Package of Standing Rock and the Dakota Access Pipeline stories
Standing Rock These stories on Standing Rock and the Dakota Access Pipeline have been supported in part by SJNN and the McCormick Foundation. They have been co-published by SJNN. When Cloee Cooper, June Leffler and Pat Nabong proposed in late Sept. 2016 to go from Chicago to North Dakota to report on the ongoing movement […]
Happy anniversary, Marktown: 100th year surviving
By Jingzhe(Kelly) Wang Marktown, in East Chicago, Indiana, is less than a half hour drive from the south side of Chicago. It’s in a different state and is in many ways in its own world. Built in 1917 as a planned community for a steel company, Marktown welcomed more than one thousand residents living in […]
NoDAPL supporters chant ‘Mni wiconi’ and it’s not just about water
By Pat Nabong and June Leffler [Package of Standing Rock and the Dakota Access Pipeline stories here] Women in black burkas have marched around the Oceti Sakowin camp in North Dakota with a banner that reads, “Muslims stand with Standing Rock.” In a ceremonial dance, Aztec dancers from South America have skipped to the beat […]
Trump’s ascendancy intensifies #NoDAPL movement
By Pat Nabong [Package of Standing Rock and the Dakota Access Pipeline stories here] Right by the Chicago River, hundreds of Native Americans and their supporters chanted, “Water is life!” Adorned with traditional headdresses, some of them lit tobacco and prayed for their water. And as the sun set, they danced under the shade of […]
Hurting from neglect: Election Day mattered in historic Indiana worker community
By Cloee Cooper Out of nine congressional districts in Indiana, two re-elected Democratic congressmen on Nov. 8. One of those was in the 1st Congressional District, where East Chicago’s historic community Marktown is located. Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky who has been in office since 1985, was re-elected. Although Marktown voted Democratic, as it usually does, […]
Green chemistry: preventive healthcare for the environment
By Mariah Quintanilla We all know that bagel coated with sesame, poppy, onion, garlic, caraway and salt. Chemical engineer Nick Thornburg considers an ‘everything’ bagel a reasonable metaphor for an inefficient catalyst, or a compound that speeds up a chemical reaction. For those of us non-chemists, a longer explanation is required. The point of his […]
Great Lakes protection awaits presidential candidates’ endorsement
By Ruojing Liu Environmentalists within the Great Lakes region announced a campaign platform Wednesday, asking the 2016 presidential candidates to support a Great Lakes restoration and protection agenda. The new platform includes endorsement of maintaining at least $300 million each year for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative within the Federal budget. President Obama cut that […]
New Ordinance Brings New Opportunities for Urban Agriculture
By Anna Boisseau CHICAGO—As part of the Food Justice and Sustainability weekend, dozens of local environmentalists came out on a frigid Sunday to learn more about Chicago’s new composting ordinance. Set to go into effect this spring, the ordinance will give urban farms and community gardens the chance to improve their compost piles. Some will […]
Missives from Mongolia: Chasing down the Ice Age
By Sarah Kramer The Altai Mounts of western Mongolia may be concealing secrets amid the splendor. The breathtaking alpine landscape could hold clues to how abrupt climate change might have impacted our ancestors— and how it may impact our descendants. This summer, a team of scientists, students and historians trekked through the hills and valleys […]
10th Ward Residents Vote: Ban Pet Coke Now
By Sarah Kramer and Lizz Giordano Residents of Chicago’s 10th Ward voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to ban the storage of petroleum coke, a byproduct of the oil refining process. Nearly 86 percent of voters favored the ban in Chicago’s Southeast Side 10th Ward. The referendum vote is non-binding, but it’s another loss for Koch Industries-owned KCBX […]
