A few stories that come to mind to wrap up the year 2016. The Red Line extension to 130th street is moving forward. A draft environmental impact statement was submitted and there was a recent hearing regarding this future project. We also learned the extension may not open until 2026 at the earliest. But at least some progress is being made and the major step that need to be taken is funding. We've learned on Monday of the passing of Mr. Donzell Starks who owned #icetheaters with his wife Alisa Starks. In 1997 they built and opened movie theaters in the Chatham, Englewood, and Lawndale neighborhoods. Condolences to the Starks family. #Chatham #englewood #lawndale #business #entrepreneurs #blackownedbusiness #movietheater #chatham14 #chicagogram #southside #cinematreasures A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Oct 4, 2016 at 9:38pm PDT We learned of the passing of Mr. Donzell Starks in October. Starks and his wife Alisa - or it appears the Stark

Finally the South Side looks like it might get a bit of respect! . The website Curbed has an annual poll for best neighborhood...however, it's clear wo their clientele is, as most of the neighborhoods are predominantly white and upper class. We encourage not just you, but all of your friends to vote for Woodlawn. If they win, then other neighborhoods we represent, like Chatham, Englewood and others, can also get a chance to win. Read the article, then scroll down and VOTE here = http://chicago.curbed.com/2016/12/29/14116562/chicago-neighborhood-of-the-year-lakeview-woodlawn-2016 Share the link with friends. As of this writing, Woodlawn is down 626 votes. If we all share the word, it would be an amazing victory!

[ VIDEO ] Jahmal Cole asks Chicagoans what the first star on the Chicago flag represents. That star represents Fort Dearborn located near the Chicago River at Wacker & Michigan. The fort was named for a former Secretary of War who served in the cabinet of President Thomas Jefferson , signer of the Declaration of Independence . Let's see how many people Cole meets that knew this information. The city's flag you will see above in the header of this blog and you will see another version below. The flag is part of this great city's identity.

So according to Crain's Greg Hinz Chicago is finally emerging from the subprime mortgage recession of the last decade, however, it seems only the loop area so far has seen the greatest gains . The city center now is growing faster than ever, having gained an estimated 42,423 people from 2010-15. But the population of the non-lakefront South Side is dropping even quicker, falling about 50,000 in the same period. The number of non-Hispanic whites, Asians and people of Hispanic descent is growing, but the number of non-Hispanic blacks is dropping. The new data come from the 2015 American Community Survey, which is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and was released last week. Also: The Census Bureau in 2012 reported this area grew faster in the first decade of the century than any downtown in the country, adding 48,000 people. But with an unprecedented construction wave underway, growth has hit the gas, with the area—roughly the Loop, plus the Near North, Near South and N

34 W. 114th Street Found this nice home on instagram via marquisdefacade and offers this caption talking about the Roseland neighborhood. This home is in Chicago's Roseland neighborhood, located at 34 W. 114th Street. So, it's literally on the block just west of State St. Point of fact. State Street is basically Chicago's ground 0. Anything east of it has an E. on the street number, and anything west has a W. on the street number. I love research. So I did some digging. The homes in this area are cheap. This home is not for sale, but 30 W. 114th St. is asking $38,000, 41 W. 114th is asking $15,000, and 117 W. 114th St. is asking $17,000. Whenever there is a census, there is a book that has come out called the Local Community Fact Book. I'm basically missing the version with the 1970 census stats, as well as the 2000 and 2010 versions. Not sure if books were made after the 2000 and 2010 censuses.  Each neighborhood in the Community Fact Books is

Shedd School as seen in December 2016 The issue of Shedd School came up at the last of this year's community meetings with Ald. Anthony Beale in October. There is interest in re-opening Shedd as a school and Beale's response was to a written question posed by a resident in attendance. Unfortunately it was noted at the meeting that Shedd was closed because of declining enrollment. While the question noted an increase in children in the community Beale suggested that it still isn't enough to justify reopening that former school. If it were to ever re-open there may have to be consideration of bringing in students from outside of the neighborhood. In the meanwhile the school remains for sale as there are signs on the building as I saw from this past summer, pictures were shown on our ig account. Beale pledged to let the community know of any bidders on the property. A photo posted by The Sixth Ward (@thesixthward) on Sep 2, 2016 at 5:57pm PDT