Friday, October 31, 2014

Reminder: Methadone Clinic protest Saturday at 10:30am

Here a re two more reminders we received regarding the protest against the Methadone clinic at 100 E.  79th street. It begins Saturday, November 1 at 10:30am:

here's the Greater chatham Alliance press release:
CHICAGO--Members of the Greater Chatham Alliance Community Organization (GCA), area residents, local educators, parents and business owners will hold a march and rally to demandthat owners of the Nuway Community Services Methadone Clinic, (79th and Michigan), finallyresolve the ever-growing, public nuisance, disturbance and loitering complaints created by their patients receiving treatment.

The demonstration will take place on Saturday, November 1st starting at 10:30 am in front of the Chatham Avalon Medical Center, located at 110 E. 79th street. Area residents from both Chatham and Park Manor, local school educators and parents, and 79th street business owners will discuss how the loitering and disturbance situation has created conflict on the 79th street corridor all the way to 76th street from Michigan Avenue to King Drive).

Residents will discuss examples of morning incidents where methadone patients hide in their backyards or side entrances, or stand in front of their garages and alleys to avoid police detection as early as 5:00 am--one hour before the clinic opens.Ruggles elementary school parents and teachers will cite occasions like naked manfound sleeping in the nearby school park or patients lingering all day on and near schoolgrounds after receiving treatment.

Area business owners will be asked to discuss examples of how ill-tempered patients loiter in their stores, which often lead to confrontations with their staff and customers.

GCA has repeatedly asked to meet with Olajide Solola, President of the Nuway CommunityServices Methadone Clinic, to ask him to provide a patrolling security service that would marshal non-resident methadone patients to leave the area after receiving their treatments.

The organization feels that this would not only be a reasonable and fair negotiated step toavoid patient and resident / business confrontations, but also stem sales by some patientsto other methadone clients in order to buy heroin from local drug dealers who canvass the area.GCA, as a spokesman for the community, will seek other options to help press for the relocationof the clinic if the clinic owners do not provide a comprehensive security patrol.
This one is from Cee Powell, a resident:

Halloween parties in the neighborhood.

Several churches and other organizations are hosting Halloween events...many start at 5pm and go until about 8pm.

Ephphatha Lutheran church of the Deaf on King Drive near 80th has one such party


Also Greater Institutional AME Church at 7800 S. Indiana  has a similar program at the same time, which includes games and food.

Rep. Elgie Sims has his event earlier:
Rep. Sims is hosting a family friendly Halloween event
  • Where:  District Office, 8658 S. Cottage Grove, Chicago, IL 
  • When:  3:30pm to 5:30pm

Also, NextDoor has a map for Chatham residents who are giving out candy (and other adjoining neighborhoods).

Please let us know of other events!

Prayer today & tomorrow

Temple of Glory International church is hosting all day prayer at their church. It is going on RIGHT now.  The address is 311 E 95th St Chicago, IL 60619

The 2ns event is tomorrow at Carter Temple at Wabash & 79th.  This one has a taint of politics, as 6th Ward Aldermanic Candidate is hosting this event (prior to aldermanic elections as well as general  election day.). JP is planning  on attending the 1st 1/2 of the event.


What retailers would you like to see at 63rd & Halsted?

Mantanky Realty diagram via DNA Info
Yesterday I posted about a DNA Info article regarding attracting future tenants near the site of the new Whole Foods Market in Englewood at 63rd & Halsted Streets. Whole Foods Market Englewood is expected to open their doors for the first time in 2016.

I wanted to take the opportunity to share this post from last year basically a what would you like to see at 63rd/Halsted post. We can always have that discussion here.

BTW, since a fire over the summer basically gutted another building near this intersection now we have another piece of this area to develop. What else could be added there?

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Republican Jim Oberweis to speak in Englewood

Jim Oberweis will be speaking at a community center in Englewood on Halloween. Oberweis who has been making appearances on the south side in his effort to unseat US Sen. Dick Durbin in next month's general election. We got this information recently via e-mail:
  • Meeting at community center
    6855 South Emerald
    Chicago, IL.
    773-504-2125 or 773-253-5989
    1pm
    Thank you very much
If anyone has anything to add to this information please feel free to add with a comment or send an e-mail to us.


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

DNA Info: Englewood Whole Foods Developers Looking for More Tenants

I'm sorry I missed this article but the future site of Whole Foods Market in Englewood is looking for other commercial tenants:
Matanky Realty Group announced it is actively looking for possible tenants to fill spaces in the Englewood Square development, which is scheduled to open in 2016 at 63rd and Halsted streets.

"There has been national and regional companies who have expressed interest. It's been a mix of retail and service," said Terri Cox, spokeswoman for Matanky Realty Group. "However, nothing has been signed and we are still in lease negotiations.

"It will be a couple of months before we can make an announcement of who fills in the space."
Who else would you like to see come to 63rd and Halsted?


Monday, October 27, 2014

More on Al Capone's home in Park Manor...

Photo by Mauricio Peña/DNA Info
DNA Info further writes about gangster Al Capone's former Chicago home @ 7244 S. Prairie Ave. in Park Manor. On Sunday night I blogged about this historic piece of real estate which is listed for $225K.

DNA reporter Mauricio Peña speaks with the current owner of the home about her future plans after selling this house and about the knowledge of the lineage of this 106-year-old home. People have actually come seeking out this home because of who once owned it. The current owner had even let people in over the years.

ALSO, Curbed Chicago also talks about this home this morning.

Methadone clinic protest November 1st...

Methadone Clinic at 110 E. 79th Street
Information below come from a flyer that was sent to our e-mail recently. Greater Chatham Alliance has been all over this methadone clinic for many years.
  • P R O T E S T !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    GCA is saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Our community has seen an influx of people that have been loitering on or around homes, in alleys, around blocks and businesses located near 79th Street and on Ruggles school grounds during school hours at recess. They are coming from the Methadone Clinic at 110 E. 79th Street. We have Pleaded with the owner to provide exterior security to monitor their clients and manage them so they don’t come before the clinic opens and urge them to go home and not hang around on the school grounds & businesses after their treatment. HE WON’T COMPLY! But it’s got to stop! JOIN US!

    Saturday November 1, 2014
    110 E. 79th Street (in front of clinic)
    10:30 am until you decide to leave
    Thank you for your support

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Would you like to own this historic home in Park Manor?

Pic via Chicago Historical Society
CBS Chicago reported recently that Al Capone's former home located on 7244 Prairie Avenue is on the market for sale for $225K. JP Paulus blogged about this historic piece of real estate in December 2008 so apparently either the home never sold back then - for which it was on sale for $450K - or who ever did buy the house is putting it on sale again!

Is this a home you would like to own? And would you like to run into the ghost of the late gangster?

Friday, October 24, 2014

AP: Chicago police to check bags at CTA stations

If you ride the L be prepared.
Starting Nov. 3, officers will select passengers at random at Chicago Transit Authority stations. Bags will be swabbed for explosives residue but will not be opened. The process takes about 30 seconds.
Also be advised:
[Cmdr. Nancy Lipman of CPD's public transit unit] says anyone refusing to have their bag checked will be denied entry.
Also it was noted in the AP report that there are no specific threats but are to guard against potential terrorist attacks. Such measures have been performed in both in NYC and LA.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Englewood International Film Festivals Kicks Off Tonight!!! #GOODINENGLEWOOD




Originally posted on Rage's blog:

http://ragenglewood.org/2014/10/23/englewood-international-film-festivals-kicks-off-tonight-goodinenglewood/
The 4th Annual Englewood International Film Festival (EIFF) kicks off tonight with a private reception and then all are welcome to attend the Opening Film “Englewood” – Friday, Oct. 24th! The Red Carpet Reception starts at 6 p.m. at the Chatham 14 Theater – 210 West 87th Street!!

RAGE is excited this year to partner with (EIFF) to host career day at various schools in the Englewood Community!! Please come out & support by screening the films, attending the panels or workshops happening all weekend – for a full schedule link here: http://www.eiff.org!

Join us as we support our very own film festival because this is truly -

GOOD IN ENGLEWOOD!!

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

My Block My Hood My City visits the Austin community


[VIDEO] I had been reading this write-up from Jahmal Cole's My Block, My Hood, My City about the Austin community which is the largest community area in our city. The video above is entertaining and certainly the write-up is as well.

We learn that there is good in Austin such as a restaurant MacArthur's and of course the area also has some wonderful homes and a strong community organization as Central Austin Neighborhood Association. I had to think for a second Austin has a bad repuation but there's good in Austin and then Englewood also has a bad reputation but there's good in Englewood. So we expect good to be found in all these neighborhoods which don't get good press.

In any event this is the second community Cole had visited. He also paid a visit to the southeast city community of Hegewisch. You may have seen a "regram" on our Instagram account.

Monday, October 20, 2014

Block club sign in the 9th ward...

This is on the back of a block club sign on the corner of 100th Street & Indiana. Unity is certainly something all neighborhoods should strive for. Hopefully this block has it!

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Sun-Times: 17th Ward Alderman won't seek re-election

 
While the 17th Ward isn't exactly one of the wards we're covering for next year, this was an interesting development for one of the neighboring wards. Ald. Latasha Thomas will NOT be running for re-election next year:
Ald. Latasha Thomas (17th) said Saturday she won't seek reelection next spring to the Chicago City Council seat after more than 14 years representing her South Side ward.

A lawyer with degrees from the University of Illinois and DePaul University, Thomas was first appointed to the seat representing Englewood and Auburn Gresham by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2000 and won re-election four times.

Thomas, who chairs the council's education committee, didn't give a reason in the written statement announcing her decision to step aside.
While little was mentioned of her future plans, we did a blog about this possibility. Although at that point Ald. Thomas still hadn't decided what she was going to do in 2015.

It was noted that one of her opponents - Glenda Franklin - had scored the support of Father Michael Pfleger who is the pastor of St. Sabina. Ald. Thomas claims this wasn't a factor in her decision.

CTA Tattler: Raise fares to fund rail expansion, major rehab

CTA Red Line extension
This was posted to CTA Tattler on Tuesday. Kevin O'Neill is calling on a 25 cent increase to CTA fares to fund future capital improvements to the CTA system. Especially mentioned was the CTA Red Line extension which he was unable to find any estimated funding but he says it could certainly exceed $1 billion (according to this ABC 7 article the estimated cost is $2.3 billion).

Would you be on board with a fare increase if it means the Red Line extension and other capital improvements are made to CTA?

Friday, October 17, 2014

Crain's: Here is how you rebuild Bronzeville

Via The Chicago Neighborhoods
An application (app.)/game to rebuild a neighborhood? Interesting idea:
Here's how to have fun and an impact while you're at it: By playing a game on your smartphone, you could bring retailers and public spaces to a blighted swath of Chicago's South Side.

A new FarmVille-esque app called Build It! Bronzeville allows players to earn points by creating a new and improved Bronzeville (virtually, of course) by building a playground here and a police station there, a sandwich shop on this corner and offices on that one. Players can spend those points on other new amenities. They also can earn points by scanning receipts from real-life shopping in the neighborhood or wherever.

The game could guide the city on economic development and yield data that retailers might buy: How much money Bronzeville residents spend and on what, providing store owners a better idea of the kind of retail that would be viable.

For now, the Build It! Bronzevlille app lives on a developer's phone. Like the community it's designed to serve, the game needs investors so it can move from test product to market.
Read the whole thing - this article is from Crain's you might have to get beyond a paywall. Also check out their official website @ Team Build It!

Do you think an app. such as this could help revitalize other communities such as Englewood, Chatham, and Roseland?

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Campaign HQ grand opening for 9th Ward candidate for Alderman Michael LaFargue

We just recieved word of this campaign office opening today from Michael LaFargue's 9th Ward Alderman campaign.

If you have any campaign news to share with us from wards 6, 9, & 21 please let us know!
  • GRAND OPENING OF CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS FOR 9TH WARD ALDERMANIC CANDIDATE MICHAEL LaFARGUE

    CHICAGO, IL, October 15, 2014--Today, Co-Campaign Manager Sharon Banks-Pincham announced the official, campaign headquarters location for 9th Ward Candidate Michael LaFargue.

    The new campaign office address is 10842 S. Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60628.

    To celebrate the launching of the new office location, Mr. LaFargue is hosting a grand opening on Friday October 17th, from 11:00 am. to 8:00 p.m.

    Residents throughout the ward are invited to visit and "meet and greet" with LaFargue. Light refreshments will be served and engaging conversation will be encouraged all day long.

    Mr. LaFargue, endorsed by "The People's Candidate" by the 9th Ward Aldermanic Search Community Council," will be on-hand to talk to area residents all day. He will be available to answer questions regarding hot topic community and city issues, in addition to area resident concerns.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Did you see last nights governor's debate?

Yesterday I noted GOP candidate for governor Bruce Rauner visited Flecks Coffee on Tuesday - watch this Early & Often [VIDEO]. This was before a debate with Gov. Pat Quinn that aired on CBS 2 last night. If you missed you will be able to see it at the end of this post.

The debate held at the DuSable Museum on Cottage Grove was geared towards Black voters.

I wanted to provide two posts from the Capitol Fax to analyze the recent debate.
  • Post-debate spinning - Every candidate after a debate will attempt to paint themselves in the best light
  • Some riveting TV -As for this one at the end of this post the discussion was regarding Gov. Quinn's body language
If you saw last night's debate or even if you're just now watching it today, let us know what you think. Who won this debate? Would this influence how you would vote next month on Election Day?

[VIDEO] of the debate is below

NBC Chicago: Group Identifies 10 Most Dangerous Chicago Intersections for Pedestrians

Three nearby intersections among 10 in Chicago have been considered most dangerous:
  • South Cottage Grove Avenue and East 79th Street in Grand Crossing/Chatham
  • South Ashland Avenue and West 63rd Street in West Englewood
  • South Martin Luther King Drive and East 63rd Street in Woodlawn
The 10 in the city and the other 10 in the suburbs were identified in this way:
Now [Active Transportation Alliance], which is known for its work on behalf of bicyclists, is warning Chicagoans about the most dangerous places to step into the street.

Active Trans analyzed crash data from the city and asked for feedback from the general public to arrive at their findings.
I should look to see what policies could we put in place to make these intersections safer for pedestrians.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Strausberg: Spencer Leak, Sr. leads fight to restore bible to CPS

Spencer Leak, Sr, CEO, Leak Funeral Homes, told dozens of ministers he is in this fight to restore the bible to CPS to the end and will hold the mayor and all 50 aldermen accountable before February 24, 2015, which is the municipal elections. Leak and his church, Liiberty Baptist Church, will be leading this battle they say is need to teach students about morals and values.

By Chinta Strausberg

Even though 52-years ago the U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-1 to ban prayer in schools, Spencer Leak, Sr., CEO, Leak & Sons Funeral Home and chairman emeritus of Liberty Baptist Church, met with scores of ministers and church members at Josephine’s Cooking Restaurant where he vowed to lead the fight needed to restore prayer in Chicago Public Schools (CPS)

Leak, a member for 45-years of Liberty Baptist Church, said his pastor, Rev. Dr. Darrell Lamar Jackson, will hold a planning meeting in three weeks at Liberty located at 4849 S. King Drive. Leak said Rev. Jackson “is going to take the lead in our quest to get the bible in the CPS.” Black On Black Love is also involved.

Leak explained that meeting “will be timed after the Nov. 4th election because the election we are concerned about is the one for mayor and 50 aldermen who we are going to put this proposition to. We are going to make this a part of their campaign. They are going to have to answer to us whether we can get this done and if not we need an elected school board to get this done.”

He will be inviting the aldermanic candidates asking for their support. “We know the timing is right for us to get this done. We won’t have another municipal election for four more years,” said Leak vowing to press this issue to the aldermen and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU). “We want them to put the bible in the curriculum of the CPS.”

“If we can have Huckleberry Finn in the curriculum of the CPS where Finn uses the word ‘n….’ 15-30 times in the course of that story…if that book can be a part of the CPS curriculum and it should be, then certainly the bible can,” Leak stated.

“The bible is a book of values and when Mayor Emanuel was asked when we had a spike of violence over one of the weekend why, he held his hands up and said ‘values.’

“What other book teaches values like the bible. No other book can do it. We’re holding the mayor to his word. Mr. Mayor, you said the problem was values. We got a book that teaches values and we can keep our young people from destroying themselves if that book is put into the CPS,” Leak told this reporter.

When told that some ministers said the fight to restore the bible to the classroom is a losing battle, Leak quipped, “God specializes in losing battles. He specializes in the impossible. When you give God the proposition that something is losing…God gets active and God can only get active if we his created ones. This will win and we’re going to make it win,” he said.

Dr. JoAnn Long, pastor of the New Life Believers Church, said, “I believe in Dr. Leak’s vision in getting the bible restored in our classrooms to have that option.” As a child, Dr. Long said she read the bible in school and that children today should be able to do the same thing. She said the bible teaches morals and values and that is what students today need. “We want our children to have high morals. The bible is also a guide….”

Also attending that meeting was mayoral hopeful Bill Walls who said, “The Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that it is legal to teach the bible in schools. You can teach it, but you can’t preach it. The bible is taught in schools all across America and there is no reason why it can’t be taught here in Chicago.”

Bishop Edgar Jackson, pastor of Beth El All Nations Church, said the bible “is an instrument we must use to bring some civility back into our society especially the young people who don’t know right from wrong. They do not have a moral foundation that they may be able to judge between what is right and wrong.

Agreeing was Gwendolyn Smith who said, “We perish for lack of knowledge and without knowledge we can’t move in this world. A lot of children have lost their way because they have not been taught…. We can’t let them learn on their own.”

###

In the meanwhile, after reading the article above what do you think about this issue? Do you think the bible should be restored to CPS' curriculum?

Monday, October 13, 2014

CTU Prez Karen Lewis diagnosed with a brain tumor

I'm so sorry that Karen Lewis - the current head of the Chicago Teacher's Union - has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had recently been admitted to the hospital with a "serious illness". As a result she won't be running for mayor of Chicago.

I'm sure this news disappoints many who wanted to support Ms. Lewis, but many hope she will return to good health.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Well wishes to teacher's union Prez Karen Lewis

I'm sure many people who want to see teacher's union Prez Karen Lewis take on Mayor Rahm Emanuel next year for mayor would be disappointed that she's ill at the moment. Whether she gets in the race or not here's hoping she recovers from her serious illness.

This has been news since Sunday and unfortunately all that has been reported is that she has a serious illness or she underwent surgery. In the meanwhile the work of her union continues under CTU's VP.

DNA Info: Englewood Lots to Be Sold for $1 to Local Groups Under City Housing Plan

City of Chicago graphic via DNA Info
If you took advantage of this program what would you use your vacant lot for or how do you plan to use it?
Mayor Rahm Emanuel will formally propose Wednesday that 322 city properties in Englewood be sold to local groups for $1 apiece as part of an ambitious five-year housing plan.

The "Large Lots" pilot program, to be submitted in the City Council meeting, would sell the properties to area homeowners, block clubs and nonprofit groups.

Ald. JoAnn Thompson (16th) pointed out the program has been in the works for a while, but welcomed Emanuel's move to advance it.

"The lots are being sold to the residents who live next to them," Thompson said before Wednesday's City Council meeting. "I'm pretty sure they're using them for side yards." Yet they also eliminate vacant lots at the same time, she added, and "get the community looking better."

According to the Mayor's Press Office, the program was so successful in Englewood that it's been expanded to East Garfield Park.
You can also read more on this subject from DNA Info's Wendell Hutson.

Not to be a downer but for those of you who are seeking to use the vacant lot as a garden take heed what this woman is going through in Rogers Park. The city could still come over and slap you with violations.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Aldertrack is back...

Aldertrack.com
Since we've started getting into political mode yesterday it's OK to start sharing this website.

You may have heard about Aldertrack over the years. It was around for the 2007 elections and in a different iteration it was around for 2011 as part of the Early & Often service provided by the late great Chicago News Coop.

This year it's back and you can purchase from them a "racing form" which shows all the candidates for the 2015 elections along with new ward maps. You can purchase them a digital copy online for $5 although you can also pick up a paper copy at bars around the city. The only south side location appears to be in Beverly near 106th & Western.

As always of course we are covering wards 6, 9 & 21 for the 2015 so you can always check our coverage here. I did forget to post the link to our 2015 page in a recent post and don't forget if you have any news to share feel free to share with us on our Twitter & FB pages along with sending an e-mail (posted in the sidebar).

Monday, October 6, 2014

Voting info for the November elections...

Via the Chicago Board of Elections

The deadline to register to vote is October 7, 2014 for the November 4, 2014 general election.

Early voting will be open October 20 to November 1, 2014. Open Monday thru Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM at select sites around the city. Five regional sites will have different hours during this period as well.

There will also be "grace period" voting as well after October 7 thru to election day on November 4. What this means is that you will be able to register or change your voter registration information however you will have to vote the same day you register or change information.

Also if you plan to vote on election day this page will allow you to get info on where your polling place will be on November 4.

Finally, here's information on absentee voting for the Nov. 4 elections.

We will continue to share information as we get close to November 4th and as it comes time to consider next year's municipal elections.


If you haven't already, check out our 2015 page...


We do have one more election to go through before the municipal elections in February 2015. We have the gubernatorial elections which is only a month away.

With this in mind Tuesday, October 7 will be the last day to register for the elections next month. We hope to share some more information regarding voting in the general election later today. That will include early voting and "grace period" voting in case you weren't able to register by Tuesday.

In the meanwhile, we will continue to track who will run for alderman in the three wards we hope to cover. For the 2015 elections we plan to cover wards 6, 9, and 21 thanks to the remap enacted in 2012.

If you haven't done so already please refer to our 2015 page. We have listed those candidates who have declared their candidacies for Alderman of their respective wards. We did have to strike two candidates because they've withdrawn from the race.

Regardless through any future withdrawals or even petition challenges we hope to continue to track who will be on the ballot in the wards we hope to cover next February.

BTW, if you know of anyone who is running for Alderman of wards 6, 9, & 21 feel free to send an e-mail (which is located at the top of the sidebar) and of course feel free to alert us on our FB and Twitter pages.

Saturday, October 4, 2014

DNA Info on monthly business breakfasts at Fleck's Coffee


JP wrote about this monthly event hosted by Bruce Montgomery at Flecks Coffee a while back. I'm very sorry I missed this write-up from DNA Info about it as well. It was written and published the same day but before the actual breakfast took place. Still worth reading however.

How many of you own businesses in the community and would take advantage of this opportunity? Even if you didn't own a business would you be open to meeting neighborhood entrepreneurs?


The next meeting is scheduled for Friday, November 7 at 8am. Flecks Coffee is located at 343 E. 79th Street, Chicago IL 60640.

The Business First Friday Facebook page is located here.

Friday, October 3, 2014

Mechanics: 10 Recent Takes on Chicago's Economy

Jason Pretchel offers 10 recent takes on the city's economy. Having scanned through the list is take isn't very positive. Do you think the economy of the Chicago area is in good shape?

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Ward Room: Rahm Hangs a ‘For Sale’ Sign on Chicago City Council

This opinion written over at NBC 5's Ward Room may provide one explanation for the so-called "rubber stamp" city council. And perhaps the case is made for a more compliant city council. Now it makes one wonder - who actually does run this city? What do you think?

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

College Fair at Goshen SDA Church THIS Sunday





In our neighborhood, Goshen Seventh Day Adventist Church is hosting its first College Fair THIS Sunday, from 2pm-5pm at their building near 83rd & State Street (the former Galaxie Contruction building) . The public is invited. Free registration is suggested at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/goshen-college-fair-tickets-13381503437

Disclaimer: The Sixth Ward blog writer JP Paulus will also present on the Financial Aid Process.

For more information, contact Pastor Keishauni George at 423-414-7828 or goshencollegefair@gmail.com