Progress Illinois

West Side parents and activists have pledged to vote out Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his “rubber stamp” aldermen who have not stood with the community against school closings.

“Aldermen, you have committed political murder upon yourselves,” said West Side activist Windy Pearson outside Edward C. Delano Elementary School Friday morning. “We have decided that it is time for all of you that have not stood strongly and firmly with us to go.”

The Chicago Board of Education unanimously approved the Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) plan to close 49 elementary schools and one high school at its monthly meeting Wednesday.

“The city of Chicago, CPS, Rahm Emanuel, non-elected school board, Mr. Vitale, this message is for you,” Pearson said. “We are the community. We are the stakeholders. We are the parents, the activists, the teachers, the voters, and we are registering individuals to become deputy registrars.” Read more »

Environmental activists are ramping up advocacy efforts against hydraulic fracturing, commonly called “fracking”. Meanwhile, the Illinois House Executive Committee passed a regulatory compromise bill Tuesday and the full chamber is expected to take up the legislation any day now.

The oil and gas drilling technology, according to the bill’s opponents, is unsafe and damages the environment. But as the bill makes its way through the Illinois General Assembly, drilling companies have already leased land in Southern Illinois — reportedly about half a million acres around the New Albany Shale rock formation, according to the Star-Telegram.

“Fracking is not safe, it destroys communities; it endangers our water supply; it is not safe for the workers; and it is not an enriched fuel,” said Melody Lamar, a member of Illinois People’s Action.  “I’m so sickened by what I’ve seen from our legislators.”

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