Deforestation in the Amazon, aldermanic support for DePaul’s new athletic facility and a new Board of Education
plus, fall activities in Chicago
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It’s your newsletter team – Lauren, Claire, Meredith, Ellie, Aidan, Isabella and Ella. We’ve got a good one for you today.
To start, we have information about current practices and laws in Brazil that are allowing for major deforestation of the Amazon. We also have a trailer for a multimedia project on North Coast Festival. Then, we have a new diversity award for DePaul, a Bears win and Vice President Kamala Harris on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast. Finally, we have some fun, fall activities to participate in over the next few weeks in Chicago.
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With that, let’s get into it!
The Amazon is Under Attack
By Claire Rooney
The Amazon Rainforest, often called the “lungs of the Earth,” spans four million square miles across South America. It is a vast, genetically diverse ecosystem that houses an estimated 10% of all known species on Earth. The sheer amount of trees in the area accounts for 150 billion tons of carbon stored in the soils, trees and other tropical plants.
And it's dying.
It's estimated that around 500 square miles of trees are disappearing from the forest every minute, largely due to illegal (and some legal) deforestation efforts. These efforts are driven by large corporations that are either mining the area for minerals or using the land for livestock.
One of these companies is Vale. They operate one of the largest iron ore mines in Carajás and are actively harming Indigenous lands in the Amazon. According to Forest and Finance, Vale has 75 active mining applications overlapping Amazonian Indigenous lands.
The people who live on these lands, called Isolados, are being poisoned with mercury and other contaminants because of these illegal mining operations. Only 2,000 reais (about $345) were allocated to inspect one region of the Amazon in 2020, according to a source from Info Amazonia.
However, with new President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, funding has been returned to these programs. In April, The New Yorker reported on the Brazilian Special Forces Unit using militaristic tactics to stop these illegal miners. The unit is called the Specialized Inspection Group, or GEF. They locate these garimpeiros, as the miners are called locally, and usually arrest them while destroying their equipment and camps. Oftentimes, they use social media to identify these illegal camps.
Lula still has work to do on this front, though. The Yanomami, the Indigenous tribe that The New Yorker article focuses on, were ignored during Bolsonaro’s term. Lula has mostly used them as an example of the work he wanted to accomplish at the beginning of his presidency. He has promised that “zero deforestation” would be achieved by 2030 on the campaign trail and in the early days of his administration. However, large-scale environmental defense operations in the Amazon did not last more than a few months.
Local officials are also doing little to stop mining in their hometowns. The GEF mostly keeps a low profile while conducting operations in conservative parts of the country. The actual miners themselves are often impoverished locals who believe they fare better making money from illegal activities.
According to Sydney Possuelo, a jungle scout quoted in The New Yorker, contact with the outside world is dangerous for Isolados. They could be exposed to disease, exploitation or have their land taken from them. According to Possuelo, neither political party has been good for the Indigenous people in the Amazon.
While Lula can blame many of these issues on the previous administration, he is still the one who has the power at the end of the day. In the opinion of the GEF agents, he is doing what he must to maintain a good international image.
The military, in particular, has the capability to do much more to protect the natural areas. They can aid the GEF in raids and other operations, as well as employ more militaristic tactics. Most members of the GEF are biologists and environmentalists, not soldiers.
On one hand, it seems there is not much that someone in Chicago can do about something happening deep in the jungle. But, because of how small our world is becoming, we hold more power than we think we do. Vale has an entire page on its website dedicated to the minerals it provides in our daily lives. Reducing the amount of materials on that list that we consume daily is one step we can take to divest from harmful companies like Vale. Even if we aren’t Brazilian or part of Indigenous cultures, it is still important to help those around us and the Earth we live on.
Multimedia: Three Days Alone at North Coast Music Festival
A Mini-Documentary by Meredith Bach
“A month ago, I went to North Coast Music festival completely alone and not knowing a thing about it.
But in my eyes, the best stories were crafted from this place of not knowing. When there’s no guide or expectation, curiosity takes the reins— leaving me no choice but to examine it all.
I walked into the festival with my mind and eyes entirely open. I investigated every question that waited on my tongue and got to know as many passing strangers as I could.
They spoke, and the festival sang. And that’s how the story was told.”
Watch what those three days looked like for 14 East reporter and documentary filmmaker Meredith Bach in her newest recap video about the experience. You can also read the article she produced here.
DePaul News
By Ellie Shelton
DePaul Receives HEED Diversity Award — DePaul University has been named a 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award winner from Insight into Diversity Magazine. DePaul received this award for its continuing commitment to improving experiences for an increasingly diverse student body. This is the sixth time the university has been honored since 2012. Maria Toscano at DePaul Newsline has more.
‘In-To Light’ Performance Centers Hope at Interfaith Event — Members of the DePaul community have reflected on themes of grief and transformation with their interfaith events on campus. Recently, these themes have been represented in the presentation of music, readings and dance. One such performance was a choreographed dance titled “In-To Light,” choreographed by DePaul Theater School faculty member Lin Batsheva Kahn. Kristin Claes Mathews at DePaul Newsline has more.
Athletics Practice Facility Garners Aldermanic Support — The second phase of DePaul’s plans to build an athletic facility on its Lincoln Park campus have received a large boost of support after 43rd Ward Alderman Timmy Knudsen voiced his support. The new facility will provide both DePaul Basketball teams a space to train as well as a dedicated space for wellness for student athletes. Russell Dorn at DePaul Newsline has more.
Chicago Headlines
By Aidan Piñon
Johnson Names New CPS Board After Resignations — Mayor Brandon Johnson named six new appointees to the Chicago Board of Education on Monday following the resignation of the entire board last week. A seventh will be appointed in the near future. The appointments include Olga Bautista – co-executive director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force who has advised Johnson’s administration on environmental policy – and Michilla “Kyla” Blaise – a parent and West Side community volunteer who had been a candidate for a seat on the elected school board but withdrew. The announcement of resignations of all seven board members on Friday was a stunner, drawing concern from city and state officials. The resignations were preceded by months of strife between Johnson, the Chicago Teachers Union and CPS CEO Pedro Martinez over how to address the school system’s financial shortfall. Johnson and the CTU had pushed for Martinez to be fired or resign, but the school board has the final say over the CEO’s contract. Johnson’s appointments come less than one month before Chicagoans will vote for school board members for the first time. The new, partially elected and partially appointed board will be seated in January and likely be tasked with executing Johnson’s orders to fire Martinez, land a contract deal with the CTU and move forward with a loan to pay for part of the forthcoming teachers’ contract and a pension payment. Nader Issa and Sarah Karp of the Chicago Sun-Times have more.
Bears Win Second Straight Game, Defeating Panthers 36-10 — The Chicago Bears (3-2) won their second straight game on Sunday after dropping two in a row. An impressive performance from the offense and defense led the Bears to a dominant 36-10 win over the Carolina Panthers at Soldier Field. First-round draft pick Caleb Williams completed 20 of 29 passes for 304 yards with two touchdowns, no turnovers and a 126.2 passer rating. New signee D'Andre Swift rushed for 73 yards and one TD on 21 attempts and caught two passes for 47 yards. DJ Moore had five receptions for 105 yards, including two TD receptions of 34 and 30 yards. "I thought that was one of the better games I've been a part of since being here, honestly," said fifth-year tight end Cole Kmet. The Bears posted season highs in points and total yards (424), while the defense contributed three takeaways and four sacks, limiting the Panthers to 292 total yards. The Bears will look for their third straight victory next Sunday when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Larry Mayer with the Chicago Bears has more.
Man Shot to Death During Fight in River North — A man is dead after a fight led to a shooting overnight near popular nightlife spots in the River North neighborhood. The incident happened at around 3:40 a.m. on Hubbard near State Street, Chicago police said. According to police, the victim, a 24-year-old man, was in a fight with Jeffery Campos, 20 who pulled out a gun and shot in his direction. About 12 minutes after the deadly shooting, Campos was arrested in connection with the incident. Campos, who is from Cicero, faces a first-degree murder charge and a felony charge for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. The ABC7 Chicago Digital Team has more.
Chicago Health Officials Warn of Possible Bat Exposure at Recent Salt Shed Concert — The Chicago Department of Public Health warned Friday that people who attended a concert at the Salt Shed last month may have been exposed to a bat. The concert by Goose was held on Thursday, September 12 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Department of Public Health did not provide specifics about the bat or bats that were inside the concert venue at the time. However, the department did warn that bats can sometimes carry rabies. Anyone who attended the concert and was bitten or scratched by a bat, or had direct contact with a bat, should contact a health care provider as soon as possible to discuss post-rabies exposure prophylaxis. The department emphasized that bats have very small teeth, so a bite from a bat may not be felt or leave easily-detectable marks. Further information on rabies can be found at the Illinois Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention websites. Adam Harrington and Dan Kraemer of CBS Chicago have more.
National Headlines
By Isabella Salinas
Hurricane Milton heading toward Florida — According to a Monday advisory by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Hurricane Milton is now declared as a Category 5 Hurricane. The storm is currently 715 miles away from Tampa in the Gulf of Mexico and could make landfall by Wednesday. Saturday morning, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency that as of Sunday had been expanded to 51 counties. The storm will impact “communities still recovering from recent major Hurricane Helene” which made landfall in the state as a Category 4 storm less than two weeks ago. Rebecca Schneid and Solcyré Burga at Time Magazine have more.
Kamala Harris on the “Call Her Daddy” Podcast — Vice President Kamala Harris was interviewed on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast hosted by Alex Cooper which is one of the most popular podcasts on Spotify. Harris went on the podcast to discuss women's issues ahead of the 2024 election. The episode was released on Sunday and can be listened to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Podcasts and Amazon Music. The host went "back and forth" on the decision to interview the vice president and overall said she hoped the conversation between her and Harris would be treated the same as the conversations she had with her other guests. The conversation covered sexual assault, abortion and remarks by Republican politicians about childless women. The presidential nominee reaffirmed her stance on abortion rights, criticizing state restrictions imposed after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Julia Gomez at USA Today has more.
Nobel Prize in medicine goes to two American biologists — US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine due to their discovery of microRNA, a molecule that governs how cells in the body function. Their research revealed how genes, which contain the instruction manual for life, give rise to different types of cells within the human body in a process known as gene regulation. Their research uncovered how genes create different cell types through gene regulation. They discovered that microRNA, which helps cells control protein production and has existed for hundreds of millions of years, plays a key role. This work was led by Ambros of University of Massachusetts Medical School and Ruvkun of Harvard Medical School. The prize includes 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million). Christian Edwards and Katie Hunt at CNN have more.
Supreme Court Rejects Biden Administration Appeal in Texas Abortion Case — The Supreme Court let stand a decision barring emergency abortions that violate the law in Texas, which has one of the country’s strictest abortion bans on Monday. The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling stating hospitals can't be forced to provide abortions if it violates Texas law, with no noted dissents. The Biden Administration argues that federal law requires hospitals to perform abortions if a patient's health or life is at risk, even in states where it's banned. Texas sued after the administration issued guidance following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, arguing hospitals can't be forced to violate state abortion bans. The 5th Circuit Court sided with Texas, ruling the administration overstepped its authority. Lindsay Whitehurst at AP News has more.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Ella McCoy
Dear reader, autumn is here! The cinnamon brooms are out at Trader Joe’s, and for me, that is the primary signal that spooky season has arrived. Before the extreme Chicago winter confines me to the indoors, I am making the most of the beautiful autumn weather. Though the cold is one of the cons of living in Chicago, one of the pros is the abundance of things to do here — if you look, you’ll always find something to do. Within the next few weeks, there are events and opportunities to enjoy the beautiful weather and spooky vibes! Here are some of my suggestions of waves to indulge in the beautiful autumn weather and get yourself in the Halloween spirit.
The Lincoln Park Zoo is hosting Fall Fest until October 27, on Fridays through Sundays. This event is free and includes family-friendly activities such as ticketed events like a ferris wheel, a fun slide, inflatable activities and more. There will also be free musical entertainment, professional pumpkin carvers, a pumpkin patch, and fall-themed enrichment for the animals. Every weekend offers something different!
The Music Box Theatre — a beloved and historic theatre located off of Southport Ave. in the Lakeview neighborhood — is hosting a film series consisting of horror movies that they have dubbed “Music Box of Horrors.” Series passes are available for purchase, but patrons are also able to buy tickets for individual shows. This film series is running until October 31.
Chicago’s largest fall festival — Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-up — features many fun autumn-related activities, such as a corn maze, carnival games, ax-throwing and food and drinks. There are three full-service bars for those who are 21 and up, but all ages are welcome. This pop-up is located on Goose Island in downtown Chicago and is open everyday until November 3. Ticket package prices range from $25 to $145 and are available on their website.
Resources
Need resources regarding cooling centers, rental assistance, abortion access, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
That’s it for today! See you next Monday.
The 14 East Newsletter Team
Super informative!