01/dan-sinker-to-meet-rahm-e_n_829601.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
<em>Correction: Previous news reports stated that Rahm Emanuel would meet @MayorEmanuel creator Dan Sinker Tuesday. In fact, Sinker and Emanuel will meet Wednesday on WLS-AM's "Roe Conn Show with Richard Roeper." There, Emanuel will present Sinker with a $5,000 check to the charity of his choice, as promised. Causes.com has also decided to match Emanuel's donation with a $5,000 check to the charity of Sinker's choice, <a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/03/rahm_emanuel_to_meet_twitter_a.html" target="_hplink">according to the <em>Chicago Sun-Times</em>. </a></em><br />
<br />
----<br />
<br />
On Monday, the man behind the foul-mouthed <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/dan-sinker-mayor-emanuel_n_829299.html" target="_hplink">@MayorEmanuel Twitter account came forward</a>--and it caused quite a stir. <br />
<br />
Dan Sinker, Columbia College journalism professor, founder of <em>Punk Planet</em> magazine and creator of the <a href="http://www.chicagomayoralscorecard.com/" target="_hplink">Chicago Mayoral Scorecard</a>, <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2011/02/revealing-the-man-behind-mayoremanuel/71802/" target="_hplink">confessed to <em>The Atlantic</em></a> that he was the man behind the faux-Rahm Emanuel Twitter account. <br />
<br />
Within hours,<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/dansinker" target="_hplink"> Sinker tweeted</a> that every news station in Chicago was outside of his house. He was the top story on the nightly news, and soon, he'll meet with the real Rahm Emanuel. <br />
<br />
"I didn't think people would be outside my house," he <a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/MayorEmanuel-Revealed-117086878.html" target="_hplink">told NBC Chicago Monday</a>, adding that he did not know how the meeting with Emanuel would go. <br />
<br />
On the "Roe & Roeper" show earlier this month, Emanuel <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/16/rahm-emanuel-offers-2500-_n_823928.html" target="_hplink">pledged to donate up to $5,000</a> to the charity of the mystery tweeter's choice if he or she agreed to come forward. Emanuel spokesman Ben LaBolt told the Associated Press now that the cat is out of the bag, Emanuel will keep his promise.<br />
<br />
"It always brings a smile to my face," Emanuel said of the tweets. "This guy or gal has garnered a huge following. A lot of people go, I just read your tweet and I'm like, what?"<br />
<br />
The obscenity-laced comments on the <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/MayorEmanuel" target="_hplink">fake feed</a> during the mayoral race were so popular they attracted more than 40,000 followers. The real Emanuel only has about 11,000.<br />
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<img alt="2011-03-01-Picture7.png" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-01-Picture7.png" width="525" height="208" /><br />
<br />
<br />
Sinker explained that he started the account as a joke, but it turned into a hilarious story--featuring a cast of characters including David Axelrod, Carl the Intern and Quaxelrod the duck.<br />
<br />
"I really want to meet Axelrod," Sinker told NBC. "He was so fun to write."<br />
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After the election, the tweeter joked that he'd entered a time vortex and signed off, and Sinker realized it was time to come forward. <br />
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<img alt="2011-03-01-Picture9.png" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-03-01-Picture9.png" width="517" height="250" /><br />
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<br />
He told NBC that he had no intention of keeping the account going throughout Emanuel's tenure as mayor, and that he was tired of keeping the secret from so many friends and colleagues. <br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH NBC Chicago's interview with Sinker here: <br />
</strong><br />
<br />
<embed width="576" height="324" src="http://media.nbcchicago.com/designvideo/embeddedPlayer.swf" flashvars="v=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcchicago.com%2Fi%2Fembed_new%2F%3Fcid%3D117126428%26path%3D%2Fblogs%2Fward-room%2F" allowFullScreen="true" AllowScriptAccess="always" /> <p style="font-size:small">View more videos at: <a href="http://www.nbcchicago.com/?__source=embedCode">http://www.nbcchicago.com</a>.</p><br />
<br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/mayor-emanuel-revealed">Mayor Emanuel Revealed</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-mayoremanuel">Dan Sinker Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker">Dan Sinker</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/mayoremanuel">Mayoremanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-punk-planet">Dan Sinker Punk Planet</a>, <a href="/tag/dan-sinker-columbia-college">Dan Sinker Columbia College</a>, <a href="/tag/mayor-emanuel-twitter">Mayor Emanuel Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel-fake-twitter">Rahm Emanuel Fake Twitter</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-impact">Chicago Impact</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Hamdan Azhar: Chicagoans Rally in Solidarity With Libyan Peoplehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/hamdan-a-yousuf/chicagoans-rally-in-solid_b_829333.htmlHamdan Azharhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/hamdan-a-yousuf/
CHICAGO -- On Saturday afternoon, braving the bitter cold and intermittent snow, hundreds of Chicagoans gathered to express their solidarity with the Libyan people. College-aged girls in bright headscarves chatted amiably while clutching cups of coffee at the plaza at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Congress Parkway. Meanwhile, hardened progressive activists stood by with pamphlets ready for distribution.<br />
<br />
Against the foggy backdrop of the downtown skyline, the demonstrators began chanting <em>"Ash-sha'ab yureed isqaat an-nizaam"</em> -- the people want the downfall of the regime -- the revolutionary slogan first popularized in Cairo's Tahrir Square before going viral throughout the Arab world. <br />
<br />
Other slogans heard throughout the day included "Free Free Libya" and "Colonel Qaddafi has got to go." The flag of the Libyan revolution was the motif of the day, while flags of Egypt, Tunisia, and Bahrain were also present.<br />
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A contingent of protesters stood along Michigan Avenue, aiming signs of "Libya united, hopeful future" at passing drivers who honked in agreement. Within the crowd, middle-aged Libyans tentatively sought out one another and introduced themselves before extending heartfelt embraces.<br />
<br />
The atmosphere was one of celebration. Mahmoud, 52, had driven down from Milwaukee with his wife and three children. "I am from Misratah," he told me, a smile on his face. "It has been liberated." <br />
<br />
He expressed confidence that the era of Qaddafi was over. Asked about possible American involvement in the conflict, he suggested that a no-fly zone be implemented and that Qaddafi's assets be frozen. "No soldiers," he was quick to add. Other attendees at the rally also made clear their opposition to U.S. military intervention. "Sanctions only hurt the people," was a common refrain.<br />
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"We're trying to spread awareness of the situation and generate public outcry," said Patrick, 16, a local high school student. He expressed excitement at the wave of popular revolutionary movements throughout the Middle East. "We see a bright new future ahead."<br />
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Sharon, an English teacher in her mid-40's, works with Libyan students at a local language institute. "America has nothing to fear from a free Libya," she said. "They're wonderful, open-hearted people."<br />
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Adam, a workers' rights advocate, informed the crowd that most of his friends were still protesting in Madison, Wisconsin. "But they wanted me to let you know that they stand in solidarity with you," he said to cheers.<br />
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As the snow intensified around 3 p.m., the event began to wind down. A group of young men joined their arms and started a folk dance in the center of the square. "Have patience, Oh Qaddafi," they chanted in Arabic. "Soon the people will dance on your grave."<br />
<br />
Alexandra, 25, stood by herself in a corner, transfixed by the spectacle. I asked if she was just passing by. She told me that she had heard of the event on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192397270784754" target="_hplink">Facebook</a>. "This is my first time attending a rally," she added softly. <br />
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She glanced at volunteers gathering signs left behind by the attendees - signs proclaiming 'We stand with Libya' and 'Qaddafi murderer.' She turned to me, her voice faltering. "It's a shame that this is all we can do. But at least, it's something."<br />
<br />
<em>Hamdan Azhar is a doctoral student in neuroscience at the University of Chicago.</em><br />
<br />
<p align="left"> <img alt="2011-02-28-L2e.jpg"style="float: left; margin: 15px 10px 10px 10px" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-02-28-L2e-thumb.jpg" width="256" height="204" /> </p><br />
<p align="right"> <img alt="2011-02-28-L14.jpg"style="float: right; margin: 15px 10px 10px 10px" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2011-02-28-L14.jpg" width="306" height="204" /> </p>
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicagolibyaprotests">Chicago-Libya-Protests</a>, <a href="/tag/moammar-gadhafi">Moammar Gadhafi</a>, <a href="/tag/libya">Libya</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-activism">Chicago Activism</a>, <a href="/tag/libya-protests">Libya Protests</a>, <a href="/tag/wisconsin">Wisconsin</a>, <a href="/tag/muslim">Muslim</a>, <a href="/tag/wisconsin-protests">Wisconsin Protests</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Julie Woestehoff: 'When Will We Ever Be Good Enough?' Chicago Students Askhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-woestehoff/chicago-public-schools-students_b_822444.htmlJulie Woestehoffhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/julie-woestehoff/
"You want a real school turnaround? Invest in us!"<br />
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That's the heartwarming (and heartbreaking) message from Chicago Public Schools students who have been speaking out forcefully in the last few days, calling on public officials to stop looking down on them and start working for all students, not just some.<br />
<br />
Last week, a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afonAiiMTm8&feature=player_embedded" target="_hplink">YouTube video</a> produced by a group of students from Sullivan High School on Chicago's North Side took on mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel's debate comment that "If you take out Northside, if you take out Walter Payton (both test-in schools), the seven best performing high schools are all charters."<br />
<br />
The students thought that didn't sound right, so they did some research and found out that, in fact, NONE of the top performing high schools in Chicago were charter schools.<br />
<br />
According to Don Moore, head of local education advocacy group Designs for Change, as reported by <a href="http://www.newstips.org/?p=3272" target="_hplink">NewsTips</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Not only are no charters among Chicago's top-ranked high schools; not one charter is among the twelve Chicago high schools with 50 percent or more of students meeting standards. Unlike charters, eleven of the top performing schools are governed by Local School Councils, which select their principals for four-year performance contracts. (The twelfth, Rickover Military Academy, has an advisory LSC.) Also unlike charters, all twelve are staffed by unionized teachers.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Newstips adds:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Beyond that is a concern that school policy will be based on prejudices rather than facts. Emanuel's misstatement "shows that the people that people think know everything aren't really looking into the problems they say they want to fix," said Christina Henriquez.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Christina, that problem goes all the way up to the federal level, where the Blueprint for Education Reform has been found to be based on <a href="http://pureparents.org/?p=15444" target="_hplink">very little real evidence</a>, too.<br />
<br />
<strong>South Shore student's letter</strong><br />
<br />
Catalyst magazine printed a <a href="http://www.catalyst-chicago.org/print/index.php?item=2670&cat=21" target="_hplink">letter</a> from a student at South Shore, Makyla Bell, asking why the current students were not going to be allowed to move into the brand spanking new high school building, which now sits mostly unused across the street from the current old high school facility.<br />
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<blockquote>I have been impacted greatly by the board's decision to not allow us into the "new" South Shore school. I'm not going to act like we don't know why. It is said to us every day that we aren't allowed to go to the new school because we aren't good enough, or we don't deserve it....It just adds more to the overwhelming pile of nay-sayers saying we aren't good enough. When will we ever be good enough? When will we ever deserve anything? When will anyone ever help us? Maybe they'll decide when it's too late, or maybe when our future has already been mapped out for us to fail. With everything going on in our environment, we still come to school every day and are prepared for our short and very dim, expected-to-be unsuccessful journeys. And once again, still we stand, mentally tarnished and physically worn out.</blockquote><br />
<br />
Earlier this week, the local CBS affiliate did a <a href="http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/02/08/blizzard-snow-forces-students-on-the-street/" target="_hplink">news story</a> about the handful of students who are having to walk over to the new building for one class per day just to allow the district to meet local occupancy rules (<a href="https://blogger.huffingtonpost.com/mt.cgi?__mode=view&_type=entry&id=818432&blog_id=3" target="_hplink">more here</a>). The cruelty of this plan was only compounded by the fact that the sidewalks had not been shoveled, so students had to walk out in the street.<br />
<br />
I dare anyone to look into the eyes of the Sullivan students in their video, or to read Makyla's letter, and not feel deeply ashamed about what we are doing to some of our most promising young people. This has got to stop.
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/blueprint-for-education-reform">Blueprint for Education Reform</a>, <a href="/tag/rahm-emanuel">Rahm Emanuel</a>, <a href="/tag/charter-schools">Charter Schools</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/education">Education</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-impact">Chicago Impact</a>, <a href="/education">Education News</a></p>
Maceo Brown: New Progressive PAC: If You Want Something Done Right...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maceo-brown/new-progressive-pac-if-yo_b_822110.htmlMaceo Brownhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/maceo-brown/
Politics is a two way street. It requires both an active and engaged electorate, but also elected officials who support that culture of involvement with a transparent, accessible process. Even given the pressures of maintaining during this harsh economic climate, in fact more now, we owe it to each other to show up. But this is about more than just casting a ballot. It is also about asking the tough questions, demanding good answers, and ensuring our communities are well informed. Not paying attention's a great way to get taken advantage of.<br />
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We need all of your two cents to truly manifest that "New Wave" of Chicago Politics trumpeted on the front page of the <em>Sun-Times</em> after Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's Democratic Primary victory one year ago. But in this case, we're not saving up in hopes of offering the 24-carat comb Rod Blagojevich would have surely accepted as payment for President Obama's former U.S. Senate seat.<br />
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Though maintaining a commitment to engaging emerging leaders for a lifetime of political action, when Progressive Alliance PAC hosts its <a href="http://myprogressivealliance.eventbrite.com" target="_hplink">official launch</a> and fundraiser, Tuesday, February 15th, it will be with an expanded mission. During this February's Municipal Election, we are working to defend and grow the Progressive Caucus in City Council.<br />
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Although the Millennial Generation has been named "the most progressive generation" by a recent Pew Research Center <a href="http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2010/03/snapshot030810.html" target="_hplink">poll</a> and others, "post-college with its arms-reach activism, too many are confronted by the same political vacuum", said member, Kristina Zaremba. Most 18- to 35-year-olds have not yet started families and don't worry about exactly who controls those school budgets. Most have college loans, as opposed to the high-powered jobs which would land their names on some campaign fundraising list. They are labeled as infrequent voters; not even worthy of registration, let alone get-out-the-vote efforts. Yet that same group overwhelmingly staffs those very political campaigns. They are the front line workers giving long hours for low pay to many a non-profit institution. It is exactly this community of committed, informed, political non-entities that the Progressive Alliance has succeeded in activating.<br />
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During our very first action last fall, covered by <a href="http://www.progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2010/09/24/getting-young-chicagoans-polls" target="_hplink">Progress Illinois</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/karlo-barrios-marcelo/700-new-voters_b_758906.html" target="_hplink">HuffPost</a>, and <a href="http://gapersblock.com/mechanics/2010/10/21/the-next-chicago-voter/" target="_hplink">Gaper's Block</a>, and linked to by <a href="http://my.chicago.cbslocal.com/hyde-park-chicago-il/tags/consultant" target="_hplink">CBS</a>, more than 120 Progressive Alliance volunteers hit the streets in 12 wards all across Chicago, logging 500+ total hours and registering over 700 new voters in a single weekend. "But most importantly, we had tens of thousands of political conversations with members of our own communities", said co-founder, Karlo Marcelo. Using a combination of peer-to-peer organizing and new media, in tandem with old-fashioned direct voter contact, Progressive Alliance PAC has expanded on that core group and readied ourselves for the next step. For this year's Municipal Election we are committed to defending and growing the Progressive Caucus in the Chicago City Council. <br />
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Moving beyond the limitations of the traditional, but arbitrary, political divisions such as age, race, and socio-economic class has allowed our membership to define itself based on shared beliefs. The Progressive Alliance's mission is greater than any individual politician or elected office, and broader than any single issue. Our current needs far exceed the scope of any one of these. As opposed to the common model of parachuting in election workers in the final months, we have built a diverse but unified community that plugs citizens in to their democracy year-round. By forging this lasting coalition of progressive, Democratic, Independent and reform organizations and leaders, we can create a political process where residents feel a sense of connection, urgency and progress. Only then can we ensure the officials we elect are public servants, and that government protects human rights and invests in the long-term stability of communities.<br />
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Together, we can reestablish our rightful ownership of the electoral process and public policy. Said new member, Umair Mamsa, "anyone who feels like we got less than was promised by our new president, those of us who felt underwhelmed by our choices for mayor, and those who will never get used to our Aldermen passing their jobs off sons and daughters, or even their drivers -- we are no longer asking for a sharing of power. We are creating it."<br />
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<em>Speaking at the event will be Billy Wimsatt, founder of the League of Young Voters and author of 'Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs', and Don Washington, WBEZ correspondent and founder of mayoraltutorial.com. The People's DJ Collective, of Peace Party fame, are contributing music. Visit <a href="http://myprogressivealliance.org" target="_hplink">myprogressivealliance.org</a> to learn more. Tickets are $25, with $15 tickets available for students. <a href="http://myprogressivealliance.eventbrite.com/" target="_hplink">Donate now</a> or <a href="http://myprogressivealliance.eventbrite.com/" target="_hplink">buy a ticket</a> to celebrate the Progressive Alliance PAC Launch from 6-9 p.m. at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery, 1 W Grand.</em><br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/green-jobs">Green Jobs</a>, <a href="/tag/youth-vote">Youth Vote</a>, <a href="/tag/progressives">Progressives</a>, <a href="/tag/green">Green</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/immigration">Immigration</a>, <a href="/tag/green-living">Green Living</a>, <a href="/tag/progressive-movement">Progressive Movement</a>, <a href="/tag/green-energy">Green Energy</a>, <a href="/tag/civil-rights">Civil Rights</a>, <a href="/tag/politics">Politics</a>, <a href="/tag/politics-news">Politics News</a>, <a href="/tag/immigration-reform">Immigration Reform</a>, <a href="/tag/education">Education</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-politics">Chicago Politics</a>, <a href="/tag/human-rights">Human Rights</a>, <a href="/tag/activism">Activism</a>, <a href="/tag/green-technology">Green Technology</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/green-news">Green News</a>, <a href="/tag/progressive-alliance">Progressive Alliance</a>, <a href="/tag/environment">Environment</a>, <a href="/tag/lgbt-rights">LGBT Rights</a>, <a href="/tag/education-reform">Education Reform</a>, <a href="/tag/prochoice">Pro-Choice</a>, <a href="/tag/gay-marriage">Gay Marriage</a>, <a href="/tag/labor-unions">Labor Unions</a>, <a href="/tag/labor">Labor</a>, <a href="/tag/unions">Unions</a>, <a href="/tag/social-justice">Social Justice</a>, <a href="/tag/world-social-forum">World Social Forum</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
Goose Island And Longman & Eagle Unveil Their Pork Soda (And It's A Hit)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/09/pork-soda-debuts-in-chica_n_820705.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
The pork trend doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Nor does the Logan Square and craft beer trend. So, it's not very surprising to see two of Chicago's hippest businesses team up to make the ultimate trendy beverage: Pork Soda. <br />
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Goose Island Brewery and Logan Square's Longman & Eagle joined forces to create the new beer, which is a Belgian Double IPA "brewed with huge amounts of Cascade, Simcoe, and Citra hops." The beer made its debut Tuesday night at Goose Island's Clybourn Brewpub and Longman & Eagle--where it will be sold exclusively. <br />
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Longman & Eagle Chef Wentworth paired the Pork Soda with a Becker Lane pork chop, shrimp and black pepper sauce, hushpuppies and bacon braised greens. The combo sold out at L&E by 8:15 p.m., according to the restaurant's Facebook page. Both restaurants were still serving the Pork Soda by the glass, however.<br />
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Check out this behind-the-scenes video of how Pork Soda is made. The video was produced by Jim Colombo.<br />
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<em>Longman & Eagle is located at 2657 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago and the Goose Island Brewpub is located at 1800 N. Clybourn Ave. in Chicago.</em><br />
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-food">Chicago Food</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-beer">Chicago Beer</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-restaurants">Chicago Restaurants</a>, <a href="/tag/goose-island">Goose Island</a>, <a href="/tag/longman-and-eagle">Longman and Eagle</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-around-town">Chicago Around Town</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/beer">Beer</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
PHOTOS: Lollapalooza 2011 Lineup, From The Rumor Millhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/08/lollapalooza-2011-lineup-_n_820514.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
Lollapalooza 2011 is months away, but rumors are already floating around about the lineup.<br />
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Though the official Lollapalooza lineup won't be released until April, <a href="http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/turn_it_up/2011/02/lollapalooza-headliners-to-include-eminem-muse-foo-fighters.html" target="_hplink">Greg Kot of the <em>Chicago Tribune</em></a> and <a href="http://festival-outlook.consequenceofsound.net/fests/view/336/lollapalooza" target="_hplink">Festival-Outlook</a> have announced some rumored performers.<br />
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The festival will be in Grant Park August 5 through 7. There's no word yet on when tickets will go on sale.<br />
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<strong>Check out the lineup from the rumor mill here:<br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/lollapalooza">Lollapalooza</a>, <a href="/tag/lollapalooza-2011">Lollapalooza 2011</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-music">Chicago Music</a>, <a href="/tag/slidepollajax">Slidepollajax</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-festivals">Chicago Festivals</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-music-festivals">Chicago Music Festivals</a>, <a href="/tag/lollapalooza-chicago">Lollapalooza Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-summer-festivals">Chicago Summer Festivals</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
David Ormsby: Illinois Justice Gets a Black Eyehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ormsby/illinois-justice-gets-a-b_b_818403.htmlDavid Ormsbyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-ormsby/
Justice is supposed to be colorblind.<br />
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In Illinois, justice has been black and white. <br />
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If you are black, the probability is greater that the justice system will send you to prison for low-level drug possession than if you are white.<br />
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A state commission last week released a report that reveals that African Americans charged with low-level drug crimes were sent to prison at a rate almost five times greater than whites in 2005, the most recent year for which comprehensive data was available. <br />
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The Illinois Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission, established in 2008, found that, among defendants statewide charged with a Class 4, low-level drug possession, 19% of African-American defendants were sentenced to prison, compared with 4% of white defendants. <br />
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In Cook County--where you might think that justice is a bit more balanced, well, you would be wrong. The disparity was greater. African Americans in Cook County arrested only for Class 4 possession were eight times more likely than whites to be sentenced to prison.<br />
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Additionally, drug arrests of African Americans was more likely in 62 of Illinois' 102 counties--including urban, suburban, and rural areas. Racial disparities for drug arrests varied widely by county but tended to be greater in jurisdictions with smaller populations of nonwhite residents.<br />
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"The Commission has found that people of color, particularly African Americans, are disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, and imprisoned for low-level drug crimes in Illinois," said State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago), co-chair of the commission. <br />
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What could help restore justice to the system of Illinois justice?<br />
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Hunter says, "We need to divert non-violent drug offenders from expensive incarceration to rehabilitation programs, such as court-ordered drug treatment."</blockquote><br />
<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/41359749" target="_hplink"><br />
Illinois spends approximately $25,000 per inmate every year</a>, according to Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities President Pamela Rodriguez. However, the state spends only between $4,000 and $7,000 to treat low-level drug offenders through alternative substance abuse programs.<br />
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Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Executive Director Jack Cutrone said the state has implanted an initiative, Adult Redeploy Illinois, with $1 million in federal grants. The pilot program has diverted 157 people from prison and saved the state about $4.5 million, according to Cutrone.<br />
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While Illinois justice has failed to be color blind, it has also managed to be deaf and dumb.<br />
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Why?<br />
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In the last two years, the state of Illinois has overall slashed funding for substance abuse treatment by nearly 30%, according to Sara Moscato Howe, the President of the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association.<br />
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The very state strategy that could ensure that justice is delivered and tax money saved is undermined. Dumb.<br />
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Both Hunter and Rodriguez stressed that the focus now needs to be on solutions. They want the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Pat Quinn to line up behind a key commission recommendation to provide necessary substance abuse treatment to erase the disproportionate arrest and imprisonment of African Americans involved in low-level drug crimes in Illinois.<br />
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Let hope that they will not turn a blind eye to the action and the justice demanded by this commission.<br />
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(Another version of this <a href="http://iltasc.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/african-americans-5-times-more-likely-than-whites-to-go-to-prison-for-low-level-drug-offenses-in-illinois-new-report-reveals/" target="_hplink">post appeared on the blog</a> at TASC, Inc.)
<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/governor-pat-quinn">Governor Pat Quinn</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-alcoholism-and-drug-dependence-association">Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/treatment-alternatives-for-safe-communities">Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities</a>, <a href="/tag/pamela-rodriguez">Pamela Rodriguez</a>, <a href="/tag/sara-moscato-howe">Sara Moscato Howe</a>, <a href="/tag/senator-mattie-hunter">Senator Mattie Hunter</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-justice">Illinois Justice</a>, <a href="/tag/illinois-disproportionate-justice-impact-study-commission">Illinois Disproportionate Justice Impact Study Commission</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
WEEKEND PLANS: Leguizamo Live, Chocolate Fest & Morehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/03/chicago-weekend-events-24_n_818414.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
If you've been stuck inside for days due to the blizzard, dig out that car or hop on the bus--there is a lot happening around town this weekend. <br />
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Sports lovers should check out <a href="<HH--236SLIDEPOLLAJAX--16910--HH>" target="_hplink">our Super Bowl guide</a>, but everyone else can hear some jazz, attend a party with your pup or take a tapas class! <br />
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Check out some of our weekend picks:<br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-events">Chicago Events</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/slidepollajax">Slidepollajax</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-around-town">Chicago Around Town</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-weekend">Chicago Weekend</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-weekend-events">Chicago Weekend Events</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
PHOTOS: West Town Loft Built In 1884 With Upgrades And Nice Viewshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/03/west-town-loft-built-in-1_n_818372.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
A spacious loft unit inside of a West Town building built in 1884, offers rare city views and a great rooftop deck for entertaining.<br />
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The 1 bedroom, 1-bath home offers a bright and open concept timber loft with exposed beams throughout the home. The kitchen and bathroom were recently remodeled and upgraded just in time for new owners to enjoy. <br />
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There are a total of 65 units in the building and all residents share an amazing rooftop deck with great skyline views.<br />
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The home is located at 515 N. Noble St., Unit #304. It is listed for $273,900 and the price includes a prime parking spot.<br />
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For more information on this property, check out the <a href="http://www.atproperties.com/homes/IL/CHICAGO/60622/515_N_NOBLE_Street/AGTE-3672-140028/index.html?frm=agt&aid=140028" target="_hplink">listing</a>.<br />
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<strong>Take a peek inside this West Town loft. Photos are courtesy VHT.</strong><br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/slidepollajax">Slidepollajax</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-home-sales">Chicago Home Sales</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-real-estate">Chicago Real Estate</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-homes">Chicago Homes</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>
PHOTOS: Chicago's Top 50 Singles Of 2011http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/01/todays-chicago-woman-list_n_817225.htmlThe Huffington Post News Teamhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-news/
<em>Today's Chicago Woman</em> released their "Top 50 Singles of 2011" list this week. This is the 22nd year the magazine has revealed the most eligible singles in Chicago. <br />
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<em>TCW</em> chose 25 men and 25 women who are entrepreneurs, fitness experts, financial professionals and more. <br />
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Check out some photos of Chicago's Top 50 Singles. To see the complete list of 50 people, visit the <em>TCW</em> <a href="http://www.tcwmag.com/tcws-top-50-singles-2011#2" target="_hplink">website</a>. <br />
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See some people that catch your eye? There is a chance to meet these eligible Chicago singles at the <em>TCW</em> Top Singles Party on Friday, March 11, from 7 to 10 p.m. The party will be at Enclave, 220 W. Chicago Ave. Tickets can be purchased <a href="http://tcwmag.hastickets.com/eventinfo.aspx?eventId=146" target="_hplink">here</a>.<br />
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<strong>Photos by FabPhotoChicago.com.</strong><br />
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<p>Read more: <a href="/tag/chicago-events">Chicago Events</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago">Chicago</a>, <a href="/tag/slidepollajax">Slidepollajax</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-news">Chicago News</a>, <a href="/tag/chicago-around-town">Chicago Around Town</a>, <a href="/tag/chicagosingles">Chicago-Singles</a>, <a href="/tag/chicagoclubs">Chicago-Clubs</a>, <a href="/chicago">Chicago News</a></p>