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US Town Unveils ‘Little Palestine’ Sign

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A street sign was unveiled Tuesday night in Bridgeview, Illinois, recognizing the area as “Little Palestine,” according to ABC7 Chicago.

The area of 79th Street to 113th Street houses one of the largest Palestinian-American communities in the U.S., according to ABC7 Chicago. The area is also home to more than 200 Arab-owned businesses, according to CBS News Chicago.

Waseem Al-Wawi, co-owner of Milk Cake Bakery, said he is “proud” to be part of the “Little Palestine” community.

“As a Palestinian walking here in the Little Palestine area, seeing all these businesses, all these Palestinian businesses, you can find anything you want,” Al-Wawi told CBS News Chicago.

“There’s a big Palestinian community here, we’re very proud to be part of little Palestine here in Bridgeview,” he said.

(Read more from “US Town Unveils ‘Little Palestine’ Sign” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

Democrat Bill Would Create ‘Prison Pipeline’ For Illinois’ Homeschooling Parents, Critics Say

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Illinois’ Democrat-run legislature is fast-tracking a bill that critics say attempts to criminalize parents’ ability to homeschool their children in the Prairie State.

This bill “continues that prison pipeline for homeschool parents,” said Will Estrada, senior counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association.

Dubbed “The Homeschool Act” (HB 2827), the measure in question seemingly seeks to increase restrictions governing homeschooling in Illinois.

According to Fox News, the original version of the legislation included provisions that sought to “charge parents with a misdemeanor if they fail to register their kids in a ‘homeschool declaration form’ to the nearest public school they would otherwise be attending.” The original bill also reportedly attempted to require parents to provide “documentation of immunizations and health examinations for children who wish to participate in public school activities.”

The controversial legislation generated widespread backlash across Illinois, resulting in massive protests at the state Capitol ahead of a March 19 hearing before the House Education Policy Committee. The committee nonetheless voted to advance the bill to the floor. (Read more from “Democrat Bill Would Create ‘Prison Pipeline’ For Illinois’ Homeschooling Parents, Critics Say” HERE)

Complaint: Education Board Violates Title IX By Forcing Students To Share Restrooms With Opposite Sex

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The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) face a federal civil rights complaint challenging their policies that require students to use facilities like restrooms and locker rooms with students of the opposite sex.

The Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI) and the Liberty Justice Center (LJC) filed the Title IX complaint with the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday stating that both ISBE and CPS are complying with a state law “forcing students to share bathrooms, locker rooms, and overnight accommodations with members of the opposite sex, based solely on self-declared ‘gender identity.’” That law is in conflict with federal law as well as multiple court rulings overturning the Biden administration’s attempt to redefine sex, the complaint says, adding that the Illinois schools either need to comply with the civil rights law or lose federal funding.

“Congress intended Title IX to ensure that schools provide equal educational opportunities without regard to sex, not to erase biological reality and force women and girls into uncomfortable and unsafe situations that violate the very law designed to protect them,” DFI President and Co-Founder Bob Eitel said in a press release. “ISBE and CPS are pushing radical policies that prioritize ideology over student safety and privacy and parental rights. We will not stand by while states and school districts sacrifice civil rights on the altar of gender ideology. We urge the U.S. Department of Education to investigate this matter and, if necessary, move to terminate federal funding until ISBE and CPS comply with the law.”

ISBE’s and CPS’s policies not only force students into intimate, private spaces with the opposite sex but go further to say that students who are uncomfortable with the arrangement must themselves find separate accommodations, which continues the “subordination of sex to ‘gender identity,’” the complaint states.

Moreover, the Illinois schools include parental exclusion policies that disallow school officials from informing parents if their child begins to identify as transgender and letting a child pursue a “social transition” in secret. (Read more from “Complaint: Education Board Violates Title IX By Forcing Students To Share Restrooms With Opposite Sex” HERE)

Father Takes Action: Tracks Down, Shoots Man Accused of Beating Daughter

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An Illinois father took matters into his own hands, shooting a man accused of severely beating his daughter earlier this week, according to local authorities. The incident, which occurred off North 6th Street by Lewis and Clark Junior High School in Wood River, has left both men injured as they exchanged gunfire.

The chain of events began when a woman, who had reportedly suffered severe physical abuse, went to her parents’ home around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, as reported by KTVI-TV. Wood River police informed the station that the woman’s father, upon learning about the alleged perpetrator, tracked him down and confronted him in the middle of a street.

The confrontation escalated, resulting in both men firing shots at each other. Emergency services were called to the scene, and both individuals were transported to St. Louis-area hospitals—one by ambulance and the other by helicopter.

Eyewitnesses in the neighborhood, speaking to FOX 2 off camera, recounted the harrowing scene. One neighbor described hearing a gunshot and seeing the older man standing over the younger one, pointing a gun. The witness reported overhearing the older man stating, “That’s my daughter! She means everything to me!” before gunfire erupted.

According to the eyewitness, the older man did not seem severely injured, while the younger man was heard screaming in pain. The police have not released the names of the individuals involved and have not indicated whether any charges have been filed. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities planning to hand over the case to the Madison County state’s attorney once completed.

Local residents expressed a mix of reactions to the incident. Mildred Rulo, a longtime resident, acknowledged that such occurrences are not common in Wood River but expressed relief that the individuals involved knew each other. Another resident, Dawn Howard, empathized with the father’s protective instincts but questioned the use of lethal force, stating, “It’s hard to blame a parent. There’s five girls in our family, and I can see all of our dads going after a guy.”

Photo credit: Flickr

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One State Just Did Away With Cash Bail

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Illinois became the first state to abolish cash bail as a piece of legislation called the Pre-Trial Fairness Act took effect on Monday.

The Pre-Trial Fairness Act is part of the SAFE-T Act, a broader piece of legislation that “enacts extensive reform impacting many areas of the criminal justice system,” according to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, going forward, people charged with the state’s lowest level offenses will most likely never set foot in a jail cell, including at a police station, after their arrest. These people will likely be released with a citation and a court date without being processed at the police station. Law enforcement will be allowed to take certain individuals into custody if they cannot be properly identified or if they believe the person is a danger to the community. Police will be required to explain why the person was held.

Judges will decide if a defendant poses a public safety threat. If they do not, they will be released without being required to post any money. Those arrested for violent crimes will likely be detained by a judge.

Fox 32 Chicago noted that opponents of the legislation are concerned that it will allow dangerous criminals to “slip through the cracks” and commit crimes. (Read more from “One State Just Did Away With Cash Bail” HERE)

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Professor Demands Bereavement Leave for Black Faculty to Process ‘Psychological Consequences’ of Racism

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An assistant professor in Illinois published an article urging higher education leadership to provide bereavement leave for black faculty and staff to process the “psychological consequences” of racism.

Angel Jones, a critical race theory scholar and a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Southern Illinois University, released a column in Times Higher Education titled “Where’s our Black bereavement leave?”

The piece argued that “higher education routinely ignores the emotional needs of Black faculty and staff, particularly after traumatic events.”

In the February article, Jones mentioned that she emailed her students to offer support following the death of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man who died earlier this year, days after being beaten and arrested by five black Memphis police officers.

“As I was writing the email, my primary concern was the mental and emotional well-being of my students,” Jones wrote. “However, the tears streaming down my face as I typed let me know that ignoring my own feelings was impossible – which wasn’t surprising given the numerous times I have cried while sending similar emails.” (Read more from “Professor Demands Bereavement Leave for Black Faculty to Process ‘Psychological Consequences’ of Racism” HERE)

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Entire Airport Evacuated So Idaho Murder Suspect Could Relieve Himself: Report

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An entire Illinois airport was evacuated Wednesday so accused quadruple killer Bryan Kohberger could relieve himself, according to a report.

Bound in shackles, the former criminology doctoral student was led from a private jet into a Flightstar in Champaign around 11 a.m. Wednesday, photos obtained by TMZ show.

At least three armed officers accompanied Kohberger, clad in a red jumpsuit, into the mini airline pit stop, which was reportedly completely evacuated so the suspected murderer could use the facilities.

Even employees were asked to leave the building during the lockdown, the outlet reported, which lasted until Kohberger re-boarded his private ride.

The 2015 fixed-wing single-engine Pilatus that is taking Kohberger to Idaho was being refueled while he was inside the empty building, eyewitnesses said. The jet is reportedly owned by the Pennsylvania State Police, whose officers are accompanying Kohberger the roughly 2,400 miles to Moscow, Idaho. (Read more from “Entire Airport Evacuated So Idaho Murder Suspect Could Relieve Himself: Report” HERE)

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100-Car Pile Up Shuts Down Highway Amid Winter Storm (VIDEO)

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More than 100 cars crashed during a snowstorm Thursday on Interstate 39 in Illinois, causing the highway to be shut down.

The pile-up occurred near El Paso, a city about 124 miles southwest of Chicago, according NBC News. The Illinois Department of Transportation tweeted early Friday that because of the pile-up, the stretch of Interstate 39 between Normal and Minonk was not expected to reopen until at least midday.

“I-39 from Normal to Minonk will be closed for approx. 12 hours due to multiple crashes involving over 100 vehicles,” Illinois State Police previously tweeted late Thursday. “Together, with our local partners, we are diligently working to ensure motorists are safely escorted from the area to warming centers.”

“We’re asking everyone to avoid the area,” a state trooper said in the accompanying video. “Please do not travel unless it’s an emergency.” (Read more from “100-Car Pile Up Shuts Down Highway Amid Winter Storm” HERE)

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Illinois: Massive Chemical Fire at Chemtool Plant Prompts Evacuations, National Guard Activated (VIDEO)

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A massive chemical fire erupted Monday at a plant in Rockton, Illinois, prompting authorities to order residents to evacuate and Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D) to activate the National Guard.

NBC Chicago reports:

The fire, which forced the evacuation of residents within a two mile radius of the Chemtool lubricant manufacturing facility in Rockton, could potentially burn for days, according to officials. Pritzker announced Monday that personnel from a slew of state agencies and departments, including the Illinois Emergency Management Association, State Police, the Illinois National Guard and the Department of Public Health, have been activated and are participating in the response to the fire. […] According to officials, the fire broke out just before 7 a.m. Chemtool, according to state officials, is the largest manufacturer of grease in the United States.

(Read more from “Illinois: Massive Chemical Fire at Chemtool Plant Prompts Evacuations, National Guard Activated” HERE)

New Bill Would Force Health Insurers to Buy Babies for Gay and Single People

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The inability to conceive and carry a pregnancy seems to be on the rise for couples in the Western world, due to the rise in the age at which they seek to conceive and for other known and unknown reasons. But also on the rise is the number of gay couples and single women who wish to conceive, and even though they are not technically infertile, they would like insurance companies to think they are.

A new bill in the Illinois legislature, introduced in February and now standing at 25 sponsors, seeks to wholly redefine what it means to be “infertile.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection defines infertility as “not being able to get pregnant (conceive) after one year (or longer) of unprotected sex.” But this new law is not about that, as Illinois law already requires that Illinois insurance companies cover fertility services for couples who have attempted to conceive for a year regardless of whether those attempts are through sexual intercourse or other means, or where an individual has been diagnosed with a fertility-impacting medical condition.

Through the Illinois Family Building Act of 1991 and 1997, and a 2010 ruling by the Illinois Department of Insurance, the fertility benefit mandate applies to women who are physiologically unable to conceive and carry a pregnancy regardless of how they attempt to conceive.

The new bill in Illinois, HB 3709, actually has nothing to do with infertility. Instead, it would mandate that all health insurance plans sold in the state pay for fertility-related services for single people and same-sex couples regardless of whether, physiologically, they have any impairment in their fertility at all. (Read more from “New Bill Would Force Health Insurers to Buy Babies for Gay and Single People” HERE)

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