Chicago Sun-Times: All posts by Alice Keefe2016-11-09T00:18:00-06:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/authors/alice-keefe/rss2016-11-09T00:18:00-06:002019-04-16T01:05:58-05:00Mendoza ousts Munger, rebuking Rauner, paying tribute to Topinka
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Susana Mendoza celebrates her victory with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Secretary of State Jesse White. | Santiago Covarrubias/Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Leslie Munger landed in the comptroller’s office last year with the only vote that mattered: Bruce Rauner’s.</p><p>But in a rebuke to the first-term Republican governor who gave millions to keep Munger in her post, Illinois voters rejected Munger in favor of Democrat Susana Mendoza — lifting yet another outspoken female personality to the comptroller’s office.</p><p>Mendoza, the Chicago City Clerk, led the state’s big-money comptroller race with 49 percent of the vote with 94 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night. Munger, a Republican from Lincolnshire, had 45 percent of the vote. Libertarian Claire Ball and Green Party candidate Tim Curtin each had 3 percent.</p><p>Tuesday’s election gave voters a chance to finally choose a replacement for late Republican Judy Baar Topinka, a larger-than-life politician known for playing the accordion, dancing the polka and shopping for bargains at garage sales and thrift stores. She died suddenly in December 2014, one month after winning a four-year term in the comptroller’s office, but one month before she could start it.</p><p>Now a daughter of Mexican immigrants who promises to be a vocal Rauner antagonist is poised to finish that term.</p><p>Rauner appointed Munger to serve as the state’s new comptroller when he first took office in 2015. But former Gov. Pat Quinn, a Democrat, had already signed legislation triggering a special election. The result was this year’s big-money race for an obscure office that has at times been targeted for elimination.</p><p>Shades of Topinka’s quirky personality re-emerged Tuesday night at Mendoza’s election night party, where the Democratic declared victory in an outfit that once belonged to the late Republican, a bright red skirt suit.</p><p>Mendoza finally appeared at her party to declare victory around 11:15 p.m.</p><p>“I couldn’t have done this without you,” Mendoza told the crowd.</p><p>Mendoza’s supporters gathered at The Palmer House Hilton, snacking on French pastries and watching election results on ABC and CNN. Even before the numbers began to roll in, one staffer told a reporter confidently that, “Susana’s earned it.” The crowd seemed more nervous about the presidential election than the comptroller race.</p><p>Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel made an appearance as Mendoza appeared poised to declare victory.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Illinois Comptroller candidate Susana Mendoza, left, and her husband David Szostak, right, hug their son David, while watching election results at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago on Nov. 8, 2016. | Santiago Covarrubias/Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/2638cfd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FYCwp9nOYEj6P7wTug5BBfCDxozk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16082395%2Fcomptroller_110916_004_65240673.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/6b338f3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+54/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FYCwp9nOYEj6P7wTug5BBfCDxozk%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x683%2F1024x683%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x341%3A513x342%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16082395%2Fcomptroller_110916_004_65240673.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Illinois Comptroller candidate Susana Mendoza, left, and her husband David Szostak, right, hug their son David, while watching election results at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago on Nov. 8, 2016. | Santiago Covarrubias/Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Thirty miles to the north, Munger posed for photos as her team gathered at the Marriott Lincolnshire, sipping on wine and domestic beer and listening to classic rock giants — Van Halen, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The crowd was loose but tight-lipped when it came to how the night might play out.</p><p>Around 11 p.m., Munger told supporters that she had conceded to Mendoza. Even in defeat, Munger said she was proud of her campaign and added, “I can’t think of anything I would’ve done differently.”</p><p>Tuesday’s vote concluded a highly contentious race between the women, which many have framed as a proxy war between Rauner and Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. The candidates raised at least $12 million combined and each spent six-digit sums with firms specializing in political campaign ads.</p><p>The candidates themselves decried the proxy war narrative while also playing into it, accusing each other of operating in “lockstep” with their political captains. Mendoza at one point told the Chicago Sun-Times, “I don’t feel like I’m running against Leslie Munger any more,” but rather against Rauner.</p><p>At Munger’s party, Ron MacFarlane, of Buffalo Grove, said Mendoza would be “another rubber stamp” for Madigan. He added, “every Democrat in the state, sadly, is a rubber stamp for Madigan.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Comptroller Leslie Munger, left, prepares to cast her vote at Sprague Elementary School in Lincolnshire on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Max Herman/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7ef843a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+143/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FfnKkvVWv4HBj0GaCcEK6qLobr-Q%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x860%2F1024x860%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x430%3A513x431%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16082398%2Fillinois_state_comptroller_race_65231559.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/46bbdce/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1024x575+0+143/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FfnKkvVWv4HBj0GaCcEK6qLobr-Q%3D%2F0x0%3A1024x860%2F1024x860%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28512x430%3A513x431%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16082398%2Fillinois_state_comptroller_race_65231559.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Comptroller Leslie Munger, left, prepares to cast her vote at Sprague Elementary School in Lincolnshire on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016. (Max Herman/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Munger, a former marketing executive, declared herself the “independent” candidate in the race despite taking $1 million from the governor’s campaign fund and another $1 million directly from the governor and his wife.</p><p>Mendoza accepted $650,000 from the Democratic Party of Illinois, led by Madigan. She worked in Chicago’s city planning department starting in 1998 and served as state representative from 2001 until 2011, the year she was elected clerk.</p><p>Munger’s central message revolved around her decision last spring to put all elected officials’ paychecks — hers included — at the back of the line for payment. In one of her campaign commercials, she says elected officials in Springfield are “hurting Illinois, so why should they get paid?”</p><p>Mendoza said she would continue that policy. But she also promised to be more of a watchdog when it comes time to write the state budget.</p><p>“I believe that the comptroller’s office has a much bigger role to play in terms of being an advocate for fiscal sanity in Springfield,” Mendoza told the Sun-Times.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/11/9/18359359/mendoza-ousts-munger-rebuking-rauner-paying-tribute-to-topinkaJon SeidelAlice KeefeSam Charles2016-06-24T08:32:00-05:002019-04-16T02:16:29-05:00U of C faculty member departs after sexual misconduct investigation
<p>A University of Chicago faculty member has left the school after an investigation concluded they had violated the school’s policy on harassment, discrimination and sexual misconduct.</p><p>The investigation started after allegations of “inappropriate behavior during a private party, which followed an off-campus meeting organized by a University department,” according to a statement issued by the university.</p><p>Though the statement did not identify the faculty member, the statement was released to the Sun-Times on Wednesday in response to questions about Jason Lieb, a molecular biologist at the university. Lieb resigned last month after the university recommended he be fired for violating the school’s sexual misconduct policy, <a class="Link" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/us/chicago-professor-resigns-amid-sexual-misconduct-investigation.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share" target="_blank" >The New York Times is reporting.</a> According to the Times, Lieb allegedly made unwelcome sexual advances to female students at a party for the human genetics department.</p><p>According to the Times, this is not the first time an investigation has been launched regarding Lieb’s conduct. Lieb also worked at University of North Carolina for 13 years, during which time he was under investigation for a complaint of unwanted contact. UNC was unable to find evidence to support the allegation, according to the Times.</p><p>The university told the Sun-Times it would not release the name of the faculty member “to protect those who participated in the investigation,” but added that “the findings, conclusions and recommendations will be part of the faculty member’s employment record at the University.”</p><p>It also noted that before that person was hired, they told the university “about a prior allegation involving unwanted contact” at another institution. After the university looked into the matter, “the institution of that prior allegation did not find that the individual had violated policies on sexual misconduct. As a precaution despite this assurance, the University required the individual to undergo training before starting at the University,” according to the statement issued Wednesday.</p><p>The Times story includes a statement issued by the university’s assistant provost, Sarah Wake, following the complaints voiced by faculty and students who attended the retreat:</p><p>“In light of the severity and pervasiveness of Professor Lieb’s conduct, and the broad, negative impact the conduct has had on the educational and work environment of students, faculty and staff, I recommend that the university terminate Professor Lieb’s academic appointment.”</p><p>The Chicago Maroon, the university’s student newspaper, published a <a class="Link" href="http://chicagomaroon.com/2012/11/30/part-v-statistics-belie-the-scope-of-the-crime/" target="_blank" >series</a> on sexual assault allegations at the University in 2013. Former editor-in-chief Joy Crane, who wrote the series, says she’s “not surprised at all” about the allegations surrounding Lieb’s resignation. According to Crane, this is not the first time she’s heard about inappropriate sexual behavior by professors; she believes there has been a “degradation of trust in the ability of the administration to pursue grievances” by faculty and students.</p><p>University of Chicago senior Hannah Shea said the Times story was the first she’d heard of Lieb’s departure. “The University must have kept the whole thing under wraps,” Shea said, noting that though the Times referred to students approving of how the incident was handled, “no one was talking about it.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/6/24/18366447/u-of-c-faculty-member-departs-after-sexual-misconduct-investigationAlice Keefe2016-06-24T08:28:00-05:002019-04-16T00:15:21-05:00Demolition of Western Avenue overpass begins March 1
<p>Motorists used to taking the Western Avenue overpass should prepare for headaches — or find a new route.</p><p>That bridge over Belmont Avenue in Roscoe Village is coming down. The work is scheduled to start March 1, according to the Chicago Department of Transportation.</p><p>Mike Claffey, CDOT spokesman, said the demolition is inconvenient but unavoidable. The overpass, which opened in 1961, is severely deteriorated and outdated.</p><p>But it won’t be replaced with another overpass. Current design requirements would mean a new overpass would take up a lot more space, and that would mean buying up private land. Instead, CDOT will build a five-way intersection as part of the $25.6 million Western Avenue Corridor Improvement Project, which focuses on the 1.25-mile stretch of Western Avenue from Jones Street to Waveland Avenue.</p><p>“We looked at two options in the design process: replace the viaduct with a new one, or eliminate the viaduct and have a modern intersection,” Claffey said. CDOT hopes a new intersection will “restore the fabric of the community” and make the area more inviting to pedestrians and potential retailers.</p><p>For a while, though, it will become decidedly less inviting, with traffic on Western restricted to one lane in each direction for the first six months of the project. On some days, the road will be closed. Belmont also will be closed on some days, though exact dates have not been announced.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Image shows what Western Avenue will look like after the construction. | Photo courtesy of Chicago Department of Transportation." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a53a031/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1078+0+1/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FCMKteDWHQRmtXeX-s3pO2zzE_tA%3D%2F0x0%3A1920x1080%2F1920x1080%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28960x540%3A961x541%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16077415%2Fmedian.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/58c000a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1920x1078+0+1/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FCMKteDWHQRmtXeX-s3pO2zzE_tA%3D%2F0x0%3A1920x1080%2F1920x1080%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28960x540%3A961x541%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16077415%2Fmedian.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Image shows what Western Avenue will look like after the construction. | Photo courtesy of Chicago Department of Transportation.</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Mary Markarian, executive director of the Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce, said the timing is never good for big projects like this one, but she’s confident it will open up the neighborhood. The project will add lamp posts, landscaping and expanded sidewalks, in addition to ADA ramps and a third traffic lane during rush hours.</p><p>Markarian and other residents are confused about why the city didn’t maintain the bridge in the first place, noting that she doesn’t remember any upkeep or maintenance by the city. Markarian and other residents are urging people to support the community’s local businesses during the 18-month construction period.</p><p>Weather permitting, construction is to begin on March 1. Claffey said there will be a few days of full-lane closures within the first 70 days of the project, although those dates have yet to be announced. There will be full closure of Belmont Avenue in both directions for a six-day period, and Western Avenue for a three-day period. Aside from these full closures, there will be intermittent daytime closures through the end of the month. Claffey said work will take place during the week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.</p><p>Although many residents are worried about the potential increase of traffic on nearby residential streets during the project, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) is working with CDOT to minimize that, said Paul Sajovec, Waguespack’s chief of staff. Residents were initially nervous about taking down the bridge, but most support and understand why the project is needed, Sajovec said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="The Western Avenue bridge opened in 1961. | Brian Jackson/For the Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b9e7b82/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4800x2694+0+246/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FPdTR_Is0GRZD_thc4RI9ea-fyxM%3D%2F0x0%3A4800x3186%2F4800x3186%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282400x1593%3A2401x1594%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16077416%2Fwesternaveoverpass.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/85e4972/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4800x2694+0+246/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FPdTR_Is0GRZD_thc4RI9ea-fyxM%3D%2F0x0%3A4800x3186%2F4800x3186%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282400x1593%3A2401x1594%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16077416%2Fwesternaveoverpass.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The Western Avenue bridge opened in 1961. | Brian Jackson/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Some wonder why it was built in the first place. Sajovec said that according to legend, the overpass was the idea of Mayor Richard J. Daley, sparked by his being stuck in traffic on Western Avenue — traffic likely caused by the nearby Riverview amusement park, which closed in 1967. The overpass opened on November 22, 1961.</p><p>Josh Cooley, owner of Belmont Barbershop, 2328 W. Belmont Ave., is concerned about how the construction will affect his business, which he opened 10 years ago.</p><p>“In a perfect world, I’d love to see them rebuild it,” said Cooley, but he understands that this would require the city to buy up adjacent homes and businesses. Instead, he added, they’ll have to “brace ourselves” and “ride it out.”</p><p>Sajovec said that the project will require that kind of patience.</p><p>“We understand that it’s going to be a rough spring and summer because it is a large infrastructure undertaking, but our hope is that it will proceed according to schedule and it will result in a much better structure,” he said.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/6/24/18354137/demolition-of-western-avenue-overpass-begins-march-1Alice Keefe2016-04-20T14:30:00-05:002019-04-16T00:12:01-05:00Red Line beating caught on video; may have been sparked by slur
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>A video posted to Twitter shows a beating on the Red Line that, according to the person posting the video, was sparked by a racist taunt. | Screenshot</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>The beating of a passenger on a CTA train — possibly sparked by a racial slur — was captured on video and has caught the attention of Chicago Police.</p><p>It appears to have happened on a southbound Red Line train as it was approaching U.S. Cellular Field. Multiple videos and audio of the incident were posted to Twitter by someone purporting to have witnessed it.</p><p>That person added this comment: “After being called “n—–” over and over this old man had enough and beat the s— out of this drunk racist dude.”</p><p>Some comments added to the online video say the white man who was beaten had been taunting the black man who eventually reacted; one short recording shows little but does capture audio of someone saying “Hit me! Do something, n—–!”</p><p>In the video showing the bulk of the incident, the black man, wearing a navy sport coat, khakis and a cap, repeatedly kicks and wrestles with the white man, then grabs his head and beats it against the floor. The white man was wearing light-colored pants and blue surgical-type smock. He had tattoos on both arms.</p><p>The white man wore a baseball-style cap backwards on his head — until it was knocked off. The black man’s hat stayed on his head — and his jacket stayed buttoned — throughout the incident.</p><p>As the train arrives at the Sox/35th station, the older man pushes the other man onto the platform — and someone tosses him one of his shoes, which apparently had come off during the ordeal. That same Twitter account also had two follow-up videos posted. One showed the man who’d been beaten sitting on the train platform, appealing — apparently without success — to a CTA worker as he was taunted by passengers before the train pulled away. The other, taken on the train, showed the man in the blue jacket sitting back, catching his breath and receiving a few accolades from other passengers.</p><p>A CTA spokesman said the transit agency is “aware of a disturbance aboard a CTA Red Line train that occurred at the Sox-35th station on Monday at approximately 5 p.m. but at this time no police report has been filed . . . We are available to assist in any investigation by police including by providing any available video footage.”</p><p>The police department issued this statement Wednesday:</p><p>“A search of our databases revealed no recent documented battery incidents occurring on the Red Line train, near the 35th Street Station. We are aware of the altercation captured on video and circulating on social media and are looking into the matter.”</p><p>Here’s the video, which has some violent content:</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<blockquote><p>after being called n—– over and over this old man had enough and beat the s— out of this drunk racist dude 😭 pic.twitter.com/QAOtH6Dqxf — kemond (@raresoulx) April 19, 2016</p></blockquote>
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<p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/20/18353807/red-line-beating-caught-on-video-may-have-been-sparked-by-slurAlice Keefe2016-04-19T16:54:08-05:002019-04-15T19:29:34-05:00CPS rallies against funding cuts proposed by Gov. Rauner
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>CPS held a rally and community leaders rallied at Drake Elementary on Tuesday. | Brian Jackson/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Community leaders joined members of Chicago’s Board of Education Tuesday to oppose what they called “draconian education cuts” proposed by Gov. Rauner, which would reduce the Chicago Public Schools budget $74 million.</p><p>CPS CEO Forrest Claypool was among those at the rally outside of Drake Elementary, 2710 S. Dearborn St.</p><p>“We must say no to Gov. Rauner’s budget cuts for Chicago Public Schools,” Claypool said in a press conference following the rally. “Our children receive just 74 cents for every dollar the rest of the state receives, on average” — and, Claypool added, that math just does not add up.</p><p>Dr. Byron Brazier of the Apostolic Church of God was among several clergy members to attend.</p><p>“I am not the only voice, I just happen to be the voice that was there today,” Dr. Brazier said.</p><p>He said his congregation of 20,000 people supported his decision to speak out today and express the outrage his community feels about these cuts. “Our children and our children’s children are at risk,” Brazier said. He sees the $74 million dollar reduction of the district’s budget, which is part of a $55 million dollar state budget increase, as “unconscionable” and an example of “political tyranny.”</p><p>In response, a Rauner spokeswoman said the formula used to determine school districts’ budgets is based on three factors: the number of students enrolled, the number of low-income students enrolled and the property value of the district. According to the governor’s office, the reason the district’s budget is being reduced is due to the decline of enrolled students and enrolled low-income students, along with increasing property values. At the end of the day, the governor’s office said, the reductions have to happen so that schools can open in the fall. </p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Bishop Byron Brazier spoke at the CPS rally on Tuesday. | Brian Jackson/For the Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/86a4c11/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4800x2694+0+253/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FqZOrQpQEg2S01Bsjap7G9G6GFcM%3D%2F0x0%3A4800x3200%2F4800x3200%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282400x1600%3A2401x1601%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16050273%2Fbrazierbyron.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/646b433/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4800x2694+0+253/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FqZOrQpQEg2S01Bsjap7G9G6GFcM%3D%2F0x0%3A4800x3200%2F4800x3200%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282400x1600%3A2401x1601%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16050273%2Fbrazierbyron.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Bishop Byron Brazier spoke at the CPS rally on Tuesday. | Brian Jackson/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/19/18326251/cps-rallies-against-funding-cuts-proposed-by-gov-raunerAlice Keefe2016-04-14T19:53:00-05:002019-04-15T21:31:11-05:00Low-wage workers protest across the city for higher pay
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Protesters gathered outside a North Side McDonald’s on Thursday. | Stefano Esposito/Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Calling it the “biggest fight for $15” yet, about 50 people gathered outside a North Side McDonald’s restaurant Monday morning to demand higher wages and the right to form a union.</p><p>The protesters — a gathering of “low-paid” workers in a variety of industries — planned marches and rallies throughout the day across the city, in coordination with similar planned protests nationwide and globally.</p><p>“I’m a single mom, and I don’t make enough money to support myself or my three kids,” said Lakesia Collins, a nursing home worker assigned to a dementia unit. “On behalf of our nursing home workforce, I can definitely say, we are [over] worked, underpaid and underappreciated.”</p><p>Organizers planned a large rally downtown later Thursday to protest what they say is extreme corporate greed at the expense of workers barely making ends meet.</p><p>The movement is fighting for a $15 minimum wage nationwide.</p><p>“Working people share one struggle: It’s the fight for basic fairness and economic justice,” Collins said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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</div></div><p>The protesters targeted McDonald’s, saying the corporation undercuts wages across the country by paying “poverty wages.”</p><p>Later Thursday, the company responded.</p><p>“We proudly invest in the future of those who work in McDonald’s restaurants,” said Lisa McComb, a spokesperson for McDonald’s. “In addition to raising the minimum wage for employees at our company-owned restaurants, we also offer employees access to Archways to Opportunity, a set of programs McDonald’s pays for which helps them earn a high school diploma and get needed tuition assistance so they can work toward earning a college degree.”</p><p>The protest appeared to have little impact on business at the restaurant. A steady stream of customers came and went, including Oxana Bourakovska, holding a large cup of coffee.</p><p>“It makes sense because $10 an hour is no money at all,” said Bourakovska, 43, who works in marketing and lives in the Edgewater neighborhood. “They should pay more — much more. [McDonald’s] makes much bigger money.”</p><p>Diane Hammett, a small-business owner, said a national $15 minimum wage would be disastrous for the economy.</p><p>“It’s going to hurt the businesses,” said Hammett, 69, pulling out of the drive-thru. “The profit margins [for small businesses] are so low that the owners will not be able to sustain it.”</p><p>Later Thursday, the group of protesters grew to about 100 people. They gathered outside Elite Staffing at 1400 W. Hubbard St. to protest the company’s relationship with Pactiv LLC and McDonald’s.</p><p>Pactiv is a major McDonald’s supplier and creates their McCafe coffee cups.</p><p>Protesters entered the building and tried to give a letter the company’s head of operations, but no one answered the door.</p><p>Dominique Bouie, a 27-year-old Joliet woman, has worked at the Pactiv factory in Romeoville. She criticized the company for failing to give workers breaks and poor working conditions.</p><p>“I hope we win this thing,” Bouie said, because at the end of the day, “we just want to take care of our families.”</p><p>Protesters held signs reading: “McJobs cost us all” and pretended to make a cup of McDonald’s coffee, adding ingredients like “poverty wages.”</p><p>Elite Staffing declined to comment on the protest.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Protesters march on the office of Elite Staffing, a temporary employment agency. | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4d03056/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x2909+0+273/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FaUdYtHyyXu6WcvA3ZhJwUiuNivU%3D%2F0x0%3A5184x3456%2F5184x3456%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282592x1728%3A2593x1729%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16061985%2Ffight15keefe3.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f390bf0/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5184x2909+0+273/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FaUdYtHyyXu6WcvA3ZhJwUiuNivU%3D%2F0x0%3A5184x3456%2F5184x3456%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282592x1728%3A2593x1729%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16061985%2Ffight15keefe3.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Protesters march on the office of Elite Staffing, a temporary employment agency. | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<img class="Image" alt="Some protesters try to enter the Elite Staffing offices, 1400 W. Hubbard. | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9756c1d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3264x1832+0+308/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fyivi2bEyJGgjYgqsm0zr4ZowuGE%3D%2F0x0%3A3264x2448%2F3264x2448%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281632x1224%3A1633x1225%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16061988%2Ffight15keefe4.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/a5e9d4e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3264x1832+0+308/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fyivi2bEyJGgjYgqsm0zr4ZowuGE%3D%2F0x0%3A3264x2448%2F3264x2448%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281632x1224%3A1633x1225%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16061988%2Ffight15keefe4.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Some protesters try to enter the Elite Staffing offices, 1400 W. Hubbard. | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/14/18337903/low-wage-workers-protest-across-the-city-for-higher-payStefano EspositoAlice Keefe2016-04-13T18:01:00-05:002019-04-15T19:31:43-05:00Aldermen try again to require employers to offer paid sick days
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p> Anne Ladky, co-chair of the Earned Sick Time Chicago Coalition, calls the proposed ordinance “a basic standard for a basic benefit.” | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>Aldermen, workers and advocates from the Earned Sick Time Chicago Coalition introduced an ordinance on Wednesday that would require some employers to offer paid sick days.</p><p>The ordinance, sponsored by several aldermen, including Toni Foulkes (15th), Proco Joe Moreno (1st), Joe Moore (49th) and Scott Waguespack (32nd), would affect almost half of Chicago’s private-sector workers.</p><p>Along with Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th), Anne Ladky, co-chair of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Working Families Task Force, called the proposition “a basic standard for a basic benefit” at a City Hall press conference.</p><p>The ordinance was introduced once before, and it went nowhere. But it did lead to a nonbinding ballot referendum in the 2015 election, which found that 82 percent of Chicagoans support paid sick days.</p><p>Pawar acknowledged that although some companies and groups oppose the ordinance — they are, he said, “people who are against everything” — the proposal is intended to set “just a baseline of decency.”</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) called the ordinance “a baseline of decency.” | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/ceac74d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x359+0+60/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FJwpFZ596QTx0PbkV4Lzrmet13k4%3D%2F0x0%3A640x480%2F640x480%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28320x240%3A321x241%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16050497%2Fimg_2258.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/42142ec/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x359+0+60/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FJwpFZ596QTx0PbkV4Lzrmet13k4%3D%2F0x0%3A640x480%2F640x480%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28320x240%3A321x241%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16050497%2Fimg_2258.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th) called the ordinance “a baseline of decency.” | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Despite opposition from business groups that have flagged the city for piling on, Emanuel embraced the concept of paid sick leave. But he was careful not to sign on to any specific proposal.</p><p>“I believe that people should not have to have a false choice between being a good employee and a good parent. And it shouldn’t be at the discretion just of an employer that you happen to work at a good place,” the mayor said Wednesday.</p><p>“The policy of having paid sick days — five of ’em — as a general rule I support. [But] I happen to think we have to be smart about it. . . . I don’t want the city to try to be an island unto itself. But I have done certain things in my whole life so people don’t have to be forced into false choices . . . or the wrong choices.”</p><p>Emanuel reminded reporters that, shortly after he took office, he implemented a policy of granting city employees paid maternity leave. Before that edict, pregnant moms were force to store up sick days in advance of giving birth.</p><p>The ordinance proposes that workers could earn up to five sick days in one year, at the rate of one hour earned for every 40 hours worked.</p><p>The proposal recommends that workers be allowed to carry up to two and a half unused sick days to the following year.</p><p>Other cities, such as Seattle, San Francisco and New York, already have similar ordinances on the books.</p><p>Foulkes spoke about her own challenges with taking time off as a cake decorator at Jewel. She stayed home sick with the chicken pox for 18 days — and was paid for only two of those.</p><p>Moreno called the proposition a no-brainer and a human right. He recommended that establishments that oppose it should place a sign in their windows: “Caution — your food may be prepared by someone that’s sick because we don’t support paid sick days.”</p><p>Tanya Triche, vice president and general counsel of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, a group that opposes the ordinance, said the problem isn’t giving employees this benefit but forcing companies to pay the price.</p><p>Triche said this ordinance is just another one of many costly regulations Chicago business owners have been mandated to pay for, and she and others are left wondering: “Why is it that the city of Chicago always goes to the employer to pay for the mandate?”</p><p>One way to combat this issue is to tackle it at the national level, Triche said. This way, companies in areas where paid sick leave is mandatory — and businesses pick up the costs — will not be competing with those who are not forced to pay the cost of such regulations.</p><p><b>Contributing:</b> <i>Fran Spielman</i><br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/13/18326438/aldermen-try-again-to-require-employers-to-offer-paid-sick-daysAlice Keefe2016-04-05T16:55:00-05:002019-04-16T07:10:32-05:00Restored, expanded Fullerton Avenue Beach has nearly 6 new acres
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (center) and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., arrive for the ribbon-cutting at a preserved and expanded Fullerton Avenue Beach. | Alice Keefe/For the Sun-Times</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>A brisk wind and chilly temperatures didn’t stop the official opening of an expanded and restored section of lakefront at Fullerton Avenue Beach.</p><p>This project, 15 years in the making, was the result of efforts by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Chicago Park District and the city of Chicago to stop the erosion of the shoreline and create nearly six acres of new park space.</p><p>“The shore was falling in to the lake,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who attended Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting.</p><p>Actual reconstruction to strengthen the shoreline near the Fullerton Theater on the Lake began in 2014.</p><p>The project also provides a split lakefront trail with separate biking, running and pedestrian paths, something “people have been asking for — as much for enjoyment as security,” Emanuel said at Wednesday’s ribbon-cutting. Similar separate trails are planned elsewhere along the lakefront.</p><p>Sen. Durbin, who attended the opening, called this area of lakefront “Disneyland for a lot of families in Chicago. This is their break, their vacation.” The project is one of the final areas getting an upgrade through the city’s <a class="Link" href="http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/supp_info/shoreline_protectionproject.html" target="_blank" >Shoreline Protection Project</a>.</p><p>The Theater on the Lake is a special interest of the mayor’s. When work started in 2014, he said he hoped the theater could stage not only community theater or amateur shows, but also attract world-class productions, according to a statement issued by the city. The restored area, Emanuel said, “an enhancement that will pay dividends for generations to come.”</p><p>Responding to questions after the ceremony, Emanuel declined to say when he would announce his decision on a new Chicago Police superintendent.</p><p>“Quick is not the value I’m looking for,” he said. “‘Right’ is the value I’m looking for.” His priority, he added, “is to find the right person who has the right judgment and qualities we need in the city to reduce gun violence.”<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/4/5/18398256/restored-expanded-fullerton-avenue-beach-has-nearly-6-new-acresAlice Keefe2016-03-15T22:00:00-05:002019-04-16T08:24:14-05:00Kirk, Duckworth win primaries, will face off in November
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Sen. Mark Kirk and Rep. Tammy Duckworth will faceoff in November for the Senate.</p></figcaption></div>
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</div></div><p>U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s campaign predicted Illinois would be “ground zero” in November’s battle for control of the Senate.</p><p>Now that the incumbent Republican and Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth have formally secured their parties’ nominations, that battle is officially on.</p><p>Kirk and Duckworth easily won their respective primaries Tuesday and now brace for what is sure to be a hard-fought — and bitter — general election campaign. Kirk is viewed as particularly vulnerable this year, prompting three Democrats to run for the chance to oppose him.</p><p>Duckworth topped former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp and state Sen. Napoleon Harris. She led Tuesday night with 62.7 percent of the vote to Zopp’s 25.2 percent and Harris’ 12.1 percent with 55 percent of precincts reporting.</p><p>Kirk faced only Oswego software consultant James Marter in the Republican primary, who brought little name recognition or campaign cash to the race. With 55 percent of precincts reporting, Kirk led with 71.1 percent of the vote to Marter’s 28.9 percent.</p><p>After the race had been called, Kirk leaned on a cane as he slowly took the stage at his campaign headquarters and promised “bold contrasts” in the November election. He also took a shot at his general election opponent, saying Duckworth “repeatedly has failed.”</p><p>“I’ve been underrated in every election,” Kirk said. “I have beaten the odds and exceeded expectations. I have won every race. The next election will be no different.”</p><p>Duckworth later countered that “Kirk’s policies have left factories idle and dreams destroyed.”</p><p>“We are going to lead on strength and not fear,” Duckworth said. “Unfortunately, that’s a message that’s lost on Mark Kirk.”</p><p>Kirk’s “bold contrasts” theme played out at the candidates’ election-night parties. Kirk appeared at his small, hot and cramped high-rise headquarters near Monroe and Dearborn, while Duckworth made her speech in a wide-open space with big-screen TVs showing the local news at The Ivy Room near Ohio and State.</p><p>Tunes by Adele played through the speakers at Kirk’s party before he arrived. Duckworth’s supporters listened to “Take It Easy” by the Eagles just before she spoke.</p><p>Marter had challenged Kirk from the right, accusing him of abandoning Republican principles on issues such as gun control and immigration policy and by voting not to repeal Obamacare or de-fund Planned Parenthood.</p><p>But Kirk’s campaign touted his endorsements from leading Illinois Republicans, including Gov. Bruce Rauner and the GOP leaders in the Illinois House and Senate. A spokesman also said Kirk voted to repeal and replace Obamacare “over 40 times,” though the senator recently chose not to risk a government shutdown with another repeal vote.</p><p>And while the senator’s campaign insisted it took the challenge from Marter “very seriously,” it filled its website with anti-Duckworth rhetoric well ahead of the primary vote. It even referred to her in a tweet as a “naïve fool.”</p><p>Duckworth regularly takes her own shots at Kirk. She told supporters Tuesday night that Kirk would support GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump in the fall and declared, “those are not Illinois’ values.” She had also looked past the primary to the incumbent senator.</p><p>“My record speaks for itself, and I’m proud of it,” Duckworth has said. “I don’t have to defend my record. I’ve been a productive member of the House, and I have a long record of serving my state in uniform, in state government and now in federal office. I’m focused on Mark Kirk. I think that the more people who can talk about the failures of Mark Kirk as a senator, the better for the people of Illinois.”</p><p>Duckworth lost both of her legs when the Black Hawk helicopter she was co-piloting in Iraq was hit by a grenade in 2004. Kirk had a stroke in 2012 and has faced his own physical obstacles, including struggles with speech and having to learn to walk again.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/3/15/18407034/kirk-duckworth-win-primaries-will-face-off-in-novemberJon SeidelJordan OwenAlice Keefe2016-03-13T19:54:00-05:002019-04-16T01:21:54-05:00Who's Chicago's top dog?
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Labrador retrievers, like this one shown in the grooming area at the Westminster Kennel Club’s 140th Annual Dog Show last month, remain Chicago’s most popular breed. | Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images</p></figcaption></div>
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<p>French bulldogs, “affectionate and playful,” have won the hearts of dog lovers this year.</p><p>The “Frenchie” came in sixth on the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular dogs. Although it didn’t come close to ousting the perennial favorite, the Labrador retriever, “the Frenchie has risen 32 spots over the past decade and shows no sign of stopping,” the Kennel Club said.</p><p>The list <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/news/the-most-popular-dog-breeds-in-america/" target="_blank" >ranks 184 breeds of purebred dogs</a>.</p><p>For the past 25 years, the Lab — which the kennel club calls “intelligent” and “family friendly” — has held the No. 1 spot nationally.</p><p>Dr. Robyn Barbiers, veterinarian and president of the Anti-Cruelty Society in Chicago, wasn’t surprised to hear that Labradors maintained first place.</p><p>Barbiers, who has a Lab, says they are great family dogs. But that doesn’t always help them avoid the same fate as many other dogs: being abandoned or put up for adoption.</p><p>“Labs are adorable, and it’s easy to fall in love with them,” said Sheila Spitza, marketing coordinator for Midwest Labrador Retriever Rescue in Lombard. But they also have a longer puppyhood than many breeds and require lots of exercise and mental stimulation to keep them from becoming bored and potentially destructive, she said.</p><p>“Unfortunately, many people acquire Labs without doing the proper research to determine if their home and lifestyle is a good fit,” Spitza said.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="The French bulldog has risen 32 spots on the AKC’s list over the past decade. | Photo courtesy of American Kennel Club." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/70a5187/2147483647/strip/true/crop/450x253+0+24/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FyvXDiGK2qGbHnJdCfNprLDVQRe8%3D%2F0x0%3A450x300%2F450x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28225x150%3A226x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083829%2Ffrenchbulldog2_head_600x400.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45d23e7/2147483647/strip/true/crop/450x253+0+24/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FyvXDiGK2qGbHnJdCfNprLDVQRe8%3D%2F0x0%3A450x300%2F450x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28225x150%3A226x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083829%2Ffrenchbulldog2_head_600x400.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The French bulldog has risen 32 spots on the AKC’s list over the past decade. | Photo courtesy of American Kennel Club.</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>The Kennel Club’s list also “brings awareness to a lot of different breeds,” she said, and people get excited about the some of those lesser-known dogs, like the <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/cirneco-delletna/" target="_blank" >Cirneco dell’Etna</a>. Still, some of those seemingly exotic breeds may not be the best option for a family pet.</p><p>What is? Well, your local shelter has some very nice mixed-breed options.</p><p>“I think people have to recognize that these breeds are nice to look at, they’re beautiful, but mutts are really nice dogs,” Barbiers said.</p><p>AKC spokeswoman Jessica Rice D’Amato said the list is compiled based on how many of that breed were registered with the club that year.</p><p>Labradors won the hearts of Chicagoans, and the Kennel Club named Labs as the city’s most popular dog. Rounding out the top five locally are German shepherds, <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/french-bulldog/" target="_blank" >French bulldogs</a>, bulldogs and golden retrievers.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="The golden retriever is one of the most popular dogs in Chicago and across the nation. | AKC photo" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/301625b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/451x253+0+23/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fye5TdrGabYHhCGSgZGGVac_fVGw%3D%2F0x0%3A451x300%2F451x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28225x150%3A226x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083830%2Fgoldenretriever1_head_600x399.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/35d27f6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/451x253+0+23/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2Fye5TdrGabYHhCGSgZGGVac_fVGw%3D%2F0x0%3A451x300%2F451x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28225x150%3A226x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083830%2Fgoldenretriever1_head_600x399.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The golden retriever is one of the most popular dogs in Chicago and across the nation. | AKC photo</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>The city of Chicago has its own list, too. The clerk’s office keeps track of all dogs registered in the city. Labrador retrievers and Chihuahuas are nearly tied, with about 1,500 of each registered in the city, chased by German shepherds and golden retrievers.</p><p>Barbiers said the variety of dogs up for adoption at animal shelters includes plenty of purebreds — perhaps one-fourth of those available, depending on location. Beagles, Labs and various hounds are frequently in the mix.</p><p>Lowest on the AKC’s list is the gentle, affectionate and sociable <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/english-foxhound/" target="_blank" >English foxhound</a>. Ranked 184, the English foxhound has consistently held low rankings the past few years: 183 in 2014 and 177 in 2013.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<img class="Image" alt="The English foxhound has consistently ranked low in the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular dogs. | AKC photo" srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/20f8410/2147483647/strip/true/crop/455x255+0+22/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FXa2eyhc0mIGHwiW_W29jQhcN_XI%3D%2F0x0%3A455x300%2F455x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28227x150%3A228x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083831%2Fengfox_akcbloom_600x396.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f3cbb9b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/455x255+0+22/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FXa2eyhc0mIGHwiW_W29jQhcN_XI%3D%2F0x0%3A455x300%2F455x300%2Ffilters%3Afocal%28227x150%3A228x151%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F16083831%2Fengfox_akcbloom_600x396.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>The English foxhound has consistently ranked low in the American Kennel Club’s list of most popular dogs. | AKC photo</p></figcaption></div>
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</div><p>Other low-ranking breeds were the <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/norwegian-lundehund/" target="_blank" >Norwegian lundehund</a> (182) and the <a class="Link" href="http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/american-foxhound/" target="_blank" >American foxhound</a> (181).<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/3/13/18360859/who-s-chicago-s-top-dogAlice Keefe