October 2011 Newsletter

Cooler, shorter days, bring leaves and color to the city. Autumn is time to finish all those outdoor projects and enjoy an al-fresco dinner or coffee at a local restaurant.  It gets dark earlier so let's keep an eye out on each other for safety.   This is one of the last months of the year for street cleanings.  Be sure to help out by raking or removing leaves from the gutters after the first week of October. 

If you wish - 1st ward Alderman Moreno's office will send you a text message reminding you of street cleaning days in our area.  Text "W1Z1" to 465637 to be placed on the Zone 1 alert for our area.  You'll receive a reminder the night before sweeping and the morning of sweeping.  Street cleaning occurs on the 1st Tuesday of the month is left side of street and 1st Wednesday of the month is the right side of the street. Questions: call Ald. Moreno's office: 773-278-0101.

Graffiti problems?  Call 311 to report it and also call Ald. Moreno's office 773-278-0101 to report it.  They will ask basic questions like: type of surface graffiti is on: brick, painted, unpainted, wood, siding; height of graffiti - over or under 6 feet; gang symbols and/or proximity to a grade or high school will help to expedite the removal of any gang graffiti. You do not have to leave your name if you do not wish to when you call 311.

Police warn to always close and lock those windows when you are away from your home.

Don't leave valuables (Ipod, phone, coins, sunglasses, bags, computers) in your car.  There have been a huge increase in smashed car windows, even when there was little or nothing to steal.

Keep your front, rear and sides of buildings well lit. 

Put up your address on the rear of your property. It is actually a city law to have them on the rear of all properties.

Get a free metal "No trespassing"  sign from the CAPS office.  If a sign like this is posted, then the police do have the right to arrest someone on your property.

Report any incident of theft, vandalism or assault and file a police report if if less than your deductible.  It will not be sent to your insurance agent.  It does help the police to see where there is more criminal activity occurring and they will direct more resources to that area.

February 2012 Newsletter

Four 14th precinct officers: Jesse Alvarez, Robert Amstadt, Melissa Millan and Cesar Valerio were recognized on Wednesday, Feb. 1st at Pulaski Park for their quick work in apprehending a man who had assaulted a local resident.  Within 14 min. they were able to trace via the phone's GPS the location of the assailant and apprehended him and brought him to the victim for positive identification.  The officers received the resolution that Ald. Moreno presented to them and were heralded as some of the unsung heroes that never get covered on the local news stations.

2nd ward Alderman, Bob Fioretti, was also present and also lauded their quick response time and heroism.

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Both Aldermen Fioretti and Moreno proceeded after the commendation at Pulaski Park to the local meeting of the Wicker Park Committee, held at the Wicker Park Fieldhouse to discuss the remapping process.  Ald. Scott Waguespack had a representative from his office in attendance, as he is on a short paternity leave this week.  The Aldermen stated that they plan on working with current and future constituents until the date of the official "ward" change occurs.  Currently, the Board of Elections will not be considering the ward map change effective until the 2015 elections.  They have too many wards and precints to redraw with the major changes that occurred.

Both Aldermen agreed that there needs to be a better way to "re-map" wards ten years from now and want to work together with other alderman to draft a better process after the 2020 census. 

They will still be reviewing zoning and development proposals in their respective offices until the re-map changes become effective.   The 2nd ward currently is not part of the blue cart recycling, but both Aldermen feel that the "zone" pick up of recycling and garbage should resolve any issues of those now in the 1st ward, where it is fully implemented and are being re-mapped into the 32nd or 2nd wards.

January 2012 Newsletter

Most of PPNA boundaries will be part of the 2nd ward with the new map approved by City Council.  It is still unclear when this will go into effect, but most likely within the next 4-9 months.  In the meantime, you should address all concerns to the previous Aldermen: Moreno and Waguespack.  Ald. Robert Fioretti will be attendance on February 1st at Pulaski Park with the other two area alderman for a commendation ceremony for 6 of our local police officers, who were involved in apprehending the assault suspect.

Did you know that the Tree House Animal Shelter on North Ashland has a program where you they neuter stray cats in the neighborhood.  For more information go to Our Urban Times http://oururbantimes.com/animal-shelters/tree-house-humane-society

 February 2012 Newsletter

Four 14th precinct officers: Jesse Alvarez, Robert Amstadt, Melissa Millan and Cesar Valerio were recognized on Wednesday, Feb. 1st at Pulaski Park for their quick work in apprehending a man who had assaulted a local resident.  Within 14 min. they were able to trace via the phone's GPS the location of the assailant and apprehended him and brought him to the victim for positive identification.  The officers received the resolution that Ald. Moreno presented to them and were heralded as some of the unsung heroes that never get covered on the local news stations.

2nd ward Alderman, Bob Fioretti, was also present and also lauded their quick response time and heroism.

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Both Aldermen Fioretti and Moreno proceeded after the commendation at Pulaski Park to the local meeting of the Wicker Park Committee, held at the Wicker Park Fieldhouse to discuss the remapping process.  Ald. Scott Waguespack had a representative from his office in attendance, as he is on a short paternity leave this week.  The Aldermen stated that they plan on working with current and future constituents until the date of the official "ward" change occurs.  Currently, the Board of Elections will not be considering the ward map change effective until the 2015 elections.  They have too many wards and precints to redraw with the major changes that occurred.

Both Aldermen agreed that there needs to be a better way to "re-map" wards ten years from now and want to work together with other alderman to draft a better process after the 2020 census. 

They will still be reviewing zoning and development proposals in their respective offices until the re-map changes become effective.   The 2nd ward currently is not part of the blue cart recycling, but both Aldermen feel that the "zone" pick up of recycling and garbage should resolve any issues of those now in the 1st ward, where it is fully implemented and are being re-mapped into the 32nd or 2nd wards.

January 2012 Newsletter

Most of PPNA boundaries will be part of the 2nd ward with the new map approved by City Council.  It is still unclear when this will go into effect, but most likely within the next 4-9 months.  In the meantime, you should address all concerns to the previous Aldermen: Moreno and Waguespack.  Ald. Robert Fioretti will be attendance on February 1st at Pulaski Park with the other two area alderman for a commendation ceremony for 6 of our local police officers, who were involved in apprehending the assault suspect.

Did you know that the Tree House Animal Shelter on North Ashland has a program where you they neuter stray cats in the neighborhood.  For more information go to Our Urban Times http://oururbantimes.com/animal-shelters/tree-house-humane-society

Do you love scavenger hunts?  Participate in the Boring Stores' Clandestine Quest on March 10, 2012.  All donations go to benefit the 826chi writing workshops. For more info and details on how to register your 'agency':

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=qcb84fcab&et=1109187289358&s=8521&e=001mukMPLH2h28OvPsbN_kDlYNtEVO6V9a-0IoLyA3ZGFUCxCgtMqYJv1gb8eLmVf9qFw6nQMV6iq95KMcmN-VXLJKPt-WZ58eIO-hfMXssId8nCy9jPZsEfw==]

October 2011 Newsletter

Cooler, shorter days, bring leaves and color to the city. Autumn is time to finish all those outdoor projects and enjoy an al-fresco dinner or coffee at a local restaurant.  It gets dark earlier so let's keep an eye out on each other for safety.   This is one of the last months of the year for street cleanings.  Be sure to help out by raking or removing leaves from the gutters after the first week of October. 

If you wish - 1st ward Alderman Moreno's office will send you a text message reminding you of street cleaning days in our area.  Text "W1Z1" to 465637 to be placed on the Zone 1 alert for our area.  You'll receive a reminder the night before sweeping and the morning of sweeping.  Street cleaning occurs on the 1st Tuesday of the month is left side of street and 1st Wednesday of the month is the right side of the street. Questions: call Ald. Moreno's office: 773-278-0101.

Graffiti problems?  Call 311 to report it and also call Ald. Moreno's office 773-278-0101 to report it.  They will ask basic questions like: type of surface graffiti is on: brick, painted, unpainted, wood, siding; height of graffiti - over or under 6 feet; gang symbols and/or proximity to a grade or high school will help to expedite the removal of any gang graffiti. You do not have to leave your name if you do not wish to when you call 311.

Police warn to always close and lock those windows when you are away from your home.

Don't leave valuables (Ipod, phone, coins, sunglasses, bags, computers) in your car.  There have been a huge increase in smashed car windows, even when there was little or nothing to steal.

Keep your front, rear and sides of buildings well lit. 

Put up your address on the rear of your property. It is actually a city law to have them on the rear of all properties.

Get a free metal "No trespassing"  sign from the CAPS office.  If a sign like this is posted, then the police do have the right to arrest someone on your property.

Report any incident of theft, vandalism or assault and file a police report if if less than your deductible.  It will not be sent to your insurance agent.  It does help the police to see where there is more criminal activity occurring and they will direct more resources to that area

September 2011

The warmth of Autumn continues to fill our streets where we can still enjoy the last days of al fresco dining that our neighborhood offers.  Soon the leaves will begin to fall and the temperature will invite us to take long walks or to sleep with the windows cracked open to enjoy the crisp fall air.

Police warn to always close and lock those windows when you are away from your home.

Don't leave valuables (Ipod, phone, coins, sunglasses, bags, computers) in your car.  There have been a huge increase in smashed car windows, even when there was little or nothing to steal.

Keep your front, rear and sides of buildings well lit. 

Put up your address on the rear of your property. It is actually a city law to have them on the rear of all properties.

Get a free metal "No trespassing"  sign from the CAPS office.  If a sign like this is posted, then the police do have the right to arrest someone on your property.

Report any incident of theft, vandalism or assault and file a police report if if less than your deductible.  It will not be sent to your insurance agent.  It does help the police to see where there is more criminal activity occurring and they will direct more resources to that area.

Neighborhood Meeting 

In August a Meeting was held at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse. The meeting was called by the residents of the neighborhood to address issues of crime in the area. Aproximatelly 150 people attended this meeting; representatives from the alderman's office and the Police department were present.

News

CAPS Beat 1433 meets on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011
Did you know that there have been 42 vehicles stolen from our Beat 1433 streets since June 17th? Please attend the next CAPS meeting to address this issue.
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: 1850 N Hermitage

CAPS Meeting for Beat 1433
St. Mary of the Angels Church
1850 N Hermitage
At 6:30 PM
Normally held on the 4th Wednesday of odd months

The meeting is in the basement, in the museum room. Please enter through the church’s side door off of the parking lot.
Zoning
Zoning request for change from B1 to C1 for 1225 N. Milwaukee Avenue

A zoning request for the former Alexi's Bar and Grill has been received from Michael Black and Deborah Peterson who wish to serve liquor in addition to food at a new Pizza place (Kung Fu Pizza) that will serve Sicilian pan, think, Chicago Deep Dish and Japanese (okoynomiyaki) pizza. Although a liquor license had been grandfathered into that location with the current zoning, the license has lapsed and the owner of Alexi's has passed away. The new leasees need a change from B1 to C1 to be able to serve liquor. More details will be sent to the zoning committee members and discussion will be held at the beginning of the upcoming Autumn Potluck to be held Sunday, September 25th.

Bloomington Trail Design Charrette to be held on October 1-2, 2011.
Registration deadline has been extended to this Thursday, September 22nd, 2011
Bloomingdale Trail Design Charrette Where:
McCormick Tribune YMCA in Logan Square
1834 N. Lawndale Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
When:
Saturday October 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM CDT
-to-
Tuesday October 4, 2011 at 8:00 PM CDT

The registration deadline for the Bloomingdale Trail Charrette, taking place on October 1st and 2nd, has been extended to Thursday, September 22nd. 
If you have any questions, please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
__

La fecha límite para inscribirse al Charrette del camino Bloomingdale Trail, que se llevará a cabo el 1 y 2 de octubre, ha sido prorrogada hasta el jueves, 22 de septiembre. 
Si tiene alguna pregunta, por favor póngase en contacto con nosotros en This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Free High School Tutoring available at 826 Chicago
High School Tutoring is available on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:30pm and Saturdays from 3 to 5pm
for students in grades 9-12. (You may come as often as you need). Fall workshop registration is coming
next week. More details at: www.826chi.org

Revolutionary Mass Transit - Express Bus Lanes along Ashland & Western.
The Wicker Park Committee is sponsoring a presentation by the Metropolitan Planning Council Discussing the new proposal for a Bus Rapid Transit Network

The recently proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network envisions dedicated,
express bus lanes along high traffic corridors throughout the city. Two of these north/south corridors are identified as Ashland Avenue and Western Avenue, which would each have some version of dedicated bus lanes. All ofour local neighborhoods are adjacent to one corridor or the other, and some incorporate both corridors. There is significant and growing enthusiasm for this mass transit proposal. The Wicker Park Committee, your local community organization, is hosting a discussion on the details of this proposal.
Neighborhood residents need to be informed of both the potential benefits along with the impacts of this visionary transportation strategy. For more information, please view the proposal on the Planning Council website at: www.metroplanning.org/brtpaper.

Come hear the discussion at the
Wicker Park Committee Meeting
Wicker Park Field House
1425 N. Damen
September 7th, 2011
7:00pm -8:30pm

The newly formed Bosworth Block Club met at Pulaski Park fieldhouse last night to discuss residents' concerns on auto thefts, burglaries and assaults on their block. Liz Rios from the CAPS program and Ronda Locke from 1st ward Alderman Proco "Joe"  Moreno were present to discuss the ways in which residents can work together for more police presence and less crime on their block.

1. Report any crime that occurs, even if small and less than your insurance deductible. The police use the statistics from  police reports to determine where there are problem zones. If you don't report a crime, they don't know about it.

Call 911 for emergencies when the perpetrator is still there.

Call 311 for non-emergency reports where something has been taken or damaged and the perpetrator is gone.

2. Call the Alderman's office, to report grafitti or other items that need urgent attention, too. They will also report it

and the item will go to the top of the list when they report it to the city. Ald. Moreno is especially interested in grafitti issues and has a team to help clean up grafitti when the city can't get to it. Be sure to be specific about the height and surface (brick, wood, siding, etc) as there are different trucks sent out dependent on the type/height/surface of the damage.

1st ward office 773-278-0101

32nd ward office 773-248-1330

3. Go to the next CAPS meeting: they meet every other month at 6:30 pm at St. Mary of the Angels Church, 1850 N Hermitage Avenue. The next meeting is September 28th.

4. House numbers are to be clear, large and posted on both the front and back of each building. You can contact Liz Rios,  CAPS, for free numbers to post on the rear of your garage, fence or gate. If a crime is in progress, having clear and readable numbers will help a neighbor, who might see it and can call it in.

5. The city has a Text2Tip program where you can send photos or tips of crimes in progress.

The next meeting of the group is scheduled for Monday, October 24th. you can keep up to date on their facebook group: 

http://www.facebook.com/groups//bosworthblockclub/

A meeting was held in mid-August with other neighborhood presidents and community outreach reps from Holy Trinity and Near North Montessori on what we can collectively do to improve the Polish Triangle. Beautification and de-pigeoning the triangle were top issues discussed and a representative from Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce will be at the next meeting to discuss the hows and whos of getting permission for flower planters, et al. August, 2011.

PPNA submtited a letter of support for East Village Association's concerns about the re-development of the old Pizza Hut lot at Ashland and Division - SW corner. It has been sold and plans are being developed at this time for a 40' two story building. August, 2011

PPNA submitted a letter of support for the re-zoning of the corner building at Ashland and Milwaukee Avenues for a possible pawn shop. The prospective owner, plans on rehabbing the top into an apartment for rent and will use the storefront for 
Governor's Pawn Shop. We have heard that Ald. Moreno did submit a request for this re-zoning. April, 2011.