Happy Thanksgiving

I would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving which we're in a different sort of holiday season due to this pandemic. Hopefully you all are finding a way to stay connected with loved ones during this festive time.

I used to look forward to any specials featuring the Peanuts gang. They used to be ubiquitous around this time. And the image of Snoopy always raises my spirits. I hope it does for you as well.

Chicago police officer found dead in West Chesterfield home..

 

[VIDEO] A little too close to home sadly as you see in this video from WGN. You see a procession of police cars on Wabash near 95th Street on Tuesday.

Here's a brief write-up by the Chicago Sun-Times:

A Chicago police officer was found dead inside his South Side home Tuesday morning.

Paramedics found the officer unresponsive about 11:10 a.m. in the 9400 block of South Wabash Avenue, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The officer was identified as Titus Moore, 46, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. His cause of death has not been determined.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said Moore worked in the Calumet District on the Far South Side. City records show Moore worked as a Field Training Officer, in charge of training new police academy graduates. Records show Moore was hired by the CPD in 2006.

What was mentioned in the WGN report is that officer Moore had tested positive for the coronavirus, however, it's not clear if that's the cause of death.

Rest in Peace officer Titus Moore. 

No one should ever go hungry...

[VIDEO] If I ever come upon a significant amount of cash, one thing I would like to do is donate money to a food bank. I do believe barring anything else, everyone should be able to eat. And I wish I had shared this earlier in the pandemic once the nation started these lockdowns.

Going downtown every now and then you find someone begging for money to eat or asking for food. And it seems as if they have no excuse if there are soup kitchens or food pantries available so that if you're hungry you can eat. No need to beg you will be provided for.

So this is why I'm sharing this video. YouTuber Mr. Beast aka Jimmy Donaldson does a number of outrageous videos and occasionally gives away money to people in challenges. There was one video where he took over a closed bank branch and gave away free money. Of course let me emphasize many of his videos shows a young man having a lot of fun with his friends.

I like to see stories like this in the news

 

[VIDEO] I'm sorry to say I missed this one when it aired. The Roseland Pharmacy located on Michigan Avenue was hit by looting in the unrest as a result of what happened with George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn.

Well the owner Howard Bolling had help from the community to remain open. Bolling has been a fixture there since December 12, 1973. This story aired on WGN and was uploaded to YouTube on June 23, 2020.

Uptown Update: Last Minute Voting Information

This was posted at Uptown Update on Saturday. At this point two days away from Election Day and due to this pandemic we're in unprecedented times.

So unprecedented that a supersite will be set up at our very own United Center on Election Day on November 3, 2020. According to U.U.:

If you're waiting to vote on Election Day, which is Tuesday, November 3rd, you must do so at your precinct's polling place between 6am and 7pm. Or you can go to the United Center (1901 West Madison), which is a new thing, Election Day only.

Also noted you can still early vote until Monday, November 2, 2020 in all 50 wards throughout the city and the Loop Super Site at 191 N. Clark Street. I noted a few days ago the early voting site in Ward 9 with this flyer

 I also made sure to note that if you have mail-in ballots you can drop them off at various library locations throughout the city through Election Day. Here are some nearby locations where you can do so:

• Mount Greenwood Library, 11010 S. Kedzie Ave
  Sun., Closed; Mon. & Wed., 10-5; Tue. & Thu., Noon-7; Fri. & Sat., 10-5
• Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S. Halsted St
  Mon. - Thu., 9-8; Fri. & Sat., 9-5; Sun., 1-5
• West Pullman Library, 830 W. 119th St
  Sun., 1-5; Mon & Wed., Noon-7; Tue. & Thu., 10-5; Fri. & Sat., 10-5

Woodson Library is a very convenient location that is very accessible not only by car, also by public transit, however, I listed other nearby libraries where you can drop off your mail-in ballot. According to the Chicago Board of Elections you have until Nov 2, 2020 to drop them off at those early voting sites and at a drop off sites at a Chicago library.

Also on Election Day while polls are open from 6 AM to 7 PM you can also drop off your mail in ballot:

• ELECTION DAY ONLY - Nov. 3 - 6 am-7 pm
  United Center, 1901 W Madison
  Wrigley Field, Gallagher Way Gate outside the ball park, near Clark Street
  Guaranteed Rate Field, on Shields Avenue just north of 35th Street

This is how U.U. closed their elections posts using a quote from the late Congressman John Lewis: "The vote is precious. It's almost sacred, so go out and vote like you never voted before."

Set your clocks back one hour tonight

Saturday night you must turn your clocks backwards by 1 hour. We will lose an hour until March 14, 2021 when we will start this process all over again - and regain that hour.

83rd & Stewart Walmart is hiring

Check out this flyer found at Concerned Citizens of Chatham. There are jobs out there if anyone is looking.

Ward 9 Ald. Anthony Beale speaks on the proposed Chicago police budget

 

[VIDEO] There were calls earlier in the course of the past summer to defund CPD from some members of the city council. It seems in this latest news, those voices may well get what they want. However, Mayor Lori Lightfoot isn't asking for deeper cuts because as she puts it rightfully the police aren't our enemy.

You will see Ald. Anthony Beale speak on this in this video from CBS Chicago. He's actually with the Mayor and they're somewhat at odds to put it nicely on a lot of policies, however, he doesn't agree with deeper cuts either.

Regardless consider the fallout from the pandemic and the damage to the economy with people out of work and some businesses having to shut down as a result there are some very difficult decisions to be made. If you don't want these cuts, where will the money come from?

Political Forum with 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale

 

[VIDEO] I've been meaning to share this since getting the email blast from the Ald. Beale's office sharing the word on this. Ald. Beale has been a vocal opponent of Mayor Lori Lightfoot especially with the unrest going on in the city during our most tumultuous summer. You may have even seen him on FOX News in August and if you haven't here it is.

So here on this recent edition Beale talks about the financial issues facing the city during this pandemic and how he was able to prevent the looting of business in Ward 9.