Chicago, IL

Chicago’s Puerto Rican community mobilizing for Hurricane Fiona relief

Published

2 years ago

September 20, 2022

Chicago’s Puerto Rican community mobilizing for Hurricane Fiona relief

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicagoan Lilliana Ortiz flew to Puerto Rico final week to assist her mother put together for the storm.

“We boarded up home windows and we simply remained inside. We at the moment are simply coming exterior and there are loads of down timber. Some rivers are overflowing,” she stated.

Ortiz stated they misplaced energy Sunday afternoon.

Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Middle Government Director Omar Torres-Kortright stated his spouse is in Puerto Rico to assist look after her ailing father.

WATCH: Former Chicagoan in Puerto Rico speaks about devastating storm

He stated he is apprehensive not for his household, but in addition for folks on the island.

“I’m on this second the place there’s simply so many feelings and so many issues which can be going by my thoughts,” Torres-Kortright stated.

Simply earlier than Hurricane Fiona struck over the weekend, former Illinois congressman Luis Guiterrez boarded a beforehand deliberate flight to Chicago.

“I used to be on one of many final flights off of the island on Saturday morning,” he stated. “It is a very devastating storm in Puerto Rico.”

Fiona struck nearly 5 years to the day that Hurricane Maria hit the island. The Class 4 storm destroyed Puerto Rico’s energy grid and precipitated almost 3,000 deaths.

On Sunday afternoon, Fiona, a Class 1 storm, took out the whole electrical system.

“We have now to have actual conversations about constructing an infrastructure that may maintain itself,” stated Jessie Fuentes with The Puerto Rican Agenda.

Sachayra Cintron, a Humboldt Park pastry store proprietor, moved her household again to Chicago proper earlier than Maria hit because of the fragile energy grid.

She’s been making an attempt to achieve household and buddies in Puerto Rico.

“I’ve obtained one or two textual content messages simply stating that they are OK,” Cintron stated.

Puerto Rican organizations in Chicago are engaged on a plan of motion to assist the people who find themselves struggling.

“After Hurricane Maria we put collectively a marketing campaign referred to as three R’s for Puerto Rico: rescue, aid and rebuild. We’re able to activate any element of that marketing campaign,” Fuentes stated.

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Chicago, IL

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say

Published

2 years ago

November 22, 2022

Press Room

2 women found dead in Englewood home after fire, Chicago fire officials say

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Crew by way of

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 3:26AM

FILE photograph: View of the Chicago Hearth Division, the third largest municipal hearth division in america of America, within the Chinatown neighborhood on Sept. 24, 2014.
Shutterstock

CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago hearth officers mentioned two ladies have been discovered lifeless in an Englewood house after a home hearth.

The fireplace broke out Tuesday night at a home within the 7200-block of South Wolcott, Chicago hearth officers mentioned.

The fireplace was struck out at about 9:10 p.m., CFD mentioned.

After the fireplace was out, firefighters discovered two grownup feminine victims lifeless within the wreckage.

It was not instantly clear if the ladies died within the hearth or earlier than the fireplace. No additional particulars have been launched.

The Chicago Hearth Division has not but commented on any potential causes for the fireplace or mentioned in the event that they consider it was suspicious.

Chicago, IL

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

Published

2 years ago

November 22, 2022

Press Room

3 women united by Highland Park shooting now lobby for assault weapon ban

HIGHLAND PARK, Ailing. (WLS) — Three ladies and their households had been good strangers up till the second tragedy introduced them collectively within the aftermath of Highland Park’s July 4th parade.

As Thanksgiving approaches, they’re united in goal and in gratitude for probably the most primary of all issues: life.

“I believed I used to be going to die,” Highland Park capturing survivor Liz Turnipseed mentioned. “That I used to be going to put there and I used to be going to bleed out and I used to be going to die.”

WATCH | Highland Park capturing survivor tells her story

“I used to be on the parade with my three grownup kids, my son-in-law and my 2-year-old grand child,” mentioned Debra Baum, with the Highland Park Gun Violence Mission. “Our complete household may have been worn out.”

“July third I had 70 folks at my home and the following day our life bought flipped the other way up,” capturing survivor Lindsay Hartman mentioned. “So I simply know for me, I am attempting to take pleasure in it and never spend an excessive amount of time previously.”

SEE ALSO | Highland Park parade capturing short-term memorial opens subsequent to metropolis corridor

For Lindsay, not spending an excessive amount of time previously means internet hosting Thanksgiving for 30. Liz, who was one of many almost 50 folks injured that day, nonetheless wants a cane to get round, so she’ll be catering the meal and having her complete household fly in. Debra shall be coming along with the identical household she was with on July 4.

“There are numerous households in Highland Park that do not have folks with them this Thanksgiving due to what occurred,” Baum mentioned. “It is a very weighty realization.”

However there’s additionally gratitude for random issues and other people, like for the proper strangers who took in Liz’s 3-year-old daughter for a few hours after she was shot. And the neighbor she’d by no means met earlier than who lent her a step stool for her mattress.

Turning ache into goal is what unites these ladies now as they foyer for an assault weapons ban in Congress. As a result of whereas life for them won’t ever be the identical, it does transfer on.

Chicago, IL

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Published

2 years ago

November 22, 2022

Press Room

Biden to extend student loan repayment freeze as relief program is tied up in courts

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 8:52PM

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Biden administration is but once more extending the pause on federal scholar mortgage funds, a profit that started in March 2020 to assist individuals who have been struggling financially because of the Covid-19 pandemic, a supply conversant in the plan mentioned.

The Division of Training will announce it’s extending the freeze one other six months with the primary funds due two months after June 30, the supply mentioned, until a Supreme Courtroom resolution on the president’s scholar mortgage aid program comes first.

The administration had beforehand mentioned the latest extension could be the final, and funds have been scheduled to restart in January.

However the administration had additionally meant for its scholar mortgage forgiveness program to start canceling as much as $20,000 in debt for low- and middle-income debtors earlier than January. This system has but to be carried out because it faces a number of authorized challenges.

This story is breaking and can be up to date.