North Howard Neighbors Association

GREETINGS FROM 'GERMANIA'

2011-12-20T23:59:00.000-06:00

(click map to enlarge)

NHNA map copyright by mcl

"When individuals join in a cooperative venture, the power generated far exceeds what they could have accomplished acting individually." R. Buckminster Fuller
Our motto:
"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem!"

MESSAGE AND MEETING NOTICE from Alderman Moore...

2011-12-20T13:36:00.002-06:00

Police Dislodge Howard Street Drug Market; Community Meeting with Commander

Posted: 12/15/2011

Dear Neighbor,
I'm pleased to report the Chicago Police Department last week concluded an undercover investigation that resulted in the arrests of seventeen known gang members and their associates. Arrest warrants have been obtained for four other offenders that remain at large.
Dubbed "Operation Last Stop," the investigation disrupted a $1.6 million-dollar-a-year gang-controlled drug enterprise. The investigation targeted members of the Gangster Disciples street gang. Though the illegal drug activity was centered on and around Howard Street and Gale Community Academy, the gang was involved in a conflict over territory, which has resulted in several shootings throughout the East Rogers Park neighborhood in the last several months.
The investigation involved dozens of narcotics purchases by undercover officers from known gang members and their associates. These narcotics transactions all occurred within 1,000 feet of school property in the area, which will enable authorities to increase the charges and ultimately the time of incarceration.
During the course of the operation, police seized quantities of cash, crack cocaine, one vehicle, and two handguns, one of which was used in an attempted armed robbery of an undercover officer conducting the investigation.

I will hold a COMMUNITY MEETING with 24th District Police Commander James Roussell on Tuesday, December 20, 7 p.m., at Gale Community Academy, 1631 W. Jonquil (between Ashland and Marshfield).

Commander Roussell will provide up-to-date information on the status of the investigation and respond to your questions. He will enlist the support of community residents so that together we can take proactive steps to prevent the illegal drug trade from re-establishing itself on Howard Street and elsewhere in the neighborhood.
I know these long investigations can often seem frustrating to community residents who see crimes occurring but don't always see arrests being made. But I also know that these longer investigations are more likely to result in convictions that get gang members off our streets for good. I encourage you to attend the meeting next week so you can find out what you can do to work with the police and your local CAPS Beat organization to build on the success of this undercover investigation and make our neighborhood safer.
Sincerely,
Joe Moore

IN KEEPING WITH 'THE SEASON'............

2011-10-28T11:55:00.000-05:00

Why Are Bats, Spiders And Even Owls Considered

The Scary Creatures of Halloween?

Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 by eNature

Barn Owls are commonly found throughout North America and Europe
© Peter Trimming

The Brazilian Free-tailed Bat is found throughout Texas

© Ron Groves

Tarantula in burrow
© Xoque

In most people’s minds, Halloween means vampires and witches, bats, owls and spiders. Even the mere mention of these creatures sends shivers through some folks. Vampires and witches—a fear of them is understandable.
But what is it about bats, owls, and spiders that makes people associate them with evil?
One trait these creatures share is a preference for darkness. They’re active mainly at night, which runs counter to our own diurnal tendencies. As a result, people tend to regard night animals as demonic.

What Makes Bats So Scary?

Consider the bat, which has long been associated with the darker side of our subconscious. Because bats appear only at night and vanish during the day, it was believed that bats were the souls of sleeping people. Likewise, depictions of the devil customarily feature batlike wings and ears (angel wings, meanwhile, are birdlike). And since bats often dwell in caves, people commonly associate them with the underworld.
As for the connection between bats and vampires, experts trace it to an ancient Asian myth involving night spirits that feed upon the blood of sleeping victims. True vampire bats exist only in the American tropics and were not described in scientific literature until 1810. The first literary work in which a vampire transforms into a bat and flies at night in search of human victims was Bram Stoker’s “Dracula,” published in 1897.

But Why Owls?

Owls, too, are also generally associated with death and the underworld because of their nocturnal habits. The most widespread species, the Barn Owl, with its ghostly appearance and blood-curdling shriek, is considered a bad omen in cultures throughout the world. Several African cultures depict owls as spirits of the dead and as omens that foretell the death of anyone who sees them.
One notable exception is the Inuit belief that the Snowy Owl is a good omen. Perhaps the reason for this unusually positive view of an owl is that the Snowy Owl is a daytime creature. Diurnal activity is a necessity for this owl: it lives above the Arctic Circle where the period of breeding and peak prey abundance coincide with the endless daylight of Arctic summer.

OK, Maybe Spiders Really Are Scary To Some Folks!

Spiders are not an exclusively nocturnal group, either, though many species, especially those that hunt actively on the ground, favor darkness. These are the species most likely to hide in cupboards and clothing, which doesn’t help their reputation. Perhaps the reason spiders inspire such negative responses is that they tend to be most numerous in the dark recesses of places like caves and old buildings. Also, despite the fact that most spiders are harmless to humans, poisonous species can be found on every continent.
Yet the current link between spiders and evil is not consistent with their usual treatment. Traditional myths repeatedly feature spiders as creators and omens of good fortune. The sheetweb spiders (family Linyphiidae) are known in Europe as “money spiders” because it’s believed that an encounter with one means a person will soon receive some cash. Still, most haunted houses include spiders alongside the bats, owls, and witches, and these are meant to play upon our darkest fears—or should that be our fear of the dark?

MUST READ......

2011-09-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

September 15th post at 24/7 North of Howard Watchers.

Thanks, Toni!

REFLECTIONS ON 9/11

2011-09-11T06:50:00.005-05:00

The 9/11 Story I Choose to Tell:
We All Belong to Each Other

by Rinku Sen

Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

And so, after the initial shock of 9/11, other stories began to emerge. There was a story about where the enemy was hiding. Another story about how our immigration system enabled terrorism. Another story about Muslims taking over America. These tales generated policy debates, and eventually, actual policies. Two wars. Racial and religious profiling in the name of fighting terrorism. Mass deportation. Mosque prevention measures. In these stories, a multicultural United States cannot exist peacefully. Difference generates conflict rather than celebration. The subtext is a profound question about who is really an American, and whether you must look like a founding father to count.

Such different stories. How do we know which ones are true? The complicated reality is that if people believe them, they’re all true. Albert Einstein, perhaps the greatest scientist of all time, noted the limits of human ability to settle on an objective truth. Our standard of proof is entirely based on what we already know before the story is put in front of us. “I’ll see it when I believe it,” he said in describing the relationship between worldview and data. If we believe multiculturalism works, we will believe the evidence that it does and we will strive to generate more such evidence. If we don’t believe, then no evidence that people of very different races, religions and national origins can live equitably and harmoniously will ever be enough. In a recent survey, Colorlines.com’s publisher, the Applied Research Center, found that most people are unconcerned about the country’s changing demographics, but a small vocal minority thinks it’s a horrible thing. Their story has dominated the airwaves for 10 years, and it’s time for the rest of us to insert our voices.

Direct experience with the object of our belief begins to disrupt our beliefs, and the behavior that stems from those beliefs. Gaby Pacheco, a young undocumented woman who walked the Trail of Dreams last year, told me a story recently about meeting with the editorial board of a daily newspaper and watching them drop the word “illegal” in the course of the meeting. That’s because it’s really hard to look someone in the face and apply a label that she tells you dehumanizes her. If we want to change a story, we have to expand the experience of the person telling it. We have to insert ourselves into their story, not in the role they assigned to us, but in the one we’ve assigned ourselves.

A couple of years ago, I debated someone who favors restricting immigration at a liberal arts college in the northeast. When I brought up the racial dimension of the debate, my opponent screamed that I was a liar. Afterwards, a slightly built blond woman came up from the audience. She was a member of Numbers USA and her ancestors were among the founders of the state of Massachusetts. “I’m really offended that you called me a racist,” she said. I could see the shaking in her hands and hear it in her voice.

The reference to this woman’s ancestor established where she belonged; her membership in Numbers USA signaled that she was prepared to fight for that sense of belonging. By then I had said all I had to say about race and immigration. She couldn’t see my point because she already didn’t believe that racial anxiety drove the immigration debate. I couldn’t see how her ancestors justified her position. But I could understand the need to belong, and how devastating it can be to feel displaced. So I thanked her for coming to talk to me and acknowledged that it wasn’t the easiest thing to do. I wanted to vilify her and never deal with her ilk again. But I couldn’t. Her shaking hands were too much like my own. She was my neighbor. I wanted to open some space, however narrow, for us to connect.

This is the lesson of 9/11 for me. I can’t call myself a person who values inclusion and compassion and then pick and choose those whom I accept. I can disagree, but I can’t disown. Not if I want to help build a nation that accepts rather than rejects; that constructs rather than destroys; that frees rather than enslaves. In such a nation, everyone needs to feel they belong, everyone reacts to the loss of that belonging, and everyone needs to feel its renewal when things change, as they always must. Every story has a sequel, shaped by our interpretation of the past. There is a 9/11 story in which we belong to each other. That’s the one I’ll be telling as we move into the next decade.

If you want to do more, check out the America for All of Us initiative of South Asian Americans Leading Together, which is led by our board member Deepa Iyer.

PARTICIPATE IN THE 'PEACE WALK & DEDICATION' ..........

2011-09-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

Join your friends and neighbors for the Rogers Park Community Peace Walk & Dedication on the UN International Day of Peace!

At 6 pm, Wednesday, Sept. 21, we will meet at the United Church of Rogers Park Peace Pole, 1545 W. Morse Ave., walk north on Ashland Avenue to the Willye B. White Community Center at 1610 W. Howard St., walk one more block north on Marshfield Avenue and then west on Jonquil Terrace to Hermitage. We will end the walk at the newly installed peace pole in Triangle Park, where a brief dedication ceremony and calls

for peace will be delivered.

Everyone is welcome. Here's the program:

• Re-dedicate United Church of Rogers Park Peace Pole, led by Rev. Catiana McKay.
• Walk for Peace (See map for route info.),
which will include a brief stop at
the Willye B. White Community Center.
• Brief dedication ceremony for new Triangle Park Peace Pole, led by Triangle Park Advisory Council President Stephanie Gillespie Schrock.
• Call for peace in the community, led by special guest Tio Hardiman, CeaseFire Illinois director featured in the award-winning documentary film "The Interrupters."

Candles and refreshments will be provided
at the end of the walk.

Volunteers are needed to help organize this event, which is being hosted by the Triangle Park Advisory Council and United Church of Rogers Park. Contact Stephanie at skgschrock@gmail.com
to learn about ways you can get involved.

We look forward to walking with our neighbors on International Peace Day as we renew our commitment to peace in our community--and in the world.

Peace Walk map 4.jpg

FROM "THE RP AND BEYOND' BLOG...Posted Wednesday, August 31, 2011

2011-09-01T08:28:00.006-05:00

Evanston Creepin'

"According to the EvanstonNow.com website, Evanston Police have started cleaning up the mess down here in the RP and Chicago. At least someone is doing it.

Evanston Police offer the following details on a Rogers Park drug bust , posted Tuesday, August 30, 2011, at 5:29 pm by Bill Smith

Evanston police this afternoon released more details about a drug raid they conducted in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on Friday, August 26th.

Evanston Police Cmdr. James Elliot says that last month investigators from the department’s Neighborhood Enforcement Team -- the gang and narcotics investigation unit -- received information that drugs were being sold to Evanston residents from an apartment just over the border in Chicago. The unit's investigation resulted in a search warrant being approved for the residence, located at 7638 N. Bosworth, Apt. GW, in Chicago.

About 7:25 a.m. Friday, Evanston police executed the search warrant. Elliot says they found over $500 in cash, 23 bags of a brown powder suspected to be heroin, seven bags of a white rock-like substance suspected to be crack cocaine, 35 pills believed to be used as a heroin cutting agent and 15 assorted pills all believed to be controlled substances. Investigators say they also found evidence of drug packaging materials in the apartment.

Issac Jerome Roach, 26, and Ebony Nicole Sanders, 24, who both live in the apartment, were arrested and were each charged with five counts of unlawful possession of controlled substances and one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver. They are scheduled to appear in Skokie district court at 9 a.m. on Sept. 9.

A third subject was charged with aggravated assault to a peace officer and resisting arrest after he attempted to enter the apartment while police were searching it. Elliot says that when officers attempted to prevent his access to the apartment, Thomas Eugene Sanders, 20, of 7719 N. Paulina in Chicago, allegedly refused to leave the area and allegedly attempted to punch an officer with his fist. He's scheduled to appear in Skokie district court at 9 a.m. on Sept. 13."
http://rp-and-beyond.blogspot.com/

Comment:

According to the addresses, both of these Units are located in buildings owned and operated by AIMCO as NorthPoint Apartments, (there are 12 NorthPoint buildings, totaling 304 apartments in the North of Howard neighborhood) all are H.U.D. subsidized, 'project based' Section 8 rental housing! This begs two questions; 1)"Where is the NorthPoint property management?" and 2)"Where the hell is Chicago's 24th District Police?!"

Thanks and a 'tip of the hat' to the Evanston PD for taking care of business for the North of Howard neighborhood in Chicago's 24th District Police, Beat 2422! Your efforts to make our community safer and improve the quality of life for the residents is greatly appreciated.

YESTERDAY'S BEAT 2422 CAPS MEETING....

2011-08-26T10:27:00.005-05:00

Thanks to all the neighbors who were able to turn out for the meeting. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet the new 24th District Commander, due to an unexpected last minute personal emergency. A number of those who attended complained about the need to disperse 'crowds' who loiter on the public way throughout our neighborhood at all hours of the day and night. We were basically told by the attending 24th District Officers that the "police don't have the ability or power to disperse such groups out of concern for the ACLU coming after them for violating individual rights." I totally disagree and here's why, per the City of Chicago Municipal Code:

^{(Here is a link to the complete 'Municipal Code of Chicago',}

^{current through June 8, 2011)}

The following is current and valid law in the City of Chicago………

^{8-4-015 Gang loitering.}
^{(a) Whenever a police officer observes a member of a criminal street gang engaged in gang loitering with one or more other persons in any public place designated for the enforcement of this section under subsection (b), the police officer shall, subject to all applicable procedures promulgated by the superintendent of police: (i) inform all such persons that they are engaged in gang loitering within an area in which loitering by groups containing criminal street gang members is prohibited; (ii) order all such persons to disperse and remove themselves from within sight and hearing of the place at which the order was issued; and (iii) inform those persons that they will be subject to arrest if they fail to obey the order promptly or engage in further gang loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which the order was issued during the next eight hours.

(b) The superintendent of police shall by written directive designate areas of the city in which the superintendent has determined that enforcement of this section is necessary because gang loitering has enabled criminal street gangs to establish control over identifiable areas, to intimidate others from entering those areas, or to conceal illegal activities. Prior to making a determination under this subsection, the superintendent shall consult as he or she deems appropriate with persons who are knowledgeable about the effects of gang activity in areas in which the ordinance may be enforced. Such persons may include, but need not be limited to, members of the department of police with special training or experience related to criminal street gangs; other personnel of that department with particular knowledge of gang activities in the proposed designated area; elected and appointed officials of the area; community-based organizations; and participants in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy who are familiar with the area. The superintendent shall develop and implement procedures for the periodic review and update of designations made under this subsection.

(c) The superintendent shall by written directive promulgate procedures to prevent the enforcement of this section against persons who are engaged in collective advocacy activities that are protected by the Constitution of the United States or the State of Illinois.

(d) As used in this section:

(1) Gang loitering means remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believe that the purpose or effect of that behavior is to enable a criminal street gang to establish control over identifiable areas, to intimidate others from entering those areas, or to conceal illegal activities.

(2) Criminal street gang means any ongoing organization, association in fact or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its substantial activities the commission of one or more of the criminal acts enumerated in paragraph (3), and whose members individually or collectively engage in or have engaged in a pattern of criminal gang activity.

(3) Criminal gang activity means the commission, attempted commission or solicitation of the following offenses, provided that the offenses are committed by two or more persons, or by an individual at the direction of, or in association with, any criminal street gang, with the specific intent to promote, further or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members:

the following sections of the Criminal Code of 1961: 9-1 (murder), 9-3.3 (drug-induced homicide), 10-1 (kidnapping), 10-4 (forcible detention), subsection (a)(13) of Section 12-2 (aggravated assault – discharging firearm), 12-4 (aggravated battery), 12-4.1 (heinous battery), 12-4.2 (aggravated battery with a firearm), 12-4.3 (aggravated battery of a child), 12-4.6 (aggravated battery of a senior citizen), 12-6 (intimidation), 12-6.1 (compelling organization membership of persons), 12-11 (home invasion), 12-14 (aggravated criminal sexual assault), 18-1 (robbery), 18-2 (armed robbery), 19-1 (burglary), 19-3 (residential burglary), 19-5 (criminal fortification of a residence or building), 20-1 (arson), 20-1.1 (aggravated arson), 20-2 (possession of explosives or explosive or incendiary devices), subsections (a)(6), (a)(7), (a)(9) or (a)(12) of Section 24-1 (unlawful use of weapons), 24-1.1 (unlawful use or possession of weapons by felons or persons in the custody of the department of corrections facilities), 24-1.2 (aggravated discharge of a firearm), subsection (d) of Section 25-1 (mob action – violence), 33-1 (bribery), 33A-2 (armed violence), Sections 5, 5.1, 7 or 9 of the Cannabis Control Act where the offense is a felony (manufacture or delivery of cannabis, cannabis trafficking, calculated criminal cannabis conspiracy and related offenses), or Sections 401, 401.1, 405, 406.1, 407 or 407.1 of the Illinois Controlled Substances Act (illegal manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, controlled substance trafficking, calculated criminal drug conspiracy and related offenses).

(4) Pattern of criminal gang activity

(5) Public place means the public way and any other location open to the public, whether publicly or privately owned.

(e) Any person who fails to obey promptly an order issued under subsection (a), or who engages in further gang loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which such an order was issued during the eight-hour period following the time the order was issued, is subject to a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00 for each offense, or imprisonment for not more than six months for each offense, or both. A second or subsequent offense shall be punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment.

In addition to or instead of the above penalties, any person who violates this section may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section}^1-4-120^{of this Code.}

^{(f) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of subsection (e) of this section or subsection (d) of Section}^8-4-017^{, or any combination thereof, within any 12-month period, a court, in addition to imposing the penalties prescribed in that subsection, shall enter an order requiring the convicted person to refrain, for a mandatory period of 30 days, from gang loitering, or narcotics-related loitering as defined in Section}^8-4-017^{, within sight and hearing of the place of the police officer’s order issued under subsection (a) which served as the basis for the person’s most recent conviction, unless circumstances strongly mandate that such period should be shorter. Such an order must be obeyed regardless of whether any additional warning or notice is given to the person. Any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (f) shall be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment but not more than six months imprisonment, plus a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00, for each violation. In addition to or instead of the penalties prescribed in this subsection (f), any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (f) may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section}^1-4-120^{of this Code.}

^{(Added Coun. J. 6-17-92 p. 18292; Amend Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81865, § 1)

Editor’s note – Prior to amendment by Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1, this section pertained to gang-related congregations.

8-4-017 Narcotics-related loitering}
^{(a) Whenever a police officer observes one or more persons engaged in narcotics-related loitering in any public place designated for the enforcement of this section under subsection (b), the police officer shall: (i) inform all such persons that they are engaged in loitering within an area in which such loitering is prohibited; (ii) order all such persons to disperse and remove themselves from within sight and hearing of the place at which the order was issued; and (iii) inform those persons that they will be subject to arrest if they fail to obey the order promptly or engage in further narcotics-related loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which the order was issued during the next eight hours.

(b) The superintendent of police shall by written directive designate areas of the city in which enforcement of this section is necessary because the areas are frequently associated with narcotics-related loitering. Prior to making a determination under this subsection, the superintendent shall consult as he or she deems appropriate with persons who are knowledgeable about the effects of narcotics-related activity in areas in which the ordinance may be enforced. Such persons may include, but need not be limited to, members of the department of police with special training or experience related to narcotics-related activity; other personnel of that department with particular knowledge of narcotics- related activities in the proposed designated area; elected and appointed officials of the area; community- based organizations; and participants in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy who are familiar with the area. The superintendent shall develop and implement procedures for the periodic review and update of designations made under this subsection.

(c) As used in this section:

(1) Narcotics-related loitering means remaining in any one place under circumstances that would warrant a reasonable person to believe that the purpose or effect of that behavior is to facilitate the distribution of substances in violation of the Cannabis Control Act or the Illinois Controlled Substances Act.

(2) Public place means the public way and any other location open to the public, whether publicly or privately owned.

(d) Any person who fails to obey promptly an order issued under subsection (a), or who engages in further narcotics-related loitering within sight or hearing of the place at which such an order was issued during the eight-hour period following the time the order was issued, is subject to a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00 for each offense, or imprisonment for not more than six months for each offense, or both. A second or subsequent offense shall be punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment.

In addition to or instead of the above penalties, any person who violates this section may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section}^1-4-120^{of this Code.}

^{(e) Upon a third or subsequent conviction for a violation of subsection (d) of this section or subsection (e) of Section}^8-4-015^{, or any combination thereof, within any 12-month period, a court, in addition to imposing the penalties prescribed in that subsection, shall enter an order requiring the convicted person to refrain, for a mandatory period of 30 days, from narcotics-related loitering, or gang loitering as defined in Section}^8-4-015^{, within sight and hearing of the place of the police officer’s order issued under subsection (a) which served as the basis for the person’s most recent conviction, unless circumstances strongly mandate that such period should be shorter. Such an order must be obeyed regardless of whether any additional warning or notice is given to the person. Any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (e) shall be subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five days imprisonment but not more than six months imprisonment, plus a fine of not less than $100.00 and not more than $500.00, for each violation. In addition to or instead of the penalties prescribed in this subsection (e), any person who violates an order issued by a court under this subsection (e) may be required to perform up to 120 hours of community service pursuant to Section}^1-4-120^{of this Code.}

^{(Added Coun. J. 2-16-00, p. 25705, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 7-26-06, p. 81865, § 1)}
^{The North Howard Neighbors Association urges all residents to contact the Alderman's office as well as the 24th District Community Relations Office to insist that the 24th District Police do whatever is necessary to implement, invoke and enforce these laws in several designated locations North of Howard as quickly as possible. Three suggested locations are:}

^{1) The 1500 to 1650 blocks of W. Jonquil Terrace}
^{2) The four corner intersection at W. Jonquil Terrace and N. Paulina}
^{3) All 3 of our neighborhood parks (Triangle, Willye White and the Harold Washington Children's Playlot) and beaches (Howard, Rogers and Juneway).}

^{Comments are welcome from anyone, however, residents of the NoH neighborhood are especially urged to add their thoughts and opinions.}

BEAT 2422 CAPS MEETING TODAY........

2011-08-25T09:27:00.005-05:00

Meet the new 'Acting' Commander of the 24th District, James Roussell, at this month's Beat 2422, CAPS meeting, today at the Willye White Park Recreation Center, 1610 W. Howard at 5 PM.

We are urging residents of Beat 2422, who are able, to attend this meeting and express your concerns and feelings about current and future issues regarding policing services, response and patrolling in Beat 2422, particularly in our North of Howard neighborhood.

FREE DANCE PERFORMANCE THURSDAY, AUGUST 25th

2011-08-23T17:08:00.000-05:00

From Rogerspark.com, Posted on August 23, 2011

808’s Youth Empowerment thru Dance to Perform on Thursday, Aug 25th

By Dominique Johns, special for rogerspark.com
Three highly skilled dancers, all young Rogers Park residents in their early 20s, a youth leader, and a theatrical and talented young lady joined forces this summer, out of a mutual concern over gullable at risk youth in the North of Howard community of Rogers Park.

Only five short weeks ago we created 808’s: Youth Empowerment through Dance. Our vision: to create a refuge for the youth that helps empower, motivate, inspire, and build hope; to help young teens be more in control of their own minds.

Knowing that youth in the community would unite around the art forms of hip hop and break dance, three dancers and choreographers, Jermaine Hawk, Jerrell Hawk, and Jeremiah Hentz, with the assistance of Thomas (“Bud”) Sanders and me, the author of this piece, began offering dance sessions to area youth. Initially, ten to fifteen kids showed up; now we have nearly 30 energized kids participating in practice, preparing to perform on Thursday, August 25th.

Sex, drugs, and gangs are all factors of what these children see and know by what goes on in their neighborhoods. We aim to show that hard work, dedication, and consistency will help pave the way for all of these young teens to make positive future life decisions. Dancing frees the mind, body, and soul bringing laughter and joy with no worries. Through dance we want to help the 808’s participants realize that there is more to our world than the block they live on and we want them to feel apart of a team and not alone.

Community leaders in the Rogers Park area, including Family Matters and the helpful staff at Willye B. White Center, have enabled us to have dance practice at the Willye B. White facility on West Howard Street. The 15-25 youth are becoming more and more excited about being a part of the 808’s performance and the big transformation that this activity can offer each of us and to the greater community. The teens are working hard non stop to put on their very first big performance, which will be on Thursday, August 25th, 6:30PM at the Willye B. White field house 1610 West Howard. Admission is free.

Our discipline, hard work and our love for team work and dance will prove that the 808’s are more than ready to rock the stage. We are ready for the 808’s to be heard. So come rock the beat and become elite with the 808’s: Youth Empowerment thru Dance.

Dominique Johns is a student and an aspiring actress who moved to the North of Howard neighborhood earlier this year. She is offering her numerous talents helping 808s achieve it’s goals.

24TH DISTRICT BY BEAT NUMBERS......

2011-08-14T09:09:00.000-05:00

(click on map to enlarge)

Here's a link to the

24th Police District 'ClearPath' Web!

There is a 'new' Commander in the 24th District..the site has not been updated to reflect that change..NHNA is awaiting a promised 'announcement' of this change from Officer Mathews in the 24th District Community Relations Office. We will publish it as soon as it is received.

MORE COVERAGE ON THE 'MURDER FOR HIRE' ON JONQUIL TERRACE...

2011-08-10T09:42:00.000-05:00

Man killed in Rogers Park had turned his life around to help others, mother says

BY RUMMANA HUSSAIN Criminal Courts Reporter rhussain@suntimes.com August 9, 2011 7:34AM

Updated: August 10, 2011 2:14AM

Lawrence “Ricky” Wilson often mentored high-risk teens, hoping tales of his brief dalliance with crime would keep others out of trouble. And when he wasn’t inspiring youth, he’d be at church, rapping or playing running back or safety for the Chi-Town Blaze semi-pro football team, family and friends said.

Shortly after midnight Sunday, Wilson, 23, was gunned down in what his mother said was a case of mistaken identity. “He wasn’t in a gang. Not that I know of,” Jennifer Francis said after Cook County prosecutors detailed how Dyshawn Brown, the teenage gunman accused in Wilson’s murder, was handed a sawed off shotgun and offered money to kill a Gangster Disciple. Authorities described the slaying as “gang-related.”

Francis, 50, said Wilson was on his bicycle headed to his girlfriend’s house to watch a movie when he was shot in the chest in Rogers Park. Brown and his two Wells Academy classmates, who allegedly acted as lookouts in the shooting were charged as adults in the murder in the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrace.

Judge Adam D. Bourgeois Jr. Tuesday ordered Brown held without bond. Both Devonte Lamb, 17, and Desmone Smart, 15, were ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail.

Wilson had initially spoken with Brown and Smart when the pair struck up a conversation with him before walking away Sunday morning, Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini said. Brown and Smart eventually met up with Lamb and it was Lamb who waved Wilson over to a building where Brown shot him, Santini said.

Wilson, whose great, great uncle was the late journalist Les Brownlee, was an Evanston Township High School graduate and has two surviving brothers, his mother said. Wilson had a 2008 conviction for armed robbery but was bent on turning his life around, Francis insisted. “He made a choice,” Francis said, stressing how much Wilson loved mentoring students through the organization TRIBE — Total Resources Involving Benefits Everyone.

“If he came from a troubled background you never knew it,” Wilson’s Chi-Town Blaze coach Carlos Jones said. "He was a great guy. He was very dedicated. He never missed any practices or games. Everybody on the team is hurting.”

FURTHER UPDATES ON JONQUIL SHOOTING.....

2011-08-09T09:47:00.007-05:00

From The Chicago Tribune

By Jason Meisner
at 1:52 PM, August 9th,2011

Prosecutors: 3 teens killed Rogers Park man in murder-for-hire scheme

Three teenagers charged in a shotgun slaying in the Rogers Park neighborhood over the weekend had agreed to kill a rival gang member after being offered cash, prosecutors said today.
Dyshawn Brown, 16, Devonte Lamb, 17, and Desmond Smart, 15, were each charged as adults with first-degree murder in the slaying early Sunday of Lawrence Wilson, 23. Wilson’s mother, Jennifer Francis, said outside court that her son, an Evanston Township High School graduate, worked as a youth mentor with a group called TRIBE, or Total Resources Involved in Benefiting Everyone. The group confirmed his employment.

“He had some problems in the past, but he was not a gang member,” said a tearful Francis. “He wanted to keep people away from that life.”

Prosecutors said a still-uncharged co-conspirator offered the three cash to kill a member of the rival Gangster Disciples and gave Brown a sawed-off shotgun.

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After engaging Wilson in conversation in the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrace, Lamb waved him over to a building where Brown was hiding, prosecutors said.

“The victim rode his bike up to the defendants, and (Brown) walked out from behind the building, pulled out the shotgun and fired it at the victim, striking him in the chest,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Jamie Santini. Wilson was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he was declared dead a short time later.

Police found the shotgun while canvassing the area and arresting Smart inside his apartment in the7600 block of North Greenview Avenue, Santini said. All three defendants attend Wells Community Academy in Chicago, according to a court-appointed defense attorney.

Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. denied bail for Brown and set bonds of $1 million each for Lamb and Smart.
chicagobreaking@tribune.com

From SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE
August 9, 2011 7:34AM

Three teenage boys were charged Monday afternoon with the gang-related murder of a 23-year-old man in the North Side Rogers Park neighborhood.

The identities of the juveniles were not released, but the 15-year-old, 16-year-old and 17-year-old boys were charged with one count each of first-degree murder in connection with a fatal shooting early Sunday, according to police News Affairs Officer Laura Kubiak. Officers found a man shot at 12:48 a.m. in the chest lying on a sidewalk in the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrace, police said. Lawrence Wilson, 23, of the 1500 block of West Juneway Terrace, was taken to Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston where he died, according to Kubiak.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office could not confirm his identity Tuesday morning, but said a man shot at the West Jonquil Terrace address was pronounced dead at the hospital 1:49 a.m. Wilson was shot once with a shotgun, Kubiak said. The shooting is gang-related.

AN APPEAL TO MAYOR EMANUEL & SUPERINTENDANT MCCARTHY......

2011-08-09T06:24:00.005-05:00

From: North Howard Neighbors Association [mailto:luckenbach@rcn.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2011 2:08 PM
To: 'cityfeedback@cityofchicago.org'
Cc: 'Brown, Ernest T.'; Bruce Rottner; Isidor Ramos; ward49@cityofchicago.org

Subject: An appeal to Mayor Emanuel....

Attention: Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Mr. Mayor,

As you probably know, early this morning (Sunday, August 7th at 12:48 AM) there was another shooting, resulting in death, in our neighborhood. I have lived in the North of Howard neighborhood of Rogers Park for 36 years and in the past decade violent crime has increased significantly, resulting in several deaths. This incident and others like it, is the result of the large groups (sometimes as many as 100 +) of people who are allowed to gather and congregate, drinking and drugging (usually late in the night and into the early morning hours) in and around Gale School, Willye White Park and the adjacent residential streets, where this latest shooting occurred. The neighborhood has long complained to the 24th District police that this kind of activity should not be allowed to occur at any time of day or night, with no success, certainly not in an ongoing, proactive, consistent basis. Hardly a night goes by in our community without the sound of gun shots.

We, the residents of the North of Howard community appeal to you to use your office to order that the 24th District police, specifically Beat 2422, immediately stop these kinds of gatherings and this kind of activity and not allow it to continue, period. We desperately need ‘proactive’ policing in our neighborhood!

On a related note, we also urge you to issue an order to the 24th District police that ‘gang shrines’ not be tolerated on our streets after such an incident. Just last week we had a group of local gang bangers establish a gang shrine/memorial on the corner of N. Paulina and W. Jonquil to ‘celebrate and remember’ one of their fellow gang bangers who was shot to death 4 or so years ago. The party went on well into the early morning hours. This is completely unacceptable and we want a zero tolerance policy imitated in regard to this matter.

Please see the following post threads in our neighborhood Blog on this aspect of these incidents, between myself and a former commander of the 24th District, who stated that they do in fact tolerate ‘gang shrines’ for a limited time!

http://nhna.blogspot.com/2009/01/must-read_17.html
http://nhna.blogspot.com/2009/01/must-read_2197.html

Your assistance, action and response in regard to these matters will be greatly appreciated by all the residents of our neighborhood.

Respectfully,
Mike Luckenbach
North Howard Neighbors Association
773-465-2433

POLICE SEEK SUSPECT IN SHOOTING ON JONQUIL.....

2011-08-08T10:48:00.001-05:00

Possible suspect in Rogers Park shooting, murder, escapes police

Posted by Timothy Fitz at 1:39 AM, Monday, August 8, 2011

7644 N. Greenview Ave. Photo: Cook County Assessor

According to several reports, a suspect wanted for murder, was hiding out in a Rogers Park apartment building. Sunday, August 7, 2011, around 8:40 p.m., authorities attempted to apprehend three suspects at 7644 North Greenview Avenue. Police took two men into custody, but a third suspect escaped. The third suspect was identified as a black man named Devonte Lamb.

Although this information has not been confirmed, it is my understanding that Lamb is wanted for allegedly shooting and killing a 50-year-old man on the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrance, early Sunday morning.

During the arrest at the North Greenview apartment, authorities recovered a weapon; possibly the gun used in the Rogers Park homicide. Lamb is approximately 5'9", 200 pounds, has a very dark complexion, and his hair was styled in an Afro. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt.

If you know where Devonte Lamb is, please contact the police, immediately.
Copyright © 2011 - Chicago News Report.

SHOOTING DEATH ON JONQUIL TERRACE.......

2011-08-07T07:17:00.001-05:00

There are not many details available but

here's the report in the Tribune.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ROGERS PARK......

2011-08-05T13:18:00.010-05:00

A History of Rogers Park.........

Indians once roamed the natural trails of the community we know as Rogers Park. The trails were formed after Lake Michigan rolled back to reveal a high ridge. White settlement began on the north side in the early 1800's and history notes that in 1809 a tavern on top of the "ridge" was used for a rest stop for weary stagecoach travelers. By 1821, white settlers had pushed north to settle in Rogers Park. The Indians were persuaded to move north of the Indian Boundary Line (Rogers Ave.). The land south of the line was purchased by the government in a treaty dated 1816 to encourage homesteaders to buy parcels of land.

Phillip Rogers was one of these homesteaders. He was an Irishman who had come west from New York in 1836. He was able to buy land for $1.25 per acre, and eventually increased his holdings to 1,600 acres before he died in 1856, having become a very successful truck farmer. Patrick Leonard Touhy was an employee of Rogers, and later married the daughter of Rogers. It was Touhy who developed the area and named the town Rogers Park in 1869.

Settlement did not progress rapidly in the 1840-50 period, although truck farmers coming from Luxembourg moved into the area at Ridge and Devon starting about 1845. When the St. Paul Railroad came through, Indians still remained in Rogers Park and wolves roamed what is now Greenleaf Avenue.

By 1870, however, Rogers Park had begun to grow. The   Ravenswood Land Company established the community as a suburb on the Northwestern Railroad Line and after the Chicago fire in 1871, land became more expensive as people began to look "outside" of the city for buildable land. As a result, in 1873, the Rogers Park Building & Land Co. was organized. Rogers Park was incorporated in 1878 by original members of the group—Touhy, John Farwell, Luther Greenleaf, Stephen Lunt, Charles Morse, and George Estes, all of whom have streets named after them.

The water works system, fire department, school and an active business district were located at Lunt and Ravenswood (then called Market Street) at the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad station. Meanwhile, in West Ridge (inaccurately called West Rogers Park by some today), settlers had devoted themselves to truck gardening and raising flowers. As early as 1886, some of the farms gave way to buildings and two story homes; others were to continue into the mid-1900's, with fields and greenhouses "neighboring" comfortably with newer brick buildings.

Rogers Park decided to annex itself to Chicago in April of 1893. And then in August of 1894, on a very hot afternoon, the entire business district of Rogers Park was destroyed by fire.

During the rebuilding process, West Ridge and Rogers Park split over a park permit issued to Rogers Park in 1895. The West Ridge farmers opposed the permit because they did not wish their tax money used to improve the lakefront property. They subsequently applied for a permit for their own park district west of the Northwestern tracks.  A bitter fight ensued, with the West Ridge farmers being called "cabbage heads." The West Ridge district won, and in 1897, Ridge Ave. Park District was born.

Another important date in Rogers Park history is 1915, for it was in this year that the state legislature decided that the "no man's land" near Calvary cemetery should be annexed to Chicago. The area became known as 'Germania' and became home to well off German/Jewish residents. It was about this period, also, that the North Shore beaches became immensely popular as a summer recreational area. Soon theaters, ballrooms and bowling alleys opened to accommodate those who did not wish to swim, and Rogers Park, particularly Howard Street and the surrounding residential area, boomed right through the roaring 20's.

It was not until Rogers Park "went to war" during the early 40's that the dowager community fell on hard times. Taverns and clubs on Howard Street were populated with soldiers and sailors from Fort Sheridan and the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, causing that once prestigious street to slowly decline.

However, as Chicagoans know, ups follow downs, and today as Rogers Park enters the 2000's, Howard Street, Morse Avenue and Clark Street ring with the sounds of revitalization. New, young builders rehabilitate stately older buildings. Families fill the beaches on sunny summer days. Young professional people scour the area for spacious apartments close to transportation, the hallmark of Rogers Park living.   And all breathe new life into Rogers Park, bringing with them their faith in Chicago, "the city that works."

GUESS........?

2011-07-29T13:39:00.001-05:00

Today's 'GUESS' post raises several serious questions. Let me explain....yesterday, July 28th at 7:15 PM, while monitoring 24th District police scanner 'traffic', the following occurred; Beat car 2422 (Beat 2422 boundaries are: Juneway Terrace on the North, Jarvis to the South, Clark Street to the West and the lake to the East) requested permission to "gas up." The Assignment Dispatcher immediately gave her approval.

Today's question is: "GUESS where Beat Car 2422 requested to go, and got permission to go, "to gas up"?

For the answer read the 1st comment.

THE END OF AN ERA NORTH OF HOWARD......

2011-07-28T11:35:00.001-05:00

In the fall of 1987, Sister Cecilia Fandel of the Servants of Mary Order (founded in 1233 in Florence, Italy) arrived at the Howard Area Community Center to begin her service to the residents of the North of Howard community. It would be the beginning of a 24 year commitment that officially ended with her retirement at the end of June 2011. Over the years, Sister Cecilia has been a dedicated 'community activist' providing leadership, direction and spiritual guidance to thousands of residents. Our neighborhood would be a far different place were it not for her work and commitment over the years.

It's impossible to list all the specific contributions she has made in this limited space but some of the highlights are: she was instrumental in creating, supervising and managing the Community Garden at Juneway and Hermitage; she played a key role in initiating and organizing the community in establishing and overseeing Triangle Park and is responsible for the amenities now in Triangle Park, i.e., benches, water fountain, the recently built Fitness Course and the Peace Pole; she was instrumental in the planning and building of the Harold Washington Memorial Playlot on Paulina, as well as the Willye White Recreation Center and Park at Marshfield and Howard; she established, organized and lead the HACC Seniors Club; she taught at the Howard Area Alternative High School; she spent countless hours in organizing and leading community meetings dealing with untold issues of concern and importance to the neighborhood and it's residents.

In recognition of outstanding achievements and contributions to the City of Chicago, Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Department of Aging presented Sister Cecilia with the 2009 Luminary Senior Citizens Award, which is the highest award of the Chicago Senior Citizens Hall of Fame into which she was also inducted.

In nominating Sr. Cecilia for the award, Pamela Barnet, executive director of Howard Area Community Center, wrote: "Sr. Cecilia's dedication to the Rogers Park community is truly inspiring. Her actions and words are a guiding light to neighborhood residents. Above all, she leads community members to take action together and realize their own strength. I cannot think of any single individual who has had a greater impact on our community, and I truly believe there is no one more deserving of induction into the Chicago Senior Citizens Hall of Fame."

This was not the first time Sr. Cecilia was recognized for her service. She received the Spirit of Rogers Park Award from the Rogers Park Community Council (1999), the Friends of the Parks Individual Award, "For organizing and mobilizing community groups for park protection and improvement in North Rogers Park" (2003), and the Unsung Hero Award from Howard Area Alternative High School, "In honor of your spirit, your dedication, and your devotion to the students here over the past five years" (2005).

Her years of community commitment, dedication and service are unparalleled. She has made our North of Howard (Germania) neighborhood a better place for all and made those of us whose lives she touched, better human beings. Words alone can not do justice in expressing our gratitude. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Sister Cecilia! We wish you God speed in your retirement and future endeavors.

(On Friday Sister Cecilia will be moving to Ladysmith, Wisconsin.)

GUESS.......?

2011-07-26T16:56:00.005-05:00

Today we initiate a new 'feature' of the NHNA Blog...it's called "GUESS". Periodically we will post a photograph of 'something, someplace or someone' and pose a question regarding the photo. To be sure, the photo and the "GUESS" question can have a 'positive' or a 'negative' spin about a Rogers Park "something, someplace or someone". Whichever it is, the answer will be found in the comment section of the post.

Here is today's photograph and question:

GUESS..... how long this Howard Street sign has been hanging up side down? It's located at the southeast corner of Howard just East of Clark.

Readers are encouraged to forward their suggestions regarding items (issues) that might be a featured on"GUESS?" Send suggestions to Mike at luckenbach@rcn.com.

WONDERFUL 'PAN-ASIAN' CREATIONS FROM

2011-07-24T16:21:00.002-05:00

Jenny's Gourmet

now delivered in Rogers Park starting July 25th.

(click on map to enlarge)

For delivery hours and a full menu link here!

A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS.......

2011-07-16T15:37:00.003-05:00

These photos were taken today, July 16th at 2:30 PM on the 7600 block of N. Paulina Street. The residents and tax payers of the neighborhood would like to know why these conditions are allowed to exist, obviously ignored and of no apparent concern to whoever is responsible (Streets & Sanitation, 49th Ward Service office, The Rogers Park Business Alliance SSA and /or the property owners) to cut and maintain the 'sucker' growth at the base of the trees as well as the weeds growing in the city parkways? It's quite a sight isn't it.

(click photos to enlarge)

Allowing these conditions to to exist is a total disrespect and disregard to our neighborhood and it's residents and has a devastating and negative effect on our over all quality of life!

APARTMENT FOR RENT.....AUGUST 1st

2011-07-16T11:19:00.000-05:00

Large (1,800 sqft), sunny, 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath with in-unit washer & dryer, off street parking and more. For details link here!

PLAN FOR VACANT LAND AT HOWARD AND ASHLAND

2011-07-07T08:10:00.006-05:00

Rogers Park harvests plan for open land

that could become urban farm

DAVID ROEDER,Chicago Sun-Times

Densely and diversely populated, could Rogers Park on the city’s North Side soon be the site of an urban farm?

It’s an idea getting a serious push, and deservedly so. Capital to build on vacant lots is hard to come by, so why not use the land to grow produce and teach agricultural and business skills?

Rogers Park could get a farm at 7501 N. Ashland, a two-acre site that 20 years ago was the home of Lerner Newspapers. Royal Bank of Canada is foreclosing on the land. The city invited developer proposals for the property a few years ago, but nobody responded.

Residents organized as Rogers Park Farms have proposed taking it over, but they need funding and city help to get it out of private hands. Ald. Joe Moore, whose 49th Ward covers Rogers Park, has authored an ordinance authorizing the city to negotiate to buy the property.

Moore said he’s intrigued by the farming idea but wants to leave the door open to other development interests. He said money is available from the account of a tax-increment financing district that includes the property. Called the Howard Paulina district, it last reported a balance in 2010 of $11.2 million.

Any farmers interested in taking over the property “would have to demonstrate they have the capacity to carry this off,” Moore said. His ordinance is up for a vote today at the City Council.

Moore said Rogers Park Farms wants to partner with the Heartland Alliance for Human Needs and Human Rights, which is establishing a farm on the West Side.

“It could work well in my neck of the woods, too, with the high unemployment we have near Howard Street,” Moore said.

JOB OPENING---HACC SENIORS' CLUB COORDINATOR

2011-06-01T14:23:00.000-05:00

The Howard Area Community Center is looking for a Seniors’ Club coordinator to carry on the work of Sr. Cecilia Fandel OSM, who is retiring and moving back to Wisconsin. The Seniors Club was initiated in 1988 in response to the seniors in the area who needed a place and way to stay linked together and to be involved in community affairs at their own pace.

This position is part-time. Inquirers must enjoy and appreciate seniors and have experience working with them. To find out more details, contact Sr. Cecilia Fandel at 773-973-4812 or cecilia.fandel@rcn.com.