Chicago Public Radio - Headlines

R. Kelly Jurors Selected

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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Jury selection wrapped up in the R. Kelly child pornography case.

Plan Commission Gives Nod to Children's Museum Move

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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The Chicago Children's Museum is closer to moving into its proposed Grant Park location. The museum's application was approved last evening after a marathon meeting.

A Quarter Million People Apply for Housing Voucher Wait-List

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Chicago Housing Authority received around a quarter million applications for its rental voucher wait-list. Only 40,000 spots are available. The application period ended yesterday and lasted just under a month. Sharon Glenn is the director of the voucher program.

GLENN: You have to recognize that that number probably represents people that went online and mailed one or mailed two. You know, that type of thing. Some people feel they have better chances if they fill out more than one even though we said that’s not the case.

CHA says people will be notified by mid-July if their application was randomly selected for the list. After that, they wait some more. Glen says about 250 to 280 vouchers become available each month. Glenn says it took 10 years to exhaust the old wait list.

R. Kelly Records Stay Sealed

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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A judge ruled today that he would not unseal records in the R. Kelly trial pornography case.

Food Pantries Keep an Eye on Farm Bill

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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Food pantries in the Chicago-area are closely watching the progress of the U.S. Farm Bill. That's because the majority of the proposed funding is aimed at nutritional programs.

Children's Museum Debate Too Fast for One Panelist

Fri, 16 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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One of Chicago's highest profile land-use issues is now closer to a resolution. The Chicago Plan Commission last night approved The Children's Musuem's proposed move from Navy Pier to Grant Park

Park District Ducks Out Of Latin School Soccer Fight

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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A group of parks advocates has likely won a victory against the Chicago Park District. It's over the district's plan to lease a soccer field to a private school. A tentative legal agreement could erase months worth of acrimony, but the half-finished soccer field could still be a bone of contention.

Chicago Chinese-American Groups Create Fund for Quake Victims

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Chinese-American groups in Chicago announced a fund Wednesday to help victims of the massive earthquake that hit China earlier this week. Donations will be accepted through five banks that serve the Chicago area. Bernarda Lo Wong is president of the Chinese American Service League.

LO WONG: Everybody’s very concerned. Whether or not we are from Sichuan or not, we’re all Chinese Americans. And even beyond that, we’re all citizens of the world. When disasters like this strike any part of the world, we need to be concerned.

The groups say they haven't decided where donations will ultimately be sent. They are considering giving them to the Chinese government or a disaster relief organization.

Nearly 15,000 people are confirmed dead from the 7.9 magnitude quake. The toll is likely to go much higher.

Paratransit Riders Harshly Criticize Transit Service

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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People with disabilities say paratransit service in Chicago has become a mess. Several individuals today appeared before the Regional Transportation Authority to demand improvement.

PACE Officials Say Work Isn't Over on Paratransit

Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

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PACE officials say they're working hard to improve transit service for people with disabilities. That's after hearing hundreds of complaints from riders over the last few months.