Our February, 2009 Monthly Meeting

We, at the Chatham Avalon Park Community Council, held our February Monthly Meeting at the Whitney Young Branch of the Chicago Public Library at 7901 South King Drive, to discuss the continuing threat a new burglary ring is having throughout Chatham. Resident were told to inform your neighbors of young men in cars and trucks jumping out to break in your home at all hours of the day and night. The burglary ring started in the area bounded by 79Th Street to 83rd Street and from King Drive to Cottage Grove, but has now spread throughout the entire enclave of Chatham. Warning was given to all residents at the meeting that upkeep of your home and your neighbor's is key and essential for Chatham not to becoming another Woodlawn or Englewood. The "I don't care or I don't give a damn" crowd usually lets down a neighborhood to becoming a ghetto. Businesses seeking a loyal market for their wares put on demonstrations of their products with tastes tests, including wine from a new vineyard from South Africa (Heritage Link Brands) with a distributor in Massachusetts. Shelf space for Chatham-based and Chatham-grown vendors, of which there are 60, 10 of which have gone national, at Jewel's and Albertson's were also highlighted. Chatham Food Center, now Chatham Food Market at 327 East 79Th Street will curtail its 24 hour schedule to a more modest overnight run for only Link Card recipients on the day of disbursement; all other nights the store will close at 12 AM or 1 AM to reopen at 6AM--this was mainly due to the economic downturn since last September. You may also visit our website at http://www.capcc.org/.