Unofficial Obama art on display in Chicago

Unofficial Obama art on display in Chicago

CHICAGO — An exhibit called “Officially Unofficial: Inspired Art for Obama” is opening April 1 in Chicago, sponsored by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs.

The exhibit will include prints, posters, photographs and videos that emerged during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, from official campaign materials to independent work by artists and designers.

The show will run through May 15 at the Chicago Tourism Center, 72 E. Randolph St. Admission is free.

New Jersey promoting free beaches

WILDWOOD, N.J. — Are you free this summer? The Wildwoods are!

That’s the new slogan for New Jersey’s popular beach and two close neighbors as they try to convince cash-strapped vacationers to visit this summer during bad economic times.

Wildwood, North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest are among a tiny handful of New Jersey beaches that don’t charge for access to the sand and surf.

Wildwood won a statewide online contest last year as New Jersey’s best beach.

Lawmaker seeks answers in death

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The death of a Chicago tourist who had a heart attack at Puerto Rico’s main airport has raised concerns among lawmakers in the U.S. territory.

Hector Martinez heads the island Senate’s public safety committee.

He said he will seek an explanation of why it reportedly took paramedics 20 minutes to reach the woman after she suffered the attack March 7.

El Nuevo Dia reported that 71-year-old Barbara Small had arrived from Chicago with her family a few minutes earlier for a Caribbean cruise.

Her son told the paper she died without receiving treatment and nobody could find a defibrillator to try to revive her.

Postcard collection at Metropolitan Museum

NEW YORK — An exhibit of 750 postcards collected by photographer Walker Evans is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art through May 25.

Most of the postcards are from the early 20th century through the 1920s.

Evans called picture postcards a “folk document,” writing of his collection: “The very essence of American daily city and town life got itself recorded quite inadvertently on the penny picture postcards of the early 20th century ... Those honest direct little pictures have a quality today that is more than mere social history.”

Evans collected 9,000 postcards over 60 years.

Associated Press