32nd Ward Newsletter October 31, 2025

Greetings!

Included in the newsletter today is information on SNAP benefits that were to be shut down tomorrow, budget update, Foundry Park meeting, infrastructure and road closure issues and more.

A federal judge in Rhode Island has blocked the Trump administration from ceasing to pay SNAP benefits for over 40 million Americans during the U.S. government shutdown. The State of Illinois has set up a coordinated response by investing $20 million dollars to food banks. Feeding Illinois has made an interactive map for those in need to find their nearest food banks. In addition, the state has created a SNAP Federal Impact Center where you will find the most up to date and accurate information on the freeze. 

Per the Greater Chicago Food Depository: For every meal provided by a food bank, SNAP provides the equivalent of nine meals. To find food at your local pantry - you can input your address into their food finder. In addition, the Food Depository and community partners are setting up hubs to operate on Saturdays in November while SNAP is paused, beginning this Saturday, November 1st. Hubs will be focused on areas with the highest concentration of SNAP participants. At these distributions, pre-packaged grocery boxes will be distributed while supplies last. Each box will contain more than 20 pounds of food. GCFD will update members as additional sites are opened if the pause continues throughout November. 

City budget update: Budget hearings continue next week at City Hall. As always, you can view the meetings live on the City Clerk website when each department shares their budget plans for the year. Many aldermen have called for the implementation of more efficiencies over the past couple years and haev augmented that request with the recommendations from the E&Y report that was made available to the administration. The Ernst and Young report cost taxpayers over $3 million to produce so aldermen are calling for a public hearing to discuss the possible efficiency ideas with E&Y advisers and city budget officials.

An additional issue that came up this week was the $10 million in revenue from a new hemp portion of the budget introduced by the mayor this week. The budget item would allow for synthetic hemp and other derivatives to be taxed- before any state or federal regulations are implemented. An ordinance mirroring this latest version was met with stiff opposition late last year leading to an effort to ban sales of the misleading products in some wards. While some cannabis products have strict testing procedures and regulations in place, synthetics do not. The sales of these products have been in the news lately, and in our hearing last year, many of us pointed out the danger to kids as they eat or drink these products. The mayor's "hemp" reliant budget would legalize the sale of toxic products and endanger kids.

Attached at the bottom is the letter sent to Mayor Johnson by a couple dozen aldermen stating budget issue concerns in relation to the head tax, efficiencies not incorporated into the budget and turning back the clock on reforms by starting to borrow for operations once again. We will unpack more of the budget next week as hearings continue.

The kids are out on the streets for Halloween! The City Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) is reminding everyone to be safe and alert, especially in crowds and report suspicious activity to 9-1-1. Please drive safely and watch for trick or treaters!

Happy Halloween!

Alderman Scott Waguespack

Bridge Closures and Traffic Congestion

During the budget hearing for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) on October 22nd I and several north side colleagues pressed the department on the multiple bridge construction projects that are currently underway and the resulting traffic congestion. Work is underway on bridges at State Street, Lake Street, Halsted Street, and Cortland Avenue. The ongoing Kennedy Expressway work further complicates the situation. The net result has been untenable traffic congestion affecting motorists, buses, cyclists, and pedestrians. The necessity of these individual infrastructure projects does not absolve the department from their responsibilities to maintain an efficient transportation network in the area. 

My colleagues and I signed onto a letter addressed to the Mayor and the CDOT Commissioner stressing the need to identify and implement measures aimed at relieving some of the construction related congestion. Such measures could include construction moratoriums on detour routes, parking restrictions, turn lane closures, signal timing adjustments, traffic aides, and others. As an example, CDOT has agreed to delay the installation of lane markings that was scheduled for the Diversey bridge and adjacent roadway segments to preclude such work from causing additional delays. I am continuing to work with my colleagues and CDOT to address the situation and identify and implement any other measures that can help alleviate the congestion. 

Foundry Park Community Meeting 10/29

We hosted a community meeting regarding the proposed Foundry Park

Development on October 29th. Thank you to WhirlyBall for graciously hosting the event, which drew a good number of constituents and several neighborhood community group board members. At the meeting, JDL Development presented their plan and did a comprehensive question and answer session.

The Foundry Park site, formerly referred to as Lincoln Yards, is bounded by Dickens, Kingsbury, and the river. The current plan calls for a combination of condos, townhomes, and single-family homes. It also includes a hotel and ground level retail and office space. Infrastructure improvements will include improved streets and sidewalks, streetscape upgrades, a riverwalk

extension, and several acres of park/open space.

The meeting was an important step towards amending the existing planned development agreement for the site. JDL Development has also been meeting individually with neighborhood community organizations to present their plans and discuss issues such as density, building heights, affordable housing, transportation, and overall infrastructure associated with the

development.

Grocery Gift Card Drive for a 32nd Ward Nonprofit the Night Ministry

Know Your Rights Info & More!

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.

We're out of whistles at the moment, but more are on the way!

(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.

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.

2025 Street Cleaning Calendar

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 18, 19, and 20 (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.

Webster Avenue Bridge Cleaning

A CDOT contractor is scheduled to perform bridge pit cleaning at Webster Avenue Bridge beginning next week for two weeks. We have contacted CDOT and were informed traffic lanes will not be closed amidst the chaos caused by bridge closures. Please see details below:

Construction Schedule:

Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 - Monday, 17th, 2025 (excluding weekends)

Work hours 5am- 2:30pm

Traffic Impact during Construction:

Southeast Bridge House - November 4th - 10th (daytime)

• South Sidewalk closure along Webster Ave from Ashland to N. Throop during working hours (5am-2:30pm)
• South side curb lane/parking removal of Webster from Chicago River and N. Throop

Northwest Bridge House - November 11th - 17th (daytime)

• North side sidewalk closure of Webster from Ashland to N. Throop during working hours (5am-2:30pm)
• North side curb lane/parking removal of Webster from Chicago River to N. Throop

Parking impacts: Stripped Parking on the east side of the bridge to N. Throop St. (daytime only)

Pedestrian impacts: Single sidewalk closure (south first, north second) on Webster between Ashland and N. Throop. Pedestrians will be routed to the opposite side of Webster during working hours.

Street Resurfacing 2800-3100 N Paulina 

Alderman Waguespack has allocated funding for the resurfacing of Paulina between Diversey and Barry. The tentative start date for the work is 11/3. The first phase is the grinding of the top layer of pavement. There is then a period, typically lasting two or three weeks, during which time the catch basins and any other infrastructure is inspected and repaired as needed. Parking will be allowed on most days and in most locations during this interim period. The street will then be resurfaced. 

Pumpkin Composting!

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

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.

Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce in Partnership with Uptown United & Uptown Chamber of Commerce Events for Small Business Owners

Marketing Mastermind: Holiday Marketing Essentials

Tuesday, November 4th | 12:00-1:00PM

Virtual Webinar via Zoom

Join the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce and the Uptown Business Center for Marketing Mastermind: Holiday Marketing Essentials! This free event brings together branding and digital marketing experts from Moodyboy Marketing to share insider tips with small businesses on how to stand out during the busiest season of the year. Don't miss this free opportunity to learn more strategies for standing out this holiday season!

REGISTER HERE

SBIF 101

Wednesday, December 3rd | 12:30-2:00PM

Uptown Business Center, 4619 N Broadway

Secure funding for permanent building improvements and repairs for your small business! Learn about SBIF for the Hollywood/Sheridan TIF District (December '25).

A light lunch will be served to attendees. Please RSVP to ensure accurate headcount.

REGISTER HERE

Winter Clothing Drive

Flu and Covid Vaccines!

Click here for more vaccination info.

Start a New Career before the End of the Year! 

Illinois residents who are 18 years old or over and low-income eligible can train at no cost. For decades these programs have successfully equipped community residents with technical, in-demand skills and placed them in jobs in their industries with decent wages. The courses include basic math and reading skills, lifting the academic proficiency of students; as well as career readiness classes to aid participants in a successful job search. 

Job placement and transportation assistance are included.

Letter to Mayor Johnson regarding the Head Tax, Ernst & Young report efficiencies and turning back the clock of reforms by borrowing for operations

City News

• Federal Agents Target Chicago Street Vendors, Day Laborers During Trump Administration’s Immigration Blitz
• Mayor Brandon Johnson faces complaints about property tax sweep plan to balance budget
• Lawmakers approve $1.5B transit funding package without statewide tax increases
• Illinois General Assembly passes massive $1.5 billion mass transit bill
• Chicago mayor proposes reviving tax that has businesses sounding the alarm
• Mayor Johnson faces pushback from Chicago business leaders over proposed corporate head tax