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Hello neighbors,
On Tuesday, the City Council Special Events Committee on which I serve met to review and pass an ordinance empowering the City to install weather stations and air monitors at four Park District locations on our city's South Side. On Wednesday, the Budget Subcommittee on the Chicago Recovery Plan convened with representatives from the City's Departments of Housing and Cultural Affairs to discuss the Departments' progress in allocating funding to preserve and expand affordable housing opportunities, as well as providing grant funds to support arts and culture organizations across Chicago.
Immediately thereafter, the Housing Committee met to approve the sale of approximately 10 City-owned properties to adjacent neighbors and churches, as well as review the Department of Housing's 2022 Fourth Quarter report. That report noted that the City is close to hitting its benchmarks regarding the preservation and expansion of rental homes, but that additional work is necessary regarding its goal of expanding homeownership.
Earlier this week, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office convened a monthly public safety stakeholder meeting attended by the 19th and 20th Police Districts, Area 3 Detectives, several aldermanic offices, and multiple chambers of commerce. We discussed responses to a recent spike in commercial burglaries across the North Side, safety planning in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day celebrations and Cubs opening day, and the ongoing work of Thresholds to reach out to individuals who are enduring mental health challenges.
My congratulations to the Ravenswood Elementary 8th Grade Girls basketball team on making the city championship game, and good luck to them tonight! I'd also like to congratulate local residents Kathleen Trainor and Nancy Wade, who were both recognized this week with the Cook County Unsung Heroine Award from Commissioner Degnen and Commissioner Gainer, respectively.
I hope you have a warm and restful weekend.
Yours in service,
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Congratulations to Unsung Heroine Awardees | |
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Congratulations to two 47th Ward residents who were recognized this month for their contributions to our community and given the Peggy A. Montes Unsung Heroine Award by Cook County! Nancy Wade was recognized in the 10th District by Commissioner Bridget Gainer, and Kathleen Trainor was recognized in the 12th District by Commissioner Bridget Degnen.
As an annual event in observance of Women’s History Month, Cook County presents the Unsung Heroine Award to 18 women, one from each district of Cook County and one countywide, whose contributions to their communities, families and professional endeavors have been so vital, but seldom recognized. This award, consistent with the purpose of Women's History Month, is designed to recover and tell the story of the powerful impact women have had throughout history on the development of our social, cultural, economic and political institutions. In this spirit, the County honors these remarkable women as a way to bring their stories to light, to thank them and to celebrate the achievements of the many women through the history of Cook County whom they represent.
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Nancy Wade
In 2020, Nancy Wade and Ashley Woodthorp organized the Heart of Lincoln Square Neighbors Association Save Your Ash campaign (HOLS SYA). The campaign gives people in the HOLS area an opportunity to protect their street ash trees from an invasive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) that has killed half of Chicago’s public ash trees since it arrived in 2008.
Ash are about 12%, or 45,000, of Chicago’s street trees, about 1,000 in each ward. Chicago had been successfully treating them for EAB up until 2018 when that budget was cut. Letting them die and removing them is ten times more expensive than treating them.
Nancy and Ashley recruited volunteers to survey the local ash, tie signs to trees, and talk to neighbors door to door. Funds were raised to treat almost all of HOLS ash trees and protect them for two years.
They reinstated the campaign in January 2023 for continued protection. Their goal is to continue to preserve the many benefits trees provide: crime reduction and increased income, better physical and mental health, flood and heat island prevention, and wildlife habitat. They continue to lobby the City of Chicago to restore funding.
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Kathleen Trainor
Kathleen Trainor was born in Lincoln Square and has lived here for many years. She has always loved getting involved in her community in various ways. She was fortunate to have meaningful work all her life –a 40-year career in affordable housing, followed by a few years as the Director of the Common Pantry in North Center.
In 2020, Kathleen began volunteering for her new 47th Ward Alderman, Matt Martin. Soon thereafter, a long-awaited senior development – Ravenswood Senior Living -- opened its doors. The demand for this housing was tremendous. The application was online and that presented a barrier for many seniors. So she began helping seniors apply, assemble the documentation they needed, get answers to their questions, and advocate for them. She loved the work, and it clearly filled a need. She could tell these folks had no one else to turn to for help, and she assisted about 100 seniors.
She continues this work, expanding services to include helping seniors retain their housing, identify alternatives, drive them to appointments, and tap resources to cover moving costs, security deposits and other expenses (a big thank you to Common Pantry’s Housing Fund!). As she has shared, "It is so gratifying to have found a way to help that is so important and appreciated!"
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Government Services and Information | |
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Property Tax Assessment Appeals
The Cook County Board of Review opened the appeals window for both Lake View Township (deadline March 18) and Jefferson Township (deadline April 5). Find more information about filing appeals with the Board of Review at cookcountyboardofreview.com.
Please note, all of the appointments for our workshops with Commissioner Bridget Degnen's office next week are full. Residents seeking assistance can contact their county commissioner's office or call the Board of Review directly at 312-603-5542 to get help.
In addition, Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele is hosting a public workshop at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 16 at St. Augustine College, 1345 W Argyle. Staff will assist residents with filing appeals.
This appeals window is for your 2022 property tax bill, which will be issued in 2023. This will have no impact on the 2021 tax bills that were due December 30, 2022. Property tax exemptions will be released in March by the Cook County Assessor's office. Learn more here.
Meanwhile, the first installment tax bill for 2022 was mailed this week and is due April 3, 2023. They are also available at cookcountytreasurer.com.
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LV2 Parking Permits Coming Soon
A major change is coming to the LV2 permit parking zone this year, and we want to make sure you’re aware.
- LV2 permits will now be required for ALL Cubs day and night games and concerts at Wrigley Field, not just night games.
- Restrictions will be in effect from 5pm to 10pm.
- This means that guests of residents in the LV2 zone should have a daily or season-long guest placard on their dashboard if parked in the zone between 5pm and 10pm on any day a Cubs home game or concert takes place.
- Guests will not need a guest placard if they’re parked in the LV2 zone and leave before 5pm.
Residents in the LV2 zone will see minimal changes, as your vehicle should have the annual LV2 permit sticker in the windshield. You should, however, make sure to note the Cubs schedule and Wrigley Field concert schedule to be aware of dates that visitors will need LV2 guest placards.
Opening Day at Wrigley Field is March 30. LV2 permits will be mailed to residents with current city vehicle stickers by mid-March, or can be obtained from the ward office around that same time. We will send additional email updates when we have these available through the ward office. If you want to confirm that you're on the city’s LV2 mailing list, please contact us at 773-868-4747 or email info@aldermanmartin.com.
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Apply for 47th Ward Internship
Ald. Martin's 47th Ward office is now accepting applications from Chicago undergraduate students for a full-time, paid summer internship.
The Community Liaison works with the Assistant Director of Constituent Services to address constituent services requests. They manage our front desk and are our frontline response to inquiries from neighbors. The position begins in early July and ends in early August, and compensation is $15.40/hour.
View more details and apply here.
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CAPS Beat Meetings
We encourage residents to contact their local police district's CAPS office to highlight public safety concerns and discuss issues further with police. CAPS beat meetings return this month and are opportunities for residents to interact directly with beat officers and community policing officers. You can find the full schedule and identify your beat at aldermanmartin.com/your-beat.
The 19th District covers most of the 47th Ward (everything south of Lawrence) while the 20th District includes parts of the ward north of Lawrence. View the district webpages to see more recent crime data and communications from the local district. Find more safety resources and information at aldermanmartin.com/safety.
19th District website
The 19th District CAPS office can be reached at CAPS.019district@chicagopolice.org or 312-744-0064 to learn how you can get more involved with beat meetings.
Beat 1921 (Chicago River to Damen / Irving Park to Belmont)
6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 15
Police Auditorium, 2452 W Belmont
Beat 1911 (Chicago River to Damen / Lawrence to Irving Park)
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21
Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N Lincoln
Beat 1931 (Chicago River to Ashland / Belmont to Fullerton)
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28
Gantz Boys and Girls Club, 2915 N Leavitt
20th District website
The 20th District CAPS office can be reached at CAPS.020district@chicagopolice.org or 312-742-8770 to learn how you can get more involved with beat meetings.
Beat 2031 (Chicago River to Leavitt / Foster to Lawrence)
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28
Swedish Covenant Hospital - Anderson Pavilion, 2751 W Winona
Beat 2032 (Leavitt to Clark / Foster to Lawrence)
7 p.m. Wednesday, March 29
Ravenswood Evangelical Church, 4900 N Damen
Beat 2033 (Clark to Winthrop / Foster to Lawrence)
7 p.m. Thursday, April 6
Bezazian Library, 1226 W Ainslie
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Repair Cafe This Weekend at Sulzer
Broken lamp? Wobbly chair? Holes in your pockets? Toss it? No way! Join Forward Chicago's Repair Cafe, where neighbors help each other fix beloved but broken household items and keep them out of the landfill.
Saturday, March 10 from 10 a.m. to noon in the Community Room at Sulzer Library, 4555 N Lincoln.
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47th Ward TreeKeepers Events
The 47th Ward TreeKeepers is a local chapter of residents who have completed the TreeKeepers course through Openlands. They organize work days for trained TreeKeepers as well as community events open to all who are interested in caring for our local tree canopy.
Our local chapter has several upcoming events in the ward:
> Lincoln Square Pruning Work Day: On Friday, March 24, from 9am to noon, volunteers from TreeKeepers will be pruning trees along Lincoln Avenue from Irving Park to Lawrence and Wilson Avenue from the Chicago River to Ashland. The goal is to improve the health and safety of the trees and the community by removing branches that may be either dead or damaged, in the way of pedestrians or vehicles, or otherwise impeding optimal growth of the tree.
> Tree Walk at Waters Garden/Riverbank Trail: Join the 47th Ward TreeKeepers and steward Pete Leki for a tree walk around Waters Elementary School and the Riverbank Neighbors Trail. We’ll discuss tree identification, how trees help mitigate the effects of climate change, and the history of these community spaces. Saturday, April 15 from 1-2:30 p.m. Meet at the south end of Waters, approximately 2514 W Sunnyside. RSVP here
> Lincoln Square Tree Planting Day: Join community members, the 47th Ward TreeKeepers Chapter, Openlands TreeKeepers and staff while we plant trees on the parkways of the Lincoln Square neighborhood! Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet in the parking lot at McPherson Elementary, 4728 N Wolcott (entrance off of Lawrence). RSVP here
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Ravenswood Ave. Cleanup
Join Cleanup Club Chicago, Friends of Winnslie Parkway, North East Ravenswood District neighbors, and the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce to clean up the very littery Ravenswood Avenue on Saturday, April 1! Please note: The actual cleanup is from 10 a.m. to noon, but the coffee social is from 9-10 a.m. at Spoken Cafe, 1812 W Montrose. Register here.
Social Outing: We will meet at Spoken Cafe from 9 to 10 am for some coffee and chit chat! If you are not able to come and would just prefer to attend the cleanup, that's okay!
Meeting Location: For the cleanup, we will meet up at the corner of Montrose and East Ravenswood Ave. The approximate address is for the Lilstreet Arts Center.
Supplies: We will provide grabbers, bags, and some protective gloves. We recommend that everyone please bring their own 5 gallon bucket, water, and gloves (if you have your own). Additionally, for safety and liability reasons, Cleanup Club Chicago does not allow any volunteers under the age of 8.
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Common Pantry Bracket Challenge
Join Common Pantry's inaugural NCAA March Madness Bracket Challenge! Have fun and win big while supporting Common Pantry – all proceeds go towards the services and programs at Common Pantry. The cost is only $50 per bracket and there is no limit to the number of brackets you can purchase. Let the Madness begin!
When payment is received to reserve your bracket, participants will be contacted via email with a direct link to Common Pantry’s 2023 NCAA March Madness Bracket Challenge. Fill in your team selections after the official NCAA Selection Sunday announcements on Sunday, March 12 at 5:30pm (CST). All team selections must be made online no later than Thursday, March 16 by 10am (CST) to be eligible to participate. Reserve your bracket here.
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International Women's Day Market
International Women's Day is a global celebration of the historical, cultural and political achievements of women. To honor the hardworking women-owned businesses they work with, the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce is hosting its 2nd Annual International Women's Day Market at Artifact Events.
The market will feature pop-up vendors curated by local, women-owned businesses selling unique products such as jewelry, beauty products, home goods, food, drinks and more.
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Bethany UCC Chili-Dessert Cookoff
Bethany United Church of Christ and Pilgrim Lutheran Church and School are partnering to host a Chili Cook-Off/Dessert Bake-Off on Sunday, March 12, from 4-6 p.m. Use the sign-up here to enter: Chili-Dessert Cookoff 2023.
Plan to bring the family and as many friends as you can gather for an evening of all-you-can-eat chili and baked goods - and friendly competition! - at Pilgrim (4300 N. Winchester). Admission is free, but we encourage everyone to bring cash, and "vote" on the best entries with small bills! All proceeds support the congregations' work with Refugee One to welcome and resettle refugee families in Chicago. For questions or more information, contact Judy Beaupre at jhbeaupre@yahoo.com.
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Great Decisions Discussion Group
Great Decisions, the nation’s largest discussion program on world affairs, begins in March. This structured 8-week program is designed to increase your awareness and critical analysis of current events that relate to foreign affairs. Topics include China & the US, Energy Geopolitics, War Crimes, and Politics in Latin America. A curriculum and study guide are included, and pre-meeting readings are required to participate. Study books are provided to registered participants. Registration for this program assumes a commitment to all eight weeks. Sponsored by Forward Chicago, Sulzer Library and the League of Women Voters-Chicago, 47th Ward and 40th Ward. Learn more and register here.
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Friends of Lake View HS:
Raise the Roar! Fundraiser
Throughout the school year, Friends of Lake View High School provides grant funding to teachers and coaches so that our Wildcats have everything they need to thrive. We've paid for musical instruments, sports uniforms, Chromebooks, technology upgrades, building renovations and more!
Where the CPS budget ends, Friends of Lake View steps in.To continue supporting our students, we rely on donations from the community. After awarding $3,000+ in grants so far this school year, we're working to Raise the Roar! and do more.
Through March 31, we are asking every Wildcat family to contribute any amount to help us meet our goal of 100% participation and $25,000. All funds go directly to benefit students. Learn more and donate here.
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Help Send Ravenswood Students to Washington DC
Friends of Ravenswood Elementary School is raising money to help send eighth-grade students to Washington D.C. Sending over 60 students to our nation’s capital regardless of their financial means is not an easy feat. The eighth-grade students work to self-fund this trip throughout the school year by completing a wide variety of volunteering and fund-raising activities. While their efforts have raised significant funds they are still short of their goal.
Donate here
While in D.C., students will bring their classroom course-work on the Civil Rights movement and World War II to life through visiting museums and other important sites in our capital. The students will also get to see first-hand how to strive to be global citizens who actively participate in the efforts that unite our country. It is also a great way for the students and teachers to connect on a deeper level and have some fun right before they say goodbye at graduation.
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Hamilton Elementary Patriots Ball
Hamilton Action Team's annual fundraiser, Patriots Ball, is an evening filled with performances, a student art gallery, bidding, casino games and more! The market will feature pop-up vendors curated by local, women-owned businesses selling unique products such as jewelry, beauty products, home goods, food, drinks and more.
6-11 p.m. Friday, March 24 at Stan Mansion, 2408 N Kedzie. Get tickets and more information here.
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GiGi's Playhouse 2nd Annual BrewHaHa
GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago’s 2nd annual BrewHaHa, an event that highlights the “fun” in fundraiser, is an adult-only night, with shenanigans including drinks, a buffet style dinner, live entertainment, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle. Come hoist a pint on behalf of GiGi’s Playhouse Chicago and celebrate changing the way the world views Down syndrome. Registration is limited to the first 100 people, and tickets are selling quickly.
6:30 p.m. March 31 at Goose Island Barrel House,603 N Sacramento. Learn more and get tickets here.
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Friends of Coonley's 18th Annual Spring Fling Auction & Fundraiser
Join Friends of Coonley for its 18th Annual Spring Fling fundraiser and auction from 6-11 p.m. Saturday, April 22 at Rockwell on the River. Tickets purchased by April 10th are $125/person. Tickets purchased after this date increase to $175/person - so don't delay!
Learn more and purchase tickets here.
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Community Job Boards
Looking to work locally? Many of our local chambers of commerce offer job boards to help highlight openings at local businesses. Find more information at the following links:
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47th Ward Ald. Matt Martin
4243 N Lincoln Ave | 773-868-4747
Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
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