Ed Gardner stops sewer construction project...

You may have seen information about this protest on our FB page. Michael LaFargue of West Chesterfield e-mails an update to this work stoppage by former Soft Sheen Products & House of Kicks owner Ed Gardner. He's on this crusade to advocate for construction jobs on projects that especially take place in Black communities. He started with the projects taking place in Evergreen Park with a new shopping center. This time a sewer project taking place in the community.

Ed Gardner Stops Sewer Construction Project at 90th and King Drive

On Friday June 7, 2013, Mr. Ed Gardner, leading 50 to 60 people, stopped the work at the sewer construction site between 90th and King Drive and 90th and Indiana. This site was shut down from about 9:30am to 2:30pm due to the ongoing lack of African Americans working. (A few photos recently received are attached)

Some of those in attendance included Alderman Roderick Sawyer, Radio Personalities Cliff Kelly and Dorothy Tillman, W.L. Lillard, Bob Isreal, Carl McFarlan, Mr. Godfrey Lawson and Mr. Arnold Pugh of the Roseland Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. E. Washington of Chesterfield Community Council, and John Large of the West Chesterfield Community Association. There were also many local carpenters, electricians, plumbers, etc. present.

Clean the sewers!

The leaves are falling, and the rain is coming. Rather than letting out streets be flooded. Let's be proactive and brish off leaves when we can. Street cleaning is happening this week in certain areas, so it's an ideal time to do it.

I know you're thinking "That's Street and Sanitation's job!"


But realisitically, they can't be everywhere, and this is relatively low priority compared to our many other needs.

If you don't want to yourself, perhaps some bored youth wouldn't mind using some sticks to clear things out.

Let's do our part to prevent flooding!

How did the rain affect you?

Look for a post soon detailing the progress of the sewer we have been following...

But with last night's rain, our basement received the worst flooding in the 4 years we have lived here. Did that happen to anyone else? Or could this problem have been prevented if the sewer work was completed? Or was it just a bad rainstorm?

EDIT: my wife informed me of power outages at 87th Street (including manual traffic control) and at stores such as the strip mall at 83rd & State Street. How have you been affected?

Sewers - repairs are under way.

I posted an entry on Sunday (but written on Friday) about the sewer problem on the 80th block of Calumet. 

Between Friday and Saturday, someone came out and spray painted information for an imminent repair, as well as laying planks to cover the hole.

Also, I drove by Tuesday morning, and regarding the problem at Calumet & 83rd, serious repairs are now under way.  Hopefully, their next stop is 8012 S. Calumet and the 7900 block of Calumet.

83rd & Calumet getting SERIOUS repair

311 Service request follow up

Here's  a sinkhole that has been getting worse each day.

This is particularly a problem for several reasons:

1. The sewer wall has collapsed
2. Parking here is like the nroth side, so bad feelings are being created as the elderly & those with small children are having a hard time finding parking. 
3. Potentially cars will be damaged if they park near the sinkholes.
4. The CTA #3 bus route which ends at 81st will drive down Calumet to turn around. The sinkholes & the many potholes we have can cause some unneeded chaos.

The request # is 11-02-706730 and was filed on June 9.


I called again July 8.

I also forwarded these to the Alderman's office as well.

The sinkholes seems like  systematic problem along Calumet.  At the NW corner of 83rd & Calumet, there is a sinkhole that had just been repaired months before it collapsed again.

And I have posted a photo on another hole at 7928 S. Calumet as well as one forming just 10 feet from the sewer.

In addition, a new hole seems to be forming

This is actually 7928 S. Calumet. It needs work as well.

How is 311 responding to YOUR requests?

flood assistance form the city of Chicago

Some info that Ald. Lyle passed on to us, so we can pass on to you. If you have been affected by the recent rains have flooding issues, see below, from the City of Chicago web site.

Flood Assistance

July 26, 2010

The City of Chicago has begun the process of applying for flood assistance from the Federal government, and we need residents’ help.

To provide a complete damage assessment to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), please fill out the posted form.

Instructions are provided to make this as easy of a process as possible.

Residents can download the form online and email it back to flood2010@cityofchicago.org.

Residents can also call 311, and an operator will assist you with completing the form over the telephone. Completed forms can be emailed, or dropped off at your local Aldermanic office.

Residents who do not have access to a computer can visit anyone of the Chicago Public Libraries to download the form.

As always, if residents have any questions, we encourage you to call 311.

Flood Initial Damage Assessment Form
Flood Initial Damage Assessment Form Instructions