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We'll do it all over again March 10, 2024 when we lose an hour of sleep and we have to set our clocks ahead by an hour. And of course we know what that means when that happens Spring & Summer is around the corner again!
Hopes this helps you all especially if you do have to go to work in the AM tomorrow!
Read more about it via USA Today.
The Illinois State Senate Democrat Caucus puts out new map for an elected Chicago School Board. This is the map below
You can also click here for an interactive map
Over at CapFax there is a demographic background. According to this tweet from Ben Szalinski the breakdown is 7 latino, 6 Black, and 5 white districts throughout the city. A vote in Springfield could come as soon as next week.
[VIDEO] If you are on social media you might be familiar with Shermann Dilla Thomas aka @6figga_dilla whom you may find on X/Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram. He takes YouTuber Peter Santenenello @petersantenello on YouTube on a tour of the South Side. Through the Bud Billiken Parade describing the history of the Bronzeville neighborhood into Auburn Gresham into Grand Crossing into Woodlawn and then Hyde Park/Kenwood.
He even looks at the Chicago home of Emmet Till and goes by President Obama's Chicago home in Kenwood. I like how he discusses sociology how homes are appraised. The idea that if a home is owned by an indentifiable Black owner that might get appraised less than a home owned by a white owner. Or how empty lots might help to lower the value of a home. Even the ethnic change of neighborhoods.
If you have some time to watch this one hour plus video, it's worth your time.
Ald. Julia Ramirez (Ward 12) was attacked by constituents who were "protesting" a proposed tent camp in the Brighton Park neighborhood.
I would say citizens have a right to be concerned about immigrants to be housed in their communities. There have been stories out there about crime involving these immigrants who have been bused from places such as Texas primarily. Something needs to be done and there needs to be a better plan than a tent camp or just allowing them to shelter at district police stations.
What we don't need is footage of an Alderman (or Alderwoman but never Alderperson yuck) being whisked away from their constituents because of a violent mob (verbal or physical abuse). I'm glad to see today that the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council denounces the actions of the crowd.
Here's raw footage from what happened on Thurday via WGN News [VIDEO]
Back in the late 80s to early 90s it was a Perry Drug Store, what was it during the 1960s?
And that building compared to the strip mall that's there now - and seemingly vacant once home to a Hollywood Video store - well it's an improvement if it hadn't been torn down for that strip mall.
At least the lot where the former Roseland Plaza is located can be prime real estate once the Red Line extension is in service.
If you haven't had a chance join the Roseland History FB group.
[VIDEO] For those of you who read this blog and are Chicago politics junkies this video by YouTuber Peter Santenello who speaks with Chicago first amendment attorney Benjamin Barr talks about all the scandals and issues that face Chicago. The main issue are pensions and where's the money going.
Remember that deal with the Chicago Skyway, the parking meters, remember 20 years ago when Mayor Richard M. Daley closed Meigs Field to turn it into a park, etc?
Also how is gov't structured in our city? Did you know Chicago officially doesn't have a city charter? What exactly is the idea of Aldermanic (or Alderpersonic, yuck) privilege?
If Davis Gates had simply defended her family’s decision by saying something like her son really had his heart set on going to that school, then I don’t think anyone could really disagree with her choice.
Instead, the union president initially stonewalled when faced with questions and then offered up an explanation to a local public radio station which threw the South and West sides under the bus and, more importantly, just wasn’t true.
Davis Gates said basically three things last week to a WBEZ reporter: 1) Course offerings for high schools on the South Side and West Side “are very marginal and limited”; 2) Selective enrollment and magnet public high schools were just too far away and would’ve forced her son to, according to the article, “spend hours traveling”; 3) A public high school with a good soccer program (a sport played by her son) and strong extracurriculars are just not available close by, or are in Latino neighborhoods that were too far away.
Look, there’s no doubt whatsoever that problems exist in public schools on the South and West sides. But that doesn’t mean the areas are completely bereft, no matter what internet trolls scream online.
Just as a small sampling, Davis Gates lives only three miles from Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep, a high quality selective enrollment high school which has a soccer team and extracurricular activities.
Lindblom Math and Science Academy in the West Englewood neighborhood has a pretty darned good soccer team and is 6 miles from the union president’s home.
The Catholic school her son is attending, on the other hand, is almost 9 miles from Davis Gates’ home.
Not to mention the area’s charter schools, which are taxpayer-funded and privately operated.
Well this is what the Sun-Times says that $2 billion is pledged towards.
The $3.7 billion Red Line extension has “advanced to the final phase” of the painstaking, federal funding process. The feds are making a $2 billion commitment to cover half the cost and authorizing CTA to advance to the engineering stage, which CTA President Dorval Carter Jr. called the “final step ... in order to begin construction.”Here's a WGN story about this which aired on the news yesterday. It features comments from Congresswoman Robin Kelly, Mayor Brandon Johnson, CTA Pres. Dorval Carter, and Ald. Anthony Beale as he will benefit from this new L branch. [VIDEO]
The CTA hopes to award an engineering and construction contract and begin preliminary work before the end of this year, then reach the final step — a full-funding grant agreement with the feds. That would pave the way for construction of the extension and four stations to begin in 2025.
“You have heard us talk about this project for decades, but I’m here to tell you the project is now happening,” Carter told a news conference at the Red Line Extension Community Outreach Center, 401 W. 111th St.
The Red Line extension includes new stations at 103rd; 111th Street near Eggleston Avenue; along Michigan Avenue near 116th Street; and the new terminus at 130th Street near Altgeld Gardens.
Not exactly huge news, but worth sharing I suppose.
The base of Michael Madigan's power as Speaker of the House and Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party is being the committeeman for the 13th Ward. There was a reason that he had been the longest serving speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives since about 1983 until he resigned in early 2021.
Well he resigned from his seat in the Illinois General Assembly, he dropped out of the running for his Speakership as his continued leadership was said to be toxic in Democrat races around the state. It came out that there was a sexual harassment scandal involving people on his staff.
And then of course there is this ComEd bribery business. People connected with his organization have faced trial and he will have his federal trial next year on April 1, 2024 - sorry to note this it's April Fool's Day '24.
However for a man who had been so powerful and I respect some aspects of his cunning and political acumen it's amazing how far he has fallen from power. He gave up his seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, his speakership, the chairmanship of the state party, and now his Democratic ward committeeman spot.
Times have truly changed.
Now petitions are circulating for next year. We vote for among other offices for President. In next years party primary one of those offices up for election is ward committeperson.
