32nd Ward Newsletter May 23, 2025

Dear Scott,

Our office will be closed on Monday, May 26th in observance of Memorial Day.

There will also be no black or blue cart collection on Monday. Residents should ensure all carts are accessible throughout the week, not solely on their regular day of collection.

Memorial Day is a day we honor the men and women who served our country and gave their lives for our freedom. Veterans need our support now more than ever as the Trump Administration has made cuts to the the Veterans Administration that helps Americans who served and their needs in post-service health care, housing, life insurance, pensions, education and more.

The 14th and 18th Police Districts have new commanders and we want to send our thanks for their years of service to acting commanders Brian Courtney in the 14th, and Commander Michael Barz in the 18th. See more below regarding the new commanders of those districts.

We are still doing a children's book drive with Bernie's Book Bank. If you missed the last book drive with Share Our Spare and are making space for more books, we will be collecting new & gently used books, appropriate for children up to 6th grade. See below for more details. Thanks to all of you that have been bringing in children's book donations!

Have a nice holiday weekend,

Alderman Scott Waguespack

I stand with people in our City and around the country in mourning the murders of Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in an antisemitic attack in Washington D.C. No one should be the target of violence due to their religion or ethnicity, and our Chicagoland Jewish community, like all communities, deserve to feel safe. We must continue to stand together to condemn and root out all forms of hate, senseless violence, and the antisemitism in our country, our city and in our local government. Our prayers are with the families of the victims and our Jewish community members.

City Council Update

This week, the City Council met and voted on several issues spanning from resolutions on Asian American and Pacific Islander month as well as American Jewish heritage month, to several zoning issues. 

One of the larger groups of settlements involved three cases equaling $48 million for three men who received reverse convictions by former State's Attorney Kim Foxx for fires that they allegedly started in 1986 that killed two brothers. We will also pay $5 million dollars in the Brianna Keys case where the plaintiff refused police services on a cold snowy night and lost two of her limbs but the court deemed that the police still had a duty to provide services regardless of her refusal to accept help. 

The City will also start paying for the settlement in the Chicago parking meters LLC arbitration that I mentioned last week. While the city attorneys were able to reduce the amount, the terrible parking meter deal wins again. The 75 year deal will continue to see the city hemorrhaging funds from the parking meter asset. The parking meter deal has been the controversy since it was voted on in 2008. There have been legal attempts to break down the deal before in courts have ruled in favor of CPM each time. 

In the Committee on Aviation, the city council approved Michael McMurray as the new commissioner of the Chicago Department of Aviation who will oversee O'Hare and Midway airports. Mr McMurray comes from the private sector after having previously served in city government. He takes over the reins from Jamie Rhee who was asked to resign by Mayor Johnson (Aviation, COPA chiefs out after Johnson vows to purge disloyal staff). The Council also voted to approve fire department official Frank Velez as the new director of the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC).

Finally, the amendment to the existing curfew code was delayed by Alderman Ervin and Vasquez to have more discussion. This curfew would be an extension that would allow the Superintendent of police under already existing authority to call for a curfew for three hours when larger groups commit acts of violence or mayhem. The curfew ordinance applies citywide.

On another note, the Mayor appointed his budget working group last week. While there are some with knowledge of municipal budgeting, not everyone met the level of experience or capacity to review the budget. The appointment of one individual was just another instance of mayoral tone deafness and a slap in the face to the Jewish community and taxpayers.

Wicker Park Bucktown(WPB) Chamber of Commerce and SSA Community Meeting

Thanks to the Wicker Park Chamber of Commerce for the great membership community breakfast and State of the Wards yesterday hosted by Big Star on Damen Avenue in their open air patio. At the meeting, we covered a myriad of issues with Q&A discussions on issues affecting the business and residents in the WPB community like new businesses opening soon in the 32nd Ward, crime and public safety, bike lane concerns, e-scooters, e-bikes and other public transportation, and infrastructure issues. The WPB chamber and SSA are sponsoring one of the first rat abatement programs of its kind in Chicago which you can read more about here. Our office works closely with the Chambers in the 32nd Ward and surrounding areas. We especially appreciate the collaboration with WPB chamber staff on joint efforts for community cleanup, business promotion, and advocacy, as well as maintaining infrastructure. I want to give a special shout out to Alice Howe who was also instrumental in stopping the theft of bike racks from the WPB area by keeping vigilant of illegal activities in the WPB area. 

We're looking forward to the openings of Pup Social & Green Thumbs in the old Green Dolphin site, now completely cleaned up. While we have lost the great My Pi on Damen, new businesses are starting up including restaurants like The Origins Restaurant, Class Act, and others in the works.

Pup Social and Green Thumbs at the old Green Dolphin Site

2025 Street Cleaning Calendar

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 3, 4, and 5 (West Lakeview and Hamlin Park). Click on the map above to see your section's schedule.

Please be on the lookout for signs and make sure to move your vehicle on your scheduled day (south and east sides of the street are normally done on the first day, north and west on the second; please watch for signs). Sweepers will do more than one pass on the block in their initial cleaning but will not come back to clean sections outside of their officially scheduled day.

Please take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property to keep the sewers flowing well. Any landscaping debris should be bagged and put in the alley by your trash cans. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Piles of leaves and heavy garbage also clog the sweepers and will cause significant delays. Other large objects like branches and metal will also damage the sweepers, so please remove them from curbs.

Residents can view street sweepers in real time using the Sweeper Tracker online tool. 

Public Safety Section

Cook County Sheriff Car Tracking

My office also met with reps from the Cook County Sheriff’s office this week, discussing various ways they can assist citizens. One program they provide is car tracking. This program allows the police to work with your auto manufacturer to track your car in the event that it is stolen. Other than improving the recovery time of your vehicle, it can also prevent your car from being used in another crime. To learn more and sign up for this program, please click here.

New Commanders in the 14th and 18th Districts

Commander of the 14th (Shakespeare) District - Ricky Rivera

Lieutenant Rivera, an 18-year member of the department, will now serve as the Commander of the 14th (Shakespeare) District. Prior to his promotion, he was a Lieutenant in the Narcotics Division, where he oversaw narcotics enforcement operations to combat drug-related crime and violence. He also served the 6th (Gresham) District as a Watch Operations Lieutenant. During his time as a Sergeant, Commander Rivera worked in multiple areas of the Bureau of Counterterrorism, including the Public Transportation Section Tactical Team, Gang Investigations and Narcotics Investigations. He was also a Sergeant on the Area Four Gang Enforcement team and the 15th (Austin) District Tactical Team. Commander Rivera holds a bachelor's degree in Public Safety Management from Calumet College of St. Joseph.

Commander of the 18th (Near North) District - Christopher Bielfeldt

Captain Bielfeldt, a 26-year member of the department, will now serve as the Commander of the 18th (Near North) District. During his time as a Captain, Commander Bielfeldt was assigned to Airport Operations - South, where he oversaw CPD's public safety operations at Midway Airport. Commander Bielfeldt was also a Captain in the 17th (Albany Park) District, the Central Control Group and the 18th District, which he will now command. While a Lieutenant, he was assigned to the Bureau of Detectives, where he worked on the re-opening of the Area Four and Area Five detective divisions. He was also a Saturation Lieutenant in Area Central, and both a Watch Operations and Field Lieutenant in the 12th (Near West) District. As a Sergeant, Commander Bielfeldt served in the Special Functions Division, the Bureau of Patrol, the 7th (Englewood) District and the 12th District. Commander Bielfeldt holds a master's degree in Criminal Justice from Lewis University and a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Illinois State University. He also attended the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command.

Lincoln Park Sewer Main Project #7158

Weekly Update

Project Status: My staff and I met with the Water Dept this week to discuss this project. This past week, they were working on the last private drain on Schubert so that the restoration crew can then move in for the Schubert/Lakewood/Wayne section of the project.  ComEd is also performing work on Schubert that should be finished by Tuesday. The trenches that you see in the street are for the concrete restoration work that will be done. The concrete base is scheduled to be poured on Wayne this weekend.

The plan is to have restoration done in the next 30 days (contractors will face penalties if they don’t complete it in 30 days). The street restoration is the first priority; concrete work will be done first followed by asphalt. It takes 3 days for the concrete to cure; the work will be split into doing the parking lanes and the center separately which will impact traffic for those days. Once the street is done (asphalting will take place 2 days after the concrete cures), curb and gutter work will be done. They will only repair what they broke, not pre-existing issues. Landscaping is the last thing to be done.

Some residents had been asking why Schubert was started first and will be finished after some of the other streets in the project- this is due to it being the most difficult block in the project- sewer lines were in the parkways and needed to be moved to the middle of the street, switching from two separate mains to one unified one. The plats of survey were also off due to construction work that was done when building the houses; 15 old private drains were abandoned by the private developers which caused the Water Dept to have to do more work thus delaying the project. They have to do work precisely both for legal reasons and to do the job right so that they don't have to come back in a couple of months to fix rushed work. Removing the tracks on Lakewood also added time. Trees also had to be removed for several addresses to do the private drain and LSLR work. This work was done at the end since they want to address all at once and also have to work with the Bureau of Forestry. Extra time is also added since they have to contact and hear back from residents for things such as tree removal, private drain work, lead service replacement work, etc. Since they want to hit all of these things at once, someone not contacting them back can cause a delay to the overall project. There was also a concern about dust- crews will make sure the dust is wet down during restoration.

City of Chicago to Honor Purple Heart Veterans with Street Sign Installations at City Hall and Fort Dearborn

On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 9:00 a.m., the City of Chicago and the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs hosted a public ceremony honoring Purple Heart Veterans and recognizing the City’s official designation as a Purple Heart City. The event included the installation of two Purple Heart City signs: one in front of City Hall on LaSalle Street and another at the historic site of Old Fort Dearborn, located at Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive.

Purple Heart Veterans, their families, and friends gathered to mark this important occasion, including Retired Lt. Col. Eldridge Johnson Jr., a Purple Heart recipient and the first African American pilot in the Illinois National Guard. Lt. Col. Johnson played a pivotal role in helping bring this designation to fruition and remains a passionate advocate for veteran recognition.

“Chicago is proud to stand with our veterans, especially our Purple Heart recipients, who have borne the scars of war,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “This designation is more than symbolic, it is a pledge to continue building a city where our veterans are seen, supported, and honored for their service.”

“This designation reaffirms our city’s commitment to remember and honor the price paid by so many,” said Kevin Barszcz, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs. “Since World War I, more than 30,000 Illinois service members have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation — including my uncle, Hilario Vazquez, who was killed in action during the Korean War. Thousands more returned home with wounds that many still carry today.”

The designation of Chicago as a Purple Heart City was made official on October 30, 2024, when the City Council unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by Alderman Gilbert Villegas and members of the City Council’s Veterans Caucus. The resolution was signed by Mayor Brandon Johnson and reflects the City’s enduring commitment to honoring the service and sacrifice of those who were wounded or killed in combat.

“Designating Chicago as a Purple Heart City is a powerful gesture of respect and remembrance,” said Alderman Villegas. “It reflects our deep appreciation for those who’ve endured the unimaginable and ensures their sacrifices are visible and honored in the heart of our city.”

The Purple Heart City designation is part of a national initiative led by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, a veteran service organization dedicated to recognizing U.S. military personnel wounded or killed in combat. The program highlights municipalities that demonstrate ongoing support and appreciation for Purple Heart recipients and their families.

Kennedy Expressway Ramp Closures

In 2023, IDOT began rehabilitating the Kennedy Expressway (Interstate 90/94), from the Edens Expressway (I-94) junction to Ohio Street. The project consists of rehabilitating 36 bridges and the Reversible Lane Access Control system, replacing overhead sign structures, installing new signage and modernized LED lights, pavement patching, and structural painting. 

The work has taken place over three consecutive construction seasons. The project is now into its final stage. 

Here are some things you can expect this through mid-July:

Traffic Impacts

• Reversible express lanes will remain outbound only.
• Outbound express lane users must exit onto Edens Expressway. First exit will be Edens Expressway at Foster Avenue.
• Outbound O’Hare Airport traffic must stay on mainline; there is no O’Hare exit from the express lanes.

Upcoming Ramp Closures

May 26, 2025

• Outbound Kennedy to Ohio Street, anticipated to reopen in approximately one week

May 28, 2025

• Keeler Avenue to outbound Kennedy, anticipated to reopen in approximately two weeks

Motorists should follow the posted detours. Sequencing of ramp improvements is being done throughout the project to help accelerate construction. Additional ramp closures for varying durations will be required to complete the project. All ramp closures are weather dependent and are subject to change. 

Click here for more info and to stay current with the project.

Chicago Board of Education Community Meetings

The Chicago Board of Education is hosting community meetings in every Elected School Board (ESB) district in the city over the next few weeks. You may have received communication about this already, inviting you to participate in one particular meeting. That email was based on the location of your child’s school, but we want to be clear that you are free to attend whatever meeting is most convenient for you.  

Below are details for all remaining community meetings. All meetings will be held in person, and all will include both Spanish and ASL translation.  



• Monday, May 19, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences (Districts 9&10) 
• Tuesday, May 20, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Hairpin Arts Center (District 3)
• Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Amundsen High School (District 2) 
• Thursday, May 22, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: The Arturo Velasquez Westside Technical Institute (District 7)
• Tuesday, May 27, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: National Teachers Academy (District 6B) 
• Wednesday, May 28, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Pritzker Elementary School (District 6A) 
• Monday, June 2, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: The Nettelhorst School (District 4) 
• Thursday, June 5, 2025, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.: Marsh Elementary School (District 10)

This information is also available on the Board of Education website.

For those unable to attend the meetings above, here are some other options:

• Community Survey. A community survey is available here. This is an opportunity for you to share what you feel is working well in CPS and identify areas where you would like to see improvement.
• Focus Groups and On-Site Interviews. Representatives from Alma Advisory Group, the Board’s executive search partner, will visit select CPS locations to gather input from staff and community members on the next Superintendent/CEO. Details on these sessions will be provided soon. 
• Regular Updates. I encourage everyone to check the CPS BOE website regularly to monitor the status of the Superintendent/CEO search and learn more about the numerous opportunities to participate in the process. 

On Sunday, June 8th from 9am – noon, the Bucktown Community Organization (BCO) along with Alderman Scott Waguespack will be hosting a shredding event to include onsite destruction and recycling of documents and personal electronics. Additionally, the Cook County Sheriff's Office will be on hand as part of their Prescription Drug Takeback program to safely dispose of your old Rx’s.

As a special part of the free Shredding Event, stop by the BCO tent to meet members of the BCO Board, learn more about upcoming events in the neighborhood like the Bucktown Garden Walk and Movies in the Park, and get your raffle ticket to win a rain barrel compliments of Commissioner Garcia and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District.

Come by with any papers and electronics that you would like to have securely destroyed and recycled. There is a limit of 2 boxes/containers per household and we ask that you please remove all heavy-duty staples, paper clips, metal fasteners, and rubber bands ahead of time.

Don’t let your paper and electronic data fall into the wrong hands and don’t let your old Rx’s contaminate our water. Come out and get Shredded!

Chicago Parks Foundation Presents IT'S YOUR PARK DAY(IYPD) on Saturday, May 31st. It’s Your Park Day is a community clean-up day across dozens of Chicago parks! Free, fun, and family-friendly. Join the Chicago Parks Foundation in celebrating their 10th annual IYPD at a park near you to kick off the summer season! 

How to Volunteer: Click here for a list of participating IYPD parks and register online for the park of your choice. Each park has its own start/end time and additional details on its registration page. Activities may include trash pickup, tree mulching, playground woodchip resurfacing, and more. 

Questions? Contact volunteer@chicagoparksfoundation.org. See you in the parks! 

Porchfest Lakeview - June 1

This beloved neighborhood tradition is back on June 1st! Porchfest is a neighborhood music festival featuring local talent that takes place on porches. Come spend a relaxing and fun afternoon strolling the neighborhood listening to live music.

This year, for the first time, the Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce is offering a limited edition t-shirt! Commemorate the day and further support the event with your purchase.

Get tickets here!

Lincoln Park Health & Wellness Weekend

Kick off summer with a focus on you! Celebrate the season of sunshine at Lincoln Park Health & Wellness Weekend featuring free outdoor workout classes, mini-spa services, giveaways, and more.

Health & Wellness Showcase featuring free mini-spa services

Open and free to public featuring free mini-spa services including chair massage, mini facial, ear acupuncture, skin treatment, brow & lash consultation, and more.

Saturday, June 7 from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Lincoln Common Plaza, 2335 N. Lincoln

Free Outdoor Workout Classes

Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8

Click here to sign up for classes.

Low-Income Discount Rate Program for

Chicago & Cook County

Tuesday, June 18 | 2 PM CST | On Zoom

Legal Action Chicago invites advocates, community-based organizations, and legislators to join a free, high-impact webinar on the new Low-Income Discount Rate (LIDR) Program — designed to help low-income households in our area access affordable gas service for heating and cooking.

This program is a critical step toward equitable energy access — and your role in helping people enroll is vital. Register here.

Help Keep Crucial SSA Services in West Lakeview

West Lakeview Special Service Area (SSA) 27’s 15 year term ends 12/31/2025, and must go through a renewal process throughout 2025 in order for West Lakeview to keep crucial SSA services such as Litter Pickup, Landscaping, Holiday Decor, Outdoor Furniture Maintenance, Community Events (such as Lincoln Brunch Fest and the Lakeview Tree Lighting Ceremony), Public Art, and more.

To keep West Lakeview safe, beautiful, and fun, they will require 20% of signatures representing all Property Index Numbers (PIN) within the SSA 27 boundaries by August 1st, and you can help. 

SSA 27 Boundaries include:

• Southport: 3150 to 3880 (Byron to Belmont)
• Lincoln: 2800 to 3599 (Addison to Diversey)
• Ashland: 2800 to 3599 (Addison to Diversey)
• Belmont: 1200 to 1799 (Racine to Ravenswood)
• Any side-street intersecting the above-listed streets, up to the first alley or 100ft if no alley is present

For more info, please refer to lakeviewssa27.com/reconstitution and/or reach out to robert@lrvcc.org to inquire on how to sign for your PIN.

Now Hiring @ Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is currently hiring for two key roles -Director of Events and Office Coordinator. Click through the links below to learn more!

Director of Events

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) seeks an experienced, detail-oriented, and highly motivated Director of Events to lead the planning and execution of the chamber’s robust calendar of events. This is a unique opportunity for a creative, organized, and community-minded professional to bring people together through engaging business and community-focused programming that strengthens the Lincoln Park neighborhood and supports the LPCC’s mission.

Office Coordinator

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented, and dependable professional to serve as Office Coordinator. This full-time position supports the day-to-day operations of our dynamic nonprofit organization, playing a key role in administrative functions, member services, and event support. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a collaborative, creative, and community-focused environment.

City News

• FBI Searches Albany Park Home of Elias Rodriguez, Man Accused of Killing 2 Israeli Embassy Staffers in D.C.
• Who is Elias Rodriguez? Socialist Group Disavows ‘DC shooter’
• U.S. Attorney's Office - Federal Charges Filed After Deadly Shooting of Israeli Diplomats in D.C.
• Mayor Johnson appointee steps down hours after being named to city role amid controversy
• Agents raid East Albany Park residence amid probe into killing of Israeli Embassy staffers
• $15.5M Parking Meter Settlement Called ‘First Win in a Series of Losses’ for Chicago
• Member of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Budget Group Out Amid Israeli Hostage Poster Backlash
• New Developer Considering Buying Lincoln Yards After Previous Efforts Fall Through: Chicago Alderman
• ‘Wicker Bark’ Dog Park Temporarily Closed as Long-Awaited Renovation Begins
• Editorial: There’s still time to stop this $5.75B CTA boondoggle