Remembering those lost in the NIU shooting – Chicago Tribune newstrendslive

Good morning, Chicago.

The sounds of gunshots, the ringing of a fire alarm and the breaking of glass echo in Kevin Stromberg’s memory. When a shooter opened fire at Northern Illinois University, Stromberg remembers, the smell of gunpowder hung in the air.

Fifteen years ago today, Stromberg was in class when a former NIU student burst in through a door behind the lecture stage and opened fire with a shotgun and semi-automatic pistols, killing five and injuring 21.

The anniversary is marked a day after another deadly shooting on a Midwestern college campus. A gunman opened fire last night at Michigan State University, killing three people and wounding five more.

In the years since the deadly NIU shooting, incidents involving random, intentional mass killings in the United States increased from one in 2000 to 61 in 2021, FBI statistics show.

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The Southwest Organizing Project aims to advance racial equity and economic justice through different initiatives and programs.

It has used a $75,000 grant from PepsiCo to expand its credentialing resources over the last year, helping at least 24 young people from the neighborhoods SWOP serves to enroll in programs at Richard J. Daley College and connecting others to workforce resources and job placement services.

A school bus driver has been cited for not having a valid commercial driver’s license in connection with a Jan. 20 accident in which a 7-year-old Park Forest boy was hit by the bus and later died.

No other charges are being filed against the driver following “the completion of a thorough and exhaustive investigation into this tragic accident,” Park Forest police said in a release.

Petra van Nuis and Andy Brown are as talented, pleasant and thoughtful a couple as you’ll find in any line of work, and music has been their bond. She sings. He plays guitar.

They are firmly connected to the musical past and have become fixtures on the local music scene. They play, as a couple and frequently with others, at the Green Mill, Winter’s, Andy’s and Jazz Showcase, all the best music places.

The Chicago White Sox have a new manager and added a Gold Glover to the outfield. But they will be tested without first baseman José Abreu’s presence in the lineup and clubhouse.

Those are some of the changes as pitchers and catchers report to spring training Wednesday. Here’s a closer look at what’s new as the Sox prepare for the season in Glendale, Ariz.

There’s no end of ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day around Chicago, but if the choices all seems too much and you’re in need of ideas, we have you covered.

We have live performances, concerts, outings and other fun events for the holiday. Be sure to also check out the Tribune’s dining guide with 76 Valentine’s Day restaurant specials.