Ald. Scott Waguespack July 31, 2020 Update
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Greetings!
Ticketing resumes August 1 for city sticker and residential parking sticker violations. Street sweping has resumed as well, so please remove vehicles from posted streets and check your area on the map below.
If you have not yet taken their survey, Chicago Public Schools is asking parents to fill out the survey to provide CPS with guidance on the needs of parents and students as school resumes in the fall. Parents please take the
survey here.
The City has modified the
Expanded Outdoor Dining Program that will make it easier for bars, taverns and breweries affected by the latest rollback of the reopening guidelines to operate outdoors. Establishments that serve alcohol without a Retail Food License may apply to use this program to operate on the sidewalk and all restaurants and bars may use the permit in outdoor areas that would typically require an Outdoor Patio License. Details for establishments are available through BACP and will be shared with all licensees. If you are patronizing an establishment of any kind, please wear a mask at all possible times.
The Chicago Dept. of Housing and Family Independence Initiative (FII) have started a second round of the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grants of $33 million, to help impacted Chicagoans with rent and mortgage payments.
You can apply here at the Chicago Housing Assistance Portal.
Don't forget to take the
2020 Census, and have a safe weekend,
Scott Waguespack, Alderman
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$500 Cash Assistance for Folks Who Work in the Following Industries
The Farmworker & Landscaper Advocacy Project is providing one-time $500 cash assistance for those financially affected by COVID-19. Those employed in the landscaping, snow plowing, packing, cannery, farms, nursery, greenhouse, and meat and poultry industries who are experiencing financial hardship due to the effort to contain COVID-19 are eligible for this assistance. To apply for this cash assistance program, those affected can send their phone number, valid ID with current address, paystub, and an explanation of what you do at work to
[email protected]
.
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Utility Billing Relief UBR Program
The Mayor’s Office has launched the Utility Billing Relief UBR Program to help low-income residents come into compliance on water bill payments. This program will operate in partnership with CEDA of Cook County and helps to prevent residents from having to make difficult choices between paying for utilities and other critical goods and services. The UBR Program will provide Chicago residents with a reduced rate on water, sewer, and water-sewer tax; remove late payment penalties or debt collection activity; and debt forgiveness after successfully completing one year with no past due balance. For more information about the Utility Relief Program or to sign up, please visit
Chicago.gov/ubr
.
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Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Anti-racism in the Workplace Sponsored by Logan Square
Chamber of Commerce
Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, and Anti-racism in the Workplace
When: Wednesday, August 5, 12- 1:30 PM
Where: Virtual Via Zoom
You are invited to a virtual workshop series to learn how your small business can practice diversity, inclusion, equity, and anti-racism both inside your businesses and externally with the community. The social and economic demands of the times are unprecedented, but even during the unrest there are reasonable and actionable policies and practices businesses of any size can take on to support human rights.
Join the
Logan Square Chamber of Commerce
on Wednesday, August 5th, 12:00-1:30pm for the first workshop in their series, held on Zoom. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategist and local business owner Levi Baer will lead us through a discussion about putting equity, an often misunderstood concept, and how to put it to work.
This workshop gives participants a useful understanding of equity and how it applies to personal and business development. This workshop provides clarity around vague terms, makes the business case for pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion as a business, and gives participants actionable next steps.
Space is limited, registration is required.
Please RSVP via Eventbrite;
participants will be sent a link to a Zoom video call in advance of the workshop.
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STREET SWEEPING SCHEDULE AND CITY STICKER TICKETING UPDATE
As of August 1st, ticketing for city stickers and residential guest passes will resume.
Posted street sweeping has resumed. The sections of the 32nd Ward to be swept next week will be sections 1, 2, and 3 (portions of Palmer Square and Logan Square). Check here for the
citywide schedule
.
Ticketing for street sweeping resumed July 1.
Please 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 take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property. While sweepers will eventually get most sweeping done this summer, it would be helpful to clear debris and clogs to keep the sewers flowing well. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Any landscaping debris should be bagged and put in the alley.
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Upcoming Resurfacing Projects
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Comcast Proposed Fiber Optic
Comcast is providing notification for a proposed construction project in the 32nd Ward per CDOT's request. Comcast has planned fiber optic conduit installation at the following location:
- Schubert & Kedzie (EFP-104334)
This project comes as an effort by Comcast to build up their infrastructure in order to bring advanced cellular technology to the area. This build is scheduled for Q3-2020. We will follow up with a construction schedule once the OUC and CDOT permit are acquired.
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Bucktown Community Organization GoFundMe for Mural in Bucktown Green
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Lakeview Township Property Tax Workshop Thank You
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Thanks to everyone who zoomed into the Lakeview Township property tax workshop this week. The call was well attended and the county was able to give out good information regarding individual issues with property taxes. If you have questions, the Cook County Assessor's Office is always open to address individual issues with taxes. One reminder on senior exemptions: senior citizens must renew their exemption status every year, so mark your calendar around tax time, and make sure you fill out the forms and send them to the Assessor for your exemption.
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Reminder: County Property Tax Bills Due August 3rd
Second Installment Property Tax Bills are due on August 3rd, but property owners have two extra months to pay without a late fee.
Before you pay:
- Apply for any refund the Cook County Treasurer owes you. Visit cookcountytreasurer.com for available refunds going back 20 years.
- Check that you have all the exemptions you can claim. Visit the Cook County Assessor's property search page and after finding your property scroll down to the exemptions tab to verify that you have received exemptions to which you are entitled. If you are missing exemptions, you can apply online to correct your bill before paying it.
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Please Fill Out Your Census.
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Census takers are heading into communities soon to make sure everyone counts! You don't have to wait - you can still complete your Census RIGHT NOW at
2020Census.gov
and make sure your community gets what it needs for the next ten years!
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City Clerk Offers Senior Hours August 4th
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The Office of the City Clerk is continuously working to ensure residents can obtain city services as safely and efficiently as possible. On
Tuesday, August 4th
, the Clerk's Office will offer a designated senior hour for individuals 65 and up at their Archer and Gale satellite locations from 8AM - 9AM.
Details are as follows:
**senior hour for individuals ages 65 and up**
Date:
Tuesday August 4th, 2020
Time:
8 AM - 9 AM
Location(s):
- North Side Satellite Office at 5430 West Gale St
- South Side Satellite Office at 5672 South Archer Ave
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Beware of Unemployment Insurance Fraud
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) needs your help to combat Unemployment Insurance (UI) Fraud/Identity Theft. If you become a victim of UI Fraud/Identity Theft, you must either contact IDES by phone at (800) 814-0513 or use the
Contact Form
to promptly report it. Using both methods of reporting may cause delays in reviewing your case.
IDES has partnered with local and federal law enforcement agents, Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, Attorney General, State’s Attorney, and US Attorney’s Offices to help fight against fraud.
Unemployment Insurance Identity Theft Fraud
Identity thieves and hackers have long known how to use stolen identities to commit fraud – for example, open a new credit card or file a false tax return – and criminals using stolen identities to defraud public assistance programs is not new. In fact, such schemes are so pervasive that federal rules require Illinois to have staff dedicated to preventing and stopping fraudulent activity in the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system.
How can you spot unemployment insurance identity theft?
• You receive a debit card or an unemployment insurance letter (UI Finding) and has not filed a claim for benefits.
• You are notified by your employer that a claim for benefits has been filed when you have not been separated from employment.
• You attempt to file a claim online and one already exits.
• You receive IRS correspondence regarding unreported UI benefits.
• You receive notice of a State or Federal tax offset.
What steps should you take if you receive a debit card and did not file for unemployment insurance?
If you suspect a claim has been submitted using your information, and you have not applied for unemployment insurance benefits in Illinois, take steps as follows:
•
DO NOT DELAY AND ACT QUICKLY
• Call IDES' Benefit Payment Control Division at (800) 814-0513. Please Note: call volume is high due to an increase in reports of fraud, so please be patient in waiting for your scheduled call back. When prompted:
1. Select English or Spanish language option;
2. Select option #1 for claimants, and;
3. Select option #5 to report identity theft.
• DO NOT activate the debit card that was mailed to you.
• DO NOT contact KeyBank.
• Destroy the card.
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Apply to Be a Contract Tracer
Contact tracing is a process that has been widely used in public health to prevent the spread of communicable disease. It involves interviewing a person who has tested positive for the disease (the “index patient”) to create a list of others who may have been exposed. For COVID-19, this means people with whom the index patient was in close contact (within 6 feet) for more than 15 minutes, starting from 48 hours before illness onset. Once the list of contacts is established, contact tracers reach out to warn contacts of their exposure, link them to testing, and provide guidance on isolation. Contact tracers interview contacts to determine if they will need supportive services during their isolation and link them to resources such as healthcare, housing, or employment. Lastly, contacts are monitored for symptoms until 14 days from the last date of exposure.
To learn more on how to apply to become a contact tracer,
start here.
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Together Now Fund: Apply for Second Round
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The City is awarding $6.2 million in grant allocations to the initial
Together Now fund applicants
. These grants will support more than 1500 small businesses that experienced physical infrastructure damage as a result of the events on the weekend of May 29, 2020 and beyond, and/or have experienced at least a 25% revenue loss due to COVID-19.
The City determined grant allocations to account for a disproportionate impact from recent civil unrest and the COVID-19 pandemic felt in particular neighborhoods throughout the city. Black and Latinx business owners are more frequently uninsured or underinsured and living in South and West Side communities that have faced decades of disinvestment, both of which were considered in the decision-making process.
Beyond this initial round of funding, there will be a second application period that focuses on awarding grants in community areas that received a disproportionately low number of eligible applicants during the first round. Businesses that meet the eligibility criteria and can provide all required documentation, especially those within South and West Side communities, are encouraged to apply. More details about the second application period will be available soon at
chicago.gov/togethernow
.
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Sate of Chicago Youth Town Hall
Mikva Challenge
and
A Better Chicago
are joining forces to host a State of Chicago Youth virtual town hall event on August 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. In these times of recovery, reform, and reimagining, the voices of our young people are more valuable than ever. Be the first to hear what local youth leaders participating in Mikva Challenge’s Citywide and Neighborhood Youth Councils have to say about our path forward by
RSVP'ing today.
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Chicago Park Districts Presents
Your Night Out - At Home
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The
Chicago Park District
is pleased to present a new way to spend a Night Out—at Home. The show is coming to you!
Join the Chicago Park District as they shine a virtual spotlight on the 2020 Night Out in the Parks partners this summer, sharing the best of Chicago’s performing arts community in the comfort of your home.
“Your Night Out at Home” features select works from Night Out artists from across Chicago, providing a chance to travel and explore the incredible breadth of talent our city offers. You’ll find a diverse array of established companies and emerging artists across many disciplines, inviting you to experience something new and keeping you connected to the rhythm of the city.
Not only can you experience Night Out performances on YouTube beginning July 31, you can enjoy performances every Friday night on Channel 11 WTTW at 5:30!
The Chicago Park District, in partnership with WTTW Channel 11, will present a curated collection of the incredible breadth of the city’s talent. Starting July 31st, WTTW will air “Night Out in the Parks: The Stars in Your Backyard” at 5:30 pm. The broadcast series will feature seventeen Night Out in the Parks artistic performers every Friday through August 28th. Las Bompleneras of the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, Midnight Circus in the Parks, A Flor de Piel, The Rosina Project of the Chicago Fringe Opera, Walkabout Theater, Tsukasa Taiko, and Kalapriya are among the first scheduled performances.
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Free $20 for Every $100 Lakeview Gift Card Purchased
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The annual Lakeview Gift Card Promotion is back! From July 17 through August 31, 2020, customers will get a $20 Bonus Card for every $100 Lakeview Gift Card they buy online at
ShopDineLakeview.com
(terms and conditions apply; up to $300 in bonus cards per household). Gift cards and bonus cards are available for immediate use upon purchase, and bonus cards will be valid for 90 days following purchase.
For more information and answers to commonly asked questions about the Lakeview Gift Card program, visit
ShopDineLakeview.com
.
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Free Educational Workshops for Business Owners from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP)
City Inspections – Ask Questions, Get Answers
Wednesday, 8/5 at 3:00 PM Webinar
Presented by the City of Chicago
To operate a successful business in Chicago, you need to know what it takes to maintain compliance. Officials from several City departments will provide insight on how to operate safely, stay compliant, help prepare for inspections, and highlight the do’s and don’ts of operating a business.
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Webinar: Inequities in Property Assessments, Real Estate Investment and Public Safety
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DIVVY Now Included E-Bikes
In partnership with Lyft, a major expansion and technology upgrade has begun on Chicago's DIVVY bike system. New Divvy stations are being deployed to cover the Far South Side in 2020 --the first of three phases that will reach all 50 wards in 2021. Divvy will begin deploying e-bikes that let riders go further and faster, at pedal assist speeds up to 15 mph. New lock-to, dockless technology will give riders more choices and more access to their destinations, whether it's work, school, shopping, or play. E-bikes will be rolled out in small batches, 3,500 will be added this summer/fall, increasing to a total of 10,500 by spring 2022. To read more,
click here.
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UPDATED:
Chicago Travel Quarantine List
On Thursday, July 2, CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady, M.D., issued an
Emergency Travel Order
directing travelers entering or returning to Chicago from states experiencing a surge in new COVID-19 cases to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state. The list will be updated every Tuesday and go into effect the following Friday at 12:01 a.m.
For more information, see these
Frequently Asked Questions
.
As of July 31, travelers from the states listed below should quarantine upon arrival in Chicago.
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- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
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- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- North Dakota
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Wisconsin
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Additional Links with COVID Related Information
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Alderman Scott Waguespack
2657 North Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 248-1330
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