Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Little Village Job & Resource Fair, 27 Agencies and Businesses, Ald. Munoz Skips 4th Meeting, Herbalife Scam, Latinos Leaders Hold Press Conference, Cuts by Cupid, Movie Review "Lone Survivor"

          
Job seekers browsing at the Little Village Job Fair.
HUGH SUCCESS:
On Monday, Jan. 27, 2014 not only did Chicagoans fight the frigid temperature of ZERO degrees, with a wind factor of -22, but they also battled the impossible task of finding parking near St. Agnes Church gym, 2651 S. Central Park Ave. Despite these challenging conditions four hundred [400] job seekers came to the Little Village Community Council 1st Annual Job & Resource Fair. St. Agnes’ gym doors were open from noon to 5 p.m. “The turnout proves how desperately people need jobs in our community,” said August Sallas, President, Little Village Community Council.
  CO-SPONSORS of the Job & Resource Fair were State Sen. Steve Landek and State Rep. Lisa Hernandez. “The turn-out was awesome!” said Hernandez.
           
Young adults gathering job information
 at the Little Village Job Fair.
27 AGENCIES AND BUSINESSES were represented and interviewed potential employees at the Little Village Job Fair. The gym was buzzing with networking, distribution of literature and information sharing about employment possibilities and opportunities.  “The Little Village Job Fair is the best Job Fair I’ve ever been involved with; and I’m involved in over 10 Fairs each year,” said Greg Brown, Computer Systems Institute. All of the vendors expressed their satisfaction and their willingness to come back to the next Little Village Job Fair.
          AGENCIES and businesses at the Job & Resource Fair were IL. Dept. of Transportation, IL. Dept. of Agriculture, IL. Dept. of Children and Family Services, IL. Dept. of Corrections, IL. Dept. of Employment Security, IL. Dept. of Central Management Services, IL. Dept. of Revenue, IL. Dept. of Professional Regulations, IL. State Police, IL Environmental Protection Agency, Computer Systems Institute, Megabus, Chicago Trolley & Double Decker Co., America’s Career Institute, Progresso Institute, PNC Bank, Chicago Board of Elections, Veteran’s services, Skills for Chicagoland’s Future, Secretary of State, El Hoger del Nino, State Sen. Steve Landek Service table and State Rep. Lisa Hernandez Service table. An unexpected visitor was Salvador “Tony” Godinez, Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. A special thanks was given to St. Agnes Church for donating the use of their gym. For more information call the LVCC at 773/522-2552.
FOURTH MEETING: The fourth Little Village community meeting was held at Piotrowski Park on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014. The main purpose of each of these meetings is to give Ald. Ricardo Munoz [22nd Ward] the opportunity to explain to the residents his plans to build a public housing project at 26th St. & Kostner Ave. The majority of the residents of Little Village do not know anything about Munoz’s housing project.
           ALD. MUNOZ is informed of each of these planned meetings; an invitation letter was hand-delivered to Ald. Munoz’s office a week prior to this most recent meeting. Yet, Munoz continues to ignore the invitations; he does not respond and, again, failed to attend. Ald. Munoz does not give a reason why he cannot attend these community meetings. Forty [40] residents braved the bitter cold weather to be at the community meeting anxious to learn about the housing project Ald. Munoz is proposing. At the meeting, attendees voiced their strong opposition to the public housing project in Little Village. Another community meeting is scheduled for February.  Ald. Munoz will again be invited. For more info call 312/286-3405.
           HERBALIFE SCAM: Chicago community Latino activists are calling on Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to investigate the business practices of Herbalife. Herbalife sells weight loss and nutritional products but this a multi-level marketing company that sells products only through distributors who invest their money to get Herbalife products, and then can [supposedly] profit by finding customers.
Latinos leaders held a Press Conference at the State of Illinois Building
to expose Herbalife's scheme and products. 
           LATINOS who buy into Herbalife’s pitch don’t make any money and often lose their investments. This business model of Herbalife’s is a pyramid scheme, a fraud, and unfairly target Hispanics said Latino leaders. Julie Contreras, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens [LULAC] in Waukegan, said, “In reality most distributors lose money. Herbalife profits by getting new distributors to buy in, which would fall under the definition of a pyramid scheme.”
           OMAR Duque, President & CEO, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said:  “By targeting vulnerable populations, those who are put at risk by Herbalife’s business model are those who have the most to lose.” A number of Latino victims have been identified. Madigan’s office plans to review the complaints against Herbalife. The toll-free number for Illinois victims to call and share their story is (855) 701-5437. 
           
CUTS BY CUPID: America’s Career Institute, Inc., 3437 W. 26th St., hopes to put Chicago in the Book of Guinness World Records with your help. An event, “Cuts By Cupid”, will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13th and Friday, Feb. 14th for twenty-four [24] hours from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ACI invites anyone who has 8 or more inches of hair to come and donate their 8 or more inches to help cancer patients. They are hoping to beat the record for the most hair donated in a 24-hour period, 48.72 kg (107.4 lb)! To get involved go to www.americascareerinstitute.com
          AMERICA’S Career Institute, Cosmetology and Nail Technician’s, are available to the public for salon services. For more info call 708/795-1500.
           MOVIE REVIEW: “Lone Survivor” is based a true story about four Navy SEALs given a dangerous covert mission to kill a high-level al-Qaeda operative in Afghanistan. The four seals are surrounded by hundreds of Taliban insurgents and battle against fierce gunfire. One seal survives this impossible mission to tell the story. Actor Mark Wahlberg does a good job acting. I give it three stars. 

  



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Where's Ricardo? Housing Matters, Public Housing Project in Little Village, Little Village Community Meeting, Vote 2014 TV Show, Endorsed Cook County Democrats, Job Fair, Movie Review

          WHERE’S RICARDO? Ald. Ricardo Munoz [22nd Ward] has missed three opportunities [meetings] to inform the Little Village residents and business people about the Mercy Public Housing project. A project he wants to build on 26th St. & Kostner Ave.
          THE FIRST meeting Ald. Munoz missed was scheduled on Nov. 5th at the Little Village Community Council office. Ald. Munoz committed himself to attend, but cancelled at the last minute. He kept twenty-five residents waiting for him. Then he was given two letters, a text message and a phone call inviting him to a Community Meeting at Good Shepherd Church, attended by 60 people, on Dec. 10th. Ald. Munoz, again, was a “no show”. On Dec. 11th, twelve businesspeople requested to meet with him, and again, Ald. Munoz ignored the request.
          ALD. MUNOZ you are sending the wrong message to your Little Village constituents by not attending these meetings! Your silence is loud and getting louder; and your unwillingness to meet with the community gives the impression of having something to hide from the people you represent.
          IF ALD. Munoz believes the public housing project is good for Little Village, he should be excited to announce it, publicly. It would only makes sense to be willing to meet with constituents to tell them how the project, his project, would improve and benefit the neighborhood.
          THE LITTLE Village Community Council and the HOPE Organization are opposing the housing project for many reasons: [1] The housing project is of no benefit to the community or its’ residents; [2] There are no housing or rental shortages in Little Village; [3] Residents of Little Village have not been informed about this public housing project; [4] Little Village is an immigrant community; and immigrants will not be able to apply for federal rental assistance under Section 8. Local resident Raul Montes Jr. said, “Section 8 has been a failure in Chicago”.
           AS PRESIDENT of the Little Village Community Council and a homeowner for 35 years in Little Village, I have not heard anyone say we need affordable public housing in Little Village. The people who are saying so are not in touch with the community. Mexicans are homeowners.  
          MANY Little Village residents and businesspeople have voiced their opposition to the housing project. Sadly, Enlace Chicago members have been calling the Mexicans in Little Village who oppose the housing project—racist [on Face Book of all platforms]. Enlace cannot comprehend that the Mexican residents of Little Village [the most densely Mexican community of Chicago and the Midwest] do not consider the housing project a Black issue; they see it as Mexican issue. Valid concerns expressed by Mexican residents and businesspeople are economic (devalued property), cultural stability, safety, and increased crime.
          LITTLE VILLAGE parents and their children have been clamoring for a sports and recreational facility. What Little Village needs on 26th St. & Kostner Ave. is a soccer field, a park with state-of-the-art and modern amenities, a vocational school, senior or youth center, or even a military historical museum. What it doesn’t need is a public housing project! Ald. Munoz made a promise years ago that he would build a park in the community. As of today, he has failed to keep his promise. It is unfortunate Ald. Munoz is not listening to the parents and children of his community. Remember, Munoz is up for election next year 2015.
          ANOTHER community meeting is scheduled at Piotrowski Park, 4247 W. 31st St. from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2014. Ald. Munoz will, again, be invited to attend this meeting and report on his housing project. LVCC and HOPE want to remind Alderman Munoz he has an obligation to inform the community. 
          Vote 2014: Watch the Hispanic American Labor Council cable TV Live show called “VOTE 2014” every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Cable Channel 21.  Viewers are invited to call-in and get to know various local, state and federal candidates running for office in the 2014 general primary elections.
          PRIMARY ELECTION: Endorsed for re-election by the Cook County Democratic Party for Cook County government is: President of the County Board Toni Preckwinkle, Sheriff Thomas Dart, Assessor Joseph Barrios, Treasurer Maria Pappas and County Clerk David Orr. Election is Tuesday, March 18, 2014.
          JOB FAIR: Need a Job? The first Little Village “Job Fair” will be held at St. Agnes Church gym, 2651 S. Central Park Ave. on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014 from 12 Noon to 5 p.m. Several companies, with job opportunities, have been invited to participate in the Job Fair. The Fair is being sponsored by the Little Village Community Council and co-sponsored by State Sen. Steve Landek and Rep. Lisa Hernandez. For more information call 773/522-2552.   
          MOVIE REVIEW: “American Hustle” has a confusing, twisted and long storyline. The best part of the movie was the last 10 minutes. Cutting 20 minutes of the movie would not make any difference. I give it one star and that’s because I like Christian Bale.