Chicago, IL

<div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2CL2kV_0uxy9IVm00" style="display:none" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2CL2kV_0uxy9IVm00" width="300" height="300" ><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0IZ9Yo_0uxy9IVm00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0IZ9Yo_0uxy9IVm00" width="1200" height="400" > The Chicago Teachers Union on Wednesday demanded a state investigation into a series of loan deals made with "predatory" Wall Street banks under ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner that left the city's school system "broke on purpose." "For years, banks scammed [Chicago Public Schools] with predatory financial deals, taking money out of our classrooms and shortchanging our students," CTU <a href="https://www.ctulocal1.org/posts/contract-update-16-no-more-shortchanging-our-students/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> detailed </a> in an online contract update. "For years, CPS and many other Illinois school districts have been systematically underfunded, burdened by bad bank deals, and forced to do more with less. We will need leadership from every level of government to transform our schools with the resources they deserve." <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate><a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2024/08/13/cps-pushes-back-against-ctu-contract-demands-arguing-they-would-lead-to-record-deficits" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> According to </a> the Chicago Sun-Times : "During the financial crisis, stemming from the budget stalemate under... Rauner, from 2016 to 2018, CPS took out six high-interest loans. Just on these loans, CPS must pay $194 million this year." CTU's letter to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul requesting a probe says that "the predatory loans CPS took on were at sky-high interest rates unheard of for municipalities and public bodies, especially at a time when interest rates were at record lows." As the union—now in bargaining talks with the city over a new contract—said in a statement about the request: <blockquote>In other instances of predatory banking, state and local officials sought remedy through class-action lawsuits and other legal efforts to recoup funds, address the harm, and defend the public. However, in Chicago, <a href="https://click.actionnetwork.org/ss/c/u001.XaF8mXqsA6b2dSPmhsleMXKfcb916XyoWgO-jVBaFRyBKVZ7Kph-PKexpyMct1570H4ZC4o_2Vkk2zVhPG2GsfNvpWjECY_maMNEHTA6oKCI63hDfQkMFjn3DqSXVuGh2fzfhoK2qQWkVLeK-z_CxMciy-DzPuwF1ErR0QFPcYK5b9s_88FO_PEgKRt6c1FJUHiul71t9UFtvPpHZyqEUNkx_Rvg5GD0XffRkp9Loa0FKyEqmtIisRgtAy6pri2i-0psXKObs71VdXo17Kv1oJYjzvkY3_2OqvzTQWA_u4BsMbRb9obiCD2G0L-C5Dw6Yhwlt7vCD0J07A8z8bKRS1QHbW6ZsZm4VW5ZcSWQYvQ/48w/R1wjTBPqTDegJtOk9D7fYA/h1/h001.kM-Hpjo7X20LbC8_WmTnsh11SSAAJTg6GGxLxEXRJgE" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> the school district is still paying $200 million per year </a> to lending institutions for <a href="https://click.actionnetwork.org/ss/c/u001.XaF8mXqsA6b2dSPmhsleMcJXm0-wHqF9m1bRuD7f7jtsDaW48gR7lY6_7hsPd3QUgt88-OLQglj28Y1a1PX4H9p9zFX1fEExjn1ZUyRu9Eca-M6xiDyRfTANttmQSQI_SE-rHEz5HmxcV0GsEf0Z2adpHVf5iE6TNKE6czoMk9ZMS89nIuBUnj01Kkp6ROJSkRNOTa-oZ6pEUv4hUqH4aWg_G448xvmMMfS_NfX9BcT0vYgBDLuNT2KFphlmZiv4UAT3jjtmwne1xVYbekgNpgY3bJ4L9LFa0nGJBAKOPiZoAYmuoz2DIwSkyTIgpdssRD3wWMO31pZ01EaUpARz7zlT0lfQRuXf3oCDat-4BRG-hjeXeNt7VwXCH02BU8BEx-sBwhokldu35l7_zvLBpQ/48w/R1wjTBPqTDegJtOk9D7fYA/h2/h001.jZ3LRtf6IvX-6qhFzYUeZ4LIx8BDRxjJYmAG2gvyOzg" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> loans that JPMorgan Chase, among others, sold and earned 9.5% profit or $110 million in the first year alone </a> . The CTU points to multiple historic examples of public officials upholding their responsibility to defend the public from such practices and is calling on current elected officials to fulfill the same obligation. </blockquote><nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> CTU Local1 president Stacy Davis Gates stressed Wednesday that "it is not that Chicago Public Schools does not have the funds. It's that Rahm Emanuel sold the school district to Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, and other bankers and left it broke on purpose." "Our elected officials have the responsibility to investigate those predatory bank deals, just as they did successfully in the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, and recoup the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars that the banks stole from the public and our children," she asserted. The union is arguing that Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, the Chicago Board of Education, and city officials including Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin and Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer, "must all play a role in helping fund our schools and undoing the damage from the Rahm and Rauner years of predatory bank deals, and the decades of inadequate state funding." <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> CTU held a Wednesday morning press conference, during which Saqib Bhatti, co-founder and executive director of the Action Center on Race &amp; the Economy, said that "we're here at Chase today because Chase took a bunch of money that belongs to our kids." <iframe height="476" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fctulocal1%2Fvideos%2F1174814377184398%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0" width="100%"></iframe> "CPS is [in] dire financial straights right now, and one of the big reasons is because banks like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America systematically ripped off CPS for years and years and years," Bhatti continued, surrounded by people holding signs with messages including "Chase Profits Off Students" and "Bad Bank Deals Cost CPS." <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> "We know during the subprime crisis that banks were selling predatory loans to Black and brown families, loans that were designed to fail," he explained. "They did the same thing with CPS." CTU also invited Bhatti to speak during Tuesday's public bargaining session at Morgan Park High School—the third event of its kind since the union began negotiating with CPS in April, before the teachers contract expired on June 30. The Chicago Board of Education passed a $9.9 billion budget last month. As Chalkbeat <a href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/chicago/2024/07/25/chicago-board-passes-budget-for-2025-school-year/#:~:text=The%20%249.9%20billion%20budget%20boosts,central%20staff%20and%20administrative%20costs." rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> noted </a> at the time, it features "cuts to central staff and administrative costs to help close a roughly half-billion-dollar deficit," and doesn't account for increases to teacher salaries, due to ongoing talks. Both Johnson and the union opposed staff layoffs. <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate> CPS <a href="https://www.cps.edu/globalassets/cps-pages/about-cps/labor-relations/finance-bargaining-session-8-13-24-english.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> claimed </a> during the Tuesday event that the additional cost from just 52 of over 700 CTU contract proposals would increase the district's projected deficit for fiscal year 2026 from $509 million to $2.9 billion, and by fiscal year 2029 it would hit $4 billion. As the Sun-Times reported: <blockquote>The CTU's bargaining presentation for Tuesday's session did not ask the district to take out a loan, but it challenged officials' financial analysis and claims that they lack funding. The union pointed to revenue initiatives that the city and state could explore, like more heavily taxing millionaires and corporations—which would require changes to state law—or seeking federal funding for school building improvements. The union also suggested efforts that could take years and would not solve the budget problems in the short term, like fighting banks for past "predatory" loans to CPS or seeking money back from past "bad vendor contracts." "These predatory deals are costing hundreds of millions a year," said Pavlyn Jankov, research manager for the CTU. "The district has to make every effort to claw back those funds." </blockquote> The newspaper noted that CPS chief financial officer Miroslava Mejia Krug "revealed that the school district is actually a part of some national lawsuits against banks, but it is unclear whether those lawsuits specifically address high-interest loans." <nbtemplate data-id="AdPlaceholder" data-content="JTdCJTdE"></nbtemplate></div>

Columbus, OH

Texas State

Atascosa County, TX

Jourdanton, TX

New York Post

A 12-year-old Texas cheerleader died Monday, four days after she suffered mysterious “life-threatening” injuries that her parents tried to treat with smoothies and vitamins, authorities announced Wednesday. 

Jourdanton Junior High School student Miranda Sipps died in the hospital Monday night after her mother finally called for help when the preteen went into respiratory distress, the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office said.

The girl’s mother, Denise Balbaneda, and stepfather, Gerald Gonzalez, 40, were arrested for failing to seek medical help sooner for the girl during the four days while she was “mentally and physically incapacitated and non-responsive,” the sheriff said. 



The pair didn’t...

Texas cheerleader, 12, dies after parents tried to treat ‘life-threatening’ injuries with smoothies and vitamins: sheriff

Illinois State

Dolton, IL

Whiskey Riff

A chicken wing heist for the ages – until she got caught. An Illinois school worker by the name of Vera Lidell was recently caught in a scheme that saw her secretly steal $1.5 million dollars in food from the Havery School District in Dolton, Illinois. Lidell was the Director of Food Services, which is how she orchestrated the food caper – which was reportedly mostly chicken wings.

“I’ll Pay For The Wings” – Chiefs Star Chris Jones Offers To Pay $1.5 Million To Free Illinois School Worker Sentenced to 9 Years For Stealing Chicken Wings

CHICAGO, IL – Authorities in Chicago, Illinois are seeking the public’s assistance in finding a missing 15-year-old girl from the South Side. Heather Henry was reported missing on Monday after she was last seen in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Last Seen in Bronzeville. Heather Henry was last seen in...

Teen Girl Vanishes from Chicago’s South Side! Authorities on High Alert in Desperate Search!

Fresno, CA

Fox News

The operator of an illegal biolab in Central California is facing additional charges of conspiracy and wire fraud after a federal grand jury returned a 12-count superseding indictment.

Federal authorities file additional charges against Chinese-linked biolab in Central California

A young Chicago lawyer met a tragic end after making a fatal mistake while having some fun at an office party. Reginald Tucker, 29, was enjoying an early Fourth of July party at the Schuyler Roche & Zwirner law firm where he worked in 1984. Around 50 people had attended the celebration. At about 11pm, after most of his colleagues had left, Reginald and another attorney decided to race each other down a corridor with a marble floor.

Chicago lawyer plunged 39 floors to his death after making fatal mistake during office party

Colorado State

Contributors represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. They have also demonstrated their experience writing hard news for other outlets. Contributors are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

contributor

David Heitz

A bill quietly introduced this spring in the Colorado legislature to decriminalize the possession of drug paraphernalia obtained by harm reductionists has become law. As low-key as the legislation was introduced, the bill was signed into law without fanfare June 6. It garnered little to no media attention.

Colorado legalizes needles, pipes for meth and crack if obtained by harm reduction group

CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) -- With the Democratic National Convention less than a week away from kicking off in Chicago, former Mayor Lori Lightfoot is going to give her perspective on the latest in national politics.Lightfoot recently joined CBS News Chicago as a political analyst, and in the first part of a wide-ranging interview, talked about how the effort began to get Chicago to host this year's DNC and what she thinks Democrats need to do to win in November.In the second part of the conversation with CBS News Chicago's Irika Sargent, Lightfoot gives details on her phone calls with former President...

Lori Lightfoot on phone calls with Trump, her future in politics

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville Today

A historic marker could be erected to honor the victims of the racist mass shooting at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville’s New Town neighborhood nearly a year ago. If approved by the Jacksonville City Council, a marker would be installed at Kings Road and Canal Street on Aug. 25, a day before the first anniversary of the shooting, when a white gunman took the lives of three Black people.

Memorial considered to honor Dollar General victims

No further specifics were given, but these schemes typically involve fraudsters tricking employees at a company — often in finance or with access to the executive suite — into initiating a bank transfer of company funds to a bank account controlled by the fraudsters. These schemes can involve the hacking of email accounts used by executives to send fraudulent instructions to staff on their behalf, or even use deepfakes in efforts to trick unsuspecting employees into transferring funds.

Texas firm says it lost $60M in a bank wire transfer scam

Ohio State

The Lantern

On Tuesday, licensed Ohio dispensaries began legally selling non-medical marijuana to consumers; however, the drug’s possession, growth and/or usage are still prohibited on Ohio State’s campus. Credit: Jefferee Woo/Tampa Bay Times/TNS [Original caption: Four citizen-led petitions with proposals to update Dallas’ charter hit the 20,000 valid signature threshold to make it on the Nov. 5 election ballot, including one that would ban police officers from arresting or citing people carrying less than four ounces of marijuana.] As of Tuesday, students 21 and older can now legally purchase marijuana in Ohio.

Dispensary sales of recreational marijuana began Tuesday; possession and usage still prohibited on Ohio State’s campus

Thomson, GA

Daily Coffee Press

A Georgia city mayor has been arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation following an investigation and a grand jury indictment, officials announced on Wednesday. According to GBI officials, the Thomson Police Department requested the agency to investigate an allegation that Thomson City Mayor, 52-year-old Benjamin Cary Cranford, provided alcohol to an inmate on work detail within the city limits on June 4, 2024.

Georgia City Mayor Arrested for Allegedly Giving Alcohol to an Inmate on Work Det

Denver, CO

In addition to collecting more than 8,000 used needles in the past year from Denver drug users, the Harm Reduction Action Center passed out 10,000 meth pipes and “snort kits,” according to a newsletter sent to its supporters Thursday. They also connected about 1,700 people to medical, mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Denver group hands out 10K meth pipes, ‘snort kits,’ connects 1,700 to treatment annually

CHICAGO, IL – The village of Dolton, Illinois, is facing a financial crisis, with a recent investigation revealing a staggering $3.5 million deficit. However, Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who is at the center of this controversy, has been conspicuously absent, leaving many questions unanswered. Financial Mismanagement Uncovered. The financial turmoil...

SCANDAL! Illinois Mayor Vanishes as Dolton’s $3.5 MILLION Debt Bombshell Explodes!

Tom's Guide

Scammers are calling victims on the phone impersonating their bank while an accomplice goes to their home to get the chip and PIN from their debit card.

FBI issues warning over scammers impersonating banks to steal your debit cards

Florida State

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Treasury Department is warning that state laws that restrict banks from considering environmental, social and governance factors could harm efforts to address money laundering and terrorism financing. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the letter sent Thursday to lawmakers. The letter singled out a...

Treasury warns that anti-woke banking laws such as those in Florida are national security risk

Kansas State

Writers represent independent, third-party users who have joined our contributor program and self-verified their accounts. Writers are expected, like all users, to adhere to our Community Standards.

writer

Missouri State

CJ Coombs

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) helps to locate missing children. Since July 1, 2024, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), 174 children have been reported missing in the U.S. Since January 1, 2024, there was a total of 1,445 reported missing in the country.

Missing Missouri children as of July 17, 2024, according to the NCMEC

No, pallet shelters for people experiencing homelessness don’t fold into caskets. It’s a question a reader posed one of the first times I wrote about pallet shelters. I find the pallet shelters to be more palatable than ice fishing tents. The Colorado Village Collaborative operates both micro-communities and the so-called Safe Outdoor Spaces with the tents. We all learned the tents are not safe when a fire roared through a CVC Safe Outdoor Space, destroying the compound quickly. Officials never disclosed a cause of the fire.

Opinion: No, pallet shelters for homeless in Denver, Aurora don’t fold into caskets

Cicero, IL

Oak Park, IL

Berwyn, IL

Forest Park, IL

River Forest, IL

Elmwood Park, IL

Riverside, IL

Lincolnwood, IL

Hines, IL

Evanston, IL

Maywood, IL

Lyons, IL

Harwood Heights, IL

River Grove, IL

Evergreen Park, IL

Common Dreams

The Chicago Teachers Union on Wednesday demanded a state investigation into a series of loan deals made with \"predatory\" Wall Street banks under ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner that left the city's school system \"broke on purpose.\"

	\"For years, banks scammed [Chicago Public Schools] with predatory financial deals, taking money out of our classrooms and shortchanging our students,\"  CTU detailed in an online contract update. \"For years, CPS and many other Illinois school districts have been systematically underfunded, burdened by bad bank deals, and forced to do more with less. We will need leadership from every...

Teachers Union Demands Probe of Predatory Big Banks Loans That Made Chicago Schools 'Broke on Purpose'

NewsBreak

The Chicago Teachers Union on Wednesday demanded a state investigation into a series of loan deals made with "predatory" Wall Street banks under ex-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and former Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner that left the city's school system "broke on purpose."

	"For years, banks scammed [Chicago Public Schools] with predatory financial deals, taking money out of our classrooms and shortchanging our students,"  CTU detailed in an online contract update. "For years, CPS and many other Illinois school districts have been systematically underfunded, burdened by bad bank deals, and forced to do more with less. We will need leadership from every...

Teachers Union Demands Probe of Predatory Big Banks Loans That Made Chicago Schools 'Broke on Purpose'

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