Wednesday, February 29, 2012

6th Ward Democratic Committeeman Debate


We already know about the candidate forum being hosted by the Greater Chatham Alliance but the debate between Alderman Roderick Sawyer and Richard Wooten for that race will be seen by the audience of the Chicagoland area on CLTV's Politics Tonight on March 5th. That information was posted onto their FB page on Monday. Are you going to tune in for that?

BTW, we got informed on our FB page that Alderman Sawyer had been appointed 6th Ward Democratic Committeeman. He replaced former Ald. Freddrenna Lyle who as we all know was appointed to the Cook County bench late last year. There's already an FB page for the 6th Ward Democratic Organization.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Updated flyer for the GCA candidates forum...

One of the candidates running for 6th Ward GOP Committeeman, Darnell Macklin, will also attend next Saturday's forum hosted by the Greater Chatham Alliance at House of Hope. All other candidates are Democrats. All candidates are expected to attend this event. Also please note that the presidents of the various 6th Ward Community will serve as panelists at the forum! Refer to flyer below.

UPDATED GCA State Rep Forum Flyer

Monday, February 27, 2012

Early Voting starts today

You can vote in any of 53 locations throughout the city, but the nearest one would be at the Whitney Young Library at 79th and King Drive. Most locations are open Monday-Saturday, 9am -5pm, with a 3 locations open on Sunday. Details on Early Voting, and voting in general, is available at ChicagoElections.com

However, you may want to wait until Saturday, where we have a candidate forum  for State representative and 6th Ward democratic Committeeman, sponsored by greater Chatham Alliance. details are here.

UPDATED FLYER HERE -  Levois!



FLY DUMPING AT NORTH END OF 77th BLOCK ALLEY BETWEEN MICHIGAN & WABASH

Message forwarded to us from Mrs. Haley, president of the 75th,76th,77th,78th Wabash Block Club, via  Leslie Honore of Greater Chatham Alliance:
Dear Neighbors,

We are having a problem with fly dumping at the north end of the 77th block alley between Michigan and Wabash. Someone is dumping large sheets of drywall. This has been happening periodically since November. Please, please, please get a license plate number if you see anyone dumping materials in the alley. Call the police and the alderman's office. Also, someone has fly dumped tires on the property of the Sparkle Car Wash.

H. Haley

President

75th,76th,77th,78th Wabash Block Club
Please help us catch these criminals, and respect our neighborhood.


Sunday, February 26, 2012

IVI-IPO makes endorsements in local races

UPDATE 9:06 PM IVI-IPO has a questionnaire Richard Wooten in the race for Democratic Committeeman. Sorry I jumped the gun on an endorsement, but it was important to see Wooten's responses!

IVO-IPO has endorsed Elgie Sims for 34th District State representative, but have chosen NOT to make an endorsement for 6th ward Democratic committeeman. Kari Steele was also one of 3 endorsed for Water Reclamation District. The link for their endorsements is here.

Here is a link to all responses that they received., so you can see what our local candidates said (IF they responded)

Friday, February 24, 2012

Beavers says feds indicted him on tax charges when he wouldn't wear wire

Our local Cook County Commissioner, Bill Beavers, according to the Chicago Tribune, "was indicted Thursday on charges he failed to pay taxes on tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds that he used to pay off personal expenses."


The Tribune further states:
Between 2006 and 2008, Beavers paid himself more than $225,000 from three separate campaign accounts and used at least a portion of that money for personal purposes, including gambling, the indictment alleges.



In 2010, current 34th State Representative District candidate Elgie Sims ran against him, and barely lost, 55% to 45%. However, in the  general election, Beavers won 90% of the vote --and this was against a Green Party member, NOT EVEN a Republican.

Anyone have any voter remorse?

Here's the Chicago tribune news link :
Beavers says feds indicted him on tax charges when he wouldn't wear wire

If you have thought about running for office, it looks like a position is opening up.  You better get your organization together now, as that spot may open up in the near future. (Certainly any candidates NOT winning the primary -- you might consider keeping up your organization and website!)

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Greater Chatham Alliance Sixth Ward Forum

This was recently placed on our calendar. Here's a flyer promoting this event at the Salem Baptist Church's House of Hope. Debate will include all candidates for 34th District State Representative and for 6th Ward Democratic Committeeman. The flyer is below

Gca State Rep Forum Flyer

BTW, I know that the 6th Ward is a Democratic ward, but what about the Republicans? :P

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Imagine Englewood If essay competion: Why Englewood needs a youth center

Today recieved this e-mail about an essay contest sponsored by Imagine Englewood If. Below is the text of that email and an entry form for those Englewood residents who are interested in being part of this contest. The above quote is from someone who is involved in this contest:
Jamal is a 15-year old student at Paul Robeson High School in Englewood. His words were not coached. They came from the heart of a young man who lives at the epicenter of the violence that has taken a foothold in his community. In fact, Jamal was the inspiration for the "Pocket Change 4 Youth" Campaign for a Youth & Family Community Center. He now serves as Youth Co-Chairperson of the “Pocket Change 4 Youth Essay Contest”.

Kinda’ busy? We understand. That’s why we have extended the contest to March 31st. Please take a moment to sponsor someone you know, or consider entering the competition yourself. In these turbulent times, it is one way to signal your support to the children of Englewood who strive for peace in their community. Remember, the essay theme is, "Why Englewood Needs a Youth Center" and the contest is open to anyone who lives, attends school, or works in Englewood. Attached you will find the Essay Contest Entry Form (flyer on front, entry form on back). It includes vital information about the competition to help guide participants through the process.
Awards will be presented on April 7th at “Open Mic Nite”, a teen summit and teen café, which marks the beginning of a direct action campaign to rally support for the center. All ages are welcome. For more information, contact Imagine Englewood if at 773.488.6704, fax: 773.488.6705; email: jhill705 [@] sbcglobal.net; website: www.imagineenglewoodif.org.


This is the entry form that I uploaded onto Scribd.

Election 2012: A billboard...

Sandra J. Wortham is a candidate for state representation 34th District got this billboard near 95th & Michigan. I'll bet this cost a lot of money for a race that doesn't always get the most attention from residents.

Check out her campaign website here!

BTW, someone should've told me about our new 2012 Elections page. It's a lot of work but JP Paulus insisted on it and it looks like we have it here. All races local to the 6th Ward are included including races for 34th District State Representative and 6th Ward Democratic and Republican committeeman. By all means if you have any news or events concerning these races listed on that page e-mail us blog [@] thesixthward.us

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Progress IL: Red Line Extension Moving Forward, But Funding Uncertain

Ald. Sawyer was quoted in this piece by Progress Illinois from last week:
As for the Red Line extension, CTA begins their official environmental impact study of the project next month, which is necessary to qualify for federal funding. The study should take 18 months to 24 months and, at that point, Far South Side transit advocates are hopeful that the extension would begin.

“We are hoping to secure federal funding by the late part of 2013,” said John Paul Jones, an organizer for the Developing Communities Project, a faith-based group in Roseland.

Jones has worked to get the Red Line extended for years, and so has a healthy dose of skepticism. But he’s optimistic, noting that CTA is pursuing a private contractor to shape the project’s design and construction. “It’s a good sign that they are trying to line up a public-private partnership,” Jones says.

Ald. Roderick Sawyer, whose 6th ward lies just north of 95th St., is also hopeful. “It seems as if things are moving in a promising fashion,” Sawyer says. “I know people complain about the process taking so long, but it’s a pretty aggressive expansion.”

Insufficient funding, though, can render the whole process moot.
Noted here is a meeting hosting by Ald. Sawyer on Transit coming up on February 25th!

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Election 2012: Water Reclamation District

Check out this Sun-Times questionnaire for the many Democratic candidates running for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District. Amongst those candidates are Kari Steele who is running for that post once again this year. She's very familiar to the residents of the 6th Ward as she was affiliated with former Ald. Freddrenna Lyle's Democratic organization and was once President of the 6th Ward Young Democrats.

Concerned Citizens of Chatham: Getting back to "Cosbyville"

Worlee writes a good piece over at his blog about how Chatham can be a place for those who aspire to be like the family from The Cosby Show. He talks up Jamal Cole who recently authored a book about Chatham entitled, A Torch of Decency.
Fast forward to 2012 and Chatham is not being called Cosbyville anymore. HBCU's are having difficult times attracting and retaining students. The popular television shows show dysfunctional African American families and individuals who have no respect for their community or culture.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I met a young man named Jahmal Cole who stated he wanted to run for office. I stated you have to get involved, understand the community issues and network. This was several years ago and now he has. He recently finished his book "A Torch of Decency" which chronicles the history of Chatham. he doesn't sugarcoat the issues but talks straight forward about why things are happening and what needs and can be done to correct the problems.
....
Can Chatham get back to Cosbyville? With the next generation leaders like Jahmal, I believe we can.
Go over to Worlee's blog and see why Cole is the future of Chatham and how Chatham can once again be "Cosbyville".

Don't forget that there will be a book signing Saturday morning for author Jamal Cole at the Chatham Starbucks @ 200 W. 87th Street starting at 10 AM. Also so advertised on Worlee's blog.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Free Dempsey Travis books available!

Our friends at R.A.G.E - Resident Association of Greater Englewood posted this news on their Facebook page,

Need Books??? City Colleges of Chicago has free Dempsey Travis book for community organizations. They have several pick up dates, the location is 1001 E. 87th. You can pick up the books on February 17, February 22, and February 24; 9:00 am-3:00 pm on each of those days. You must type your requested list prior to pick-up! If you are interested email joinrage@gmail.com for the inventory list!! Thanks!!

If you're interested, let them know!  This would be great to get for Black History Month (and read all year long!)

For more information on Dempsey Travis, see his Historymakers web page entry.

Sawyer and Wooten may be on CLTV's Politics Tonight in the near future

Per a comment on CLTV's show Politics Tonight Facebook page:
JP Paulus We are currently working on getting the 6th Ward Dem. Committeemen on the show...will keep you posted on a date! And we're working on getting an email address up and running, we'll post it when it's available!

Here's the link to the comment.

When our Deomocratic Committeeman candidates, Richard Wooten & Rod Sawyer, are scheduled as guests, we'll let you know!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

City seeking public input on cultural plan

City seeking public input on cultural plan
Chicagoans from all corners of the city can help brainstorm for the mayor's proposed Chicago Cultural Plan in a series of public meetings beginning next week, Michelle Boone, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, said Tuesday during a meeting of the City Council's Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation.

Boone said she expects the $250,000 cost of creating the plan will be covered by a combination of public and private fundraising. The Chicago Community Trust in September awarded her department a $100,000 grant for development of the plan, and she said $50,000 in city funding is also set aside for that purpose.

The city has hired the international consulting firm Lord Cultural Resources to help draft the plan. Boone said she expects to hold more than 30 meetings to gather public input.

"We don't need to have more information about what the Art Institute needs," Boone said in response to a question from Ald. Roderick Sawyer about bringing more cultural attractions to his South Side ward.

"We need to find out: where are these cultural deserts? And actually we might find and discover that there might be a real cluster of individual artists that have been working under the radar. So how can we help support the work that they do and really make it something more vital?"

Mayor Rahm Emanuel first laid out a vision for his Chicago Cultural Plan in his transition plan, and Boone's office formally announced the public information-gathering process Feb. 1.

The city hopes to release a report in May on the recommendations gathered in public meetings, said Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events spokeswoman Mary May, and the final plan will be presented in the fall.
I wonder what this cultural plan is supposed to consist of? If you want to know more visit http://www.chicagoculturalplan2012.com/ and we were also referred to this link over on twitter @ http://chicagoculturalplan.eventbrite.com/ by @ChiCulturalPlan hopefully many of you will be interesting in following this process.

Emanuel defends income-tax hike refund seizure

The City Council voted 41-8 to seize state tax refund money from those who owe the City money (such as unpaid trafiic/parking tickets). Ald. Sawyer was one of the 8 to vote agianst it.

Here's the link for the Chicago Breaking News Story from the Chicago Tribune:

Emanuel defends income-tax hike refund seizure

Englewood parent empowerment series

Quite late posting this. In fact there are a couple of events taking place today courtesy of the Englewood Community Action Council. There are apparently two free workshops today one of them starting at 12:30 PM and another to start at 4PM. Then the other two on Thursday and Saturday. Check the press release below for more details.
ECAC Press Release February 13

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Black History Month: R.L. Dukes Oldsmobile


[VIDEO] The video above is an ad from R.L. Dukes Oldsmobile "The Dealmaker" commercial from 1982. They once resided at 78th & State Street back in the day. If you can't visualize this corner, this is where Northern Trust Bank is now!

This blog post at Chicago Now noted the Black-owned car dealerships that had existed in Chicago. This is "The Vociferous Envoy" said about R.L. Dukes Oldsmobile:
His GM counterpart was Rufus L. Dukes, better known as R.L. Dukes, who first had Thomas Beckley Dodge on west 63rd Street back in the 1950's one of the first African American Dealers in the country. He then was better known for R.L. Dukes Oldsmobile on 78th & State in Chatham. He called himself "The Dealmaker" you may remember the TV commercials as late as the 1980's. My grandparents lived at 78th & Wabash at that time and though a small child, I remember riding past the dealership and being a kid who loved cars, marveled at the store and the inventory. Mr. Dukes passed in 1987.
A personal connection with this dealership involved my father. He liked to look at cars often whether old or brand new. He was also a verifiable Oldsmobile man and he'd probably be crushed to know that the brand was discontinued. Anyway he once came home with a car from R.L. Dukes but my mother forced him to take the car back and they did! Although I'm sure he successfully bought a vehicle from that particular dealer at least once before that.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Ald. Brookins on CAN-TV's Political Forum...


[VIDEO] He appears with host Dartesia Pitts taking about a variety of topics and especially about the ward remap. I'm sure many of you have your own thoughts about this subject, but no need to get hostile. Especially since many of us are unhappy with the recently adopted map.

EDIT: He gives a special shoutout to the residents of the Sixth Ward who have been vocal to their opposition to the ward remap. This was in response to a caller question about the remap who noted that years ago the   21st ward used to go all the way to Cottage Grove. Also under Eugene Sawyer, the 6th went no further south than 87th during the 1980s under Mayors Washington and Sawyer as noted by Ald. Brookins.

OH and Worlee's comments on EveryBlock as "Concerned Citizen's of Chatham" with a question about constructing a bridge over the Dan Ryan at 85th Street. This was fielded by Ald. Brookins!

Another question from EveryBlock about why Brookins didn't take any part of Englewood and left the natural boundaries of Chatham along State Street on the east side of the Dan Ryan. The question suggested that Brookins was dismissive of the wishes of Chatham residents.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Violence Weighs Heavily in Englewood - Chicago News Cooperative

Until recently, the sound of gunfire crackling in the streets of Englewood came from at least two or three blocks away, giving La’Keisha Gray-Sewell and her young family a fragile sense of safety and distance from the mayhem.

But Gray-Sewell, who runs a mentoring program for girls, and her husband, Barry Sewell, a disc jockey, have taken no chances. They do not allow their two children to play in front of the two-flat they bought and moved into in 2005. When the children want to ride their bicycles, they are confined to their tiny backyard.

Even on the sunniest afternoons, the family is on lockdown.

No place in the struggling South Side neighborhood feels safe to the family these days. In the last few weeks there have been at least two outbreaks of gunfire on their block of two-flats and bungalows.

The latest was a burst of gunshots just down the street from Gray-Sewell’s home on Jan. 16, Martin Luther King’s Birthday. It was 4 p.m. when the shooting started. Gray-Sewell and her children hit the floor and huddled in a back room, waiting for the police.

“There’s no escape,” she said. “Living in Englewood, I feel like I’m robbing my children of their childhood.”
EDIT: I see that Aisha Butler of "RAGE" was quoted!
That includes trust, said Asiaha Butler, president of RAGE, the Resident Association of Greater Englewood. “The community doesn’t trust the police and the police don’t trust the community,” she said. “We have a whole lot of work to do.”
Read the whole thing!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

6th Ward Public Forum on Transit Safety and Investments

This has been mentioned at the two neighborhood meetings I have attended recently. A forum hosted by Ald. Roderick Sawyer discussing investments and safety on public transit. The recent robbery at the 95th & Cottage Grove, Metra Electric station certainly highlighted the issue of safety on public transportation. It will be held at Chicago State University on February 25th at the Cordell Reed Student Union. Refer to flyer below for more details!
6th Ward Public Forum

Should the 6th Ward have one of these?

Uptown Update: 48th Ward Begins Creating Master Plan
What is the 48th Ward Master Plan?
The 48th Ward Master Plan is a community planning process, spanning from February 2012 to December 2012. Its goals are to create a shared vision of what the 48th Ward will look like by the year 2020; to create a roadmap for how to reach that vision; and to engage as many 48th ward residents and stakeholders throughout the planning process as possible.
Even though the remap process has concluded with a vastly different 6th Ward, there should be some value in doing this even if the 6th Ward is to take up of Englewood when the map finally takes effect. When you think about, this should be a valuable idea in most of the ward throughout the city!

Sunday, February 5, 2012

EVENT: Spike Lee at Chicago State University

Spike Lee is the director of School Daze, Do the Right Thing, Mo Better Blues, Malcolm X, Crooklyn, and more recently Inside Man. Coming soon to Chicago State University on February 8th from 6 to 8 PM. Refer to flyer for more details, click on image for a larger resolution!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Progress IL: Remap Complicates Ward Committeeman Races

Several Democratic ward committeeman races are featured in this article. One of those races are in the 6th Ward. They also look at the 36th Ward which was even more drastically altered as a result of the ward remap that concluded last month:
Other ward committeeman races have also been complicated by the remap, including the 6th Ward contest between Ald. Roderick Sawyer and Richard Wooten, a former police officer, who is also running for state representative.

The South Side's 6th Ward moved north in the new map, cutting out communities like West Chesterfield, Burnside and parts of Chatham. Sawyer was the only member of the Black Caucus to vote against the remap.

The alderman says that he is not looking at a legal challenge. But Sawyer is also clear that he will represent voters in the current, not future, 6th Ward boundaries. “I serve the people who elected me,” Sawyer says.

Wooten organized community meetings against the remap, criticizing it for cutting out the 87th Street business district and communities below 87th Street. A call to Wooten this afternoon was not returned.
This morning I attended the West Chesterfield hearing and was attended by Ald. Sawyer, Richard Wooten, and Sandra Wortham (who is running against Wooten for state representative of 34th District). Also in attendance was 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale who had already been invited to future West Chesterfield meetings. In the near future you will see my review.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Candlelight vigil at an Englewood Church's Chicken




This release was posted onto our Facebook page recently read on. And then some background if you're not familiar with this case. The streetview above is the Church's in question:

Pastors to hold all night prayer vigil at site where 2 teens were killed

“Source of violence is sin….”

Chicago -- The churches and pastors of the Illinois Missionary Baptist State Convention are holding an ALL NIGHT Prayer Vigil Friday, February 3, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., Saturday, February 4, 2012 at Churches Chicken, 6600 South Halsted Street, Chicago, which is the site where two teenagers were killed.

Last December, Dantril Brown, 17, a junior at the Prosser Career Academy, and Jawan Ross, 16, a sophomore at the Robeson High School, were at Churches Chicken where an argument erupted outside with one chasing the other into the restaurant and opening fire wounding five people and killing the teens.

According to Rev. Gerald M. Dew, pastor of the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, the purpose of the prayer vigil “is to demonstrate to the community our care and concern for every resident, and to ask the Lord to move on the hearts and minds of those who use violence to solve their problems.

“We believe that the primary source of the violence in our communities is sin and sin can only be handled by The Savior. All who believe that the Lord has the power to turn our communities around are welcome to join us in this effort,” said Dew.
If you want some background here's an article on this story I have found from WGN:
Chicago police are questioning a 23-year-old man about a restaurant shooting that killed two teenagers in the Englewood neighborhood. So far, there are no arrests.

The families of both teens say they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

They had gone to the restaurant to purchase their dinner when gunfire broke out.

The Tuesday special at the Church's Chicken in the 6600 block of South Halsted brought 16-year-old Jawan Ross and 17-year-old Dantril Brown to the fast food restaurant.

Both were inside for the 59 cent legs and wings when police say two people outside got into a fight.

One of those involved came into the Church's restaurant and the other, who had a gun, chased him and started shooting. Both teens were shot and killed and five other people were injured.
That article was from this past December and still fresh in the minds of many I'm sure!

Chicago Ward Remap: A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen?

What was mentioned here in this article from Chicago Magazine has been noted before in a variety of pieces seen about the ward remap.
Elisa Alfonso, Midwest redistricting coordinator for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), told me by telephone yesterday that her group, which is headquartered in Los Angeles with a regional office here, is “still studying” whether to challenge the map in court. She points out that there is “no statute of limitations as far as legal challenges go.”

Former City Clerk Miguel del Valle, loser-by-a-mile to Rahm in the mayoral race (and now a self-described “retired elected official”) told me in a telephone conversation yesterday that Emanuel “muscled the map thorough” without giving aldermen, much less the public—there were no public hearing on this final iteration—any time to study it. A small group of aldermen led by Richard Mell made the final changes to the map in a private City Hall all-nighter. Tens of thousands of Chicagoans will find themselves in new wards with new aldermen, but they didn’t get a look at it. There was a manufactured sense of urgency in the air, says del Valle, even though the new map doesn’t take effect until the next municipal election in 2015.

MALDEF’s Alfonso says that Rahm’s impatience was no surprise to her. “He barely had the 41 votes he needed; had he waited longer his support would have dissipated.” Weeks after the map’s passage, she still got emotional as she described watching the “appalling” process and the mayor presiding “with a smirk on his face.”

For del Valle, a lawsuit can’t come quickly enough. “Tortured configurations,” is his description—not good for neighbors who may live within a block of each other and yet be in different wards; not good for many aldermen who may find it tougher to serve constituents; but “pretty good” for Emanuel: “This map puts more power in the hands of the mayor because there will be more reliance on 311 and direct services accessed through City Hall.” (In Chicago, aldermen man the frontline; they’re the ones residents go to for help. In the best-run wards, aldermen and their staffers know residents, speak the same language, understand their problems and how to help fix them.)

Alfonso described a public hearing on the South Side in the week before the vote that “put a face on redistricting…. People talked about such things as how much more difficult is it for a school principal to help a family if the current ward becomes divided among three different alderman.” Alfonso singles out Alderman Rey Colon, 35th, as one of the few “good guys” in this process—one of eight “no” votes and the only Latino to vote “no.” Colon told me yesterday: “I objected to being rushed. That’s how the parking meter deal happened.” He added, “I wanted time to absorb what people were saying at meetings. I didn’t like the sense we have to snap this picture now. I felt there was still an opportunity to come up with the best possible map, and this wasn’t it.” Colon said he fears the map will not withstand legal scrutiny because its “high deviations”—differences in ward populations, around nine percent—renders it “not equitable.” (Some aldermen will have as many as 4,000 more constituents to serve than others.) A referendum that probably would have put the map favored by the City Council’s Black Caucus and the Latino Caucus before voters would have been “appropriate,” he argues, and less costly than the lawsuit he sees coming.
However, according to John Presta of the Examiner:
Whether this lawsuit has any legs remains to be seen. These fights are difficult, if not impossible for the plaintiffs to prevail. Since the vote in favor of the map was 41-8, an overwhelming majority, the chances for success are limited. Several aldermen that The Examiner talked to stated off the record that the lawsuit is a nonstarter and that the council now wants to move onto highr priority items.
When you think about it, why should the city council approve a map that would only be challenged in court at some point?

Another thing to read is how 19th Ward (Beverly, Morgan Park, Mount Greenwood) residents had been able to organize to oppose the ward remap. They still lost a block or two here and there, but the ward is largely intact still. This piece also shows how the Alderman - Matt O'Shea - had been involved in the protests. Some will say that Ald. Sawyer hadn't fought hard enough to keep the 6th Ward together.

Also courtesy of Worlee's Concerned Citizens of Chatham, an official statement from Ald. Sawyer's office on the recently concluded ward map. An assurance of continues representation under him and looking forward to the new boundaries.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Groupon-style deals for black-owned businesses

Something found in Crain's. Perhaps a way to help out some of our neighborhood businesses:
Blackmark-it: This new Groupon-style website features deals at black-owned businesses in the Chicago area. Current deals featured at the site include two tickets to “Evollove,” a play at Chicago State University, and 50% off on tax preparation at Emerging Business Solutions Group. The Blackmark-it team includes Natasha Williams in sales and public relations, Jamel Williams in technical support and Delandon Mason in field operations.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

What is drawn out of the 6th ward...

Below is not only a map of the new 6th Ward provided by Greater Chatham Alliance which is expected to come into effect in time for the 2015 municipal elections (assuming no legal challenge to the newly adopted map is forthcoming), it also contains what is effectively drawn out of the 6th Ward as a result of the ward remap. We already know about the neighborhoods but not about the schools (such as Harlan High School, McDade Classical School or Chicago State University), the businesses (such as Illinois Service Federal & PNC Bank), or even the parks (such as Abbott and Tuley Parks).
New 6th Ward Map

Check out the BlackTalkTony blog!

BlackTalkTony has actually been to the blog to alert us to comments made by "Irate" on his blog regarding the ward remap back in November! - Levois
I just saw this blog while doing a search for our blog. BlackTalkTony has featured & elaborated on comments by Irate in the 6th Ward.

You're in for a hardcore discussion that blog.

As Tony says in one entry:
If you’re going to comment on Irate’s comment, try to stick to the facts. Readers to my blog know I have no respect for mindless or “excuse making” emotions. Don’t repeat what was said in different words (some of you often do that). Add something to the discussion. It’s fine if you want to disagree, as long as you can back it up.
Topics include:

(And Tony, we welcome your comments here as well!)

You can find his blog here --> http://blacktalktony.wordpress.com/