Chicago requires blind students to take driver's education

Chicago requires blind students to take driver's education

March 13, 2006

Mayra Ramirez, a 16 year old Chicago, USA student is blind. In order to graduate, she and dozens of other visually impaired students in Chicago schools are required to pass a written rules-of-the-road exam. "In other classes, you don't really feel different because you can do the work other people do," Ramirez said. "But in driver's ed, it does give us the feeling we're different. In a way, it brought me down, because it reminds me of something I can't do."

Michael Vaughn, a spokesman for Chicago schools said, "I can't explain why up to this point no one has raised the issue and suggested a better way for visually impaired students to opt out of driver's ed."

Blind students are typically told that they must take the class to graduate; although, by law, any parent can request a change in a disabled student's education plan. This law is rarely, if ever, disclosed to the students, according to the Chicago Tribune.


Sources

• Tracy Dell'Angela "Driver's ed for blind kids?". Chicago Tribune, March 10,2006
  

• AP "Chicago Requires Driver's Ed for the Blind". YahooNews, March 10,2006
  

• Uoi "Blind kids required to take driver's ed". UPI.com, March 10,2006

Chicago Transit Authority announces repairs to Blue and Red Line

Chicago Transit Authority announces repairs to Blue and Red Line

July 11, 2007

Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) riders on the subway portions of the Red and Blue lines may see relief of the slow zone in the coming months. So-called "slow zones" are locations where trains travel at restricted speeds because of track work or deteriorating conditions.

The CTA is putting nearly US$15 millions towards renovation of the O'Hare to Clark/Lake portion of the Blue Line and Chicago to Belmont portions of the Red Line. Work will happen during off peak and overnight hours. The CTA says that one track operations and delays may occur.

"We have heard our customers' frustration with slow zones and today we are acting to address their concerns,” said Chicago Transit Board chairperson Carole Brown. "I am pleased that we are able to leverage existing contracts to begin this work and I look forward to working with state lawmakers to increase transit investment to bring our entire system to a state of good repair."


Sources

Jon Hilkevitch "CTA To Tackles Slow Zones". Chicago Tribune, July 11, 2007

Press Release: "CTA to Tackle Red and Blue Line Slow Zones". Chicago Transit Authority, July 11, 2007

Big Box Ordinance

Big Box Ordinance

Ordinance in Chicago requiring "big box" stores to pay higher wages passes

August 3, 2006

The Chicago city council passed an ordinance on Wednesday a week ago that requires retailers such as Target, Home Depot, and other big box-store operations to pay a higher wage than the state minimum and offer benefits to their employees within Chicago city limits. The mayor of Chicago, Richard M. Daley, opposes the ordinance, though he has yet to state whether or not he intends to exercise his veto power. Because of the ordinance, Target has already put on hold the building of one store in Chicago's south side and other new developments are in jeopardy.

The ordinance applies to stores of at least 90,000 square feet operated by companies with more than $1 billion in annual sales. Starting in July of 2007, employees of these stores have a minimum wage $9.25 per hour and $1.50 per hour in benefits. By 2010, this will rise to $10 and $3, respectively. After 2010, the increases will be tied to the cost of living.

The current state mandated minimum hourly wage rate is $6.50 for an Illinois employee.


Sources

• "Chicago City Council Approves 'Big-Box' Ordinance". Associated Press, July 26, 2006
  

• Fran Speilman "Boxed out: Target says forget it". Chicago Sun Times, August 3, 2006
  

• Gary Washburn "‘Big-Box’ ordinance puts new Target on hold". Chicago Tribune, August 3, 2006
  

• Ryan McMaken "Chicago Mandates a "Living Wage"". Ludwig von Mises Institute, 27 July 2006
  

• "Minimum Wage Laws In States". U.S. Department of Labor, April 3, 2006

Loyola Phoenix

Loyola Phoenix

The Loyola Phoenix is the official newspaper of Loyola University Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. Published on a weekly basis, it not only serves the students and faculty of the various colleges of the university in the United States and Italy, but it also serves the northside Chicago neighborhoods of Edgewater and Rogers Park and has a readership that extends through the twenty-eight member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. Since its inception, the newspaper has received a reputation in the city for being an often controversial and extreme politically-liberal publication. Past staff advisors have been affiliated with the Chicago Tribune.



External Links

Loyola Phoenix