News

Clark Street SSA Halloween Spooktacular Recap

2009-11-09T22:56:22Z

Hundreds of children participated in the Clark Street Spooktacular on Saturday, October 31 between 1:00 p.m. and 4 p.m. Guests started out at “Halloween Headquarters” where they were invited to design their own trick-or-treat bag, craft their own jack-o-lantern and participate in some festive games before trick-or-treating through the neighborhood.

The Hoyle Brothers played a free concert all afternoon and then helped orchestrate the Costume Contest at 3:30 p.m. in the plaza at 444 W. Fullerton. Special thanks to our costume judges Pat Dearing of the Park West Community Association and Jim Kroeger of Lincoln Park Fitness.

Also included in the celebration was the first annual “Scarecrows on Clark” competition, in which 23 Clark Street merchants displayed a unique scarecrow in their store to be voted on by the public.

The winners are:
•   First Place - “Bride of Frankenstein,” Elizabeth Grace, 2438 N. Clark
•   Second Place – “Pumkina Scarsky Midnight Shift Barista,” Couture Crepe Café, 2568 N. Clark
•   Third Place – “Monsieur L’Epouvantail,” Avoir De L’Imagination Art Studio, 2301 N. Clark

Photos of the event are available here:

Congratulations to all our winners!

Thank you to our event sponsors:
•   7-Eleven (2619 & 2264 N. Clark)
•   Argo Tea Café
•   Austrian Bakery & Delicatessen
•   Bank Financial
•   Christian Science Reading Room
•   Deli Boutique
•   Dunlays on Clark
•   For Eyes Optical
•   Frankie’s on the Park
•   Health Emporium
•   Huntington Learning Center
•   Jump Ahead Academy
•   Lincoln Park Market
•   The Body Shop
•   The Galway Arms

A very special thanks to the Park West Community Association and the Mid-North Association for helping out in Halloween Headquarters for the day.

For more information on the Clark Street SSA, please visit them online at www.clarkstreetssa.org.

Rep. Fritchey to Host Town Hall Meetings

2009-11-09T21:50:09Z

State Representative John Fritchey will be hosting two Town Hall meetings later this month in order to update constituents on legislative issues in Springfield and the impact that they will have closer to home, as well as listening to concerns and fielding questions from individuals in the community.

“I’ve always believed that good government is built upon open lines of communication between constituents and their elected officials,” stated Rep. Fritchey. “These forums have consistently been a great opportunity to exchange ideas, and I am looking forward to meeting with neighbors to discuss what is happening in Springfield and closer to home.”

The times and locations of the meetings are as follows:

Monday, November 23, 7:00p.m.
Bucktown – Wicker Park Library
1701 N. Milwaukee

Monday, November 30, 7:00p.m.
Sulzer Regional Library
4455 N. Lincoln

Both events are free and open to the public. For more information, please call Dave Kornecki at (773) 871-4000

Lincoln Central Association Sponsors Crime Prevention Seminar

2009-11-09T21:20:30Z

Lincoln Central Association is sponsoring a free safety and crime prevention presentation:

Time: Thursday, November 12 at 7:00 p.m.
Place: St. Vincent DePaul Center, 2145 N. Halsted, Chicago
Speaker: Dr. Ron Rufo of the Chicago Police Department

Dr. Rufo is a crime prevention specialist and works with local businesses and neighborhood organizations in helping to prevent various types of crime. His presentation will include steps each of us can take to better secure our homes and our persons. With the recent incidents of assaults, his presentation promises to be very timely.

New 872 Area Code Approved for 312, 773 Areas

2009-11-05T20:59:24Z

Due to the increased demand for telephone numbers, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the addition of a new area code, 872, for the same geographic region as teh 312 and 773 area codes. Everyone should now begin dialing all local calls using 1 + Area Code + 7-Digit Telephone Number. Effective Saturday, November 7, 2009, all calls must be dialed using this new dialing procedure.

Other Potential Changes:

In addition, preprogrammed 7-digit telephone numbers for all local telephone calls will need to be updated
Check your website, business stationery, advertising materials, personal checks, contact information, and ID tags to ensure the 1+ area code is included.
Security systems, autodialing machines, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services and similar functions may need to be updated as well.

Questions?
If you have any questions regarding this change, please call Comcast at (866) 594-1234.

Rep. Fritchey's Helping Hands Campaign Begins

2009-11-04T16:51:49Z

It’s that time of year!

Illinois - and Lincoln Park - Representative John Fritchey’s 8th annual Helping Hands Campaign has launched. In collaboration with great community organizations and supporters in the 11th District they hope to again support the area.

As you may know, every year Rep. Fritchey works in collaboration with community groups, libraries, local businesses, and chambers of commerce to collect new or lightly used goods for those who are in need through our Helping Hands Campaign (see campaign flyer). In addition to maintaining several drop locations, he will once again be collecting goods in his district office.

To kick-off this campaign, please join Rep. Fritchey and his staff on Wednesday, November 18th at John Barleycorn’s on Belden and Lincoln Ave from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for beer and wine. The entrance fee for this event is $30 and the majority of the proceeds from this event will go towards the Helping Hands Campaign.

Most importantly, you can also help the campaign by placing a Helping Hands collection box at a holiday party, winter meeting, or placing it in your office to collect NEW hats, gloves, scarves and other clothing, as well as hygiene products and household items for those who are in need this holiday season. We’ll provide the boxes, and schedule a date and time to pick up the donated items. In the least, if you would be so kind to put up a flyer to announce Helping Hands, it would be greatly appreciated.

Here is how it works:

You:
-Advertise the opportunities to your membership (via e-mail, a meeting notice, event invitation, etc.)
-make the collection box available at your office/holiday event/meeting

The Helping Hands Campaign:
-Provide flyers and signs
-Drop off a decorated holiday collection box for you
-Pick up the box of items at a designated date and time
-Bring the goods to local service organizations, who will then distribute items directly to those who need it most in our community

Please let Rep. Fritchey's office know if you would like to participate, and they will take it from there. You can contact Dave Kornecki - Rep. Fritchey's Chief of Staff - at the district office 773-871-4000, or simply respond to this e-mail, so that we may prepare your collection box and begin helping those who are in need.

CTA 2010 Budget Update

2009-10-28T18:55:54Z

News and Notes:

In what is already being dupped this years "doomsday", the Chicago Transit Authority released their proposed budget for 2010 on Saturday, October 10, 2009. Presently, the CTA is operating at $300 million budget gap. Mayor Richard M. Daley has already called the proposed budget for 2010 "very ugly" and the changes ahead are certain to affect everyone.

The CTA has noted three key areas that have contributed to their shortfall:

A decline in funding from tax revenue
Union contracts
Pension obligations

To combat this problem, organization president Rich Rodriquez introduced a series of fare increases and service cuts to help balance the budget. Below is a list of proposed changes to help balance the budget.

Increasing the cost of single-ride rail and many express bus tickets to $3.00
Increasing fares on standard bus routes to $2.50
Increasing the cost of a monthly pass to $110
Bus service is to be reduced by 18%
Rail service is to be reduced by 9%
287 outdated buses will be retired
The Archer Garage will be closed
Staff will be subjected to mandatory furlough days
Capital Funds will be transferred to the operating budget

Guide to Proposed 2010 Fares:

Updated Service Cuts and Details:

2010 Proposed Service Details
2010 Proposed Reductions
Complete Budget Details

These changes are scheduled to go into effect on February 7, 2010. Continue to check the LPCC's website for more information.

Report Summarizes Children's Memorial Hospital Meetings

2009-10-16T16:16:41Z

The Children’s Memorial Hospital Site Re-Use Feasibility Study Handbook is complete. Alderman Daley's partners at HOK have compiled the information from several community meetings into a single handbook. Bound copies will be available for reference at the following locations before the end of the month: Lincoln Park Public Library, Near North Public Library, DePaul University Library and the Chicago History Museum Library. The digital version is currently available here.

LPCC Gold Sponsor Spotlight: Diamond Bank

2009-10-12T15:26:01Z

Check out the new, exciting Client Spotlight feature recently launched on Diamond Bank’s website at www.dbdiamond.com! Each month, they will highlight one of their valued customers in an effort to encourage continued success and share their stories. The spotlight appears on the bank’s homepage and links to a full feature story as well as the client’s website.

Fashion Designer, Maria Pinto, is the first to be featured. Ms. Pinto designs luxurious women’s clothing and accessories and opened the doors to her Chicago boutique in August of 2008. Whether her clients are high profile figures, celebrities or First Lady, Michelle Obama, they all come back to Maria Pinto for her tailored silhouettes that are made to fit a variety of lifestyles.

Ms. Pinto says that she chose Diamond Bank as the bank for her growing business because of their dedication to creating a relationship.

“It goes back to the word community. We are a small company, we’re a team, and I think by working with a community bank you kind of create the extension of that team. So there are core people there that I contact and I know the job gets done.” - Maria Pinto

Check back on the website at www.dbdiamond.com each month to see which client is featured next!

LPCC Welcomes Creme de la Creme to Lincoln Park

2009-09-17T08:07:19Z

For Immediate Release

LPCC Joins Community Businesses to Welcome Crème de la Crème to Lincoln Park
Facility Offers Unique Educational Opportunities for Children

CHICAGO (September 17, 2009) – It takes more than just a philosophy to maximize your child’s potential to learn and develop. An enriching atmosphere, educationally-engineered facility and passion for helping young minds grow are all crucial aspects of the educational process. At Crème de la Crème’s new early learning center in Lincoln Park, students from infancy to age five will receive a fun-filled learning experience.

Located at 2230 N. Dominick, Crème de la Crème offers an experience that fully engages the child across intellectual, emotional, physical and social levels of development. On Thursday, September 17, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) joined community members, local businesses and staff from the new facility to officially welcome Crème de la Crème to Lincoln Park with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We are honored to be a part of the vibrant Lincoln Park business community,” said Marci Jo Engler, Executive Director of Crème de la Crème Lincoln Park. “At Crème we are committed to fostering the young minds that will lead us into the future and look forward to doing so for many years in our newest location.”

At Crème de la Crème, children are first taught the basics – including math, science, social studies and language arts. From there, the curriculum is expanded to offer students a rotation-based curriculum with enrichment classrooms and teachers who specialize in music, art, computers, creative movement and second language. The first Crème de la Crème early learning center was established in 1982. Since then, schools have opened in Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Illinois, Texas, Ohio, New Jersey and Virginia.

“The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce is excited to welcome Crème de la Crème to our neighborhood and business community,” said Kim Schilf, President and CEO of the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce. “Crème de la Crème will further enhance the reputation of our neighborhood for offering quality, unique shops, restaurants and cultural and educational facilities.”

Crème de la Crème, Inc. is a privately held corporation, headquartered in Colorado. The company owns and operates all of its centers and does not franchise. Presently Crème de la Crème has the capacity to serve over 6,000 children with the help of nearly 1,000 employees nationwide.

“Along with the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, I welcome Crème de la Crème to the vibrant Lincoln Park neighborhood,” said 32nd Ward Alderman Scott Waguespack. “Education is the cornerstone of our society and I am excited to see this new institution support the growth of young minds of the many flourishing families in our community.”

Crème de la Crème is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each weekday and offers full-time and part-time programs to give parents flexibility while providing infants, toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners and after-schoolers a strong learning foundation. For more information please call (773) 598-5462 or visit them online at www.cremedelacreme.com.

Alderman Reminds Everyone to Help Control Rodents

2009-09-14T08:03:58Z

To effectively combat the rodent population it is very important to maintain the recycling and garbage carts and the area around them. If any carts have holes or broken lids, call your alderman to have them replaced. When placing items in a black garbage cart, be sure that all items are bagged. Items in the blue bin should not be bagged – unless they are in paper bags. Plastic bags are not recyclable and should not be put into any blue carts. Blue carts should not contain any food or perishable products.

One of the most abundant food sources for rodents in our neighborhood is caused by humans not picking up after their dogs. I cannot stress strongly enough the need to pick up after your pets; in your own backyard, alley, any park or parkway and on streets and sidewalks. This is a major problem in efforts to rid our area of rodents. Seeds and other items from bird feeders that are left on the ground are also rodent magnets. A bag of manure that is waiting to be incorporated into your soil is further enticement to rodents.

All of this leads back to simple precautions. Keep all garbage cart lids closed. If one cart is filled, use the next one. Do not leave garbage outside of a cart. Pick up after your pet, every time your pet goes out. Don’t wait. If you see a rat, report it to my office or 3-1-1. Call Alderman Daley's office (773) 327-9111 if you have any questions or would like help with a rodent problem in your area.

If we make a serious effort to keep our alleys, yards and parkways free of debris, contain our garbage and pick-up after our pets we will make a great deal of headway in dealing with this problem.

New Business Scam

2009-08-20T13:05:33Z

A new scam may be affecting businesses. Be on the lookout for the following warning signs, shared by a LPCC member:

"We just had a woman posing as a client come into our studio & offices and steal over $400 in cash out of our staff's personal belongings. She came in one day to ask questions about our schedule & services and left. The next day she came in claiming she had an appointment, asked to use the bathroom, and then when left alone for a few minutes, quickly located & took money from different purses in our back room & left through a fire exit."

If you suspect anything, please contact 911. In addition, any information shared with the LPCC that affects the local business community will be posted to our website to draw further awareness.

CPD Reminds Businesses, Residents to Remain Aware

2009-08-20T12:43:03Z

At the August CAPS Hospitality meeting, organized by the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, police captains and sergeants from across Lincoln Park reminded bar and restaurant owners, as well as everyday residents to remain vigilant in protecting themselves from robberies and other violent crime.

Always, they reminded the assembled crowd, call 911. Always be aware of your surroundings. Avoid secluded areas such as parks, alleys and vacant lots. Many of the recent robberies in our community have been on individuals who were intoxicated. Bars and restaurants are urged to take extra precautions with patrons who may have been overserved. Offer to call them a cab. Make sure someone is helping them home.

Together, we maintain - and enhance - the already sterling reputation experienced by all in Lincoln Park.

First Annual Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival

2009-08-10T11:49:11Z

The first annual Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival, held on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9 was attended by thousands of residents from across Lincoln Park, neighboring communities and Chicagoland. The key beneficiary of the event was the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC).

Set in the heart of Lincoln Park on Racine between Fullerton and Webster, the Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival served as a key fundraiser for the LPCC. With additional funding available from events and festivals, the LPCC can develop and implement future programs and initiatives to support the business community, and surrounding Lincoln Park neighborhood.

“As the LPCC adapts existing programs, and develops new strategies to support our local economy, funds from the Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival will be reinvested in the community,” said Kim Schilf, LPCC President and CEO. “It is our driving principle to contribute to the vitality of the entire Lincoln Park community.”

For entertainment, the Lincoln Park Arts & Music Festival featured renowned bands such as 10,000 Maniacs, Graham Parker, Over the Rhine and local favorite 16 Candles. Lincoln Park’s cultural icons, including the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago History Museum as well as Chicago favorites The Shedd Aquarium and Museum of Contemporary Art helped round out the event’s entertainment. A children’s area was also offered to families free of charge.

In addition to music and other entertainment, some of Lincoln Park’s reknowned restaurants offered festival-goers a taste of what the neighborhood has to offer while cold beverages helped combat nearly record temperatures in Chicago. The LPCC worked together with Chicago Special Events Management to secure artists and other vendors that sold and showcased their wares to the assembled crowds.

“I would like to personally thank our volunteers – more than 175 strong – for their assistance and commitment during a very hot weekend,” Schilf continued. “Without your efforts we would not have been able to pull together a successful event. Thank you again for helping us welcome residents to our neighborhood.”

Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo Summmer Update

2009-08-04T13:21:15Z

Lincoln Park Zoo is providing the community iwth periodic updates on progress to transform the pond adjacent to Cafe Brauer into the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo. This revitalized landscape will provide a haven for native birds, frogs, fish, insects and mammals while serving as an outdoor classroom for students.

The zoo is investing approximately $12 million for its restoration and long-term support for maintenance. In addition to creating a safer experience for the public, the zoo will restore the pong to a more naturalisitc environment. Native vegetation will filter the water, creating cleaner and healthier quality. Native wildlife will be introduced to create a natural ecosystem. A boardwalk will surround the entire pond and an over-the-water gazebo will be added providing new opportunities for the public to enjoy and experience nature.

Construction began on July 28. The project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2010.

Lincoln Park Community Alert

2009-08-03T07:03:57Z

The Chicago Police Department is investigating a series of Strong Arm Robberies in the 43rd Ward in which the victims are severely beaten by multiple offenders. In each case, victims are walking when confronted from behind by several men who demand their wallet and beat them in the head and face. Victims have been hospitalized due to their injuries.

The robberies occurred at:
•   600 block of West Fullerton on July 30th at 2AM
•   2100 block of North Stockton on July 30th at 2:05AM
•   2000 block of North Cleveland on August 1st at 3AM and
•   300 block of West Webster on August 1st at 3:36AM.

The offenders have been described as male, Black and Hispanic, early 20's. One victim thought that the offenders drove an older model, small maroon colored car.

If you are out late at night or during early morning hours, avoid secluded areas (parks, alleys, vacant lots). Be aware of your surroundings, walk in groups and always call 911 to report any suspicious activity. Travel in groups and follow-up with phone calls to ensure everyone in your group arrives home safely.

If you have any information that may be helpful please call Belmont Area detectives at (312) 744-8263.