18June2013

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Created on 15 June 2013
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Obama On Fatherhood: 'It's the Best Job I've Got'

President Barack Obama says being a father is the best job he's got. Obama says a Father's Day luncheon at the White House on Friday was a great way for all the dads to celebrate the coming occasion and remember how lucky they are.

Obama has two daughters, 14-year-old Malia and 12-year-old Sasha. Fathers and their kids along with students and leaders from the Becoming a Man program at Chicago's Hyde Park Academy were among those treated to burgers, fries and lemonade in the State Dining Room. Obama spoke at the school in February. His chief of staff, several economic advisers and his legislative affairs director sat with guests during the lunch. Father's Day is Sunday. Obama leaves that night on a three-day trip to Northern Ireland and Germany.

(Photo: Chicago Defender Photo files)

  • Written by Darlene Superville/Associated Press
Created on 14 June 2013
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Free Sunday Parking Starts Early (This Week!) In 12 Wards

Free Sunday parking is hitting 12 Chicago wards a full two weeks earlier than expected.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel's revamped deal that would bring free Sunday parking to most neighborhoods in exchange for extended daily meter hours was set to roll out July 1, but according to a release from City Hall, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 20th, 22th, 23th, and 25th wards will have free parking as of this Sunday.

“Everyone in Chicago deserves a day of rest from the awful parking meter deal, and the sooner that relief can begin the better," Emanuel said in a statement. "I am proud to have fought for and won free Sunday parking for our city’s neighborhoods."

(4 Reasons Sunday Parking Is Bad For Chicago)

While the mayor hailed his re-vamped deal hastily shoved through City Council as good for taxpayers, many aldermen worried the lessee, Chicago Parking Meters LLC, would actually profit more from the new terms due to extended meter hours.

Already, at least 15 aldermen are mulling the possibility of repealing the mayor's so-called deal sweetener, the Sun-Times reports.

In the meantime, Chicago Parking Meters LLC is "methodically altering pay-and-display boxes across the city" to accommodate the terms of the new deal. A statement from the city indicted several more wards would see free Sunday parking ahead of schedule on a "rolling" basis.

Under terms of the new deal, all neighborhoods south of Roosevelt, west of Halsted, and north of North Avenue will have free parking by the end of summer, according to ABC Chicago.

Read more http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/14/free-sunday-parking-chica_n_3442245.html?utm_hp_ref=chicago

  • Written by Huffington Post
Created on 14 June 2013
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U Of C Frat Under Fire for 'Racist,' 'Homophobic' Stunt

 

A fraternity at the University of Chicago is under fire after pulling a stunt on an African-American mail carrier that has been decried as both racist and homophobic. U.S. Postal carrier Iran Becton told the Sun-Times members of the university's Phi Delta Theta fraternity had him "needlessly" drag more than six dozen postal supply boxes to the chapter's house in the 5600 block of South University Avenue.

"About a week after Memorial Day, I had an order to bring 79 of the boxes," Becton said. "I came to the address and explained to the frat member that I would have a lot more supplies. I went back to the truck for the boxes about six or seven times. After the last trip, one of the frat guys came out and said it was a practical joke. Another guy said that I should read the name backwards and I'll get the joke."
 
According to CBS Chicago, the name on the order was "Reggin Toggaf;" read backwards, the first name is a racial slur and the last name is a slur for gay men.
Becton said he felt insulted "humiliated" and wants an apology; the Chicago Division Postal Inspection Services is reportedly investigating and mail delivery to the Phi Delt house has been suspended until they issue a written apology to Becton. The Sun-Times notes in addition to the impact on Becton, the prank involved "the abuse and possibly the destruction of postal property," which is a criminal offense.
 
Ironically, the incident came just days after the university hosted a diversity initiative for which the school's paper, The Chicago Maroon, reported "anti-racism activist and writer Tim Wise spoke about the ignorance of dominant social groups as a persistent problem in America and the University of Chicago community."
The Phi Delt prank wasn't the first time a U of C fraternity has been accused of being insensitive and offensive. In 2012, the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity drew criticism for its depiction of Latinos and a planned "Conquistadors and Aztec Hoes" theme party, according to United Press International.
 
Fraternities and sororities around the country seem to earn another racially or culturally insensitive embarrassment each semester; in February, Duke University's Kappa Sigma fraternity drew fire for an "Asia Prime" party .
 
Later the same month, Washington University in St. Louis' Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter was suspended for an incident involving pledges who allegedly sang racial slurs to black students.

(Photo: Fox 32 screengrab)

  • Written by The Huffington Post
Created on 14 June 2013
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BREAKING: Chicago Public School Officials Fire 850 Teachers and Staffers

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that about 850 teachers and other employees at schools scheduled to either close this month or reboot their staffs were terminated Friday afternoon.

"At the 48 closing schools, 420 teachers of 1,005 total lost their jobs, plus 110 paraprofessionals and 133 bus aides and part-timers," the paper says, citing CPS officials. At the five schools headed for “turnaround,” where the children remain in the building but all the adults are replaced, 192 staffers were laid off: 125 teachers, 20 paraprofessionals, 20 bus aides and part-timers and 27 clerks, custodians and security staffers, the Sun-Times reports.

In a news release at the CPS web site, the officials said they had identified more than $52 million in central office, operations and adminstration cuts to help close a fiscal year $1 billion deficit.

"With these new cuts, CPS has so far identified $52.3 million to date in reductions to non-classroom spending for the upcoming fiscal year, with more cuts to be announced in the coming weeks as CPS finalizes its district wide budget," the release says. "This is in addition to nearly $600 million in reductions to central office and centrally funded programs made since 2011."

 

(Photo: CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and Mayor Rahm Emanuel/NBC Chicago screengrab)

  • Written by Lynette Holloway
Created on 14 June 2013
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'Sesame Street' Toolkit Helps Kids Cope with Parents in Prison

I is for Incarceration.
 
The producers of “Sesame Street” have come up with new tools on their website to help children and caregivers cope when parents land in prison. The program “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration” includes a toolkit complete with printable guidebooks, storybooks, activity books, videos and tips for caregivers to help children manage their anxiety while their parent is in prison. There is even an iPhone and Android app.
 
It's a topic that caregivers have trouble addressing, but Justice Department data shows that more than 2.7 million children in the U.S. have a parent behind bars, according to psychologist Julie Poehlmann.
 
“Half of families say nothing,” said Poehlmann, who helped the creators of "Sesame Street" develop the learning materials. “Another third say the parent is in the hospital or something like that. They don’t know how to talk about it.”
 
More than 1.2 million of the 2.3 million people behind bars in the U.S. are parents to children under the age of 18, according to a 2010 study by the Pew Charitable Trust.
 
Research shows that kids with parents who are serving time tend to fare poorly in school. Twenty three percent of children with a father who has served time have been expelled or suspended, compared with only four percent of children whose fathers have not been in jail, the Pew report says.
 
To help children maintain stability, the website dispenses tips for adults like "Build Security: In the morning, let your child know some of the things that will happen throughout the day. For example, 'Grandma will pick you up from school. Then you'll go to the park, and later we'll all have dinner together.'"
 
One of the activity books prompt children to draw pictures that reflect how they’re feeling -- angry, upset or sad. The reading material includes a book that tells the story of Rosita, who finds herself feeling sad when her school’s Family Fun Night reminds her that her father is unable to join because he is in prison.
 
Rosita's story concludes with her uncle reminding her that in her father's absense, he will love and care for her.
 
Read more at NBC Chicago.
 
(Photo: NBC Chicago)
 
  • Written by An Phung/NBC Chicago

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