Michael Baisden

Chicago, IL - Illinois Republican Party Chairman Pat Brady announced an online petition for Illinois citizens to express their opposition to Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton’s suggested tax on retirement income at NoIllinoisTaxHike.com.

“It seems like every week Illinois Democrats come up with a new tax hike scheme,” said Brady. “When will they learn that government can’t tax its way out of a financial mess?”

Brady noted that raising taxes on senior citizens‘ retirement income is especially unfair as most have already planned for their retirement.

“Many seniors will understandably move to other states and take with them the money that they would have spent here at Illinois-based businesses,” said Brady. “It will cause another vicious circle of raising taxes to pay for previous tax hikes.”

The petition can be found online at NoIllinoisTaxHike.com.

Kelvin Davis

Chicago, IL – Raven Theatre welcomes Joel Hall Dance to the East Stage to present  “Illumination!” for one special performance on April 9. “Illumination!” is a series of solos,  duets, quartets and sextets from the great Joel Hall repertoire that will be done incorporating the set design for Radio Golf. A talk-back with Hall and the dancers follows the performance.

“Illumination!”

April 9; Performance 5:00-6:00 p.m., Talk-back from 6:00-6:30 p.m.

Radio Golf begins at 8:00 p.m.

Raven Theatre’s East Stage, 6157 N. Clark

Tickets for “Illumination!” are $20 and tickets for Radio Golf are $30. 

Tickets for both performances on April 9 can be purchased for $40 total, a savings of $10 over the single ticket price.

Tickets for both performances for Seniors/Students are $35.
Tickets/information: www.raventheatre.com or 773-338-2177

About Radio Golf

Are Ivy League-educated lawyer, Harmond Wilks, a neighborhood real estate developer who is running to be Pittsburgh’s first black mayor, and his long-time friend — newly-minted bank executive, Roosevelt Hicks — equal competitors in capitalism’s public-private arena, or are they being used as black front men for white money? Will Harmond’s vision for the future come at the expense of his fallen neighborhood, the “Hill”, and its history?

With offstage city politics and backroom deals taking a front seat in this searing drama, August Wilson’s tenth and final play in The Pittsburgh Cycle is a riveting masterpiece about loyalty, integrity and the uncompromising desire to achieve the American Dream.

Joel Hall Dancers

The mission of the Joel Hall Dancers & Center is to use the arts to enrich the lives of its community members through dance performance and education. We reach out to the community, targeting those who would not otherwise be exposed to the arts by providing performances, classes both with in-school outreach and after-school dance programs along with local, national, and international performances.

Raven Theatre

Founded in 1983, Raven Theatre is dedicated to breathing new life into American classics and exploring other works that illuminate the American experience, with occasional forays into world classics. In addition to its regular season, Raven produces a Workshop Series of new and experimental productions, as well as an Educational Outreach program, including teaching partnerships with various Chicago Public Schools, summer youth classes and original children’s shows performed at Raven Theatre.

Raven Theatre Company is funded in part by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, Polk Bros. Foundation, Yates-Feldman Foundation, The Lloyd A. Fry Foundation,  The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Alphawood Foundation, The Arts Engagement Exchange through The Chicago Community Trust, The MacArthur Fund for Arts and Culture at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, S & C Electric Company, The Department of Cultural Affairs, CityArtsII, a city agency, The Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development through The Chicago Community Trust and the Kinder Morgan Foundation.

19th Arrest in Statewide Crackdown on Child Porn Traffickers                                        

Chicago, IL ─ Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced today that the arrest of a Metro East man on child pornography charges is the 19^th suspect taken into custody in her continuing crackdown on the most active traffickers who download and trade child pornography on the Internet.

Michael K. Wyrozynksi, 48, of East Alton , was charged with 10 counts of Aggravated Possession of Child Pornography in Madison County Circuit Court. The Class 2 felonies are punishable by a three- to seven-year prison term in the Illinois Department of Corrections. East Alton police arrested Wyrozynksi yesterday. He’s being held in the Madison County Jail with bond set at $150,000. No court date has been set.

“Possession of child pornography is not a victimless crime. Each time an image or video is viewed, downloaded or traded online, it victimizes children who are being horribly abused,” Attorney General Madigan said. “My office will continue to search out these vile offenders and make arrests throughout Illinois to protect the innocent victims whose lives are destroyed by their crimes.”

Madigan said cooperation among local and state law enforcement is key to the success of this most recent arrest and her overall crackdown on child pornographers throughout Illinois . Wednesday’s arrest involved Attorney General’s Office investigators, the East Alton Police Department and the Madison County State ’s Attorney office.

“My office will continue to work with Lisa Madigan and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office to rid our county of those who seek to exploit children. I commend them, along with the East Alton Police Department, in their efforts to keep Madison County free from child pornographers,” said State’s Attorney Thomas Gibbons.

In August 2010, Attorney General Madigan announced the initiative, dubbed Operation Glass House, to find and arrest the worst child pornographers in Illinois . Investigators use the unique identifier that each computer is assigned when it accesses the Internet, known as an Internet protocol (IP) address. Some 6,000 Illinois IP addresses were seen trading child pornography images and videos across the state by Attorney General’s Office investigators.

Studies indicate that users of child pornography are more likely to also be sexual abusers of children. As of March 1, 21,258 sex offenders are listed on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, of which more than 81 percent committed a crime against a child. The Illinois Sex Offender Registry is located at www.isp.state.il.us.

Madigan also works with local and national law enforcement organizations to address Internet exploitation of children and women. Madigan’s office, with a grant from the Department of Justice, runs the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force, which investigates child exploitation crimes and trains law enforcement. Since 2006, Madigan’s office has been involved in more than 350 arrests of sexual predators and provided Internet safety training and education to more than 164,000 parents, teachers and students and more than 12,500 law enforcement professionals.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

 (From the Better Business Bureau)                                                      

 

 

 Chicago, IL - Going green could save your company money, and may have a lasting impact on how your customers perceive your products and services. If you’re looking to get a reputational boost from your dedication to the environment, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends sticking to the truth and not exaggerating your company’s impact.

 

There are many different shades and hues when it comes to being a green company. Some businesses strive to manufacture products that are better for the environment, while others take steps to be greener in daily operations, through measures such as recycling, using carbon offsets and taking steps to save energy.

 

“Going green can save your company money, especially if you take steps to conserve energy,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “It may also make your company money as consumers are looking for products and services that won’t be as harmful to the environment.”

 

The BBB offers the following advice on promoting your business‘ greener side:

 

 Get a stamp of approval. While there is no seal for green products, there are independent third-party organizations that will certify your environmentally friendly statements. Avoid making claims about certification or seals that might be considered exaggerated or overly broad. Research any third-party carefully before seeking certification through their program; to view free Business Reviews visit www.bbb.org

 

 

 Tell the truth.  Few things destroy a company’s credibility with consumers faster than false advertising; regardless, some advertisers stretch the truth when it comes to talking up the eco-friendly qualities of their products. When touting about the shade of your green, as with any advertising or marketing claims, always tell the truth.

 

Make concrete claims. An honest advertiser will not make vague statements such as “environmentally friendly” or “sustainable” without qualification and solid examples to back up the claim. If your packaging is made from recycled paper, then say so. If your company has reduced energy costs, promote it. Making fuzzy claims, however, may get you into trouble.

 

Provide evidence. Consider creative ways of showing your company’s impact such as: How many hours your employees have volunteered, who benefited and how they benefited from your firm’s efforts. Also show how your products are better for the environment.

 

For more information on best business practices and advertising guidelines for your business, as well as other ways to make your business more socially conscious, visit www.bbb.org