Vaccine News
Keep Sidewalks Clear
Public Safety Forum Tonight
Dear Neighbors,

We continue to receive calls and emails with questions about Phase 1b of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout. The bottom line: there is not enough vaccine to go around right now. Please be patient.

Every year, the federal government ensures that 150 million doses of flu vaccine is available through the same channels being used for COVID. The only issue now is the manufacturing ramp-up required for this unprecedented situation.
 
There are currently three ways to get vaccinated in Chicago:

  • Your Primary care provider/family doctor:

If you haven't already, please contact your health care provider, including your primary care provider, health clinic, or hospital where you have gotten medical care in the past. More than 350 health care providers have signed up with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) to distribute the Covid vaccine. Many health systems, such as Northwestern, Rush and the University of Chicago, are now vaccinating residents who are in their 70s. Most have an electronic medical records system such as MyChart that is set up to notify you when you can make an appointment. Most health care systems are filling appointments with their own patients first, so it is generally not otherwise possible to sign up with these locations yet.

  •  Pharmacies:

The city has provided vaccines to pharmacies across Chicago. These pharmacies each have their own registration links:


Please be advised: vaccine is still in short supply. For now, most pharmacies do not establish a waiting list because customers would put themselves on every waiting list of every pharmacy. Rather, pharmacies open appointments when they get vaccine. Check the sites frequently.

  • Through employers:

Specific employers in prioritized essential worker groups will be able to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to their employees. CDPH is working directly with employers as vaccine becomes available; for example, first responders are already being vaccinated and others will begin soon. If you will receive your vaccine through your employer, you do not need to take any other action.

You can read more about Chicago's vaccination rollout in this Block Club article, and the city has provided a tool to locate vaccines by zip code here.
Keep Sidewalks Clear

As we dig out from this year’s first major snowfall, I want to remind everyone to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice for you and your neighbors. Clearing sidewalks is the law. Many of your neighbors rely on walking and public transportation and navigating icy, snow covered sidewalks is especially difficult for people with disabilities, seniors, and children.

Chicago Municipal Code 10-8-180 says: "Every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or other person having charge of any building or lot of ground in the city abutting upon any public way or public place shall remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of such building or lot of ground."  Residents can be fined up to $500, and businesses up to $1000, for noncompliance.
 
Please look out for your neighbors by making sure your sidewalks are passable and free of snow and ice. More information on compliance with the ordinance is available here.

Public Safety
43rd and 44th Ward Carjacking Community Forum
TONIGHT, Tuesday, February 2
6:00 p.m.

RSVP is required. Please register here. About an hour before the forum, you will receive the special Zoom link. As is our practice, attendees can post questions and we will make sure as many questions as possible are answered.
Cable and Robocall Webinar
Wednesday, February 3rd
2 p.m.
Facebook Live
Virtual Meeting

Join me, our community's other elected representatives, and the Citizens Utility Board for a webinar about reducing cable bill costs and preventing robocalls.

This event will be broadcast on Facebook Live.
Senior Citizen Sewer Rebate

Senior Citizen Sewer Rebate renewals were mailed in January, or can be found here. As a reminder, the Office of the City Clerk no longer manages applications and renewals for sewer rebate; instead, the Department of Finance's Utility Billing & Customer Service Division is responsible for processing applications and renewals.
 
Senior citizens who own and occupy their residence, but who are not eligible for the Senior Citizen Sewer Charge Exemption due to property type, are eligible to apply for this Rebate. This provides an annual $50 rebate in lieu of the exemption.
 
To be eligible:
 
  • You must be 65 years of age, or older, as of January 1 for the year you are applying.
  • You must be the sole owner, or owner in joint tenancy, or tenancy in common of the property.
  • You must occupy the property as your principal place of residence.
  • You must own a townhouse, condominium unit, or cooperative apartment that shares a common water bill.
 
If you meet the eligibility requirements, you must submit a Senior Sewer Application. The form must be completed in its entirety and submitted with all supporting documentation. For renewals, the yearly renewal form requires the claimant to provide a copy of their government issued identification and a recent property tax bill for verification purposes.
 
You can call 312-744-4426 or visit utilitybill@cityofchicago.org for more information.
Community News
Dog Signs

In order to remind people to pick up after their dogs and keep our community beautiful, our office is offering "Please Leash & Pick Up After Your Pet Signs."There are 500 available, and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Because the office is currently closed to the public, please email us with your address to request one, and a member of our staff will coordinate delivery.
Keep the Home Fires Burning:
Sleepout To Fight Homelessness
Care For Friends
Friday, February 19th, 2021
7:00 p.m.
530 W. Fullerton and Online

Thousands of Chicagoans have no place to call home each night – including more than 18,000 CPS Students.
 
Care for Friends, a local charity based at Church of Our Saviour on Fullerton dedicated to serving the homeless, invites you to help support these neighbors. 
 
Join Care for Friends 7 p.m. on Friday, February 19 to light the campfire that normally begins their Sleepout for Homelessness. But this year, instead of sleeping around that fire for 12 hours, there will be four ways to participate:
Be a Fire Spreader: Come by and light a candle from the campfire. Hear speakers, enjoy some socially distanced s'mores and hot cocoa, and take your candle home to spread the light throughout Chicago. (This will also be streamed online for COVID-safe participation)
Be a Fire Spotter: Receive a list of scavenger-hunt questions to answer, explore your neighborhood, take photos of your answers and post to social media. Ask friends for support via your personal fundraising page.
Be a Fire Tender: Sign up for a 30-minute timeslot during the night to make sure the fire keeps burning.

Sleepout All Night: Make your own plans to spend a night in an outdoor space you identify on your own. Ask friends for support via your personal fundraising page.
 
For more information visit here. Visit here to donate.
North Pond Restoration News
Lincoln Park Conservancy

Thanks to so many generous donations, the Lincoln Park Conservancy reached a milestone in funding for the North Pond restoration; they are on track to break ground on the project in Fall 2021. 

Read about the project's current status and how you can help them close the last funding gap here.
Brick By Brick
Lincoln Park High School Fundraising Campaign
Friends of Lincoln Park High

Do you walk through Oz Park? Then you walk by Lincoln Park High School, one of the city's top schools.

Show your support - and become a permanent part of the Oz Park area - by purchasing a brick and include a message for or from an individual, group or corporation.

Click here for more information and to purchase a brick. 
New Business Spotlight
2273 N. Lincoln

Kaathis specializes in the bold, vibrant flavors of Indian street food.

Kaathi rolls are meats or vegetables cooked on skewers and wrapped in Indian flatbreads called parathas. Be sure to order a mango shake with your meal. Yummy!
350 W. Armitage

Named after co-owner Mitchell AbouJamra’s grandmother, Evette’s brings together the Mediterranean flavors of Lebanon and Mexico's rich culinary traditions.

So when you stop in, you can order both shawarma and al pastor tacos.
This year has been incredibly challenging for our businesses, especially those that have just opened, so we will be dedicating a portion of the newsletter to support them. If you know a business that has opened in the last twelve months, please send it to us so we can feature it in our new business spotlight!
Support Local Businesses
With the new year upon us, supporting our local businesses is as important as ever; please shop and dine locally:
Order From Our Local Restaurants
Keep your sidewalks clear, watch out for your neighbors, and shop local,






43rd Ward Virtual Office Hours: M - F 9 AM - 5 PM 
 2523 N Halsted | 773-348-9500 yourvoice@ward43.org www.ward43.org