Gapers Block has ceased publication.

Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
 Thank you for your readership and contributions. 

TODAY

Friday, April 26

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


The Mechanics
« Crook County - A Quick Conversation about Chicago Politics Impeachment Resolution »

Chicago Mon Dec 15 2008

Taking Chicago's Vitals

The Chicago Community Trust has released the first in a regular set of metrics designed to measure the "human toll" on the city during these economic hard times. As you could probably guess, the results are not particularly heartening. Below are six of Chicago's "vital signs." Follow the jump for the rest.

Vital Signs - Foreclosures.jpg

Vital Signs - Food Pantries.jpg

Vital Signs - Food Stamp Utilization.jpg

Vital Signs - Homelessness.jpg

Vital Signs - Mass Layoffs.jpg

Vital Signs - Unemployment Rate.jpg

 
GB store

Ellen Malloy / December 15, 2008 11:24 AM

Thanks to Chicago Community Trust for distilling all this information into easy to read graphs. So helpful!

Sarah / December 15, 2008 12:17 PM

What an amazing resource Chicago Community Trust has made available for those living in Chicago and the surrounding counties. Its a great visual system that measures the toll of the city during these economic hard times.

GB store

Feature

Parents Still Steaming, but About More Than Just Boilers

By Phil Huckelberry / 2 Comments

It's now been 11 days since the carbon monoxide leak which sent over 80 Prussing Elementary School students and staff to the hospital. While officials from Chicago Public Schools have partially answered some questions, and CPS CEO Forrest Claypool has informed that he will be visiting the school to field more questions on Nov. 16, many parents remain irate at the CPS response to date. More...

Civics

Substance, Not Style, the Source of Rahm's Woes

By Ramsin Canon / 2 Comments

It's not surprising that some of Mayor Emanuel's sympathizers and supporters are confusing people's substantive disputes with the mayor as the effect of poor marketing on his part. It's exactly this insular worldview that has gotten the mayor in hot... More...

Special Series

Classroom Mechanics Oral History Project
GB store



About Mechanics

Mechanics is the politics section of Gapers Block, reflecting the diversity of viewpoints and beliefs of Chicagoans and Illinoisans. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Mike Ewing, mike@gapersblock.com
Mechanics staff inbox: mechanics@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

 Subscribe in a reader.

GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15