Firm buying up North Side property
A Chicago real estate company is taking advantage of perceived low prices to buy up property in Lincoln Park and on the North Side. Newcastle Limited Ltd., 150 N. Michigan Avenue, which has $500 million in investment capital, has spent tens of millions in recent months on residential and commercial buys.
In early May, the company announced they bought seven residential buildings in Lakeview for $122.5 million between Fullerton and Irving Park within two to three blocks from the lake. The buildings have a combined 884 units. Among the buildings purchased are 425 W. Surf Street, 3170 N. Sheridan and 3610 N. Pine Grove.
Also, in April, the company acquired a 17,514-square-foot building at 801 West Diversey in Lincoln Park for $10 million. The purchase marked their third retail acquisition since the first of the year. “We were immediately attracted to the opportunity because of the
property’s excellent location in a strong retail corridor of Lincoln Park,” said Michael Haney, president and CEO of Newcastle Limited. “The purchase of 801 W. Diversey adds to our retail holdings in the Lincoln Park and Lakeview neighborhoods, and bolsters our efforts to acquire commercial properties throughout Chicago.” Located at the intersection of Halsted and Diversey, the singlestory building is currently 81 percent leased to tenants, including Dunkin Donuts, Back to Bed and Performance Bicycle Shop.
The property includes 32 parking spaces.
Programs seek to limit gull population
The City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District are partnering to implement an integrated Ringbilled Gull Management Program, addressing the nuisances caused by gulls throughout Chicago. The program incorporates an integrated approach to managing gulls by reducing access to food sources, keeping them off beaches and other public places with physical barriers, reducing the production of gulls at two colonies, and a monitoring component to determine where the gulls originate. “The gull management program can help us balance the needs between visitors to Chicago parks and beaches while addressing the Ring-billed Gull population in practical and environmentally friendly ways,” said Suzanne Malec- McKenna, Department of Environment Commissioner. The regional population of Ringbilled Gulls has increased dramatically in recent decades. The high number of gulls in public areas leads to problems ranging from nuisance to property damage and economic losses. Studies by the USGS have suggested a link between fecal droppings from gulls and Escherichia coli in the lake. A Lake County Health Department study of five beaches found that more than half of the E coli bacteria in water samples collected were identified as avian in origin. A 2004 University of Chicago study estimated the City experiences $2.4 million in damages from swim bans.
The Park District will be continuing their efforts to reduce food sources by setting out covered trash and recycling containers, installing signs urging the public not to feed gulls and utilizing border collies as a Ring-billed gull harassment technique, and daily beach grooming practices.
“The Park District strives to provide clean and safe beaches and parks for all to enjoy,” said Timothy Mitchell, Chicago Park District General Superintendent & CEO. “We are urging beach and park patrons to lend a helping hand in our efforts to mitigate nuisance species by keeping our beaches and parks clean and to avoid feeding wildlife.” The City’s Department of the Environment has, for the second year in a row, requested Wildlife Services, a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, to reduce the reproduction of ring-billed gulls by oiling eggs and to mark and observe gulls locally and regionally to see where they travel. Like last year, over several weeks, Wildlife Services biologists will coat gull eggs with biodegradable corn oil, which prevents hatching. The oil will not harm adult gulls, other wildlife or the environment. A percentage of the gulls from two colonies in Chicago and colonies in East Chicago, Indiana will be marked with non-toxic dye of various colors and observed throughout the summer at beaches and other places of high concentration. The purpose of the marking and observing is to determine where gulls on Chicago’s lakefront originated to aid in the development of long-term management strategies.
“People should not expect that one or two years of limiting hatchling numbers will immediately reduce conflicts with gulls. Gulls live a long time, generally returning to the area where they hatched once they are old enough to breed,” explained Scott Beckerman, State Director for Wildlife Services. In 2007, oiling the eggs reduced Chicago’s hatch-year gull numbers by 35,000 birds without resulting in abandonment or relocation of the nest colonies. Nearby landowners, such as Navy Pier, reported fewer gull-related conflicts and nuisances. Ring-billed gull populations in the region have been increasing drastically over the last few decades; the regional population is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands. One of the most effective steps the public can take to help is to not feed wildlife and to dispose of food and litter into proper trash receptacles. Similar to last year, the regional birding community will be asked to report sightings of colormarked birds. As the name implies, adult Ring-billed gulls are distinguished by the black ring around their bill, as well as by their yellow legs and feet.
They have adapted well to the urban Chicago environment where parks, parking
lots and the lakefront provide open environments the birds prefer, with few, if any, predators. Ring-billed gulls will scavenge food from garbage, as well as eat insects, fish, and even the eggs and young of other birds.
Ring-billed gulls did not begin breeding in northern Illinois until the mid-1970s. Adult Ring-billed gulls can live 10 to 15 years, nest in large colonies, and usually return to nest near where they were hatched. The number and size of the colonies has increased dramatically over the last 30 years, and the breeding populations now number in the tens of thousands. Females lay about three light brown- to olive-tinted eggs with dark markings, which hatch in about three weeks.
Cubs settle lawsuit with rooftop owner
The Chicago Cubs reached agreement this month with Tom Gramatis, owner of Sheffield Baseball Club and Wrigley Field Rooftop Club, regarding the operation of his new rooftop buildings at 3617 and 3619 N. Sheffield Avenue. The agreements run through 2023 -- the same duration as the Cubs' agreements with other rooftops -- and make these rooftops official Chicago Cubs partners. The agreement also resolves a dispute regarding Gramatis' Ivy League Baseball Club rooftop at 3637 N. Sheffield. "The Cubs are glad to see the rooftops continue to flourish," said Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney. "The 16 rooftop buildings have thrived since we first reached agreement in 2004. We're glad for them and we're happy to continue this relationship with the new buildings."
As part of this agreement, the current litigation involving Sheffield Baseball Club and Wrigley Field Rooftop Club will be dismissed. Tom Gramatis stated, "We have built two brand new luxury rooftop buildings where even more Cubs fans can enjoy the game. We are happy to have reached a fair agreement with the Cubs and are looking forward to many years of a winning partnership." In all, there are 16 rooftop businesses in operation for the 2008 season. Each is privately owned and operated and has an agreement in place with the Cubs.
Minuteman speech sparks DePaul protest
A speech by the founder of the Minuteman anti-immigration border patrol group sparked protest and prayers on the campus of DePaul university last week. The May 19 speech by Chris Simcox drew several dozen protesters who gathered at the Sullivan Athletic Center on the school's Lincoln park campus. Simcox was invited to speak by the DePaul Conservative Alliance. Critics contents the Minuteman organization is a right-wing militia taking the law into its own hands while supporters say the group is simply trying to protect the border and preserve immigration laws. The group has backers, but has been largely condemned by both conservative and liberal mainstream politicians including President Bush.
Lincoln Park free trolley returns
The free Lincoln Park Trolley started running over the weekend. The trolley operates on weekends and holidays beginning on May 24 and continues through September 1. The trolley runs every 20 to 30 minutes beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 6 p.m. The trolley stops at the Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago Historical Society and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. The newly expanded trolley routes connect CTA and Metra riders to some of Chicago’s favorite summer hot spots.
Trolley services begin Memorial Day weekend and run through Labor Day.
For more information on the trolley service or routes, call 877-CHICAGO.
Lincoln Park hotel renovation nearing completion
The Park View Hotel, 1816 N. Clark Street, formerly the Hotel Lincoln, is
currently being renovated. It is expected to open for business soon at the site
two blocks north of the Chicago History Museum. According to the hotel website, the hotel will open in "Spring 2008." The 194-room hotel will also include the new eatery Perennial. This restaurant will be operated by Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm; the two who also run Boka, 1729 N. Halsted St., and Landmark, 1633 N. Halsted St. The restaurant has a target opening of late May.
Neighborhood association ok's roof-top penthouse, new eatery
The Mid-North Association Planning Committee recently reviewed revised plans for the
roof-top penthouse as built for 633 W. Belden Avenue and had no objections. The committee also reviewed a proposed sidewalk café on the 400 block of W. Dickens Avenue without objection. The cafe will be located on the Cleveland Avenue side of Carnival Foods, 458 W. Dickens.
Zoo: good thing polar bears placed on endangered list
By Peter von Buol
Special To Inside
Two days after the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announced polar bears have been listed as a threatened species under the federal endangered species act, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo kicked off its ‘Bear Awareness Week.’
From May 16-22, zoo visitors were encouraged to participate in a range of activities designed to raise awareness about the problems wild bears face throughout the world,” said zoo spokesperson Sharon Dewar.
According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN), six of the world’s eight recognized species of bear are now threatened with extinction.
Some scientists believe global warming will drastically affect the bears of the Artic Circle and they estimate polar bears may face extinction by 2050.
Throughout the week, zoo visitors were encouraged to gain a hands-on experience by helping zoo keepers provide treats for the zoo’s own bears, which include polar bears, Asian Sun Bears, South American Andean Bears (also known as Spectacled Bears) and North American Black Bears.
While listening to educational talks presented by the zoo’s volunteers and zoo keepers, visitors were given the opportunity to stuff large plastic balls and drums with treats such as raisins, toasted oat cereal and popcorn. Shortly afterwards, the plastic containers are placed into the animal’s habitat and visitors are able to observe the animals “play” with the containers to extract their treats.
On the afternoon of May 16, the zoo’s Anthony Nielsen, an assistant lead bear keeper, talked to numerous visitors about the polar bears in the wild. Dozens of visitors helped stuff a ball and drum that were sitting outside of the polar bear habitat’s viewing area.
“It’s really nice polar bears were put on the endangered species list. We are trying to make the public aware of what the bears are going through in the wild. Polar bears are now coming together more in the wild due to less ice in the polar regions and this is having a negative impact,” said Nielsen.
Nielsen said he especially enjoys caring for the zoo’s two polar bears who are brother and sister.
He added zoo keepers fill large plastic balls and drums on a daily basis to provide the bears with “enrichment opportunities” and said he enjoys working with animals who are as intelligent as the zoo’s polar bears, Lee and Anana.
“It’s great. I love coming to work every day with these guys. They’re really smart,” said Nielsen. “We keep them active and we try to simulate enrichment activities that are like what they do in the wild. They get enrichment every day.”
While zoo animals are not domesticated animals, polar bears are among those at the zoo who are given “operative conditioning” by their keepers.
“They are trained to allow us to check their teeth and paws so the veterinarians can get a better look at them during their physicals,” said Nielsen.
In addition to having visitors help with serving the bear’s treats, during Bear Awareness Week, educational carts will be positioned throughout the zoo that will teach visitors fun facts about bears and will also provide them with an opportunity to put on a “blubber glove” to simulate what it feels like for a polar bear to plunge its paws into the chilly water of the Artic Circle.
Treasure your food at Farmers Market
By Lindsey Reiser
Special To Inside
Chicago’s Green City Market isn’t just a place to buy excellent local produce, it’s an educational experience.
Most would expect to find a vast array of colorful bell peppers, apples, and bundles of spinach in the tent-filled area at the southern end of Lincoln Park. However, all one found after 10:30 a.m. on the market’s first opening day Saturday morning on May 17 was pamphlets and a lot of enlightening conversation — that’s because the vendors were sold out.
Renowned chef Rick Bayless attended the opening of the market along with Mayor Richard Daley, which pulled in a hefty crowd. The only produce left was purple asparagus, chevre goat cheese, a wide variety of potted flowers and herbs, and a wealth
of information.
The great thing about farmers markets is you can talk directly to the person who has grown or processed the goods, and there’s no better source if you want to know all about what you’re eating. Apparently the best way to cook purple asparagus is on the grill, basil likes a lot of light, and the market chevre cheese comes from goats in Champaign, whose owner is a professor at the University of Illinois.
The key educational focus of Green City Market, however, is the way in which the food is grown: locally, sustainably, and always with a healthy environment in mind. Growing products that are out of season, using chemicals or pesticides, or harming natural resources or biodiversity are all big no-no’s, and farmers must undergo a rigorous application process before they can sell their goods at the market. After ten years on the job, Green City Market knows how to provide the best and safest produce to Chicago.
Along with fruits and veggies, the market also hosts a variety of other vendors and activities. The longest lines by far belonged to the Bleeding Heart Bakery and Green City Crepes. The Bleeding Heart is a family-run bakery, located at Belmont and Damen Avenues, with an alternative twist. In a fun blend of sugar, flour, and a punk rock attitude, the bakery’s creations are nothing short of colorful, edible art. The bakery’s owner and mastermind behind the pastries, is at the market every Wednesday and Saturday, so there are plenty of opportunities for residents with a sweet tooth to pick up a cupcake.
The waiting list for Green City Crepes was thirty minutes long, and it only continued to grow as the day went on. The selections on the menu included both sweet and savory options, a popular choice being fresh cheese and herbs. The chefs behind the griddles were pouring batter at break-neck speed; three culinary school students and one Lincoln Park High School attended.
The information booth at the market provided a calendar for the summer, full of educational and palate-tempting events. Each Saturday the market will host a different chef for cooking demonstrations, including Shelley Young from the Chopping Block, Patrick Sheerin from the Signature Room, and Gale Gand from Tru and the Food Network. Other demos also feature tips and hands-on activities for organic and sustainable gardening, many of which are family oriented to help teach children the basics of growing and cooking their own food. The Green City Market also hosts group tours for those with a keener interest in sustainable farming.
As a certified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, the biggest focus of the market is getting locals involved. They’ve established a membership program, donations for which fund the weekly activities and several workshop programs that help educate contributing farmers about sustainable cultivation. However, if your budget is a little tight you can do your part by buying the market’s official reusable tote for your produce-hauling purposes. The bag is emblazoned with the winning contest design by Adriana Hadean, a young artist and junior at Stephen Tyng Mather High School. Not only will the food in your bag be grown locally, the art on your bag will be, too.
For more information about the Green City Farmers Market, including a schedule of events and seasonal recipes from contributing chefs, visit their website at www.chicagogreencitymarket.org.
DePaul’s releases study of sex trafficking
The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck Family Law Center at the DePaul University College of Law released the results of a major study on the sex trafficking of women and girls in the Chicago metropolitan area recently. The project studied 100 young women under the age of 25 who are active in the Chicago area sex trade, all of whom had a pimp.
The study, titled “Domestic Sex Trafficking of Chicago Women and Girls,” was conducted in conjunction with the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority and funded by a grant from the Chicago Foundation for Women. It examined the strategies used to recruit young women; the levels of coercion involved in their recruitment; and the control and violence used to keep women in the trade. The research also examined the geographical areas in which women are forced to work, including the distances they are transported and whether state lines are crossed in the process. One of the goals of the investigation was to explore parallels between young women in the local sex trade and those internationally trafficked to Chicago.
“This new information raises serious issues that Chicago communities must confront about the exploitation of needy girls within their midst to meet the sexual needs of male customers,” said Jody Raphael, an attorney and senior research fellow at the Family Law Center who led the investigation. “Like the responses provided to victims of international trafficking, alternatives to charging, sentencing and incarceration need to be implemented in a way that offers needed social service programming and housing, all supported with adequate resources.”
The study found the average age of entry into regular involvement in the sex trade in the sample was 16.4 years of age and 33 percent of the sample began in the sex trade between the ages of 12 and 15, while 56 percent were 16 or younger.
The tactics used to recruit women mirror, in many instances, methods used by international traffickers, including violence (20 percent), coercion (35 percent) and false promises (57 percent).
Once recruited, acts of violence toward the women increased over time, as did the number of customers women were expected to sell to each day and the number of geographical areas in which they were expected to sell themselves.
Like international trafficking situations, the women were regularly transported to other venues by their pimps. The results indicated that 67 percent were transported from Chicago to the suburbs and vice versa. Additionally, 28 women in the sample were transported to other states including Nevada, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and New York, among others.
“The data mandates young women controlled by pimps in the Chicago metropolitan sex trade be considered domestic violence victims in need of assistance to safely exit the trade,” said Raphael. “In the past, it has been difficult to gain access to young girls controlled by pimps and traffickers.”
The Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation also presented its preliminary findings on the responses and attitudes of 113 male customers who purchased sex in the metropolitan Chicago area at an event.
CTA announces new report card plan
Monthly reports to measure performance ridership, timeliness, efficiency, safety and cleanliness
In an effort to develop meaningful performance metrics as to how well CTA is serving its customers, CTA President Ron Huberman last week presented a set of performance indicators to the Chicago Transit Board. The performance indicators are designed to measure the agency’s success in meeting its goal of providing on-time, clean, safe, efficient and courteous service.
“The revamped performance management report is the result of ongoing analysis by our Performance Management Team, which over the course of a year has defined indicators of service reliability that are both relevant to customer experience and useful to CTA operations,” said Huberman. “We will continue to work with departments to identify measurements that will drive results and not just data. I expect these measures will evolve as we further refine and learn from this process.”
The performance reports for the previous month will be available on the CTA web site. Reports will measure CTA’s performance in its six core areas of service and across more than 25 categories. including ridership, on-time percentage, miles between reported rail and bus vehicle defects; average daily percentage of bus unavailability and major and non-major security related incidents per 100,000 miles for bus and rail.
The reports will also measure average days between completed bus and rail detail-cleans; percentage of uptime for bus and rail washers, percentage of elevator and escalator up-time and CTA customer service hotline average wait-time.
“Since 2004, CTA has made its performance indicators available to customers as part of an effort to keep customers informed about how well the agency was serving them,” said Chicago Transit Board Chairman Carole Brown. “A number of changes have been made within the agency since then and we felt it was time that this ‘report card’ reflect these changes, as well as emphasize the core values of CTA’s services and address what our customers really want to know.”
In addition to new categories, the performance reports will be easier to read and track with the addition of year-end target figures, definitions and color-coding indicating the status of each performance indicator.
City sells vehicle stickers online
City Clerk del Valle announced last week that 2008-2009 vehicle stickers are now available online. Online sales began three weeks ago to reduce lines and provide residents with faster and easier service. After a pilot program last year, residents living in residential zoned parking areas can also renew their residential parking permits and purchase guest parking passes online.
Residents who purchased their 2007 - 2008 vehicle stickers online will receive an email reminder to buy online this year. The link in the email will automatically bring up the information necessary to renew their vehicle stickers.
“Buying your vehicle sticker and renewing your residential parking permit online is the easiest, fastest and most convenient way to get your stickers,” said City Clerk del Valle.
In addition, residents who previously received separate vehicle sticker and residentialparking permit applications in the mail will receive a combined renewal application this year. City Clerk del Valle consolidated the vehicle sticker and residential parking permit renewal forms, which significantly shortened the reduced postage costs and should limit the number of applications lost in the mail.
“Residents who live in residential zoned parking areas can purchase their parking permits and vehicle stickers with one mailing rather than sending in two separate mailings,” said City Clerk del Valle.
Residents purchasing their vehicle stickers and renewing their residential parking permits online will notice that City Clerk del Valle’s website has a new look. The website was redesigned to make it easier to navigate and find information. Additionally, residents can sign up to receive City Clerk del Valle’s e-newsletter, which provides updates and information on City Clerk services.
Powwow Welcomes New Zealanders
By Peter von Buol
Special To Inside
On the evening of May 15, the American Indian Center, located at 1630 W. Wilson, celebrated the arrival of a group of special visitors from New Zealand with a traditional native American a powwow celebration and potluck dinner.
While the visitors were from a far-away island nation in the South Pacific, they share a common thread with the American Indian Center community. Like their hosts, the New Zealand visitors who are Maori and call their country Aotearoa-the land of the long white cloud are descendents of the original inhabitants of their own country and both are known as “First Nations” peoples. New Zealand was originally settled by Polynesian settlers about 1,500 years ago and the Maori are cousins of native Hawaiians.
“As a community, we did a welcome for them. We had a drum and our dancers came out [dressed in traditional ceremonial regalia]. From about 6-7 PM, we had a potluck feast for them. We had venison and wild rice and also a lot of American-style dishes,” said Joseph Podlasek, the executive director of the American Indian Center.
The Maori visitors were in Chicago to participate in a pair of partnerships with the American Indian Center. One component includes visitors who were working with the center and Chicago’s Field Museum to collaborate on the usage of Ruatepupuke, a late 19th Century Maori Meeting house that since 1993 has been on display in one of the institution’s Pacific Halls. Since the mid-1980s, descendents of Ruatepupuke from the small sea-side town of Tokomaru Bay have actively been involved with how the house has been used at the museum. As seen in the movie, ‘Whale Rider’, meeting houses continue to be an important part of Maori culture.
One of the visitors, Arapata Hakiwai, who serves as the Maori Director of the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (which is based in the capital city of Wellington) and who has visited the center on numerous trips told Inside the American Indian Center holds a special place in his heart and he appreciates its collaborative relationship with the Field Museum.
“The relationship that has been created with the American Indian Center is a relationship that is underpinned with meaning and significance. It is very important to acknowledge and respect the relationship with the First Nations Peoples and their relationship with the Field Museum just as it is to recognize the relationship with the Maori people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Working together and respecting one another is an important dimension to this project,” said Hakiwai.
The second component of the collaborative effort includes a group of Maori artists who are working with local native American artists.
“It’s really about getting artists together in Chicago. The Maori artists are participating Close Encounters, an exhibition in Hyde Park and also at the Trickster Gallery in Schaumburg, which is the only native American-operated arts institution of Illinois,” said Podlasek.
Established in 1953, the American Indian Center is the oldest native American urban center in the United States and provides social-services and educational programs. Its Wilson Avenue location has long served as a gathering place for special occasions within the community and according to its web site, “it is the principal cultural resource for Indian Chicago.”
Arts exhibition to feature images of Writer Nelson Algren
The Museum of Contemporary Art is presenting an exhibition featuring work by photographer Art Shay. This special exhibit, which opened May 19, and running through June 29 at the museum, 220 E. Chicago Ave, and is presented in conjunction with Lookingglass Theatre Company’s presentation of “Nelson Algren: For Keeps and a Single Day.”
The exhibition features 19 Shay photographs of Chicago between 1949 and 1968, from the collection of the Stephen Daiter Gallery and the Museum of Contemporary Art. It is a collection hand-picked by the artist, revealing a deep friendship and collaboration with his subject, the author Nelson Algren. Together they capture the culture of the post-war underclass.
“Nelson Algren: For Keeps and a Day,” produced by Lookingglass in association with the Museum of Contemporary Art, uses selections from Algren’s “Chicago: City on the Make” and “The Last Carousel.” Photos of Nelson Algren by Art Shay are included in the Lookingglass production.
One of Chicago’s most prolific photographers, Art Shay has published more than 25,000 photographs during his career, which spans more than half a century and covers such subjects as John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign, the fights of Muhammad Ali, Hugh Hefner’s infamous bedroom office, the last man alive to have seen Abraham Lincoln’s corpse, Chicago police clubbing demonstrators at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, and a swan snubbing a pig as they swim.
Some of his favorite photographs, however, are those of Chicago writer Nelson Algren, author of “The Man with the Golden Arm” and winner of the first National Book Award. Shay and Algren met in 1949 when Shay pitched a story on “the prose poet of the Chicago slums” to his editors at Life magazine. The two men became close friends and spent time roaming the West Side, encountering addicts, hookers, alcoholics, bums, cops, and hustlers, among many other street characters. The gritty photo essay was never published, but photographs from the series are alive in many books and currently held in important private and public collections. Both passionate about and critical of Chicago, Algren wrote a novel, “Never Come Morning,” depicting the seedy underbelly of crime and poverty in the city, which was banned by the Chicago Public Library System. After Algren’s death in 1981, Shay published “Nelson Algren’s Chicago,” a collection of his photographs from the men’s years together as well as accompanying texts. Shay is currently writing “Waiting for Nelson,” a play depicting the real-life love triangle between Algren, Simone de Beauvoir, and Jean-Paul Sartre. His World War II play, Where Have You Gone, Jimmy Stewart, was produced by American Theater Company three years ago.
Art Shay will attend the opening performance of “Nelson Algren: For Keeps and a Single Day” on June 8 at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
City aims to get teens summer jobs
The city and its partners will provide educational, recreational and employment opportunities for about 280,000 young people to keep them safe and constructively occupied during the summer, Mayor Richard M. Daley said last week.
“We all want our young people to stay safe from violence, stay away from a life of violence and achieve their full potential in life,” Daley said in a news conference held at Humboldt Park Field House, 1400 N. Sacramento Av.
“The most important things we can do to help are to give them the best education possible and give them plenty of positive activities after school and in the summer months,” he said.
The mayor said that providing summer activities and employment is more important this summer than ever before because of the violence against young people that has outraged the city.
“Keeping our children safe is Chicago’s challenge and our shared responsibility. Every community and religious group, every business and every parent must also keep doing their part and provide the safe havens and positive alternatives for our young people,” he said.
Overall, the city has increased the number of young people to be served by these programs to about 280,000 this summer, an increase of about 15,000 from last summer.
“And I want to make this important point to every Chicagoan: we have thousands of openings in these summer programs right now,” the mayor said. “I’m asking every resident of the city to help fill these empty slots. Talk to your children. Talk to your friends. Talk to your church and community groups. Find out what’s available and help register young people in these programs,” he said.
Daley was joined by heads of city departments and sister agencies who described the range of summer programs that provide education, recreation and jobs for Chicago’s youth.
The mayor highlighted programs being offered for the first time this year.
They include “Freshman Connection,” a Chicago Public Schools program which will help 18,500 8th graders make the transition to high school. The program features academic instruction in the morning and recreation activities in the afternoon at no cost to the students. It is held at the students’ destination high school, so it will give them a chance to become familiar with their new school and their new classmates. This program also includes 850 paid youth leadership positions.
Chicago Public Schools will offer a new Bilingual Bridge Program for English Language Learners in grades 3, 6 and 8.
The Department of Children and Youth Services and the Chicago Housing Authority will create a School and Career Readiness Program that will serve 150 young people under 15.
City Colleges will create the Manufacturing Readiness Program that will provide both classroom work and 50 summer jobs in the manufacturing industry.
In addition, the Park District will serve more than 90,000 young people in programs this summer and will allocate an additional $500,000 to expand the NeighborSports program to serve a total of 5,500 teenagers – 1,500 more than last summer.
For the first time, weekend NeighborSports will be offered until 10 p.m. at 20 sites in high crime neighborhoods. And the Park District also will keep 17 swimming pools open until 9 p.m.
After School Matters will offer 11,500 summer opportunities in its arts, science, sports, technology and communications programs, including new arts-based programs in three neighborhood parks and at Millennium Park -- up from 7,500 last summer.
About 6,100 of these After School Matters opportunities will be paid apprenticeships or internships, compared with about 3,100 last summer.
More than 45,000 young people are expected to take part in the Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, and more than 3,700 to take part in programs sponsored by the Chicago Housing Authority.
“When a young person reaches a certain age, though, a summer job becomes important. It puts money in his or her pocket and offers them an alternative to gangs, guns and drugs,” Daley said.
Three weeks ago, Daley announced the city will spend an additional $1.5 million dollars this year for the Department of Children and Youth Services to provide 1,000 more summer employment opportunities for young people. The money will support partnerships with the Schools, the Park District, After School Matters and leading corporations.
“Before those jobs were added, we had already planned to place about 18,000 young people in public and private sector jobs through our Summer Jobs Program. And we’ve created several new jobs programs,” Daley said.
Parenting style & your child’s esteem
By Cheri DeMoss
Did you know that children misbehave for specific reasons? Usually, it is an indirect response to what a parent has just said or done, or something else the child is experiencing. Often, parents are so preoccupied with their own thoughts, feelings, and intentions that they are completely unaware of their emotional impact on their child. Without being aware of it, parents will frequently make up their child’s intentions. It is common to hear parents describe their two-year-old’s new found use of the word “No” as, “He’s just being stubborn,” or “He’s just like his father, always refusing to do what he is told,” or “I’ll teach him who’s boss – he can’t say no to me, I’m his parent.”
The parent is literally creating intentions for the 2-year-old child that the child is developmentally incapable of having. When a two-year-old child says “no,” watch their behavior. You can say to the child, “Do you want a cookie?” The child will say no. But, if you then hand the child a cookie they will take it.
This observable behavior tells the parent that the child is asserting normal two-year-old independent behavior in the format that the child has learned from the parents. Keep in mind that the child has been being told “No” for the past two years of his life, so, repeating it is as normal to him as repeating any other word he has heard over and over.
At our parenting workshops and classes at Empowering Options, 2656 W. Montrose Avenue, parents routinely ask questions about why their children are doing the behaviors they do. What we explain to parents is that the majority of the time there is logic to a child behavior. Initially, parents may not recognize what the reason is, but with a little understanding and some objective observation of the child’s behaviors, we figure out what is going on.
The most common misconception parents have about children is that kids have the ability to tell us what they feel and why they do the things they do. This is not true. Young children do not have the developmental capability to know what they feel or why they behave the way they do. Children act out their feelings in play.
You can go to any playground and watch a group of children playing and within a short period of time know how each child is being treated at home; what the family dynamics are that most impact each child, and which child is being emotionally shamed, blamed or ignored at home.
Children have a purpose when they interact with adults, especially their parents. They want understanding and guidance. They need to feel heard, accepted, and liked. Children use a wide variety of behaviors to give us the opportunity to understand what they are feeling.
When what they do makes adults uncomfortable we call it misbehaving. We tell them what they meant, what they felt, and what their intentions were. But, if you notice, parents only do this when they are upset with the child. When they are feeling loving and comfortable with their child they seldom, if ever, tell the child their positive intentions or feelings.
We can be more effective parents if we realize there is always an understandable need and reason for all children’s behaviors. We can more effectively meet the child’s needs if we become more aware not only of their behaviors but of our parenting style.
There are parenting styles that by design help a child feel heard, understood, accepted, and likeable. Other, less constructive, parenting styles will create the opposite effect, causing the child to feel unheard, misunderstood, unacceptable, and completely unlikeable.
The less constructive and more shaming parenting style often cause a child to act out in ways that are uncomfortable for the parents and unhealthy for the child.
As parents, we learn our default parenting styles from our own parents. We will parent very similar to how our parents raised us, or we will do oppositional parenting and try to parent our child completely opposite from how we were raised.
Neither is usually very effective. This is one of the most common reasons dysfunctional family patterns are passed on from generation to generation.
Overly Permissive Style parents feel helpless and set few consistent limits. Without clear, reasonable, and consistent boundaries and limits, children feel scared and insecure and will act this out in how they behave. The child learns to make excessive demands on these kinds of parents. These parents usually do not know what is best for the child so they give in to the pressure of the moment.
However, when they reach their limit they will yell, scream, and attack the child emotionally, sometimes physically. When they calm down, they then revert to being permissive.
Children raised with this type of parenting style do not get the sense of safety, security, and consistent acceptance that all children need. They grow up to be insecure, dramatic, and anywhere from unpleasant to seriously disturbed adults.
Authoritarian Style parents usually feel certain they are right or at least they act certain. They have strict rules for the sake of having strict rules. These parents have little to no understanding of what a child needs and they are more focused on what they need from the child. Their self-esteem, as parents, rests with having an obedient child. They make rules to ensure obedience, even when there is no reason to expect disobedience. They rule by fear rather than love and respect.
The punishments used are much more severe than needed. They will often use physical abuse as punishment and always use emotional abuse. They will shame, blame, demean, and humiliate the child. They have strong belief that the child must feel bad about themselves and what they have done.
Children raised with this type of parenting style do not get the sense of safety, security, and consistent acceptance that all children need. They grow up to be extremely self and other critical. They are judgmental in the same ways their parents were judgmental of them. As adults, they become either very passive or withdrawn and tremendously insecure (usually girls), or they become like the abusive, controlling authoritarian that raised them (usually boys).
An Inconsistent Blended Style of the overly permissive and authoritarian parenting style is the most confusing, emotionally abusive, and damaging for the child. The parent is inconsistent and goes back and forth between both styles. These confusing doubles messages cause the child to live in a state of constant fear and anxiety.
Children raised with this inconsistent mix not only lack the sense of security and acceptance that all children need, but they learn that nothing they do matters. They feel ineffectual and eventually apathetic about themselves and their place in the world. Despite their best efforts, nothing they do is ever right. They grow up to be underachievers at best. At worst, they are the adults that have low or non-existent goals, unstable relationships, and a deep belief in their own worthlessness.
A Clear Parenting Style creates children that grow into responsible, independent, and esteemed adults. These parents do not feel helpless or infallible. They set fair, clear guidelines that insure the child’s safety, development, and self-esteem. They show sensitivity and understanding for the child’s feelings and are able to be reasonable yet firm. They understand how important it is to objectively observe their child’s behavior and use the information as a window into their child’s thoughts, feelings, and actions.
They do not create power struggles with their child. These types of parents do not need to feel superior or “more right” than their child. They do not raise their self-esteem by lowering their child’s self-esteem.
On issues that are not crucial, they allow the child to be right without feeling threatened; and on important issues, they set fair limits that the child can understand.
Parents that use a clear style of parenting are not interested in unnecessarily strict control over the child. They have fair, clear, and firm rules that change as the child’s needs change.
These parents have few power struggles with their child because they are much more interested in being rational and reasonable than they are in being right.
Children raised with this style of parenting have an inherently positive outlook about themselves and their world. They easily set goals and most often they attain the goals they set. Their high level of self-esteem allows them to be self-caring in all aspects of their lives. These children grow up to be successful, confident, and content adults.
If you have questions about children’s self-esteem, effective parenting styles or anything else in this article please feel free
to email me at CDeMoss@EmpoweringOptions.com. Empowering Options frequently runs parenting classes and workshops. For times and locations, call 773-338-2889.
Locals offer support for ‘fair trade’ practices
Activists avoid third-world sweatshop products
Fair trade is picking up steam in Chicago and Northsiders have several options to support the international movement, according to a local activists that support the cause.
Matthew Krecun, a resident of the Old Irving Park neighborhood, actively seeks out fair trade products and is delighted to see several fair trade shops opening up throughout Chicagoland, including a few on the North side of the city.
“Fair trade is more than just buying stuff,” Krecun says. “It’s about supporting artisans in third world countries by paying them a fair wage ensuring no child or sweatshop labor was used to make the items.”
Recent fair trade shops have opened their doors in Chicago, including several in the Andersonville Galleria on Clark Street in Andersonville and Greenheart Shop in the River North neighborhood.
Northside residents had even more options from which to choose on May 14 which is when Chicago celebrated World Fair Trade Day in Daley Plaza.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., more than 20 fair trade organizations were on hand selling handmade and fairly traded gifts, home accessories, coffee, chocolate and clothing.
Additionally, the event hosted speakers such including former Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, Commissioner Malec-Mckenna from the City’s Dept. of Environment, and a farmer from a farmer’s cooperative from Mexico.
“Fair trade products allow me to make a difference in the world by my choice as a consumer,” says Andersonville resident and fair trade advocate Maureen Dunn. “It’s important to me to use my purchasing power to support what is good for the environment as well as for the people making the products.”
A common definition of fair trade involves companies negotiating directly with the growers or producers of products to establish a fair price for the product.
Activist Allison Havens says Fair Trade means fair wages are paid to artisans, environmentally sustainable materials and production processes are used, there are safe and Democratic workplaces, transparency and accountability are available throughout entire production process and there is community development where part of the income is used towards community projects such as schools, health care and clean water.
College enrollment for CPS grads reaches 50 percent
Half of all Chicago Public Schools graduates in the Class of 2007 enrolled in a college or university within the first year since high school graduation, according to new figures.
The college enrollment rate of Chicago Public Schools graduates has climbed 6.5 percentage points over the last four years –outpacing the national rate in almost every category-- since the district created a department aimed at boosting the number of students who go on to colleges and universities.
The CPS Department of Postsecondary Education and Student Development also announced that even bigger jumps have been gauged in the number of students attending four-year universities and in the number of male students attending college, particularly among black and Latino graduates.
In 2007 alone, the overall number of CPS graduates enrolling in post-secondary institutions rose by 2.1 percent over the previous year. Since 2004, when the CPS post-secondary department began tracking the college enrollment rate of graduates, the overall number has steadily climbed by about 2 percentage points each year.
But CPS has seen bigger increases in enrollment since 2004 for all racial/ethnic groups, with the greatest increases among male students—white males from 52.7 percent to 63.6 percent; black males from 36.7 percent to 44.9 percent; and Latino males from 29.8 percent to 37.4 percent. While college enrollment for both gender groups rose, male enrollment increased at a higher rate than female enrollment—slowly closing the gender gap from 9.2 percent in 2004 to 6.1 percent in 2007.
The data, gathered from the National Student Clearinghouse, also shows that the percentage of CPS students attending four-year institutions has steadily increased since 2004, from 60.2 percent to 68 percent in 2007. While two-year colleges are the appropriate choice for some students, in general students are much less likely to drop out of four-year colleges. The percentage of students attending college full-time also rose: from 68.2 percent of enrolled students in 2006 to 71.3 percent in 2007.
CPS also has seen a higher percentage of students enrolling in highly selective colleges, including Big Ten Conference universities (29.8 percent), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (9.8 percent), Associated Colleges of the Midwest, a group of liberal arts colleges that includes Carleton, University of Chicago and Grinnell College (25.7 percent), Associated Colleges of Illinois, which includes Lake Forest College and Knox College (24.4 percent).
A small portion of CPS’ overall gain in college enrollment over the last year – 0.5 percent – can be attributed to the inclusion of East-West University students, who had not been counted by the National Student Clearinghouse previously.
“Our post-secondary department has developed a lot of great programs in a short time to help more of our students realize the dream of getting a college education,’’ said Arne Duncan, CEO of Chicago Public Schools. “In some cases, they’ve been helping kids overcome non-academic hurdles, like completing their financial aid forms, and in other cases, they have focused on ensuring that our students finish high school.”
College enrollment also continues to increase across all GPA categories since 2004, with the greatest increases coming from students with a 2.5 to 2.9 GPA (7.6 percent increase) and students with a 2.0 to 2.4 GPA (6.3 percent increase).
“Our schools have worked so hard over the past several years to lift students’ expectations, to help them see high school graduation not as an ending, but as only the first step toward a successful career in their chosen field,’’ Mayor Richard Daley said in a news conference held at John Hope College Prep High School, 5515 South Lowe Ave., which has seen an increase of 20.6 percentage points in its college enrollment rate since 2004.
“The conversations in all of our high schools across the city are changing from ‘How do I get to graduation day?’ to ‘Where is the best place for me to continue my education?’” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, CPS has considerably outgained the nation in every category since 2004; overall college enrollment has gone up 6.5 percentage points, versus the nation’s 0.5.
Male student enrollment has increased 8.2 points, versus the nation’s 4.7 and female student college enrollment has increased 5.1 points, versus the nation’s decrease of 3.2.
“It’s important for us to understand that graduating high school is no longer the finish line it once was,” Mayor Richard Daley said. “Forty or fifty years ago, a high school diploma better guaranteed a good job and success in life.
“In today’s global economy, however, while having a high school diploma is still essential, it is simply not enough for many professions.
CPS and the National Student Clearinghouse also continue to track CPS graduates as they progress through college; retention numbers will be available later this year.
Daley also reminded eighth-graders to sign up for Freshman Connection, a free summer program to be held at the eighth-graders’ destination high schools.
“This program allows ninth-graders to attend academic and recreational programs at their destination high schools at no charge. Students can register right up until the program starts on June 30, and I encourage every incoming ninth-grader to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to a get a head start on high school,” Daley said.
CPS is offering incentives for eighth-graders who sign up and complete Freshman Connection. Students who registered before the early deadline of April 18 received iTunes gift cards. Students who attend the program and have two or fewer absences will receive mp3 players. CPS also will provide free CTA passes for every student in the program who needs one.
“Our schools are at a turning point. We must not settle into the status quo,” Daley said. “Our work isn’t done until every student in every school is reaching their full potential and is on the path to the positive future they want for themselves.”
Congresswoman votes on gasoline legislation
U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) joined a bipartisan majority in the House recently to pass H.R. 6022, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008. Despite strong opposition from President Bush, the bill passed the House by a vote of 385 to 25. H.R. 6022 would suspend filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through the end of the year, as long as the price of crude oil remains above $75 per barrel.
“This measure would provide immediate and real relief to hard-working American families who are paying record prices at the pump,” said U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL). “At a time when millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet, our government shouldn’t be making life more difficult for families by taking gas off the market and driving prices up, especially when the Reserve is nearly at capacity. This measure could make a significant impact in the budgets of millions of American families by reducing gas prices from 5 to 24 cents a gallon.”
H.R. 6022 temporarily suspends the U.S. Department of Energy’s ability to directly purchase oil for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or to enter into new contracts to obtain oil through the end of the year. The Department of Energy currently purchases 70,000 barrels of oil a day. The bill would allow the Department of Energy to resume filling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, before the end of the year, if crude oil prices go back down to $75 per barrel. The price of a barrel of oil has reached $127. H.R. 6022 is supported by the American Truckers Association, Air Transport Association, Public Citizen, Sierra Club and the Center for American Progress.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is roughly 97 percent full – the highest level ever. The current inventory exceeds the International Energy Program commitment to maintain at least 90 days of oil stocks in reserve. The reserve has been tapped or suspended before by President Bush, President Clinton, and the first President Bush. In 2000, after such action, the price of oil dropped down by one-third from $30 to $20 per barrel.
“While this bill will help reduce gas prices, we must do more to break our dependence on foreign oil by investing in renewable fuels, increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles and developing a long-term, comprehensive energy policy,” said Schakowsky. “Rising energy prices and our changing climate demand a new energy vision that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels while limiting harmful emissions and environmental damage to precious natural resources.”
The Democratic Congress has already enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007, with provisions to combat oil market manipulation, make cars and trucks more fuel efficient, and promote the use of more affordable American biofuels. The House has also passed legislation to crack down on price gouging, hold OPEC controlled entities accountable for oil price fixing, and repeal subsidies for profit-rich Big Oil so we can invest in a renewable energy future.
DePaul law school launches legal clinic
Offers representation to those charged with misdemeanors
The DePaul University College of Law has launched a clinical program designed to serve the community while offering students the opportunity to gain real-life legal experience by representing clients accused of misdemeanor crimes. With the addition of the Misdemeanor Clinic, the College of Law will sponsor eight clinical programs for individuals in need of legal help.
“Our clinical programs are one of the most valuable and accessible tools we can offer students to help them put into real-life context many of the skills they learn in the classroom,” said Glen Weissenberger, dean of the College of Law. “The Misdemeanor Clinic, along with our criminal appeals and death penalty clinics, will allow the law school to offer a full range of criminal defense services to those most in need.”
The Misdemeanor Clinic offers free legal assistance to indigent clients who have been charged with misdemeanors. Generally, a misdemeanor is a lesser criminal act that is punishable by incarceration for a year or less. The need for affordable representation in misdemeanor cases is evident. According to the most recent statistics available through the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority, in 2002, nine percent of the court cases filed in Illinois were for misdemeanor offenses. The number of cases filed for misdemeanor offenses in Cook County increased by three percent between 1990 and 2002. And, 77 percent of the misdemeanor cases filed in Illinois were filed in Cook County in 2002.
Students who participate in the Misdemeanor Clinic assume responsibility for every aspect of client defense under the supervision of the clinic’s director. They conduct client interviews, investigate cases and provide direct representation for clients, among other things. The clinic will serve between 16 and 24 clients annually, and it will be open to an estimated 25 students each academic year.
“The need to provide quality legal representation for those accused of misdemeanors is just as critical as it is for those accused of felonies because a person’s liberty, reputation and finances can be threatened,” said Cynthia Roseberry, who directs the clinic. “Through the clinic, students will learn criminal defense law in the most practical setting available—representing actual clients.”
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