• Alderman Osterman announced the launch for developing a Master Plan for the 48th ward.  The plan will determine what the ward will look like by the year 2020.  The alderman's goal is to engage as many 48th ward residents and businesses as possible in the planning process.  The launch meeting for the Master Plan will be at Senn H.S. on Thursday, February 23, at 7 PM.  More information is available on the Alderman's website at: 48thward.org/masterplan.

• There will be a CAPS (community policing) meeting on Thursday, February 16, at 7:00 PM, CAPS at Margate Park.  The meeting should last about one hour..

• There will be a 48th Ward Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, October 25, at 7:00 PM with Alderman Osterman at St. Andrews Church, 5649 N. Sheridan.  Information on highrise fire safety will also be discussed by the Fire Department at this meeting.  On Thursday. October 27, at 7:00 PM, another Town Hall meeting will be held at the Boys and Girls Club at 4835 N. Sheridan, without the highrise fire safety discussion.

• National Night Out is on August 2nd at 6:30 PM.  I’ve attached flyers to this reminder and update for the event.  I was sent a note from the Admiral CEO, Glenn Brichacek, about National Night Out.

CWBC will not have a block party this year. The Admiral, its Board and Glenn have always been strong supporters of our block party and have annually helped defray some of the costs of the event.

In lieu of financial support of the CWBC Block Party this year, Glenn and The Admiral have elected to put those block club party funds toward the National Night Out event this year.

The Admiral feels that it is an appropriate alternative to the block party as their donation will go towards an event that supports the Chicago Police Dept and its community outreach initiative.  It promises to be a fun evening and is for a good cause.

On behalf of CWBC, Sgt Kwong-CAPS/Chicago Police, Ed Kuske, CAPS Coordinator; I thank The Admiral and its Board for another example of how good neighbors continue to support initiatives that help to make a neighborhood strong-----from the block party, to Goudy School and the Police Department.

Joe Trendl

• New Alderman Harry Osterman's office will have and open house on Saturday, June 4, from 10 AM to 2 PM.   Bring any service or infrastructure requests, or any ideas for the Ward.  If you would like to sign up to receive the alderman's weekly Ward/City Council newsletter by email, you can sign up at http://48thward.org/.

• The local food pantry, Care for Real, has relocated to a much larger facility closer to our block club at 5339 N. Sheridan.  To offset the cost of the move, they are looking for donations.  The can also use more volunteers.  Their website is at http://www.careforreal.org/.  To read their May newsletter, click here.

• Our new alderman, Harry Osterman, has sent out some information about his office.  To read his comments and information, click here.

• Retiring Alderman Mary Ann Smith has written a farewell statement outlining the ward's accomplishments during her nearly 22 years in office.  To read her statement, click here.

• From Alderman Smith's office:  "Alderman Smith's office will be closing May 1 to allow for the transition before Alderman-elect Harry Osterman takes office on May 16.  During this time, we will be closing out projects and doing final cleanup.
  

  "We request that you submit any permit, block party or garage sale requests, or other City business, by April 25 so we can be sure your needs are taken care of before we leave office."

• Newsletter from Alderman Mary Ann Smith:  April  2011.

• The Park District will be installing pay boxes in the Margate Park parking lot sometime during the week of April 11.

• The Margate Park Advisory Council had a meeting on March 22, 2011.  You can read the meeting notes here and find information about the MPAC in the Links section at left.

• The Block Club's annual sidewalk/garage sale will take place on Saturday, June 11, from 9 AM to 5 PM.  Details to follow later.  This is the Block Club's annual fund-raising event.

• The neighborhood street sweeping schedule for 2011 has been published.  The dates are included in the Calendar page.

• There have been reports from neighbors seeing rats around the neighborhood--some in the alleyways, others reporting seeing them on properties ranging from 5101 N Sheridan down Winona as far east as 900 (both sides of the street).  The city has been notified and they will take care of the alleys, but they cannot enter private property.
  If you see rodents on or near your property the only way to safely handle the situation is to call
  311 and report it (w/your address)---please get a service number and if you forward the service number to the Block Club president, we can track the work.
  ***DO NOT USE A COMMERCIAL REPELLANT/POISON*** it could be harmful to kids, pets and plants---leave it to the city.
  DO NOT LEAVE FOOD OUT FOR PIGEONS—either in the alley or on or about your property---rodents have a strong memory and if fed once they will continue to return and bring others.

• The Carmen-Winona Block Club meeting was held on Thursday, June 24, at 7:00 PM in the 5040/60 N. Marine Dr. meeting room.  Click here to read the meeting Minutes.

• Anyone interested in volunteering to go to court as a Court Advocate representing the neighborhood should contact our Court Advocate coordinator, Ed Kuske, at eakuske1@comcast.net.  Ed can answer any questions you may have and can provide you with a schedule of current cases.  The cases for the two individuals arrested for the recent garage robberies in our neighborhood will be heard on May 17 at 26th & California.