Progress Illinois

Unemployment rates are not expected to improve for white, Latino and African American workers through 2013, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute, prompting a recommendation for legislators that focus more on job creation.

“In the fourth quarter of 2012, nationwide unemployment rates were 6.3 percent for whites, 9.8 percent for Hispanics, and 14 percent for blacks. These elevated rates are projected to remain essentially unchanged at the end of 2013,” the report reads.

Read more »

On any other election day, voters would typically be lined up outside Winston Churchill School in Homewood waiting for the polling doors to open at 6 a.m.

But when today’s special 2nd congressional district primary kicked off, only one person was waiting, said Homewood election judge Lester Kloss.

“That pretty much set the tone of the day,” said Kloss, who’s worked Homewood elections since 2004.

“We knew it was going to be light, but we didn’t think it was going to be quite this light.”

Read more »

On a dreary day in an area that has seen more than its fair share of ethically-challenged elected officials, an expectedly low voter turnout was the story at many polling places Tuesday as residents came out to cast their ballots in the race to replace former Illinois 2nd Congressional District U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Polling places remained mostly empty throughout the district during much of the morning, an outcome that can be attributed just as much to a high level of voter apathy than to the snowy weather.

Such was the scene at Bennett Elementary School on the far South Side, where congressional candidate and 9th Ward Chicago Alderman Anthony Beale went to cast his ballot this morning.

Read more »