Chase Bank At Eugene (29/30th Streets) & Dr. MLK Street One Of Several To Close In Black Areas
The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST for Monday, July 6, 2015. Sometimes, a single listener call can be a bombshell that goes off and galvanizes and impacts the community in many ways. That happened on the July 6 program when “Ladonna” called with the program on an Open Line Day. (Chase Branch Closing Bombshell Starts At 14:24 Mark On PODCAST Media Player). Ladonna said that her neighborhood bank, the Chase Bank at the corner of Dr. Martin Luther King and Eugene Streets, between 29th and 30th Streets would be closing next month. Ladonna was concerned that senior citizens like her, who don’t use electronic banking, who depend on branch visits would be left high and dry. Several other callers chimed in. Amos got a text message from a Black lawmaker who said the Chase branch at 38th and Washington Blvd was also closing next month. Amos then broke protocol and while he was on the air reached out to Chase to find out who he should get information from. While FCC rules precluded the audience from hearing Chase’s side of the conversation, listeners knew that Afternoons with Amos was reaching out to find out what was going on. The closing of the MLK branch of Chase at Eugene Street would be a devastating blow to the UNWA/Riverside neighborhood. The branch is the only bank between 28th and Meridian and 30th and Lafayette Road. The MLK/Eugene branch would effectively end banking services for a huge part of the near northwest side stretching as far south as 10th Street, as far west as Tibbs and as far north as 56th Street and as far east as I-65. A huge under served banking area. Besides a lot of conversation about Chase and banking, Afternoons with Amos shared Amos’ attendance at a meeting of an IPS ad hoc committee on School Autonomy. A committee of IPS administrators, and a teacher, two School Board members were joined on the Friday, July 3rd Holiday by a Georgetown University Professor and expert on school finance to discuss school autonomy and how IPS could implement it. Listeners had strong along with Amos had strong negative reactions to the scheme. Also Amos brought up the disparity in wages for IPS teachers, versus bus drivers and other support staff. Amos asked why IPS was working to give teachers a raise and not give raises as well to lower paid bus drivers, custodians and other support staff. Most of whom are Black; whereas most of IPS teachers are non-minority. (Interview With IPS Board Member Gayle Cosby Starts At 1:29:37 Mark On Media Player). Contributing to the conversation was IPS Board MAuember Gayle Cosby who expressed her opposition to the IPS Autonomy Plans saying it would result in outsourcing of jobs. A prospect that would have a negative impact on IPS employees. The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST for Monday, July 6, 2015 Runs 98 Minutes. PODCAST Begins After Brief Video Ad.
