Chicago, IL

CPS CEO urges students at schools with low vaccination rates to keep masks on

Published

2 years ago

March 10, 2022

CHICAGO (WLS) — As masks turn into non-compulsory in any respect Chicago Public Faculties subsequent week, lecturers at McKay Elementary within the Chicago Garden neighborhood hope their college students proceed to put on them.

“We lecturers are going to have ours on as a result of we’re involved about at this faculty and all CPS faculties,” third grade instructor Moselean Parker stated.

Based on CPS information, solely 17.7% of scholars at McKay are totally vaccinated. The district’s determination to go masks non-compulsory was partly based mostly on scholar vaccination charges.

RELATED | CTU information labor grievance after Chicago Public Faculties pronounces masks mandate ending subsequent week

Total, 49% of age eligible CPS college students are totally vaccinated. However that quantity is pushed up by faculties, many on the North Facet, with excessive charges. Northside Faculty Prep being the best at 89%, and the bottom is Penn Elementary on the West Facet at 5%.

“The town has executed a horrible job of partaking all communities in an equitable method to guarantee that they’ve training,” CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates stated.

Academics at McKay say CPS lacked a plan to coach mother and father concerning the vaccine, leaving the job to them.

“We name on our personal telephones, we encourage our mother and father,” Parker stated. “However our mother and father say, we do not have a voice, we’re unsure concerning the vaccination. They have to be educated, we will solely achieve this a lot once we get out of the colleges.”

Vaccination charges stay low in a number of South and West aspect faculties. Over a 3rd (37%) of faculties have fewer than 25% of their college students totally vaccinated, and solely 10% of faculties have 70% of their college students totally vaccinated.

RELATED | Naked-faced Chicago Public Faculties college students despatched residence as district strikes towards mask-optional coverage

CPS CEO Pedro Martinez stated the district plans to double down on getting extra college students vaccinated and can reverse course on masks if want be.

“If we see circumstances change, we’ll alter and we’ll guarantee that security is a precedence,” Martinez stated.

Martinez is encouraging college students at faculties with low vaccination charges, like McKay, to proceed carrying masks. Within the meantime, lecturers hope an unfair labor grievance filed this week will presumably delay the choice.

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Chicago, IL

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

Published

1 year 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

1 year 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

1 year 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.