Local lawmaker proposes ban on gas chamber for animals
by Peter von Buol
Special to Inside
Citing instances of downstate facilities that have been found to use carbon monoxide to euthanize abandoned pets and stray animals, State Representative John Fritchey on February 8 introduced legislation that would ban what he calls a dangerous and inhumane practice and impose criminal penalties for violations.
Known as the Humane Animal Euthanasia Act, if enacted, the bill would also tighten qualifications for animal euthanasia technicians.
Fritchey held a press conference on the morning of February 10 to discuss the legislation at Pets Are Worth Saving Chicago’s Lincoln Park Adoption Center located at 1997 N. Clybourn.
“In a perfect world, the need to euthanize animals wouldn’t exist. But in those cases where it is going on, any sense of decency should tell us that this is simply not the method to use. The gas chamber is not a safe or humane way to put animals to sleep,” said Fritchey.
According to Fritchey, before an animal is euthanized in a gas chamber, it is inhumanely led [and sometimes dragged] to a sealed container. Lethal gas is pumped into the sealed container and often animals panic before they die.
“Most Illinois animal shelters already recognize that fact and have stopped using gas chambers. Illinois is one of the few states that allow the practice, and it is time to put an end to it, both for the sake of the animals and those who work with them,” said Fritchey.
During the press conference, Fritchey, who is a self-professed cat-lover and dog-owner, praised the efforts of Chicago English Bulldog Rescue Inc. and PAWS founder Paula Fasseas. PAWS and CEBR are among 40 local and national organizations that are supporting passage of the act, which is HB 4844.
“I am thrilled to be part of this legislation. PAWS is devoted to eliminating pet overpopulation and building humane communities. This legislation represents the beginning of a progression toward a more humane Illinois,” said Fasseas.
The bill would amend the existing Humane Care for Animals Act and is currently waiting to be heard by General Assembly’s House Rules Committee, which is chaired by State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie.
Citing an example of one Illinois shelter that performs hundreds of killings every month, Fritchey said passage of the bill is also needed in order to regulate shelters that euthanize animals without a license.
Another shelter, he said, violates the current law by putting cats and dogs together in the same gas chamber before they are euthanized.
The bill would also restrict those who can legally obtain a Euthanasia Technician License. Individuals who have been convicted of certain animal-related felonies would not be eligible.
“The legislation promotes enforcement of the act by requiring investigators who become aware of violations to provide law enforcement and prosecutors with information concerning the violations, so they can investigate and prosecute individuals who inhumanely euthanize animals or otherwise violated the act,” said Fritchey.
Fritchey told Inside that while he is a dog owner, he has always been an animal lover and added he has had all sorts of animals throughout his lifetime, including an African Grey Parrot and cats.
He praised the grass-roots efforts of PAWS and Chicago English Bulldog Rescue for raising awareness of the issue.
“While we understand that euthanasia is unfortunately necessary in some instances, [our organization] is committed to ensuring that a dog’s or cat’s departure is peaceful and painless,” said Jordan Matyas, counsel for CEBR, who also spoke at the press conference. “Just as important is to ensure that only properly trained individuals are performing this procedure. This bill promotes both of these goals.”
Jackie Spiker from Hope Rescue, a shelter that has rescued animals from gas chambers, was asked what the bill would accomplish.
"The accomplishment would be to end the suffering of our homeless animals. It's really that simple," she said. "Why is it that we have declared the gas chambers use for humans who have committed horrible crimes inhumane but left it to be used on an innocent pet? The gas chamber is barbaric, the pets scream, fight and claw at the door trying to survive and free themselves. They suffocate slowly, and even five minutes of this torture is five minutes longer than any civilized people would allow."
UN Chief calls Chicago most Green city in U.S.
Visits local high school
By Jeff Borgardt
Editor
The world's top diplomat charmed city teenagers and business and political leaders Feb. 8 during a visit to Walter Payton High School while at the same time calling for action on his keynote agenda item of global climate change.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Chicago "the most environmentally-friendly city in the U.S" but said more could be done to make it "the most environmentally-friendly city in the entire world."
The visit is the second time Ban has stepped on U.S. soil as Secretary General and it was the first time he visited an American High School. He said he was impressed with the Old Town school at 1034 N. Wells Street.
Ban urged students to be global citizens and leaders and "take ownership" while reminding them one day "the world will be on your shoulders" and they will no longer be students and will instead become the future generation of leaders.
Fielding a question from a student about what they can do to improve the environment, Ban urged Chicagoans to pressure Mayor Daley and other local political leaders for environmental improvements.
This caused Daley, who was seated beside Moon, to become red-faced and say "believe me, they already are doing that."
A mock United Nations debate was held for Ban and he said he thought the exercise was valuable. Ban himself participated in a mock U.N. debate as a college freshman in his native Korea.
"Who knows," he told the students. "Maybe someday one of you will be the secretary-general."
One Chicago Public Schools administrator who works on diversity and language programs watching the mock U.N. debate Feb. 8 joked, "I always thought Chicago schools were just like the United Nations and now I know for sure."
Mayor Daley said "the world has changed and become more global" therefore the international curriculum of local schools is beneficial to students.
More than 7,000 students are enrolled in a Chinese-language instruction program and the school systems new Arabic studies program has also won kudos from educational guru's.
Daley also praised the Secretary General peacekeeping activities.
"He has been traveling across the world into crisis situations and asking people to lay down their arms to bring peace to the world."
The visit marked the first time to United Nation's top executive has stopped by Chicago.
Naomi Sharpe, 15, said she was happy to see Ban and Daley at the school assembly.
"We hear big names all the time but we never really know what they're doing and what they feel. This made them seem human and opened our eyes to see what we need to do right now," she said.
Ban's theme was a call for action on the issue of climate change.
He said he has visited Antarctica where the population of penguins has been reduced by 60 percent. He saw melting glaciers there and is worried about rising seawater levels. He also went to a lake in Chad where the size of the body of water is now 1/10 the size it was 30 years ago due to climate change.
"Who knows what will happen to the planet if we don't act now. It could be a serious mistake that will affect an entire generation. Timing is of the essence. We should have taken action yesterday but today might not be too late. We have to do it. We must act now," he said.
There was one tense moment during the program Feb. 8 when the school fire alarm sounded. However, after a few moments, administrators assured everyone that it was a false alarm and the activities continued.
Anti-soccer field group files information request
Asks park district for all emails, documents about field
A group of Gold Coast and Old Town residents upset by a new modern soccer field being constructed near the Lincoln Park Zoo filed a Freedom of Information Act document request with the Park District on Friday.
"We are trying to get to the bottom of this," said Committee to Keep Lincoln Park Public Spokeswoman Greta Lear Feb. 11.
"We want to find out exactly who said what and how this all came about. We asked for all the documents."
The FOIA was submitted Feb. 1 by Colleen Blake. On Feb. 8, the Park District responded and requested an additional seven days time to dig up all the documents pertaining to the construction of the new soccer field in conjunction with the Latin School of Chicago, 59 W. North Boulevard.
The FOIA request itself was forwarded to Inside Publications on Feb. 11 and asks the park district to hand over substantial documentation including "all studies, reports and recommendations relating to the construction of a soccer field in Lincoln Park" and "all records of meetings and communications" including "informal personal contacts, postal mail, E-mail messages, notes of telephone conversations, minutes of meetings, transcripts, recordings and summaries of reports."
The FOIA also asks for any land markings records, contracts and engineering studies that may exist.
Construction has begun on the field. The area where the field is to be built has been roped off and construction equipment is there. It is located in a park area next to other sports fields.
The ad-hoc group formed to oppose the student soccer field also reported Feb. 1 that a Manhattan judge voided a similar agreement between New York City and twenty private schools.
In that case, construction had already begun and the judge said the city could not give the schools priority use of the sports field on Randall's Island in exchange for $45 million.
Lincoln Park High School principal takes questions
By Katie Rosebrock
Special to Inside
Inside Publications recently held a question and answer interview with Bessie Karvelas thePrincipal of Lincoln Park High School, 2001 N. Orchard St.
Q: How long have you served as principal of Lincoln Park High School (LP)?
Four years
Q: Approximately how many students are currently enrolled at LP?
Approximately 2200
Q: Is there anything that you personally want to see LP accomplish by the end of the school year? Is there anything the school’s board wants to see accomplished by the end of the school year?
We always seek for continuous academic improvement. I would personally like our school to continue climbing the “ladder of success.” The fact that we are a neighborhood school with magnet programs and named a “Gold Medal School,” is quite an accomplishment.
It is a wonderful feeling to be in the top 100 schools in the nation. My students, staff and parents are also very proud. I would like the accolades to keep rolling in.
Q: Are there any big changes in the works for next year or the coming years?
We are hoping to get an addition to our building. We would like to build a Performing Arts addition that would meet the needs of our students. Our building is quite old. We lack amenities that would help our students be even better than they are. There is no place to practice their musical instruments; we have no vocal music rooms or storage for our band equipment; the acoustics in our auditorium are horrible; the staging area is in need of renovation; We have so many needs and no money to meet those needs.
Q: Work is underway to restore the school’s auditorium, how is that progressing? Is there anything readers can do to help with the process?
We are always seeking donations. Readers can help by reaching into their pockets and making generous donations to the LPHS Auditorium Renovation
Q: Has the school been faced with any security concerns lately?
Every part of the city is always faced with security issues. Our top priority is to provide a safe and secure environment for our students and staff. We take measures to ensure that everyone feels safe and continues to remain safe.
Q: I saw that Lincoln Park High School was ranked 90th in Newsweek’s list of the top high schools in the country [visit usnews.com then go to Education section for more information]. What do you think this means for the future of LP? Do you think the ranking is going to make a difference in Chicago’s school system—will there be competition among the high schools to move up the list or make the list for the first time? Will it make a difference?
We were ranked 90th in US News and World Report; we were ranked # 1 in Illinois in Newsweek three years in a row and 30th, 31st and 40th in the country. There will always be competition. All of us strive for excellence. We inquire about best practices and we are constantly raising the bar for our school. As for our enrollment, we have more applications than we can accommodate seeking admission to our magnet programs. LP is quite unique. Our diverse population continues to enhance our school; we educate our students to become global and independent leaders; they are ready to conquer the world when they leave the doors of LP and we are proud of that; our International Baccalaureate program is the oldest, largest and most successful in the city, 10th most successful in the world. We have one of the oldest and strongest Advanced Placement programs in the city. This is the reason for our #1 ranking in Newsweek magazine; our Performing Arts program has evolved into the premier music program in the Chicago Public Schools and ranked in the top 10 in the state.
Q: In total five of Chicago’s public high schools made the top 100 (Northside College Prep #24, Payton College Prep #46, Young Magnet School #67, Jones College Prep #100); do you think it says anything about Chicago’s school system that three of them are on the north side while the other two are central/south Chicago?
The fact that the Chicago Public School system has the most schools on the top 100 list is the most significant aspect of the report. That speaks of the dynamic progression of our city and school system. CPS endeavors to involve all stakeholders in a continuous process of academic improvement and cross curricular integration in every school.
Q: In your view how do you think Chicago can improve its high schools?
There is a tremendous commitment to improvement in our city’s education starting with the mayor and filtering to various community groups in the city. Contributions from various foundations and philanthropic groups have enhanced the literacy programs of our schools; there are Professional Development opportunities for our educators to help them become the best they can be. CPS continues to organize, analyze, uses data to monitor the academic growth of its schools. The mayor has helped CPS create partnerships through the “Principal for a Day” program that many schools have taken advantage of. The question is not how Chicago can improve its high schools because CPS has the most high schools on the top 100 list. The question should be where our schools can get more funding to support the academic programs throughout our city. Everyone should be committed to the cause. “It truly takes a village to educate a child.” These students are the future of our country; we must guide, support and educate them. They cannot do it alone. Educator cannot do it alone.
City Council approves Children's Hospital move
The City Council approved plans last week for the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago to be located in the Streeterville community.
The approval of Northwestern University’s Planned Development Amendment allows for the zoning and construction of the new 22-story hospital at 225 E. Chicago Avenue, directly west of Northwestern Memorial’s new Prentice Women’s Hospital.
Named in recognition of philanthropist Ann Lurie’s $100 million gift, the hospital is scheduled to break ground this spring and open in 2012 pending government approval.
“This is a historic day for our institution and the community as we take one step closer toward a new facility that will enable us to continue to provide top quality health care for children of our region for generations to come,” said Patrick Magoon, President and CEO.
Children’s Memorial must turn away a significant number of critically ill children each year because an appropriate bed is not available. The new facility, located on the campus of its partner medical school, Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, will help Children’s Memorial to continue to recruit and retain top physicians and scientists.
Its adjacency to Northwestern Memorial’s new Prentice Women’s Hospital will offer convenience for families and direct clinical interaction to benefit newborns. Proximity to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and Northwestern Memorial Hospital will improve transitional care for children with chronic illnesses into adult care.
Children’s Memorial has worked closely with 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, the City of Chicago and the Streeterville community in an open and transparent process to develop its plans over the past two years.
“We want to thank Mayor Daley, Alderman Reilly and the City of Chicago Departments of Planning, Transportation and the Office of Emergency Management and Communication for their guidance and support. We are grateful to Alderman Reilly for his leadership and support of our mission, and we appreciate his active engagement in this process,” said Magoon.
Significant commitments to improve traffic and parking in Streeterville have been made by Children’s Memorial, Northwestern University, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
These institutions collectively agreed to fund Traffic Control Aides, install pedestrian countdown signals, re-stripe Chicago Avenue and Superior Street and create a comprehensive Traffic Management Plan that will be reviewed annually.
Together the institutions are also providing an additional 1,100 parking spaces, at least 800 of which will be in a new garage on campus.
The City Council’s approval includes the permitted use of a rooftop heliport at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago.
An average of 73 critically ill and injured children are transported to Children’s Memorial by helicopter each year when clinicians deem it a medical necessity and pilots determine that conditions are safe for flight.
The hospital has operated a rooftop heliport at its Lincoln Park facility for 20 years and has engaged in extensive studies with top experts to ensure that the new heliport will be safe.
Now that the City Council has approved zoning for the use of the heliport, the Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Aeronautics, comprised of independent experts responsible for determining the safety of heliports and granting and renewing heliport licenses throughout the State, will conduct their own analysis in conjunction with the Federal Administration Aviation.
“Safety is our top priority in the development of our rooftop heliport. It must be safe for our children, our staff and our neighbors. We look forward to a thorough review of our proposal by the independent experts at the State,” said Magoon.
DePaul offers Valentine to music lovers
Free February festival of concerts set
A series of five concerts celebrating 200 years of French keyboard music will
be presented by DePaul University faculty member and pianist Eteri
Andjaparidze and members of her AmerKlavier Studio.
All of the programs are free and open to the public.
To herald the opening of this winter series, the DePaul Symphony Orchestra under the baton of conductor Cliff Colnot, played an all-Ravel program last Saturday. Andjaparidze, founder and director of the AmerKlavier Studio, is the soloist in a performance of the composer's Piano Concerto in G Major.
"Pour le piano" events are scheduled on four successive Thursday evenings in
February.
All the performers are students and faculty of the AmerKlavier Studio, a center for advanced piano study developed by Andjaparidze at the DePaul School of Music in 2001.
This program explores the music of the 19th century romantics—Fauré, Saint-Saëns, Franck, Chausson, Chabrier and Bizet.
Characteristically, this group of composers emphasized melody in their writings and cultivated musical genres previously popularized by Chopin—especially the nocturne, impromptu and barcarolle.
The first event was on Thursday Feb. 7, at the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave.
The next free music event will be Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. at DePaul Concert Hall. This program is devoted to piano pieces by Debussy and Ravel. The tonal world created by Debussy, which ran parallel to the rise of impressionist art and literary symbolism, was conceived to appeal to the senses rather than
intellect.
Debussy's original music and, later, Ravel's revolutionary works, set the stage for the development of 20th century music.
The next event is set for Feb. 21 at 8 p.m. at the DePaul Concert Hall, 800 W. Belden Ave. This concert centers on the modernists, whose greatest achievement was the expansion of the piano's expressive potential. This group of composers includes Poulenc, Satie, Messiaen, Milhaud and Boulez.
The final concert will be at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28 at the DePaul Recital Hall, 804 W. Belden Ave. This offering, a colloquium and demonstration titled "Great French Pianists," features student presentations as well as audio/video recordings of legendary pianists including Marguerite Long, Alfred Cortot and Robert Casadesus.
According to Andjaparidze, her "voracious appetite" for French music
developed under the influence of her longtime colleague Alain Declert,
program director of the International Festival-Institute at Round Top, Texas.
Andjaparidze, for several years a member of the Institute's summer faculty,
has invited Declert to serve as consultant for the "Pour le piano" series.
"This project also is meant to pay tribute to the country that five centuries ago gave the world Vincent de Paul, whose teachings are the guiding principles behind our university," said Andjaparidze.
Over the past seven years, many of the AmerKlavier Studio's projects have
exhibited a multi-cultural focus.
In December, Andjaparidze was joined by several of her students and DePaul composer and pianist, George Flynn in a residency in her native Tbilisi, Georgia. During a week of concerts and classes there, the DePaul contingent, which included both Americans and native Georgians, performed piano pieces by Flynn alongside works by Georgian composers.
Details provided about free ride for seniors program
Senior citizens aged 65 or over living in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties are eligible for free transit on fixed routes operated by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra and Pace.
To take advantage of the free transit, seniors must have the senior reduced fare card to get a free ride.
If you already have a senior reduced fare card, you are already registered. Your reduced fare card will work on March 17 to allow you to take transit for free.
In the months ahead, the RTA will transition all holders of the current reduced fare permit to a new smart card.
The smart card will make it faster and easier for seniors when boarding. Current card holders will be notified when these new cards are available.
Seniors who don’t have a senior reduced fare card and would like to have free transit should sign up by registering at a transportation center
Call 836-7000 from any local area code, provide your zip code and you'll get the nearest location.
Processing usually takes 3-4 weeks until new senior reduced fare card are mailed.
Free rides will begin on March 17.
To get your free ride you may have to show your card to the driver, ticket agent, conductor or you can use it at a turnstile or in a farebox.
Metra riders will be able to show their senior reduced fare card to the on-board staff to receive their free ride.
Committeeman thanks voters for re-election win
GOP Committeeman John Curry gave his thanks to voters and supporters upon his re-election as 32nd Ward Republican Committeeman.
Winning with 55.4% of the Republican vote, Committeeman Curry's campaign more than doubled the traditional Republican primary vote in the ward on Tuesday.
With this increased Republican vote, the 32nd Ward now places approximately fifth in rank of Chicago Wards with Republican votes. Making his thanks, lawyer Curry stated:
"Thank you, friends and neighbors, for the great confidence that you have shown in me by resoundingly re-electing me as Ward Committeeman. The Board of Elections has confirmed that with all precincts reporting, I have won re-election with 55.2% of the vote I very much appreciate your support and your vote, which I know was conferred by you with serious thought and deliberation. Rest assured that I will continue to promote the core message of the Republican Party, which is that a strong national defense, limited government, a strong free market economy, and good social values are the best guarantees of peace and prosperity. Moreover, I will stand by our party principles of good government and clean government, principles which Chicago sorely needs to embrace. I commit myself to working to get the best vote we can for the Republican presidential nominee and help win Illinois for him."
$5,000 reward offered for dog fighting information
The Humane Society of the United States, in conjunction with Chicago Police, are now offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in illegal animal fighting.
"We are confident that this reward program will help encourage citizens to work with law enforcement to end this terrible crime," said Chicago First Deputy Supt. Dana Starks.
Caller may remain anonymous. The tip line for those with information about dog or cock fighting is 1-800-535-7867.
City Dems outnumber GOP 15 to 1 in election
Local Northside wards total six Democrats per Republican
By Jeff Borgardt
Editor
In case anyone needed confirmation that Chicago is a Democratic political stronghold, Feb. 5 Election Day returns continued to prove the case beyond a doubt.
In last week's elections, 639,122 Chicago voters selected a Democratic ballot and 43,451 pulled Republican ballots, according to Chicago Board of Election unofficial returns.
That means there were 15 Democrats for every Chicago Republican in last weeks polling. More than 93 percent of votes cast city-wide were Democratic.
One reason offered for the sizable Democratic turnout is the excitement generated by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid.
In the Nov. 2006, General Elections, the margin of Democratic voters was not so large.
In that race, 77 percent of voters selected the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, 15 percent voted for the Republican's governor hopeful and seven percent selected the Green Party candidate.
Nonetheless, Chicago Board of Elections spokesman Jim Allen said the 15 to 1 party affiliation margin is not out of the ordinary when compared to past primary elections.
In the March, 1984 primary election, 96 percent of Chicago voters selected a Democratic ballot, in 1992 about 94 percent pulled Democratic ballots and in 2004, 94 percent of Chicago voters selected a Democratic ballot while 5.4 chose Republican ballots.
"In the past elections, the Republican presidential primaries were not competitive," Allen said. "But this time it was highly competitive on the Republican side and yet it seems Republican voters were not pulling ballots or were pulling Democratic ballots."
While city-wide Democrats outnumber Republicans by 15 to 1, the same cannot be said for local Northside wards.
In the Lincoln Park 43rd ward, Democrats outnumber Republicans about 5 to 1.
On Feb. 5, 14,138 voters in the 43rd ward voted for Democratic presidential candidates while 2,929 voters voted in the Republican presidential race. Similar tallies across other local Northside wards put the average Democratic to Republican ratio at about six to one.
New budget short-changes afterschool programs
To the Editor,
The President's budget proposal, released last week, includes a one-two punch aimed right at the heart of afterschool programs.
He calls for cutting federal afterschool funding by 27 percent and for reorganizing the current federal program into a risky voucher scheme. Both are bad ideas and should be rejected.
I was named by the Afterschool Alliance as an Afterschool Ambassador in Illinois and have seen firsthand the incredible benefits these programs provide to our children and families.
I serve as Associate Executive Director for B.U.I.L.D, Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development at 1223 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Last year, we worked with more than 2,500 gang-affiliated and highly at-risk youth and their families providing them with the tools to make positive choices and actions today so they can have hope and access to opportunities in the future.
The President's proposed funding cut would mean that 17,528 fewer children in Illinois could get afterschool care - a bitter pill for families to swallow.
Indeed, funding should go up, not down.
We're nowhere near meeting the need for afterschool and, as a result, millions of families can't find afterschool care for their kids.
The President's afterschool voucher proposal would have dire consequences for programs across the nation, undermining existing public, private and community partnerships that are working well and destabilizing programs by making their funding even more precarious.
Americans support afterschool programs by huge margins because they keep kids safe, inspire them to learn and help working families.
Congress should make quick work of these bad ideas and focus instead on increasing funding for afterschool.
That would address a real problem with a real solution.
Roslind Blasingame-Buford,
1223 N. Milwaukee Avenue.
Lent time to reflect on diet, consider vegetarianism
Dear Editor:
Last Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period preceding Easter when Catholics and other Christians would abstain from meat and dairy products in memory of Jesus’ 40 days of fast and prayer before dying on the cross. With religious devotion yielding to self-indulgence, this devout tradition gradually gave way to meatless Fridays, and eventually, no dietary restriction at all.
Yet, Jesus’ powerful message of compassion and love for all living beings applies in our time more than ever!
It’s a time when animals are raised for food under abject conditions of caging, crowding, deprivation, drugging, mutilation, and manhandling. When they are trucked to the slaughterhouse for days without food or water, then bled, skinned, and dismembered while still conscious. It’s a time when wastes from factory farms foul the water we drink and the air we breathe. When meat production accounts for 18% of greenhouse gases responsible for global warming. It’s a time when most chronic killer diseases are linked to consumption of animal products.
Each of us has a personal choice to make. We can continue to subsidize these sins against nature and Jesus’ teachings with our food dollars. Or we can show our respect for his message by embracing a wholesome, nonviolent diet of vegetables, fruits, and grains first mandated in Genesis I-29.
Lent provides a splendid opportunity to explore the rich variety of meat- and dairy-free foods at our favorite supermarket.
Sincerely,
Claude Prescott
650 N Talman Ave
University museum hosts art events
The DePaul Unviersity Museum, 2350 N. Kenomre Avenue, will be holding two events this month as aprt of a program focusing on the art of the American SOuthwest.
The lecture "Revising the Tradition of Santero Art" by artist Nicholas Herrara will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21. Herrera, a fourth-generation woodworker from El Riot, New Mexico, has been scultping devotional Catholic images for twenty years.
Then, there will be a panel discussion at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26. Four professors will discuss the subject "Santos: History, Literature, Theology and Everyday Life."
Lincoln Park condo development goes bankrupt
A Lincoln Park development dubbed "Ashton Lofts" selling condo units for $320,000 to $545,000 has gone belly-up after a lender sued to collect a construction loan for more than $5 million.
The 39-unit building is located at 1610 W. Fullerton Avenue at the intersection of Ashland, Fullerton and Clybourn.
According to the developer's website, 22-units remain available.
The developers have completed past work in Tahiti, New York and Illinois.
Their lenders sued them in Federal Bankruptcy Court last week.
Realtors say the problems for the developers occurred when several buyers initially agreed on a deal, but then back out.
The developer has assets between $10 million to $50 million and liabilities of $1 million to $10 million, according to the Chapter 11 petition.
Local filmmaker's Hurricane Katrina documentary up for award
George Clooney, Michael Moore and Don Cheadle are heavy weights tied to film projects that will compete with Lakeview resident Alex LeMay’s Desert Bayou for the coveted 2008 NAACP Image Award.
Producer/director LeMay’s Hurricane Katrina documentary, which will be released on DVD February 19, will duke it out with Sicko, Darfur Now, Price of Sugar and Bastards of the Party for best documentary during the 39th Annual Image Awards on February 14. The Writers Guild of America last month granted an interim agreement that will allow the program to air on Fox Network at 7 p.m.
Desert Bayou was vetted out of over 1,200 entries to 44 categories by a group of 300 industry professionals and NAACP leaders.
The ire-raising story picks up after Hurricane Katrina blazed her path of destruction through the Gulf coast. That’s when most Americans were glued in awe to televisions – watching shocked human beings silently swarm airplane ramp stands in a desperate attempt to move away from their devastated homes. But what we weren’t told – and what LeMay picked up out of a tidbit New York Times story he pounced on - was that, in the case of these mostly African-American evacuees, their clandestine tickets to ride were to surprise destinations.
"The only thing I knew about Utah before I got here is that they took The Jazz from New Orleans," one unassuming African-American man naively confessed of his government-enforced transplant from the big easy to ultra conservative Salt Lake City, Utah, a state with an African American population of less than one percent.
“Every other camera crew was heading to the Gulf,” LeMay said. “We decided to go where no one else was.”
And so in rapid fire response to the airlifts, LeMay’s Taproot Productions packed up cameras and gear and headed out of their loft studios in Lakeview to Salt Lake City where they recorded two families’ relocation.
Interviews from both sides – set to the tunes of bayou native and Art Neville band member Brian Stoltz – chronicle the acclimation of evacuees and explore resident reactions to the unexpected newcomers. When it becomes safe for them to return to New Orleans to claim the remains of their belongings, Taproot follows along. The question ensues: Will they persevere in Utah or stay in New Orleans?
“This is a story about Americans who were not afforded the American Dream,” LeMay said.
Unlike LeMay’s 17-year-long commercial and feature film career. He started Taproot, located at 1115 W. Belmont Avenue, while living in Canada in 1991 and moved it to Chicago in 1994. Taproot now employs a staff of ten. Johnson & Johnson, CVS Pharmacies, Abbott Laboratories and Office Max are among the companies for which they produce commercials. Many will remember their Starbucks barista film – a nod to the employees’ off-work art interests - that two years ago screened for several months in the Starbucks flagship store, 932 N. Rush Street.
LeMay’s break out feature film, Bulls of Suburbia, will be released on DVD April 22 under the new title, American Bullfighter. The story follows him to the California Academy of Tauromaquia, the only bull fighting school in the U.S.
He comes to grips with alcoholism and his father’s death while he continues his journey to Mexico and eventually to where he grew up, Spain, to learn that country’s national pastime: bull fighting.
“Bull fighting was my baseball,” LeMay said, recalling the outcry of animal rights groups against how the bulls in the ring are ultimately euthanized.
The project garnered attention from Universal Studios, who bought 30 seconds of bull fight footage from LeMay. It appears in their Oscar-Nominated motion picture, Seabiscuit.
Olympic delegation attends Barbados conference
A delegation from Chicago 2016 traveled to Barbados last week to attend the Legacy Lives 2008 conference.
The conference is regarded as an important international event focused on the practice of sports event planning, and it brings together nearly 150 people involved in the Olympic Movement to share knowledge and develop the skills required for the bidding, selection, planning, staging and evaluation of major events.
The purpose of the visit was to gather event rights holders, organizing committees, applicant cities and international federations to discuss the main legacy themes of sport, social and cultural programs, economic impact, regeneration, environment and tourism.
The forum served to educate attendees on the importance of planning and the sustainable benefits that can and should be an integral part of holding major events.
The Chicago group included Bob Accarino (Environment), George Hirthler (Communications), and Mark Mitten (Marketing and Legacy).
“This conference has become an essential learning platform for all of us involved in the bidding and planning process,” said
George Hirthler. “We have taken away invaluable information from these past few days.”
The conference featured presentations, interactive workshops and sessions, time for informal networking and an exhibition of leading organizing committees.
The conference also examined the long-term, profile-raising benefits of the event-bidding process for cities and countries.
“To leave a lasting legacy is what every Olympic Games Host City strives for, and Chicago 2016 has a clear vision of the legacy we wish to leave for the city, the nation, the world and the Olympic Movement,” said Mark Mitten. “We are very grateful for the opportunities this informative forum provided, as we were able to meet with many experienced groups who have built an Olympic legacy in their own cities.”
The visit took place less than two weeks after Chicago 2016’s Applicant File was submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), an important milestone in the bidding process.
Recently, Chicago 2016 hosted representatives from the U.S. national governing bodies of sport, who serve as the coordinating bodies for amateur athletic activity in the United States.
The purpose of the visit was to introduce these influential leaders to Chicago 2016’s concept for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and to gather their feedback and engage them in conversations about the successful sporting events and legacy opportunities.
Chicago is honored to be competing for the privilege of hosting the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games alongside such world-class cities including: Baku, Azerbaijan; Doha, Qatar; Madrid, Spain; Prague, Czech Republic; Rio de Janerio, Brazil; and Tokyo, Japan.
Tax increment financing rules proposed
State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) today announced legislation that
would require Cook County taxpayers to be given information with their tax bills about how their taxes are impacted by the numerous existing tax increment financing (TIF) districts.
TIF districts exist across almost one-third of the City of Chicago and generate hundreds of millions of dollars, yet taxpayers are unable to determine how much of their bill is attributable to the TIFs or how the money is being spent by officials.
The announcement comes just days after thousands of homeowners received their latest property tax bills in the mail. House Bill 4815 would require that taxpayers be given information about the stated purpose of the various TIF districts and the impact of the TIF districts upon their property tax bills.
Fritchey’s efforts are similar to earlier ones pursued at the county level by Cook County
Commissioner Mike Quigley.
“Everybody in Cook County is saying that they want to do something about the property tax situation,” stated Representative Fritchey. “But it’s almost impossible to craft a real and workable solution without knowing all the facts, and the impact of TIFs on our tax bills are a huge part of that equation. I supported Commissioner Quigley’s earlier efforts, but if his colleagues are not going to take action, I want to see if mine will.”
Previous studies have estimated that tax dollars diverted into TIF districts account for
approximately 10% of the amount of tax bills for Cook County residents. “People should always know where their tax dollars are going,” stated Rep. Fritchey. “But at a time when many homeowners are reeling from skyrocketing property taxes, and money is tight for so many families, people should absolutely be able to know how and where the over $400 million dollars collected by TIFs is being spent.”
Fritchey said that he is not necessarily anti-TIF. But he stated that while many TIFs have been valuable tools in jumpstarting development in blighted areas, the lack of full disclosure makes it difficult to properly judge the overall use of TIF dollars. “Just like anything else, if a TIF, and the use of the dollars created by it, make sense, it should be able to withstand some sunlight.
People need to be aware that a TIF district located anywhere in Cook County affects taxpayers everywhere in Cook County.”
Fritchey said the bill is still a work in progress and that the goal is to find a way to put the
relevant information into taxpayers’ hands.
“While there may still be details to be worked out, I feel real good about the goal that I am seeking.”
History museum hosts cultural alliance
The Chicago Cultural Alliance will host a celebratory breakfast 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 15 at the Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., to commemorate the organizations birthday.
The program is expected to include Channel 5 newscaster Zoraida Sambolin, Chicago First Lady Maggie Daley, Congressman Rahm Emanuel and poets Bassey Ikpi, Kelly Tsai, Mayda del Valle and Marty McConnely.
The Cultural Center, based at the Swedish American Museum, is a partnership of Chicago's ethnic museums and cultural centers.
Free family carnival at DePaul on Feb. 23
DePaul University will hold a winter carnival for children ages four to twelve from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Student Center, 120 Student Center.
The event will feature children's entertainment such as inflatables, face painting, carnival food and games.
DePaul cheerleaders will be on hand and special performances will be made from the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Those attending are requested to bring non-perishable food items, socks or winter clothing for donation to the St. Vincent De Paul Parish.
For more information, call Edwin Darrell at 773.352.4293.
Lincoln Park chamber to host event Feb. 20
The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce hosts "Business After Hours" 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 at Walter E. Smith Furniture, 2009 N. Clybourn Avenue.
Those new to business networking may arrive 15 minutes early and get networking tips from chamber members Rickey Gold of Rickey Gold & Associates and Brian Fons of Corporate Creations.
Cost for the event is $20 for members and $30 for non-members.
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