The incident delayed hundreds of commuters at the end of the morning rush hour. CTA buses shuttled commuters away from the scene. Service was restored for Northbound and Southbound trains around 11 a.m. No injuries were reported.

The stuck train between the Southport and Belmont Brown line stops. Photo by Maria Baglien.

After the train was stuck, the power was shut off and announcements were made over the loudspeakers to people waiting at the Belmont stop. At approximately 9:30 a.m., riders were evacuated from the platform and placed on shuttle buses. Shuttle buses are running from Brown line stops Southport to Fullerton and from the Red Line’s Addison to Fullerton.

CTA spokeswoman Wanda Taylor told the Chicago Tribune that there were no injuries. Several fire trucks, police cars and helicopters converged at the Belmont stop.

Police and rescue crews at the Belmont stop after the Brown line train got stuck. Photo by Maria Baglien

Although Jesse Miller, 29, is the all that remains of this original group of friends, he continues to keep The Recyclery running in the East Rogers Park Area.

The Recyclery Collective, 7628 N. Paulina Ave., fixes bikes that have been donated then sells or donates the bikes. In addition to having open shop hours, where people can bring in their bikes and volunteers help them with repairs, the Recyclery also offers both youth and adult classes that are normally held on Wednesday nights, Sunday mornings and Sunday afternoons.

Podcast: Jesse Miller, who helped start the Recyclery Collective, talks about the nonprofit used bicycle store. Also featuring volunteers Paris Suggs and  Igar Kilomiychenko:

According to Miller, the Recyclery Collective wants to teach kids “how to ride safely, how to maintain their bike, and to talk about ecological sustainability.”

A bike collection in the front window of The Recyclery. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

The main class the Recyclery offers is “Complete Overhaul 101.” This six-week course gives adults an opportunity to learn how to take apart their bikes and then put them back together again, using The Recyclery’s tools.

The Recyclery also offers a two-day basic bike course where participants can learn how to maintain and properly take care of their bikes.

The space resembles that of a garage with tools hanging off of the walls, bicycle stands sticking out of the cement floor, and tires linearly lined up and hanging across the ceiling.

Used tools available for use at The Recyclery Collective. (photo Maria Baglien)

Unlike a garage, however, the Recyclery has various motivating posters hanging around the space. There is also the typical corner stacked with random tools and a ladder. Don’t forget the filled bucket of old, dirty rags and the empty bucket that is supposed to be holding clean ones for people to use.

“There are a lot of reasons to ride a bike,” Miller said. “One is it’s fun, another is for exercise, for the environment, money. It can be cheaper than owning a car or paying for gas or even riding the public transportation, and transportation is the other obvious point. You can get places efficiently and effectively.”

The Recyclery’s youth classes work with after-school programs, such as the Howard Area Community Center, Project NIA, and Connections for the Homeless.

“We’re not just trying to make money selling or recycling bikes but we’re trying to promote safe cycling and try to get more people on bikes and help kids feel confident working and riding bicycles,” Miller said.

The Recyclery offers its services for free, but they do suggest a $10 donation. Used bicycle sales take place on Saturdays. Bikes start at about $40 and on average sell for $100. They also sell accessories, such as helmets, locks, and bells.

The Recyclery used to be located in basement in Evanston. According to Miller, their new location is convenient because they are located close to the Howard red line stop but there is still room in front of the store for people to test their bikes out.

A bike being fixed at The Recyclery Collective. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

All of the Recyclery’s bikes are donated through their Freecyclery Program in an attempt to provide transportation for those who cannot afford it. Volunteers are relied on to fix up the bikes.

“It’s a lot cheaper than going to a bike store. We really aren’t quite competing with local bikes shops because here you have to do it yourself or learn how to do it. There they have experts who, if you don’t want to get into it, you can just have them do it and get it right the first time.”

One of the volunteers, Pari Suggs, 19, did not know how to fix a bike prior to volunteering with The Recyclery.

“This job really got me interested in bikes because usually I would just ride it around in my neighborhood. It also teaches me how to fix my own bike,” she said.

Another volunteer, Igar Kilomiychenko, 21, used to be on a national team in Pakistan. Now he is studying business at Truman College. He is working the Recyclery simply because he has a passion for riding and fixing bikes. Kilomiychenko is then hoping to participate in races once the snow melts.

Overall the Recyclery has had a positive impact on the Rogers Park area, according to Miller. They strive to promote bicycle riding to keep kids off the street and away from destructive activities.

From left to right: Igar Kilomiychenko, Paris Suggs
and Jesse Miller at the Recyclery. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

These choices include a long, skinny charcoal one, a fat rosy one, and a circular tan one. The box sits next to a bucket filled with squeaky mice toys and a facial mask resembling the Egyptian princess Cleopatra.

Not far away, behind the counter is an assortment of different top hats, a donkey’s head, a knight’s mask, an antique dish collection and three clocks, all telling a different time.

“We’ve got the Earth covered in weirdness,” said Charlotte Walters, owner of Lost Eras costume and prop shop, located at 1511 W. Howard St.

Many have already seen some of Lost Eras’ theatre props, costumes, rare items, and antiques. Items from Lost Eras have been used in famous Chicago-based movies such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Public Enemies,” “The Dark Knight,” “A League of Their Own” and “Home Alone.”

In fact, a poster featuring “Public Enemies” Johnny Depp sporting a button-down vest, pinstripe pants, a polka dotted tie and a long black and white plaid dress coat, all rented from Lost Eras, stands proudly behind the counter near the register.

Walters has owned Lost Eras for nearly 20 years. But store’s building was constructed more than 50 years ago by one of Walters’ relatives. Her mother opened a store in 1969 that sold health food and beauty items. Now the store sells “theatre props, costumes, rare items, and antiques,” said Walters.

According to Walters, the building used to be a nightclub known as Club Detour. Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington are some of the performers that were featured at Club Detour. The stage where Basie, Fitzgerald and Ellington still stands in Lost Eras in addition to the original stained glass.

Now, tables and shelves filled with china sets, glazed dishes and ancient silverware block people from getting a good look at the aged stained glass. The sun still shines through the window, however, and bounces off the different delicate items, illuminating the room.

Another room is like the ultimate actor’s closet, holding a costume for every character imaginable. The giant closet is complete with masks, fake weapons, and an entire dresser filled with bowties. There is also a collection of giant heads, including every main character from “The Flintstones,” and three different types of chicken heads. Take your pick.

Then there’s the head of a deer hanging on the wall with a collection of jewelry underneath it. Next to the rack of varied necklaces is a vertical metal pole that is holding a sombrero, a poncho, and a lei of flowers. Beneath this re-creation of mariachi band member without a body is a sewing machine.

To complete the collection there’s a mannequin that is dressed as maid wearing a witch’s hat that has been placed next to a collection of feathers and an old record collection.

Inside Lost Eras, located at 1511 W. Howard St. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

Lost Eras mainly rents items for theatre shows. It has rented to DePaul University, Roosevelt University,Northwestern University and the Goodman Theatre.

Walters said that her customers used to actively purchase antiques from the store but because of the economy, that is no longer the case.

“A lot of people ask us to be on the lookout for certain unusual things they might collect,” she said. She claims that they actively scan eBay for unique items.

When asked what it is like owning a store in Rogers Park, Walters hesitated.

“This was a horrible neighborhood, really rough, weighed down,” she said, “the neighborhood is really getting a lot better, the police have stepped up their efforts to address the criminal element.”

According to Walters, with Rogers Park becoming a safer community, more people are coming to Lost Eras, even if it just to take a look around.

“We actively purse buying anything weird,” she said.

Lost Eras is entirely owned by family members and friends.

“I didn’t want to sell it, because of the history,” Walters said, “I wanted to keep it in the family.”

Once Walters is finished with the business, she has children that will take it over and continue on the legacy. There is also a Lost Eras in London that is run and operated by one of Walters’ friends.

When asked what her favorite item in Lost Eras is, Walters turns to the poster of Johnny Depp in “Public Enemies.”

“He’s wearing our clothes! I think that’s really cool,” she said.

That is why the Rogers Park Branch is one of the Chicago Public Libraries offering free computer classes. The final class out of the four class series, “Email Basics,” was on March 2.

Rogers Park community members take advantage of the free
computer classes offered at their local library. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

Safaa Sabri, 28, who has attended previous computer classes said that his 60-year-old father, said his dad does not know how to send an e-mail.

“It takes him forever,” said Sabri.

Sabri was found before the class began, using his laptop to study in the upstairs section of the library. According to Sabri, the class was helpful when he attended it; however, he thinks that the library should also offer more advanced classes.

“I would be more attracted to the classes if they were teaching people how to use Photoshop and other software,” Sabri said, “I don’t know where I can get educated about those topics for free.”

The classes teach basic computer skills. For this specific class, participants were taught the basics of e-mail using gmail accounts. Brandon Batchelor, a “CyberNavigator,” who refused to comment, taught the class.

Safaa Sabri uses his computer at the
Rogers Park Library. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

Tiffani Palmer, 29, said that she wished she would have known about the computer classes because they would have been helpful for her father. “I had to help him get acclimated,” she said, “he is an entrepreneur so once I taught him how to do things like create spreadsheets, it really helped him with his business.”

In order to take the class, participants must sign up ahead of time. The other three lessons include Basic Mouse & Keyboarding Skills, Internet Basics and Internet Search Basics.

Alejandro Gante, 43, a computer class participant, said “adolescents have these programs in school, we don’t, so these free workshops are beneficial for older adults.”

According to “Education Week,” an online publication for educators, in 1996, two-thirds of publics schools had Internet access and by 2003, every public school had Internet access.

By this time, many students were required to take computer classes and teachers were increasing their use of technology within the classroom as well, using electronic grading systems and smart boards.

Chicago Public Libraries That Currently Offer Computer Courses:

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The Rogers Park Women’s Club opened Rogers Park Branch in 1894. The library was located on Clark Street at the time and members of the Roger’s Park Women’s Club voluntarily ran the library until 1923, when it was moved to West Greenleaf Avenue. That building then burned down on Jan. 30, 1951 and the current one, located at 7057 N. Clark St., was opened on June 8, 1999.

In addition to computer courses, the library is also currently offering “Story Time,” for toddlers, and “Spring Into Stories,” for kids, “Money Smart” workshops for teenagers, and book clubs for adults.

The Howard Area Community Center, located at 7648 N. Paulina St., was created in 1967 to provide food and clothing to those community members who could not afford it. Since then, the center has expanded to provide other programs, such as preventing violence among youth.

According to the Howard Area Community Center website, more than 21 percent of households in Rogers Park obtain an annual income below $15,000. In addition, 25 percent of individuals over the age 25 do not have achieved an education level greater than high school.

Chandra Clark, who works with the Howard Area Community Center’s youth department and is also the program coordinator at Howard Area Gale Academy, said that this lack of education is one of the reasons why there is a high violence rate among adolescents in Rogers Park.

Other motives Clark gives for high youth violence rates in Rogers Park are domestic violence within homes, impoverished areas of the community, and lack of employment for both adults and adolescents.

“We are currently working on several community outreach projects focused on violence prevention,” Clark said. “Howard Area also offers constructive alternatives for youth that keep them engaged in positive ways, such as after school programming and summer camp.”

The Howard Area Community Center, located
at 7648 N. Paulina St. (Photo by Maria Baglien)

The Howard Area Community Center offers several youth programs that partner with neighborhood public schools. Some examples of the programs include tutoring, art and recreational workshops, mentor programs and employment exploration programs for older adolescents, ages 16 to 18.

Clark said that the program based at Gale Academy, called Greensleeves, “really focuses on helping middle school students through the constants changes they are going through.” She says that while the students are given time to do homework, they are also given an opportunity to break off into groups and participate in different activities. For example, once a week girls will have a day where they break off to paint their nails, do their hair, and talk about “girl problems.”

“A partial solution to youth violence involves community-wide efforts that support parents and families, and incorporate schools, police, youth, and adults, as well as local businesses,” Clark said, “to engage and empower youth to find positive alternatives to street life and violence.”

“The key to success is to become heavily involved with other organizations, it becomes a unified effort,” said executive director Bruce Rasey.

The Howard Area Community Center also offers employment workshops for adults to help them create resumes, search for job opportunities, and practice interviewing. The center also offers adult classes in math, reading, and English as a second language. Health services are also offered in addition to a food pantry and counseling services.

Nicole Thomas, the volunteer coordinator at Howard Area Community Center, said, “we continue to reach out to the community to help bring it to an end. Howard Area does not just provide general services, we create strong bonds with all different types of individuals in the community.”

Map of Violent Attacks in Rogers Park Since Feb. 15:

View Larger Map

On Jan. 17, Sally Duros, an independent journalist, came to speak to Mike Reilley’s Online Journalism II class about L3C, or LLLC, Newsroom, a new way for journalists to make money electronically.

Duros has previously worked for “The Wall Street Journal,” “TIME,” and “The Chicago Sun-Times.” When it came to working with print journalism “news was a byproduct of profit,” said Duros. Now, however, “news is a social benefit.”

According to Duros, with all news being available online, it has become difficult for reporters and editors to make profit. This has resulted in a loss of jobs. In fact, from 1990 to 2010 there were 40 percent fewer reporters working in newsrooms.

“I didn’t hate journalism, I hated the newspaper,” said Duros about her experience in print journalism newsrooms. L3C became Duros’ solution of how to continue making money off the news without having to be involved with newspapers.

According to the blog “The Nonprofit Road,” L3C is “a new category of corporation that straddles the line between for-profit and nonprofit enterprise.”

Since L3C is non-profit, journalists must ask for grant money in order to fund their sites. With newspapers, advertisements accounted for 85 percent of their income, according to Ken Doctor’s “Newsonomics: Tweleve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get.”

“Online ad growth for newspaper companies slowed dramatically, and these companies are stuck,” says Doctor.

While some newspapers, such as “The New York Times,” have started charging people to view their online news site, others fear that there will be a decline in readership if they start putting a few on their online news.

Ultimately, Duros believes that journalism must remain “of the people, from the people, for the people,” and L3C allows social responsibility to thrive in news organizations.

Photo courtesy of http://www.transitchicago.com.

The most recent news reporting that occurred at the Howard red line stop was on Dec. 28, 2010 when a man fell on the tracks. According to the Chicago Breaking News Center, the power was shut off for approximately 30 minutes as paramedics rescued the man.

Although many Chicago citizens have heard of a person falling on the El tracks before, I plan on finding a different angle to this story. I would travel to the Howard stop and interview CTA workers about the procedure for how to handle a situation such as this. I would also speak to El riders about how they would react if they saw another rider fall on the tracks.

Photo courtesy of http://www.jamaicajerk-il.com/.

Another story that I plan on writing relating to the Howard stop is a feature story about a Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine restaurant called Jamaica Jerk, located at 1631 W. Howard St.

Ideally, I would like to interview the owners about their cuisine and what makes it authentic and unique. I am also curious as to where the owners originate from and how they try to recreate Jamaican and Caribbean food for the Chicago community.

Lost Eras, located at 1511 W. Howard St., is a third generation business that sells costumes and props. Their costumes have been used in films such as “The Untouchables,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “True Lies,” “A League of Their Own,” “The Dark Knight,” and “Public Enemies.” They also work with Animal Planet and The History Channel. I would like to interview the owners on, not only these experiences, but the history of the business as well.

Lastly, I would like to visit the Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant & Bar, and similar to Jamaica Jerk, interview the owners about how they bring Ethiopian cuisine to Chicago. In addition, I have ties with a person who was born and lived in Ethiopia until she was five years old. I would like to take this story to a different level, and expand on how well the restaurant represents Ethiopian food and culture (since it also has Ethiopian dancing).

Obviously, I will remain updated on events that happen near the Howard red line stop so that I can include more news stories on The Red Line Project.

Here is an example of an online site from my hometown Wauwatosa, Wis. of how online journalism has created a greater focus on local news. Wauwatosa is a suburb of Milwaukee and in the upper right hand corner the viewer can select other communities to read about within the area. Now, rather than solely relying on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel or the monthly Wauwatosa newsletter, community members can know what is going on specifically within their community every day.

Like many online local news sites, MyCommunityNOW has photo galleries, local high school and college sports updates, polls, and a community watch section. While these topics could appear in a printed press, other items such as a welcome video from the mayor could not.

Since people are relying heavily on the Internet to get their information, it seems unnecessarily for print papers to still even exist. Why do they still exist? The answer is advertising, which is how journalists make their money.

Not all print presses publish daily anymore, however. Now, newspapers may come out three or four times a week, encouraging their readers to go to their online site for their news. In order to keep advertisers, the newspaper staff will try to encourage them to place their advertisements in the Sunday paper, where they reel in the most revenue.

Going back to MyCommunityNOW, there is a tab titled “Newspaper Ads” on the top of the page. Viewers can now select which advertisements they want to view by selection a specific category. Overall, online journalism has made the news, and advertisements, more personable and more open to the public’s opinion with comments and blogs.

Over the loud blast of the music you hear the generic nokia ring tone of your cell phone go off. Afraid to ruin your perfect summer moment, you let it go. Your phone rings a second time, you look at your phone to see that it is your best friend calling. She is always having emergencies and you don’t feel like dealing with one at the moment, so you ignore it.

Your phone rings a third time and you give in and answer it. She tells you in complete hysteria that her boyfriend of four years just broke up with her. In the midst of your moment of complete shock, you see red lights flash in front of you and you realize that the car in front of you has stopped moving.

You try to slam on the breaks, but it is too late and you hit the rear bumper of the green Corolla in front of you. You jerk forward and then there is a sharp pain in your neck but luckily the seatbelt holds you back. That was a close one, a little too close.

With practically everyone owning a mobile device now, the number of people who use their cell phones while driving has increased. Some people find it a necessity to talk on their phones or text while driving, while others find it a great danger.

“Every single time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road, even for just a few seconds, they put their lives and the lives of others in danger. Distracted driving is unsafe, irresponsible and in a split second, its consequences can be devastating,” says Ray LaHood, transportation secretary of Top Driver, an Illinois driving school.

According to a study released by the National Safety Council in January 2010, 28 percent of all car accidents are a result of people texting or talking on their cell phones while driving.

As of November 2010, eight states have prohibited the use of handheld cell phones while driving including Calif., Conn., Del., Md., N.J., N.Y., Ore. and Wash. Thirty states prohibit texting while driving, but no state prohibits the use of cell phones entirely while driving, meaning drivers can still use a hands free device such as a Bluetooth.

The state of Illinois made a law, which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010, that banned drivers from texting while they were behind the wheel. If anyone is caught texting while driving, they will receive a fine of at least $75. In the city of Chicago, however, drivers can still use hands free devices.

In January 2008 minors in the state of Ilinois. were prohibited from talking on the phone while driving. School bus drivers are also not allowed to talk on the phone while they are transporting children. If a bus driver is caught, then they are subject to a fine of $250.

Despite these laws, however, Rich Radi, CEO of Top Driver, says that 40 percent of drivers ages 18 to 27 and 20 percent of all other drivers still text or talk on their handheld phones.

“It’s a national epidemic and a very dangerous one at that,” says Radi. Talking on the phone while driving takes away 37 percent of a person’s brain activity and a person’s reaction time is as bad as a person with a blood alcohol concentration of .08, according to Radi.

With some states allowing drivers to talk on handheld cell phones, but not text, and some states not allowing drivers to talk on the phone or text, the question becomes whether texting while driving is more dangerous than talking on the phone while driving.

A representative from Adams Driving School, another Illinois driving school, says that texting while driving is much more of a problem than talking on a phone. In fact, it is four times more dangerous.

According to Charles Desjarlais, who works for campus safety at Marquette University and drives a vehicle that transports students around campus, there is not an actual policy that prohibits him from using his cell phone while driving at work.

He says, however, that for “most law enforcement type positions, like this, there are given broad discretionary positions. For example, if the officer feels it is justified or can justify it, then it is an allowable action.”

The same applies for most state laws. While talking on a handheld cell phone is illegal in eight states, if there is an emergency situation then it is justifiable.

DePaul junior Pamela Barrientos says that she once let a friend of hers drive her car. While her friend was driving, she received a text message and decided to read it. “She ended up totaling my car,” says Barrientos.

“Although it looks ridiculous, people need to pull over,” says Barrientos concerning if people receive a text or call when they are driving.

John Lam, a senior at DePaul, agrees, “I feel like there’s a time for anything and texting while driving, in concern for other people, is something that people shouldn’t be doing.”

Some people have similar attitudes but still continue to text while they are driving.

Sandra Nikodimos, a junior at DePaul, says “I know that it is dangerous, but I am always afraid that I will miss something important if I don’t answer the phone, like there’s an emergency or something.”

Driving schools not only enforce the Illinois law that minors cannot be on the phone while driving, but encourage parents to model good behavior as well, says Radi of Top Driver.

While Radi says that drivers are 23 times more likely to get into a car accident if they are on the phone while driving, they are even more likely to get into a car accident if they are distracted by anything.

Distracted driving involves anything that takes your eyes or mind off the road or your hands off the wheel. Things such as applying makeup, listening to music, reading a map, or eating are all forms of distracted driving.

According to www.cyberdriveillinois.com, performing anything while driving should be avoided. People should stay focused with their hands on the wheel. In addition, people should not drive when they are tired, angry or upset. Emotions can also make people distracted while driving because their mind is on something else.

Overall, Desjarlais thinks that people should not be doing other things while driving, mainly for the concern of others.

“It is not a good or safe thing to do. It means you are not paying attention and you do not have control over the wheel. It lets other people know that you are not paying attention too, which increases the likelihood that you will be subject to aggressive driving and crime.”