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From: 'Chicago Aneinu' via chicago-aneinu <chicago-aneinu@googlegroups.com>
Date: 1/7/22 12:53 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: Chicago Aneinu <myysbyy@aol.com>
Subject: [chicago-aneinu] Chicago's 50th Ward Newsletter
Chicago's 50th Ward Newsletter News From 50th Ward Alderman Debra Silverstein | | | | Follow the 50th Ward on Social Media Email is not the only way to get news from the 50th Ward. I also post frequently on social media to advise the public on emerging information. Please follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to make sure you get all of the updates as soon as they are available. | | Dear Neighbor,
Shared Cost Sidewalk Program - Jan. 10, 2022 Is your sidewalk cracked or broken? Now is the time to get it fixed. The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program will open to new applicants this Monday, January 10 at 6 a.m. You have several options for applying this year: Call 311 or apply through the CHI 311 website or mobile app.
PLEASE NOTE: The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program operates on a first-come, first-served basis and is extremely popular. Whichever option you choose, make sure to enroll as soon as possible after the program opens.
The Shared Cost Sidewalk Program is a popular service in which residents share the cost of sidewalk repair with the City. Property owners will pay a price per square-foot for new sidewalk that is well below what a private contractor would charge. The scope of the program may include the main walk, the existing courtesy walk (which runs perpendicular from the main sidewalk to the curb) and existing landing steps (the small strip of concrete sometimes found adjacent to the curb).
For more information, please visit the Chicago Department of Transportation's (CDOT) website here. For any questions, contact CDOT at (312) 744-1746 or email cdotsharedcost@cityofchicago.org.
Classes Canceled Today for All CPS Students CPS canceled class for a third time today as our schools report a record number of coronavirus cases and the Chicago Teachers Union voted to work remotely. Take-home meals will be available at all schools until our kids are back in the classroom.
Safe haven sites are open across the city that offer safe spaces for CPS students. Visit https://schoolinfo.cps.edu/map-safehaven to find a Safe Haven location that works for you. You can also search for Daytime Programs here.
The health of our children is of paramount importance. I hope that CPS and CTU can come to an agreement that keeps our children learning while protecting the safety of our community. I will keep you posted as the situation develops.
COVID-19 Update COVID-19 cases in Chicago continue to rise. We are seeing an average of 4,998 cases a day, the highest it has been during the pandemic. Our positivity rate currently sits at 23%, the highest since the first wave in 2020. Hospital beds are also filling with COVID patients, prompting Chicago-area hospitals to delay elective surgeries.
Despite these alarming trends, we are still seeing good news in terms of the effectiveness of the vaccine. The Omicron variant leads to more breakthrough infections, but unvaccinated individuals are still twice as likely to catch COVID as vaccinated Chicagoans, and three times as likely as boosted residents.
The vaccine is also very effective at preventing the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection, with hospitalizations and death substantially higher among the unvaccinated. Since Thanksgiving, unvaccinated Chicagoans have been hospitalized or died with COVID at 5 times the rate of vaccinated residents and 9 times the rate of those who are boosted.
It has become clear that the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your family, and our community. To find a vaccine near you, visit chicago.gov/covidvax.
The 50th Ward Office remains open to help you with any needed City services. Visit us at 2949 W. Devon, call us at (773) 262-1050, or email info@50thwardchicago.com. I am also available to meet over Zoom for anyone who needs my help. Feel free to contact my staff to schedule an appointment.
Have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,  Debra L. Silverstein Alderman, 50th Ward | | As another year begins, it is my hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season. I am grateful to have the opportunity to serve you as Alderman of the 50th Ward. I look forward to working with you all to make 2022 the best year yet for our neighborhood!
I would like to take a moment to recap some of the important events that have happened in 2021 in the 50th Ward. My focus was on the health and safety of our community and on making vital improvements that make our neighborhood safer, more beautiful and more attractive to businesses and families.
Coronavirus Response We are officially in our third calendar year dealing with the pandemic. The 50th Ward has one of the highest vaccine rates in the City of Chicago. However, there is still a lot of work to do to keep our community safe.
In 2021, we held multiple vaccine and booster clinics throughout the 50th Ward. The COVID-19 vaccine is widely available throughout the neighborhood, and we continue to hold clinics in senior buildings and other facilities. | | The pandemic has introduced many necessities we never had before. To help, I distributed thousands of free face masks to local residents, as well as containers of hand sanitizer and COVID-19 self-test kits.
One of the greatest challenges throughout the pandemic has been access to reliable information and dispelling myths about the virus and the vaccine. To help inform you, I hosted several virtual meetings with Dr. Allison Arwady and representatives of the Chicago Department of Public Health. Thank you to everyone who participated!
Community Engagement My favorite part of serving as Alderman is interacting with all the wonderful residents of the 50th Ward! This last year finally had somewhat of a return to normalcy, and we were able to hold a lot of events in 2021:
50th Ward Volunteer Clean Up
After a long year of pandemic and extreme weather, many 50th Ward parks and streets were desperately in need of attention. Many of you joined me for a series of volunteer efforts to clean up our streets and beautify our parks. Special attention was paid to (Phillip) Rogers Park, which was damaged by a tornado last year. We planted new trees and spread fresh wood chips on the playground.
Back to School Fair
The annual 50th Ward Back to School Fair was back in-person this year. We distributed hundreds of backpacks stuffed with school supplies to children from throughout the neighborhood. We all have a responsibility to make sure every child has the resources they need to have a productive school year.
50th Ward Virtual Job Fair
More than 200 residents joined the annual 50th Ward Job Fair. Nearly 20 employers participated over two days to provide valuable information about openings and speak directly with job seekers. We need to get as many people back to work as possible.
50th Ward Donation Drives
The 50th Ward is one of the most caring and generous communities. This year, we collected food, diapers and infant formula for families in need, as well as winter coats for local students. We also partnered with community groups, such as Rohingya Cultural Center, ICNA Relief, and Share Our Spare to help as many people as possible. Currently, we are holding a donation drive to help Afghan refugees through the Muslim Woman Resource Center.
Infrastructure Improvement We have made many concrete improvements to the neighborhood this year that will benefit us for years to come. As usual, I dedicated most of my funding to improving the condition of our streets. In 2021, we completely resurfaced nearly 20 local streets.
Several arterial streets were also resurfaced, and received new curbs and gutters, ADA sidewalk improvements and new pavement striping. Jersey Avenue was repaired between Peterson and Lincoln. Howard Street is also being completely remodeled as part of a major Streetscape Project held in conjunction with Evanston.
Many local blocks also received new, pedestrian-friendly piggyback street lights. Not only do they give the streets a much-needed facelift, but they make a substantial improvement to public safety in our neighborhood.
Pedestrian safety is a major priority. I am working with the Chicago Department of Transportation to introduce traffic calming techniques to improve safety on major streets and near schools. We also partnered with Swedish Hospital to give away free bike helmets and present bike safety lessons. Economic Development The last year was very difficult for many local businesses, as the pandemic's effects on the economy continue to be felt. Despite this, we welcomed many exciting new businesses and organizations to the 50th Ward. The Chicago Mitzvah Campaign opened a new senior center; Tree House Humane Society opened a new veterinary wellness center; Patel Brothers opened a renovated flagship store on Devon Avenue; and many more restaurants and businesses opened their doors. | | I helped connect many local business owners to government resources and pandemic relief throughout the last year. Funding was also made available for small business owners to improve their facilities. The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) offered grants of up to $150,000 to businesses in the 50th Ward, with new areas opening soon for application.
Legislative Update One of my most important tasks is to represent you on the Chicago City Council. As part of my legislative duties, I serve on seven City Council Committees, which draft and refine the legislation that governs our city. I am also vice chairman of the Committee on Budget and Government Operations, which is in charge of the funds expended by the City of Chicago.
Some of the most important legislation I have been able to support in 2021 include: - Increased Minimum Wage - The minimum wage in Chicago is now officially $15 an hour, thanks to legislation passed by the City Council. Nobody should have to work a full-time job and still be unable to support their families. This goes some of the way towards making our City a fairer and more equitable place to work.
- Welcoming City Ordinance - We passed a new, stronger version of the Welcoming City Ordinance, which will protect Chicago's more than 500,000 immigrants from raids and deportation by the federal government.
- ECPS Ordinance - Chicago passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety Ordinance. This piece of legislation was years in the making and is an important step toward strengthening trust between the public and the police tasked with keeping us safe.
- Honoring Victims of the Holocaust - The Chicago City Council paid tribute to victims of the Holocaust with a moment of silence for International Holocaust Rememberance Day and with a resolution condemning Representative Mary Miller for her insensitive and hateful comments towards victims of the Nazi atrocities.
- 2022 Budget - The Chicago City Council passed a $16.7 billion budget for the new year. The budget relies heavily on federal stimulus funds to significantly reduce the city's long-term debt and provide a much-needed increase in city services, violence prevention initiatives, and social safety nets. As always, I voted against increasing property taxes for our city's hard working residents.
Have a wonderful New Year! Everyone worked hard to make 2021 a wonderful year here in the 50th Ward, despite the pandemic. I would like to thank all of you—the community organizations, families and individual citizens—for showing such tremendous dedication to our neighborhood.
You are all doing a fantastic job, but there is more work to be done in 2022. Please call my office at (773) 262-1050 to report any City Service requests or other ways we can help you improve our neighborhood. It is a pleasure to serve you, and I look forward to continuing to make the 50th Ward a great place to live and work. | | Small Business Improvement Fund - Lincoln Avenue
Small business owners can now apply for funding to improve their facilities. The City of Chicago will accept Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) applications from business owners in the Lincoln Avenue TIF until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1.
The SBIF program uses Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenue to help owners repair or remodel their facilities and improve their businesses. Tenant businesses are also eligible to apply. Grants up to $150,000 are available for commercial properties and $250,000 for industrial properties.
The current round of funding is only available for 50th Ward businesses within the Lincoln Avenue TIF. To find out if your business is within the TIF, visit https://webapps1.cityofchicago.org/ChicagoTif.
Interested businesses and property owners can visit somercor.com/sbif to find the application and for more information. | | Winter Donation Drive for Refugees |  | | 50th Ward Donation Drive
We are collecting donations of non-perishable food, diapers and infant formula at the 50th Ward Office. Many of our neighbors are still grappling with the economic ramifications of COVID-19, and any goods you can spare will make a tremendous difference to those in need.
Drop off donations at 2949 W. Devon during regular business hours. Call before coming to make sure a staff member is available to pick up the donation outside the office. Staff will wear masks and gloves and follow social distancing procedures.
Please consider donating. Every item helps! | | Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes
The Department of Water Management (DWM) reminds residents to take precautions to prevent pipes from freezing and causing costly damage to homes. As temperatures drop for more prolonged periods of time, the chance that pipes will freeze and rupture increases.
Act now to make sure pipes in your home are properly insulated and not exposed to freezing air. Specifically, homeowners should: - Maintain adequate heat in their homes.
- Insulate pipes, particularly those outside or on the perimeter of the residence.
- Run a trickle of cold water on each floor of the home at the points farthest from the location of the main water service into the home.
- Make sure that there is warm air circulating in any area where there are water pipes. This includes garages and unheated areas of the home.
- Remove all garden hoses from hose bibs and cover the bibs with Styrofoam hose bib insulating caps.
If pipes do freeze, do not use candles or any open flame to thaw them. Use a hair dryer or heating pad. Visit www.cityofchicago.org/water for more tips on how to prevent frozen pipes. | | Warren Park Youth Baseball Registration |  | | Christmas Tree Recycling |  | | | | | Address: 2949 W. Devon Avenue Email: info@50thwardchicago.com
Phone: 773-262-1050
Fax: 773-381-2970 | | | | | | | | | |
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