Dear Neighbors,
Monday is Veterans Day and we will honor all of the former service members in our Ward, in our families and across the nation. I am proud to come from a family rooted in military service, as my late grandparents Alfred Knudsen and Eileen Knudsen served the U.S. Navy. My Grandfather served on submarines and my Grandmother was a member of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (the “Navy WAVES”). They met at a USO Event on Chicago’s Navy Pier, and the rest was history! Below is a photo of them that I love.
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This weekend I recommend the activity of pulling out your old photo albums to remember, reflect, and pay tribute to any veterans in your life. For my fellow readers out there, I recommend the book “The Women” by Kristin Hannah, which gives a powerful account of the role and sacrifice made by women serving in the Vietnam War. As a reminder, the 43rd Ward office will be closed Monday for the federal holiday. On Monday I will attend a local dinner with veterans, and always, I pledge to continue to support pro-Veteran policies on Chicago City Council.
Yesterday, along with 28 colleagues, I called for a Special City Council Meeting next Wednesday in order to pre-emptively vote to reject Mayor Johnson’s proposed $300million property tax increase.
As explained in last week’s newsletter, this level of increase would put too heavy a strain on Chicagoans (homeowners and renters alike), especially considering the County’s recent reassessment which increased tax bills for many. In addition, such an increase would damage Chicago’s recent progress in attracting more business/industry, jobs, and future residents - a piece of such attraction being Chicago’s relatively moderate cost of living compared to the coasts.
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Let me be clear: Our motion to reject the proposed $300 million property tax increase weeks ahead of our scheduled vote is not a virtue signal. It is a direct effort to set Chicago up for success to pass a balanced budget this year and keep the city working. To get there, we need to move on from conversations related to a revenue proposal that will not pass, and begin negotiating from a place of reality.
This week the Better Government Association released their 2025 City of Chicago Budget Overview. Overviews from experts at trusted organizations like BGA are especially helpful as City Council spends the upcoming week and weekend days in Departmental Budget Hearings.
As an update to the attack against two Jewish students at DePaul - CPD has classified the incident as a “battery/hate crime” as they continue their investigation. The investigation has discovered that the offenders “made anti-Semitic remarks before repeatedly striking the victim.” Based on conversations with CPD, I am hopeful that arrests will eventually be made. When that occurs, separate from my role as your Alderman (as our courts are housed by county government), I will independently advocate for prosecution of this hate crime to the full extent. Until then, we have requested additional patrol in the area. As our Special Alert yesterday noted, my office will continue to work with DePaul and Jewish organizations in order to make sure that Jewish students and members of the community receive the support they need.
Finally, last night I had the opportunity to meet many new 43rd Ward parents (and beautiful babies!) at Kensington School (2745 N. Lincoln Ave.) for an Open House to show the new state of the art facility. One of the 43rd Ward’s strongest assets is a mix of public and private pre-Kindergarten facilities, giving confidence to new parents that living in the community will support their childcare needs.
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Veteran's Day Office Closure
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The 43rd Ward Office will be closed Monday, November 11th in observance of Veteran's Day. Our Saturday Office Hours will also be closed on November 9th. The office will reopen on Tuesday, November 12th at 9am.
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As our city government and safety leadership transition into the next Administration, crime, and safety remain top of mind for our community. Each week, the 18th and 19th District post Compstat numbers that reflect changes in indexes for key crimes. In an effort to keep residents informed on these trends, we will publish those weekly updates in the newsletter’s public safety section. As a reminder, these statistics represent 100% of the 18th and 19th Police Districts; accordingly, they represent an area much larger than our ward.
For 18th District (south of Fullerton) Compstat,
For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Compstat,
We encourage residents to check out the Chicago Police Department's citywide September year-to-date recap, which outlines their key initiatives and statistical trends on high-priority violent crimes. You can view the full report here.
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We work closely with the 43rd Ward’s local CAPS districts, which include the 18th (Near North) and 19th (Town Hall) Police Districts.
Our office is in frequent contact with officers from both of these districts and their local CAPS officers, who host a variety of community forums and events including beat meetings, informational settings, and expert panel discussions, as well as sending out community alerts when a pattern of crime is detected.
Beat Meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy and an excellent way to hear directly from CPD about your neighborhood. Meetings are held in the evenings every two months. Click here and find out your Police District and Beat number.
2024 43rd Ward CAPS Meetings
Beat 1811 (5 PM) & 1813 (6 PM): Meetings have concluded for the year. Beat 1811 looks forward to working with residents in 2025.
Beats 1811 and 1813 meet at St. James Lutheran Church located at 2050 N Fremont St. They are in the basement of the Church and you should enter through the northernmost door on Fremont St. There is residential parking on the street with applicable zone parking restrictions.
Beat 1812 (5 PM) & 1814 (6 PM): Meetings have concluded for the year. Beat 1812 looks forward to working with residents in 2025.
Beat 1812 and 1814 are hosted at Wintrust Bank located at 100 W. North Ave. There is very little parking on site but it is near the North and Clybourn Red Line stop and the Sedgwick Brown Line. It is also en route to the Clark St Bus. The meetings are hosted on the 2nd Floor of the bank. Elevators are on site.
Beat 1824 (6 PM): November 14.
Beat 1824 meets at 1201 N Clark St in the Clark St Apartments. It is very close to the Clark and Division Red Line Stop.
Beat 1932 (6:30 PM): December 3.
Beat 1932 is hosted in the sanctuary at New Life Church located at 1110 W Lill Ave. There is street parking with applicable zone parking restrictions. New Life Church is within walking distance of the Fullerton Red and Brown Line and the Diversey Brown Line.
Beat 1935 (6:30 PM): December 18.
Beat 1935 is hosted at Chabad East Lakeview located at 615 W Wellington Ave.
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19th Police District Council Meetings
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19th District Community Conversation
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City Clerk Senior Hours Update
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According to the September 9th memo from the Mayor's Office, all overtime for City Departments was cancelled. This included Senior Hours at the City Clerk's main office located in City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle, and our two satellite locations located at 5672 S. Archer Ave and 5430 W. Gale St.
Renewal notices for City Stickers were sent to residents prior to the September 9th memo. Those notices did include senior hour options for eligible residents, but unfortunately, we will not be able to honor the senior hour option as long as overtime for departments is unavailable.
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The Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) announces the launch of its newest data dashboard, City Services by Address. This dashboard is a one-stop shop to see City services and service area designations as they apply to any Chicago address. Users can input an address, and the dashboard retrieves valuable information related to that location, including ward, community area, zoning information, schedules for City services, and more.
The City Services by Address dashboard will, for example, allow users to find the police district and beat in which a specified address falls, trash and recycling pick-up days for that address, voting precinct, and whether a specified address is part of an Industrial Corridor or historic district, among other data points.
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Below is a list of Mental Health resources that are available locally here in the City of Chicago.
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South Lincoln Park Improvements Feedback
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In the next week, Gold Coast Neighbors Association, along with the Lincoln Park Conservancy and the Chicago Park District, will be requesting public input to the project. The attached slide will be converted to signs to be posted around the park. This link connects to a questionnaire for participants who wish to offer their ideas and provides a description of the project. There is also going to be a public online meeting, tentatively set for Wednesday, November 13, at 6:30 pm, to gather comments in a community setting.
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Leslie Wolfe Gallery, DePaul Art Museum, gallery 1871, Madron Gallery, and Art on Sedgwick,are participating in the third annual Lincoln Park Art Night. Five unique art locations have banded together to celebrate their Lincoln Park neighborhood and promote a destination for art lovers that is too-frequently overlooked. The event is FREE and open to all. Luxury sprinter vans will circulate the neighborhood offering hop-on/hop-off service for three hours on Thursday, November 14th from 5:30 - 8:30 PM. Riders may start and stop at any of the five participating locations. Register today here. (registration is not required but appreciated).
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Chamber group Picosa has another concert coming up on November 18 at DePaul (2330 North Halsted St) and is a beautiful program that might make people in our ward feel better. Engaging music. Encouraging Community. Enriching Lives.
As always, students are free! Additionally for 43rd ward residents we are also offering a discount code. The code is LiveMusic and is $5 off a regular ticket. Get tickets here.
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Help Stop Hate provides support and resources to people and communities affected by hate. The service is free, confidential, and not affiliated with law enforcement. Reports can be made anonymously by calling (877) 458-4283, or (877) 458-HATE, Monday to Friday from 12-9 PM or online at any time by visiting ILStopHate.org. Online reports can be made in seven languages. Callers can report in the language of their preference and receive assistance from call specialists trained in trauma-informed care. Help Stop Hate is a project of the Illinois Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes and the Illinois Department of Human Rights.
Check out this story in Chicago Sun Times or watch the press conference here.
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Community Connections team is excited about welcoming volunteers into our work. These dedicated individuals truly help extend our capacity to serve the neighbors in and around your Ward in increasingly more comprehensive ways.
To learn more about all of the volunteer opportunities currently available, including ways for organization to support our through their work places or civic groups, please visit our website: Marillac St. Vincent Volunteer Action .
There is a Volunteer Inquiry Form, which serves as an official application for anyone who is interested in getting involved.
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St. James Lutheran School Virtual Admissions
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Considering starting your child in school or looking for a new option? Enrollment for the 2025/26 school year is open!
Learn more about what St. James has to offer at an in-person experience. Visit us at our Open House on November 16th from 10 AM to 12 PM.
To reserve your spot for the Virtual Admissions Coffee, please contact ccook@stjames-lutheran.org.
For more details, visit their website here.
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Shopping Night Out on Armitage
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On November 14th, the merchants west of Sheffield are partnering to provide the community a night of shopping with stores staying open until 9pm!
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Immaculate Conception St. Joseph School
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Are you looking for an outstanding Chicago elementary school in the heart of it all that partners with parents to raise up kind, well-rounded, and academically prepared students? With test scores in the top 15% nationwide, Immaculate Conception – St. Joseph School offers PreK through 8th grade students not only an academic curriculum geared toward success at the best high schools in Chicago, but also a values-based foundation which will carry them through life.
Join the school for an upcoming group admissions tour to learn more. RSVP and learn more here.
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Fall Programs at Park West Co-op
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Check out the great activities for your toddler / preschooler at Park West Co-op this fall. Classes include a Saturday Tots class, kids fitness classes, music and drama classes and a new Little Book Club offering, all in the Lincoln Park neighborhood!
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On Thursday, November 28th - join neighbors for a turkey trot! Check-in is at 1950 N Kenmore Ave.
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Join Immaculate Conception St. Joseph School with your little ones for a weekly music and movement class with guitar-led song and dance. They meet every Thursday morning when school is in session. You may sign up for the next 5-week session for $100 or do one-off classes for $25 each. The next session begins on November 7! Please visit our website to register here.
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St. James Job Opportunites
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St. James is a Lutheran Elementary School (grades PreK - 8th grade) located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. We are seeking a full-time employee (12 months) to be the Director of Admissions/Enrollment. Applicants must be physically and emotionally healthy, poised, punctual and enthusiastic. They must communicate effectively and work well with others. In addition, they should demonstrate an ability to articulate the mission, vision and spiritual beliefs of St. James as well as adhere to all policies and procedures. Click here for more information.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Scooter and E-Bike 311 Removal
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Our office has noticed many scooters and bikes scattered throughout the neighborhood. By contract, these shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request. Please click here to submit a scooter removal request and here for Divvy bike removal. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean.
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Parking Enforcement via 311
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The Department of Finance (DOF) announced that City residents now have the option of reporting the following parking enforcement violations on the 311 app or online:
- Bus Lane Parking
- Commercial Loading Zone
- Commercial Vehicle Parked on a Residential Street
- Disabled Parking
- Fire Hydrant Parking
- Residential Parking
- Rush Hour Zones
- School Safety Zones
- Vehicle Parked in Bike Lane
- Other (Semi-trucks parked on streets, etc.)
Neighbors can report parking violations by calling 311, using the CHI311 app, or through the 311 website. The request type is “Finance Parking Code Enforcement Review.”
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I want to keep spreading the good word of how powerful a tool CHI 311 is to address non-emergency services in our Ward. Via the CHI 311 website and mobile app, you can:
- Create new service requests and check the status of existing requests (such as on timing and completion).
- Snap a photo of an issue to submit it with a request to improve location accuracy.
- Get local and relevant information/tips regarding the 43rd Ward including visibility into what other requests are being made in your neighborhood. The free CHI 311 mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices and may be downloaded in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
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