The Derrion Albert beating melee (video still) The day that Derrion Albert was killed, most kids at Fenger High School already knew something was going down. There was palpable tension in the air. A 15 year-old had already been arrested that morning for firing off a gun.

Room 702 at the courthouse at 26th and California has a panoramic view of Cook County jail facilities: block brick buildings, guard posts, barbed wire in circles. On the wet, grey morning of September 16, lawyers mill about casually, occasionally joking, flipping through papers.

North of McGaw Hall, DePaul University, Lincoln Park, The Crossroads Project practices in the fresh autumn air. They'll play again Saturday, September 25, at 9 p.m. at Lily's, down the street at 2513 N. Lincoln Ave.

1. Jorge Drexler (& Lenore Watling), "Toque de Queda," Amar La Trama, Warner Music Spain2. Ana Karla & Jesus Baez, "Cucurrucucu Paloma/Yo Cameleon," BiMexicano, Nacional Records 3.

Both Congressman Luis Gutierrez and City Clerk Miguel del Valle are now actively running for mayor, and regardless of who else throws their hat in the ring, if Chicago's going to have a Latino mayor this time around, it'll be one of them.

A todos nuestros amigos mexicanos, celebrando con ustedes el bicentenario!

I have never practiced the kapparot, nor even so much as witnessed it, though it's a ritual that fascinates me.