Original Articles from The Southeast Chicago Observer

Community organizations have witnessed the drastic changes in South Chicago due to the economic downturn beginning in the '70's with the steel mill closures and reaching its crisis peak in recent years. The recent global economic crisis has had severe effects locally evidenced by the closure of a health clinic on 86 th and Exchange, the cutting of South Chicago's library staff and hours, the many vacant homes due to foreclosures and a severe increase in unemployment.  Despite these cuts and, in part, because of them, organizations have remained a fixed presence in South Chicago and the Bush. And though all community organizations have felt the negative effects of the recession and budget cut duo, some have seen their programming expand. Growth in the Garden Although all organizations have experienced budget cuts, The Children's Garden, an educational center for kids ages three to five years, is expanding in this time of economic crisis. The Ga...

Community organizations have noticed and experienced drastic changes in South Chicago due to the economic downturn beginning with the closures of the steel mills in the '70's and reaching its crisis peak in recent years. The recent global economic crisis has had severe effects locally evidenced by the closure of a health clinic on 83 rd and Exchange, the cutting of library staff and hours, the many vacant homes due to foreclosures and high unemployment rates. Despite these cuts and, in part, because of them, organizations have remained a fixed presence in South Chicago and the Bush. And though all community organizations have felt the negative effects of the recession and budget cut duo, some have seen their programming expand. Under the Weight of Demand Centro Comunitario Juan Diego's executive director, Olivia Hernandez, lists close to 20 different services that the organization provides. Located on 89 th and Commercial Ave., the Centro provides ...

Today Omeshia Perez keeps her windows closed on the hottest of Chicago summer days. Her children stay inside as much as possible, and she has given up barbecuing. Carefree evenings in her backyard have been replaced by sleepless nights and cough-filled days. "Mom, am I going to die?" her three year-old asks. Life has been hard on the Perez's ever since the coal piles near 100 th St. and Commercial appeared across her alley several years back. Rolling hills of coal loom over the Calumet river while coal dust coats her windows, tinting the light inside. Seeping through the cracks, the dust covers everything from the kitchen to the bathroom, she says. "What am I supposed to do?" Perez asks a panel composed of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Leucadia representatives at a hearing organized to evaluate the community's response to the company's plan to build a coal gasification plant on 18000 S. Avenue O. "Run?" Leucadia is slated to ope...