Neighborhoods

After my talk with Yvette Harris, the mother of boy who allegedly shot up a CTA bus last Thursday, Michael "Mario" Pace, it was clear that she really didn't know how to handle this situation.
Yvette's niece, Cleo Harris, had this to say: "Even though Mario is still alive, he's good as dead in the jail system. We won't be able to love him and care for him the way we do anymore."

Continue reading "Gang wars: What's a mother to say?" »

Posted by Mark Konkol at 08:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBacks (0)

Julian High student Blair Holt was a citizen casualty in a gang war. His alleged shooter, some say, was a victim too. Michael Pace, 16, has been described as a mixed up kid "with a short temper and a bad attitude" who grew up in poverty without a father and with easy access to "blunts" and guns that led him to his breaking point. Same goes for 15-year-old Kevin Jones, who police say gave Pace the gun to do the shooting.
People concerned about the escalating violence all have the same question: What can we do to stop it?
Do you have any ideas on how to answer that question? Use this space to vent your feelings on this tragedy, and the state of the neighborhoods around this South Side war zone.

Posted by Mark Konkol at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBacks (0)