OPINION

Right from the Middle: The Three dictators, Last time
Right from the Middle: The Three dictators, Last time The process of creating legislation has been undermined by personal political interests and a dictatorship of power that has … Click to Read
Street Gangs not racism is Chicago’s top plague
Street Gangs not racism is Chicago’s top plague When it comes to the record-setting murder rate in Chicago’s neighborhoods, the real priority should be fighting street gangs over … Click to Read
Politics of race distorts Adam Toledo killing
Politics of race distorts Adam Toledo killing The death of an innocent victim is what separates a street gangbanger from being vilified and jailed or being turned into … Click to Read
Battle for Secretary of State already brewing in Illinois
Battle for Secretary of State already brewing in Illinois Alexi Giannoulias is the lead candidate in the brewing race to succeed Illinois Secretary of State Jessie White who … Click to Read
Stop blaming police for killing of 13-year-old out on the street in middle of the night
Stop blaming police for killing of 13-year-old out on the street in middle of the night Every time a child is killed by a street gang or even … Click to Read
Pekau won re-election but lost campaign to build his own Machine
Opinion: Pekau won re-election but lost campaign to build his own Machine By Ray Hanania After a bruising political election, Orland Park’s Mayor Keith Pekau managed to defeat … Click to Read

News Wire

Pappas celebrates Mother’s Day giving away roses on MagMile
Pappas celebrates Mother’s Day giving away roses on MagMile Pappas and Jordan celebrate Mother’s Day by giving away 500 fresh-cut Ecuadorian roses on the Magnificent Mile with Luxe Bloom On Sunday, May 9, between 10:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Cook County Treasurer Pappas and Media Personality “Candid” Candace Jordan will host a Mother’s Day celebration on the northwest corner of Michigan and Chicago Avenues. Luxe Bloom, a Chicago-based floral company, has partnered with JCDecaux Chicago to install a two-sided floral display and give families the chance to take Instagram photos with a #DearMom theme this Mother’s Day. “The entire community should come together and take care of our city and its neighborhoods. The Magnificent Mile has long been one of the most iconic destinations in Chicago,” Pappas said. “It is nice to see a local small business like Luxe Bloom invest in beautifying our city.” Pappas and Jordan, accompanied by prominent community leaders will give away more than 500 Ecuadorian roses to honor the mothers and women of Chicago, promote the beautification of the Magnificent Mile and support local Chicago businesses. Joining Pappas and Jordan are: Shelley Rosen, CEO and Founder of Luxe Bloom Humberto Jimenez, Consul General of Ecuador Yvette Moyo, Chairman/CEO Real Men Charities Marco Polo Valladolid, President Mexican Civic Society of Illinois Sam Ma, Honorary Chair of the American-Asian Association Marta Farion, President Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America Kina Bagovska, Director Magura Bulgarian Cultural Center Nanta Buranakanchana, Asian American Coalition of Chicago “American small businesses like ours have been through so much this year,” said Shelley Rosen, Founder of Luxe Bloom. “By building this floral wall we are giving back and beautifying our local community while honoring moms and her family.” “There is nothing that makes me prouder than to say I’m a Chicagoan. We have to keep our city up to the standards we have all come to expect so I’m happy to play a small part in this beautification and community effort with Maria, a true champion for our city.”– Candace Jordan
Orland Park Police recognize Distracted Driving Awareness Month with a reminder for motorists: Drop It and Drive
Orland Park Police recognize Distracted Driving Awareness Month with a reminder for motorists: Drop It and Drive April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month across the nation, and the Orland Park Police Department is urging drivers to drop their phones and focus on the road with a not-so-subtle reminder: “Phone in One Hand. Ticket in the Other.” “It has become all too common to see people driving down the road while looking at their phones,” said Orland Park Police Chief Joe Mitchell. “People know texting and driving is both dangerous and illegal, but they do it anyway, putting themselves and others at risk. During April, you will see increased law enforcement efforts as officers stop and ticket anyone who violates distracted driving and other Illinois motor vehicle laws.” In support of this effort, the Orland Park Police Department is partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Illinois State Police and more than 200 local law enforcement agencies around Illinois the entire month of April. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a total of 26,004 people died in U.S. crashes involving a distracted driver between 2012 and 2019. Distracted driving saturation patrols will be conducted day and night throughout the month of April. In addition to the saturation patrols, officers were directed to focus on identifying and citing distracted drivers during their patrol duties. The distracted driving campaign is administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation with federal traffic safety funds.
Journalists and elected officials celebrate Arab American Heritage Month
Journalists and elected officials celebrate Arab American Heritage Month The Arab American Democratic Club hosted a forum of journalists and elected officials and community leaders on Thursday April 22, 2021 to discuss both Ramadan and Arab American Heritage Month (April). The panel included a video message offering both Ramadan Kareem messages and a celebratory salute for Arab American Heritage Month from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. Also joining to discuss the recent elections and services that are available to all residents including Arab American was Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar, and Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Tammy Wendt who easily won theDemocratic nomination nation for the office and unseated the incumbent Republican in the office. Journalists who participated offering words of advice to Arab Americans included Jon DePaolis, the publisher of the Richards Free Press, Yasmeen Sheikah, reporter with the Patch.com online news site, and Steve Metsch, a veteran journalist who works for the Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News and the Naperville Sun. Wesam Shahed working with Sonia Khalil also announced the founding of an Arab Youth Network to help young people int he Arab American community participate in local government, understand communications and even run for office. And the AADC salted Hassan Nijem, the president of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce which as instrumental in saving the jobs of nearly 300 workers employed by 25 Hookah Lounges, most run by Arab American businessmen. The establishments would have been shut down under the terms of a new law introduced to the Chicago City Council last year that was to prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco. But after Nijem reached out to Chicago Alderwoman Sylvana Tabares and explained how the law would inadvertently hurt Arab Americans an even hurt the city of Chicago by eliminating nearly 300 jobs, Tabares and the City Council rewrote the ordinance to exclude those businesses. Click this link to watch the forum on Facebook or use the widget below: AADC is a diverse coalition of Arab Americans dedicated to improving public relations with elected officials and government representatives. Our goal is to increase the number of registered voters statewide and to increase political involvement of our community. AADC serves the political interests of the Arab American residents of Illinois and businesses and we are proud of our accomplishments. We regularly meet with elected officials, mayors, state senators, state representatives, U.S. Representatives, U.S. Senators, governors, and presidential candidates. AADC is the only registered Arab American political organization doing this type of service in and for the community. Our team is made of individuals who believe the best way to reach our community is by offering outreach functions and informative events. We believe that by working together and be connected we can have consistent outcomes. For more information visit the AADC Facebook page by clicking here. For more information on the Arab American Chamber of Commerce click here. The program was brought to you buy support from Nemer Ziyad at Ziyad Brothers Importing and by Urban Strategies Group Media Consulting.
Newman supports Statehood bill for Washington D.C. 700,000 residents
Newman supports Statehood bill for Washington D.C. 700,000 residents H.R. 51 will admit Washington D.C. as the 51st state and ensure that 700,000 D.C. residents have fair representation in the U.S. government. U.S. Representative Marie Newman (D-IL) voted on Thursday (April 22, 2021) to pass H.R. 51, the Washington D.C. Admission Act, which would make Washington, D.C. the 51st state in the nation, ensuring its more than 700,000 taxpaying residents finally receive full representation in Congress and total local self-government. As part of the legislation passed today, the new state would be named Washington, Douglass Commonwealth (D.C.) in honor of Frederick Douglass, the great American statesman and nation’s foremost abolitionist. “More than 700,000 Americans in Washington, D.C. are paying more federal taxes per capita than any other state in the nation, all while without full voting representation in either chamber of Congress. No American should be denied Congressional representation solely based on where they live. I am honored to vote for this long-overdue change to ensure that residents of D.C. can have the same voice in our government as residents of my home state of Illinois,” said Congresswoman Newman. “To deny D.C. residents statehood is to deny them the most fundamental American right: the right to elected representation. I am committed to working every day to strengthen our democracy, and I am proud to vote for D.C. statehood as an important step towards that goal.” This legislation, which was introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton and has 216 Democratic cosponsors, would grant the new state two voting senators and, based on its population, one voting representative to Congress. It would also establish an autonomous local government, which would no longer be subjected to Congressional control. As the violent attack on January 6th and the previous Administration’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protestors last summer made clear, it is critical that D.C. is empowered to make its own governing decisions – including law enforcement – in order to best protect its residents. The Constitution grants Congress the authority to admit new states into the Union without need for a constitutional amendment – and it has done so to grant statehood to each of the 37 states admitted after the original thirteen. When evaluating a bid for statehood, Congress has historically considered support for statehood, resources and population. D.C. meets this criteria in the following ways: D.C. residents have been petitioning for voting representation in Congress and local self-government for more than 200 years – most recently in November 2016, when residents approved a statehood referendum with 86 percent of voters in favor D.C. residents pay the most per capita in federal income taxes and generate the highest per capita GDP in the nation The D.C. municipal budget is larger than the budgets of twelve states Its residents have fought in every American war since the Revolution Its population is larger than two existing states: Wyoming and Vermont The 51st state, which would be renamed Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, would be made up of 66 square miles of the city’s current 68 square miles. The remaining two square miles – comprised of the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, principal federal monuments and federal buildings adjacent to the National Mall – would be the new federal district and seat of the United States government. Last Congress marked the first time in nearly three decades that the House voted on a D.C. statehood bill, and the measure was approved 232 to 180. After passing the House today, the bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.

STATEWIDE NEWS

Chicago Alderman David Moore Enters Secretary of State Race
Chicago Alderman David Moore Enters Secretary of State Race Chicago South Side Alderman David Moore is announcing his run for Illinois Secretary of State to replace long time incumbent Jesse White, who is retiring at …
Democratic Party Chair Robin Kelly Names Abby Witt New Executive Director
Democratic Party Chair Robin Kelly Names Abby Witt New Executive Director Kelly Says Witt Will Lead Effort to Build New & Inclusive Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) The Democratic Party of Illinois (DPI) today named …

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High-tech Santa

Jolly elf visited via Zoom with Lyons kids

By Steve Metsch

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Lyons parks and recreation department was unable to have Santa visit in person with kids this year.

Thanks to modern technology, all was not lost.

Kids were able to visit with the jolly old elf on their computers via Zoom, the online meeting place that’s probably been used by their parents for business meetings the past nine months.

Zoom calls with Santa were done on Dec. 9 and 12.

“We had about 20 yesterday,” Ted Tala, director of the department, said on Dec. 10.

“It was very successful,” he said “Almost all the families had good things to say when they emailed me. ‘Oh, Johnny had such a good time. He’s still talking about it’.”

Santa and Mrs. Claus zoomed in from his workshop, Tala said.

The calls were free to participants.

Ted Tala, director of parks and recreation in Lyons, arranged for Zoom calls between Santa and local children. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

Ted Tala, director of parks and recreation in Lyons, made it easy for kids to visit with Santa. Photo by Steve Metsch.

The department wanted to do something special for the kids during the holidays, Tala said. “It was an easy call.”

“It was more or less a one-on-one with Santa Claus,” Tala said. “It truly was very rewarding to see,” Tala said. “Some of these kids, just the look on their face said it all. Kids who started off the Zoom shy, not a word said, a couple words from Santa, you realize what kind of characters they are.”

He smiled when he recalled a 3-year-old saying “Santa, you’re a funny guy. You crack me up sometimes.”

Another was quick to show Santa that the movie “Elf” was on their TV.

The Zoom call helped fill the void for the usually busy department.

“Every year we have our (winter) day camp, we have our senior holiday party, we have breakfast with Santa and this year – against all odds – we couldn’t make any of that happen just for the betterment of all the kids out there,” Tala said.

Other pandemic victims were the Kids Night Out, held one Friday night each month from October to April, and the village’s annual Halloween party in Smith Park.

— Desplaines Valley News

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Steve Metsch

Steve Metsch is an award winning veteran reporter who previously worked for the Daily Southtown Newspapers, Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. Metsch is a writer and editor at the Southwest News Newspaper group based in suburban Chicago, and a freelance writer a health magazine, the Suburban Life, the Naperville Sun, and other organizations.
Email Steve Metsch at sm4610@sbcglobal.net

High-tech Santa

High-tech Santa

Jolly elf visited via Zoom with Lyons kids

By Steve Metsch

The Political Pundit