32nd Ward Newsletter October 27, 2025

Greetings!

It's flu season and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), in partnership with Walgreens, will be administering 2025-2026 updated flu and COVID-19 at City Hall from 9-2 on November 5, and December 4. Please bring your insurance card and a photo ID. The event will have onsite registration and only takes a few minutes to get your shots.

Trees are shedding their leaves, and the Dept. of Streets and Sanitation encourages people to bag the leaves, and put any bags by your alley for pickup after calling 311. Please do not overload bags and let any leaves dry out before bagging them. If you have landscapers, remind them that blowing leaves into the street is not legal. Help clear drains of leaves before winter hits to keep those drains clear for spring.

Please read further down for upcoming events for Halloween for families. And there is a lot of information on the recent ICE activities on the north side and how you can help.

Have a good week.

Alderman Scott Waguespack

ICE in the Community

I want to thank the hundreds of parents and neighbors who showed great community strength on Friday by coming together to protect families in our neighborhoods. We witnessed and documented federal immigration agents who drove using dangerous maneuvers through several northside neighborhoods and endangered children and families near schools with their recklessness. Their horrible driving led to havoc in crosswalks, and many near misses of children and families in our neighborhoods, but ICE agents don't care. They may have arrested people on their lists, but they also arrested American citizens who they clearly profiled, just for walking down the street. The use of tear gas in Lakeview was also likely another instance of illegal use of force that has been barred by a federal judge. It's the reason why the federal judge has issued a summons for Greg Bovino to appear in court. Bovino was recently caught on camera throwing a tear gas canister at a group of protestors. Similar activity occurred Friday in many north side communities including Bucktown where several of his agents drove down the wrong side of the street, and fled the scene after clipping a pedestrian who was trying to cross the street. For more information on how to join us in pushing back against the illegal acts of ICE and hold them accountable, read more below.

For a refresher on a couple relevant parts of the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment bars government officials from shutting down peaceful protests, and the the Fourth Amendment bars groundless seizures. There is no exception for indiscriminate profiling of local Latino residents while they're working or walking down the streets of an American city like they are in our communities. Hopefully this federal judge will hold immigration officials accountable for all of the illegal activity that falls outside of the purview of their legal orders and the US Constitution.

Governor Pritzker and state officials have set up an Illinois Accountability Commission that will "create a public record of the conduct of federal agents during “Operation Midway Blitz” and the Trump Administration’s military-style operations throughout the Chicagoland area. Additionally, the Commission will examine the impact of that conduct on individuals and communities and consider policy recommendations to prevent future harm in Illinois." The Commission database is up and running here.

Know Your Rights Info & More!

Please note, our office has whistles! Please feel free to stop by Monday-Friday from 9 am until 6 pm to grab one (one per person). Speaking of whistles, there will be an ICE alert whistle-packing event at Three Avenues Bookshop at 3009 N. Southport on Tuesday, October 28th from 6:00-7:30pm. These packs will contain whistles and instructions on how to use them, and will be distributed across Lakeview so residents can alert others when ICE is present. No RSVP is required for this event. Space will be limited and on a first come, first served basis. Please bring a pair of scissors for cutting supplies. Come join neighbors for a night of resource making and community building!

Watch Our Community Training Event with Elected Officials

Alderman Scott Waguespack hosted a community training in Lakeview with local elected officials from different jurisdictions including Congressman Mike Quigley, State Senator Sara Feigenholtz, State Senator Graciela Guzman, State Representatives Jaime Andrade and Ann Williams, and our Cook County Commissioner Bridget Degnen. 


Lawyers from The Resurrection Project and the National Immigrant Justice Center taught people how to respond if they are approached by ICE and what to do as a bystander. Centro Romero and One Northside also provided informational materials to all our attendees.

If you weren't able to join in person, you can watch the entire event online HERE.

(Downloadable version here.)

(Downloadable version here.)

(Available at our office for businesses while supplies last)

What You Can Do!

• Share and sign up for the "Eyes on ICE" text alert system, where individuals will receive text alerts of confirmed ICE sightings. You can also sign up for the National Immigrant Justice Center’s Rapid Response Team.
• Utilize Know Your Rights resources: Illinois Immigration Information or the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights Family Support Hotline: 1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY (1-855-435-7693). It is especially helpful if you speak more than one language and can help with translating or have a background in law, but any help is appreciated.
• Support School Safety Planning- consider participating in carpools for children of parents who may be targeted and conduct community ICE watches during pick-up and drop-off. Check in with your local school to see if they have any program set up or are interested in doing so.
• Join the Court Watch Volunteer Program
• Check on your neighbors: coordinate grocery and essential drop-offs for vulnerable neighbors and support food pantries that are also doing this work, such as the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
• Support the shelter network: emergency shelters for unhoused neighbors to go to if their neighborhood is being targeted. (e.g. The Night Ministry).
• Consider donating to organizations such as the Street Vendor Relief Fund
• Support local businesses that are being impacted by lower foot traffic.
• If you have a passport, consider also getting the passport card to carry with you for easy access for proving citizenship.
• To make a report about missing, damaged, or obstructed license plates on ICE vehicles, call the Secretary of State’s Plate Watch Hotline at (312) 814-1730 or email platewatch@ilsos.gov.

Recent news on Chicago's ICE interactions

• Feds Tear Gas Northwest Side Street, Disrupting Halloween Parade For Kids
• N.W. Side residents confront ICE agents making arrests, firing tear gas; Halloween parade canceled
• Immigration enforcement on North Side leads to tense confrontations, soft lockdowns at schools
• Federal immigration agents tear-gas Lakeview, raid Lincoln Park as feds focus on city’s affluent North Side

Scooter Safety Campaign

CDOT is launching a new Scooter Safety Education Campaign in partnership with Divvy, Lime, and other City departments to promote safe and responsible riding, prevent sidewalk riding, and keep the public right of way clear for pedestrians. The campaign will feature digital billboards, in-app alerts, and outreach through schools and community events. 

The Chicago Department of Transportation promotes safe and responsible scooter use across Chicago. Helmets are strongly encouraged for all scooters riders. Ride scooters in bike lanes or streets, not on sidewalks. Always park upright, to a fixed object and leaving at least five feet of sidewalk space. Divvy and Lime riders must be 18 or older (or 16+ on Divvy with parental consent).

If you have experienced a crash or collision on your scooter and are injured, call 911 immediately.

Report scooters blocking sidewalks or other parking issues through 311. Learn more at chicago.gov/scooters.

This fall, Cleanup Club Chicago is CHALLENGING PHILADELPHIA TO A LITTER CLEANUP COMPETITION! The Chicago vs Philly Clean-Off will last the entire month of October, and all litter cleaning will count regardless of whether it’s done at a group event or individually. All litter cleanups must be submitted through the form on the webpage, and photos are required. We’ll be collaborating with 6 other litter cleanup groups to get the job done, and will be supported by Chicago Streets and Sanitation, Cook County Commissioner Degnen, and Independent Recycling Services. Spring cleaning gets all the attention, but the reality is that our city needs maintenance all year-round. It is our hope that this competition will motivate Chicagoans to clean up their neighborhoods before the leaves and snow fall! For more information on the rules and how to participate, please visit the official webpage here.

2025 Street Cleaning Calendar

This week, street sweeping will occur in sections 16, 17, and 18 (Bucktown). 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

November CAPS Meetings

14th Police District

1432- November 19, 6pm

Holstein Park

2200 N. Oakley

1434- November 26, 6pm

Bucktown Wicker Park Library

1701 N. Milwaukee

caps.014district@chicagopolice.org

14th District Twitter

14th District CAPS- 312-744-1261

18th Police District-

1811- November 4, 5pm

St. James Church

2101 N. Fremont

caps.018district@chicagopolice.org

18th District Twitter

18th District CAPS- 312-742-5778

Police Community Conversations

The Chicago Police Department is hosting Community Conversations throughout the city. These conversations are an opportunity for Chicagoans to participate in the creation of their district’s strategic plan for the following calendar year. The valuable feedback provided by participants at these conversations is used to develop community-driven crime reduction strategies, as well as community engagement priorities, and is an integral part of the Chicago Police Department’s implementation of the various reforms outlined in the consent decree. Each flyer below is for a particular district in the 32nd Ward- 14, 18, or 19. Click here for more information.

Diversey Resurfacing Project

There is an upcoming resurfacing project on Diversey from Logan to Damen. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin on October 27th, 2025, pending clearance from and coordination with existing utilities, and weather permitting. Bigane Paving Co. is the general contractor for this project and Wight & Company is providing resident engineering services for the Chicago Department of Transportation.

The work will include bike median improvements and pavement markings.

During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs will be periodically installed as required for each activity listed above. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, while adhering to rush hour restrictions, for the completion of the work. All work on this corridor is scheduled to be completed December 19, 2025.

Cortland Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project

Cortland Street will be closed to vehicle traffic in both directions between Mendell Street and Kingsbury Street. The closure is expected to last approximately 18–24 months. One sidewalk will remain open through this winter.

The scope of the project involves replacing the bridge deck, steel floor system, and counterweights, and installing new concrete-filled grating, timber sidewalks, railings, and lighting. The bridge houses will also be rehabilitated. The project will retain the character of this historic bridge.

Detour Routes:

• Eastbound Cortland Street: Traffic will be detoured southbound on Ashland Avenue, eastbound on North Avenue, and northbound on Clybourn Avenue to return to Cortland Street.
• Westbound Cortland Street: Traffic will be detoured southbound on Clybourn Avenue, westbound on North Avenue, and northbound on Ashland Avenue to return to Cortland Street.

People biking may use the sidewalk on the Cortland Street Bridge during the first phase of the project. Additional detour details and timing will be shared ahead of the full sidewalk closure scheduled for this winter.

For more information, see the flyer for the project. You can also view information on the Lake Street bridge and Chicago/Halsted Street bridge work.

Fletcher (Hoyne to Oakley) Water Main Project Update

Work started on the 2100 and 2200 blocks of Fletcher this week. Thank you to everyone who came out to the meeting at Hamlin Park to learn more about the project. Several notes from this meeting for people who were not able to attend-

There have been 11 breaks on this main over the past 30 years and it is patched up in 7 spots.

This is a 3 phase project- new water main (targeted to be fully installed by the end of the year), replacing lead service lines, and restoration of the street, sidewalk, and parkways once the asphalt plants open in the spring. There will be a concrete cap on the street during winter.

There are two crews currently working on this project- one starting at Oakley moving east, and one starting at Hoyne also moving east. There is a box set up on Leavitt for tools/home base. Tree trimming has been requested; street lights may be altered during the project.

Residents who have fences, pavers, etc, should remove these as Water does not assume responsibility for damage to privately installed parkway improvements, including sprinkling systems, fences, flower beds, shrubs, etc.

In the event of a main break or water being turned off for another reason, people should run their water for 5 minutes after it’s back on to clear out any particles. Water notifies people if there is a planned outage; if there is no notice, it means they are working on a break.

Regarding no parking starting at 6:30am- engineers arrive then; work generally starts at 7am. If cars have to be towed, they will be towed to the nearest open spot; exception- 4WD have to be put on a flatbed and taken in. Current no parking signs on the street go through February 2; will be removed if they finish early and new signs will be posted once restoration work begins.

In addition contacting our office with questions, residents can look for a crew member on the street wearing a white hard hat to have questions answered immediately. 

Work Progress & Tentative Schedule – Week of October 27th, 2025

• One crew will be working on Fletcher and Leavitt intersection. 
• Leavitt (between Belmont and Barry ) will be completely closed overnight from Monday 7:00am to Wednesday 3:30 pm.
• One crew will be working on water main replacement on Fletcher east of Oakley if forestry shows up and cuts down the tree. If not, the crew will be working on private drain replacement.

Thursday (10/30/25 ) :- Water main replacement at Fletcher

Friday (10/31/25 ) :- Water main replacement at Fletcher

Water Service Interruptions:

There will be water service interruptions at Leavitt on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. DWM will provide advance notice before any service interruptions 

Traffic & Parking Impacts:

No parking will be allowed within the active work zone during construction hours.

32nd Ward Composting Site Added at 
Lincoln Belmont Library

The City of Chicago offers a citywide Food Scrap Drop-Off Program, and all Chicago residents are welcome to drop off their household food scraps for composting at one of 33 locations across the city– for FREE! The City has expanded to 13 libraries, one of which is the Lincoln Belmont Library at 1659 W. Melrose.

Composting keeps food scraps out of landfills, reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and recycles nutrients that enrich soil. Since the City's program started in 2023, over a million pounds of food waste has been diverted from landfills.

The program is free and open to all Chicago residents. To get started, residents can sign up at chi.gov/composting and watch a short instructional video. Residents can then start collecting their household food waste and bring it to the green carts at their selected drop-off site as often as needed. Accepted materials include all types of food scraps, including meat, bones and dairy. Non-food waste is not accepted. DSS collects the food waste, and it is transported to a local facility in Chicago where it’s processed into nutrient-rich compost.

Pumpkin Composting!

Click the flyer above for more info on composting your pumpkins. You can also find pumpkin smash events here.

Halloween Happenings!

Click flyer for details.

Click flyer for details.

The RVN Junior Board is teaming up with Cradles to Crayons Chicago for an afternoon of community service — and you’re invited!

📅 Friday, November 15

🕐 1:30–3:30 PM

📍 Cradles to Crayons

Together, we’ll help provide essential items to children in need across Chicago. This hands-on volunteer opportunity is a great way to connect with friends, make an impact, and earn volunteer hours for high school or college applications.

Let’s show what Roscoe Village can do when we come together to give back!

Sign up here.

North Branch Works Fall Fest

Come be part of the fun at Fall Fest! Join North Branch Works for our biggest party of the year on Oct. 30th from 6-8 p.m. in the Green Exchange (2545 W Diversey Avenue). We’re excited to recognize former 27th Ward Ald. Walter Burnett with a leadership award and local businesses including Metropolis Coffee Company and Brothers Restaurant. For more information & to sign up, please go here.

Winter Clothing Drive

Flu and Covid Vaccines!

Click here for more vaccination info.

City Hall Vaccine Clinics



Stay healthy this season! The Chicago Department of Public Health, in partnership with Walgreens, will be administering 2025-2026 updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines on the 11^th floor of City Hall from 9am - 2pm on October 21, November 5, and December 4. Please bring your insurance card and a photo ID. The event will have onsite registration.

Did you know you can receive both the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine at the same time? It’s important to get both shots annually for optimal protection. Getting both vaccines can help keep you and your loved ones healthy and active this season. Click here for the complete schedule of flu and COVID-19 City of Chicago sponsored clinics.

Pre-submittal meeting (VIRTUAL)

Times: 1pm – 2pm am CST – Tuesday, October 28, 2025

OR 6pm – 7pm am CST - Wednesday, November 5, 2025

This meeting is not mandatory, but encouraged, especially if you have questions or require additional information regarding the Notice of Availability or the Park District’s concession program.

Join Zoom Meeting

Topic: Chicago Park District Concession Pre-Submittal Meeting Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82767757644?pwd=MbQwlHVRqta7NtL3XaJWq41pYkvLlw.1

Meeting ID       827 6775 7644

Passcode           708015

 One tap mobile

+13092053325,,89128418508#,,,,*663350# US

+13126266799,,89128418508#,,,,*663350# US (Chicago)

 Dial by your location

• +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

Meeting ID       827 6775 7644

Passcode           708015

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ki12BLTCH

City News

• Judge Indefinitely Extends Restraining Order Blocking National Guard from Deploying in Chicago Area
• Illinois Is Targeting Immigration Officials Who Try to Hide Their License Plates
• CPD Issues More Citations This Year for E-bikes, E-scooters Riding on Sidewalks: Data