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Saturday, December 22, 2018

Family of Thana Muhammad seeks her murderer #Ward09

[VIDEO] This is a pretty grisly story, Ms. Muhammad had just moved to 100th & Forest when her dismembered body was found in her home back in June. Her vehicle was stolen and abandoned on Chicago's west side where she previously lived. Who did this to the young lady?

Be careful out there everyone!

Friday, December 21, 2018

#fbf 111th Street & Michigan Avenue

The photo above was taken in 1907 and the building you see in the front foreground according to Chicago history blogger J.R. Schmidt remains at the corner of 111th & Michigan Avenue. If I recall correctly for many years it was a Walgreen's until that location moved across the street. Though now the former Walgreen's store on the north side of 111th Street is now a dollar store.

Of course the progress of time over the course of 111 years ago (111th street and 111 years ago hmmm), we see a lot of the buildings are no longer standing. And of course the city ran its last streetcar in 1958. Even better according to Schmidt who posted this late last month:
A century ago traffic was so light on this stretch of Michigan that small children could wander around aimlessly in the street—not advisable today, in the era of the automobile.
Yeah totally agree with that statement! Click the link to see the photo Schmidt took in 2018 of this same area.

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Suspect linked to officers' death charged #Ward09 #PrayforCPD

[VIDEO] Well the suspect officers Gary & Marmolejo were chasing on railroad tracks when they were hit but a southbound South Shore commuter train has been charged.
Edward Brown, 24, of Chicago, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. He was scheduled to appear for a bond hearing Thursday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

Calumet District Officers Eduardo Marmolejo and Conrad Gary had been called to an area near 103rd Street and Dauphin Avenue around 6:20 p.m. Monday after a ShotSpotter sensor picked up gunfire, police officials said. Marmolejo, 36, and Gary, 31, saw a suspect, got out of their car and scrambled up to the tracks, according to police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

When the officers stopped Brown and asked him if he was carrying anything illegal, he said, “Yes, I have a gun on me,” said Guglielmi. He said the officers confiscated a Kel-Tec handgun from Brown’s sweater pocket and Brown acknowledged firing the weapon on the tracks.

Brown told the officers he found the gun in an alley a few blocks away at 101st Street and Vernon Avenue and that he was “just testing it out,” Guglielmi said. Brown was then arrested and taken to a police station.

Guglielmi said that’s where the arresting officers learned Marmolejo and Gary had been fatally struck by the train.
Brown will not faces charges of murder despite his link to the deaths of these two officers. 

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

How did two officers miss seeing a train that hit them #Ward09 #PrayforCPD

[VIDEO] Check out yesterday's report from CBS 2. Megan Hickey retraces the steps of the two police officers who were hit by that South Shore line train on Monday night. They were chasing a suspect onto the railroad embankment and reportedly distracted by another train having never saw the train that hit them. It's unimaginable that there is a record of this from their body cam.

Also this was posted to Ald. Beale's fb page yesterday showing the image of the two officers from the Calumet - 5th District who lost their lives chasing the suspect on the railroad embankment at 103rd & Cottage Grove.
May officers Gary & Marmolejo R.I.P.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Two police officers hit and killed by train 103rd & Cottage Grove #Ward09

[VIDEO] I'm sorry to share this story not long after sharing another story about a police officer from the Calumet District who committed suicide in the district HQ parking lot back in September. If that suicide is any indication being a police officer is a very taxing job and we charge police with doing so much for our city. Especially insuring people who do very bad things are arrested and charged with their respective crimes.

To start two police officers identified as Eduardo Marmolejo and Conrad Gary were chasing a suspect when they were hit by a South Shore train near 103rd Street and Cottage Grove. While we do have the above video that aired on the local news how about a Block Club Chi write-up:
Two Chicago Police officers who chased a gunman onto Metra tracks in the Rosemoor neighborhood were hit and killed by a passing train Monday night, the latest tragedy to rock the Chicago Police Department.

Officers Eduardo Marmolejo, 37, and Conrad Gary, 31, died instantly when they were hit by the outbound South Shore train, which was traveling as fast at 70 mph, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said.

Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the “devastating tragedy” happened on the tracks near 103rd and Cottage Grove.

The Calumet (5th) District officers, partners for the night, responded to a “ShotSpotter” automatic detection of gunshots at 101st and Dauphin just after 6 p.m. Monday.

A suspected gunman ran up the train embankment at 103rd and Cottage Grove, and the officers followed, Johnson said.

They were struck by the South Shore train at 6:21 p.m. on tracks owned by Metra.

“By doing the most dangerous thing any police officer can do, and that is to chase an individual with a gun, these brave young men were consumed with identifying a potential threat to their community and put the safety of others above their own,” Johnson said.
Furthermore:
The crowded train, part of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, had departed Chicago’s Millennium Station en route to Indiana. Investigators went through the train interviewing passengers before they were transferred to buses to finish their commute.

Johnson said a gun was found on the scene, and a “person of interest” was being questioned.
What's mentioned in this article are the other tragedies of the police department during the course of 2018. Especially the most recent death of a police officer during the Mercy Hospital shootings. Of course the suicide of police officers especially two who came from the same police district as the officers who were hit by that train.

Also I want to note that as dangerous a job being a police officer is, they have gotten a bad rap as there has been some bad publicity. However, let's not forget how being a police officer is a dangerous job and how much we need them to ultimately work to keep our neighborhoods safe.

Monday, December 17, 2018

ABC 7: Officer suicides spur Chicago police effort to break mental health stigma

[VIDEO] Story aired earlier this week on ABC 7 about the police officer who killed herself in the parking lot of the Calumet District on 111th Street. Her family talks about her and we hear from police superintendent Eddie Johnson who said he worked with Regine Perpignan.

 I wrote about this over at The Sixth Ward in September and said, "We have to treat them better than it seems we have been recently." I'm glad to hear the steps the police plan to take to normalize the notion that police officers need help. And it's great to know that counselors will be available to officer in the various districts.

Friday, December 14, 2018

Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel floats port district land as Chicago casino location #Serving17

Even though Rahm Emanuel will only remain mayor until May 2019, he seems to be coming up with some proposals. He's still trying to use what's left of his political heft to come up with some ideas for the city:
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday floated a port district site on the Far Southeast Side as the possible location for a Chicago casino, if state lawmakers finally grant the city the long-sought gambling palace.

In a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Emanuel noted his “love-hate” relationship with the idea of a casino but said if the city finally builds one it should be away from the Loop and McCormick Place. Instead, he said it should bring economic development to an area of the city that needs it, before floating an Illinois International Port District site near Pullman as “an example.”

The land, just off the 111th Street exit on the Bishop Ford Freeway, currently is home to the Harborside International golf course with some harbor operations and terminals nearby on Lake Calumet. The port district that owns the land is a joint city-state entity.

“If you go down to the port authority where the golf course is, there’s enough land there for both a hotel and a casino,” Emanuel said. “That would be a big boon economically to the Southeast Side of the city.”

Emanuel made the remarks on the same day he gave a speech to aldermen on his recommendations to address the city’s pension funding shortfalls moving forward. The mayor’s plan included revenue from a proposed Chicago casino as part of the answer.
Personally I'm with this, who says a proposed casino has to be in or near downtown Chicago. Put one in a neighborhood that's struggling. In this case Pullman, and then again hopefully there are other proposals.

However, to be honest it seems like forever that there's been discussions of a Chicago casino that seems to have a tendency to fall through. So perhaps deciding on a site or finally building one will still take years. Wait and see I suppose.

h/t to state Sen. Elgie Sims FB page hence why I used the #Serving17 hashtag.
 

Thursday, December 13, 2018

103rd & Michigan back in the day #tbt

Man I can't believe this is 103rd & Michigan as it appeared in 1940, 78 years ago. Hmm just like another old photo of 93rd & Jeffrey which is also from 78 years ago - both provided by Chicago History Today. Here's what the blogmaster there J.R. Schmidt wrote in March 2017:
In 1848 Dutch farmers established Roseland’s first permanent settlement, along what’s now the Michigan Avenue ridge.  By 1940 much of the area was built up.  However, aside from a few older homes, this particular stretch of 103rd Street remained vacant, zoned for business.  The rise in the street to the ridge is visible in the foreground.
Of course you can go to that post to see a more recent photo and it's almost like night & day. When you think about it, there is an old photo of Bennett School - which unfortunately is lost for now - that shows that school surrounded by undeveloped land. I can imagine it fits this image from 78 years ago. The above vantage point is no more than two blocks away from Prairie which is the street Bennett is located.

93rd & Jeffrey and 103rd & Michigan it's funny both photos contain a streetcar.

Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Capitol Fax: Let’s be careful out there #twill


Actually I wrote about this today at The Sixth Ward. You might have seen this on the news Sunday. I share this post from Capitol Fax regarding this shooting in the 15th Ward. A man doing some campaign canvassing got shot by some thugs who didn't recognize him. Rich Miller writes about this on his blog today.
So let's all be careful out there. Campaigning or not and let's keep politics out of it. Politics already gets a bad rap especially out of Chicago no need to inject thuggish foolishness such as bullets into this.

BTW, want to see the story from ABC 7? [VIDEO]

Monday, December 10, 2018

Capitol Fax: Sun-Times begins to hold candidates’ feet to the fire #ChiMayor19


The CapFax does a quick round-up of items for the mayor's race covering the Sun-Time's report and 19 mayoral candidate's response to what they'd do about Tax Increment Financing district. Also looking at the planks of the mayoral candidates. Finally Elon Musk's hyperloop express service to O'Hare Airport.

Monday, December 3, 2018

Man wounded in Pullman shooting

[VIDEO] Above you can watch the report from CBS Chicago, however, here's a write-up from the Sun-Times:
The 27-year-old was sitting in his home about 2:20 a.m. in the 9700 block of South Ingleside Avenue when a bullet was shot through his door and struck him under his arm, Chicago police said.

He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in fair condition, according to police. No one was in custody.

#Chicagoist TV exclusive: Elderly Alderman #Ward09 #ElectCleopatra #Aldertrack #twill

[VIDEO] At this point, this video is really old news though I will share it again anyway.

Chance the Rapper is the owner of the late blog Chicagoist (operations shut down by the Ricketts family that also owned DNA Info) and this video is something of a shot across the bow. While this vid is a humorous take on Chicago politics or more specifically on Chicago's city council there is a more serious purpose to it.

As you see in the man-on-the-street portions of this 15 min video, you find out that not many people know what their alderman does. Unfortunately this isn't entirely uncommon a lot of people don't understand different aspects of the political system of this nation. And the worst part is that city government is the closest layer of government to the people.

All the same you see Chance in character as Champ Bennett the reporter on the street for Chicagoist who also speaks with 51st Ward Alderman Al Duhrman (see what they did there?) who himself is played by comedian Hannibal Buress. Duhrman I would imagine is the general stereotype people may have of a Chicago alderman - and mostly those who live outside of the city who's been observing Chicago politics.

Pay attention to those candidates running for Alderman in this one. One of those candidates is from the 9th ward named Cleopatra Watson. Most of those candidates are discussing the various barriers to entry for an upstart candidate to even start the process of running for office in Chicago.

What do you think of Chance's most recent presentation?

Friday, November 30, 2018

Chicago History Today: 103rd/Eggleston then & now #fbf

Just think how often I pass through this general area and it's fascinating how this area has changed over the years. 103rd Street and Eggleston back in 1905 about 113 years ago! This is courtesy of a photo provided by local historian J.R. Schmidt.
Here's how Schmidt described this scene from the early 20th century:
We are on 103rd Street at the railroad crossing, midway between Halsted and State. In 1905 this was the site of the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad’s Fernwood station, so various businesses had been established in the immediate vicinity. Yet traffic along the street was so light that people commonly walked down the middle.
Of course as you see there are a lot of changes to this stretch. You can go over to his post from 2015 to see how this area looks today. Just think this will be the next stop from 95th once the CTA Red Line is extended.

Oh wow, another shot of a streetcar! 

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Petition filing is now over #Ward09 #ChgoMayor2019



If you want to see a list of all mayoral candidates and all aldermanic candidates a spreadsheet from The Daily Line. I would encourage you to get a subscription to The Daily Line formerly known as Aldertrack.

We start here with the 21 candidates running for mayor in addition to city clerk and treasurer


And here are the candidates for alderman in all 50 wards. And for the two wards we want to cover in 2019, here's a list of candidate for both wards 6 & 9.


Ward 9

Of course since we're in Chicago, the candidates for alderman and mayor will begin to thin out as campaigns go through petitions. Classic way of knocking a candidate off the ballot is to find something wrong with the petitions.


We have a huge list for mayor and for 9th ward alderman, a rather short list so who knows if they may thin out. As always we'll keep an eye out.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

The City of Chicago is hiring #BuildingwithBeale #Ward09

Found through Ald. Beale's FB page and you might want to read the disclaimer regarding any political based hiring. Beyond that best of luck to you job seeked.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Did you see the pedestrian bridge over 95th?

[VIDEO] Well this is old news, but for the last week if you've been driving along 95th Street across the Dan Ryan Expressway you see a bridge over the street. It's a pedestrian bridge that will connect the new south terminal with the original north terminal.

I did a quick snapshot when I noticed the bridge and finally posted it to our IG page. I think some of the structure for the bridge was staged at the old service station at 95th & State before it was eventually put up.

Thanks to the continuing work at 95th according to WGN:
Drivers along 95th Street will notice lane reconfigurations for the next 2-3 weeks as crews work to put the glass enclosures and flooring in place. For the latest details, visit transitchicago.com/alerts.
Here's our ig post



Thursday, November 15, 2018

Oldest Chicago monument! #TBT

Illinois-Indiana Boundary Marker
 As I continue to peruse the posts of Chicago History Today to find old photographs of sites on the south side, I wanted to share this with you.

Did you know that on the south side near the lakefront is a marker noting the divide between Chicago and Indiana. Here's some history from J.R. Schmidt:
In 1833, as Chicago and the Midwest were starting to grow, Congress ordered a new survey of the boundary between Illinois and Indiana. When the survey was completed, a 15-foot high limestone obelisk was put in place on the shore of Lake Michigan, straddling the state line.

Civilization gradually engulfed the boundary marker. The shoreline was extended north by landfill. Multiple railroad lines came through. Commonwealth Edison built a huge generating plant. The South Park Commissioners laid out Calumet Park.

By the 1980s the marker was isolated and neglected among the rail yards. Allen J. Benson, a ComEd executive, convinced the company to sponsor its restoration, in conjunction with the East Side Historical Society and other interested groups. In 1988 the marker was moved 190 feet north to its present location, just outside the plant gate. A new base was added at that time.
As Schmidt states this monument is very difficult to find, however, you will have to read the rest of his post to see how to find this monument if you're interested in looking for it. Perhaps you can lobby the city to put up some signs to find this monument.

Perhaps I might document the time where I tried to find this obelisk!

Monday, November 12, 2018

CBS 2: Pullman Neighborhood Booms, While Roseland Neighborhood Struggles Nextdoor #Ward09

[VIDEO] I'm sorry I missed this report from over the past summer. WBBM-TV looks at a tale of two communities with Pullman to the west being revitalized with a variety of redevelopment with retail and most of historic Pullman now a national monument.

And now you have Roseland which even Ald. Anthony Beale (9th Ward) would refer to blight as he stands at the commercial area on Michigan Avenue. You see him speaking between Pullman and Michigan Avenue and he sees revitalization in Roseland.

I have thought about making a comparison say between Streeterville in Downtown Chicago and say River North or North Michigan Ave from east to west. Streeterville is a very wealthy area, but then the areas near by are also wealthy and probably can't compare so easily to Pullman and Roseland.

Pullman has the history, architecture and now a national monument and some other development. Roseland with it's own history and blight is waiting for it's own revitalization. If I had my own vision Pullman could be the area of choice for many because of it's history. Then again what about Roseland?

Roseland could be neighborhood for everyone else. It's the land of opportunity and like Englewood it's sort of blank canvas. The right vision will for example see a revitalized Michigan Avenue strip no more boarded up storefronts or vacant lots. And of course a wonderful place to live just like their neighbors to the east.

BTW, if any smart aspiring politicians are reading this blog I can only imagine the "campaign ads" that come from this short video.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

Pullman Communicy Center opened on Thursday

[VIDEO] Sorry to have missed this. The new Pullman Community Center located near 103rd & Woodlawn has finally opened. We start with the above video from CBS 2 and then excerpt from this Sun-Times article
After nearly a decade of planning and a frenzied round of corporate fundraising, a $20 million, 135,000-square-foot sports, recreation and educational center opened its doors at 10355 S. Woodlawn Ave.

The massive U.S. Bank Pullman Community Center is one of the largest indoor sports facilities in Illinois and the fifth-largest in the country. It includes three basketball/tennis courts and three synthetic turf fields that can be used for baseball, football and soccer.

The facility also includes community meeting rooms and classroom space.

“We’re looking at keeping 1,100 kids a week off the streets, doing something positive and constructive. A facility that’s gonna be open probably 12 to 14 hours a day. That gives people opportunity. It gives ’em hope,” Beale said Thursday.

“If you’re struggling in school and you’re enrolled in this facility, we’re gonna provide free ACT, SAT and tutoring in whatever subject that you need.”

Thursday, November 8, 2018

Chicago History Today: 115th/Michigan then & now #tbt

This time a shot of 115th/Michigan from 1895. And here's another shot from 1934 of the same corner and the scene doesn't look much different from today. The top shot you will find from J.R. Schmidt's Chicago History Today blog which was published last year. You will also see a shot from that corner from last year also.

Hopefully it'll look much different once the red line extension is built.

RELATED: What would you like to see at 115th/Michigan

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Chicago Mag: Pullman’s Renaissance #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

Published on October 26th, 2018 I'm sorry that I only found out about it recently. A lot of good things is going on in that part of the city.
In the coming weeks, construction crews will begin meticulously restoring the roof and upper floor windows of the landmark Pullman Clock Tower and Administration Building, the former headquarters of the company that developed the neighborhood and forever changed rail travel in the 19th century.

Nearly lost in an arson attack in 1998, the structure is being overhauled for its next life as the visitor center for the Pullman National Monument, Chicago’s first ever site in the national park system. The roof work, funded by a $2.2 million grant from the National Park Service, is expected to take six months.

Construction on the old administrative building comes more than three years after President Obama dedicated the site as a national monument, setting into motion a restoration that Pullman residents and preservationists have long called for. According to Kathleen Schneider, the first superintendent of Pullman National Monument, there are a mix of public and private funds earmarked for the restoration, including more than $13 million from the National Park Foundation.

“We’re only three years old with a staff of three people,” Schneider says of the new national monument. “Although it may appear that not a lot is happening, we’ve been working hard with the State of Illinois and community on the 2020 opening of the visitors center.”

Schneider says the site’s educational programming will center on Pullman’s legacy as a planned neighborhood and as an integral site in the labor and civil rights movements. Specifically, the visitor center will spotlight the internal clashes that led to the Pullman Strike of 1894 and formation of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

As for community partners, Schneider highlights the Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI) group, a nonprofit developer that has helped bring investment to the greater Pullman area in recent years. While the Clock Tower’s restoration represents a symbolic rebirth of the historic district, newer facilities including a Whole Foods distribution center, an expanded greenhouse by produce supplier Gotham Greens, and soap maker Method have reinvigorated the neighborhood’s identity as an industrial hub.
Great to see the progress in nearby Pullman.

Pullman Community Center hiring event #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

The long awaited Pullman Community Center is hosting a hiring event with walk-in interviews. Please bring your resume.

Location: 10355 S. Woodlawn
When: November 2, 2018
Time: 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM

You may have seen this in an email blast from the office of 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale.

Refer to flyer below.

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Two south side Target stores are closing

[VIDEO] In addition to this video report from Tuesday from outside the 87th & Cottage Grove Target store I'll give you an excerpt from this Tribune article
The decision to close the stores in the Morgan Park and Chatham neighborhoods “follows a rigorous annual process to evaluate the performance of every store in the portfolio and maintain the overall health of the business,” the Minneapolis-based retailer said in a statement. Four other stores are closing nationwide.

About 115 people work full or part time at the 128,000-square-foot Morgan Park store, which opened in 2008. Roughly 120 work at the 126,000-square-foot Chatham store, which opened in 2002.

Employees in good standing at both stores will be given the option to transfer to a different store in their area, Target said.
 ...
Target said it does consider the proximity of other stores when making decisions about closing locations. But it also looks at the store’s profitability over several years and other options available to customers, such as shopping online and having orders delivered, Target spokeswoman Jacque DeBuse said.

“This is based on the business and is not about a neighborhood or geography,” DeBuse said. “As you have seen, Target remains committed to Chicago, as we’ve been remodeling stores across the metro (area) and continuing to open new stores to serve new guests.”
Both stores are expected to close in February next year.

Thursday, October 25, 2018

2019 race for 9th Ward Alderman #Ward09

Recently I procured a flyer for Paul Collins who is running for Alderman in Ward 9. He seeks to challenge Alderman Anthony Beale in 2019.
Visit his under construction website at www.friendsofpaulcollins.com and he also has a FB page Paul Collins for 9th Ward Aldermen

Early voting for #Ward09

This was sent out via on Wednesday by Ald. Anthony Beale's office with regards to early voting.You can early vote at both Palmer Park on 111th & Olive Harvey College on 103rd. Refer to flyer below!

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Washington Heights Visioning Session - Red Line Extension Coalition

Red Line extension
This invited with an attached newsletter was sent to us via the West Chesterfield Community Association with regards to the red line extension.

  • THE FOURTH AND FINAL WASHINGTON HEIGHTS VISIONING SESSION BY ENDELEO INSTITUTE.

    6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
    Thursday October 18th, 2018
    Woodson Library Auditorium
    9525 S Halsted, Chicago

Saturday, October 6, 2018

The Sixth Ward: Van Dyke - guilty! #laquanmcdonald

[VIDEO] Above I will share coverage from the CBS network which was live streamed on their YouTube channel yesterday. Below will be a tweet that shares the link to "The Sixth Ward" that attempted to compile various video stories about the reaction to the verdict of the Jason Van Dyke trial.

In late 2014, Officer Van Dyke shot LaQuan McDonald 16 times and McDonald died from his wounds. Yesterday among other charges, Van Dyke was convicted by a jury of second degree murder.
I'm relieved that there will be no rioting as the city was on high alert for any disturbances although there were protests around the city after the verdict was read.

Friday, October 5, 2018

#fbf 95/Dan Ryan - 1971

Wanted to share this ig post from CTA earlier this week. It shows trains departing and arriving at the 95th terminal in 1971 which was back when the line was brand new. I wrote a lot about the history of operations at 95th since the Dan Ryan branch of the CTA Red Line has been in operation over at The Sixth Ward.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Tonight is the #Ward09 September community meeting

The next town hall/community meeting is coming up tomorrow night.

9th Ward September Community Meeting
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
6:30 PM to 7:30 PM

Pullman Presbyterian Church
550 E. 103rd Street

For more information call Ald. Beale's service office 773.785.1100

If you attend a Roseland Heights Community Association meeting (usually every last Tuesday of the month) which starts a tad earlier than the 9th Ward meeting you can leave that meeting and go see what Alderman Beale has going.
ward09.com

Thursday, September 6, 2018

So who could win the mayoralty in 2011?

Block Club Chi on Tuesday told us about the eleven candidates who have already declared at least before the Mayor dropped out of the 2019 race. Even told us about how much money they have and Emanuel had the most by FAR! Problem is what good are those millions if he's not running for mayor again.

Anyway the Capitol Fax takes a look at who could jump in now that Emanuel is out of the running. And thankfully no Pat Quinn - I wasn't even aware he lived in Chicago - who was our former governor from 2009 to 2015. We know it's not attorney general Lisa Madigan who will leave her office next year as she's not running for re-election and she won't run for mayor either.

6th ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer is looking at it. And remember his father was mayor after the death of Harold Washington. Who knows whether or not he'd pull the trigger.

Finally Mayor Emanuel who was not only a former Congressman, but chief of staff to President Obama before becoming Mayor had this to say about who could be the new Mayor in 2019:
Emanuel told WGN radio host Steve Cochran he doesn’t think any of the 12 announced candidates for the fifth floor office at City Hall has the skill set to do the job, while getting in plugs for some of his own work.

“No,” Emanuel said when Cochran asked him whether the next mayor is in the race. “I don’t think so. And here’s the thing: The public knows that this is a very big job, and the mayor cannot be a one-trick pony. You can’t just speak on one issue. You got to do economic development, you got to do education policy, you got to be able to get money out of Springfield and Washington. You’ve got to have an ability to actually invest in our neighborhoods, transportation, libraries, schools and park system.”

“My view is … the list is not done,” he added. “It’s going to shake out for about a month, and then the voters will make a smart decision of who can fill that office. And what I mean by that is, you’re not going to shrink the mayoralty, and there’s got to be a mayor that actually fills this job.”
So the next mayor of Chicago isn't in the race yet. Just remember in 2011, Emanuel gets in the race and automatically he was the front runner and later the victor. Unfortunately the big names I'd like to see do it aren't jumping in...

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Rahm Emanuel is out....

[VIDEO] Earlier in the day he was meeting students at a CPS school before announcing at a press conference that he won't seek a third term. He is out of the 2019 race, and this is something that I didn't see coming. I can only imagine what other political insiders think.

Here are two posts from The Sixth Ward about this development.
Is there anyone running for mayor who would be great to replace Rahm Emanuel?

I also needed to share this CapFax post from yesterday. It shows a lot of speculation as to why he wouldn't pull the trigger.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Block Club Chi: Massive Indoor Track Facility Coming To South Side Will Be City’s First

There was a ground breaking for this facility this past Sunday and it will soon be at Gately Park. Via Block Club Chi:
For 35 years, Chicago activist, scholar and former track athlete Dr. Conrad Worrill has worked to bring an indoor track facility to Chicago.

On Sunday, during a groundbreaking ceremony at Gately Park, 744. E. 103rd St., he realized it’s actually happening.

“I’m ecstatic, happy, overjoyed, we’ve been fighting for this for over 35 years and I think it will give an option to Chicago Public Schools student athletes in having accessibility to an indoor track,” Worrill said. “I believe it will put Chicago on the map and it’s an opportunity to put Chicago track and field on the map.”
...
In a statement, Emanuel said the track and field facility will provide Chicago athletes of all ages a place to train year round.

“In partnership with After School Matters and Exelon, we are proud to make Harold Washington’s dream a reality on the South Side,” he said.

Harris, whose ward is home to Gately Park, said the project will cost $55 million and is scheduled to be completed by August 2019.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Report: Chicago Public Schools 'failed to recognize' extent of systemwide sexual abuse problem


We've seen a lot about this in the last few months or so. The allegations of sexual abuse and in some instances prosecution of them. This report well who knows if there is a lot of surprise over this:
Broad failures at all levels of Chicago Public Schools kept officials from preventing and responding to sexual abuse suffered by students in the nation’s third-largest school system, according to a prominent law firm’s early review of problems documented this summer in a Tribune investigation.

The report by the law firm Schiff Hardin identified repeated “systemic deficiencies” in training, incident reporting, data collection and trend tracking that pervaded city schools, the system’s downtown headquarters and a school board controlled by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Employees were not consistently trained on district policies and procedures involving sexual misconduct, according to the report authored by Schiff Hardin partner Maggie Hickey and released Friday. CPS also did not ensure that those policies were being implemented or that they were effective, the report said.

The report describes how understaffed and underfunded CPS investigators struggled to process reports of potential sexual harassment, notifications sent to the Department of Children and Family Services, employee misconduct allegations and altercations between students and staff — thousands of reports during the 2016-17 school year alone.

Hickey noted that the district’s incident-reporting software, known as Verify, “is almost universally viewed by principals as cumbersome and inefficient.” CPS is moving to a new system next year, the report said.
While this blog is named for a now closed former public school, it just has to be said. Another reason for confidence in public education to go into a negative direction...

h/t Newsalert

Friday, August 17, 2018

#Ward09 Public notice

Who knew that Chicago did indeed have bats flying around in the city. And I never considered that they would fly south as this bat authorities have found. Check out this notice from Ald. Beale's ig page.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Pullman playground and gang truce....

I'm sorry to have not shared yesterday's playground building in Pullman - although I did note this over at The Sixth Ward earlier this past week. I also didn't know the story behind this though judging by the headline is more interesting than building this new playground.

I will share a tweet from the reporter of this story for the Tribune, Tessa Weinberg
But the playground’s foundation was really laid nearly a year ago when Sherman Scullark, a member of the Risky Road gang faction, rang Detective Vivian Williams’ doorbell.

Williams, who has lived in the neighborhood for 32 years — and has spent 23 of them working as a Chicago police officer — was shocked when Scullark came to her.

“I could see in his face that he needed to talk about something. And when I opened the door he said, 'Officer Williams, I'm just tired. I'm tired,’ ” Williams said.

Scullark was tired of the violence. The conflict between Risky Road and the Maniac Fours faction had been going on since Scullark was a young boy.

And it marred the community. Kids didn’t play outside. They knew not to go to the basketball courts or the gas station — both hotspots for shootings when rival gang members found each other across the 107th Street dividing line.

So Scullark asked Williams, who’s known as the neighborhood mom, to set up a meeting between the rival gangs. Williams agreed but needed approval from the district commander.

The next day, Williams got it. But Scullark beat her to it. He had already orchestrated a truce agreement.

He had approached his rivals on their block and let them know he wasn’t carrying a firearm. Then he told them how he felt. It turned out some of them felt the same.

They agreed to put down the guns, and the neighborhood has been more peaceful ever since.

“I said, 'You didn't even give me 24 hours?’ ” Williams said. “He said, ‘Now can you introduce me to Arne Duncan?’ ”

Duncan, the former education secretary under Barack Obama and former Chicago Public Schools CEO, is the driving force behind the organization Chicago Creating Real Economic Destiny, known as Chicago CRED.
Read the whole thing!

And here's a flyer for that recent event that I hadn't posted here.

Friday, August 10, 2018

Annual back to school picnic and health fair August 18, 2018 #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

This one of many events that seemed to have picked this particular day. Who can turned down a back to school picnic however.
Ward09.com
Saturday, August 18, 2018
11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Palmer Park
201 E. 111th Street

Of course give Ald. Beale's office a call with any questions! 773.785.1100

BTW the above image was taken from Ald. Beale's new ig page. Give it a look and follow to see what else he's up to!

A permanent reallocation of police to troubled neighborhoods #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

You know I'm with Ald. Beale on this. The troubled areas of Chicago need an aggressive approach and if that means an increased police presence then it's necessary.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

FOX News: Chicago Democrat asks for President Trump's help

[VIDEO] This is not something we see everyday. Chicago is supposed to be a "Trump-free" zone and we are home to a piece of Trump owned real-estate that people seem to love making a statement in front of. Let's not forget Mayor Rahm Emanuel has little issue going at it in the press with the President.

Then we see state representative LaShawn Ford discussing why he would like President Donald Trump to send federal help to Chicago with regards to the gun violence. He is one local Democrat who isn't accepting Chicago as a "Trump-free" zone. He appeared on FOX & Friends on Monday morning something you might have seen on Capitol Fax yesterday.

You know I can't blame him one bit. Don't just get federal assistance, get state assistance as well. Over the years there were plans to send in the Illinois State Police at least and it seems city hall - or perhaps Mayor Emanuel himself - has rebuffed this assistance. I think it went beyond whatever animosity between Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner, Emanuel didn't get along well with our former governor Pat Quinn who is seeking to install mayoral term limits on the November ballot.

BTW, I posted this to The Sixth Ward last night with regards to the city council's Black Caucus making their own statement to the violence of this past weekend.
It obvious this violence is giving our city some negative attention, it's time to start working to make Chicago safe again!

Monday, August 6, 2018

CBS Chicago: Mayor, Top Cop Lament Bloody Weekend In Chicago

[VIDEO] Yes many people in this city affected by gun violence are tired of it. Will another march affecting the transportation infrastructure bring more attention to solve the issue of this violence?

The Mayor and Police Superintendent had a press conference this morning discussing the violence. When seeing this, I thought the mayors was close to tears...

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Artistmac: Lake Shore Drive Shutdown for Peace March, 8/2/2018

[VIDEO] I wanted to share artistmac's recent video with regards to the north side anti-violence march. I haven't seen it yet, but wanted to share it with you all.

I'm sorry I haven't followed this as I had last month's anti-violence march on the Dan Ryan Expressway. This had been making the news in the weeks leading up to it. Question is whether or not this draws attention to the gun-violence plaguing neighborhoods in Chicago.

I also wanted to share Marathon Pundit's recent post on the most recent march. He took his camera with him also!

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Decline of Black Chicago

I shared a Sun-Times editorial about the decline in the Black population of Chicago Monday morning over at The Sixth Ward.


Monday, July 30, 2018

Have any events to share with us?

As always if you have events that are worth sharing send them to us. It could be a community meeting, LSC, parent advisory council, PTA, park advisory council, political event, a new business, etc. Send them to us.

Feel free to post to our FB page, tweet us, or if you got a ig ready flyer tag us. As always feel free to send an e-mail to the address below.
blog @ thesixthward.us
Also bear in mind election season is upon us, we do expect more readership during this period from now to the November elections and through to next year's city elections. This would be a good time to get some exposure for your events, especially if you don't have a significant social media presence.
Previously posted to The Sixth Ward on May 21, 2018

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Curbed Chicago: Englewood residents organize to take back their block


Via @buyblackeconomics
Over at The Sixth Ward we've discussed the "dreaded G word" especially as it pertained to the now open Whole Foods Market in Englewood. I always figured that the activists of Englewood - I'm mainly referring to the Resident Association of Greater Englewood - would find a way to stop gentrification.

If there was a fear that long-time small businesses or long-time low-income residents could eventually be displaced by long term economic redevelopment then perhaps Englewood residents who "buy the block" will change the direction of redevelopment. For many the Whole Foods store would likely be the beginning of this, but then if I recall the history there were some Englewood residents who fantasized about Whole Foods coming in and they did.

As you see in this article below buying the block is about buying up residential properties. Check it out below from Curbed Chicago.
If you bought a whole city block or a vacant lot, what would you like to do with it?

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Where are the Black male teachers?

Black men - I suppose this could be directed at myself - where are you? We need you in our classrooms for the boys. We need you to help them with their academic success.

UIC wants to help train and recruit Black male teachers. Perhaps it's a program who's time has come.
h/t Newsalert

BTW, I started this blog as something of an education blog named blatantly for one my old elementary schools. While the emphasis seems to have changed over the years it's still a subject of interest as I do believe a good education will lift people in more ways than one. I'm not just talking about getting a college degree, I'm simply talking about going thru K-12 and graduating with a high school diploma.

If I may share this video, it may show why I would support such a program. It makes me wonder if these are issues faced by many boys in the current education system. [VIDEO]