Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez discusses the importance of a law school loan repayment program for young prosecutors at a recent press conference hosted by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin

Federal program helps young attorneys working in public sector

A loan repayment program that assists prosecutors and public defenders in paying down their law school debt was recently announced by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

The John R. Justice (JRJ) Grant Program is named for the late John Reid Justice of South Carolina.  The program was created to encourage qualified attorneys to serve as state and local prosecutors and public defenders by providing targeted loan repayment assistance for those who commit to continued employment in those positions for at least three years.

“We have so many qualified and gifted young attorneys who have the desire to pursue a long-term career in public service, but are often forced to seek higher paying jobs in the private sector due to the significant debt they face from law school,” Alvarez said.  “These grants are an important tool to help us keep these young lawyers with us, particularly at a time when we are facing significant budget cuts at the local level here in Cook County.”

Most Cook County assistant state’s attorneys graduate law school with nearly $70,000 in law school debt.

More than 100 assistant state’s attorney’s submitted applications for funds through the JRJ program; twenty-six received grants ranging from $2,000 to $4,000.

Chicago, IL – A federal district judge in Florida became the second judge in the country to rule against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. 

Jim Duffett, Executive Director for the Campaign for Better Health Care, said, “Just like they did with Medicare, the Civil Rights Act, and the 19^th Amendment which gave women the right to vote, the opponents of fairness will continue to try every means available to overturn federal law that has brought fairness, equally and justice to our great nation. Just like in these historical cases, if this case even makes it to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court will rule like the other 14 federal judges have ruled.”

(From left to right) Eric (seated), a student at Parkland Preparatory Academy, receives instruction from certified teacher Mike Freeman and certified para-professional Shayna Schumann.

Special Ed School serves up to 100 students within an hours drive; many children referred by districts long after

Children diagnosed with cognitive, emotional and/or health problems often require a special education program to meet their needs. In these cases, it’s important to get referred to the right school—one that can integrate the child quickly into its program regardless of the time of year and provide appropriate care, instruction and attention.

One such resource is Parkland Preparatory Academy, a new therapeutic day school that recently opened in Streamwood at 900 S. Park Blvd. Licensed and regulated by the Illinois State Board of Education, the new school serves special education students from 12 to 21 years old who are referred from any public school district within an hour’s drive radius of Streamwood, including Arlington Heights, Barrington, Schaumburg, Bolingbrook, St. Charles, Aurora and Naperville.

In the planning stages for nearly a year, Parkland Prep officially kicked off programming for the 2010-2011 school year.

“Our in-school activities emphasize Literacy, Transitional Skills (employment and independent living), and Emotional Self-Management” says Mike Hurst, Executive Director of the new school.

“School districts and parents love us because we have a roster of dedicated professionals who are creating a new model for therapeutic day schools—one that offers the least restrictive environment possible as well as a focus on student strengths. Our class sizes are approximately eight to 10 students per class. This means that the middle school and high school students we serve receive the personalized, one-on-one attention they need and deserve,” said Hurst, a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with more than 20 years’ experience who has dedicated his career to helping children and families

“We have already seen significant gains in attendance rates, for example, with overall attendance school wide at above 90 percent,” he said. “Our students like coming to school at Parkland Prep because it is a real school, located in a well-equipped building, with a full size gym, a library and arts center, and a cafeteria, on a real campus that meets the needs of middle school and high school students.”

Parkland Preparatory Academy operates on a year-round schedule, incorporating fall and spring semesters plus an extended summer session. Teachers are specialized in their areas of education (ie, English, history, math, etc.), and the school is departmentalized, which enables students to rotate classrooms. Hurst said that these advantages allow Parkland Prep to normalize the educational experience for its special education students, many of whom have emotional, cognitive and/or health issues.

“Our goal is to guide students in progressing toward graduation, to help them become happier, more mature and successful, and to foster age-appropriate skills that can make them more self-sufficient,” he noted. “So aside from emphasizing academics, we also work to improve our students’ interpersonal relationship skills along with independent living and job strategies. This is a safe, positive and nurturing environment where students can practice effective ways of coping with whatever challenges they face.”

At Parkland Prep, “students are given a fresh start. We treat our students like young adults and empower them to have more control over their life situations. And we named our school ‘Parkland Preparatory’ for a reason. We’re not only preparing to be successful in school, but in life, too,” Hurst said.

For more information about Parkland Preparatory Academy or to learn if your special-needs student is eligible to attend, contact Mike Hurst at (630) 823-8323 or via e-mail at mike.hurst@parklandprep.com. To learn more, visit www.parklandprep.com.

Fredericksburg, VA (BlackNews.com) -  The University of Mary Washington will launch a semester-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, and civil rights pioneer James Farmer and Monday, Feb. 7, with a special kickoff event followed by a Freedom Rides scholar’s remarks.

The 1961 Freedom Rides challenged the segregation of bus transportation throughout the Deep South. Freedom Riders were beaten and jailed, and their buses were attacked during the rides organized by James L. Farmer Jr., then head of CORE, the Congress of Racial Equality.

Farmer taught the history of the civil rights movement to Mary Washington students for about a dozen years before his retirement in 1998. That year, President Bill Clinton awarded Farmer the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2010, the university teamed with Rep. Lewis, who rode with Farmer on the Freedom Rides, to campaign for a U.S. postage stamp honoring the late Farmer.

The three-month tribute will feature appearances by Freedom Riders and academic scholars of race, civil rights and student activism. The March 30 limited-release showing of the critically acclaimed PBS documentary “Freedom Riders” will be among the highlights. The celebration will culminate May 7-8 with events that include a commencement address by U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a Freedom Rider and civil rights leader.

UMW President Rick Hurley encourages the public to get involved in the university’s celebration of Farmer and the rides by participating in the scheduled activities. “I invite the entire UMW community to come together to pay tribute to the legacy of the Freedom Riders, to recognize the role of our beloved professor as one of our greatest civil rights champions, and to reflect on the lessons that they have for us today,” Hurley said.

The public is invited to the following events in a schedule that begins during Black History Month:

* Freedom Riders celebration kickoff at noon Monday, Feb. 7, on Ball Circle and Campus Walk. Author Eric Etheridge will speak at the kickoff and he will be accompanied by two former Freedom Riders, the Rev. Reginald Green and Joan Trumpauer Mulholland.

* Lecture by Eric Etheridge, author of Breach of Peace: Portraits of the 1961 Freedom Riders, at 7 p.m. Feb. 7, in the Great Hall, Woodard Campus Center. A journalist and photographer, Etheridge recently interviewed and photographed many of the original Freedom Riders for the book.

* An address, “Lessons of the Civil Rights Generation for Today’s Students,” by Andy Lewis, author of The Shadows of Youth: The Remarkable Journey of the Civil Rights Generation, from 3 to 5 p.m., Wednesday, March 30, in Lee Hall, room 411.

* Limited-release showing of the film “Freedom Riders” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, in Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall. PBS and UMW have collaborated on this special showing of the widely hailed documentary directed by Stanley Nelson. PBS will broadcast the film in May on “American Experience.”

* Freedom Riders panel discussion and Great Lives lecture at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, in Dodd Auditorium, featuring a talk by Raymond Arsenault, author of Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice, followed by a discussion with a panel of Freedom Riders.

* UMW commencement address by Rep. Lewis, part of the ceremony at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 7 on Ball Circle. Lewis, a civil rights colleague of James Farmer and organizer of sit-ins to protest segregation, co-founded and chaired the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, a leading organization for student activism.

* Students aboard the PBS “American Experience” bus retracing the route of the first Freedom Ride will stop Sunday, May 8 at UMW in Fredericksburg, part of the original route, for a commemoration at the James Farmer memorial on Campus Walk.
The public is encouraged to check periodically for event updates at http://freedomrides.umw.edu. Learn about the university’s Farmer stamp campaign http://jamesfarmer.umw.edu.

The original 13 Freedom Riders, including Farmer, boarded a bus in Washington, D.C., on May 4, 1961. The racially mixed group of men and women, ranging in age from 18 to 61, traveled through Virginia and into the Deep South, where segregation was decreed by local and state laws. The Freedom Riders risked their lives as they faced police brutality, vigilantes and even bombs.

Attorney General Robert Kennedy sent federal marshals to Alabama to restore order after mob violence erupted, and at one point, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. flew to Alabama to support the riders. When news of the brutality against the first rides reached the nation and the world, buses from all over the U.S. joined the effort. In all, more than 400 Freedom Riders – a majority of whom were jailed in Jackson, Miss. – traveled through the South to demand just treatment of all interstate travelers.
Prior to the noon kickoff of UMW’s 50th anniversary commemoration of the Freedom Rides, a press availability will be held on Monday, February 7 on the Fredericksburg campus to offer members of the media an opportunity to ask questions of two of the original 1961 Freedom Riders, the Rev. Reginald Green and Joan Trumpauer Mulholland, and journalist-photographer Eric Etheridge.

 Parent Group Set to Develop Legislative Initiative

Imagine Englewood If kicks off a six-week series of free Lead Awareness and Prevention workshops for families of lead-poisoned children on Tuesday, February 8, 2011.  “Self, Family and Team” is the theme, and marks the first phase of a parent-driven initiative to increase screenings and treatment for children of the Greater Englewood community.  The workshops, made possible through the Woods Fund of Chicago, will be presented by Idida Perez, community organizer and Executive Director of West Town Leadership United in Humboldt Park.

Latest figures from Chicago’s Department of Public Health indicate that with less than half of Englewood’s children, ages 0-6, screened for lead-poisoning in 2008, 12.7% recording elevated blood levels.  Since then, budget cuts have resulted in even fewer screenings.  The primary objective of the workshops is to empower parents to advocate on behalf of the children in the Greater Englewood community through changes in public policy.  “Parents need to know their rights, the remedies available to them, and what they can do to strengthen and improve current lead-prevention laws,” stated Jean-Carter-Hill, co-founder and Executive Director of Imagine Englewood if. . . !

 D.E.A.R. (Driving Englewood Above the Rim) is a parent support group formed in response to complaints from parents whose children tested positive for lead.  Originating a few years ago at Nicholson Technology Academy in Englewood, D.E.A.R. is now being restructured to include parents and families across Greater Englewood as a depository for their concerns and as an advocacy training program.  Mrs. Hill and Imagine Englewood if played a significant role in the formation of D.E.A.R., and the organization remains a potential vehicle of change to this day.

Lead-poisoning is linked to life-long learning and behavior problems, as well as criminal activity which frequently leads to incarceration.  A new study of third graders in the Chicago Public Schools finds strong and significant links between lead poisoning levels and failure rates on third grade reading and math tests, due to early exposure to lead at very low levels.  Other reports suggest that Greater Englewood ranks highest in the nation for lead-poisoning from old housing stock, much of which has been decimated by demolition, and now lays toxic in the soil.  There are currently 3700 vacant lots in Greater Englewood, where children play and residents, especially the elderly, grow vegetables to be ingested by the entire family.  For many residents, poverty limits any opportunity to relocate or renovate their dwellings.

“By the end of the year, we plan to take D.E.A.R. to Springfield as a powerful voice for positive change,” said Mrs. Hill.  “And while we focus on families of lead-poisoned children, we invite all people of good will to join us in support of a Lead-free Englewood Legislative Initiative.  We won’t stop until Greater Englewood is lead-free!” Mrs. Hill concluded.

If your family or friends have been affected by lead poisoning, please join D.E.A.R. in fighting this scourge upon our community.  Five additional workshops are scheduled for February 15^th and 22^nd, and March 8^th, 15^th and 22^nd, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at Imagine Englewood if, 6720 S. Stewart Ave., in Chicago, Il  60621.  A continental breakfast will be served.  To register, call 773.488.6704, FAX:  773.488.6705; e-mail:  info@imagineenglewoodif.org and/or jhill705@sbcglobal.net.  Please check regularly for the full calendar on IEi’s website:  www.imagineenglewoodif.org. 

Highlights of the January 2011 Employment Report

(This brief detailed Report was put together by the National Urban League. The full report is available at the State of Urban Jobs website.) 

The economy gained a mere 36,000 jobs in January while private employment increased by 50,000.  These number pale in comparison to last month’s revised numbers of 121,000 net total job growth and 139,000 net private jobs (excluding government).  Since a recent low in February 2010, total payroll employment has increased by an average of 93,000 per month. The number of unemployed people in December fell to 13.9 million, while the labor force participation rate was essentially unchanged.

The unemployment rate fell to 9.0% in January, marking two consecutive months of decline.  The unemployment rate for whites declined (from 8.5% to 8.0%) as did the rate for Hispanics (from 13.0% to 11.9%).  The black unemployment rate was little changed at 15.7% (from 15.8%) – the unemployment rate for black men was 16.5% (unchanged); for black women 12.9% (from 13.2%). Rates of teen unemployment were 22.8% for whites (from 22.5%), 45.4% for African-Americans (from 44.2%) and 32.9% for Latinos (from 32.2%). The rate of underemployment (including the unemployed, marginally attached and those working part-time for economic reasons) was 16.1%, down from 16.7%.

The ranks of long-term unemployed (jobless for 27 weeks or more) decreased from December to January – now at 6.2 million or 43.8% of all unemployed (from 44.3%). However, there are 1.5 million people who have been unemployed for two years or longer.

Most of the job growth occurred in the manufacturing industry (+49,000) followed by professional and business services (+31,000), retail trade (+27,500) and education and health services (+13,000).  Construction (-32,000) experienced the most private losses in January Local government (-10,000) contributed the most to total government losses.

The January 2011 Employment report is available at the State of Urban Jobs website.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is reminding drivers to celebrate the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 6^th safely and urged motorists to designate a sober driver if their parties include alcohol.

“Remember do not drink and drive while celebrating Super Bowl 45,” White said. “Designate a sober driver, use public transportation or stay where you are.”

• In 2010, three out of four crash fatalities were alcohol-related on Super Bowl Sunday, according the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
• On Super Bowl Sunday in 2009, 115 crash fatalities occurred in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). About half of those fatalities included motorists who had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.
• In 2009, 32 percent of total motor vehicle traffic fatalities in the U.S. were attributed to drunk drivers, according to NHTSA.
• Six out of eight crash fatalities were alcohol-related on Super Bowl weekend in 2008, according the IDOT.

White also reminded motorists to wear their safety belt while driving.