State Representative recovering from rare facial paralysis
By Peter von Buol
Special To Inside
State Representative John Fritchey recently announced that he is recovering from a bout of Bell’s Palsy, a rare neurological disorder that causes temporary facial paralysis.
According to Margo Stevens, chief spokesperson for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Fritchey is among 40,000 Americans that will be affected in 2008.
Fritchey, who said he has experienced about an 85-90 percent recovery, first noticed something was wrong with his face on the evening of February 8 but didn’t really realize he had a problem until the following morning. Fritchey had just returned home that day from serving in the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield.
“I noticed that it was a little tricky for me to drink from a bottle of water, but didn’t think much about it. The next morning, my mouth still didn’t feel just right, and a look in the mirror seemed to show that the left side of my face was drooping,” revealed Fritchey
on his web site www.johnfritchey.blogspot.com.
Fritchey told Inside that while he went the Northwestern Hospital emergency room because he wanted to make sure he was not having a stroke, he was aware of Bell’s Palsy. While waiting for a diagnosis from an emergency room neurologist, he researched the disorder on the internet. While he had a good idea what his diagnosis would be, it was still difficult accepting the diagnosis from a physician
“Having somebody who actually knows what they’re doing tell you that you have it is like getting a kick in the teeth from somebody in scrubs,” wrote Fritchey.
On the day after he was examined at Northwestern, Fritchey held a press conference at the Pets are Worth Saving Animal Adoption center and had not yet publicly disclosed his condition. Later that week, as he continued conventional treatment, at his doctor’s suggestion, he also went to an acupuncturist in Chinatown.
“My doctor is very traditional. When he suggested I should try acupuncture, I listened and am now a strong proponent of acupuncture,” said Fritchey.
Bell’s Palsy is form of temporary facial paralysis resulting from damage or trauma to one of the two facial nerves. Generally, Bell’s Palsy affects only one of the paired facial nerves and one side of the face. In rare cases, it can affect both sides. Symptoms usually begin suddenly and reach their peak within 48 hours, say federal health officials.
While it is still not known conclusively what causes Bell’s Palsy, most neurological researchers now believe the disorder is linked to a virus.
“Most scientists believe that a viral infection such as viral meningitis or the common cold sore virus, herpes simplex, causes the disorder when the facial nerve swells and becomes inflamed in reaction to the infection,” said Warren.
Fritchey said the disorder affected one of the nerves on the left side of his face. He added that he believes what he had thought was a just a chest cold a few weeks prior to his Bell’s Palsy diagnosis actually may have been a sign that his body had been fighting off a more serious infection.
“There has been a correlation between getting Bell’s [Palsy] and having had a previous respiratory infection, and given that I had been fighting what I thought to be a chest cold for a few weeks, I guess chalking it up to that and fate works as well as anything else,” wrote Fritchey.
Fritchey told Inside he believes an exhaustive work schedule may have been a contributing factor. He ran for re-election as State Representative in the Democratic primary and he ran to serve as Democratic Committeman of the 32nd Ward. In addition, he has been providing help to U.S. Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.
Fritchey said he believes it is crucial to seek help as soon as possible if one believes they may have Bell’s Palsy.
“The longer you wait, the more damage that can be done,” Fritchey told Inside.
While there is no cure or standard course of treatment for the disorder, federal health officials say the most important factor is eliminating the source of the nerve damage.
“Some cases are mild and may not require treatment since the symptoms usually subside within two weeks. For others, treatment may include an anti-viral medication such as acyclovir or an anti-inflammatory drug such as the steroid prednisone,” said health officials at NINDS.
Fritchey said he was being treated by a combination of antiviral and steroid drugs and that he was also getting treated by acupuncture. He added that while he has been told most recover completely, he has also been told that about 15 percent never fully recover.
“The good news is that about 50% of the cases resolve themselves in a few weeks or a few months. Another 35% of the cases get back to normal in about a year. The remaining 15% never get fully back to normal. While I am trying to keep a positive outlook on the whole issue, I don’t think that the figure of 15% has ever seemed so big before,” added Fritchey. “The biggest fear is uncertainty.”
Fritchey told Inside he especially appreciates the outpouring of support he has received from friends, colleagues, constituents and strangers.
“I [have] heard from everybody from friends and colleagues, to complete strangers and even former U.S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald, who [was diagnosed in 1995] and was gracious enough to share some insights from his experiences with the issue. I was really amazed by how many people either have dealt with Bell’s Palsy or know somebody who had. Hearing from them was great and very helpful as well,” added Fritchey.
Fritchey told Inside that he has learned a lot during the experience and he hopes he can continue to help others.
“There is a silver lining. I have a much greater appreciation for every day and my personal health. You put everything in perspective. Someone who is HIV positive called me afterwards to say they were thinking of me and offered their support. In the big picture, if Bell’s Palsy is the worst thing that will happen to me, that’s okay. Nobody wants to be a poster child for an illness, but if I can provide some guidance to others, I can help them know they are not alone,” said Fritchey.
For more information about the disorder, visit the NINDS web site www.ninds.nih.gov; the web site of the National Organization of Rare Disorders http://rarediseases.org and the web site of the Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy at the University of Chicago http://millercenter.uchicago.edu.
Bell’s Palsy is named in honor of the early 19th Century Scottish surgeon and medical researcher Sir Charles Bell. In 1821, Bell demonstrated the facial nerve controls the muscles that move the eyebrows, eyes and mouth.
Tour recreates historic year
Tour-goers take a ride to 1968 on History Museum bus tour
By Amy Williams Bernstein
Special To Inside
Last weekend, the Chicago History Museum transported two busloads of tour-goers back to the ‘60s through Magic Bus: 1968 in Chicago. The four-hour tour, led by educator and filmmaker Bill Siegel, visited well-known and obscure sites that are related to the events of 1968.
That was a year of social upheaval in our nation. The Vietnam War had been raging for 13 years, and both politicians and the general population were strongly divided over President Lyndon Johnson’s war policies. On April 4, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated, and in reaction riots broke out in many places across the country, including Chicago’s West Side. In June of that year, presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, who had criticized the war, was killed after winning the California primary. It was in this tense atmosphere that the Democratic National Convention took place August 26–29 at Chicago’s International Amphitheater.
The Magic Bus tour departed from the Chicago History Museum, in Lincoln Park, on the afternoons of Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2. Saturday’s tour, attended by 42 people, was sold out three weeks in advance.
On Sunday, 34 people participated. At the beginning of the March 2 tour, Siegel, who began researching the late ‘60s when he co-directed the Academy Award-nominated documentary The Weather Underground, explained that his tour would not simply be about pointing out historic sites, but that he would make an effort to weave a story about the year through writings, voice recordings, and video. He invited the tour-goers to share their memories from the time period and their perspectives on the events. “It’s paramount to me to find different voices,” Siegel later said. “I knew that in both [tours] there would be people on the bus who were there and had their own stories to tell.”
The tour’s first destination was Roscoe Village, and on the way there, Siegel set the scene by reading newspaper headlines from March 2, 1968. The bus paused in front of Lane Tech College Prep High School while Siegel read a May 1968 account by newspaper columnist Mike Royko of two long-haired, hippie men who were attacked by a group of high school students, some in ROTC uniforms, while eating lunch on a bench in the park-like grounds. The story showed how emotionally charged political positions were in that year and how appearance was used to define sides.
The bus headed back to Lincoln Park. Here, the group visited the Church of the Three Crosses, where the Young Lords, a Puerto Rican group, and the Young Patriots, a predominantly white group, met with the Black Panthers to form the original Rainbow Coalition. The bus also paused in front of the former Ambassador West Hotel, now a condominium building, where Robert Kennedy made a speech criticizing President Johnson’s Vietnam policies, his last appearance in Chicago before he was shot in California. Between stops, Siegel represented the era by playing a 1968 Mike Bloomfield version of the song “It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” and playing a segment of the 1969 documentary American Revolution 2, which showed members of the Black Panthers and Young Patriots discussing issues of the day.
Open discussion also began among the passengers, as a few began to share their own memories. One woman told the group that she was an emergency room nurse at a Lincoln Park hospital that year and her husband, also on the tour, was a policeman who was assigned to crowd control in Grant Park that summer.
When the bus reached Grant Park, it paused on E. Jackson Drive, and Siegel played a segment from an episode of the PBS series American Experience that detailed the events of August 1968 through interviews and original footage.
In spring of that year, national anti-war organizations announced they would protest during the Democratic National Convention, where Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who supported President Johnson’s war policies, was up for nomination. Rumors swirled that radical anti-war groups planned to disrupt the city and the convention through pranks and demonstrations. Mayor Richard J. Daley took a hard-line stance, denying most groups permits to hold protests and stationing 12,000 police and 7,500 Illinois National Guardsmen in the city. Nevertheless, thousands of protestors gathered in Grant Park on the days of the convention. On August 28, protestors were blocked from marching to the Amphitheater, and many walked out of the park via Jackson to demonstrate in front of the Conrad Hilton on Michigan Avenue, where convention delegates were staying. In the bloody clashes that followed, 100 protestors and 100 police were injured, and more than 500 people were arrested.
As the bus left Grant Park, the former policeman in the group spoke of what he witnessed that day with some emotion in his voice. “It was mass chaos,” he said. “I saw some policemen going overboard and some cooling people out.”
The bus headed south, toward the former site of the Amphitheater, at W. 42nd Street and S. Halsted Street. There was no violence at the convention site, which was protected by a military unit, but inside the hall, Democratic delegates were divided into those who supported President Johnson’s war policies and those who wanted to adopt a new anti-war platform. After heated debates, the pro-Johnson contingent won and Humphrey was nominated. Later that year, Humphrey lost the national election to Richard Nixon. The Amphitheater was demolished in 1999.
The final leg of the tour moved through Hyde Park and Bronzeville to the soundtrack of two 1968 tunes produced by Curtis Mayfield. Heading toward the West Side, the bus paused briefly in front of an empty lot that was once the home of a 21-year-old soldier killed in Vietnam. Siegel read the young man’s obituary, dated March 2, 1968. Then the bus continued to W. Madison Street, the center of the riots that followed Dr. King’s April 1968 murder. Pausing a final time in front of the United Center, Siegel read from the poem “Riot,” by Gwendolyn Brooks, who was named Illinois Poet Laureate in 1968.
Afterward, some participants shared their thoughts on the tour, on which Siegel emphasized not just historic fact but also reflection on its meaning and relevance to the present. One Chicagoan, who was accompanied by a friend visiting from Vermont, said she was struck by the similarities between 1968 and 2008, both election years with deep political divisions over war policy. Another participant, who is a docent with the Chicago Architecture Foundation, commented on the extensive research required to incorporate so many historical sources.
Despite admitting to spending many hours on research, Siegel concluded that he would grade his own performance as “incomplete.”
“I was thrilled with the group [on the tour], because they had experience that filled in the gaps in my own,” he said. “I’m glad they spoke up.”
More traffic ticket cameras to be installed
Belmont and Lake Shore, Belmont and Halsted getting cameras
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications recently approved a contract to create as many as 220 additional red light camera intersections throughout the City.
Traffic light cameras will be installed at Belmont and Halsted Streets and Belmont and Lake Shore Drive by the end of the month, the city says.
“The goal of the red light camera program has always been public safety, and we have seen great success,” said Office of Emergency Management and Communications Executive Director Tony Ruiz. “Intersections with cameras experienced a dramatic reduction in red light running—an average 59 percent reduction system wide. And that translates into safer motorists and safer pedestrians.”
Redflex Traffic Systems, Inc. was awarded the five-year, $52 million contract. The new contract reduces the cost of camera installation from $100,000 to $24,500, and continues the use of technology to allow motorists to see evidence of their violation on the Internet.
Six new red light camera intersections are slated for installation by the end of March, with as many as 60 new intersections being added by the end of 2008.
Chicago currently has 69 intersections with cameras.
In 2003, Chicago launched its Red Light Camera pilot program to address an increase in fatal motor crashes at traffic signals. Using Police accident data, cameras were installed at 10 intersections. Since those intersections were equipped with cameras, there has been an overall reduction in red light accidents of 24 percent.
Critics, however, say the cameras are a safety hazard that increase the number of rear-end collisions as drivers slam on the brakes during yellow lights to avoid tickets.
The cameras also can mail tickets for turning right illegally on red lights and stopping past the crosswalk line.
Anti-camera spokespeople say the intersection safety will be improved more by added engineering and increasing yellow light time.
"These cameras are not about improving safety, they about adding revenue and that's it," said National Motorist Association spokesman Aaron Quinn.
CITY BEAT - Edgewater neighbors: clean up gang hangout
Residents living near the 6000 block of N. Paulina Street in Edgewater say they are fed up with two properties where rowdy teens congregate causing trouble and harassing pedestrians.
Amanda Solon, President of Neighbors of Edgewater West, said Feb. 26 that their group has been working with the 40th ward alderman's office and the 24th police district on this problem. Police cameras have been installed.
She said groups of young men congregate drinking and doing drugs.
"They prey upon women walking alone so we don't dare walk by alone anymore," Solon said. "The police are called there constantly. There was a huge a fight a couple weeks ago. There is drug activity and children are there who should be at school. We see younger children drinking and public urination."
Solon said there have been three "mediation sessions" with police, landlords and residents of the properties; one eviction is expected in the near-future. "This has been going on really bad for the last year and a half," Solon said. The site is near the intersections of Ridge, Clark and Peterson.
Another problem on the block is that people are illegally using basements and attics as apartments causing overcrowding and fire safety problems, another resident of the block said.
New labor site sparks controversy
By Tracy Yoshida Gruen
Special To Inside
A large number of residents testified before the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals at a recent meeting, many of them in opposition to the idea of opening a Labor Ready branch office at 4830 N. Sheridan Road.
Annually, Labor Ready places about 600,000 temporary workers in construction, hospitality, retail, landscaping, manufacturing and more.
Some of the residents are concerned that the workers who are expected to line up in front of the Labor Ready office may be a potential danger to children who attend nearby elementary schools and a Boys and Girls Club located across the street on Sheridan Road.
Opponents also believe that locating a day labor agency at that location would have a negative impact on the commercial development of the uptown neighborhood.
Others believe it does not meet the requirements for a special use variance.
“We oppose the granting of the special use,” said Joyce Dugan, the executive director of Uptown United. She believes that if Labor Ready is built in that location it will be “more difficult to attract good businesses to the area.” She said in the area there are two fast food restaurants and a convenient store.
Members of the Gunnison Block Club have started a website, called www.stoplaborready.org. Residents from the club stated that Labor Read representatives told them that Alderman Helen Shiller, of the 46th ward, supported their proposal to locate a branch in Uptown.
Shiller did not return any phone calls made to her office by Inside Chicago regarding the matter.
Vice President of Corporate Communications for Labor Ready, Stacey Burke, has stated that they believe there are workers who live in Uptown that they can put to work.
Burke said they serve as a “gateway” for many people to find work and allow businesses to continue growing.
New gifted program for local school
Two new classrooms of students coming to Coonley
As Chicago’s public magnet schools grow increasingly popular, U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-5) congratulated parents, teachers and administrators at John C. Coonley Elementary School Feb. 29 on its designation as a Regional Center by Chicago Public School Board of Education at their February 27 meeting.
47th Ward Alderman Gene Schulter and Emanuel said Feb. 29 they lobbied Chicago Public School chief Arnie Duncan and his top aide David Pickens in order to get the 325-student kindergarten through eighth grade North Center school at 4046 North Leavitt the new designation.
Following the successful verdict, Emanuel said he was going send Duncan a cheesecake in thanks.
“Designating public schools like Coonley as a Regional Gifted Center magnet school will keep families with young children right here in the neighborhood instead of moving to the suburbs,” said Emanuel. “Coonley has a diverse student population, engaged parents and neighbors, and a motivated faculty and administration. It is a perfect example of a neighborhood school that goes toe-to-toe with any private school in the city.”
Emanuel and Schulter said the new program would not be in competition with neighboring Bell School but would instead give parents another new option. The program creates two new gifted kindergarten to first grade classrooms, said Principal Kathleen Kennedy-Kartheiser at the announcement.
The program begins next school year. Kennedy-Kartheiser said she was not sure how much it will cost.
Schulter also noted that Emanuel lives in the 47th ward and has been helpful on several issues in the past.
The school also recently announced they were awarded $3.75 million in funding which will be used for a new library media resource center, a new science lab, a new student lunchroom, a new playground, landscaping and community green space, a new marquee sign, additional restrooms and remodeling of existing restrooms.
Regional Gifted Centers provide an accelerated instructional program in core content areas and include a world language or Latin, laboratory science, computer science and fine arts.
A differentiated and enriched curriculum allows for skill development commensurate with student abilities and interests. Through inquiry based learning, students develop research skills and work collaboratively in small groups.
“The goal here is to give options to families in the 47th Ward and to work together to keep families in our Ward. In many cases, it takes the leaders of the community getting together to ensure that the 47th Ward remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family. That is why Congressman Emanuel and I worked collaboratively to push these initiatives through,” said Schulter. “Through my efforts, we have provided capital funds from the City of Chicago to help improve both the inside and out of Coonley School."
In the Chicago area, magnet schools have become increasingly popular. According to some reports, last year alone, Chicago’s 36 magnet schools were flooded with thousands of applications.
On average, for every one student, they received eight applications.
The applications for classical and gifted schools were even more overwhelming, on average there were 6,800 applications for 1,600 spots. Although the selection process is done by randomized lottery, deserving students are left with few alternatives.
“In the last century, we made certain that every child had access to a public education,” said Emanuel. “In the spirit of that commitment, the time has come to mandate choice within the public education system in this century.”
Since 2003, Emanuel has secured federal funding for the Chicago Public Schools After School Matters initiatives, the After School Counts program, programs for at-risk youth and the Chicago Academy.
Additionally, Emanuel has introduced the Preparing Excellent Teachers Act, legislation to provide federal grants to schools that want to mirror the success of the Chicago Academy, one of the most innovative public school teacher training programs in the country.
At the event Feb. 29, the congressman was also asked about separate issues. A radio reporter asked him if he would endorse either Ill. Sen. Barack Obama or New York Sen. Hillary Clinton for president. He said he would remain neutral. The congressman is a former top Clinton aide. Inside Publications asked the congressman what he thought about the budget breakdown on the Cook County Board and he said "they'll work it
out" and he sides with Commissioner Forrest Claypool.
History Museum series on U.S. Presidency begins March 8
The Chicago History Museum presents a three-part series that examines the county’s highest office, the presidency.
Programs will take place at the Chicago History Museum on Tuesdays March 11, 18, and 25 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The first program, "Presidents, The Press, and Public Perceptions" on March 11 takes a critical look at the nation’s leadership as a political journalist explains the media’s duty to report on the role and responsibility of this elite office.
Get insight into the process and examine the role journalism plays in shaping local, national, and global perceptions of the American presidency.
The second program, "Beyond the White House: The Presidency Revealed Through Presidential Travel" on March 18 explores the history of how presidents have traveled the nation to meet with and speak to their fellow Americans.
Join historian and author, Richard Ellis, as he shares the history of presidential travel and its impact on the changing relationship between American presidents and the citizens they serve.
The third and final program of the series, "Heroes, Statesmen, Philanderers, and Fools: The American Presidency in Popular Culture" on March 25 explores the American presidency as it has been depicted in television and film – from fictional characters like "West Wing's" Josiah Bartlet to fictionalizations of real presidents in "Birth of a Nation" and the internet sensation "JibJab."
Although primarily intended to entertain, Chicago History Museum historian, Sarah Marcus’ depictions will also offer criticism, praise, and alternative visions of contemporary political life. Each program is $10 and $8 for
Museum members.
Edgewater historical society calls for chairs
'Once upon a chair' to tell stories with seats
The Edgewater Historical Society and the North Lakeside Cultural Center have announced a call for entries for a special exhibit, Once Upon a Chair which will be featured at both exhibit spaces.
The exhibit will open on May 1 at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, 6219 N. Sheridan Road, with a reception for the participants and guests.
The exhibit will officially close on June 7 with a reception at the Edgewater Historical Society Museum, 5358 N. Ashland.
The exhibit will feature both ordinary and unusual chairs and the stories they tell.
People are asked to consider if they have a chair in their home that is connected to special memories.
To participate in the exhibit send a photo of the chair and an 8.5 x 11 copy of the writing to go with the chair.
Also send the measurements of the chair.
Each of the chairs and the writing about the chair will be exhibited in the galleries of the sponsoring organizations.
The entry fee is $5 and the deadline is April 18. Mail the application and the check made out to the Edgewater Historical Society to the Edgewater Historical Society Museum, 5358 N. Ashland, Chicago, IL 60640. Include name, address phone number and email address. After submission of the application artist will be contacted for delivery times and dates.
For further information call the North Lakeside Cultural Center at 773 743-4477 or Call the Edgewater Historical Society Museum at 773-506-4849 or go online to the Edgewater Historical Society website.
Movie filming on Northside features well-known actors
Star a graduate of Lincoln Park H.S
By Terry Jinks
Special To Inside
If historic TV characters Ricky and Lucy have staying power than the new comedy-drama "Humboldt Park" could be a hit following in the mold of the classic TV show.
Filming was originally set for Jan. 30 to Feb. 26 for the Northside of Chicago Avenue from Leavitt Street west to the loading dock at 2204 W. Chicago Avenue. The filming has been blocking off portions of the roadway, according to the 32nd ward aldermanic office.
The movie features acting stalwart John Leguizamo, who has appeared in more than 35 films, Deborah Messing from "Will and Grace" and Freddy Rodriguez who has performed in "Six Feet Under," "Bobby" and "Grindhouse." He stars in the story as Jesse Rodriguez, the guilt-ridden Marine reluctantly returning home after losing a close friend in combat.
"I had discussed with Freddy Rodriquez doing a Hispanic family film for about 10 years," said producer Bob Teitel. "I knew Freddy from being on the same flights to L.A."
Teitel visits relatives in Humboldt Park during summer vacations and Rodriquez graduated from Lincoln Park High School.
"There was something of a Hispanic family comedy-drama void in the film world. We are excited about the cast. With Deborah and John, it doesn’t get any better than that," said Teitel. "I make all my films in Chicago. This is the sixth one. People in the neighborhoods have been great and so supportive."
And Humbolt Park is definitely not the first movie to be filmed in the Chicago area of late.
"The amount of local money for the Chicago metropolitan area for 2007 is still being compiled," said Rich Moskal, Director of the Chicago Film Office. "Local money means dollars that go into the Chicago area economy that includes hotels, location fees, cast and crew, car leasing, props, publicity and many other business expenses connected with movie making. Movies produced here meant approximately $150 million to our economy last year."
Chicago is a very affordable place with rich character for moviemaking, he said.
"It is felt by local neighborhoods, too," said 32nd ward Alderman Scott Waguespack. "Films made here effect everyone from wait staff to security details. It is great to see filmmakers return to their home neighborhoods."
"Humboldt Park" is about the Rodriguez family gathering at their parents home to celebrate the holidays and their youngest brother's safe return from overseas combat.
For Jesse (Rodriguez), coming home has rekindled feelings for an old flame, although she can't seem to forgive him for leaving.
His older sister Roxanna, a struggling actress, has been chasing her Hollywood dreams for years with little to show for it.
And much to the dismay of their mother Anna (Elizabeth Peña), older brother Mauricio (Leguizamo) brings home a high-powered executive wife (Messing) who would rather raise capital than a child.
In the course of one eventful week, traditions are celebrated, secrets revealed and major life decisions made.
The holiday season family drama begins when Anna announces to her children she is divorcing their father Eduardo (Alfred Molina).
Shock waves from this familial upheaval prompt Roxanna, Mauricio and Jesse, each in their own way, to reevaluate the past and rethink the future.
When the family learns that one of their own is facing a true crisis, they instinctively pull together.
Old resentments are forgotten, familial bonds are re-affirmed and the healing power of laughter works its magic as they discover they are much stronger than they ever realized.
The film is produced by Chicago-born filmmaking partners Teitel and George Tillman of "Barbershop."
The film also stars Tony Award winner Molina ("Spider-Man 2" "Frida," "Boogie Nights") and actress Elizabeth Peña ("Tortilla Soup," "Rush Hour," "Lone Star") as Eduardo and Anna Rodriguez, the bickering parents who both reveal unexpected, ill-timed surprises to their gathering clan.
The cast also includes Vanessa Ferlito ("CSI: NY," Spider-Man 2, Grindhouse) as Roxanna, the older sister and struggling actress anxiously awaiting word during her holiday visit about a role
in a new TV series; Jay Hernandez ("Friday Night Lights," "Ladder 49," "Crazy/Beautiful") as Ozzy, one of the neighborhood street toughs trying to mend his ways by working at the Rodriguez bodega; veteran character
actor Luis Guzman
("Traffic," "Boogie Nights," "Confidence") as the wisecracking, lovelorn cousin Johnny; and Melonie Diaz ("Be Kind Rewind," "Lords of Dogtown") as Marissa, Jesse’s former flame now involved with another neighborhood guy.
Local soldier killed in Iraq
A twenty-year-old soldier from West Rogers Park was killed by a roadside bomb in Baghdad Wednesday, Feb. 20.
Albert Bitton, 20, is a 2005 graduate Ida Crown Jewish Academy, 2828 W. Pratt Boulevard.
Bitton was working as a medic in the Army's 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division. He planned to attend medical school and become a doctor.
He married Melissa Handleman last year.
Cpl. Bitton was killed by the improvised explosive device riding on an Army Humvee. Services were held at Congregation Adas Yeshurun, 3050 W. Touhy on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Two other soldiers died in the bombing.
Rabbi Leonard Matanky is the dean of the Ida Crown Jewish Academy; Matanky said Bitton had "a wonderful infectious smile" and "very close relationships with his friends and family."
"He decided to enlist both for civic duty and because of future opportunities. This has been very painful. He was murdered by terrorists and there was no way to see that coming."
Rowing coach dies at park lagoon of heart problems, cold weather
The coach of the Lincoln Park Rowing Club died of a heart attack caused in part by cold temperatures Monday, Feb. 18 at the South Lagoon in Lincoln Park.
Laura Kubiak at Chicago Police News Affairs said police responded to 2235 N. Cannon Drive to assist ambulance attempting to revive an unresponsive man with no heartbeat.
Yurly Kuperman, 74, of the 600 block of W. Diversey Parkway, was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead.
A subsequent autopsy called the death an accident caused by heart problems brought on in part by freezing temperatures outside.
POLICE BEAT
Roadblock held on Western Avenue
The Chicago Police Department held a Roadside Safety Check at 3444 N. Western Avenue, beginning at 8 p.m. on March 1, and ending at 4 a.m. on March 2.
"The purpose of the program is to apprehend drivers who are operating vehicles while under the influence of alcohol or drugs," says Superintendent Jody Weis. "The program also offers an opportunity to issue citations to drivers who are otherwise a hazard to themselves and others on the public way."
During roadside checks officers slowed the traffic flow, stopped cars at regular intervals, spoke with drivers and watched for signs of alcohol impairment and other violations.
Traffic was backed up several blocks for southbound traffic on the Saturday night.
The Roadside Safety Checks are funded by a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation.
Traffic section commander Robert Evans could not be reached for comment.
18/23
Disabled man robbed of cash, medication
A disabled man, 34, was robbed by three men at 5 a.m. on Feb. 27 on the 900 block of W. Eastwood Avenue in Uptown. Two of the robbers held the victim while the third took $50 and three bottles of prescription medication from him.
Son stabs father after argument about dinner
A son, 31, dissatisfied about dinner stabbed his father, 54, with a 12-inch knife on the 3600 block of N. Pine Grove Avenue at 8 p.m. on Feb. 20. The stabber was out of jail on parole for a past murder charge. When police arrived, they saw the father sitting on a chair in the kitchen soaking his stabbed right forearm with a towel and the son was mopping up blood. The father was uncooperative with police.
Hotel burglary
A burglary was reported at the Chateau Hotel, 3838 N. Broadway, Feb. 29. A woman, 39, said she returned home from work to discover several items missing from her dresser. The door was closed but not locked.
Two robbed after leaving nightclub
A student, 21, and a machine maintenance worker, 24, left the Berlin Nightclub at 954 Belmont Avenue at 2:30 a.m. March 1 and were walking several blocks away on the 800 block of W. Aldine Avenue when the men were approached by two people and asked "Want to buy some weed?" They ignored this and were told "hold on, we both got pistols."
One of the robbers then grabbed a victim by the coat, punched him in the face, pushed him to the ground and took his wallet. The second man then handed over his wallet.
Woman, 24, loses wallet at bar
A theft was reported at a Wrigleyville bar on the 3300 block of N. Clark Street. A woman, 24, said her wallet was taken from her purse March 1 at 11 p.m.
Burglar caught with Nintendo in Uptown
A burglar was caught and arrested Feb. 18 in Uptown.
A building manager on the 900 block of W. Eastwood Avenue was walking up the stairs last week when she heard her dog bark. She went back downstairs, saw her apartment door was open and then spotted a man in her bedroom going through her things. The man, 27, then ran away and police caught up with him nearby on the 4700 block of N. Sheridan Road with a Nintendo game system.
Jeep stolen
A 2007 Silver Jeep Cherokee parked on the street was reported stolen at 3170 N. Cambridge Avenue on March 2.
Robber beats realtor, take his chicken nuggets and pet rat
A realtor, 32, was the victim of a strong-armed robbery at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15 on the 900 block of W. Sunnyside Avenue in Uptown. The man was carrying a bag of McDonalds with chicken nuggets and fries as well as a $5 pet rat he just purchased from the Petco pet store when he was approached from behind.
The robber said "give me your money or I'll --- you up." The realtor said he didn't have any money so the robber punched him in the face causing his glasses to fly in the air. The robber continued to swing at him and the realtor dropped his McDonalds and bag from the pet store with the rat inside which the robber grabbed and ran away. The robber was then apprehended by police nearby at 4510 N. Sheridan Road.
Robber takes wallet, escapes in cab
A Naperville man, 26, was walking down the sidewalk at Irving Park Road and Marine Drive Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. when he was approached by a robber wearing a black hoodie between the age of 18 and 30. The robber shoved the victim in the chest knocking him to the ground and then took his wallet. After that, the robber hailed a yellow cab which drove him away.
Robber asks for cigarette to be lit
A server, 21, was robbed on the 700 block of W. Melrose Street Feb 29. He was on foot when a robber approached him and asked for a light. The victim lit the cigarette and walked away. However, the robber followed him and he said "'Don't follow me. I don't want you behind me." The robber retorted by saying "Why do you think I'm following you?" and then pushed him down and grabbed his wallet. The server then managed to get up and grabbed the robber by the neck and they struggled. At this time, a second robber came from behind and hit the waiter in the head and they ran away.
GPS taken from car
A GPS system worth $330 was taken from a car on the 3100 block of N. Broadway. Police remind vehicle owners who have GPS systems to beware the systems are prime targets of thieves.
Bus driver threatened
A CTA bus driver, 28, was threatened on the job last week on the 4700 block of N. Clark Street. A rider, 50, of the 2700 block of N. Lakeview Avenue used vulgarities and racial slurs causing a disturbance aboard the bus and threatened to attack the driver before departing and being caught by police.
Man wakes up, spots home invader taking computer
A man, 50, was sleeping in his bed on the 600 block of W. Addison Street Feb. 27 when he woke up and saw a man in his apartment unplugging his laptop computer from the electric outlet. The man, who works as a hair stylist, jumped out of bed and the home invader hit him in the head with a blunt object and ran away with the computer. The victim chased after the man but he got away. He had broken into the residence by shattering the rear window.
Man holds burglar
A man, 38, caught a burglar stealing things on the 1300 block of N. Sedgewick in a building basement at 2:51 p.m. Feb. 20. When the burglar was approached, he said "I'm Jimmy man. I live on the second floor."
The two then fought and the 38-year-old held the burglar down for awhile but he eventually escaped.
Student accepts ride, robbed
A vehicle pulled up to a 20-year-old DePaul University student at 3 a.m. Feb. 23 on the 1600 block of N. Halsted Street and the driver asked the man if he needed a ride somewhere. The driver, a woman wearing spandex and a leopard-spotted top, told the man to hand over his possessions once in the car. He complied, tossing her his wallet, and then ran from the car.
Woman walks around man laying on floor, purse snatched
A 22-year-old was walking down the 0-100 block of Ohio Street at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 when she approached a man laying face-down on the sidewalk. As she walked around him, another man jumped out and grabbed her purse. At this point, the man on the ground stood up and they both ran away. They took $30 out of the purse and dropped it on the ground.
Burglars leave threatening note
Burglars took $50 from an apartment Feb. 17 on the 1200 block of N. Burling Street near the intersection of Halsted and Division Streets and left a note threatening to return and harm the resident who is a woman, 30.
19/20
Man shows knife
Two men caused a disturbance in a retail store on the 5700 block of N. Clark Street last week. The men, aged 18 and 22, were asked to leave and one displayed a knife. They were arrested.
Dead man's credit card still in use
A case of identity theft tied to the 5600 block of N. Richmond Street was reported this week by a Skokie accountant handling finances for the estate of a man who passed away in Nov. 2007.
She learned that despite the man's death, his credit card had been in use for more than a year.
Cabbie catches burglars
A cab driver, 33, was attacked when he approached two criminals attempting to burglarize his cab March 1 at 7:33 p.m. on the 23oo block of Lawrence.
When he approached, one of the men pulled out a knife and started slashing at his throat and face, and then they both ran away and were located and arrested by police on Lincoln Avenue.
The men were breaking into the cab because it had a GPS device, police believe.
Man leaves car running to warm it up
A man, 57, turned on his blue 2003 Volvo last week in a motel parking lot on the 5900 block of N. Lincoln Avenue to warm it up. He then went inside and when he returned the Volvo was gone.
Motorcycle stolen
A 2007 black and gray Yamaha motorcycle was stolen from the street on the 5800 block of N. Kenmore Avenue Feb. 24.
Boy, 14, reports sexual encounter with 22-year-old
A student, 14, of Andersonville, told his mother and a school counselor Feb. 28 that he had consensual sex with a 22-year-old man he met online.
Man with crack pipes creates disturbance in eatery
A man with a knife and two crack pipes caused commotion at a restaurant on the 4800 block of N. Broadway Feb. 28.
He was arrested after flashing the knife and refusing to leave.
Attempted murder
A man, 36, was arrested Feb. 15 on the 4200 block of N. Lincoln Avenue for attempted murder. The man, of the 3400 block of N. Hoyne, was trying to slash a victim in the neck with a knife.
Woman arrested
for stick-ups
A 23-year-old from the 4400 block of W. Wilson was arrested for attempting to take property from people threatening them with a knife on the 2400 block of W. Leland Feb. 12.
Drinking in public
A 27-year-old from the 2800 block of N. Clybourn was arrested Feb. 18 on the 2900 block of N. Clybourn for drinking alcohol on the public right of way.
Neighborhood Notes
Lake View - Lincoln Square - Ravenswood – Uptown
Lincoln Square Chamber meeting
at Chicago Soccer
The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce meets Tuesday, March 18 at Chicago Soccer, 4839 N. Western Avenue at 6:30 p.m.
Traveling exhibit
at German center
A traveling museum exhibit about prisoners of war in Germany during World War Two will be on display Friday, March 14 and Saturday, March 15 at the DANK HAUS German Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Avenue. "Behind Barbed Wire, Midwest POWs In Nazi German" is free.
Detainee poetry event
At 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 9 defense attorney of detainee's at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Marc Falkoff will present a book of poems by the prisoners at the Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln Avenue.
New Catholic Chicago exhibit opens at
History Museum
The first in a series of exhibitions to explore our city from the perspective of faith, this exhibition will delve into how the experience of being Catholic in Chicago has transformed over time. Examined through a historical context, several themes—the parish, education, worship, social action, and community celebrations—will introduce and reveal the lives of Catholics, past and present. The exhibit opens March 8.
Recital
The public is cordially invited to a recital by George Vincent Humphrey, Tenor, on Sunday, March 9, at 4 p.m. at the Second Unitarian Church, 656 W. Barry Avenue.
He will be accompanied by Susan Heiserman on the piano. Mr. Humphrey is well-known in Chicago’s German and Austrian-American circles. He will be performing art songs by Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Pizzetti, Kurt Weill, David Diamond and Richard Hundley.
For further information please call (773) 317-5877.
Biography of
civil rights activist
Author Paula Giddings presents information from her biography of civil rights pioneer Ida B. Wells at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 11 at Women's and Children First Bookstore, 5223 North Clark.
Free Lent and
Easter concert
St. Peter’s Cultivators present a dramatic reading of "Death Be Not Proud: A Concert of Lent and Easter Poetry" on Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 621 W. Belmont Ave.
"Death Be Not Proud" is a concert without music for both choral and solo parts whose subject is the Christian experience of Lent and Easter seen through the prism of poetry.
It takes its title from the opening line of Holy Sonnet X by John Donne, just one of the many famous poets whose works are featured in the performance. "Death Be Not Proud" is a spiritual journey through language and time, from Anglo Saxon verse pre-dating Beowulf, through poetical works from the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and up to the 20th century.
Come and join us for the voyage, and let your spirit be moved by the beauty of verse.
The performance will be followed by a cheese, wine and soft-drink reception. Entrance is free and all are welcome.
Discussion of international
women's issues
Judy Tzu-Chun Wu of Ohio State University presents the talk "Women's Internationalism & Orientalism: The Indochinese Women's Conference of 1971" at 3 p.m. Friday, March 14 at Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton
AARP
Lakeview Chapter
The local AARP meets Monday, March 10 at the Merlo Library, 644 W. Belmont, at noon. A speaker from the Senior Peace Corp. will give a presentation. All those 50 years of age and older are welcome.
Nature conference
The nature education symposium: "Citizen Science" will be held on March 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 North Cannon Drive.
Citizen science projects use volunteers to make field observations and to collect and record data. Scientists use this data to learn about things such as the health of a watershed or the migration patterns or butterflies. Refreshments and lunch are included. Cost is $50 per person. Pre-registration requested. Call 773-755-5100 ext. 5007 for more information.
Dating for queer nerds
Play board games including Homogenius and show off your skills at trivia quizzes with other smart GLBT singles. Admission includes a complimentary cocktail and chances to win geeky giveaways like librarian action figures, superhero stamps, and copies of Joel Derfner's "Gay Haiku." Event at Guthrie's Tavern, 1300 W. Addison Avenue on Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m.
Join studio audience
for radio show focused on theater scene
The one-hour interview radio show "The Callback" which focuses on the local theater scene will be taped Monday at the Strawdog Theater, 3829 N. Broadway. Bar opens at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m. Join the live studio audience. Show is taped every Monday.
Gold Coast - Lincoln Park - Loop - Near North
Beethoven concert
Conductor John Eliot Gardiner and pianist Robert Levin, both known for their revelatory performances of Viennese classics, turn their attention to Beethoven’s poetic Fourth Piano Concerto at 8 p.m. March 6 to March 8 at the Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave. Schumann’s exciting Rhenish Symphony and Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony, an orchestral arrangement of one of his string quartets, complete the program. Presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 312-294-3000.
Panel to discuss
music business
A panel will discuss the basics of publicity, promotion and marketing, focused on building an audience for music on Monday, March 10 at 6 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Topics will include the following: getting first gigs; making first recordings; creating an identity and an online presence through tools such as MySpace, YouTube and merchandise; using public appearances to build and grow an audience; retaining an audience; growing an audience in other cities; and using new marketing tools to connect with existing and future audiences.
This discussion and networking opportunity is part of Musicians at Work Forums, which invite leading industry professionals to address cutting-edge issues of interest and concern for people in all segments of the music business.
Opera performance
He’s handsome, socially connected, and rich. Almaviva is the man of Rosina’s dreams, and he even wants to marry her! So what’s the problem? Her crusty old guardian thinks he should be her husband! It’s time to call in reinforcements. Enter Figaro, the barber of Seville, master of blarney and bamboozlement and the best friend two sweethearts ever had. With wonderful sets inspired by Magritte, everything turns up roses (not to mention five-foot combs and floating chairs!) in this beloved Rossini charmer. Sung in Italian with projected English titles through March 22, times vary. Location at the Civic Opera House on the northwest corner of Madison and Wacker.
Irish family concert
Kick off the St. Patrick’s holiday in Chicago a little bit early with "If you're Irish..." an all new family concert appearing for one night only at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State, Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m.
This concert, led by renowned conductor and producer Frank McNamara, will feature three of Ireland’s top artists including Irish Tenor Derek Moloney, Irish soprano Deirdre Shannon and Irish fiddler Cora Smyth. Backed by a full orchestra and large chorus, the concert is based on the famous tune by the Irish Rovers, “If You’re Irish...”
Shakespeare Theater
Chicago Shakespeare Theater is kicking off a series of weekend family performances called Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet.
A 75-minute abridged production in Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Courtyard Theater, Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet offers parents, grandparents, teachers, and all adults with children in their lives, an opportunity to introduce young people to the theater. Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet is presented on seven consecutive Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., February 23 through April 5. Immediately following each performance, the actors remain on stage for a brief question-and-answer session and then join the audience in the lobby for one-on-one conversations and photo opportunities.
Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet is a 75-minute abridgment of Shakespeare’s text, for which Amanda Dehnert will serve as director. Dehnert is currently a professor at Northwestern University and is scheduled to make her directorial debut at Canada’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival with next season’s Cabaret. A resident director with Trinity Repertory Company, has been at the helm of more than 20 productions, including Henry IV, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Othello, Saint Joan, and Cyrano de Bergerac. For the Trinity Summer Shakespeare Project she has directed Julius Caesar, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Richard III.
The star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, are performed by Stephen Louis Grush and Lee Stark.
Addiction workshop
The second in a series of Haymarket Center Spring Workshops on substance abuse will be held Saturday, March 8, at Haymarket Center, 932 W. Washington Blvd. The workshop begins at 9 a.m. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. The program will guide attendees in Narrative Therapy, Strategic Therapy and other post-modern theories to help clients create positive movement in recovery. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will discuss why clients may mistrust the counseling experience, identify clinical strategies and approaches, describe methods to assist male clients in seeing how their past identities may keep them stuck, help men discover their strengths, and recognize the cultural implications of a client’s narrative and how cultural values may help in changing one’s identity.
Presenters for this workshop are Bob Carty, Andy Grant and Andy Young.
Upcoming workshops will include “DUI: Update 2008,” on Saturday, March 29; “The Intersect of Sexual Trauma and Substance Abuse,” Saturday, April 5; and “Motherhood and Substance Use: The Relationships Women Have With Their Children,” Saturday, April 19. Cost is $95 per workshop with lunch and parking included. Three or more workshops are $80 each.
Vocalist at
Cultural Center
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs presents A Vocal Journeys recital featuring Mezzo-Soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers accompanied by pianist Craig Terry on Wednesday, March 19, 6:30 p.m. at Preston Bradley Hall, Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Free admission; limited seating.
Catherine Wyn-Rogers, appearing at the Lyric Opera in Eugene Onegin this March, has been seen on the world’s leading opera and recital stages. She returns to Chicago following a debut at the Lyric in The Midsummer Marriage.
Free concert at Lincoln Park Cultural Center
Fred Lonberg-Holm performs with his Valentine Trio. at 7 p.m. March 19 at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West. Starting out as a tribute to cellist/composer Fred Katz, The Valentine Trio evolved into a vehicle for exploring a wider variety of music, while maintaining its original influence.
Gala for Opera Theater
On Saturday, March 8, Chicago Opera Theater hosts its 2008 Spring Gala at the grand ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton Chicago.
The Gala Committee, chaired by Board Trustee Jon Omahen, is pleased to honor Gladys L. Wolff for her 30 years of service as a member of the Chicago Opera Theater Board of Directors. Celebrity guests include NBC 5’s Art Norman as emcee and opera legend Carol Vaness as performer.
Vaness has sung on the world's most famous stages including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, La Scala, Vienna State Opera, Paris Opera, Royal Opera House and Covent Garden. Ms. Vaness has appeared on numerous television broadcasts throughout North America and Europe, and compiled a catalog of recordings.
The 2008 Spring Gala presents an evening inspired by COT’s innovative “Opera Less Ordinary” style encouraging guests to dress in creative cocktail attire for the evening.
The evening will feature a cocktail reception, dinner, a raffle and live and silent auction prizes which include a Whirlwind Wild West Weekend in L.A. and Germany Countryside Classic travel packages.
COT is pleased to have Art Norman of NBC 5 as the Gala’s emcee. He is known for his Chicago community feature news reports in a segment called Art Norman’s Chicago and as host of a hi-tech news program, Weekend Web. Throughout his career, Norman has received some of journalism honors including a total of six Emmy awards and awards from the Associated Press and the National Association of Educators. He hosts a number of community events each year and is a spokesman for the United Negro College Fund.
INSIDE - Letters to the Editor
Alderman comments on new soccer field in the park
Dear Editor:
I would like to give an update on what has transpired with the soccer field in Lincoln Park and clarify some of the misinformation that has been reported.
First the soccer field is just that, a field, not a stadium as it has been called. You can see a very similar example in Lincoln Park at Montrose. There are bleachers, about 5’ tall, smaller than those currently used around the baseball fields. Only one side has a fence to keep the balls from rolling into the zoo parking lot.
This field is not for the exclusive use of Latin School, nor is it privatizing the park.
It’s a public-private partnership that allows the Park District to improve public facilities and allows Latin School to use an area they have been accessing for years.
Latin School currently takes out permits for this area and other park district facilities, as do other schools and private sports clubs like AYSO and the Chicago Sport & Social Club.
When this or any other recreation area is not being used by a group that has purchased a permit, it is open to anyone who wishes to use it.
A more elaborate project with a running track was proposed for this area several years ago. While that project elicited similar resistance from some, it also had support from the running community and soccer parents and coaches from numerous schools including Lincoln Park High School.
The meetings we had on that project were usually evenly split between supporters and opponents.
That project was sidelined when the Park District and the Board of Education did not have funding for their share of the costs which they were going to split 3-ways with the Latin School.
I introduced a resolution in the City Council in order to bring all parties together to discuss the soccer field proposal.
I held several meetings with representatives from the Chicago Park District, the Latin School, the Gold Coast Neighbors, Friends of the Park, the Lincoln Park Advisory Council and the Lincoln Park Conservancy.
We were able to reach compromises on design of the field, landscaping of the area, shielding the lights (both new and old) from nearby high-rises, widening the jogging path, repairing and replacing water fountains, and reductions in the permitted times of use by Latin School.
While the park groups and I agree that these discussions should have occurred before approval by the Park District Board, we also believe that this is a legitimate recreational use and an improvement for this area of Lincoln Park.
I have requested that in the future, the Park District notify me and the park groups in writing of any proposed projects.
I hope that notifying us in writing will help avoid confusion in the future and give the public more scrutiny over projects.
I encourage people who are interested in park issues to join and participate in the park organizations.
These are active groups of dedicated volunteers that help maintain a balance of interests and oversight on park district matters.
Sincerely,
Vi Daley
Alderman, 43rd Ward
Commissioner details county tax increase
At midnight on February 29th President Stroger was threatening to shut down Cook County Government unless his sales tax increase passed. I voted for a compromise that I believe offered the best chance for reforming Cook County and insuring that all vital services continued. I'm not totally happy about the compromise but it was a case of choosing the lesser of two evils.
As you are aware, President Stroger has been working for months to impose a sales tax increase to fund the county's budget. I have fought hard to stop that increase, because I do not believe a tax is necessary. We should reduce our spending to make government more efficient and avoid the tax. I presented many ideas to stop a tax increase that were voted down by the Commissioners supporting President Stroger.
Without the compromise, President Stroger would have totally shut down all services of the County government – including hospitals, courts and the County Jail – which would have adversely affected all citizens, especially the most vulnerable. It would also have opened the County to huge financial liability for damages to those who would have been injured by such a dangerous move.
I chose to prevent such a tragedy by negotiating a compromise with President Stroger just before the midnight deadline for passing a County budget. He initially had insisted on a 2% increase in the County sales tax. I agreed to support only half that amount in return for a major concession on the part of the President.
This was the agreement to have the President give up control of the Bureau of Health. The Bureau is the largest unit of County government and is responsible for most of our current financial problems. The key to the compromise was transfer of control to run the Bureau of Health to a newly created independent Governance Board. Political considerations in hiring and contracting at the Bureau have led to continuing financial shortfalls for the five years I've been on the County Board. The President's office has continued to use this important health resource as a piggybank for jobs and contracts to serve political needs rather than those of our citizens. Last year President Stroger and Dr. Robert Simon, his director of health services, closed clinics and caused thousands of patients to look for health care elsewhere. This act put an unsustainable financial and service burden on non-county hospitals and clinics, which can ultimately result in higher medical costs to all citizens.
The independent Governance Board will for the first time allow Cook County health services to be run by health administration professionals who will know how to deliver services efficiently and to bill and collect for those services in a timely manner. Dr. Simon will be replaced by an appointee of the independent Board.
That was my compromise: a vote for a sales tax reduced to 1% in return for President Stroger surrendering his control of the Bureau of Health and all its patronage jobs and contracts. In the long run this will save Cook County taxpayers millions of dollars and provide the health care services our citizens deserve.
I was elected to the County Board to reform this government. I have no apology for my latest decision and my vote for what I think will bring about the most long-lasting true reform. You have my firm commitment to continue fighting to control spending, improve management and working to cut back on these taxes, which I fundamentally believe are not the right solution to running our government.
Cook County Commissioner,
13th District
Larry Suffredin
Changes in Cubsland? Whatever
Dear Editor,
I was going down Addison past Wrigley Field on Thursday night and there were people protesting a possible change of the stadium name "Wrigley Field."
It was cold outside and snowing and they were holding signs that said fans should unite and mentioned something about Macy's department store.
I'm a Cubs fan and admired their enthusiasm so I honked my horn in support as I drove by to make them feel good.
After all, I like Wrigley gum - especially the spearmint flavor.
Yet, truth be told, I don't think it would be the end of the world if Wrigley Field got a new name. What the heck?
It's not such a big deal, as far as I'm concerned. It's just a name.
You won't see me standing in the snow holding a sign up, that's for sure.
After all, it looks like new ownership has taken over Cubsland and they seem to be very business oriented. They want more concerts, more night games and I heard they are even looking to develop some of the land around the field.
My opinion about these things is that I don't really care one way or the other. Whatever.
But I'll honk my horn in support of the protesters anyways.
I just hope the Cubbies have a good year starting on opening day!
Sara Kennell
Wicker Park
City hosts foreclosure event March 15
Having trouble paying your mortgage? Want to learn how you can avoid foreclosure? Then come to the City of Chicago’s Borrower Outreach Days and meet with lenders and credit counselors to learn how to get your finances back on track and keep your home.
The City of Chicago’s Borrower Outreach Days event is being held Saturday, March 15 from 9 a.m to 2 p.m. at Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Avenue.
Visitors to the Borrower Outreach Days will be able to take advantage of loan work-out sessions with counselors and lenders, access to free legal assistance, various workshops and information about the City’s financial literacy programs to learn how to explain the resources available to help residents avoid foreclosure.
“Borrower Outreach Days are aimed at getting information to the people who need it most,” said Ellen Sahli, Commissioner of the Department of Housing. “These outreach sessions are for those who might already find themselves in over their heads with mortgage payments and for those who want to make sure it doesn’t happen to them.”
Borrower Outreach Days build on the City’s existing foreclosure prevention program known as the Homeownership Preservation Initiative.
Under that, anyone having trouble paying their mortgage can find a financial counselor simply by calling 311.
Co-sponsored by the Office of City Treasurer Stephanie Neely, Borrower Outreach Days will be conducted at Chicago Park District facilities in and around communities that have been hardest hit by foreclosures.
For more information about Borrower Outreach Days, call 311 or to register for Borrower Outreach Days call Christie Rivera at the Department of Housing at 312-744-8514.
City offers home down payments for teachers, firefighters, paramedics and police officers
$7,500 payouts available in specified locations
There’s been a lot of news lately about the housing slump and the slowdown in the housing market.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t good opportunities to buy a home in Chicago.
With help from the City of Chicago’s Department of Housing, home buying can be made easy and affordable.
Chicago remains more affordable than other big cities in the U.S. and added incentives make affordable homeownership even easier for our city’s public school teachers and firefighters, paramedics and police officers.
With help from the Department of Housing, these public servants can receive up to $7,500 in purchase price assistance to cover down payment and closing costs when they buy a home.
The Public Safety Officer Homeownership Incentive Program offers Chicago police officers, firefighters and paramedics purchase price assistance, while the Teacher Housing program provides Chicago Public School teachers with the same benefits: $3,000 or $7,500 if they buy a home in one of the new mixed-income Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation communities.
The City encourages all teachers and public safety officers to consider these incentives as they look for a home.
Whether buyers are seeking a home in one of the city’s unique, established neighborhoods or one of the new developments that are transforming areas into vibrant new communities, the housing choices are attractive and numerous.
Last year alone, 150 families took advantage of these homebuyer assistance programs, bringing to more than 1,000 the number of public safety officers and teachers helped since the program began in 1996.
The City is not the only employer in Chicago offering employee housing assistance programs. At the urging of Mayor Richard Daley, many Chicago companies from hospitals and major banks, offer some type of employer assisted housing programs.
For more information on the public safety and teacher programs, or any of the Department of Housing’s other programs that assist homebuyers, call 311.
Parents urged to run for Local School Council
Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan urged Chicagoans to sign up now to be Local School Council candidates in the upcoming elections in April.
The deadline for LSC candidates to submit applications for the election is March 12 and applications should be submitted to the school.
LSC elections will be held at CPS high schools on Wednesday, April 16, and at CPS elementary schools on Thursday, April 17. The LSC inauguration is June 26.
“Local School Councils give parents and community leaders the opportunity to have a direct impact on their child’s future and on their neighborhood’s success,” said Duncan, speaking at Luke O’Toole Elementary, 6550 S. Seeley Ave., one of 40 new Community Schools unveiled in the 2007-08 school year. “We want to see more people than ever stepping up to make a difference in their school.”
LSCs are the site-based management teams of each Chicago public school.
An LSC’s primary responsibilities are to select the school’s principal, renew the principal’s contract, approve the school’s improvement plan, and approve the school’s budget for the school year.
Elementary school LSCs consist of 11 voting members: one principal, six parent representatives, two community representatives and two teacher representatives.
High school LSCs have the same composition, but they also include an additional member—a high school student.
LCS members receive a number of instructional learning sessions to enhance their knowledge of how LSCs operate and their role as a LSC member.
LSC candidate forums will be held at each school, at a date and time elected by the school.
Applications also are being accepted for election judges. These judges will be selected by the CPS Office of Local School Council and Community Relations by April 4.
Chicago Public Schools also unveiled 35 new Community Schools, which means that 35 existing CPS buildings will become community centers in the hours before and after school.
CPS added five Community Schools in the fall of 2007, including O’Toole Elementary. These five, combined with the 35 new Community Schools just announced, bring the total number of Community Schools added in the 2007-08 school year to 40, and the total number of Community Schools in the district to 150. The 2007-08 school year expansion will cost CPS $4.7 million in local district dollars.
The community centers are part of the CPS Community School Initiative—the district’s project to connect Chicago public schools with social service and community agencies, in order to expand school offerings and provide critical academic and social enrichment activities after-school, in the evening and on the weekends, extending the hours of normal school operation for the benefit of students and their families.
“Community Schools bring important resources directly to our students and their families,” Duncan said. “Parents need to know about these new opportunities, so that they are sure to make the most of our schools, which keep students safe and give them added enrichment.”
The Community Schools Initiative is run through the CPS Office of Extended Learning Opportunities. The addition of 35 Community Schools will provide enrichment to about 7,000 more CPS students, bringing the total number of CPS students served by the Office of Extended Learning Opportunities to about 208,000. Each participating Community School provides enrichment for about 200 students, for a minimum of 12 hours a week, 40-plus weeks a year.
St. Patrick's Day events scheduled at Irish Center
Mass at 11 a.m., pub opens at noon
Tickets are being sold for the Irish American Heritage’s Center’s St. Patrick’s Day events.
These celebrations are among some of Chicago’s largest celebrations and run for 3 days.
On Friday, March 14, the Irish American Heritage Center kicks off the holiday with Irish Dance Chicago, a large-scale Irish dance event at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults and children under 12 are free with a paying adult.
Irish Dance Chicago showcases the talents of some of Chicago’s finest Irish dancers, all on one stage, including the Sheila Tully Academy of Irish Dance, the Mullane Champion Irish Dancers, The World Academy of Irish Dancing, Spriorad Damhsa and special musical guests, the Academy of Irish Music.
On Saturday, March 15, the center holds its St. Patrick’s Festival following the downtown Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The festivities begin at 1 p.m. and end at midnight. It includes traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and children’s activities.
Tickets are $15 for adults, or $12 for advance purchase if purchased before March 14. Children 12 and under are free with a paying adult. There is a full schedule.
On Monday, March 17 the Irish American Heritage Center will hold its annual St. Patrick’s Day party in the Center’s Fifth Province Lounge.
The day-long event runs from 11 a.m. until 1 a.m. The day begins with Mass at 11 a.m. and the pub opens at noon.
Events include Irish dancing, traditional and modern Irish music and food. The cost is $10 and tickets can be purchased at the door. There is a full schedule.
For information on all upcoming St. Patrick’s Day events, call 773-282-7035.
The Irish American Heritage Center, at 4626 North Knox Avenue, is a smoke-free establishment occupying an 86,000 square foot building on the City's northwest side, near Wilson Avenue and the Edens Expressway. It fosters the practice, study, and celebration of Irish, Celtic and Irish-American cultural traditions. The IAHC houses a 650-seat theatre/concert hall, auditorium, a library, an authentic Irish pub, a Social Center, a museum, dance/music studios and meeting rooms.
INSIDE EASTER
Park District hosts egg hunts at Soldier Field and local parks
The Chicago Park District welcomes spring by hosting numerous egg hunts and an egg hunt for dogs from March 8 to 22 at parks throughout the city.
Most events will feature treats, prizes, face painting, arts and crafts plus photo opportunities with the bunny.
Some activities may require pre-registration due to limited space. Many programs are admission free or have nominal entrance fees. Participants should call the individual parks for additional information.
One of this year’s highlights is the 5th Annual Spring Egg-Stravaganza at Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr., the largest admission-free candy grab in Chicago, Saturday, March 15. A ticketed brunch will be held from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and an admission-free candy grab on the field follows from 10 a.m. to noon.
Here is the Chicago Park District’s schedule of 2008 egg hunts and visits with bunny for the main Soldier Field egg grab as well as other local Northside area events:
• 2008 Spring Egg-Stravaganza Saturday, March 15 at Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus Dr. From 8:30 to 10 a.m. is the ticketed brunch in the Cadillac Club. Admission to the brunch is $15 for adults, $10 for children under age 10 and free for children under age three with a paying adult. Reservations are mandatory for brunch and must be made by Friday, March 14 by calling 312-235-7669. The admission-free candy grab on the field goes from 10 a.m. to noon.
• Bunny Bonanza, 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, March 13 at Welles Park, 2333 W. Sunnyside Ave., Admission $5; recommended for ages five and under with an adult. 312-742-7511.
• Wiggly Wabbit Egg Hunt. From noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at the Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, Admission free; recommended for all ages. 312-235-7669.
• Easter Egg Hunt. From noon to 1 p.m. for ages five and under and 1 to 2 p.m. for ages six to ten on Saturday, March 15 at Athletic Field Park, 3546 W. Addison St. Admission $2. 773-478-2889.
• Bunny Bonanza. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at Pottawattomie Park, 7340 N. Rogers Ave., Admission $8; recommended for all ages with an adult. 773-262-5835.
• Easter Egg Hunt. From 11 to 11:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 20 at Rogers Park, 7345 N. Washtenaw Ave., Admission free; recommended for ages three to seven, 773-262-1482.
• Doggie Easter Egg Hunt. From 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 22 at Horner Park, 2741 W. Montrose Ave. Admission $5; recommended for ages 18 and over. 773-478-3499.
Registration fee includes a hunt for treat-filled eggs, a bonnet parade, refreshments and pet information booths. Dogs must be kept on a leash and owners must stay with their dogs at all times.
• Mr. Hippity Hop. On Saturday, March 22. Admission free; recommended for ages four to twelve at the following locations:
-10:15 to 10:45 a.m. at Margate Fieldhouse, 4921 N. Marine Dr., 312-742-7522
-11 to 11:30 a.m. at Clarendon Park, 4501 N. Clarendon Ave., 312-742-7512
-11:45 to 12:15 p.m. at Telcser Playlot, 3200 N. Lake Shore Dr., 312-742-7726
-12:30 to 1:15 p.m. at Sunshine Playlot, Deming at Stockton, 312-742-7726
-1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Lake Shore Park, 808 N. Lake Shore Dr., 312-742-7891.
• Mr. Hippity Hop in the Playlot, From 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 22 at Berger Park and Cultural Center, 6205 N. Sheridan Rd., Admission free; recommended for ages two to four. 773-761-0376.
• Mr. Hippity Hop in the Playlot. From 11 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 22 at Loyola Park, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave., Admission free; recommended for ages two to five. 773-262-8605.
• Bunny Fun. From noon to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 22 at Seward Park, 375 W. Elm St., Admission free; recommended for all ages 312-742-7895.14
Repairs underway at Holy Name Cathedral
Top Catholic parish hopes renovation done before Easter
By Jeff Borgardt
Editor
The centerpiece site for Chicago's Roman Catholic community, Holy Name Cathedral, is modifying their schedule to accommodate a construction repair project.
A large chunk of the ceiling crashed 70-feet to the floor overnight on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at the parish, 735 N. State Street.
Officials said the structure dates from the 1870s.
During the repairs, mass will be held elsewhere on the Holy Name campus, but not in the main cathedral known for its breathtaking sites.
The parish hopes to reopen the main cathedral for Easter services.
The wooden vaulted arched ceiling was built in the 1870s but renovated in the 1960s.
Pastor Dan Mayall said the parish is still open for worship and will continue to hold five masses per day. Holy Name is also among the most prized parishes for hosting Catholic marriages.
"We have 4,500 worshipers a week for masses and we will continue to serve as a community parish," Father Mayall said. "We hope to have the cathedral reopened by March 23 for Easter but we aren't sure if that will happen or not."
The 10-pound wooden piece fell overnight Feb. 12. Since then, work scaffolding has been raised in the cathedral.
Engineers have determined "there is serious problems with the support of the roof," Mayall said. Structural means to reinforce rood trusses are being determined.
Carpenters are also working to firm up the support of the wooden roofing structure.
The last two weekend masses were held in the cathedral but future services will be held in the Holy Name auditorium instead.
Neighborhood group to make Easter baskets
Buena Park Neighbors is back for its seventh year and will be hosting the Buena Park Bunnies event in the Nick’s Uptown pool room on Sunday, March 16 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at 4015 North Sheridan Road.
Participants are advised to bring an empty basket, (or two or three), Easter treats; little stuffed snuggly things or anything else creative that will make an Easter basket one that every bunny (or child) will love.
Participants are reminded to bring cellophane to hold all the goodies in the basket. The past year record for this event is the creation of 80 baskets.
Creations will be donated to St. Mary of the Lake Church, 4200 N. Sheridan Road, for their annual Easter basket giveaway to the neighborhood children.
One prize will be awarded to the coolest basket in the annual and highly competitive "Best Buena Bunnies Basket Contest."
This year’s guest judge is Don Nowatny, 46th Ward Superintendent for Streets and Sanitation.
Buena Park Neighbors was founded in 1997 as a not-for-profit resident-based organization.
More than 200 residents, businesses and not-for-profits in the nationally registered Buena Park Historic District are currently active. The group is dedicated to bringing together residents and working together to improve the quality of life in the area generally bounded by Montrose Avenue on the north, Irving Park Road on the south, Clark Street on the west and Marine Drive on the east.
DePaul launches new school of public service
DePaul University has—since 1970—provided management education for hundreds of professionals who have made a mark in the nonprofit, non-governmental and public sectors.
DePaul is now expanding its commitment to public service by elevating its program to the School of Public Service—a move that was celebrated at a dinner Feb. 15 at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a longtime supporter of DePaul, delivered a keynote speech on the importance of public service.
Presently, DePaul trains close to 400 undergraduate and graduate students each quarter to lead community and other service organizations whose work complements the university’s Vincentian mission.
Alumni work jobs in association management, fundraising, health care, cultural and arts institutions, city and village management, government agencies and service and political organizations, to name a few.
“It's an honorable profession to work in government literally helping the body politic to function well, always with an eye toward those left on the sidelines by our systems,” explained the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider, President of DePaul. “I think Vincent de Paul would be proud that a university under his name is preparing professionals to make this contribution.”
The university’s namesake, St. Vincent de Paul, was a 17th century French priest who was known as the “Apostle of Charity.” DePaul’s identity is rooted in his example, fostering a values-based education centered on service to others, particularly the marginalized of society.
According to the Rev. J. Patrick Murphy, the post 9/11 years have brought a spike in student enrollment in service-oriented occupations. “The future for our graduates and alumni is bright in government, the non-profit and for-profit public service sectors as the worldwide demand for public service professionals increases,” said Murphy. “Here at DePaul, we offer students an opportunity to recognize the merit of each individual as we work in partnership to build a multiracial and international community through leadership of vital organizations. Our alums like to call us ‘an MBA with a conscience.'"
One of few public service schools in the country, DePaul’s newest school is unique in that it provides education for practitioners in both nonprofit management and public administration, while building on the interdependency of the two disciplines.
The school has four graduate programs: public service management, international public service, health law and policy, and a master's/juris doctoral program in public service management attract students who work in a broad range of fields.
In addition to holding leadership positions at colleges and universities, and in municipal government, SPS graduates play key roles in such recognized organizations as the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority, the Alliance of the American Dental Association, Blue Cross & Blue Shield Foundation, the Kinship Foundation, Voices for Illinois Children, Prevent Blindness America and Rush University Medical Center.
International public service, one of the newest master’s degree programs, is designed to educate global managers and leaders working in intergovernmental organizations and the nonprofit sector. It was specifically designed for students who bring to DePaul work experience in other countries and transnational organizations.
According to Murphy, the program builds on the international work experience and offers an education that is “international by design.”
“We believe that today’s professional should have a broad and diverse understanding of administration and policy analysis across cultures,” said Murphy. “We offer 15 courses in 10 countries, and we have faculty who hail from China, India, Italy, Russia and Nigeria.”
The opportunity to study abroad is the centerpiece of programs. Students’ classrooms have extended to Brazil, Belgium, Ireland and Mexico. However, some of the most successful study outside the classroom has been conducted here in the United States. One such project, under the leadership of Gloria Simo, an associate professor of public service, involves students who have been working since Hurricane Katrina to put in place redevelopment plans and services for the devastated Tulane-Canal area of New Orleans.
Neighbor concerned about tow yard zoning
Resident's near an auto tow property at 2015 W. Rasher Avenue have raised concerns about an upzoning considered by the City Council on Feb. 27.
John Lastre's mother lives next to the auto yard.
He said 40th ward Ald. Pat O'Connor's office referred the motion to upzone the property to an increased manufacturing and industrial use.
"People are picking up their cars and not very happy there," Lastre said. "I'm concerned about safety,"
Lastre also said he is worried about the potential of falling real estate values if the tow truck yard near the Rosehill Cemetery expands.
He said neighbors and the Bowmanville Community Organization are also looking into the subject.
Students volunteer at homeless shelter
On Saturday, Feb. 9, a group of students from Gordon Tech High School’s National Honor Society traveled to the Franciscan House of Mary and Joseph, a homeless shelter on the south side of Chicago. They worked as volunteers, sweeping, mopping, and cleaning the living quarters where nearly 250 homeless people sleep each night. Others at the 600-student Catholic high school, 3600 N. California Avenue, helped to sort donated clothing.
“It was definitely unnerving, coming face-to-face with this kind of poverty but it also gives you some perspective. You feel more grateful for the things you already have,” said National Honor Society Vice President Philip Butta.
Also at Gordon Tech, On Feb. 6, the school was among many high schools in the Chicago area to host a mock election.
The voting booths were set up in Gordon Tech High School’s cafeteria and the students were able to vote during their lunch periods.
It turns out that many students at Gordon Tech voted Democratic, with 78 students voting for Sen. Barack Obama and 21 voting for Sen. Hillary Clinton. Eight students voted for Republicans, with seven of those votes cast for Sen. John McCain, and one going for Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Although the votes will have no affect on the actual presidential election, it’s still fun to see who the students think is the most qualified candidate in the race.
Businesses nominated for River North Association awards
The following are the nominees for the annual awards and prizes from the River North Association, 400 N. Wells St.
Best New Restaurant: LaMadia, State Street Bread Company, Brasserie Ruhlmann, A Mano, Bluprint.
Top Restaurant: Rockit Bar & Grill, Kitsch'n River North, Bin36, Kinzie Chophouse, Zocalo, and The Original Gino's East
Best Business or Service: New Century Bank, Erie-LaSalle Body Shop & Car Care, Bear Necessities, East Bank Storage, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car, The Holiday Inn Mart Plaza, City Explorer TV, The Inkwell, Engaging Rings, and The Peninsula Spa
Top Retailer/Design: The Golden Triangle, Cambium, Lightology, New Metal Crafts, and Mobili Mobel
Art Gallery: David Leonardis Gallery, Addington Gallery, Perimeter Gallery, Inc., David Weinberg Gallery, and Portals, Ltd.
History Museum presents awards
The Chicago Historical Society is pleased to announce its 5 distinguished recipients for the 2008 Making History Awards.
The awards will be presented on Thursday, May 15 at the Chicago History Museum with a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner and awards at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s recipients include W. James Farrell, Sue Gin, Hanna H. Gray, Franz Jackson, and the company Abbott (acceptance by Miles White).
“The important tradition of these awards allows the opportunity to pay collective tribute to those who have demonstrated commitment and excellence in a wide variety of fields,” said Gary Johnson, Museum president. “This year’s award recipients add to the list of the previous distinguished 63 recipients that have exhibited a passion for service to the citizens and institutions of Chicago.”
The awards will be presented by James O’Connor, John W. Rowe, James S. Crown, Ramsey Lewis, and Andrew J. McKenna. Presenters O’Connor, Lewis, and McKenna are past award recipients.
W. James Farrell will be awarded The Marshall Field History Maker Award for Distinction in Corporate Leadership and Innovation. Farrell was the Chairman, President, and CEO of Illinois Tool Works. He was recognized in 2003 as a Spirit of America Summit Award recipient by United Way of America. He has made an impact on numerous corporations, including holding the position of director at Abbott, 3M Precision Optics, Inc., Allstate Insurance, Sears Roebuck & Co., Morton International, Premark International, United Airlines, Waud Capital, Quaker Oats Company, Kraft Foods, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago where he was also Chairman.
Sue Gin will be awarded The Bertha Honore Palmer History Maker Award for Distinction in Civic Leadership. Gin was the Founder, Owner, Chairman, and CEO of Flying Food Group. Gin graduated from DePaul University, and has since been a member of their board of trustees, and co-chair of the Campaign for Excellence in Science. Gin was honored by the YWCA as an Outstanding Woman of Achievement, Ernst & Young named her their Entrepreneur of the Year Hall of Fame. Gin has been a board member of The Field Museum, Business Leadership Group of Workforce Chicago, Chicago Community Trust, Rush Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center, Chicago Network, and the Chinese American Service League. She was President of the William McGowan Chartable Fund, and a member of the board of directors of the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Hanna H. Gray will be awarded The Robert Maynard Hutchins History Maker Award for Distinction in Education. Gray is a historian that was President of the University of Chicago from 1978 through 1993 and is currently the President Emeritus. She has taught at a number of educational institutions throughout her career including Bryn Mawr College, Harvard University, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Yale. She has been a fellow of the Newberry Library, the Center of Behavioral Sciences, and an honorary fellow of St. Anne’s College in Oxford, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She holds degrees from Oxford, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Princeton, Duke, Harvard, the Universities of Michigan and Toronto and The University of Chicago.
Franz Jackson will be awarded The Theodore Thomas History Maker Award for Distinction in the Performing Arts. Jackson a staple in the jazz community has received numerous awards and mentions as a leader in the jazz movement. At 95 years of age, Jackson is credited as a founding member of the Jazz Institute of Chicago. In 2005, he was an American Heritage Jazz Series honoree as one of the Greatest Living Jazz Tenor Saxophonists, and in 2006, he received the Jazz Institute of Chicago Walter Dyett Lifetime Achievement Award. He continues to give back to the community supporting The Dowagiac High School Jazz Band, The Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, and the Encore Dance Company in Chicago.
Abbott will be awarded with The Cyrus McCormick History Maker Award for Historical Achievement. This award will be accepted by Miles White, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the organization. Abbott founded in 1888 by Dr. Wallace Calvin Abbott has been named by Fortune magazine as one of America’s most admired companies every year since 1984. Abbott’s global citizenship is far reaching from environmental action to HIV/AIDS awareness and concerns. They have been a leader in innovative science programming for Chicago Public Schools; contributed millions of dollars to relief for natural disasters across the world; reached out to developing countries providing low cost medications, and invested over $40 million to help strengthen the health care system in Africa with training, laboratories and clinics.
State environmental applications announced
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced that applications will be accepted through March 28 for Governors Environmental Corps internship program for the summer of 2008.
"Since 1991, the Governors Environmental Corps program has provided a true hands-on learning experience for more than 600 college undergraduate or graduate students," said Director Doug Scott. "I encourage students who have a junior standing in such fields as engineering, geology, chemistry, biology, communications and law to apply. Many students have gone on to careers in the environmental field and their contributions also energize our own staff mentors each summer."
The program is a partnership between state government and Illinois corporations whose sponsorship contributions pay the salaries and expenses of the college students who participate in the nine-week program, which will run this year from June 2 through August 1, with up to 40 participants. Salaries have been set at $1400 per month.
Students are assigned agency mentors in their area of environmental interest and are able to make meaningful contributions to the regulatory and compliance assistance operations of Illinois EPA.
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