Wednesday, July 30, 2014

DNA Info: New Walmart Will Address Lack of Grocery Stores In Auburn Gresham

http://www.walmart.com/
So there was a groundbreaking nearby for another Walmart store in the area yesterday. We did a brief post about that on the FB page after it was advertised by the R.A.G.E people:
By year's end Shirley Bryant could have a grocery store in walking distance from her Auburn Gresham home.

That new grocery store is a 42,942-square-foot Walmart Neighborhood Market store at the corner of 76th Street and Ashland Avenue.

"I can't wait until Walmart opens. I won't have to go a long way to find a grocery store that sells everything I eat like fruit, vegetables and choice meats at prices I can afford," said Bryant, a 33-year resident. "For seniors like me that's important."

A Tuesday groundbreaking was held for the new store, which could be completed by December. Officials with Wal-mart Stores Inc. said the Walmart opening will create 130 new jobs.
And this of course is certainly a good thing:
The presence of a Walmart store could also put pressure on other local businesses to do right by the community, said state Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago), whose district includes the store site.

"I literally live less than two blocks away from here. I hope that this new Walmart store puts all those convenience stores that do not hire people from the community but sells drug paraphernalia on notice," Collins said. "Those businesses need to get their act together if the want the community to support them."

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Whats Happening With the Whitney Young Library

Our new mayor Rahm Emmanuel has decided that the Chicago Public Library is expendable , he has proposed closing some libraries and has reduced the hours they are open. In 2008 , the City of Chicago Council approved the overhaul of the Whitney Young Library, at 79th King Drive, that served the Chatham, Park Manor, Avalon Park, Chesterfield and West Chatham communities. 

The Whitney Young Library was a library surrounded by controversy from day one. The community led by members of the Chatham Avalon Community Council(CAPCC) picketed the construction site in 1969 because of a lack of African American construction workers present on the site and later because the the building was so shabbily built it needed major repairs that the Chicago Public Library refused to do. 

Since the approval of the remodeling of Whitney Young library, the Chicago Public Library has opened up new branches in Avalon Park, Greater Grand Crossing/Park Manor communities. The Whitney Young Library stood as an unfunded plan because the community or rather some residents felt the initial proposed library was woefully insufficient. In April 2010, I wrote the following post for the Sixth Ward Blog The post is here http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=...

The debate about the Whitney Young library seems to continue for no reason except that some individuals in this community have bruised egos. The Chicago Public library commissioner Mary Dempsey reiterated her position that the Whitney Young Library will be a single story building with a two story facade that will be the same square footage as the two story building. She has stated that based on the economy at the time that she did not have the resources to staff a two floor building. She pointed to the Beverly, Mount Greenwood, and West Pullman branches are all built on this model and are functioning well for those communities. It was reported on the CAPCC blog(unverified) that members of CAPCC were insisting that the CPL build a two story building only because the Humbolt Park/Wicker Pak branch is two story and their ad hoc committee decided that the Whitney Young branch should be based on that model. The problem with this thought process was that it lacked any meaningful and documented facts. The facts are as follows: There is no substantiated facts that circulation has increased to justify a two story facility The CPL did not commission any community based organization to solicit community response The Chatham community has six library facilities within a 5 mile radius to frequent 
Auburn Park - 76th Racine 
Avalon Park - 81st Stony Island 
Woodson Regional - 95th Halsted 
Grand Crossing- 73rd South Chicago
Kennedy King College- 64th halsted (no book checkout) 
Chicago State University - 95th King (no book checkout) 

These are the facts as well as several former CPL employees who are also Chatham residents have voiced their disapproval because of the incompetence of the current staff and safety issues.

Fast forward to October 2010, the Whitney Young Library was still in limbo. In May of 2010, it was found that the additional land purchased for the library needed environmental remediation and there had been no monies allotted for this project. The Public Building Commission applied for and was granted funds to complete the project by the US EPA. At a community organization meeting meeting the same argument about the what kind of building would be built came up. The argument about the Wicker Park/Bucktown branch (http://www.pbcchicago.com/content/projec...). The facts are the formerly proposed was a 16,500 square feet, 1.5 story building. This was the same model that was being used in Bridgeport and one other community. All the other issues brought up in April 2010 were the same.

Now in 2014, under a new mayor and new library commissioner the proposal has changed. A recent review of the Public Building Commission's websitehttp://pbcchicago.com/content/projects/p... states that the existing building along with its myriad of problems is not scheduled to be torn down but be a part of the new proposed site. The PBC is proposing building an addition on to the building to achieve the 16,500 sq ft. Per a conversation with Alderman Sawyer, he refused to accept this proposal and has invited the PBC/Library Commissioner to come out and explain to the community why the change in plans.

I'm all for a brand new building but not stuck on a two story building. Today as in yesterday the library primary mission is to educate while our libraries have been turned into daycares, community rooms and everything else we cannot forget the primary mission. In light o the fact that libraries have been taken out of the elementary schools, high schools have cut funding for libraries, I'm more interested in the library having the best WIFI, desktops computers, tablets, e-readers and resources for educators and professional researchers than meeting rooms for people to look out the window and see the Dan Ryan.
So my question is if we get a new library, does form (2 story)overrule functionality? But the big question is did we blow the opportunity with unnecessary conflicts?

In addition, we need to focus on an immediate problem and figure out why with the number of libraries that serve our community why do we have failing elementary and high schools. What do you think?

Saturday, July 26, 2014

2015 election season is about to start...

6th & 9th wards redrawn
Recently some posts on the blog discussed the 2015 election as far as the mayoral race is concerned. A few candidates have declared with others who so far are either considering a run or otherwise just speculated. Many are unhappy with Rahm Emanuel - the current Mayor of Chicago - but he has a financial advantage and that may prove the difference. The question with the 2015 city election is how much anger directed at him could take him out of office in spite of his campaign money.

All the same the election would mainly boil down to the races for Chicago City Council in the various city wards which were redrawn early in 2012. As a result of that remap our future coverage of the 2015 city elections will involve both the 6th & 9th Wards.

We have several declared candidates for the 6th & 9th Wards so far. I've written about a candidate for 9th Ward Alderman and there are others who we have yet to talk about on this blog although we have mentioned them on some of our social media pages - namely The Sixth Ward & Concerned Citizens of Chatham FB pages.

As a matter of fact so far in the past week two candidates have announced for 9th Ward Alderman - Michael LaFargue announced at a West Chesterfield block party last Saturday - and we got a recent e-mail from another potential candidate in the 6th ward named Jesse Wallace. We hope to know much more about their and other candidacies for the 2015 city elections.

In the near future we will have a page up - as we did in 2011 where we largely focused on the 6th ward - which will show the candidates who have so far declared. We will list their campaign websites and their social media presence in hopes that it will allow you to make an informed decision.

Hopefully as the time comes near to circulate petitions and go through various stages of petition challenges we will have a better picture of who will be on the ballot for the 2015 ward races.

ALSO, if you are a candidate or know someone who is planning to run - by which we mean circulate petitions - feel free to reach out to us. Send us a quick e-mail at blog @ thesixthward.us and reach out to us via our FB and Twitter pages.

Friday, July 25, 2014

Sun-Times: Beleaguered Concept Charter finds new school site in Chatham

Sun-Times published this photo
We first linked to a story that showed that Concept Schools was served with a search warrant last month. This search warrant caused them to move from the site - 8522 S. Lafayette Ave. - near the Dan Ryan to a closed public school further west.
Concept Schools, which lost out on a new school site in Chatham after the charter network was raided by the FBI, has found another location and is proceeding with a fall 2014 opening for two more Horizon Science Academy schools, according to Chicago Public Schools.

The district plans to recommend the site of the former Evangelical Christian School for approval to the Board of Education on August 27 — potentially after students report for their first day — despite an ongoing federal investigation into their leaders and key contractors, district spokesman Joel Hood said.

Search warrants, obtained by the Sun-Times from the June 4 raids of the Des Plaines headquarters — one of 19 Concept sites raided in Illinois and two other states — revealed that federal authorities are focusing on many top administrators and companies with close ties to the charter operators, who are linked to the Turkish cleric Fethullah Gulen currently living in Pennsylvania.

Hood said Concept officials shared the news of the new Chatham site last week at a public meeting. He said Concept committed to investing $250,000 in improvements to the facility, 9130 S. Vincennes, which as a former school already has classrooms and a cafeteria. At 1.8 miles from the old site, 8522 S. Lafayette Ave., the new location would keep the school in the same neighborhood.

In January, CPS officials gave a conditional approval to Concept’s proposal for one new school in Chatham, and another at 5401 S. Western, saying they wanted to know more about the schools’ principals and facilities.

The charter chain had planned to spend more than $528,000 of CPS funding to rent the Chatham space from an arm of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, whose pastor, Charles Jenkins, gave the invocation at Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2011 inauguration and was part of the mayor’s transition team.
The school would be located in the 21st Ward so you also see Ald. Howard Brookins quoted in this article. Those who aren't happy that CPS seems to remained committed to the expansion of Concept Schools:
At the Board’s July 23 meeting, CPS mom and CTU organizer Shoneice Reynolds said that other schools in the 21st Ward have plenty of space and not enough money.

“Our schools within the 21st Ward are already starving. Out of the 15 schools, seven schools have no art, nine schools do not have music, 12 of those schools do not have either a librarian or a library and 14 of those schools do not have a computer tech teacher,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds then asked the board to sign a pledge against giving more money to Concept while it’s under investigation. The next speaker was called before anyone gave her an answer.
 What is going on?

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Editorial: Why won't a grocer set up shop in South Shore?

We've been all over the story with the empty Dominick's store in South Shore on 71st & Jeffrey. Now the alderman over that location 5th Ward Alderman Leslie Hairston writes an op-ed highlighting her struggle to get decent retail in her community. This is something worth reading because in some way it affects everyone living in a predominantly Black community. She is right about one thing: "Our money is green like everyone else's."

BTW, do you think when major retailers do open in our communities are they doing us a "favor"?

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

WBEZ: Neighborhood value a challenge for housing recovery

I only wonder how widespread this is. Buying property is all about location and this is anywhere. However, what if it was even difficult to get a bank loan on a property in a distressed area as this case illustrated:
This happened to my friend Leila Noelliste. Her middle class family wanted to put down roots in North Lawndale on the West Side of the city. Last year, 80 percent of its total residential property sales were cash transactions and nearly a quarter were considered extremely low value, like about the price of a car.

Noelliste wasn’t making a cash purchase. She offered $182,000 for a two- flat in the neighborhood.

“When we got it inspected, it was really sturdy. Good foundation, good roof, didn’t need a lot of repairs,” she said. “There were two sets of tenants living in it. It was just a good building on a good block.”

She had plans for her family to live in one unit while renting out the other. But those plans came to a halt because of the home’s value --its appraisal.

“It was appraised for like in the 140s. And we were shocked. I mean, I know this isn’t a great area, but that just seemed really, really low,” she said.

The bank would only finance a loan for the appraised amount. Noelliste and her husband Norman Baldwin didn’t have the out of pocket money to pay the extra $40,000 on top of a down payment, so they had to move on.
...
A less than 10-minute drive brings you to the Near West Side, where Leila ended up buying a home.

“Upstairs we have a master bedroom with a walk-in closet, with a master bathroom. And then we have two smaller bedrooms. One of the bedrooms we use as my office-guest room. And the other room, my son is in. So it’s a beautiful home,” Noelliste said.

They offered $285,000 for the place, and it was accepted..

“My credit was good, Norm’s credit was good. We had a lot in our savings. All it was [the lower appraisal on the two-flat] was the value of the house. That’s all it boiled down to. Which is baffling, very, very frustrating,” she said.

Here’s a family now living in a $285,000 house, but couldn’t get the financing for a place $100,000 cheaper in a less desirable neighborhood.
I wonder how this is possible, if only I knew people who were involved with mortgages, real estate, and finance.

Beyond that read the whole article.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Simeon ??? High School

It has been known as Simeon Vocational and is currently Simeon Career Academy, but what will the future hold. This past week the Chicago Public Schools announced the discontinuance of the electrical and automotive programs http://www.chicagocrusader.com/chicago/N... . Previously, they discontinued the cosmetology, graphics and machine programs. 

So since the school is no longer focusing on vocational training what is the focus? Better yet, what is the future. Is this the first phase of "reengineering" the school into a "selective enrollment" school, STEM??? Academy, or turning it over to a charter school operator? 

While the cosmetology program crashed and burned, the school made great strides improving their image and education offerings. Simeon was rebuilt in the 90's for $35 million which is approximately what CPS has spent on the additional for Jones and approximately half of which they spent on Payton. 

Let's keep our eyes on this.

Rich Miller: Want to reduce violent crime in Chicago? Cut prison sentences

capitolfax.com
capitolfax.com
The columnist and blogger at Capitol Fax discusses in his Crain's column one solution to the issues of crime & violence in Chicago neighborhoods and it's somewhat surprising:
A brazen afternoon armed robbery of passengers on an Orange Line el train. A hundred people shot in a week. Thirty people shot in 13 hours.

Can part of the answer really be to lower some state criminal penalties? Yep, and the reasons are pretty simple.

We're not locking up enough truly dangerous people for long enough. Doing so would put a monumental strain on our already horribly crowded prison system. Short of finding state money to build and staff more prisons (and there isn't any), we've got to clear some room for the truly bad guys.

The state inmate population has risen 10 percent over the past decade, to 48,819 at the end of June from 44,379 at the end of June 2004. Gov. Pat Quinn asked for a $100 million increase in the Department of Corrections' budget this year, but because of disagreement in Springfield over the income tax increase, the department's budget has remained flat at about $1.2 billion.

The idea that we're locking up too many people for too long is starting to catch on with voters, too. A July 15 Rasmussen Results LLC poll found that a plurality of likely voters, 44 percent, agree that there are too many Americans in prison. Only 31 percent disagree.
BTW, here's another wrinkle in this:
Last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel accomplished the impossible, working out a deal with the National Rifle Association on a bill in the Illinois General Assembly to toughen penalties for gun-related crimes. But the bill unexpectedly was killed by the House Black Caucus, which used a parliamentary procedure to block passage.

Since most gun crimes happen in districts represented by Black Caucus members, you'd think they'd be the last people to stand in the way of the bill.

But African-American legislators also represent an outsized group of folks caught up in the state's harsh criminal penalties. They were sick and tired of penalty enhancement bills and wanted reform. They also pointed to the huge cost of the proposal, sponsored by Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside. Coming up with that money most certainly meant cuts to programs that black legislators hold dear.
Read the whole thing. And let Rich Miller and us at the blog know what you think!

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Remember the Whole Foods Market groundbreaking from earlier this month?

If you missed the groundbreaking earlier this month for the Whole Foods Market coming to 63rd/Halsted, guess who was there to record the proceedings - our old friend artistmac. He recorded these festivities in two parts and posted here for your enjoyment. Here's a description written by artistmac for those two-part videos:
On July 1, 2014 at 10 in the morning, ground was broken on the northwest corner of 63rd and Halsted for Englewood Plaza, which will be anchored by the south side of Chicago's first Whole Foods grocery store.

As late as the 1950's, the shopping district centered around 63rd and Halsted (and extending for several blocks in all directions) was the second largest, in terms of dollar sales, after the Loop. Sears (with a Hillman's grocery store in the basement, Walgreens', Kresge's (a Woolworth's style five and dime),Wieboldts, L.Fish Furniture, Jewel Food Store, the Englewood and Southtown Theaters -- they were all there, within a few blocks of each other. What caused its decline should be a case study in any urban planning class.

At any rate, by the 1980's, Englewood was anthrax for retailers and housing developers. Former Mayor Daley's fast track demolition program only hastened the decline; from the air, on Google Maps, Englewood's residential neighborhoods are an almost unbroken stretch of green, denoting vacant lots where houses once stood.

Englewood's population has dropped by two-thirds since 1960. It's population in the last census, 30,000, is half that of Lincoln Park, the location of Chicago's first Whole Foods, and its median household income, at less than $20,000, is a quarter of Lincoln Park's. But I'm sure Whole Foods has run the numbers.

What I'm afraid of is that this is the city's way of telling Englewood's current residents that their days in that neighborhood are numbered, and that the bulk of future residential development in Englewood will be for those who CAN afford to pay $4.50 and up for a gallon of milk.

It's happened before. Lincoln Park's working-class Puerto Rican residents were gradually kicked out in favor of the upper-middle class and wealthy residents who live there now.
Ah the "dreaded G word" has come back to the surface. Many of the people including Mayor Emanuel who were seen in these videos talked a good game about building this store with the community. Ald. Thompson certainly spoke of Englewood's history and she's right young people now could say I remember when just as her generation did. In addition we certainly heard about the difficulty of finding fresh produce in the community.

[VIDEO: PART 1 & PART 2]

Friday, July 18, 2014

REMINDER: Two events for Saturday


To start Greater Chatham Alliance July meeting with 6th District Commander Fred Waller on Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM at St. Mark United Methodist Church @ 8414 S. St. Lawrence. GCA wants the community to come to the meeting to provide important intelligence to the Commander and show that the community cares about making their part of the city safe. I will refer to this early post I did for this event, and hopefully you would attend to share your concerns with Commander Waller.

Also, the West Chesterfield Community Association Block Part will also be on Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM @ 9351 S. Michigan Ave. These two events almost overlap but you can always attend this event before you meet with Commander Waller or afterwards. You can also take a look at this earlier post for this event.

Here's hoping Saturday is a very productive, safe, and enjoyable day!

I hope you all remain safe on CTA

Surveillance images of robbery
I realize this story is outside of the scope of this blog, but this is certainly worth sharing. I ride the L everyday to get to work or whatever, and this is certainly sobering. These guys knew at what point to make their move and did it boldly.

This incident occurred on the CTA Orange Line and the perpetrators probably knew many of the passengers were arriving into Chicago knowing very little about the city and CTA. They also struck just as the train was on the longest part of the route without a station to stop at. No one either attempted to escape to another car through the emergency doors - something you're not supposed to do anyway - and no one hit the button to talk to the train motorman.

On the flip side the perpetrators remained on one car until the train stopped at Roosevelt. It's still an unfortunate incident and police are now looking for them.

BTW, reading this Tribune article we hear the head of CTA's rail workers union still wants to see conductors returned to trains. Conductor jobs had been cut since 1997 and even then the CTA union cited potential situations such as this to say eliminating those jobs was a bad idea.

Still at least we have ways of contacting CTA personnel if something criminal or dangerous is occurring on board the train and plans could be made to involve the police. In addition CTA cited that there are cameras on board most CTA rail vehicles, buses, and L stations.

All the same whether or not there are extra eyes on the train with police, CTA personnel, or surveillance cameras here's hoping you remain alert at all times.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Tribune: Red Line south extension draws property value concerns

Red Line Extension
And there are those who are still talking about the coming extension of the L into the far south side of
Chicago:
Pastors from the Greater Roseland area and representatives of the Developing Communities Project, a civic group advocating for the 5 1/2-mile extension to the city’s southern border and the economic benefits that the project could produce, appeared before the CTA board Wednesday.

They raised concerns about possible declines in property value due to the project, sought information about relocating families and asked for a commitment to allow public participation in creating a compensation “formula” for property owners whose homes will need to be bulldozed.

The Rev. Elena Calloway testified that the extension would run behind her five-bedroom house on 114th Place. Her family already puts up with freight train noise, but the clatter from CTA trains running minutes apart would be too much, she said.

“Suddenly I am faced with the thought of screeching trains … (and) the possibility of elevated tracks allowing full view of my property and a total loss of peace,’’ said Calloway, 64, who is a pastor at New Day Ministries International.
If you're like Rev. Calloway and would like compensation for your property if it's to be in the way of the extension here's something to consider:

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

DNA Info: South Shore Mariano's Possible, But Ex-Dominick's Site No Good, CEO Says

Vacant 71st/Jeffrey space by Eric Allix Rogers/flickr
Even though just last week Mariano's announced their going to build on land that was once home to a large steel mill on east 87th, it seems the question of the former Dominick's space near 71st/Jeffrey refuses to go away. Mariano's CEO Bob Mariano passed on the space but will still tour city owned lots in South Shore with 5th Ward Ald. Leslie Hairston to find an appropriate spot for another Mariano's store. In the meanwhile Mr. Mariano's justification:
“It’s the location,” Mariano said about passing on the former Dominick’s at Jeffery Plaza, 7131 S. Jeffery Blvd. “It’s not the neighborhood.”

Mariano made his remarks last week, just before announcing plans to open a new Mariano’s location in South Chicago.

He also said he thinks the parking lot is the wrong size for the 65,000-square-foot store, he believes the entrances and exits to the parking lot don’t serve the store well and he did not like that the Metra tracks passed in front of the store on 71st Street.

“We’re not going to bring a store to the neighborhood that is below the standards of Mariano’s,” Mariano said.
On top of this Ald. Hairston added:
On Tuesday, Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) said she was aware of Mariano’s objections to the former Dominick’s location.

“Do I think Jeffery Plaza could be updated? Absolutely,” Hairston said. “But you’re not going to get rid of the trains.”

She said the city is still actively negotiating with several grocers to the move into the Dominick’s, which closed Dec. 28. She said she is also still courting Mariano’s to move to South Shore.
So where could they bring another Mariano's on this part of town? I could compare this to the two Walmarts located nearby us one on 83rd and another on 111th. While the one on 111th had been approved first the one on 83rd was completed sooner because the site was already set up for a store to be built. The site near 111th well they had some work to do before all was said and done.

This would be the case for Mariano's on the former steel mill site. Could they possibly find a site within South Shore which is ready made for a store much sooner that the store coming in 2016?

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Sun-Times: Rahm, voters need strong challenger in mayoral race

This editorial from the Sun-Times takes into account county board Prez. Toni Preckwinkle formally announcing her withdrawal from the 2015 mayor contest. Preckwinkle already stated that she had no plans to run but many polls had her leading Rahm Emanuel in a potential contest.
Preckwinkle opted against running for mayor, a decision that may be good news for the mayor but the same may not be true for democracy in Chicago.

Every politician needs a strong opponent to keep them on their toes, to make them answer the hard questions. It’s good for the incumbent and, more important, it’s good for the people they represent. In the latest Sun-Times Early & Often poll released Monday, Preckwinkle was leading with 55 percent to Emanuel’s 31 percent in a one-on-one matchup.

Preckwinkle, Cook County Board president, did the noble thing (and the safe political thing) by removing her name as a contender for next February’s mayoral race, saying she still had work to do reforming the county’s criminal justice, health care and pension systems.
...
The current mayoral field poses no significant challenge to the mayor — a status quo that would deny voters a spirited debate on the many meaty issues facing their city. But there is still time.

The Early & Often poll put Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, who is seriously considering a run, ahead of Emanuel by 9 percentage points. The poll also put Ald. Robert Fioretti in the hunt, distantly. He’d have a lot of catching up to do with a 14 point deficit and 24 percent undecided.

Polls, of course, are snapshots in time and this poll came just days after a bloody Fourth of July weekend. And despite some strong opposition, Emanuel remains popular and praised in many quarters, with many accomplishments under his belt, not to mention millions in the bank.
Well it's not that long before candidates can file petitions for all city officers Alderman, Clerk, Treasurer, and Mayor. Will anyone step forward against Rahm Emanuel?

Monday, July 14, 2014

DNA Info: During Ramadan, Muslim Group Promotes Healthy Food at Corner Stores

A Lot to Save Foods @ 1207 W. 63rd St. - Tanveer Ali/DNA Info
This article mentions the Whole Foods Market coming to Englewood in two years, but there is a group who isn't waiting to provide healthy foods to the neighborhood:
During the month of Ramadan, which ends July 28, when most Muslims must not eat or drink while the sun is up, the Inner-City Muslim Action Network is handing out mixed fruit smoothies in front of two Muslim-owned corner stores to anyone walking by.

The hope is once residents have smoothies in hand during the group's Refresh the 'Hood initiative, they would be willing to talk, listen and fill out surveys about food shopping habits and options.

"They only shop at these stores by default," said Shamar Hemphill, a Hyde Park resident who serves as the network's director of youth and organization. "It's the only place here they can buy groceries. We need to work to make these businesses better."

Hemphill joined about a dozen people from the network as they talked to Englewood residents outside of A Lot to Save at 1207 W. 63rd St. last week.

The effort is part of the organization's Muslim Run initiative, which started in 2007 and targets everyone, not just Muslims. That initiative aimed to support businesses by improving the food they sell. Instead of just selling things like Cheetos, pork rinds and pop, the stores make it a point to sell produce, some of which is locally grown.
Read the whole thing!

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Update on BBQ's on the Public Way


Photo from Worlee GloverThis past Monday July 7, 2014 at the Park Manor Neighbors community Council(PMNCC) monthly meeting the issue of BBQ's on the public way was addressed. Two businesses were singled out about this issue. The Goal Post lounge on 71st and Luversia's Soul Food on 79th. Residents let owners of both businesses that they did not want businesses BBQ on the public way unless there was a special event and proper permits were obtained. The resident's wishes were backed up by Alderman Sawyer who had previously addressed the business owners. The owner of the building that houses the Goal Post, and who is applying to transfer the license to him, stated it would not happen in the future as well as he would address other issues with the lounge. The owner of Luversia's stated he did purely for marketing as his business has suffered from the negative publicity surrounding 79th.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Sun-Times: New South Side charter school on hold due to FBI probe

Worlee talked about this school in the past, now there's a snafu:
A new charter school won’t open as planned next month in a South Side building owned by a politically connected pastor’s church because of a federal investigation involving charter operator Concept Schools, a consultant for the project said Thursday.

“The project is on hold,” Hermene Hartman said, citing the “legal difficulties.”

But in a statement, Concept officials they “are moving forward with our plan to open a new school and exploring which location at this point makes the most sense for the coming school year.”

In January, Chicago Public Schools officials approved the proposed Concept school at 8522 S. Lafayette Ave. in Chatham.

According to plans submitted by Concept, more than $528,000 in CPS funding for the school was to go toward rent for the 2014-15 school year to the landlord, an arm of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Charles Jenkins, Fellowship’s pastor, gave the invocation at Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2011 swearing-in and served on Emanuel’s transition team.

Last month, the FBI and two other federal agencies raided Concept’s Des Plaines headquarters and 19 of its charter schools in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, including Concept’s Chicago Math and Science Academy in Rogers Park.
...
FBI officials have said the investigation involves an unspecified “ongoing white-collar criminal matter.”

West Chesterfield Community Block Party July 19th

Earlier this month we received this e-mail from the West Chesterfield Community Association regarding their Community Block Party additional information for this event is below. Expected to take place on July 19th from 10 AM to 3 PM on 93rd & 94th/Michigan to 94th/Wabash to Indiana.
Click for larger resolution

GCA July Meeting with 6th District Commander Fred L. Waller

Fred L. Waller
We got this e-mail recently from the Greater Chatham Alliance
  • Okay, Greater Chatham Alliance Members, Chatham and other 6th Ward Neighbors:

    This is the meeting you can't afford to miss on Saturday, July 19th! Here’s YOUR chance to meet 1-on-1 with 6th District, Police Commander Fred L. Waller.

    That’s right! A private, 1-on-1 meeting for three (3) minutes with our Commander!

    This is not a gripe session!

    This is an opportunity for residents to give intel on:

    1. Suspected, or known drug houses.  
    2. Suspicious-acting, neighborhood teens.
    3. Troubled Buildings–-including vacant, or suspected CHA homes/apartment buildings with abusive residents.
    4. Notorious, daily, drug-dealing corners, alleys or streets.
    5. Resourceful suggestions and ideas show we are trying to help too!

    It’s for YOU to give anonymous information, concise information, and vital information to safeguard our community and stop the predators COLD!

    Be proactive and print, or type your info on paper with all details (specific addresses, descriptions).

    The police want us to work with them! GCA says let’s get busy and show we mean business!

    Please don't squander the Commander's time complaining about garage break-ins, car thefts, or petty crimes. This is the event to tackle bigger problems!

    Please note, we are at a different, larger church for this July meeting.

    Saturday, July 19th
    11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    St. Mark United Methodist Church
    8414 S. St. Lawrence
    Parking lot available!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Capitol Fax: A sign of the times

Lakeside
Earlier today Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax opined on the coming Mariano's store at the former US Steel South Works and current Chicago Lakeside site. I was not certain what his point were but it sure sparked a number of comments in the post. All the same perhaps his "not feeling like jumping up and down with joy" is related to this point:
At its peak, US Steel employed 20,000 people at its South Works plant. Those were very hard, dangerous, “he-man” jobs, but steelworkers gave an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.
Redeveloping this massive site that billed as larger than Chicago's Loop certainly requires a long-term plan. Still I wonder how many people lament the loss of those jobs when US Steel shut down operations here more than 20 years ago?

The image to the left is of the Lakeside development click the pic for a larger resolution.

DNA Info: Mariano's South Chicago Plans Detailed for U.S. Steel Site

Credit: Mariano's IG
Mariano's is coming much closer to our part of town. We've heard the rumblings in the media and finally it's been announced:
City and state officials came out Wednesday to celebrate the announcement that a Mariano’s Fresh Market grocery store will be built in the shadow of the walls that once held ore for the U.S. Steel mill.

“The walls that used to exist here and in our minds are coming down,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. “South Chicago is not an island.”

The grocery store is expected to open in 2016 and create 400 jobs at 87th Street and South Lake Shore Drive, the western edge of the former U.S. Steel property that is being rebuilt as the 500-acre Lakeside commercial and residential development.

“We felt it was important to commit to this project now,” said Bob Mariano, CEO of Mariano’s parent company, Roundy’s.

Mariano said it was important for the company to come at the beginning of the Lakeside development to help establish local hiring as the standard and to provide fresh and healthy food.
Also noted that this site is also being considered as the site for the future Obama Presidential Library should Chicago be chose to be the chosen city. So on the lakefront in South Chicago, in addition to Bronzeville, Hyde Park, Pullman and Chicago State University.

RELATED

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Tribune: Chicago ward remap challenge loses appeal

Well for those who are still unhappy about the recent ward remap back to the drawing board:
A federal judge rejected both arguments last August, and on Wednesday the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision.

The new ward maps had a fluctuation of 8.7 percent in population from the largest ward to the smallest, and the lawsuit alleged that disparity violated the equal protection clause of the Constitution that requires officials from voting districts to represent substantially equal populations.

But the appeals court pointed to a U.S. Supreme Court precedent that had determined a fluctuation of 10 percent as the threshold for a violation of the clause.

In an attempt to overcome that precedent, the lawsuit argued the remap targeted independent aldermen, but the appeals court ruled that drawing new legislative districts is political in nature and “as in any election or redistricting scheme, there are bound to be winners and losers.” The court also determined that the lawsuit did not allege that the map targeted a specific group of voters and that the voting rights of minorities were upheld.

The appeals court also agreed with the lower court that the League of Women Voters had not proven that a “common, unwritten practice” had been put in place by the city “with the force of law” to implement the new boundaries early. The League of Women Voters’ reference to some aldermen having correspondence related to their future wards was “a far reach” to prove such a citywide policy had been implemented, the court wrote in its opinion.
You can read further posts on this topic by clicking the redistricting link - all posts on this subject. Also check out this post from last month regarding the shifting 2nd Ward.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Capitol Fax: Chicago’s security priorities

Rich Miller of the Capitol Fax took a brief trip to Chicago this past holiday weekend. Even he sees the need for better priorities for police resources. While it makes sense to take care of downtown Chicago especially on such a busy holiday weekend as the 4th of July, there needs to be a significant police presence in those areas of our city that needs attention.

What do you think about the security priorities in Chicago?

Tribune: Starting this fall, free breakfasts, lunches available for all CPS students

I can't believe according to this article, school lunches in elementary school could go for $2.45 on average. When I went to Bennett-Shedd it was .75 and went up to .85 cents. Perhaps the quality of food today is much better.

Regardless CPS has found some money to provide free meals to all students. That's certainly excellent news:
The high number of students living at the poverty level in the district qualified CPS to meet the required threshold for full reimbursement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to CPS officials.

In the past school year, lunch at a typical elementary school  for students who didn’t qualify for assistance cost an average of about $2.45. High schools charges slightly more.

The district expects to serve 72 million meals to students in the coming year, two million more than during the last school year.

“If a student eats that day, the district gets reimbursed,” said Leslie Fowler, executive director of CPS’ nutritional support services. “But if they don’t eat, then CPS doesn’t get reimbursed and there’s no cost associated with that meal. We can’t predict what they do or don’t do, but we hope we can encourage them to participate.”

In the past, the school district’s free and reduced lunch program for financially eligible students was fraught with fraud. Several CPS school officials, including principals and assistant principals, were accused by the district’s Inspector General of providing false income information on applications for the free lunch program.
Sooooo, I don't have children yet, however, as a parent I would have fought tooth & nail not to pay over $2/day to feed my child. They'd get sent to school with a lunch from home at the very least.

Still this development under which this program has been expanded one thing is for certain CPS is dominated by low-income students.

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Sun-Times: Mariano’s gets $5M to build in ‘food deserts’

http://instagram.com/p/fNX58wmK5R/?modal=true
Credit: Mariano's Instagram
While on Thursday, the focus was on a groundbreaking for Whole Foods Market Englewood there was a story about Mariano's getting state money to open in food desert areas:
Mariano’s Fresh Markets will build five new grocery stores in “food deserts” — neighborhoods with no easy access to affordable, fresh food — with the help of $5 million in Build Illinois bond proceeds committed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the company and the state announced Thursday.

The funds will go toward capital construction in order to free up more money for job training.

It’s the first time that Build Illinois bonds will be used to boost healthy food choices in low-income areas, said David Roeder, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
One of those stores was already announced to come to Bronzeville at 39th/King Drive. The other one is rumored to come to the former site of US Steel near 87th/South Shore Drive. Of course that needs to be confirmed. I think people in South Shore are looking for this one even if it isn't coming to 71st/Jeffrey.

More about the jobs to come:
Mariano said the company must provide intense job training in underserved communities, including working with new hires on basics such as timeliness, proper attire, work preparation and communicating well with customers.

“In many cases, we’re going into places where people haven’t had jobs or haven’t had jobs in many years,” Mariano said. “We want to spend time on job training and job-preparation skills so that the employees and the store can succeed.”

Mariano aims to hire local residents for the food-desert stores. The company does so at existing stores because most people want to work 2 to 5 miles from their homes, Mariano said.

Each Mariano’s store employs about 415 people.

Mariano’s supermarkets emphasize food stations and fresh, prepared and ready-to-prepare foods — an approach that retail experts say work well in underserved neighborhoods.
According to the Sun-Times, the state money is for five stores to open in underserved areas. Four of those will open in the city limits. So there is one that's coming one that's rumored, so where would the other two go?

Here's one suggestion, the property that formerly contained a Jewel/Osco and the now demolished Halsted Indoor Mall located near Halsted/115th Street (here's a picture in fact). That should foot the bill for the state money Mariano's is getting.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Links of stories regarding the groundbreaking for Whole Foods Market Englewood

Before groundbreaking Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune / July 1, 2014
On Tuesday, a ceremonial groundbreaking was held at 63rd/Halsted for the groundbreaking of the Whole Foods Market expected to open in the spring of 2016. I've decided to compile some stories mainly those directly referencing the ground breaking and then other stories that mention the coming Whole Foods store and mainly focus on the Englewood neighborhood.
For that last link from DNA Info, we can always look at this development this way. Yeah Whole Foods is coming to the community, but what else will the store bring. Certainly in the new shopping center to be built other shops are coming. That article even noted that the City Colleges operated restaurant Sikia could benefit from the Whole Foods store.

Now some additional stories. The photo above I lifted from a Red Eye article that briefly mentions the groundbreaking and how homicides are going down in Englewood.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Who's running against Emanuel in 2015?

The 2015 Municipal Election is in February and in various wards especially the 6th & 9th Wards there are already challengers emerging next year seeking to become a Chicago Alderman. Today we will consider who could challenge Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Mick Dumke and Ben Joravsky at the Chicago Reader digs up some well-know names who could challenge the Mayor although it's not clear if they would run. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has often stated that she won't run although it seems lately she won't rule it out. More positive although not necessarily committed is Teacher's Union President Karen Lewis who states that a lot of people are "sick of this mayor". Then there's 2nd Ward Ald. Bob Fioretti.

I've always thought Fioretti had the least to lose in comparison to Karen Lewis and Toni Preckwinkle. In 2012 Fioretti was effectively drawn out of his 2nd Ward. The 2nd Ward was drawn further north as illustrated in a map shown on the blog last month. Would he want to run in that new ward and would have a tough time going back to the city council in any of the wards that ate up the former 2nd Ward?

All the same there are already candidates lining up against Emanuel. Most of us already know former Alderman Robert Shaw (in fact wasn't he a former Alderman of the 9th Ward?). There's also a man named Frederick Collins who ran for offices such as Cook County Sheriff as a Republican but is reportedly now a Democrat. Then there's a young lady from the west side of town Amara Eniya who's seeking her first elected office.

It seems the electorate may not be happy with the current Mayor, however, the electorate needs someone they can vote for. More accurately while voters are looking for a name who can beat Emanuel. So could Preckwinkle, Lewis, or Fioretti be the name voters are looking for? Or could any of the other mayoral longshots?

Dumke & Joravsky of course explores that but what do you all think?

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Tribune: CTA completes switch to Ventra today

ventrachicago.com
ventrachicago.com
So the day of reckoning has arrived, the transition to the Ventra system is now complete:
Old transit fare cards won’t buy rides on the CTA and Pace starting today with the completion of a sometimes grueling 10-month transition to the new Ventra fare-collection system.

Starting Tuesday, bus customers will be required to pay fares with Ventra cards, cash or contactless credit or debit cards with radio frequency identification technology.

The same rules apply to CTA rail customers, except cash-payers will need to buy a single-ride disposable ticket, which instead of costing the $2.25 regular fare will be priced at $3 and include a two-ride transfer, regardless of whether the rider needs to transfer.
...
For procrastinators and others who haven’t made the switch to the new fare system, Ventra cards are available at vending machines inside CTA rail stations, at many retail locations in Chicago and the suburbs, online at ventrachicago.com and by calling (877) 669-8368.

The $5 new-card fee will be waived until July 7 at the retail locations and for online and phone orders. Ventra cards issued at vending machines in CTA rail stations require a $5 fee, which is credited toward transit value if the card is registered.

Riders with old transit cards can transfer balances to Ventra cards through Sept. 1, officials said. Mail-in forms are available at transitchicago.com.

CTA fare cards eligible for mail-in balance transfers include unused magnetic stripe 30-day unlimited ride period passes and stored-value fare cards, including magnetic stripe fare cards, Chicago Cards and permits loaded at vending machines. The combined transit value on the cards must be at least $5 and there is an 8-card limit per customer.