Tag Archives: Chicago

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Obama’s Ex-Staff Rahm Emanuel Wins Chicago Mayoral Vote

Rahm Emanuel

Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama’s ex chief of staff has grabbedChicago mayoral seat on clearing a threshold of 50% vote.

Emanuel had won almost 55% of the vote with this he has left his rivals far behind.

Gery Chico, who headed Former Chicago School Board, stood second in the elections with 25% votes followed by City Clerk Miguel del Valle and ex-senator Carol Moseley Braun.

Tuesday’s vote was dominated by the Democrats in absence of any Republican candidate. Emanuel will replace Richard M. Daley for the post o Chicago mayor.

Daley became a mayor of Chicago in1989. His father also held the same post from 1955-76. The two Daleys have been longest serving mayors in Chicago so far.

Emanuel showed his capability to win the elections from the very beginning of his poll campaign in November as he has been a key aide to Obama. However it is true that he was not well known in his native city Chicago despite serving three terms in the Congress.

His intense campaigns including speeches at 357 stops and 229 community locations, schools, churches and subway stations brought fruitful results in making a place in the heart of Chicago people.

Emanuel also used his connections with the President Obama and Clinton to advertise himself and attack his rivals.

Emanuel also defended himself against the charges of not being a legal resident of Chicago that would defy his candidacy for the mayor’s run. Key issues on which he defeated his opponents were ways to tackle with city’s $654 million deficit and reforms in pension system and administration to curb crimes.

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Winter Storm Braces Midwest, Plains in US

More than 100 million people are praying for their lives amidst a massive winter storm in the United States. Plains and Midwest part of the country.

The deadly storm has hit the country on Monday with heavy snow and ice brought down from the Rockies Mountains leading to severe cold.

St. Louis, Milwaukee and Kansas City would be covered with 2 feet snowfall or a pile of snow up to  10 feet.

The areas with less cold are also not considered safe according to the weather experts as it may lead to tornados in southern part of the United States.

The Northeast region recorded highest snowfall in the region. A meteorologist Tim Ballisty estimated that around 100 million people are expected to be affected by the winter storm.

Thousands of flights were cancelled in Chicago and several other cities fearing snowfall. Road transportation authorities have already prepared clearing equipment to avoid problems.

Northwest Indiana, Southern Wisconsin, and northern Illinois experienced a blizzard for two days till Wednesday that speeded up to 60mph.

St. Louis had an inch of ice after snowfall whereas west Columbia had a predicted snow cover around 12 inches.

Jay Nixon, governor of Missouri announced a state of emergency in the state for the safety of people and also put 600 National Guards on duty in advance.

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Traffic disrupted in Chicago due to snowfall

Another blow of cold covers Chicago on Friday night with snowfall. Temperature decreased to minus 12 degree Celsius according to the report by National Weather Service.

The entire northern America has been experiencing severe cold, temperatures much below freezing point and blizzard in different parts of the country. Bad weather loomed over the celebrations of Christmas and New Year too and people were bound to take shelter in their houses in stead of enjoying festivals outside.

Temperature is decreasing in entire northeast  especially in parts of Illinois and Indiana and expected to dip more.

However there will be intermittent snowfall in Chicago. Traffic will be more disturbed due to decreased visibility as per the weather department. The commuters will face more problems due to slippery roads owing to moderate snowfall up to one inch.

The Chicago city administration has fastened its service on the roads for clearing snow and the main route to the city –174 had 40 trucks of Dept. of Streets & Sanitation for monitoring bridges and overpasses to control traffic.

Many vehicles and commuters needed emergency help due to crashes that was caused by minimum visibility. The Illinois police is investigating about around 20 crashes occurred by 8:45 pm on Friday.

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US celebrates New Year eve amidst blizzard

The tornadoes following the Christmas blizzard in USA have completely spoiled people’s mood for festivity in the Midwest and northern belt. There were several people reported with injuries in the snowstorm and a woman died in Missouri.

The National weather Service’s warning for watch period expecting a Tornado in Mississippi and Alabama is over now, however Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois witnessed many thunderstorms throughout Friday. Two people were found dead in Missouri and three in Arkansas due to storms. So far, blizzard has taken 7 lives in different part of the United States.

Jay Nixon, governor of Missouri checked the area himself and visited victims. He expressed his gratitude to warning system for making people prepare for the storm in advance and saving lives.

Rolla town of Missouri received maximum damage due to blizzard affecting 18000 people living here. However, the residents cooperated with each other in the hours of emergency, the governor stated.

Further warning was issued expecting a snowstorm on Saturday in South Dakota.

In south Dakota, the capital city—Pierre, snowstorm brought a cover of  13 inches snow leading to a temperature around  minus 5 degrees.

Midwest and Chicago had a mild temperature on Saturday in comparison to other parts of Midwest.

The experts stated that the violent storms originated from the clash between warm wind and cold air in the Midwest.

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Storm, snowfall disturb Life in Upper Midwest, Chicago

The stormy weather and heavy snowfall made it tough for Americans to do their daily works on Monday.

The dangerously cold weather and storm led to closure of many highways and cancellation of flights. The top of Minnesota Vikings’ stadium felt down. More than 1600 flights were cancelled in Chicago alone. Heavy snowfall was reported in Indiana and Michigan.

After Michigan, the storm moved towards Canada. Snowfall can occur now in Northern Indiana and Michigan and also in Pennsylvania and New York.

Weather department reported that more decrease in temperature can make it worse in the Midwest for commuters. Many areas were reported with temperature below zero degree.

However, the officials assured that the worst part of the storm was over and only cold temperature will affect people live till Tuesday. The rough weather has not caused any casualty though. However damage to Minnesota Vikings’ stadium has led to shifting of Vikings’ game against the New York Giants to Detroit’s Ford Field. According to sources such weather conditions were experienced in the United States in January usually.

There was less snowfall in Chicago in comparison to Midwest but high speed winds cause most of the damages. The wind speed during storm reached nearly 50 mph and waves from Lake Michigan stroke up to Lake Shore Drive.