Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Blog Question

Now with the Chicago gun ban ordinance stuck down by the Supreme Court of the United States, do you own a gun in your home in Chatham? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Annual Fourth of July Independence Day Outdoor Cookout at the Chatham Food Market!!!

Stop by for the annual Fourth of July Independence Day Outdoor Cookout, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, July 3, 2010, with great grocery shopping at Chatham Food Market, 327 East 79Th Street in the heart of the Chatham retail strip!

Chatham Avalon Park Sub Area IV meeting on THURSDAY

The Chatham Avalon Park Community Council Sub-Area IV has a meeting on Thursday, July 1, from 6pm - 7:30pm at Whitney Young library, 79th and King Dr.

For more information, contact them by PHONE 1-866-272-1215 or VOICE MAIL 1-773-488-3952

Saturday, June 26, 2010

St. Dorothy's 4th Annual Block Party

St. Dorothy's Church is having its 4Th Annual Block Party in front of the church at 450 East 78Th Street from 11 AM to 5 PM TODAY!!!

Friday, June 25, 2010

Blog Question

Now that Mayor Richard M. Daley has got his Walmart deal the way he wants it, do you REALLY want a Walmart in the Chatham Market? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Annual Fourth of July Independence Day Outdoor Cookout at the Chatham Food Market!!!

Stop by for the annual Fourth of July Independence Day Outdoor Cookout, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, July 3, 2010, with great grocery shopping at Chatham Food Market, 327 East 79Th Street in the heart of the Chatham retail strip!

Blog Question

Should Chatham band together and approach Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Bill Cosby, about being benefactors to facility development in Chatham with an all-new state-of-the-art athletic and aquatic center that is superbly well equipped with a fitness center, weight room, indoor tennis courts and with Olympic-size swimming and diving pools and NBA league-type basketball courts, at 79Th & Rhodes, an indoor ice-skating rink at 84Th & King Drive, a two-story "Bucktown-Wicker Park"-type public library at 79Th & King Drive, a YMCA and YWCA right next to each other at 76Th & South Chicago, and a Starbuck's at 79Th & St. Lawrence? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Blog Question

Should the Chatham Market add such high-end luxury retailers like a Harrod's and Barney's of New York rather than a Walmart? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Blog Question

Should federal bailout funds be used to bail out ShoreBank? Leave your comments on the comment line.

ShoreBank tops capital target; federal bailout funds still in question

As ShoreBank Corp. awaits word on a possible federal bailout, it says the assistance it got from private sources, including a who’s who of Wall Street banks, exceeded its target by 20%.

The South Side lender, which will fail without hundreds of millions in fresh capital, obtained commitments for about $150 million, well above its $125-million target and previously reported sums.

But the $2-billion-asset bank, which gained a national reputation for lending in low-income city neighborhoods that other banks avoid, needs a $75-million companion infusion from the recently reworked Troubled Asset Relief Program in order to comply with regulatory capital requirements.

A June 15 deadline for an answer from the Treasury Department, which administers TARP, came and went, so the private consortium that made the $150-million commitment agreed to a one-week extension.

Sources say the Federal Reserve appears to have taken the lead from Treasury on whether to back the TARP request, as reported first by the Chicago Tribune’s Web site.

“It’s not going as quickly as we’d like, but we’re working through it,” a ShoreBank spokesman said.

The ShoreBank bailout has turned into a political hot potato.

It ran into a buzzsaw late last month on Capitol Hill, with top Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee requesting information from the White House on any communications regarding ShoreBank’s predicament amid speculation that Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Citigroup Inc. and the other banking giants that came to the little bank’s aid were doing so at the behest of the Obama administration.

The administration has denied any involvement in the ShoreBank rescue.

The Obamas know ShoreBank’s founders, as they all lived in Hyde Park before Barack Obama won the presidency.

Even with the federal funds, there have been questions on whether ShoreBank would have enough capital to survive long-term, given the severity of its loan-quality problems. People familiar with the matter says the bank’s leadership doesn’t intend to ask private investors for more help now.

Blog Question

Should the new library planned for the block on 79Th Street between King Drive and Vernon Avenue and a new field house being proposed at Nat King Cole Park be named after Thomas Wortham IV? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Residents band together to restore Grand Crossing Park

As a child, Lloyd Holiday ran through Grand Crossing Park's sprinkler and can still remember the feel of cold water on the cement. Brad Redrick played deck hockey with his friends on the park's tennis courts.

And CeCe Edwards bolted out of high school after class to watch boys play baseball, as old ladies looking on lectured her on staying out of trouble.

This weekend, the residents of the neighborhood on Chicago's South Side -- who proudly call themselves "Park Rats" because of childhoods spent playing in the community space -- will return to the dilapidated park by the dozens to re-create their former hangout for children in the neighborhood now.

It's a project that has gained resonance after Thomas Wortham IV, a police officer trying to do the same for a park nearby, was shot and killed May 19.

The group says this weekend's playground rebuilding, for which they worked years and collected more than $200,000, is the first of many plans to take charge of the neighborhood's future.

"That park saved my life when I was a kid," said Edwards, now in her mid-50s, who went on to college at Northwestern University but never moved from the neighborhood.

To prove she meant business, Edwards stopped five unsuspecting young men cutting through the park minutes after the project's kickoff on Friday. When they said they'd just been dismissed for summer vacation, she handed them shovels.

"They're mulching trees now," she said.

In recent years, residents in Greater Grand Crossing on Chicago's South Side have watched in frustration as they've seen drug dealers on street corners instead of seniors on porches, kids loitering on the sidewalk instead of taking classes in the park's historic field house.

Those scenes starkly contrast the memories of adults whose families moved into the neighborhood in the 1960s, as new areas of Chicago opened up to black professionals who bought homes here and in nearby Chatham, Avalon Park and Park Manor.

The park, a 17-acre oasis designed by the Olmsted Brothers in the early 1900s, was a natural meeting place with its swimming pool, playground, baseball diamonds, sports fields and field house.

Redrick, 52, now a Chicago police sergeant who lives in Greater Grand Crossing, remembers neighbors packing the field house for the "Gym Show," a lively showcase of local kids' talents, with costumes hand-sewn by parents.

"It would be absolutely, totally crowded," Redrick said. "We used to have a really good break dancer from this neighborhood and everybody thought he was going to be famous."

As public housing closed in other parts of the city in the 1990s, newcomers arrived in Greater Grand Crossing, igniting tension with some longtime residents who believed they didn't have the same sense of community. But a larger group believed the new residents deserved a chance, said Andrew Walton, who served as the Grand Crossing Park supervisor from 1991 to 2004.

In 2002, Redrick approached a circle of teenagers gambling for quarters in front of his home. When the two most intimidating teens explained that they loitered because had no other options, Redrick started a free football team that met on Saturdays at the park. And the intimidating pair?

"They ended up being the two doggone best kids in the neighborhood," Redrick said.

Still, the Park Rats knew their efforts could only go so far with the park's severe disrepair. The sprinkler at the playground hadn't been replaced in decades. By the pool, kids were hosed off with a garden hose because there is no poolside shower.

Chicago Park District officials say the park is one of 300 parks that hadn't been renovated since the early 1990s, with some original equipment from decades earlier.

In 2005, Edwards decided to take action. She typed up fliers saying "Join Us" and asked neighborhood children to help distribute them.

Within days, she heard from people eager to help: William Mitchell, whose 5-year-old son lived with his mother near the park; Holiday, a security guard at Hirsch Metropolitan High School and lifelong Grand Crossing resident who strolled the park every day after work.

Together with Walton, the former park supervisor, the group lobbied local politicians, recruited new members and befriended leaders at Friends of the Parks, who helped them to navigate the bureaucratic process.

"They were very persistent," said Erma Tranter, president of Friends of the Parks. "We were always impressed by how much time (they) gave of themselves."

In time, the Park Rats secured $100,000 through state Rep. Marlow Colvin's office and another $120,000 from the Kohl's Cares for Kids Safety Network, which partners with Children's Memorial Hospital. They persuaded local businesses to donate hot dogs and bottled water, and nearby neighborhood groups to send groups of volunteers.

"We have to create the community that we want," said Charissa Jones, 45, beads of sweat dotting her forehead after helping to install a playground slide.

With more than 150 volunteers expected over two days, the playground is to be completed by 2 p.m. Saturday. If Grand Crossing Park's playground effort goes well, Friends of the Parks hope to begin work on a similar project at Cole Park, to be named after Wortham.

Park Rats say after the playground is up, they'll continue raising money to rebuild a walking path, create a computer room and give scholarships for Park District classes.

"If this park can be utilized like it was years ago, it would keep a lot of kids off the corners," Holiday said. "I worked hard because this is my park. My neighborhood park. It'll be my park until I'm long gone."

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

3rd suspect charged in officer's slaying

marcus-floyd100.jpg

A third man has been charged with murder in the slaying last month of Chicago Police Officer Thomas Wortham IV.

Marcus Floyd, 19, of the 3100 block of W. Lexington St., who has been hospitalized and in police custody since Wortham's death, was charged with felony murder in the shooting deaths of Wortham and Floyd's cousin Brian Floyd.

Brian Floyd, 20, was fatally shot while trying to steal Wortham's new motorcycle outside Wortham's parents' Chatham home.

Marcus Floyd also faces a charge of attempted armed robbery and discharge of a firearm. He was charged about 5 p.m. Sunday, after he regained consciousness, police said. He remains hospitalized, and there was no word on when he will appear in court for a bond hearing.

Annual Father's Day Outdoor Cookout at the Chatham Food Market!!!

Stop by for the annual Father's Day Outdoor Cookout, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, June 19, 2010, with great grocery shopping at Chatham Food Market, 327 East 79Th Street in the heart of the Chatham retail strip!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Blog Question

Should the death penalty in Illinois be applied and executed against the murder suspects in the Thomas Wortham IV case? See the discussion: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/video?id=7472604
Leave your comments on the comment line.

Monday, June 14, 2010

3rd suspect charged in officer's slaying

A third man has been charged with murder in the slaying last month of Chicago Police Officer Thomas Wortham IV.

Marcus Floyd, 19, of the 3100 block of W. Lexington St., who has been hospitalized and in police custody since Wortham's death, was charged with felony murder in the shooting deaths of Wortham and Floyd's cousin Brian Floyd.

Brian Floyd, 20, was fatally shot while trying to steal Wortham's new motorcycle outside Wortham's parents' Chatham home.

Marcus Floyd also faces a charge of attempted armed robbery and discharge of a firearm. He was charged about 5 p.m. Sunday, after he regained consciousness, police said. He remains hospitalized, and there was no word on when he will appear in court for a bond hearing.

Already charged in Wortham's slaying and being held without bail are Paris McGee, 20, and Toyious Taylor, 29. Marcus Floyd has been hospitalized after being shot by either Wortham or his father in an exchange of gunfire after the four allegedly approached Wortham as he was leaving his parent's house after dinner.

Wortham, an Army National Guardsman who recently completed his second tour in Iraq, had gone to his parents' Chatham home for dinner May 19 on what prosecutors described as "a regular night."

Authorities say that as he prepared to leave around 11:30 p.m., Brian Floyd and Marcus Floyd approached Wortham and tried to steal his motorcycle.

When the officer's father, retired Police Sgt. Thomas Wortham III, saw the men approach, he yelled at them to leave his son alone, authorities said. Brian Floyd responded by shooting at the elder Wortham, Assistant State's Attorney Joe Cataldo said at McGee and Taylor's bond hearing last month.

In that moment of distraction, Wortham IV pulled out his own gun and identified himself as a police officer. He and Brian Floyd exchanged gunfire, during which Wortham was shot in the abdomen.

"That's when a regular night turned into a nightmare," Cataldo said.

Wortham's father rushed to a ground-floor bedroom, returned with a gun and saw Taylor and McGee pull up in a red car, authorities said. McGee, who was in the passenger's seat, flashed a handgun and yelled at his friends to get in the car, Cataldo said.

With Wortham lying in the street, his father opened fire on Brian Floyd and Marcus Floyd.

Taylor and McGee fled the scene in the getaway car, striking Wortham's body and dragging him roughly a quarter-mile, Cataldo said.

Wortham "survived two tours of duty in Iraq, but he couldn't survive dinner at his parents' home in our community," Cataldo said.

Brian Floyd was pronounced dead at the scene. Marcus Floyd was critically wounded and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

McGee turned himself in to police on the afternoon of May 20. Taylor was apprehended that night during a traffic stop.

Wortham's father identified both men as the getaway car's occupants in a police lineup, Cataldo said.

Records show that Marcus Floyd was arrested last year on a heroin possession charge, but the case was dismissed for lack of probable cause.

Taylor pleaded guilty in 2002 to drug charges and was sentenced to six years in prison, according to court records. Last year, he served several days in Cook County Jail for a misdemeanor conviction.

McGee is on probation for a 2009 weapons conviction, records show. There also is a misdemeanor illegal gambling charge pending against him.

While serving in Iraq, Wortham -- a three-year Chicago police officer -- led soldiers over dangerous routes and worked with his mother to get school supplies for Iraqi children. In Englewood, he policed an impoverished and at times desperate place on the busy night shift. And in Chatham, his neighborhood, he defended the safe and loving environment where he was raised against encroaching violence by leading a community group.

Wortham planned to marry Caitlin Waldhart, his girlfriend of six years. He wanted to be a father. After two tours in Iraq, he thought he'd return for another deployment, this time to Afghanistan.

And he also had plans to move closer to his parents' house.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Our Upcoming June, 2010 CAPCC Monthly Meeting

Chatham Avalon Park Community Council will be holding the June monthly meeting on June 14, 2010 at 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m at The Northern Trust Company, 7801 South State Street Chicago IL. 60619 . Any changes, all will be properly notified prior to projected meeting.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Condolences to the family of Mr. Jules Packnett

Condolences to the family of Mr. Jules Packnett on his passing last Saturday. As you know Jules was the former Executive vice president of the Chatham Avalon Park Community Council organization. Jules brought tremendous energy to the organization and the community at large.
Jules and his lovely wife ran their business "Trophies by Percy" on west 95th street. A memorial service will be held on Saturday June 26, 2010 at Church of the Good Shepard,Congregational
5700 South Prairie Ave. 10:00 a.m. Fellowship, 11:00 a.m Service. Our prayers go out to the family, he will be missed.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

The Chicago Blackhawks are Going to Do It...Just the Time to Go Out for a Summer Feast at the Chatham Food Market!!!

Make sure you stock up on fresh produce for the special weekend of the beginning of summertime season with great grocery shopping at Chatham Food Market, 327 East 79Th Street in the heart of the Chatham retail strip! http://www.chathamfoods.com/

Woman charged with animal abuse in Chatham house case

SMITH,-Carla130.jpgA microchip in a dead dog helped lead investigators to the woman who left it and two others to perish in a South Side home that was foreclosed upon twice, police said Saturday night.

Carla Smith, 44, of the 8100 block of South Shore Drive was charged with a number of animal abuse counts today after a neighbor had alerted authorities earlier this week to a putrid smell and a swarm of flies outside the home in the 8200 block of South Rhodes Avenue.

Neighbors had noticed the woman who had rented the two-story brick Chatham house had stopped coming by and they no longer heard the dogs barking.

Inside the home on June 1 city Animal Care and Control officers found three dead dogs and four emaciated and dehydrated dogs, including a Chihuahua, a Chinese crested, a pit bull terrier and a severely malnourished Rottweiler/Doberman pinscher mix.

Smith, who turned herself in Saturday, was charged with felony aggravated cruelty to animals, misdemeanor cruelty to animals and violation of animal owners duties.

Police said the Animal Crimes team was able to identify Smith by information on a microchip implanted in one of the deceased dogs, as well as through talks with neighbors.

Smith was scheduled to appear in court this past Sunday.

Blog Question

What well-equipped facilities would you like to see built in Chatham? Leave your comments on the comment line.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

ICE CHATHAM 14

ICE CHATHAM 14

210 West 87th Street • Chicago, IL 60620

KIDS RULE SUMMER 2010

All Movies are Only $2.50

Receive a Free Bag of Popcorn with Every Ticket Purchased.

For more information and Group Bookings

Contact Venisha White-Johnson at 773-892-3204 ext. 2

All Movies are Only $2.50

Receive a Free Bag of Popcorn with Every Ticket Purchased.

WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY AT 10:00 A.M.

Friends of the Parks

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Friends of the Parks

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E-Newsletter
June 2010
in this issue
Spring Concert Series at Horner Park
Buckingham Fountain Tours
Lecture: Birds, Bees and Beets
Wicker Park Antique and Juneque Sale
The Raven Festival in Chase Park
Real Men Cook in Rogers Park Competition
Jonquil Park Party and Richard Hunt Re-dedication event
5% Community Support Day at Whole Foods for the Independence Park Bungalow Project
Friends of the Parks' L.A.T.E. Ride
Earn $ for Friends of the Parks While Shopping Online
Call for Nominations: Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards
06/04, Friday, 6:30pm, Spring Concert Series at Horner Park
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The Horner Park Jazz Band will present their Swing into Spring concert on Friday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Horner Park, located at 2741 W. Montrose Ave., in Chicago. This family-friendly, outdoor concert is free. The Horner Park Jazz Band (HPJB), under the direction of Don Sadofsky, park district music instructor.
Upcoming Concert/Movie in Horner Park
We move to Horner Hill on Saturday June 26 with a concert by Buzz Kilman & the Blues Rocket Scientists at 7, followed by a classic movie: Indiana Jones and The Raiders of the Lost Ark! Two more Friday night shows in July at Horner Park are followed by three more Sunday evening concerts back in Ravenswood Manor Park in August.
Fridays beginning June 4th Noon and 12:30pm
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Behind the Scenes Tour of Buckingham Fountain. Sponsored by Parkways Foundation. Go to www.parkways.org to sign up.
06/05, Saturday, from 10:30am to 12:30pm, Lecture: Birds, Bees and Beets in Washington Park
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The first lecture of the summer series focuses on teaching urban dwellers how nature and food connect. Adrian Fisher, professor at Triton College, will kick off the lecture series on June 5th with a presentation to gardeners on how to create an eco-system for optimum food production in backyards and community gardens. Washington Park field house, 5531 S. King Drive, Space limited, R.S.V.P. 773-203-3418. Free.
06/05, 9:00am - 5:00pm, Wicker Park Antique and Juneque Sale
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Come to the Wicker Park Spring Antique and Junque Sale at the corner of Schiller and Damen. The event is Free.
06/18-06/20, The Raven Festival in Chase Park, 4701 N. Ashland
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The Raven Festival in Chase Park presents music and outstanding family friendly area called KidzNest. Admission is $5, festival Hours- Friday June 18 , 5pm-10pm, Saturday, June 19, 12pm-10pm and Sunday, June 20, 12pm-9pm. For more information can be found on www.chaseparkplayground.org/raven10.html .
06/26, Saturday, Noon, Real Men Cook In Rogers Park Competition, Willye White Park, 1610 W. Howard St.
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Men from Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood are invited to tie on an apron for a sunny afternoon of grilling and cooking in a competition to raise funds for neighborhood children on Saturday, June 26 at Willye B. White Park. Grillers and other amateur chefs will be judged in a competition for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards, and will also share the fruits of their labor with neighbors. The event includes a performance by the "School of Rock" band, a music DJ, food donated by local restaurants, and refreshments for the whole family. The competition entry fee is $20. General admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years.
06/24, Jonquil Park Party and Richard Hunt Re-dedication Event
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Wrightwood Neighbors is hosting a neighborhood summer kick-off party with kids activities, food and a concert. Jonquil Park is located at 1001 W. Wrightwood.

Wednesday, June 30th - Shop at Whole Foods, 6020 N. Cicero, and Help Restore the Independence Park Women's Building

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The Women's Building is a historic bungalow building located in Independence Park, 3945 N. Springfield. For 75 years the Women's Building has served as a gathering space for women, as an event space, for Chicago Park District classes and for community meetings. After seven decades of heavy use, the Women's Building is in need of restoration. Recently, the community established the Independence Park Bungalow Renovation Project to raise funds to renovate the historic Women's Building. Shop at Whole Foods on Wednesday, June 30th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 5% of all sales will be donated to the Independence Park Bungalow Renovation Project. For more information, go to www.greenbungalowproject.org

Saturday night/Sunday morning July 10/11, Friends of the Parks' L.A.T.E. Ride
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Join up to 9,000 bicyclists on Saturday night/Sunday morning July 10/11 for Friends of the Parks' L.A.T.E. Ride. Enjoy a 25-mile ride through Chicago's neighborhoods and along the lakefront. Cycle past skyscrapers, hear shout of "Opaah!" in Greek Town, cruise through the North Side, wave to onlookers, and watch the sun rise over Lake Michigan. Plus, you'll enjoy music before the ride, sponsor booths to explore, refreshments before the ride and at the rest stop, and great food and beverages after your trek through the city. For more information or to sign up go to www.lateride.org
Earn $ for Friends of the Parks While Shopping Online
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GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you'll be supporting your favorite cause.
Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Friends of the Parks as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!

Call for Nominations: Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards
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Nominations are currently being accepted for the 2010 Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards program. The awards program is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Chicago Wilderness alliance. Awards will be conferred in these categories:
  • Natural Landscaping
  • Conservation Development
  • Ecological Restoration
In addition to providing recognition for exceptional sites and projects, the awards program is intended to raise awareness about conservation and native landscaping practices and encourage others to follow suit. Corporations, developers, not-for-profit organizations, public sector entities, and public-private partnerships are all eligible award recipients (private homes/privately-owned properties are not within the scope of the awards program). The deadline for nominations is Friday, June 25, 2010.
To nominate a site, program, individual or organization for an award, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenacres/awards.html. There is an on-line application form you can use to nominate a site or project.
Quick Links...
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Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
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Join Friends of the Parks Today!

Become a member of Friends of the Parks today to support our mission to preserve, protect and improve parks and forest preserves. Click Become a Member Today!or contact the Friends of the Parks office at 312-857-2757 x14.

Your gift to Friends of the Parks can be doubled or even tripled if your employer has a matching gift program. Check with your employee benefits office where you work.
Not sure if your company offers a matching gift program?
Click here to search a free database of companies that offer matching gift programs.

Contact Information
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Freinds of the Parks' office phone: 312-857-2757
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Join Our Mailing List

Principals Letter

Mr. Johnny Banks, Principal

Wendell Smith Elementary School

744 E. 103rd St.

Chicago, Illinois 60628

Dear Principal Banks,

Your school has been selected as one of 25 schools in the area to assist in decorating the concrete flower planters lining the east and west sides of Cottage Grove from 80th to 91st and on 79th St. in front of Cap’n Hard Times Diner restaurant at Vernon Ave.

Enclosed is a picture of a computerized rendering of what a planter would look like when completed. Please notice that there will be designs on all four sides. The designs will be painted by the students of your school on small, easy to handle panels and then enlarged by a printer and mounted onto the planters for all in the community and those passing through, to see.

There will be a standard design outline provided for each of the four panels, making it easy for your students to participate by painting using their own color selection. One panel will be the name of your school along with the participating children’s own designs, the second, an Adinkra symbol with its name and meaning, the third, a bright floral design and the fourth, a famous quote from a notable African-American.

This painting activity can take place at your school under the direction of your art teacher or any interested staff willing to assist the students. Your school will be contacted when the completed application is received by the Ward office and a date will be set to bring

all of the art materials to your school and a completion deadline will be established.

The panels and all art materials supplied to your students will then be picked up from your school. The students’ art work panels will be taken to a printer, enlarged and then installed onto a selected flower planter on Cottage Grove Avenue or on 79th St. And of course, your school and participating students and staff will receive some form of publicity.

All materials will be provided, on loan, and will include brushes, paint and canvasses donated by sponsors that must be returned because other participating schools will be using the same materials.

If you would like your school to participate in this activity, please fill out and return the attached application through the mail or fax to 773-846-9104 no later than May 14th, 2010. Your school will be contacted by a representative of the Cottage Grove Planters Society by email with the details of when your school will be provided with all the necessary materials and your schools start and completion deadline.

This activity could serve as a wonderful community service project, instilling pride in your students, their school and the community in which they live.

 

Sincerely,

 

Cottage Grove Planters Society

YES! Our school plans on participating in this activity to decorate one of the Cottage Grove Planters and brighten our community!

 

Name of Participating School ______________________________________________

Principal’s Name ________________________________________________________

Principal’s CPS email address ______________________________________(required)

School Address _________________________________________________________

School Telephone Number ________________________________________________

School Fax Number _____________________________________________________

Name of Art Department Chairperson or Staff member selected for this activity

______________________________________________

Email address _______________________________________(required)

Name(s) of ALL Students Selected to Participate in this Activity (Please PRINT the student’s first and last name)

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Name _________________________________________________________________________

I am giving my permission for the above listed students to take part in this activity and am in agreement that all materials provided are on loan and must be returned promptly by the designated date.

__________________________________________ _____________________

Principal’s Signature Date

Planter #1 Located in front of 8000 S. Cottage Grove in front of the Family Food Mart


PLANTER LOCATIONS LISTING

PLANTER LOCATIONS LISTING

#1 In front of Family Food Mart 8000 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#2 In front of Thrift City Resale Store 8006 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#3 In front of State Unemployment Office 8005 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#4 In front of Cottage Medical Center 8055 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#5 On the side of Midas Auto Service Experts 8100 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#6 In front of Victory Medical Supply 8156 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#7 In front of D and Y Food Store 8200 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#8 In front of The Obituary Service 8248 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#9 In front of Devon Financial Services 8256A S. Cottage west of Cottage

#10 In front of Dr. W.B. Jennings, DDS 8256 S. Cottage west of Cottage

#11 In front of Leon’s BarBQ 8249 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#12 On corner by Traffic Light in front of 83rd and Cottage east of Cottage

Leon’s BarBQ

#13 In front of Yale Insurance Co. 8357 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#14 In front of William Hughes III 8435 S. Cottage east of Cottage

Certified Public Accountant

#15 In front of Chatham Business Association 8441 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#16 In front of Dr. Parker, 8601 S. Cottage east of Cottage

Avalon Foot Clinic

#17 In front of The Baby Academy Day Care 8605 S. Cottage east of Cottage

#18 & #19 In front of and in between 8609 AND 8607 east of Cottage

#20 and #21 In Front of The Children’s 9011 AND 9015 east of Cottage

Village Day Care

#22 In front of Burnside Community Service 9059 S. Cottage east of Cottage

Center

#23 On the 90th St . side of the Burnside 800 E. 90th St. east of Cottage

Community Service Center

#24 & #25 In front of Cap’n Hard Times 438 E. 79th St. west of Cottage

#26 & #27 Diner Restaurant

2010 Cottage Grove Planters Project Materials Listing

2010 Cottage Grove Planters Project

Materials Listing

Date Materials Delivered to School: _________________________________________

Given to: _______________________________ Title: __________________________

Phone # ____________________ ext _______ Email: ___________________________

Please initial each line to acknowledge receipt. Returned _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Black Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Blue Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Green Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Orange Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Purple Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Red Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle White Tempera Paint _______

___1 - 16oz bottle Yellow Tempera Paint _______

8 bottles total

___1 - 25 brush pack _______

___5- 11 well paint pallets _______

___1 box of 100 fine line markers for small design details _______

___4 - 12in x 12in pre-designed cardboard panels (1 blank) for a total of 5 (1) School name Please use your school colors and allow students to

design the background areas on this panel. _______

(2) Floral (Bright, bold colors look best with this) ________

(3) Adinkra symbol (Allow students to design the background areas) ________

(4) Quote of a notable African-American from Chicago ________

___1 container for cleaning pallets and brushes with water _______

___Permission slips for participation _______

(These forms must be completed and signed by the students’ parent/guardian and ready

for pick-up by the date listed below)

2 photographs taken of ALL consenting participants including adults,

holding the completed panels. _______

*Remember that these art materials will be used at other schools. Please clean the brushes with water after each use and store with the brush tips up. Wash out the paint pallets so they can be used by the other schools. Let the designs dry at least 2 days before the pick-up date.

The artist who did the pencil renderings (Ms. Malcolm) has volunteered to come to your school to help the students selected if there is no one on staff available to assist with this project. Contact her @ (773) 983-8039 or nicolenewworldart@yahoo.com.

The pick-up date for the student art work and ALL paint supplies is:________________

If there are any questions, please contact the Project Coordinator:

L. Thomas-Gary 773-368-6610

ltgary@sbcglobal.net

Costs Associated with Planter Artwork Displays and Mountings

Costs Associated with Planter Artwork Displays and Mountings

 

Enlarging the schoolchildren’s artwork to 3ft x 3ft, transferring to vinyl, laminating and mounting onto PVC board

$360.00

Construction of framing and mounting materials per planter

$80.00

Panel designs templates for the children to paint.

$60.00

The tempera paint

and all other art supplies that will travel from school to school has already been donated by the Cottage Grove Planters Society

 

 

 

$500.00

sponsors an entire planter

All certified checks from sponsors will be made out directly to the printer in charge of the production.

Public schools that will be asked to participate

Public schools that will be asked to participate

 

Boundaries: North to 71st, East to Stony Island, South to 103rd, West to State Street

1. Arthur Ashe 8505 S. Ingleside 60619 Ward 8

2. Avalon Park 8045 S. Kenwood 60619 Ward 8

3. Bennett 10115 S. Prairie 60628 Ward 9

4. Burnside 650 E. 91st Pl. 60619 Ward 6

5. Corliss High School 821 E. 103rd St. 60628 Ward 9

6. Deneen 7257 S. State St. 60619 Ward 6

7. Dixon 8306 S. St. Lawrence 60619 Ward 6

8. Fermi 1415 E. 70th St. 60637 Ward 5

9. Gillespie 9301 S. State St. 60619 Ward 6

10. Harlan High School 9652 S. Michigan Ave. 60619 Ward 6

11. Hirsh High School 7740 S. Ingleside 60619 Ward 8

12. Madison 7433 S. Dorchester Ave. 60619 Ward 5

13. McDade 8801 S. Indiana 60619 Ward 6

14. McDowell 1419 E. 89th St. 60619 Ward 8

15. Kwame Nkrumah 901 E. 95th St. 60619 Ward 9

16. Neil 8555 S. Michigan 60619 Ward 6

17. Park Manor 7037 S. Rhodes 60637 Ward 6

18. Pirie 650 E. 85th St. 60619 Ward 6

19. Revere 1010 E. 72nd St. 60619 Ward 5

20. Ruggles 7831 S. Prairie 60619 Ward 6

21. Schmid 9755 S. Greenwood 60628 Ward 9

22. Shabazz Charter 7823 S. Ellis 60636 Ward 8

23. Wendell Smith 744 E. 103rd St. Ward 8

24. Tanner 7350 S. Evans Ward 6

25. Harold Washington 9301 S. University Ward 9

2010 Cottage Grove Planters SPONSOR INFORMATION

2010 Cottage Grove Planters

SPONSOR INFORMATION

Sponsors can be:

* Groups/organizations that have adopted your school

* Individuals

* Groups of friends

* School alumni

* Community businesses/organizations

* Churches

* Block clubs

* PTA

* LSC’s

*Civic groups

* Masonic organizations

* Sororities and fraternities

 

Sponsor ad copy may read several ways. These are just a few examples:

This planter sponsored by _______________ (Business name, Address, Telephone/website incl.)

Sponsored by ________________________________in support of ________________(School)

Sponsored by _______________________________ in memory of ___________________

Sponsor information will be printed directly onto the art panels, prominently displayed, but not interfering with the children’s artwork.

 

If you know of anyone interested in sponsorship information, please contact the Cottage Grove Planters Society Representative L. Gary @ ltgary@sbcglobal.net

2010 Cottage Grove Planters Planting Dates

2010 Cottage Grove Planters

Planting Dates

(In case of rain, plantings will occur on next scheduled date)

Saturday, May 15th 10:00am - 3:00pm

(starting at the 1st planter in front of Family Food Mart located at 8000 S. Cottage)

Sunday, May 16th 2:00pm - 5:00pm

(please consult the attached planter location list)

Sunday, May 30th 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Monday, May 31st (Memorial Day) 10:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday, June 5th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday, June 19th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday, June 26th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday, July 10th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Saturday, July 24th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday, July 25th 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Saturday, August 7th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday, August 8th 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Saturday, August 21st 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday, August 22nd 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Saturday, August 28th 10:00am - 3:00pm

Sunday, August 29th 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Bring your entire family, friends, block club, garden club, scout troop, church group or community organization.

Everyone is welcome!

Please see the list of planter locations so you will know where to look for us on Cottage Grove or on 79th St. in front of Hard Time Diner.

If you have your own gardening tools and gloves, bring them. If not, don’t let that stop you from coming, we have extra gloves and tools you can share with someone else.

Gardeners: Do you have leftover cuttings from your spring "thinning" of perennials that you normally give away or throw away? Please bring them for planting. We would love to have them and they will add character to the planters.

Contact Person: L. Gary 773-368-6610 Ltgary@sbcglobal.net

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Saturday is Belmont Stakes Day and It's Time to Finish the Triple Crown and Trot Over for a Feast at the Chatham Food Market!!!

Make sure you stock up on fresh produce for the special weekend of the beginning of summertime season with great grocery shopping at Chatham Food Market, 327 East 79Th Street in the heart of the Chatham retail strip! http://www.chathamfoods.com/

Police investigating dead dogs in Chatham home

It wasn't just the wild, unkempt front and backyards that irritated the neighbors about the home in the 8200 block of South Rhodes Avenue.

After the sturdy, two-story brick Chatham house was foreclosed on for a second time last summer, they noticed that the female renter had moved out, but the animals she cared for -- at least seven dogs and three cats -- remained inside, often perched in the front picture window.

But in recent weeks, the ever-present pets stopped popping up in the window, their constant barking fell silent and the renter, who they say showed up every few weeks to feed the animals, had stopped dropping by.

The last straw for neighbor Karen Truitt came Tuesday when she caught a sickening whiff outside of the home and saw a swarm of flies outside a second-floor window. After two failed attempts by Truitt and two neighbors to get police involved, they flagged down two patrol officers, who had fire officials help force entry into the home.

Inside, among mounds of animal feces and discarded belongings, city Animal Care and Control officers rescued three emaciated and dehydrated dogs: a Chihuahua, a Chinese crested and a pit bull terrier. A severely malnourished Rottweiler/Doberman pinscher mix was found in the garage.

Also in the sweltering house were the bodies of three long-dead dogs. Despite early reports that two dead cats were recovered, animal workers said the cats were unaccounted for.

"I'd never seen anything like it before," said Truitt, recalling the moment a police officer raised a rear window, allowing a peek inside the home.

"It was just so bad, it made your eyes water," she said.

By Wednesday, city crews had returned to remove the remaining animal corpses, while Chicago police investigated possible animal abuse.

Animal Care and Control spokeswoman Cherie Travis condemned what she called preventable neglect of the pets.

"It's hard for me to imagine how that could have happened. Clearly, Animal Care and Control is open for people to bring in unwanted animals or animals that people no longer care for," Travis said. "So for any person to starve a dog or a cat or a rabbit or anything, there's no explanation for that."

Animal control veterinarians would examine both the living and dead animals to gather evidence for the police investigation, Travis said.

The former tenant at the address referred questions to her attorney, Scott Sherwin, who denied any wrongdoing.

"Based on the information that I have so far, she's not responsible for the condition of the house or the animals," Sherwin said.

Search resumes at home where dead dogs and cats found

_animal612.jpg

A worker with the Streets and Sanitation Department disposes of a dead dog found in a house at 8225 S. Rhodes Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. Another dog was placed inside a bag at right. (Alex Garcia/Tribune)

City workers returned to a vacant Chatham bungalow this morning, combing through debris and disposing two more dead animals that apparently had been abandoned by a tenant.

Police officers were called to the home in the 8200 block of South Rhodes Avenue Tuesday night and found two dead cats, two dead dogs and four severely malnourished dogs. Police were flagged down by neighbors because of the stench coming from the home.

"It was horrific, it was really terrible," said Pat Edwards, a neighbor. "There was a stench, that's what brought our attention to it. There was an overpowering stench."

Police discovered four live dogs suffering from malnutrition and dehydration inside the vacant house, said Chicago police News Affairs Ron Gaines. Animal Care and Control officers were called to the scene to take them to a shelter for treatment.

Edwards said she saw police pull out a Doberman Pinscher, a pit bull, a Chihuahua, and what appeared to be a shih tzu.

Also found were the remains of two other dogs and two cats, believed to have died of malnutrition and dehydration, Gaines said.

Edwards said that she last noticed a woman at the home about a month ago, but other neighbors told police that the renters last occupied the home as long as four months ago. She said the Doberman was found inside a garage alone.

Authorities confirmed the dogs and cats were without food and water.

Neighbors flagged down the passing officers who went into the home with flashlights and found the animals, Edwards said. She said she noticed an electric light in the basement that appeared to be on a timer.

"They were awesome, the pulled over and stayed for hours," Edwards said of the police who responded in the evening.

Edwards said she would notice the dogs looking out of the windows of the home and barking. She said the dogs appeared to be in good health and that the female owner of the dogs would show up from time to time. Other neighbors said they saw swarms of flies around the door.

"You could just tell from the smell that something was going on,'' Edwards said.

Edwards said neighbors claimed that the home might be in foreclosure, but that could not be confirmed. The woman who last lived in the home appeared to take care of the animals.

"She was the type of person who would bring them out in the yard...she seemed to have a very good handle on it, she took very good care of them from what we could see," Edwards said.

Authorities found excrement and trash littering the home. Investigators fear there might be more dead animals in the home but have suspended their investigation for the evening, officials said.

"It was really horrible," Edwards said. "One they brought was really malnourished, you could see his bones."

Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for the Chicago Department of Buildings, said inspectors from his department would examine the residence this morning. He said the department had received no complaints about the residence.


dead_dogs_612.jpg

Officers with the Chicago Police Department and Animal Care and Control stand outside a home on the 8200 block of South Rhodes Avenue Tuesday evening where two dogs and two cats were found dead. Four malnourished dogs also were found. (Chris Salata/for the Chicago Tribune)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

At least 1 man wounded, in Chatham shooting

Earlier Sunday afternoon, a man was shot in a separate incident in Chatham, police said.

At 1:54 p.m., a 32-year-old man was shot by burglars who were waiting inside his home in the 8100 block of South St. Lawrence Avenue in the Chatham neighborhood. The man suffered a gunshot wound to his hand and knee, police said.

No one is in custody for any of the shootings. Calumet Area detectives are investigating.