U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (D-4th)

U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (D-4th)

Society failed Melissa, Chuy says

Spread the love

Calls for more gov’t funds to fight violence 

From staff reports

Hours after police announced the arrest of two suspects in the slaying of 8-year-old Melissa Ortega, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th) issued the following statement.

“Since the tragic death of Melissa Ortega, we have seen the resilience and strength of Little Village. A community wrapped its arms around a mother experiencing the greatest pain, losing a child. No parent should have to live through the horror of losing a child. In the past week, I heard anger and outrage in the voices of my neighbors, calling for change. I echo their call for justice and accountability.

chuygarcia

U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th)

“Today, we learned that the police have two suspects in custody. I applaud the swiftness of the investigation and urge for the same level of attention for so many unsolved cases like Melissa’s. Their apprehension will never bring Melissa back to her family, but it provides some relief to a grieving community.

“Melissa’s tragic death is a reminder of how we have failed our youth and find ourselves at a moral crossroads – it is unfathomable to see children killing children. We must dismantle the system of organized crime that preys on our children and our communities while our neighborhoods are starved for resources. I have lived in Little Village for more than five decades and can attest to the invaluable efforts led by faith-based leaders, organizations, parents, and youth to bring an end to violence, but that alone is not enough.

“This tragedy is a call to action: we demand substantive, targeted investments in our city and in suffering communities across the country to combat the epidemic of violence. From access to affordable housing, jobs, and mental health care, to greater investment in violence prevention, youth workforce development, and education, it will take more than our little village to raise a child – our Chicagoland community, the state of Illinois, and the full force of our federal government must take responsibility.”

1 Comment

  1. Dr. Kenneth J. Yerkes on February 5, 2022 at 5:33 am

    Dear Southwest Regional Publishing,
    I just submitted a post that was not posted.
    So this is my 2nd attempt!

    “America is not free unless ‘We The People’ can speak freely.”

    Sorry Congressman Jesus Garcia,????????
    Like you, I pray ???? for the families victimized by violence, and especially in Chicago, where I was born, where I lived, where I went to school, and more importantly, where I went to Church, and where I worked for a number of years.

    However, your unwillingness
    to stand against Kim Foxx, and her failed policies, of not being tough on crime, and not being a strong advocate of Law and Order, along with you not protecting our Borders against Illegal Immigration that has allowed Illegals to come into Our Country, cheating those who came into Our Country legally, well, sorry, you will win re-election to your Illinois Congressional District, but not because you are principled.

    In Closing,
    I pray that you change for the better.
    I pray for all who work hard to become American Citizens,???????? who have come into the United States of America???????? legally, and honor our laws.

    I was #BornLeftRaisedRight,
    born in Marquette Park, actually Holy Cross Hospital, the son of a mom and dad, who raised my sisters and brothers to be Christians, to Live Fully, and Love Always.

    My dad served in Korea, as a Sergeant, who blew up bridges, so that #WeThePeople???????? can Live Always, and Live Forsver,

    I’m a spiritualist, not a secularist,
    Congressman Garcia,????????
    And I care less about being popular, and care more about being principled.

    “Handouts in return for Democrat Socialist Votes don’t work for #USCitzens???????? and especially Our Middle Class who the Democrat Socialist Party have subjected to paying higher and higher taxes.

    Sorry Congressman Garcia,????????
    I cannot support your lack of support of Our Police in Chicago, almost all who serve and protect us.

    I cannot support you advocating for the disastrous, and destructive policies
    of Kim Foxx.

    Sorry that a Republican like me, won’t run against you in 2022, and if a Republican runs against you, I will most likely support her or him, depending on what their platform and policies are that will protect our citizens so that “We The Prople” can feel safe in our schools, shopping centers, and in our streets.

    In God WeTrust????????
    And Love We Must????

    With Sincere and Kind Regards,

    Dr. Kenneth Joseph Yerkes????????
    #DoctorY????
    Former 2018
    Write in Candidate
    Citizen CNdidate????????
    Illinois Congressional District 3
    #IL03

    “People and Principles Over Money and Power”

    2022 Candidate
    Illinois Representative
    Illinois District 31
    “YERKES For Illinois 31”



Local News

GSWNH_Dibs15thWard_021122

Lopez nixes dibs

Spread the love

Spread the love While calling dibs on parking spaces in the winter is an informal tradition in the city, 15th Ward Ald. Raymond Lopez recently reminded his constituents in Back of the Yards, Brighton Park, Gage Park and West Englewood that no one may call dibs indefinitely. He instructed his Streets and Sanitation ward superintendent…

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas

Property tax bills due soon, Pappas says

Spread the love

Spread the loveFrom staff reports Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas recently mailed nearly 1.8 million Tax Year 2021 First Installment property tax bills. Payments are due March 1, 2022. The First Installment is 55% of the previous year’s total tax. Exemptions that can reduce a property owner’s taxes are applied to the Second Installment bill.…

GSWNH_Troop1441SundayMass_021122

Scout Sunday at St. Mary Star of the Sea

Spread the love

Spread the love Members of Boy Scout Troop 1441, sponsored by the St. Mary Star of the Sea Holy Name Society, as well as their families, attended Mass last weekend at St. Mary’s on what is traditionally Scout Sunday in churches across America. It also signals the start of a month of celebration in recognition…

U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush

Rush wants fair shake for independent auto repair shops

Spread the love

Spread the loveFrom staff reports A proposed law designed to preserve consumer access to high quality, affordable vehicle repair was introduced recently by U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st). The Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair (REPAIR) Act (HR 6570) would ensure that vehicle owners and independent repair shops have equal access to…

Brother Rice sophomore Tre Dowdell handles the ball against Leo on Friday. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Brother Rice’s 11-game win streak ends with loss to Leo

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer In seemingly a blink of an eye, Brother Rice picked up as many losses as it had all season. The Crusaders headed into last weekend’s action with a 21-2 record and was 10-0 in the Chicago Catholic League Blue. But Friday night, they suffered a 56-50 setback to…

Reavis bowlers claimed a regional title on Saturday. Photo by Reavis High School

Area Sports Roundup: Six area girls bowling teams headed to sectionals

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Six area girls bowling teams are headed to sectionals. Reavis and Stagg won IHSA regional titles last Saturday, and four other teams have advanced to this weekend’s action. Reavis won its own regional at Palos Lanes in Palos Hills with a 5,378 in six games, well ahead of…

Marist's cheerleaders finished second in the state in the Large Team division on Saturday. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Marist cheerleaders takes 2nd in state

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer After Marist’s cheerleaders watched a video of their state finals performance on Feb. 5, there were some long faces and tears as the girls filed out of the video room and into the cooling-off room. After a long meeting, there were more long faces. “I’ve had better days,”…

Ugalde

Charge West Lawn man in 47th St. slaying

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac An 18-year West Lawn man has been charged with murder in connection with the June 11 slaying of a 20-year-old woman in the 4700 block of South Rockwell. Dilan E. Ugalde, of the 3600 block of West 62nd Place, was apprehended by members of the Chicago Police Department and the Great Lakes Regional…

Barnes

Charge 2 in Ford City carjacking

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac A 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy have been charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking in connection with a crime that occurred in a Ford City parking lot at about 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 27. Travell Barnes, 19, of the 6800 block of South Hermitage, and the boy allegedly took a…

Chicago Police Department

Police reports

Spread the love

Spread the loveMan shot to death in Chicago Lawn A 23-year-old man was shot in the back of the head and killed in a crime that occurred in the 6400 block of South St. Louis at about 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30. Officers responding to a “person down” call discovered the victim lying on the…

Neighbors

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor. Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an…

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death.  But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party. Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in…

As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails

As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails

by JENNIFER BAMBERG Investigate Midwest jennifer.bamberg@investigatemidwest.org In 2006, 19-year-old Jessica Whinston inherited 20 acres of land that her grandparents once farmed in Quincy, Illinois. The land had sat dormant since the 1980s and was overgrown, but Whinston and her husband Bradley worked to turn it into a productive farm. The couple were eventually able to…

Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law

Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – State elections officials on Tuesday indicated they were unlikely to step in to clarify what constitutes illegal campaign coordination after voting to dismiss a complaint alleging such coordination in the 2022 campaign for governor. At their monthly meeting in Chicago, Illinois State Board of Elections members…

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For the last two decades, each time a governor has moved to close a large state-run facility like a prison or mental health center, a legislative oversight panel has voted on the plan. That changed on Friday – at least for now –…

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com LINCOLN – On the eve of a scheduled vote to advise Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on plans to close and rebuild a pair of dilapidated state prisons, hundreds filed into a junior high school gymnasium Thursday evening clad in matching green T-shirts. Printed on the shirts was a…

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children.  The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…