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Saturday, February 23, 2019

Block Club Chi: Boy, 11, On Life Support After Years Of Bullying At CPS Leads To Suicide Attempt, Mom Says

I'm really aching for this boy and his family. He made a suicide attempt as in on life support. Jamari Evans is way too young to be ready to take his own life, as he's really just starting off.

It seems after some extreme actions from his teachers - ideally the ones who really should do what they can to protect him - contributed to his current condition. It's sad that he wasn't getting the support he should've had. It's also sad that highers up with CPS didn't take what his mother said seriously until Evans attempted suicide.

It's strange that he was even denied a transfer from his elementary school. What reason was a transfer to another school denied. This story should be a PR disaster for Chicago Public Schools.
BTW, I find it quite sad that the events that caused this young man to attempt suicide happened at a school named for the father of Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson.

Friday, February 22, 2019

Sun-Times: Man fatally hit by Metra Electric train, service resumes with ‘extensive delays #Ward09

Well it's a bit interesting I post that Metra Electric ride along video this morning and there was an incident on that same line this morning near Kensington or 115th Street. Here's a tweet with a link to the Sun-Times story
From the twitter page for the Metra Electric line a new update.

Metra Electric ride-along #fbf

[VIDEO] Remember a few years ago that I had shared a video of the CTA Red Line where you would see the whole journey from 95th Street to Howard Street on the north side. What you see above was published on Metra's YouTube channel in May 2017.

In this case you will see the journey of the Metra Electric train from University Park in Will County through the south suburbs and into the city to the Millenium Park station in downtown Chicago just under Randolph Street.

If you want to see it's journey through the south side of Chicago just skip to about 30 mins into this one hour video. Basically you'll see the communities of Ward 9 from about 130th to 95th roughly on it's journey. Of course if you continue watching until it goes into downtown Chicago you will see Hyde Park and Bronzeville along the way.

And it's also interesting to note that this line which also has branches west into Blue Island and east to the South Chicago neighborhood has been part of proposals to become part of the CTA as the grey line. It was also cited as an alternative to building the Red Line extension by a candidate for mayor of Chicago.

Metra Electric Map

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Random Acts of Kindness Day #rakday


[VIDEO] Something posted this morning from Jahmal Cole at a local Jewel-Osco parking lot. Here's the description he wrote:
What's something simple you can do to improve your community? After I shop, I always take my cart back to the coral. This small habit helps me build muscle to take on bigger challenges. But when something is easy to do, it's just as easy not to do it.

It's just as easy not to greet your neighbor.

It's just as easy not to pick up trash.

It's just as easy not to shovel your neighbor’s snow.

Thank you Jewel-Osco for partnering to spread this message on Random Acts of Kindness Day.

Visit formyblock.org for more.
BTW, we should be doing random acts of kindness everyday. Great message by Mr. Cole.

Friday, February 15, 2019

Travel Advisory: High Risk Funeral Procession #Ward09

You might have seen this from Concerned Citizen's of Chatham and I see that Ald. Anthony Beale posted this as well (at least until it was deleted).
Let me state the route of this procession
Therefore neighborhood advocates involved with peacekeeping activities are calling for all area residents, businesses and faith based organizations to be aware and cautious when using, or crossing, Cottage Grove Ave between 115th street & 67th (Marquette road) between the hours of 1pm until 3pm 2 hours), where a procession leaving the "House of Hope" will travel to Oakwoods cemetery.
From what I'm seeing as far as comments this might involve the funeral of Lawrence "Big Law" Loggins who was murdered earlier this month. Police fear retaliation in his murder.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

State Theater 11016 S. Michigan Ave #tbt

The State Theater is one many movie theaters that existed on what was known in local parlance as The Ave. South Michigan Avenue in Roseland during far more prosperous times was a very active destination for local shoppers until the local economy changed after the 1970s.

According to Cinema Treasures this theater was opened in 1922 and as you read in below ig post from Pete Kastanes was demolished in 1997.


Here's a Google streetview image of the corner where this theater was located near 110th & Michigan.

Here's another ig post from Kastanes of a 1936 program from the State. Sometimes I forget how different going to the movies was for movie goers back in the day.
Here is a listing of other theaters that existed along The Ave/Michigan Avenue according to Cinema Treasures.

Friday, February 8, 2019

Footage of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma #BlackHistoryMonth

[VIDEO] If I had known the success and unfortunate tragedy of Tulsa, Oklahoma's "Black Wall Street" who knows if I would've appreciated knowing this history. It's great to see this wonderful colorized footage of Tulsa's Greenwood community during the course of the 1920s.

And thanks to the late pastor Solomon Sir Jones who shot his film with the then new 16-mm cameras. Most of those films were shot in black & white - although what you see above is colorized. It definitely shows what any Black community anywhere could become. Perhaps an early version of the "Wakanda" we could create.

Anyway while this footage aired on the Smithsonian channel the prints are actually owned by the Yale University Library. And his films - 29 of them over 355 minutes of footage - were selected by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". So aside from what you see above feel free to gain access to these films and see some aspects of Black history come alive.

Friday, February 1, 2019

Experiment #PolarVortex

I saw a few people perform this experiment during our recent cold snap. Boil some water and throw it up into the air once the temps fall to a certain level. See what happens in this ig video from Whitney Young High School.