Nearly 35,000 runners gathered early Sunday morning at Grant Park to take part in the 32^nd annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Runners piled on the layers for the 26.2 mile race in mid-thirty degree weather.

The first pack of runners took off at 7:30 a.m. from the start line. Around 1.5 million spectators lined the course, stretching as far north as Wrigleyville and as far south as Chinatown.

Not only was the course crowded with spectators cheering on family and friends, but shed layers of sweatshirts and pants also littered the course where runners had come and gone. All pieces were collected from the course and donated to a local charity.

Low temperatures may have kept hospital visits down this year as well. Only 14 runners were taken to the hospital, all due to minor injuries, which is down from last year’s 61 medical calls.

Olivia Gay, 19, took part Sunday, running the first marathon of her running career. An avid runner for nearly nine years, Gay started training for the big day back in June, following the guidelines posted on the marathon’s website.

She admits she was nervous going in, due to odd weather in the days leading up to the event, but excited as well to take part in the experience that is the Chicago Marathon.

“I knew there was around 40,000 participants and that the course was supposed to be covered with spectators, but it seemed much crazier than that,” Gay said. “All I could see was a mob of people in front of and behind me at any given time on the course.”

The experience was surreal and inspiring for both those watching and running. Samuel Wanjiru, winner of Sunday’s marathon, not only holds bragging rights for first place, but also beat the record for the fastest marathon run on American soil.

Beating the 1999 record of 2 hours, 5 minutes, and 42 seconds, by just one second, Wanjiru nearly lost the record by celebrating and waving to spectators just before crossing the finish line. Wanjiru received a bonus $100,000 for breaking the record.

Runners reunited with family and friends just past the finish line for celebration of their tremendous feat. Despite the cold temperatures it was a successful day for many at the marathon. Who knows what we will see next year, snowfall or a heat wave and sunshine? You never know in Chicago.

The crowd chanted.
Full. Equal. Rights. Now.
Location, Washington, D.C., home to many of the greatest moments in our country’s history.
You heard it in 1963 and you are hearing it again in 2009.
Same setting, different cause.
On both occasions, it did not matter your race, ethnicity, culture, or creed. What mattered was your voice and your presence to fight for equality. In 1963, the Civil Rights Movement was fighting for equality for the African-American population in the United States.
This year, over 200,000 Americans came together to fight for another chance for equality. Equal protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states. Now. This was their mission, and they intended to make it known.
With the crowd gathered before the Capitol building, Lady Gaga took the stage. Standing on an equipment suitcase hidden behind the podium, she towered over the microphone and cried out over the crowd.
“Obama, are you listening,” the pop star shouted over the speakers, “Are you listening?”
Broadway Impact, a New York based community of actors, directors, producers, and stage managers, also made their presence known at the rally.
The group sponsored over 25 charter buses, free of charge for passengers, to bring marchers from New York City to the rally in Washington. Several Broadway stars performed at the march, utilizing their gifted voices to reach out and keep the spirit alive in the crowd.
“Settling back into reality and praying for that fire to stay,” Gavin Creel, current cast member of the Broadway revival of “Hair”, posted on his Twitter as he rode the train back to New York.
The fire he spoke of is only the beginning. The march introduced what will be a long campaign for equality. Keeping that flame burning is vital to the cause.

The events on October 11th, also known as National Coming Out Day, were not strictly confined to Washington, however. Rallies were also held across the country in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
LGBT Change, an organization founded last year in Chicago, planned the local event at Daley Plaza. Those who couldn’t make the trek to Washington, gathered in the frigid fall air under the Picasso statue at 1 p.m. for a rally of their own.
Rainbow flags waved in the wind as signs bobbed up and down among the crowd.
“Marriage is a human right, not a heterosexual privilege,” one sign read.
Scott Jaburek, a student at Walter Payton High School in Chicago, was the youngest voice to address the crowd.
“Our movement did not begin because of equal marriage rights and it must not end when they are ultimately achieved,” Jaburek said. “Our equality is about more than a marriage certificate, it is about respect, tolerance, and love for every LGBT person in every part of our nation.”
As Jaburek stepped away from the microphone the crowd clapped and cheered as the next line of speakers took their turns, speaking eloquently and with passion to their fellow supporters and friends.
Anthony Martinez, 29, a co-founder of LGBT Change was quite proud of their accomplishment that day.
“Now is the time to send a clear message to our elected officials that we will no longer be complacent,” Martinez stated. “This is a huge turning point for the LGBT community and we hope it is a way to get more people involved here in Chicago.”
As the rally came to a close and marchers retreated from the cold rally site to the El stations, a sign remained propped up against the Picasso statue.
“Gay, straight, black, white, marriage is a civil right.”

By Laura Fitzgerald and Kelly Stotmeister

Memorial Day weekend in Chicago begins the kickoff to summer events that bring different neighborhoods in the city together to enjoy food, beer, crafts and oftentimes free live musical performances.

The 2010 Belmont Sheffield Music Festival in Lakeview in late May was one of the first music festivals this summer season, showcasing 10 musical performances and various vendors.

House of Winehouse performed for the festival crowds Saturday afternoon

Sponsored mainly by the Central Lakeview Merchants Association, the 26th annual Belmont Sheffield Music Festival offered free entertainment at a suggested $5 donation that went toward the Lakeview community and grants.
Hank Zemola, the Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Special Events Management, was a fundamental contributor to the festival and spoke about the event production.

“This festival started in the late ’70s,” Zemola said. “We decided, ‘lets bring music to the outdoors, it’s less expensive so that people can really enjoy it and feature local retailers on the street’. That was kind of the birth of the event.”
Zemola said that throughout the 26 years the event has been going on, the location has relocated depending on construction and traffic demands.

“We’ve found a home between Roscoe and Belmont,” Zemola said. “We’ve got a really good retail group and it gives a chance for people to come out and kick off summer — it sets the tone for them.”

This year, the festival booked 10 bands, including Mr. Blotto, Wedding Banned, Trippin Billies, and House of Winehouse-an Amy Winehouse imitation band.

“We pick musical performances through a committee,” Zemola said. “We try to keep it fresh so it’s not the same bands over and over again. We look at someone who is maybe on the rise.”

Zemola said that there were economical benefits of summer festivals such as this one, saying that although hard economical times have hit, the festivals will continue throughout the summer, offering residents affordable entertainment right in their own neighborhoods.

“Surprisingly, the economy hasn’t hurt the events, we’ve actually grown,” he said. “People look at value. It’s very economical. I can come [to a festival] with $20 and probably have a pretty good time.”

Concertgoers who brought money to the festival had a lot of options to spend it on. Vendors such as John Monroe from the Kettle Korn Cabin offered food, beverages, clothing, and various other handmade crafts.

“I’ve been doing festivals for the past 16 years and have returned for the past 10 or 11 years to the Belmont Sheffield Music Festival,” said Monroe. “I sell my popcorn from May to the end of October. I keep coming back to Belmont because I enjoy the event and I usually get good sales.”

John Monroe from Kettle Korn Cabin

Those attending the concert and those who live in the area keep coming to see musical performances and buy from street vendors because it gives the neighborhood character.

“I come to this festival because I live in the area and it showcases what kind of community I live in,” said Lakeview resident Tom Jackson. “Our neighborhood has a lot a different restaurants and retailers that deserve attention and I’d rather spend my money in my own neighborhood than somewhere else.”

The Lakeview area isn’t the only location with a long-running summer festival. There are various locations across Chicago that are also celebrating events that have been around their respected communities for years.

The month of June offers the Chicago Blues Festival from June 11-13 in Grant Park, MidSummer Festival from June 18-20 in West Rogers Park and many more.

The Chicago Blues Festival holds the title of largest free blues festival in the world and continues, year after year, to remain Chicago’s largest music festival. The MidSummer Festival commemorates the Summer Solstice and features a Scandinavian theme among its food, live music and activities for children.

July offers a large variety of events as well including West Fest from July 10-11 in the Ukranian Village, along with Wicker Park Fest from July 31- Aug. 1.

West Fest offers traditional festival vendors along with arts and crafts for kids and a unique pet fest area. Wicker Park Fest features indie music on three stages and local restaraunts at its seventh annual street fest.

August brings the festival season to close with festivals in just about every community from the West Loop to the Lakefront and the Southside to the Northside. Wrigleyville Summerfest kicks off from Aug. 14-15 and Lake View Music Fest rounds out the month from Aug. 28-29.

Wrigleyville Summerfest celebrates its eighth annual event with live music, food, and drinks, while Lake View Music Fest acknowledges its ninth annual street festival with similar activities just one neighborhood south.

The first weeks of Sept. satisfy the festival goers who aren’t quite ready to let go of the summer fun in the sun. The Chicago Jazz Festival from Sept. 4-5 in Grant Park completes the season as the longest-running lakefront festival in Chicago, celebrating its 32nd year in the Windy City.

“I think Chicagoans go to concerts because the city comes alive in the summer and people want to be out and about,” Jackson said. “And what better way to enjoy the city than with free entertainment.”

Five of the seven muggings have been linked together while police suspect the other two to be related as well.

All of the victims were men, many in their mid-twenties and walking alone. The victims were confronted on foot from behind by at least four attackers who were of similar age.

The attackers demanded the victim’s wallet and then proceeded to beat the them in the head and face. Two of the attacks landed the victims in the hospital.

Several of the incidents occurred near DePaul University. DePaul campus security is now working with the Chicago Police to ensure the safety of its students.

DePaul Public Safety offers a free escort service to its students from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.. Students may call Public Safety at 773-325-7777 for a ride to any location on campus if they feel their safety is threatened.

As of March 31, 2010, no arrests have been made in connection to the muggings.

The six-letter combo seems generic enough.

Yet, when typed into Google, the search engine renders his persona among its first page of results.

How did Andrew Huff become so prominent on the World Wide Web?

Blogging.

Andrew Huff speaks with journalism students at DePaul University

Huff visited with an online journalism  class at DePaul University on Wednesday to enlighten the young, budding journalists on where the media is headed.

Huff started blogging back in 2001 with a simple and straightforward blog about all things in his life and all things Chicago. Looking back at the original site he set up using Tripod, he finds humor in seeing how far he has come.

Over time, Huff noticed many other individuals around the Chicago area breaking into the blogosphere. In 2003, Huff collaborated with designer, Naz Hamid to create Gapers Block, an online publication focused on the Windy City.

Since its start seven years ago, Gapers Block has grown from 12 volunteers to 80 staff members. The web publication has also received praise as “Best Chicago Web site,” among many other honors.

The Web site was recently awarded a grant from the Chicago Community Trust, an endowment given to fund local reporting. Gapers Block was 1 of 12 organizations to receive the grant.

Aside from his work as editor and publisher of Gapers Block, Huff is a full-time professional blogger. His personal blog has since relocated to me3dia, where you can continue to read up on his findings and interests, connect over Twitter, and view his Flickr account.

Huff also works as a social media consultant for companies across the map, from Kenneth Cole to A&E television’s Paranormal State.

Throughout his career, Huff has learned the importance of keeping up with the changing media. You’ve always got to be one step ahead of the game. Online media are all about easy access to information.

In quoting Professor Jeff Jarvis, editor of BuzzMachine.com, Huff closed with, “Write what you know and link to the rest.”