Greater Harvest Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1912 and for the last 56 years has called 5121 S. State St. home. Now, after nearly 10 years, members are preparing to move into their new sanctuary. Columbia College's Damon Maloney spent time talking to members about the memories they're leaving behind.

By Meha Ahmad

When the Mosque Foundation of Bridgeview opened its doors in 1981, about 100 Muslims filled just a few prayer rows. Today, 26 years later, attendance has skyrocketed to almost 5,000 participating in Friday prayers and 10,000 attending each week.

Now one of the most successful mosques in the Midwest, its directors have a solution to the overcrowding that has occurred for years: a $4.9 million expansion project.

The expansion will include increased prayer space, a library, more classrooms, a reception area, and a 71-foot minaret. The project will add 26,000 square feet to the mosque's existing 18,000 square feet, more than doubling its size.

"The expansion shows how much our community has grown," said Linda Falah, 22, a Chicago Ridge resident who travels only three miles to the mosque. "And shows how it will continue to grow."

Jamie Morgan

Today is the Chicago Police Department CAPS program's third annual Turn in a Gun Event. 

CAPS and 23 churches around the city are prompting people to put down their guns and, as the slogan reads, “Don’t Kill A Dream, Save a Life.” The message has been plastered inside CTA buses and trains, posted in every alderman’s office and displayed at City Hall for weeks. Now, the community will wait and see who takes up the challenge.  Last year, more than 12,000 guns were turned in and destroyed. 

Chicago’s overall crime rate continues to decrease year by year, as it has done for more than a decade.  But as of June of this year, the homicide rate was at the same mark as it was in June 2006 -- 201 homicides.  And according to the Chicago Police Department, gun violence is responsible for 80% of homicides.