Saturday, January 25, 2014
Friday, January 24, 2014
Norwood Park Presbyterian Church --- Then and Now
An Early Post Card, 1910, Norwood Park Presbyterian Church 5849 N. Nina. The words written across the post card, " voice la maison de montante" means "voice rising house" in French...
Norwood Park Presbyterian Church today...
1975 Norwood Park Home 5930 N. East Circle
Norwood Park 5930-5938 N. East Circle August 5, 1975 The Daily News
Norwood Park Train Station 1914
A postcard dated July 24, 1914 Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Train Station
Recycling Pick Up Problems and Aggressive Parking Ticket Writing in Edison Park
Two sets of problems coming through email, recently:
1. Reports of an array of problems with recycling pick up in the ward. Some people are reporting no pick up for three weeks and more...
2. Parking meters are being monitored constantly by LAZ, the parking enforcement company who bought public parking meters from the City of Chicago a few years ago. Apparently LAZ ticket writers are parasitic and aggressive, especially in and around Edison Park hurting Edison Park small businesses.
1. Reports of an array of problems with recycling pick up in the ward. Some people are reporting no pick up for three weeks and more...
2. Parking meters are being monitored constantly by LAZ, the parking enforcement company who bought public parking meters from the City of Chicago a few years ago. Apparently LAZ ticket writers are parasitic and aggressive, especially in and around Edison Park hurting Edison Park small businesses.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
This is Why There is No Money for Neighborhood Schools: The Chicago School Board Votes on Charter School Expansion Today
So, the mayor has money for 17 new charter schools while we wait for more additions for overcrowded 41st Ward Schools
Start asking questions about charter schools, and today's charter school expansion vote by the Chicago School Board. Why do new schools have to be charter schools? How do charter schools impact neighborhood schools? Where is the investment in local neighborhood schools? Why is it taking so long to add additions to overcrowded northwest side schools? Why does the appointed school board have all the decision making power?
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/council-mayors-allies-kill-charter-school-hearing/Content?oid=12196607
Even the Untouchables would have a hard time slowing the mayor's charter push. The Chicago Board of Education is set to approve up to 21 new charter schools this week.
Yet I can think of a million reasons the expansion should be put on hold. For starters, the more money the mayor spends building new charters, the less money he has for existing schools that are already so broke they're worried about paying for toilet paper.
As a city, we've never had a debate on this wider issue: Should we be building new schools of any kind when we can't afford to adequately fund the ones we have?
Moreover, if Mayor Emanuel's so determined to build new schools, why do they have to be charters?
The mayor says we need to bring in private operators to give parents more choices.
Sounds great! But in reality, charters do no better than other local schools on standardized tests—which is how we judge schools these days. In many cases, they do worse.
Plus, they're privately run operations. That means they don't abide by the same standards of transparency as regular public schools.
If you don't believe me, ask Dan Mihalopoulos. He's the ace investigative reporter for the Sun-Times who went to court to try to force UNO—one of the biggest charter operators in the state—to turn over records of how they spent millions of public dollars.
Another charter operator—the Chicago Math and Science Academy—has argued in court that it's not even a public school, though it's largely funded with public money. That's part of the school's legal fight against an effort by its teachers to unionize.
Yes, that's right: teachers who want to unionize. And now we've run into the elephant in the room.
Charter operators tend to be militantly nonunion, which is why I suspect power-hungry politicians like Mayor Emanuel love them so much.
The more charters he creates, the less power the Chicago Teachers Union has—and the more power Mayor Emanuel can amass, as if he needs more.
In fairness to the Chicago Public Schools—an operation that needs all the defending it can get—the district did create local advisory councils to review the latest charter school proposals, which are supposed to alleviate overcrowding on the northwest and southwest sides.
But CPS officials told the members of these councils that discussions should be limited to the specifics of the new charter proposals. They were not—let me repeat, not—permitted to talk about the larger issue of whether we should create any charters at all.
Start asking questions about charter schools, and today's charter school expansion vote by the Chicago School Board. Why do new schools have to be charter schools? How do charter schools impact neighborhood schools? Where is the investment in local neighborhood schools? Why is it taking so long to add additions to overcrowded northwest side schools? Why does the appointed school board have all the decision making power?
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/council-mayors-allies-kill-charter-school-hearing/Content?oid=12196607
Even the Untouchables would have a hard time slowing the mayor's charter push. The Chicago Board of Education is set to approve up to 21 new charter schools this week.
Yet I can think of a million reasons the expansion should be put on hold. For starters, the more money the mayor spends building new charters, the less money he has for existing schools that are already so broke they're worried about paying for toilet paper.
As a city, we've never had a debate on this wider issue: Should we be building new schools of any kind when we can't afford to adequately fund the ones we have?
Moreover, if Mayor Emanuel's so determined to build new schools, why do they have to be charters?
The mayor says we need to bring in private operators to give parents more choices.
Sounds great! But in reality, charters do no better than other local schools on standardized tests—which is how we judge schools these days. In many cases, they do worse.
Plus, they're privately run operations. That means they don't abide by the same standards of transparency as regular public schools.
If you don't believe me, ask Dan Mihalopoulos. He's the ace investigative reporter for the Sun-Times who went to court to try to force UNO—one of the biggest charter operators in the state—to turn over records of how they spent millions of public dollars.
Another charter operator—the Chicago Math and Science Academy—has argued in court that it's not even a public school, though it's largely funded with public money. That's part of the school's legal fight against an effort by its teachers to unionize.
Yes, that's right: teachers who want to unionize. And now we've run into the elephant in the room.
Charter operators tend to be militantly nonunion, which is why I suspect power-hungry politicians like Mayor Emanuel love them so much.
The more charters he creates, the less power the Chicago Teachers Union has—and the more power Mayor Emanuel can amass, as if he needs more.
In fairness to the Chicago Public Schools—an operation that needs all the defending it can get—the district did create local advisory councils to review the latest charter school proposals, which are supposed to alleviate overcrowding on the northwest and southwest sides.
But CPS officials told the members of these councils that discussions should be limited to the specifics of the new charter proposals. They were not—let me repeat, not—permitted to talk about the larger issue of whether we should create any charters at all.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
For the Sake of "The Children"
Stop the Political Exploitation of Children
Why are politicians allowed to exploit children for their own political purposes, and when will the media listen to readers and listeners who are sick to death of the self grandiosity of politicians? Aren't we all tired of Rahm using "the children" at his press conferences, to strong arm city ordinances, contracts and back room deals?
In the photo below we have the mayor and alderman cutting a ribbon to a new annex for a school that has been over crowded for years. The annex was rallied for by the parents, children & teachers, and paid for by TAXPAYERS.
These pols mugging for the politically motivated moment in front of a camera with children had nothing to do with this school annex.
The politicians in this photo should be ashamed it took so long, as constructing this annex came well after the mayor closed 50 functioning schools and created plans for charter schools to replace them all over the city. Upgrading neighborhood schools is the last thing on the mayor's list of things to do, as evidenced by the remaining schools in the 41st ward overdue for upgrades and the continuous need for MORE teachers in 41st Ward Schools.
The picture that should have been taken, is a picture of the children, their parents and their teachers who endured years of the hardships of overcrowding.
Photo from DNAinfo
When will the Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS) demand these politicians stop the political exploitation of children?
Friday, January 17, 2014
Alderman "Listening Tour" O'Connor Finally Calls for Airport Noise Meeting Now That Nothing Can Be Done.
Finally, after years of citizen protests over the O'Hare Expansion Plan, Alderman O'Connor is calling for a "meeting"? The new runway opened in October, and as predicted, the noise levels are not compatible with human beings who expect a basic quality of life.
Alderman "Listening Tour" O'Connor is famous for her listening meetings. Usually though, none of us are invited, except for a few loyal patronage workers, a sprinkling of chamber of commerce pals and the press, of course.
Election time is coming up, everyone. Start attending Alderman O'Connor's meetings to get the skinny on how her hands are tied.
A few runways have been built and more are scheduled to be built in the near future. The result: 41st Ward residents are being deafened by the noise levels.
The solution: invite a few airline CEOs and federal officials to a meeting to explain why we are being subjected to life shortening levels of noise, and ask about a "mitigation" plan.
Stop expanding the airport and close the new troubling runway - now that sounds like the noise mitigation plan residents have been screaming to Alderman "Listening Tour" since she took office. Now, with over the top noise complaints being the top story in last Sunday's Tribune, and the aldermanic election exactly one year away, we get a meeting...
Tribune reporter
9:55 PM CST, January 16, 2014
Two Chicago aldermen whose wards are awash in jet noise are calling for hearings on the new air-traffic patterns at O'Hare International Airport. Alds. Mary O’Connor, 41st, and Margaret Laurino, 39th Ward, introduced a resolution at Wednesday's City Council meeting seeking hearings with Chicago Aviation Commissioner Rosemarie Andolino and other officials at the Chicago Department of Aviation, officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the major airlines serving O'Hare, O'Connor told her constituents Thursday.
The hearings would focus on the changing noise contours that are the result of new runways, O'Connor said in a email sent to residents of her ward Thursday night.
The call for hearings followed a Tribune report Monday detailing an all-time record for noise complaints involving jets at O'Hare in 2013. Almost 25,000 complaints were filed between January and November — more than for any full year on record since Chicago installed noise-monitoring devices in 1996, officials said. Complaints also sharply increased in November, a month after O'Hare's fourth parallel east-west runway opened. The runway opening triggered an increase in takeoffs and landings east and west of the airport.
O'Connor told residents that she and Laurino want to “gather information about the airline industry's efforts to mitigate the impact of aircraft noise on the surrounding population.'”
“I co-sponsored this resolution because I feel it's important to keep the conversation going about these changes that have taken place at O'Hare Airport,'' said O'Connor, who is a supporter of O'Hare expansion.
She said she wants to strike “a balance that fosters economic growth for the region while still respecting the concerns of residents on the Far Northwest Side of the city.'”
Dates for the hearings were not immediately set.
The latest noise complaint report issued by the city, which covers November, includes 2,300 from Chicago. Almost half, or 1,032, came from the 41st Ward. Next was the 45th Ward, with 923 complaints; and the 39th Ward, 247 complaints.
jhilkevitch@tribune.com
Twitter @jhilkevitch
Alderman "Listening Tour" O'Connor is famous for her listening meetings. Usually though, none of us are invited, except for a few loyal patronage workers, a sprinkling of chamber of commerce pals and the press, of course.
Election time is coming up, everyone. Start attending Alderman O'Connor's meetings to get the skinny on how her hands are tied.
A few runways have been built and more are scheduled to be built in the near future. The result: 41st Ward residents are being deafened by the noise levels.
The solution: invite a few airline CEOs and federal officials to a meeting to explain why we are being subjected to life shortening levels of noise, and ask about a "mitigation" plan.
Stop expanding the airport and close the new troubling runway - now that sounds like the noise mitigation plan residents have been screaming to Alderman "Listening Tour" since she took office. Now, with over the top noise complaints being the top story in last Sunday's Tribune, and the aldermanic election exactly one year away, we get a meeting...
chicagotribune.com
2 aldermen seek hearing on O'Hare jet noise
By Jon HilkevitchTribune reporter
9:55 PM CST, January 16, 2014
| Advertisement |
The hearings would focus on the changing noise contours that are the result of new runways, O'Connor said in a email sent to residents of her ward Thursday night.
The call for hearings followed a Tribune report Monday detailing an all-time record for noise complaints involving jets at O'Hare in 2013. Almost 25,000 complaints were filed between January and November — more than for any full year on record since Chicago installed noise-monitoring devices in 1996, officials said. Complaints also sharply increased in November, a month after O'Hare's fourth parallel east-west runway opened. The runway opening triggered an increase in takeoffs and landings east and west of the airport.
O'Connor told residents that she and Laurino want to “gather information about the airline industry's efforts to mitigate the impact of aircraft noise on the surrounding population.'”
“I co-sponsored this resolution because I feel it's important to keep the conversation going about these changes that have taken place at O'Hare Airport,'' said O'Connor, who is a supporter of O'Hare expansion.
She said she wants to strike “a balance that fosters economic growth for the region while still respecting the concerns of residents on the Far Northwest Side of the city.'”
Dates for the hearings were not immediately set.
The latest noise complaint report issued by the city, which covers November, includes 2,300 from Chicago. Almost half, or 1,032, came from the 41st Ward. Next was the 45th Ward, with 923 complaints; and the 39th Ward, 247 complaints.
jhilkevitch@tribune.com
Twitter @jhilkevitch
Thursday, January 9, 2014
41st Ward Senior Citizen Treated Unjustly by the City: Where are the elected officials?
So, a 41st Ward Tax-Paying 75 year old Senior Citizen is told she must prove the city sticker she bought and paid, for on time, was on her windshield. Ms. Tamayo received a ticket for no city sticker in error. She appealed at a hearing, and brought proof, she bought her city sticker on time. But, somehow that isn't enough these days, as Ms. Tomayo was told the onus is on her to prove the sticker was on her car at the time the ticket was issued. She had to pay $200! On a Senior Citizen fixed income! What nonsense this is. The article makes reference to a trip to the alderman's office. I have to assume that was useless, as the story ended up in the Sun-times today.
Hard to fight City Hall when fight isn’t fair
Hard to fight City Hall when fight isn’t fair
By MARY MITCHELL January 8, 2014 6:46PM
Updated: January 9, 2014 2:22AM
So you walk outside of your home and see a ticket on your car for failing to display a city vehicle sticker, only the sticker is clearly visible.
Most young people would likely grab a cellphone and photograph the sticker along with the ticket.
But senior citizens like Gladys Tamayo, 75, still think they can tell their stories and someone will listen and hear the truth.
Tamayo has lived in Chicago since 1966 — first in the Wrigley area and now in the Norwood Park community. Her voice mail message greets callers in both Spanish and English.
“My car was in front of the house and had a valid city sticker,” Tamayo told me. “When the ticket was issued by the city, I said this is wrong.”
Tamayo followed the procedure for appealing the ticket, first requesting a hearing and then showing up at 2550 W. Addison, one of the locations where these revenue cases are heard.
She accepts that she probably got off on the wrong foot with the administrative law officer, Lonathan D. Hurse, when she mistakenly walked behind the podium instead of standing in front of it.
Attempts to reach Hurse about Tamayo’s hearing were unsuccessful.
“I was a little nervous,” she admits.
“He read something about the law and said I didn’t have a city sticker on the car. But that is a lie,” she said.
Tamayo said she brought along a copy of the check she wrote for the sticker, but the judge said she had to prove directly that she had the sticker on the windshield before she got the ticket.
“I thought, you’ve got to be kidding. How can I prove that?” she asked.
According to the Municipal Code of Chicago, violations involving the display of the city sticker are excluded from defenses covering other parking violations.
In the end, Tamayo was ordered to pay $200 in fines.
“I was really upset. You are robbing me if you order me to pay for something I didn’t do because a lazy employee didn’t do the job,” Tamayo said.
“They should have seen the sticker. Maybe they drove by and didn’t see it. I don’t know,” she said.
In a city plagued by potholes and senseless crime, a 75-year-old woman’s complaint about a wrongful ticket might seem like a trivial thing.
And as a spokesman for the city of Chicago told me, Chicago police officers and city workers have “bigger fish to fry.”
But no one has $200 to throw away.
Given that this senior citizen made the effort to show up and defend herself by presenting her receipts for the sticker, the administrative officer was a bit harsh.
Moreover, we all make mistakes.
But under these circumstances, Tamayo had no way to prove the sticker was on the windshield at the time the officer or city employee wrote the ticket.
That doesn’t sit well with her, and frankly, wouldn’t sit well with anyone who lands in this situation.
Last week, she trekked up to her alderman’s office with her documents hoping to raise awareness about what she considers an unfair situation.
“That is what really gets me. I have to prove something I cannot prove,” she said.
Now Tamayo is on a crusade.
“I am not really upset about the $200. It is the principle involved. I need to let people know from now on they should take photographs of the sticker the moment they put it on their windshield,” she said.
You’ve got to like Tamayo’s spunk.
In fact, she may have just the right message to convince seniors they need to get one of those new-fangled phones.
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