Last week FEMA approved Illinois for the extra $300 in unemployment benefits as part of the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program. However, due to Illinois applying late, those who are eligible to collect the extra funds might only receive benefits for three weeks. The good news is according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, eligible Illinois claimants are scheduled to start receiving payments the week of September 13, 2020. Although the state will not be dishing out the additional $100, IDES is in the process of requesting additional weeks of benefits.
The Lost Wages Assistance program provides supplemental payments to eligible unemployment benefits claimants who have been unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19. Eligible Illinois claimants will receive a $300 payment retroactively starting with the benefit week ending on August 1, 2020.
Previously it was reported that not all those who are receiving unemployment benefits are eligible for the Lost Wages Assistance program. Any one who receives less than $100 in unemployment benefits will not receive the extra $300.
Jacob Blake, age 29, was shot multiple times in the back, by Wisconsin police officers in front of his three children. The shooting that occurred Sunday evening in Kenosha, Wisconsin sparked outrage causing the county courthouse and vehicles to be set on fire, and windows crushed to pieces late Sunday night. Crowds gathered together to face off with the police where tear gas was released.
On Monday, the news hit nationwide causing protests to erupt in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and New York.
In a video posted on social media, three officers could be seen shouting and pointing their weapons at the man as he walked around the front of a parked SUV. As the man opened the driver’s side door and leaned inside, one officer grabbed his shirt from behind and then fired into the vehicle. Seven shots could be heard on the video, though it was unclear if more than one officer fired, according to nbcchicago.com.
Kenosha officers were called to a domestic incident about 5:11 p.m. Sunday, police said.
The shooting unfolded on a residential street packed with apartment buildings, a block from a city golf course. The Lake Michigan shoreline lies about a mile east.
In the video clip, an African American man walks around the front of a gray SUV with two officers a step or two behind him, one with his weapon trained on the man's back. As the Black man enters the driver side door of his car, the nearest officer grabs the tail of his tank top and seven shots are heard.
The man entering the car appears to go limp. A sustained car horn blares. A woman nearby jumps up and down, apparently in anguish.
While many are wondering where were the body cams for the officers, according to Mayor John Antaramian of Kenosha said that the police do not have body cameras, but the police vehicles are equipped with dash recordings.
Blake's shootings comes on the heels of Trayford Pellerin, a 31-year-old black man, shot to death by the police in Louisiana. According to reports, as the police tried to apprehend Pellerin, he fled the scene and over ten shots were fired. Pellerin was taken to the hospital where he later died.
The officers involved in both incidents were reportedly placed on administrative leave.
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents George Floyd's family, and also posted the video of Blake's shooting, said that his client was tasered by police before the shooting.
A man named Raysean White, who recorded the video got 2.4 million viewers attention. White said he was across the street when he heard two women arguing. He saw Blake arrive and order one of his sons into a vehicle. The boy happily obliged and Blake walked into a home behind a woman, he said.
White stepped away and when he returned, he said, police were wrestling with Blake. White doesn't know what started the argument, he said. He began filming what he called the middle and the end of the altercation, he said, explaining he was angry and traumatized by what he saw and couldn't sleep Sunday night.
White added that black people don't want the police around because they are scared.
"The police want everybody to know they're out here to protect and serve, but you guys are constantly giving us -- Black people, in particular -- reasons not to let you guys protect and serve," White told CNN. "We don't want you guys around because we are scared for our lives. You come to an incident to disarm an argument, and this Black man gets shot. It wasn't supposed to go down that."
Gov. Tony Evers issued a statement giving brief details about Blake's shooting saying Blake is not the first black man to be shot or killed by the hands of law enforcement.
"Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight," Evers said in a statement. "While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement."
The good news in all of this is Blake is still alive and in stable condition. The father of three will be able to be with his children. He will be able to help fight for his own justice while others have not had that chance.
In early August, President Donald Trump signed a new executive order called Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program (LWA), where unemployed workers who are eligible will receive up to $400 a week in unemployment aid. Under the new program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will provide grants to cover the $300. However, each state will have the option of providing the remaining 25% to bring the total to $400.
So far since the (LWA) program has been in affect, Arizona who was the first state approved by FEMA the first week of August, along with 16 other states have already been approved to offer the extra $300 in unemployment benefits. The following states that have been approved by FEMA beginning August,14, 2020 include; California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Utah.
Some states including Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington have applied for the extra funds and are waiting on approval. South Dakota declined to participate in the Lost Wages Supplemental Payment Assistance program while Midwest states like Minnesota have plans on participating, and Illinois and Wisconsin have yet to make any announcements.
As of last Thursday, August, 20, 2020 the number of unemployment claims went from 15.5 million to 14.8 million. However, the unemployment rate has increased from 971,000 to 1.1 million. In first week of August it was announced that Illinois joined 18 other states in extending unemployment benefits for 20 weeks, but is that enough? Some of those receiving unemployment aid are barely making it on their weekly payments. Since the extra $600 ended in July many unemployed workers are unable to pay their rent, utility bills and other finances that are affecting them economically during this pandemic.
Unfortunately, not every non-worker who receives unemployment benefits will be eligible for the extra funds. According to Huffpost, those who receive at least $100 will receive the extra funds, which means if you are part time and receiving only $80 a week in regular unemployment benefits, you will not be eligible for extra unemployment benefits. This is going to cause another problem for many states, being that those who receive less than $100 need it the most.
As far as the additional $100 that is optional by state, four states including Kentucky, Missouri, Montana and West Virginia will be giving the extra funds to equal $400 a week in unemployment aid. The rest of the states that are participating in the program will not be contributing the extra $100.
Elaine Sage of Saint Frances Xavier School Photo by Google Images
On Wednesday, teacher Elaine Sage was out of a job after she failed to report to work at Saint Frances Xavier School in Wilmette.
Saint Frances Xavier School reopened their doors to students and teachers for in-person classes on Monday, August 17, 2020. Sage, 63, who disagreed with the Chicago Archdiocese reopening schools during COVID-19 said she felt uncomfortable and did not show up to the school. As a result Sage was fired two days later.
"This is life and death for me," Sage said.
Sage stated that she requested remote teaching for those students who opted out of in-person learning. However, according to the Chicago Tribune, the Saint Frances Xavier principal and archdiocese's operation director, issues a statement saying they understood Sage's concerns, but there was no remote teacher position available due to the minimum amount of students that attended in-person classes.
The school's archdiocese stated that Sage was not eligible for a leave of absence and was more than welcome to return to in-school teaching whenever she felt safe.
“Of course, it goes without saying that we would also welcome you back to teach at our school if there is a time that you feel safe returning to in-person instruction, or our school’s needs have changed such that virtual instruction opportunities are available," the principal said.
In regards to a fully remote program, the letter stated that it would compromise the academic, spiritual, and emotional well-being of our children.
“Unfortunately, sometimes serving the needs of many precludes the ability to meet the needs of others, especially in times like these. In this case, a fully remote program would compromise the academic, spiritual, and emotional well-being of our children. As we are returning to in-person instruction, it is critical that our teachers be available to teach in-person for classes that are in-person.”
It's never good news when you hear of someone getting shot, especially a child. But thank God the teenager who was shot early Thursday, morning survived and didn't become one of society's young statistics.
As reported by CBS news, a teenage boy was shot while inside his home. The incident took place around 1:30 am Thursday, morning near 53rd Calumet in Washington Park area. The 13-year-old was shot in his thigh and immediately taken to Comer Children's Hospital.
According to updated reports, the teenager is currently recovering and in good condition.
No suspects are in custody at this time.
Prayers go out to the unnamed teenager and his family. Let's put the guns down and stop these senseless shootings and killings.
Monday, May 11, 2020 members Tamara Anderson and Deonte Moore of Jacora's Place of Hope delivered new pair of shoes for students at Bouchet elementary school on Chicago's south side.
Shoes That Fit is a California based program that tackles one of the most visible signs of poverty in America by giving kids in need new athletic shoes to attend school with dignity and joy, prepared to learn, play and thrive.
President and CEO Tamara Anderson and her team launched a Chicago chapter and selected Edward Alexander Bouchet elementary as their first school to contribute new pairs of shoes to those children in need.
In the future JPOH will be teaming up with other schools to contribute more new pairs of shoes to children. They are hoping to get more participants to reach more children so no child would feel left out. Feel free to join the Shoes That Fit Chicago chapter by clicking on link below.
Friday, October 5, 2018 former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was convicted of second degree murder and aggravated battery of 16 counts for the murder of LaQuan McDonald. Protectors rallied downtown from City Hall to the Magnificent Mile cheering for the guilty verdict. Some were relieved that justice was finally served while others felt the teenage killer should have been convicted of first degree murder. Van Dyke was found guilty of killing 17-year-old LaQuanMcDonald who was shot 16 times to his death on October 20, 2014. The 40-year-old became the first Chicago police officer convicted of murder since 1980.
Following the verdict some of the jurors stayed behind and answered some questions live regarding Van Dyke's verdict. One of the jurors said the verdict wasn't about race, it was about right and wrong.
"We considered the mitigating factor of how he perceived his actions, of the imminent and the escalating risk, and why he took that action. But we did decide that taking the action was unreasonable. But we do consider what he thought when he was taking that action," another juror said. As a result of Van Dyke's guilty verdict his legal team and the Fraternal Order of Police is planning to appeal. ABC7 news reports, Dan Herbert, the lead offense attorney for Van Dyke said they are going to look at the verdict and see what their options are.
"There will be an appeal. Mark my words, there will be an appeal," said Fraternal Order of Police Chicago President Kevin Graham. Van Dyke is facing 4 to 20 years or probation for second degree murder charge and 6 to 30 for the aggravated battery charge. Van Dyke's attorneys stated that he could not get sentenced for both convictions but the prosecutors disagreed. If Van Dyke is sentence to probation or only sentenced for one conviction Chicago will be in an uproar. Probation should not be an option but according to Illinois state laws, unfortunately it is. The sad thing is a man who is convicted of rape or who sells drugs gets more than probation. Even if he gets probation he will still serve time for the aggravated battery which will leave him in prison for the rest of his life. Tamara M. Anderson @mstekeyla75 @mahoganymagazin
