♪ on "america tonight," the fight for chicago rages on. one year after our in-depth look at stories behind the violence, we revisit a community trying to move forward. >> how have you been coping over the past year? >> trying. trying. trying not to cry in front of him. you know, it's days i can go and lay on my bed and tears just flow. >> our correspondent back on the streets to learn what a difference a year and a full-on push by law enforcement has made in the fight for chicago.

also tonight, a message for washington. the islamic state claims to murder another american journalist. even as u.s. forces lead an unlikely coalition in retaking ground in iraq. >> these are see a fighters, they are the army that the u.s. is very familiar with when they were fighting iraq. look here. >> kr-pbd just rushing on the ground in erbil on the u.s.' linchpin role on stabilizing iraq. and what's keeping hess forces united in their fight against islamic state. and atlantic city's big gamble. the fun on the boardwalk and & with some of the biggest casinos folding, will lady luck smile on atlantic city again? ♪ ♪

and good evening, thanks for joining us. i am joie chen. in an ominous sign the latest videotape murder of an american journalist at the hands of the islamic state. the executioner there included a direct message to the u.s. and president obama. that the doomed victim. steven soughtlove forced to saying that he is paying the price for u.s. involvement in iraq. his murder comes just two weeks after american journalist james foley was murdered by the very same group. and days after his mother begged his captors for mercy. the new video has yet to be authenticated but in nba it the i.s. murderer says the death is in retaliation for the u.s. attacks against the fighters and threatened to kill british aid worker david haines as well. early more than 100 iraqis stormed the parliament angry over the government's failure to protect their relatives in iraq. as far ass have taken back several town from i.s. and.

there are signs that they are feeling heat from an unlikely coalition with critical support from the united states. on the ground a special report from "fault line's correspondent josh rushing. >> reporter: this is the 1reu8 i believe. about 10 minutes right from amerli, yesterday the islamic state was holding this village they first on got there in june. there were air strikes from the u.s. last night. now peshmerga has taken the village. they have the road blocked. we are leaching our car. we have to walk. this has been so recently taken they haven't taken down the islam i go state flags yet. you can see the black flag on top of a silo beside the road here.

>> reporter: firing right here, at what? >> bomb. >> get low down. >> reporter: okay. okay. >> be careful. >> reporter: i was a bit startled because of the fire, it's one the peshmerga fighters firing trying to see if it's an i.e.d. or not. they say the road is booby trapped so they are taking us around a different way to get in to the village. this is booby trapped from the islamic state. okay. don't walk over there. [ gunshots ] >> reporter: rounds are cracking off in the distance.

black smoke coming up from the village. our guy from the pe peshmerga is testing the ground where he walks before he came up onto it. booby trapped? >> reporter: we have just crossed about three quarters of a mile of open territory to get here with these peshmerga soldiers to find out out that they are behind this all because there is a sniper behind the wall and they sent a unit to covetake out the sniper.

the per herringer are starting to gain momentum against the islaal i can state. but they say the momentum is at risk as washington stalls on the decision on whether to send more support for the fight here. >> translator: if they don't help us they will eventually threaten america and all western countries, they will become a threat to the whole world. they have no other choice but to intervene. >> translator: if they don't help us events like 9/11 might repeat. we don't want them to intervene on the ground we just need them to help with the air strikes. >> translator: on the frontline we realize that the pe peshmerga are not a loan, they are fighting in a coalition that would have been unmanageable only a few months ago. >> reporter: setting aside checkered history the peshmerga are fighting alongside the iraqi army and shia militias such as

these fight tprerts the league of the righteous. a hardcore group of iranian fighters who formed during the years of u.s. occupation here. as difficult as it is to clear a little village like this, one can only imagine the extraordinary effort it's going to take to get the islamic state out of iraq. imagine the city of mosul, more than a million people there and having to clear it house by house like this. after the battle. a quick reaction force from the interior ministry stormed in to the village. the certainly says that pitch battles aren't the biggest risk in fighting to retake sunni iraq. >> translator: we are moving very well but we are facing problems with i.e.d.s and snipers. and we are tackling both of those issues as we go along. >> reporter: i see iraqi army, peshmerga, who will be left behind to hold this village? >> the peshmerga are going to be the holding force. we cleared the village, and they will hold the ground.

>> reporter: if this holds true it represents a historic extension of the kurds' forces reach. far more south than they have ever been. nearly 50 miles beyond the disputed area of kirkuk and its rich oil fields. on the way back from the battlefield we came across this convoy where troops are mass ago long side the road. these are shia fighters, in fact, they are the army which the u.s. army is very familiar with when they were fighting here in iraq, look here, this is al sadr, the head of the army. and now they are all heading down the road to continue the fight against the islamic state. they decline today speak on camera but they weren't shy about letting us film. strange bed fellows for the u.s.

military in this all hands on deck effort to push back the islamic state. >> "america tonight" "fault line's" correspondent joins us from iraq. we have received reports that the islamic state is claiming the mushed of a second american journalist stephen soughtlove. and in the take they make the direct link between the missile strikes by the u.s. -- or the air strikes by the u.s. and this murder. can you talk about the relationship between the u.s. and the u.s. now. >> reporter: absolutely. first time the u.s. used air strikes here in iraq that's when they executed the first journalist, james foley they said if the air strikes would continue they would execute the next one and they have done that. and or strikes have continue. the air strikes have been quite significant. everyone we have spoken to on the ground says they have been nothing short of the game changer. you remember the stunning speed

with which the islamic state was a able to go from the syrian border, all the way, 600 miles across iraq, holding territory all the way to the iranian border. so much so that the kudish region no longer effectively bordered the rest of iraq. now since the u.s. air strikes have started that momentum has turned completely around and it's not lost on the soldiers on the crowned that these tapes are a part of that. with each tape coming out it infuriates the american people giving political will to the politicians to actually give more support in the fight against the islamic state. >> and that was the suggestion that the peshmerga commander made in the report that we just saw from you a moment ago. let's talk about this unlikely alliance of bed fellows. the different and disparate groups that are all involved here, all fighting together. these are groups that would not, as you noted, be traditional allies in the situation, but what unites them here? is it ideologis ideology or pury

territorial? >> reporter: it really speaks to the bar bare at this and the threat that the islamic state poses. i mean, not only are they an extremist group, but they are also an expansionist group in that they expanded so fast it's a clear threat to even involved here. so you are right, when i was about on the iranian board here there have been eye rain vinnie spiters that i have witnessed that are fighting the islamic state. also u.s. military advisers here, calling in the air strikes. now you have iran and the u.s. on the same side. yesterday i ran in to a convoy of fighters from the med -- i. this is the army of al sadr who was no favorite of the u.s. military when they were here during the occupation years. the p.k. k. the kurdish rebels that are a terrorist group accord to this u.s. are on the front lines here fighting the islamic state and benefiting from the u.s. air strikes. it's really kind of a coalition

of the disprable that have come together because the islamic state represents so much of a threat to them. for awful these groups how do you deal with an organization that has no diplomatic ties fox, way for economic sanctions and a clear ex-fashionist policy where they expand as fast as they can. everyone realizes it takes the boots on the ground and the fighting that is going on the last two weeks. >> al jazerra zips "fault klines." correspondser thank you so much. not just in iraq but somalia as well a drone struck the leader of al-shabab, target the group's leader. an al-shabob member says that he was traveling in one of two vehicles hit and that six militants were killed. but it is not clear whether he himself survived.

>> the u.s. military conducted an operation in somalia against the al-shabab network. the u.s. is continuing to examine the results of that and will provide more information as appropriate. >> you may recall that last september al-shabab gunmen attacked a mall in nairobi, kenya, at least 67 people died in that attack. when we return, sealing the deal on the grand bargain, detroit makes the case for its recovery plan. the will the motor city's creditors, or community, on him out ahead? later in he our program, our special coverage on the fight for chicago. we return to the same streets and find the same pain we saw one year ago. kr-pbd end christof ocorrespondt has changed over the last year and why the city may still be losing the battle.

today marks the beginning of the end for detroit's historic bankruptcy case the motor city and its correct tours have been working to hash on you deals, the biggest one called a grand bargain is a deal meant to protect the city's retirees and its world class art collection, "america tonight's" chris bury looks over the place that his we have visited over the past few months to explain what is at stake now.

>> reporter: the rescue of detroit begins here in one of the finest collections. graham beal is the curator. >> it's terrible that we have been put in this situation. so, yeah, it's a deep concern. >> reporter: the plan for detroit's recovery called the grand bargain. nonprofit donors and the state of michigan would put up nearly $700 million to keep these van goghs and monets from the hands of creditors and also fund reduced pensions for the city's retirees. >> if they cut anything away from me, i don't know how i am going to survive. >> reporter: binny boatner. a retired city worker and her husband live on your 885-dollar a month pension. under the grand bargain approved by a majority of union members, retirees like them will get a 4.5% cut in their monthly

checks. their annual cost of living increases will be eliminated. >> i might as well just have one foot in the grave, because that's about where i would be headed. >> reporter: her husband, grady, suffers serious health problems. he undergoes dialysis twice a week and a few years ago he lost his eyesight. but under the grand bargain, retirees such as the boatners will see their city health benefits reduced by 90 cents. >> if they cut him off. it's just like cutting off my life. it's like a silents killer or something, not just for me, but for everyone who is trying to retire. it would be very devastating. >> reporter: for current city workers, including the firefighters of engine company 44, the bankruptcy is adding apprehension to an already stressful and dangerous job. >> i have been at this firehouse most of my career. the morale is good, it probably

is in most of the firehouses but it's just the uncertainty now going through the change of the bankruptcy and not knowing, you know, what is going to happen six months from now. are they just going to come in and get rid of our jobs. >> reporter: nine union representing firefighters has also signed onto the grand bargain. they will get their full pensions when retired, but cost of living allowances will be cut by 55% and the city will no longer provide health insurance. but in the biggest municipal bankruptcy in the nation's history. history, no one is left unscathed. the city's creditors all want a piece of the pie, or at least some crumbs, including 72-year-old jesse payne. >> i started across the street to go to the doctor's office and the bus backed over me when i looked down at my leg, it was

split open. >> reporter: two years ago a city bus crushed her legs. she spent a year in the hospital and still gets physical therapy five days a week. >> i still have pains today in my legs. i wake up a lot of nights with pain in my legs. you should see the scars. >> reporter: after a lawsuit, pain was awarded more than $3 million. but in detroit's bankruptcy, she is near the back. line. her lawyers say the city halted payment on her check before it could be cashed. >> right now we have pieces of paper, essentially, that need to be converted in to monetary damages for jesse. and in the bankruptcy process, that's a very complex process. it's uncharted territory for virtually everybody involved in this. >> reporter: duane knows that well. he spent nearly 10 years in prison for a homicide he did not commit. police had withheld evidence

suggesting his innocence and a judge threw out the conviction. >> it was one of the most happy days of my life. it was a day that i was just always dreamed of that one day i would be able to walk out the doors. >> reporter: a settlement panel decided the city owed duane about $5 million. but detroit did he cleared bankruptcy before negotiations could begin. >> so it was like right there, at the goal line. >> reporter: now he is among 500 citizens with pending lawsuits against the city. his lawyer says their place in line is far behind city retirees. >> pensioners have a lot of attention because of their unions, but the other people like duane don't have that because they don't have a union behind them. >> reporter: nine man pushing the grand plan is detroit's emergency manager kevin orr. he knows the bankruptcy means inflicting hardship even as he tries to spread the pain. >> i don't want to do it.

but i am here to make the are hard call. that's my job. >> reporter: some of detroit's big creditors, including hedge funds and bond holders plan to fight orr's plan to the bitter end. one group wants to mortgage the art in the institute, worth billions of dollars and leave detroit to pay the loan. >> but the grand plan, flawed as it is, may be the city's best hope to get back on track. if not return to the glory days depicted in the giant diego rivera mural on the museum's wall. chris brewery, al jazerra, detroit. to help us better understand detroit's historic bankruptcy proceed that go got underway today we are joined by professor john, you have been so helpful in the past trying to help us understand all of this. we appreciate you being back with us tonight. first of all, this proceeding that's now underway, they call it a confirmation hearing, which doesn't seem like all that big of ideal.

but it is an enormous undertaking. >> big deal. big, big deal, joie. this is the big moment that we have been waiting for if you are a nerd like me and watching these legal proceedings. this is when the objectors get really their last chance to throw all of their legal arguments to derail confirmation of the plan. and this will be a trial. there will be witnesses, there will be opening arguments, there will be immaterial passioned closing arguments, the only thing that is is different there is no jury in bankruptcy court so everybody is argue to go judge rhodes, the objectors are saying don't confirm this plan it breaks the rules, streets ununfairly, these guys are getting too much. and the city will get up there saying judge, you should confirm the plan we have done the best that we could, this grants bargain is a delicate compromise, just let us go forward it's all about detroit's future. who will be the biggest did he joke tour. the big guys or the little people in the city?

>> it will be both. i listen today the story i felt bass for the boatners because they are going to get a 4% reduction and when you are living on $800 a month, that's a big cut. perhaps ironically the objectors howing the largest will be the bond holders saying you are only cutting them 4%, we are getting cut by 30 plus percent which is a huge portion. we say you are discrit natein dg and the boatners are getting a better deal than we are and so the city's plan has to be rejected. >> so this proceeding will involve a lot of witnesses and could take weeks to go through this i understand. and also the possibility that the guy at the center of this, the original manager kevin orr might not be in office by the time the judge decides.

>> that's right. judge has scheduled 85 hours a side of argument for in. and kevin orr goes out of office on september 27th, now, kevin orr's stat sus sort of a side show. they'll probably extends it by consents. the greater issue will be this latitude that judge rhodes has in making an assessment of unfair discrimination because there is real know precedents in the chapter 9 book what count of unfair discrimination. you are allowed to discriminate saying i am giving this more than that guy because i think there is a good reason for it. you might make an argument for the city this grants bargain is trying to favor pension holders we wouldn't get the money if it weren't going to pensioners. it's discrimination, but it's fair discrimination. it's justified. and the judge just has to listen and make his best judgment on whether it's fair or unfair. even as he's deciding it they are still now mediating trying to reach an agreement with the bond holders hoping if at the last minute the eve of trial they can get a bonds holder buy in that they will withdraw the unfair discrimination objection and a much cleaner case would go

to the judge but that hasn't hatched yesterday they are object is quite fiercely. >> well, bankruptcy nerds and the rest of us will be looking on with interest. thank you so much for with with us. >> my pleasure. ahead, is it a bad gamble? another community facing its own money woes, atlantic city folds some of its biggest gaming tables in a bid to save the future of fun on the boardwalk. and in our next segment this hour, losing the fight for chicago. >> i actually yelled at my moms trying to keep them alive. telling him just breathe. calm down. keeping him up. >> reporter: you were there when he was shot? >> yeah, his eyes going in the back of his heads i am trying to coach him no to living. >> correspondence christof putzel returns to the streets of chicago one year later. has a police crack down helped to save more lives?

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now snapshot of stories making headlines on "america tonight." the european union proposes new sanctions against russian companies to punish moscow for its role in the ongoing crisis in ukraine. russia is used of sending troops across the boarder and ukrainian officials say that russian force forces have been spotted in two rebel-held cities. moscow denies it has invaded eastern ukraine. the first human trials for an experimentally bowl experime will take place this week. an american doctor working in liberia has tested positive now foy bowfor he bowl a ebola. the third american to be effected. in chicago, students headed back to public schools today. 1300 safety guards as part of the city's safe passage program greeted the kids and made sure the students made it to school

safely. the program now in its fifth year was doubled in size last year after the closing of 50 schools forced many students to travel through gang territory just to get to class. police in chicago say the proliferation of guns and the cheer number of gangs on its streets have led to a record number of shootings, although the murder rate is down in 2014, last year the fbi labeled chicago the murder capital of america. "america tonight's" christof putzel spent time on the west sides of the city where homicide detectives inning investigated more than 500 murders, a year later we are back on the streets to see if anything has changed. >> reporter: almost there was a year ago to the day when we first met stacy liberty standing at the back of this church. her son, antwon johnson, had just been shot and killed by the police. >> i just lost the world

basically. it's hard for me because i had my son. my mother died two months before i had him. so it was like that was all i had at that time. by him being my oldest, my first, after my mother left, that's all i had. and when he left it's like everything just left. >> reporter: how have you been coping over the past year? >> trying. trying -- trying not to cry in front of them. you know, it's days i could go in my room and leah cross my bed and tears just flow. there are days i get up and think he's going to come out of his room, but he ain't. >> the whole time i have been on warrants they bring me back to the house. >> reporter: antwon's brother remembers going to the alleyway where he had heard his brother was was shot. >> i go to the alley, i just see

a line of blood like it just draws his body down the ale. >> two spots of blood. >> i picked up all the clothes that i had on, i wiped all the bud up with it. i still got the clothes right now in my room. i had on all whitey wiped up all the good so i could take it with me. it's still in my room right now today. >> reporter: he proceeded to show us the clothes that he had used to wipe up his brother's blood from the alley. >> i didn't want it to be there. it's like i seen his brain, guts, like everything was just laying right there. why would i let him lay there. i would rather take my brother with me. >> reporter: the blood on the clothes has died. but the pain and the fear are still fresh. stacy has three other sons still living at home. do you worry about them? >> every day. every day. if one don't answer the phone i am calling their friends. have you seen him? have you talked to him? why aren't -- well, on ma, they

right here. all their friends call me ma. every day i am not saying the guys hanging out on the block going to take them away from knee. i never thought the police would take my child away from me, but they did. they did. >> reporter: the police maintain antwon was in possession of a 9-millimeter pistol, a charge stacy disputes. she is suing the chicago police department for what she says is the wrongful death of the her s. >> we are losing our kids, these kids can't even grow up to raise their own kids. they leaving these kids' parents to take care of their kids. and like they say, we supposed to leave before our kids do. and y'all taking these kids from us. it's not just the beep on the street, it's the police officers. y'all are helping them. >> reporter: overall crime rates are down in chicago. but if you live in neighborhoods like north lawn dale, it doesn't team that way.

>> beep boy. tell you guys. >> reporter: between january and august of this year, there have been over 1250 shootings in chicago. most of them by neighborhood gangs. in response to those numbers mayor rahm emanuel has deployed more boots on the ground a move not popular with many locals who seat police as a hostile force. the city has also since cut the fund for this north lawn dale branch of ceasefire the controversial organization we profiled last summer. >> glad there is somebody standing up that care about us, man. >> reporter: maids up of former gang members, its mission was to protect the city from the violence they once initiated. >> sit over there. i want to look at all three of y'all. >> reporter: i first met dakar i johnson and cedrick body in the offices of ceasefire last sum we're a longstanding conflict between two rival gangs was being mediated. dakar i had didn't shot six times allegedly by the gang cedrick belonged to.

>> this right here is therapy. this is street therapy right here. >> hey, y'all, guess what i did something positive today. >> reporter: ceasefire had them walk through the neighborhood together passing out anti-violence flyers, a move considered unprecedented at the time. >> how are you doing, man. >> reporter: i recently caught up with both of them. >> it's been a while. what's up, man. how are you? do you remember the last time we were talking together? >> yeah. >> reporter: why won't you cross the street with them? >> this is one of the blocks that i was beefing w you don't feel comfortable going over there? >> i'll go over there, but i ain't fixing to go over there. i am clause that phobic, i don't like being around too many people. >> reporter: okay. you wouldn't cross the street at one point. >> oh, yeah, that's because, man, certain people you just can't be around. >> reporter: do you still feel that way? >> no, i am good. it's just when people got animosity around, you just stay away from stuff like that.

>> reporter: how is it going walking the streets these days? >> i am like any other person. >> reporter: not every other person has been shot six times. but, you know, that was in the past. you gotta get over it. once you get over it, you just don't look back. >> reporter: cedrick is less comfortable walking around and insist odd meeting in an area out of sight since we met him him last summer he was shot in the hand and his best friends was shot next to him. >> i walk my neighborhood, i don't walk out, i get in the car. >> reporter: why is that? >> too much stuff be happening. >> reporter: like what? >> a lot of shooting and stuff. and then, you know -- >> reporter: cedrick has a baby now. and something more to live for. >> i ain't trying to be involved in that. i got a daughter to live for. i ain't trying to lose my life to this. >> reporter: both young men said they have left the gang life behind. cedrick plans to go to college. dakar -- y has since graduated h

school and with a baby on the way avoids temptation says of the environments. >> reporter: how do you feel differently now that you have a kid on the way? >> i feel like i got responsibilities now, because at first i was free, i was wild and do whatever i want. now i got somebody who gotta take the path that i set for them. and i gotta make a good path. put myself in for my kid. >> reporter: the young woman carrying dakar i's child is actually the daughter of someone elsof someoneelse we met last y. derrek spent his nights patrolling the streets as part of ceasefire. derrek took pride in helping mediate conflicts in the streets before they escalated to shootings. today despite ceasefire's lack of funding he's still doing his best to curb violence in the community and mentor young men.

derrek's best efforts aside he can't stop the bullets from missing the victims. >> he was one of the first kids a trained the boxing. >> reporter: alla tremendous was shot two months early ore this block. >> i actually held him in my arms trying to keep him alive. telling him just breathe, calm down, keeping him up. >> reporter: you were there when he was is not. >> yeah, his eyes going in the back of his head. i am trying to coach him no to living. >> reporter: you are thinking about things a little differently now after you were shot? >> i won't look at it no way different. >> reporter: how do you look at? >> well, it's still the same it's just something normal that happened. something that just happened. it ain't nothing that i am just used to. it's the neighborhood. >> reporter: getting shot twice is something norm until. >> it's not something normal that you want to happen to you. it's something normal that happen if you are armed the stuff that's going on. >> i talk to him about a week ago about that.

about being hot is not norm and it's something that we shouldn't accept. derrick can offer them the benefit of his experience what he can't offer them is a job. we sat down with dare i can to watch some of the footage we shot with him the summer before. what you teaching them? >> about the streets. >> reporter: what are you learn october streets? >> drug dealing, fighting, shooting. >> reporter: you have you ever seen anybody get shot? >> you see what you teaching him, this is a kid, and this is our future, can you read good? i am fixing to get something out and i want to you read it to me. okay. read that for me. >> this right here? >> yeah, that right there. >> once again i would like to thank all of the good people that continue to support my family. >> now, listen, you good, man, you a leader.

you can read. >> most people on the streets the drug dealers can't read like i can. >> you are a leader what's your name? >> bobby. >> i am derrick, i pro promise a coming to get you i am a boxing coach, all right. >> it's sad to see. >> it's too late for you all to be out here. >> real sad. >> reporter: just four months after we filmed this moment, 13-year-old bobby was shot after breaking in to someone's home. >> without proper guidance he's going to be some leader of a dang. and he's a thinker so he's going to be thinking criminally. i ended up coaching him for a few, but at the time it got cold, and so he was force odd the streets. he broke in to this guy's house so the guy whose house he broke in end up finding out that he was the one who went in his house, and this is a grown man

that shot a little kid. >> reporter: ceasefire's funding got cut shortly before bobby was shot and derrek says that's made it harder than ever for him to win these boys back from the streets. >> you see what i mean when i say resources. his resources was to be in the gang, which was his brother, what he's teaching him. these street seers, teaching them how to gang bang, how to steal. how to not respect another human being. and that's what they have. >> reporter: bobbing was june we have won of the 2,800 people shot in chicago last year. since we reported here a year arc the epidemic of violence has remained a way of life and answers on how to change that remain illusive. christof putzel, al jazerra, chicago. we'll keep our focus on the fight for chicago in our next segment. and hear from more voices on the street. a look at what has made a

difference one year later, but why community leaders fear new dangers lie ahead. tomorrow on the program, tennessee's tough new law battles its growing drug problem, aiming to start the fight before birth by threatening pregnant drug abusers with jail time. why health workers warn the law may be doing more harm than good. >> what i am hearing already is some of the women are saying they are not even going to go to the doctor because they are afraid that the doctor may report them. >> this is the women's units. >> correspond end sheila mick mk vick never tennessee on crime wednesday america tonight.

now we follow-up on our coverage of the fight for chicago as we saw in our last segment "america tonight's" christof putzel spent weeks there last summer and has been back to find out how much has

changed. christof, the experience that you had last year and this year, did anything surprise you? was there that much change? >> reporter: it surprised us that there wasn't that much change. i think what we are expecting you hear the statistics, hear people saying things are getting better. the violence is down, but it doesn't actually feel that way at all. shootings are up. and we certainly weren't expecting two of the people that we had spent time with last summer to have been shot in the meantime. since we had been back. >> it's heart break to go see. illinois state representative lesean ford jones us now, i appreciate you being here. to you i ask, is this summer really a better summer? the number of murders is down, we are told. but the number of shootings is actually up. is it any better? >> no, it's not better at all. in fact, it's worse. and it's getting worse because the streets of the city of chicago, the people are living in stressful situations and the city has closed a lot of mental health facilities where people could receive the help that they

need to deal with the stress that ultimately turns to mental illness. >> it does seem that the focus, though, has been, and i wonder how much of it, is the nation al tension put on chicago, and its violence problem, but it seems like the resolution from the city leaders is more law enforcement. is that effective? >> more law enforcement is very important because he have to deter crime. the city of chicago must realize that they have to make sure that they do everything that they can to put more police on the street or partner with the cook county sheriff tom dart and the state police. we have the resource that his need in the state if the city of chicago is willing to put its pride down and use all resources available. >> also with us is chicago community activist referent robin hood. appreciate you being with us again tonight. i am struck lie this in christof's report, an important community program had its

funding cut, something that was showing some effectiveness here. is the focus too much on law enforcement on not enough on what can be done in terms of social services in the commune any. >> yeah. well, it is focused on more law enforcement because that saying to people, they feel safer when you ask for more police. but the reality of it is, if you don't have good jobs, if you don't have good schools, if you don't have resources, and mentorship for the people in the community, it's almost like throwing money in to fire. you cannot arrest your way out of this vie learns you have to built the community and get the community the resources and the structure that it needs to be a vibrant community. >> christof, have you seen that as well? and is there any sort of sense of backlash? it isn't necessarily the sees quest thing on a community it see more law enforcement. >> that was one of the things that we noticed the most is

there is a much stronger police presence on the streets, but we were sprays today hear the people saying they don't feel safer, seemed to be a bit of a militarization, starting to feel more like a war on them. that it became more us against them. less conversation, less communication, and more just stay in your place, more guns, the guns were getting bigger by the police, and so people felt threatened and under attack. >> reverend hood, do you see that as well? do you hear that from people in the streets, that maybe law enforcement isn't the most reassuring thing for them? >> yes, you will hear that from the street. you will hear things like more senior citizens are getting parking tickets and they are getting boots and, how is that a dideterrent to violence. you hear those things. but what i am recognizing and the community, if community and law enforcement can have more communication, if the community can get the resources necessary

instead of making cook county prison, the mental health institutions open a more mental health facilities, open those back up, and get more resources in to their hands, they need the most. that's the high-risk individuals the forker earley incarcerated, they need jobs, they need housing, they need education dollars. those are needed in north lawn dale in the city of chicago. do you feel that as lawmakers, legislators in the state and the city leaders, are you focused on the right thing here? is the focus on trying to build community and more options for the people of the community as a way of getting out of the cycle of violence? >> i don't think that the state, the city, the county, or the federal government is focused on the right mission to move the

city out of a -- the presence of a stressful community. you know, just recently the jackie robinson team won the national title because they were invested in. so what we have to do is invest in the community, and make sure that when we talk about building a stronger and a healthier community, that we are investing in the right resources and the right programs. and the police, they are paid to serve and protect. we can have lots of police on the corners, but what they should do is make people feel safe and not threatened when you walk down michigan avenue, you never hear that people are feeling threatened by the police, they feel safe. so they have to feel safe on the west side of chicago as well with the presence of the police. >> appreciate all of you being with us. "america tonight's" christof putzel who has put so much time in the streets of chicago following up on this.

we focused on this here is al jazerra. also with us tonight is illinois state representative lesean ford and the activist reverend robin hood. we appreciate all of your inside tone. >> thank you. >> thank you. ahead, doubling down in atlantic city. the boardwalk's latest gamble cutting back the number of gaming tables and the glittering casinos, correspondent adam mae tells us there is more to it. the story of adlan stic atlanti, could the community be left wiped out?

finally this hour, it's been nearly four decades since voters in new jersey approved what was at that time a radical plan to revitalize atlantic city. they agreed to allow casinos on the city's famous boardwalk making that the only place outside of nevada where gambling was legal and welcome. a report on the collapse of the casinos, revenues have fall bine 40% in just the last eight years, two of the city's big casinos closed this labor day the rebel and the showboat.

and correspondent adam mae tells us there is more to it. >> reporter: this is the biggest gambling loss in atlantic city's history. a glimmering $2.4 billion luxurious tower right on the atlantic city boardwalk, closed. revel is just the latest casino to fold. >> reporter: casino workers at trump plaza fear their jobs are next. and their protests are not changing manage the plans? july, the famed resort shocked everyone here by announcing it would close at the end of the summer. sales are down 26% from a year ago. putting it in last place among the city's 12 casinos. adding insult to injury, the man who founded it, donald trump, announced he was suing his own partners to get his name removed

from the property. as well as what used to be the crown jewel of the boardwalk, the trump taj mahal. don england has been a cocktail waitress at the trump plaza for more than 30 years. since the announcement, she's been a regular at these rails. leading the fight to save more than a thousand jobs. >> he tell them what you want. and you want it now. i grew up in a union family. my father worked as a brick layer his whole life. and two of my brothers have followed suit with that. you know, i was instilled with a really strong work ethic, a sense of commitment and i have my teeth in this thing. it's not just about closing the building. it's about everything inside of it, a building is nothing until you put people in there. it's about everything inside of it and everything around it. >> reporter: the plaza will be atlantic city's fourth casino to close this year. a wave of competition from

neighboring states swallowing up famous boardwalk properties. the atlantic club hotel and casino used to be a hotspot back in 1983, it was the highest grossing casino here in atlantic city. big names sang here like frank sinatra and dean martin. but then, at the beginning of this year, it abruptly closed its doors. >> there is a proliferation of casinos all over the united states, especially on the east coast and with so many casinos in our town, our entire economy only wrapped around casinos, we knew what the bottom hit, we just didn't know how bad and we didn't realize it was going to all come at the same time. >> reporter: with much of the city behind him, mayor don guardian is looking back to the future. he says it's time to return to the old land tic atlantic city,e casinos came in and took over. >> the days of casinos and casino monopolies are over and, casinos will be closing not

opening up. casinos that open up are just going to close down another casino. >> there are other things that you can do inside the casino, not only, you know, gamble. >> keep plaza open, four more months! >> reporter: she is a housekeeper at the trump plaza. she left new york to come work here 18 years ago. and now with two young daughters to care for, she fears she may have to start over. >> i own my home. pay a mortgage, it's going to be tough, but if they close. and if they do, then i'll just try to look somewhere else, where, you know, because there is a lot of other things to do. >> unformly, some of the people are going to be moving out of atlantic city because gaming is what they know request & what they want to stay in, they will be moving to casinos that are recruiting them now as we speak. for some of the individuals that may be an early retirement being for the reminder we need to find new jobs. ♪ ♪ >> reporter: this isn't first

time atlantic city has had to reinvents itself. from its beginnings as a health resort in the mid 19th century to a mob haven at the height of prohibition. in the early '60s, linden johnson convinced the democratic party to hold its convention here. deligates said conditions were appalling. by the 1970s. the city was in desperate need i've lifeline. vote ears proved the plan to allow casino on the boardwalk. on the promise that they would raise funds for public services. suddenly atlantic city became the only place outside of nevada where commercial casinos were allowed. by the end of the '9s, the model had spread toll 11 different states across the country. today commercial gambling is available in 23 states, including all of atlantic city's neighbors. >> hello. >> hi. how are you? >> great how are you.

>> reporter: frank knows atlantic city as well as anything. he and his jet are local institutions frank and his family have been living here for three generations, so foe him the current cries sit personal. >> this is 61. going to be popping in on ohio avenue. and i am going make an eastbound trip. >> reporter: we feel like we are under siege from the national media. believe it or not. it's true that we have casinos closing. but casinos have been here for 30 years. 32 years i think. they have openinged and closed throughout the history of gaming in atlantic city. right now, we are going through a transition where for the last few years, there has been a contraction, now you can go to any casino all up and down the east coast anywhere. i mean, they building them in iowa, for crying out loud. >> reporter: you made a big investment to become a jitney driver. how critical is tourism to your survival? >> it's everything, if we don't

have visitors i don't have a business. >> we are tourism destination, america's playground, where he need to go back to becoming america's playground again. >> reporter: a place to play. >> reporter: it's what made the city famous in the first place. why do you love the city so much? >> sands in my shoes, that's a phrase. sand no my shoes, once it gets in your blood, it's in your blood. and the people here just love showing off our city. >> reporter: hoping the city bounces back. adam mae, al jazerra, atlantic city. we'll see where it goes on its next ride. that's t* for us here is on "america tonight." they'll are more of "america tonight" tomorrow. ♪ ♪

>> start with one issue ad guests on all sides of the debate. and a host willing to ask the tough questions and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5pm et / 2pm pt only on al jazeera america a second american journalist allegedly beheaded by islamic state terrorists. a former heaved the cia joins us with america's option to his ronald. i am antonio mora, ' to him "consider this," that store andh more straight ahead. a video posted on line claims to show the beheading i've seconds u.s. journalist. the new video is called a second message to america. >> w