Friday, April 30^th

Jobs Not Gangs: Rev. Greg Boyle

Rev. Greg Boyle is the founder of the large Los Angeles gang-intervention program Homeboy Industries (tagline: "Nothing stops a bullet like a job" ). The nonprofit provides job training, placement assistance and other free programs, but also operates small businesses (Homeboy Bakery, Homegirl Cafe, and even Homeboy Silkscreen ) that provides transitional jobs for former gang members who might not have great employment prospects because of their pasts. The small businesses helps these people learn new skills while building a resume and gaining valuable work experience. Read More

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Parents Key in Gang Resistance

Parents must be the first line of defense in keeping youths out of gangs, a national official with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America said Wednesday.

"The parents are the ones who really have to stand up there and take charge of what's going on in their families," said Joe Mollner, the organization's senior director of delinquency prevention.

But the 27-year law enforcement veteran said those families also need help from the community.

"This isn't something that the Boys & Girls Clubs can do alone. It's not something that the Urban League can do alone or the Police Department can do alone. But when you start to come together is when you can make the difference, and that's what this is all about,” he said. Read More

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Lighting the Way for Street Youth

Light Patrol offers support, resources to kids living on our city streets

When Light Patrol first found Kayla, she was a scared teen mom-to-be spending her days on the streets and her nights in a shelter. What a difference a little bit of time and a helpful, supportive hand can make. Now, just 16 months after that first encounter, the bubbly 18-year-old is off the streets and sharing a fully furnished apartment with her one-year-old son, is enrolled back in school, and regularly volunteers to do outreach work with the very organization she said likely saved her life. Read More

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Joplin School Officials Cite Decline in Dropout Number

Joplin school officials estimate that the senior class of 2010 at Joplin High School could be the largest graduating class in 27 years.

More than 450 students could potentially graduate by the time final counts are released next September, Superintendent C.J. Huff recently told the Joplin City Council. The "anticipated" graduation rate - if current numbers hold - could be between 78.5 and 80 percent, said high school Principal Kerry Sachetta.

Huff spoke to the council because the city and the business community have been assisting the school district to encourage teenagers to stay in high school rather than dropping out. Read More

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Pushing Gangs Out

More likely to head to larger centers

The Abbotsford Police Department's vow to tell gang members to leave crime or get out of Abbotsford shouldn't send a parade of criminals heading to Chilliwack, according to police officials and Fraser Valley crime experts.

The APD has drawn up a list of 130 gangsters and plans to begin knocking on doors to tell gang members or affiliates that they're not welcome in the 2008 murder capital of Canada.

The force has set up a new gang-suppression unit of 15 officers to keep tabs on gangsters. The idea is to mimic crime prevention strategies already in place that have targeted prolific offenders. Read More

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