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Friday, June 1, 2012

Legislative session ends without pension reform | VIDEO Illinois lawmakers wrapped up spring session early Friday morning, but their work is not over. Legislators approved a budget and passed gambling expansion, but they failed to reach an agreement on teacher pension reform. CTA to spend half a billion dollars on bus fleet | VIDEO The Chicago Transit Authority is giving its fleet of buses a half a billion dollar overhaul. 3 injured in West Side hit-and-run Three people were hurt, including a 13-year-old girl who was critically injured, in a hit-and-run crash around 9 p.m. Thursday. CTU plans to authorize strike vote | VIDEO The Chicago Teachers Union plans to ask its members to take a strike authorization vote in the near future. They will detail those plans Friday afternoon. Van crashes into Michigan Avenue store A driver lost control of a van in the Gold Coast and slammed into the Max Mara store in the 900 North Michigan building. Target job fair for new Chicago Loop store Target is trying to fill 300 jobs at its new downtown Chicago store. MORE STORIES Strange News 10 worst-dressed cities in America Truck carrying cheese overturns in NJ Bear crashes Calif. middle school graduation | VIDEO Pickup truck crashes through Minnesota bar | VIDEO Family claims to see image of Jesus in moldy shower | VIDEO Consumer Mayor Bloomberg proposes ban on large sodas | VIDEO BBB: Your Child's Identity May be at Risk | VIDEO Closing bank account will cost you, group finds Consumer Reports: Tasty Ice Cream Treats Financial Assistance for Summer Day Camp | VIDEO Healthbeat Healthbeat Report: Disease Detectives | VIDEO 1 in 5 Americans has untreated cavities Gout flare-ups linked to meat, seafood CDC: Flu season officially over Exercise harmful for healthy people? MOST POPULAR No injuries in emergency landing at O'Hare 747 clips tail of regional jet at O'Hare Airport National Donut Day amid Mayor Bloomberg drink fight Legislative session ends without pension reform Lottery refuses $118M payout because of dispute All Most Popular

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Good News Regarding Safer's Crossroads ATC

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Public Policy and External Relations June 1, 2012 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GOOD NEWS!      THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS APPROVED THE CONTINUED FUNDING FOR SAFER FOUNDATION'S CROSSROADS ADULT TRANSITION CENTER              Over the last few months, Safer Foundation has continuously asked for everyone's help to save the Crossroads ATC, by having it reinstated in the FY13 budget.  During the past few days, the Illinois House of Representatives voted on the Public Safety Appropriations bill and the bill passed with 71 votes.  The vote number of 71 is significant because it makes it less likely that there will be a veto.  Crossroads is in the budget and likely at full funding.  Late Thursday, the Illinois Senate passed the bill as well and it was posted.  What a great feeling to know we have come this far.  We are not yet done.  However, we are in as good a position as one can be at this stage of the process.   While a celebration would be premature, this represents a major step in the full restoration of funding for Crossroads.  The budget will not be official, of course, until the Governor approves it.  Our work to seek final approval for Crossroads will continue until all steps have been completed for FY13.      All your efforts to influence policymakers about the many benefits, not only for the residents of Crossroads, but also for their families and the community, are being heard.  All of the good work that Crossroads' staff continues to do makes a difference in the support we are able to get.  We are individually and collectively thankful for Safer's staff, clients, stakeholders, and supporters during this legislative effort.  We remain optimistic and will keep you informed as we learn more.  Please continue to keep those prayers going for Safer's Crossroads ATC.   Again, thank you for your support.     B. Diane Williams President and CEO afer Foundation                Follow Us on Twitter! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Follow @SaferFoundation on Twitter for more updates on criminal justice news and more information about the organization. We appreciate your support!  Public Policy and External Relations Contacts ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ B. Diane Williams, President / CEO Veronica Cunningham, Vice President, Public Policy and External Relations Jon Kaplan, Director, Marketing and Communication Anthony Lowery, Director, Policy and Advocacy phone: 312-922-2200 www.saferfoundation.org ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * Many articles refer to people with criminal records as "ex-offenders" or "offenders". While we appreciate all the positive press these issues receive, we are working to use other terms to describe our clients that do not carry such negative connotations. These terms include "people with criminal records" or "people reentering society".

New video: Mitt Romney's record as governor

Fred -- Mitt Romney talks a lot about his time as a corporate buyout specialist, but you know what we don't hear very much about? His experience as governor of Massachusetts. That may be because he made promises to the people of his state during his '02 campaign that sound an awful lot like the ones he's making to the country today -- and he failed to deliver on them. Just like now, he claimed his success in the private sector meant he'd be able to create jobs, cut taxes, and bring down the debt. He did the opposite. Today, we're asking you to help tell the truth about Romney Economics -- what it meant for the people of Massachusetts, and what it would mean for all Americans if he were elected president. Check out our new video and consider joining the Truth Team -- a group of grassroots supporters that's helping spread the word about Romney's real record. Even as the rest of the country was enjoying a brightening economy, during Romney's term Massachusetts plummeted to 47th out of 50 states in job creation; manufacturing jobs declined at twice the national average; and for the first time since 1995, its unemployment rate was above the national average. Long-term debt ballooned by more than $2.6 billion -- leaving the people of Massachusetts with the highest per capita debt of any state in the nation. State spending increased every single year, and Romney raised taxes and fees by $750 million per year -- leading to a higher state and local tax burden of $1,200 for every Bay Stater. Over his term, fees at public colleges skyrocketed by 63 percent, and during his first year, K-12 schools saw the second-largest percentage cuts, per student, in the nation. All that in just four years. Mitt Romney promised more jobs, less debt, and smaller government for Massachusetts based solely on his experience as a corporate buyout specialist. Turns out that being good at maximizing profits for yourself and your investors, but leaving companies bankrupt and workers without jobs, doesn't exactly prepare you to lead a state -- or a country. Yet Romney's out there making the same empty promises all over again. And we've got to make sure no one buys it this time. The bottom line? Romney Economics didn't work for Massachusetts then, and it won't work for America now. Watch our new video to get the facts, then pass it on to everyone you know: http://my.barackobama.com/Romney-Economics-and-Massachusetts We've got work to do -- let's go. - Stephanie Stephanie Cutter Deputy Campaign Manager Obama for America

Friday's Daily Brief: Jobs Report Disaster, John Edwards Mistrial, New Cannibalism Attack, Plus Valerie Jarrett, Leonard Maltin

Friday, June 1, 2012 Jobs Report Disaster POLITICS Obama Says Supreme Court Ruling Could Mean Back To The Drawing Board On Health Care CRIME Student Ate Roommate's Brain And Heart, Cops Say WORLD Chinese Official Arrested In U.S. Spying Scandal POLITICS Mistrial Declared In Edwards Case TECHNOLOGY 'DO NOT POST': Major Companies' Social Media Policies Deemed Unlawful BLOG POSTS Valerie Jarrett: Prioritizing Low-Income Families and Creating Pathways to Opportunity for All Americans The outcome of the debates between the president and Republicans in Congress matters. The direction we choose will affect the lives of poor children in the Bronx and throughout our country. We owe it to them to be clear about the choices we face. Leonard Maltin: OFF-HOLLYWOOD: The Five Best Indie Movies To See This Month Even during summer months it's possible for discerning moviegoers to find adult fare if they're just willing to seek it out. Here are my picks for June. Alan Dershowitz: Edwards' Jury Couldn't Decide and for Good Reason It is a wise person who knows when not to decide. The jury in the John Edwards case rendered exactly the right verdict. Of course they couldn't make up their mind on most of the charges. No rational person could. John Robbins: Why Are Twinkies Cheaper Than Carrots? If you want to eat healthfully, you have to fight an uphill battle. Why are government subsidies pushing in the wrong direction? Geoffrey R. Stone: Same-Sex Marriage and Judicial Responsibility Courts have no legal authority to deprive individual citizens of their fundamental constitutional rights until "the voters" decide to grant those rights on their own. Such an approach is incompatible with the very idea of constitutional freedoms.

MOST POPULAR ON HUFFINGTONPOST.COM LOOK: Photos Of Military Moms Breastfeeding In Uniform Cause Controversy Brooke Shields Goes From 'Pretty Baby' To Gorgeous Woman The State With The Most Smokers Is... ON TWITTER Smile At Strangers? Study Shows Why That May Be Smart Divers To Plunge To The Depths Of Baltic Sea To Examine Mystery Object 'The Simpsons' Open Show With Ke$ha Lip-Dub (VIDEO) ON FACEBOOK Student Ate Roommate's Brain And Heart, Cops Say Surprising Masturbation Myths Putting My Kids To Bed: A Game Of Whack-A-Mole

107 Chicago Children Killed with Little Outrage from Anyone in Chicago; Join the Million Father March Webinar Today; Expungement Conference; Pay Parents for Better Academic Performance of Children; One of Best Afrikan-Centered Home Schoolers in United States

Making Progress; Moving Forward! 107 Chicago Children Killed Join 2012 Million Father March Webinar Pay Parents to Improve School Performance One of the Best Home Schoolers for Black Children in America Expungement Conference Tune In for Black Star Project's Parent Revolution National Radio Show Links: The Black Star Project's website: blackstarproject.org Black Star Jounral: blackstarjournal.org Become a Member: Click Here Event Calendar: Click Here Like us on Facebook:   In Chicago, 107 children were killed between March 2011 and March 2012 with little outrage from Chicago. In Chicago, 42 people were shot over the 2012 Memorial Day Weekend and 10 of those died with minimal outrage from Chicago.   Who cares about children dying in the streets of Chicago and where are the same policemen and soldiers who protected NATO participants last week?   Some of the children killed in Chicago:                     Name, Age, Death Date, Community, How   1) Aliyah Shell, 6, 3/17/2012, South Lawndale, Gunshot 2) Damion Rolle, 14, 2/21/2012, Greater Grand Crossing, Gunshot 3) Mark Watts, 15, 1/4/2012, West Englewood, Gunshot 4) Onay Lundy, 18, 12/12/2011, West Garfield Park, Gunshot 5) Alex Spikes  17  11/2/2011    Riverdale   Gunshot 6) Andre Vasquez, 16, 10/18/2011, Avondale, Gunshot 7) Jaivon Sandifer, 3, 9/2/2011, Austin, Stabbing 8) Ariana Gibson, 6, 8/7/2011, Englewood, Gunshot 9) Marcus London, 19, 7/17/2011, Washington Park, Gunshot 10) Richard Gutierrez, 13, 6/22/2011, Chicago Lawn, Gunshot 11) Markell Stribling, 16, 5/20/2011, The Loop, Gunshot 12) Luis Cordova, 19, 4/15/2011, Brighton Park, Gunshot 13) Mokece Brown, 17, 3/27/2011, Austin, Gunshot    Click Here to see list of all 107 children killed in Chicago between March 2011 and March 2012.  Please call Mayor Rahm Emanuel at 312.744.3300 and ask him to work with The Black Star Project to reduce murders of children in Chicago.  Join the Webinar on Organizing the Million Father March in More Than 800 Cities Across the World  Friday, June 1, 2012, 1:00 pm Central    Last year, in 767 cities, more than 1 million fathers took their children to school on the first day.  Parents, educators, faith leaders, elected officials, government agents, community members, business leaders, social service agencies and just plain people made the 2011 Million Father March the most successful ever.   Please join us for this Webinar on Friday, June 1, 2012, 1:00 pm Central by calling 773.285.9600. Please also call 773.285.9600 to get more information about the Million Father March 2012 or register your city for the Million Father March 2012.     Please click here to learn about the 2011 Million Father March. International Study Shows Payments to Parents Best Way to Increase Student Success   By Bjørn Lomborg Thursday, May 10, 2012   Thus, Peter Orazem considers three strategies that seem to offer the best evidence of success to date: nutrition supplements, offering information on returns to schooling, and conditional cash transfers for school attendance. All have been shown to succeed with benefits that exceed the costs.   Because the programs increase the intensity of child investment in school as well as child time in school, they help to break the cycle of poverty whereby poor parents underinvest in their children's schooling and doom their children to poverty.   By increasing child attendance, Orazem argues, we should even see an increase in teacher attendance, which will increase the quality of schooling offered to the poorest children.   Yet, cash-transfers programs are much more expensive than nutrition or health interventions. That might explain why cash transfer programs are concentrated in wealthier countries while nutrition programs typically focus on the poorest countries.   Read More... Freedom Home Academy International One of the Best, Afrikan-Centered Home Schooling Organizations in the United States    Our institution is a home school that is Afrikan centered in culture with a specific emphasis in higher level education and tutoring for toddlers through high school. We focus on developing and enhancing children intellectually, socially, and physically. We use different methods of teaching in order to best meet the learning style of children but we aim for the same result: academic intensity through an Afrikan perspective.     Studies show that Afrikan children in America are not performing at the standard that will prepare them to achieve in this competitive world. Our program prepares the students for opportunities where the students will have limitless options for the future.   Afrikan students have keen and brilliant minds and we teach and coach in methods that will amplify the excellence of the youth. We coach, educate, and train students to be innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders. We believe this type of development starts as early as 1 years old.    Click Here to see the genius of Black children in Freedom Home Academy International.   Click Here to learn more about Freedom Home Academy International. Expunge Your Record In Chicago As many/most Black children in American schools are failing academically, the only way to successfully educate them is with the support and actions of their parents, families and communities. Register now for the free Chicago-area Saturday University beginning now and going through the summer. We have 15 free Saturday Universities operating in and around Chicago and south suburbs. Please call 773.285.9600 to register your child for free academic enhancement or for more information about bringing the Saturday University to your community. We need teachers and tutors for our sites. Please call 773.285.9600 to volunteer.       The US public school system is under attack In Philadelphia, the privatisation of the public school system isn't working - yet the stage is set for even more.   The public school system in Philadelphia is reported to be on the brink of insolvency. (AP) By Liza Featherstone May 25, 2012   New York, NY - The US public school system, once a model for the world, is under sustained attack by the nation's elites. Philadelphia, the latest casualty, is getting ready to sell off its schools - and their governance - to profiteers and snake-oil salesmen. We already know how this story ends.   The situation in Philadelphia, which has received amazingly little attention from the national media in the US, offers a disturbing window onto what the US elite is planning for the rest of our public schools - disturbing because Philadelphia's experience has already demonstrated that turning public education over to private entities will ultimately lead to its destruction.   The fact is Philadelphia is already the most privatised system in the US. In 2001, the state of Pennsylvania took over the city's school system and turned many of its schools over to private operators, even offering up 25 schools to for-profit companies. A study [PDF] by Vaughan Byrnes of Johns Hopkins University showed that, five years into this sweeping overhaul, the schools under private management were academically underperforming the public schools.   Read More... Susan Taylor, the Mother of Mentoring in America, Is Asking You To Be "In" for Our Children. Become a mentor!     Why Mentor?   Because this is our state of emergency today: Of all Black fourth-graders, 58% are functionally illiterate. In some cities, 80% of our boys drop out before finishing high school. Every day 1,000 Black children are arrested. 1 in every 8 African American males ages 25-29 is incarcerated. The number one cause of death for our boys is homicide. Click Here: If you have 60 Seconds to watch this video, you will become a mentor too.   If you wish to become a mentor in cities with National Cares Mentoring Movement Circles, Click Here or if you do not have a National Cares Mentoring Movement Circle in your city, Click Here to learn how to start one.   I'm in!!!  And you should be too! Listen to The The Black Star Project's Internationally Acclaimed Radio Program The Parent Revolution  Every Saturday on WVON 1690AM  The Black Star Project's Parent Revolution is quite simply organizing, supporting and encouraging parents, especially Black parents, to be the first, best and most important teachers and advocates for their children.  Additionally, we are working to make Black parents the major, dynamic educational force in the Black community. Join us Saturdays...    at 7:00 pm Eastern; 6:00 pm Central; 5:00 pm Mountain; 4:00 pm Pacific; 3:00 pm Alaskan; 2:00 pm Hawaiian or at  7:00 pm Toronto, Canada; 7:00 pm Havana, Cuba; 8:00 pm Rio de Janerio, Brazil; 10:00 pm Kingston, Jamaica    or Sunday morning 12:00 am Accra, Ghana; 12:00 am Lagos, Nigeria; 12:00 am London, England; 1:00 am Johannesburg, South Africa; 1:00 am Paris, France; 3:00 am Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; 7:00 am Beijing, China   Click Here to listen to WVON 1690AM Click Here if you "wanna a revolution!!!" Call 773.285.9600 to start a parent revolution in your city.