All of our government offices will be closed this Monday for Memorial Day. Memorial Day is a time to honor those who have passed from our lives but not from our memories. All of us have someone we know that fought for our country and paid the ultimate sacrifice. We all honor their service this Memorial Day and pray for those who serve today around the world. We also should take the time to think of those family and friends who served and need our support each day.

In the market for a job? Mark your calendars for the North Branch Works community jobs fair on June 23rd from 1-4 p.m. at the Linda and Bill Gantz Boys and Girls Club (2915 N. Leavitt Street). To RSVP, please go here. The Chicago Park District is also hiring, and especially looking for lifeguards. Help bring change to the organization while helping others stay safe in our polls and beaches throughout the summer. Also visit One Summer Chicago a collaboration that brings together government institutions, community-based organizations and companies to offer employment and internship opportunities to youth and young adults ages 14 to 24.

In the email newsletter, I've included information on recent votes on the casino and curfew, early voting being pushed back, infrastructure project updates from Southport to California, and many events coming up in the community area.

If you want to enter a service request, you can go to 311.chicago.gov. For all other issues, please use the information below:

Before the pandemic, the City was increasing coordination and funding of youth oriented activities through MyChiMyFuture, which was created and launched in collaboration with Northwestern University in 2020. The effort was under taken to help link youth with over 200 organizations. That effort has expanded over the past two years with additional funding and more and more organizations joining the effort to provide events, venues, and opportunities for kids to be engaged.

Today I met a young man named Darian German from the Austin community who works with his friends to run the Austin Safety Action Plan (ASAP). Among other activities, ASAP started up their own basketball tournament to help keep teens busy and will be hosting the eight team tournament five week next month. At this morning's event, Darian talked about the work they are doing and the positive efforts they hope will be recognized, while assuring people that teens just need opportunities. While at the event, we connected Darian with the Bucktown Community Organization to see what collaboration might take place between our communities.

Chicago Public Schools offers programming and various activities that can be found at the CPS site or visit cps.edu/summerprograms.

The Chicago Park District, the Chicago Public Library and the One Summer Chicago program provides high school students with paid academic, enrichment, and workplace opportunities.

For the swimmers looking for a job, the Chicago Park District is looking for lifeguards to man the City's pools and beaches. Beaches open this weekend and will be protected by lifeguards, but will also include new signage and flags for swimmer safety. The Park District will pay $500 bonus to seasonal lifeguards and a $200 bonus to other seasonal staff as part of their recruitment efforts. Pools will open on time but operating hours as of now may be limited due to the shortage of workers. CPD will be adjusting their approach to hiring due to the overlap of school. They have also taken significant steps to address the lifeguard cultural issues, but we still have much work to do as a society and within that institution to better guarantee the safety and security of all workers, especially women.

June CAPS Meetings - Some CAPS meetings are still being held virtually. Please email or call your district in order to get the Zoom link to your specific meeting or to find out if it is back to being in person yet.

14^th District Twitter

Early Voting in each of the 50 Wards in Chicago begins on June 13th through June 28th. You can see all Early Voting locations and addresses by clicking here.

All voters in Chicago may vote at any of these sites, no matter where they live in the City. Voter registration services (new voters, name changes, and address updates) will be provided at all Early Voting sites. Two forms of ID, one of which shows the voter's current address, are needed to register for the first time or to file a name change or an address update. 

The City of Chicago has been pursuing a casino over the past three decades. Several iterations of a casino operation have been proposed in that time, some bringing little to no revenue to the City up through the edition passed this week that allows for an operation that puts significant revenue into the City of Chicago.

I supported the casino proposal, with some reservations and will work with fellow aldermen on some of the outstanding issues.

The State General Assembly amended the law in 2019 to include facilities that included a casino for Chicago. The City did argue at this point that the proposed tax structure was too high for any investors to undertake a casino operation and asked for an amendment. An amendment passed in the General Assembly in 2020 changing the tax formulas for the state and City making it more feasible.

The casino revenues did speak to alleviating some of the pressures on the property taxes and the police and fire pension funding crisis, but it did not present a total solution to funding. At no point was this presented as a solution to the pension crisis and it should not be viewed as such.

Bally's $1.7 billion proposal was chosen to lead the casino effort in Chicago and was approved via ordinance with a community agreement and Labor Peace Agreement with the Chicago Federation of Labor in hand. The casino proposal must still go through additional steps.

Next steps include going to the Chicago Plan Commission for review and approval, as well as back to the Illinois Gaming Board to review all of the financials and actors that are part of the deal before issuing the Chicago license.

The City expects other revenue to increase from the addition of the casino, including creation of significantly more property taxes on the Chicago Tribune properties, restaurant and other taxes.

Armitage, Western to Kedzie-All water services have been transferred from the old water main to the new water main between Kedzie and California. Restoration work has begun between Kedzie and Humboldt. The full closure of Armitage EASTBOUND will continue this week.

All dry pipe completed between Diversey to just south of Fullerton. Chlorination from Diversey to Logan has been completed and has been approved. Work on the catch basins from Logan to Fullerton is expected to be completed today. Next week, they will continue water service transfers from Diversey to Logan and complete the connection at Altgeld.

If you would like to receive regular email updates about the progress of these projects, please go to BuildingANewChicago.org to register for project notifications. Simply enter your name, email address, and the project identification number (1901060). By signing up for the project notifications, you will be informed as the project enters each new construction phase - from mobilization of equipment onto the site, to the installation of new pipes, to the final restoration of the street.

Construction on Diversey from Central Park to California is tentatively scheduled to begin on May 23, 2022, pending clearance from and coordination with existing utilities, and is weather permitting. The work will include ADA sidewalk improvements, curb and gutter removal and replacement as needed for ADA and drainage compliance, pavement patching, milling and paving the existing asphalt pavement, concrete bus pads, and striping.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) invite you to help shape the City’s first comprehensive framework plan to improve street infrastructure for public bus service: The Better Streets for Buses Plan.

Go to betterstreetsforbuses.com for the proposed plans and contribute feedback.

Community Jobs Fair on June 23rd 

Please join us for a community jobs fair on June 23rd from 1-4 p.m. at the Linda and Bill Gantz Boys and Girls Club (2915 N. Leavitt Street). To RSVP, please go here.

If you are a business and would like to participate at no cost, please contact Steve Simmons at 773-929-5552 x2226 or [email protected].

2022-23 Pulaski Registration Each Wednesday

9:00 – 11:00am – By Appointment Only – Email Pulaski Registration to set up an appointment

Street-ery weekends (starting 5/27-5/29), then present your receipt when enjoying on-street dining from Damen to Seeley to receive special discounts at participating restaurants. Find discounts, participating businesses, and learn more at https://www.lakeviewroscoevillage.org/roscoestreetery

Follow @roscoestreetery on Instagram!

Wicker Park Advisory Council Sponsors The Garden as Inspiration, a Drawing and Watercolor Class

Sign up for The Garden as Inspiration drawing and watercolor class. Maria Mariottini will teach a 6 week long series that explores forms and textures in the 10,000 square feet of the Wicker Park Garden located in Wicker Park at 1425 N. Damen Avenue. The class will combine drawing & watercolor painting. All students will complete drawing exercises at the beginning of each class and then either draw or watercolor after these exercises that apply to both art mediums. The first session will be an intro and tour of the garden by Doug Wood, the garden coordinator and main designer and then students will begin to draw. Each following session will have a focus to encourage expanded skill in seeing and drawing & watercolor. Classes start Monday, June 6th. Register here.

Now in its second season, the Roscoe Village Farmers Market provides local, sustainably produced foods to the Roscoe Village community on Sundays from 8am - 12pm starting June 12th through October 9th, 2022. Get ready to enjoy local produce along with vendors offering fresh breads, pastries, cheeses, coffee, and even ice cream! By prioritizing dedicated, local farmers and makers within walking distance for the community, the market will be a hub of sustainability for shoppers and vendors alike. Vendors will be announced soon - sign up to the Roscoe Village Farmers Market eNewsletter to be the first to know and get weekly updates on market happenings throughout the season.

Come have FUN and celebrate our community's urban agriculture!  If you'd like your small business to participate or if you are an individual maker of urban agriculture adjacent items, contact AGA at [email protected] and check out their website here.

Lincoln Park Zoo summer hours (June 6-September 5), unless otherwise specified:

Please email [email protected] with any webinar questions.

Visit BACP’s YouTube for all webinars.