Want the Story Right? Do It Yourself

The Tribune ran a nice story by Jon Davis this morning about Spring Into Sports, noting that the program kept 1,500 students busy – and out of trouble – during spring break.

But you can't please everyone. Earnest Gates, one of the event's organizers and executive director of the Near West Side Community Development Corporation, thought Davis missed the bigger point: that the finals took place at Crane Technical Prep High School, 2245 W. Jackson Blvd., just 13 months after student Ruben Ivy was killed at the school.

Here's Gates' email: "They didn't talk about Crane hosting the finals and having this diverse group of young people from across the city competing in a healthy environment. No fights no arguments just fun and a competitive spirit. Crane has received a bad rap because of the young men who were slain near the school last year. The finals marked a turning point in the perception of the school."

He's right. Last month we ran a story on newcommunities.org about how Crane has become a "safe haven" in the neighborhood, and I saw for myself on Saturday that under new Principal Richard Smith, the school is a different place than it used to be.

But with the Tribune cutting another 20 percent of its already gutted staff, and the Sun-Times bankrupt, we can't look anymore to the big media to tell these stories. If we want to get the word out about something going on in the neighborhoods, we're going to have to do it ourselves.