We like what the 48th Ward is doing to reach out to those who live in the park to help them escape homelessness. Can we expect similar action from the 46th Ward?

From Ald. Smith's latest newsletter (48th Ward):
"City "Sweeps" the Lakeshore Parks. To help ensure the cleanliness of the parks and to offer help to those who are living in them, Alderman Smith's office, together with the Chicago Police Department and the Department of Human Services have been conducting park "sweeps" after the parks close. Everyone encountered is told they can't sleep in the park and is offered medical care and social services support to help them transition out of homelessness. Trash left in the parks is cleaned up by the Chicago Park District. If there is a specific park location that needs attention, please e-mail dana@masmith48.org."

We're reminded of that old joke: "What's the secret of success?" "....." "....." "....." "Timing!"

Perhaps the would-be social commentator at Winthrop and Leland would have been a little more relevant about, oh, 15 years ago.

Scrawling this on a corner that's just steps from new condos, townhouses, high-rises, rehabs, and a revitalized entertainment district seems just a little bit sad. Dude, try Lincoln Park!

It's "Son of Racine"!

The folks on the 4600 block of Winthrop can't get their streetlights on, at least the ones on the west side of the street. The lights have been off for more than a month, even though some of the residents have organized a telephone tree to call 311 every single night. They've called the City, written Ald. Shiller, and we've even put them in touch with our super-secret mole, "Magical City Guy," but it's still been 35 consecutive nights of darkness on Winthrop, and counting.

Since the 4600 block of Winthrop is part of the Wilson Yard TIF, we wonder if any of that money they're paying into the TIF, earmarked for "infrastructure," could be used to get their lights turned back on. Or does that make too much sense?

A reader, "The Point-And-Shootist," writes in:

Hello and Happy 4th of July! Last night we observed quite a fireworks display right out our window. The horizon was littered with fireworks shows but the best and the closest to us was this one. We were wondering if anyone knew where this show originates as we have seen it in years past and it was so good we felt we should donate to it! Anybody know?

See photos and video of the show here:
http://thepoint-n-shootist.com/picture_perfect/2009/07/uptown-fireworks-show/

A tip of the hat to Jack Kerouac for the word imagery.

Uptown Update wishes a very festive July Fourth to our readers (with a little help from our favorite neighborhood lion, who's putting on the glitz at Montrose and Dayton).

Tiztal Cafe, at 4631 N Clark is now advertising an open patio in back. Be sure to check out their secluded enclave while you dine on their famous breakfast potatoes. Check out their Yelp page for more details on hours and menu.

Put your mark on Uptown... literally! "Chicago Public Art Group artists and youth from Alternatives, Inc. are creating a bricolage (direct application mosaic) on both sides of the Foster Ave. underpass at Lake Shore Drive. This project is made possible by Alderman Mary Ann Smith. CPAG Youth from Alternatives Inc. are recruited through After School Matters summer youth employment program. The mural is a Native American inspired theme. Native American artists from the Edgewater community and Mitchell Museum of the American Indian consulted on the design and are also working on the project.

The community is invited to participate in the fabrication of the murals Monday – Thursday and Saturdays in July between the hours of noon and 4:00 PM. Anyone who would like to participate just needs to show up and check in with the lead artists Tracy VanDuinen or Todd Osborne. All neighbors are welcome."

UU note: It's going up FAST. Lots of progress in just the past three or four days. If you want to be part of the experience, we'd recommend making it sooner than later.

The former Tom Seay Salvation Army Center at Broadway and Sunnyside is officially on the market. We spotted a FOR SALE sign for the building & lot with a contact number of 312-297-7635.
This is a beautiful building. How about some market-rate RENTALS above and a coffee shop or restaurant below? We can dream.

A reader writes in:
"Figured it wouldn't hurt to mention to readers that the CTA has a survey on their website (www.transitchicago.com) asking riders for their feedback on bus and rail service. There is also a comment section within the survey. Feel free to let the CTA know what you think of the deplorable conditions of the Uptown El stations (especially Wilson and Lawrence)."

Via: Chicago Breaking News

The Task Force received a tip that things were buzzing at the eatery and confirmed it today, according to a news release from the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

More than 180 flying insects were spotted by inspectors virtually everywhere including crawling on 25 batches of donuts and bagels, on the ceiling mounted menu, in the food-selling and storage areas and inside the ladies rest room. The business was shuttered for the violations of inadequate pest control and for failure to protect food from cross contamination.

"This was one of the worst flying insect infestations that our inspectors have seen in a very long time," Josie Cruz, Deputy Commissioner of the department's Bureau of Rodent Control, said. "They are going to have to prove to us that they have revamped their house cleaning and pest control programs, cleaned and pest proofed their establishment and then ask for and pass a really tough follow-up re-inspection before they will be allowed to reopen."

Some news from the 23rd District Court Advocacy meeting earlier this week about some local bad boys who won't be able to hurt anyone in our community for a few years:

• Gerald Lee Holman was tried and found guilty of Home Invasion, Criminal Sexual Assault, and Robbery. He was sentenced to terms of 6 years and 19 years, running concurrently. He had 72 felony counts and attacked his victim in a laundry room.
  From the July 10, 2008 Tribune: "Gerald Lee Holman, 37, whose last known address was a shelter in the 900 block of West Lawrence Avenue, was arrested Tuesday and charged Wednesday with one count each of aggravated criminal sexual assault and attempted aggravated criminal sexual assault and two counts of home invasion with a firearm. The attacks occurred in June in the 6900 and 6800 blocks of Wayne Avenue, police said."
• Corteze Reed, 18, was tried and found guilty of Possesession of a Firearm With Defaced Serial Number and sentenced to 2 years. He's a gang member, and Uptown Update readers may remember the incident for which he was arrested: shooting at Sheridan and Leland in February 2009, right as the kids at Alternatives were getting out for the evening. (Beat 2312)
• Tyrone Williams, 53, a career burglar and resident in the 23rd District, was found guilty of burglary and sentenced to two sentences of 7 and a half years. (Beat 2311)
• Henry Nichols, 62, a career burglar with numerous arrests, was found guilty of residential burglary and sentenced to 12 years. (Beat 2331)

Well done, community, court advocates and cops!

By Lorraine Swanson, Editor, Lake Effect News
The Chicago City Council approved a zoning change for a property at 4627 N. Beacon St. on Wednesday, paving the way for a controversial condominium development to be built on what was once the site of the oldest home in Sheridan Park.

The zoning change was granted with a restrictive covenant locking Uptown developer Chris Byrne into his plans for an eight-unit condominium building. According to a copy of the legal document provided by 46th Ward Alderman Helen Shiller’s office, Byrne may not stray from his original design in any form or manner. Continue Reading

ChicagoTalks has an article on the continuing court fight over Wilson Yard and how our taxes, when converted to TIF funds, are being spent. An excerpt:

The original redevelopment plan included mixed-income housing, a movie theater, and retailers Target and Aldi’s.

Eight years after the original plans, Aldi’s was built but not in the original location in Wilson Yard, there are no plans for a movie theater, mixed-income housing is being replaced with low-income housing, and Target has not yet committed to build in the complex.

Representatives for Target declined to comment.

Continue reading Uptown Residents Continue Battle After Judge Throws Out Fix Wilson Yard Suit

Yesterday was the "official" day by which you have to display a city sticker on your Chicago-registered car, but all hardened Chicagoans know enforcement doesn't begin until July 15th. You can still hit a couple local aldermanic offices to buy your sticker before the ticketing begins:

* Thursday, July 9, 10am-5:30pm, 4237 N Lincoln

* Friday, July 10, 10am-5:30pm, 4544 N Broadway

Talk about multi-tasking! We're amused by this restaurant and its secret identities. From 7am-11am, it's DMF Breakfast House, where you can get a hearty American breakfast. But come 11:01, it whips off its Clark Kent glasses and becomes D'Manilians Fishpond, with Filipino fare. Adding Lois and Jimmy to the mix, it also has signs for "fax service" and "new sports bar." No guarantees on what you'll find when you get there, but this jack-of-all-trades is located at 4416 N Clark, just north of Montrose.

Update: The MenuPages blog followed up on this, and sad to say, "American Breakfasts" are no more. Read about it here.

The Graceland Cemetery wall on Montrose has been completely repaired by the looks of it. Pedestrians can enjoy full use of the sidewalk again.

Did you know you could rent waverunners at Montrose Beach? Neither did we. A reader alerted us to "Windy City Watersports." Check out their website here and all the fun details. No jokes about the name of the business, we're sure they've heard them all before.

Update: 20% off July 1-2 and 6-15. See the comments for details.

The design has been traced for a few weeks now, and now the mosaic tiling has begun on the Foster Avenue bricolage that honors Uptown's Native American history. If you drive or walk past the underpass, you can see the glitter shimmering (especially impressive when the car headlights reflect off the walls). We wonder if the same artists from Alternatives who did the other local bricolages (at 4730 N Sheridan and the Bryn Mawr underpass) are providing the work here? We look forward to checking back on the progress in future weeks.

Via Chicago Breaking News:
Non-union city workers will have to take 15 unpaid days off before the end of the year after the Chicago City Council today overwhelmingly approved Mayor Richard Daley's budget-cutting move.

The 42-6 vote in favor came after many aldermen argued that it's better for city workers to take some furlough days than lose their jobs.
"We really don't have the luxury of delaying this action any further," said Ald. Edward Burke (14th), chairman of the City Council's Finance Committee. "I don't think we have much choice."

The measure will affect about 10 percent of city workers. Ald. Helen Shiller (46th) said the move was necessary to push labor unions that represent the other 90 percent to also take furlough days.

"We have to show we're serious," Shiller said.

If the unions don't agree to concessions, Daley has warned that he would lay off more than 1,500 employees. Continue Reading

Never a dull moment. One of our readers was at Montrose Harbor tonight when a fire broke out (and a police officer became a de facto firefighter):

"Just happened to be taking photos of a stunning sunset at Montrose Harbor when a fire broke out on a boat. Those of us in the area responded by, of course, calling for help and one man jumped in his boat and headed over toward it! A Chicago Police Officer in a squad car came rushing toward us and we waved him toward where the fire was and I think HE should get A LOT of credit! He jumped out of his squad car and got to that boat somehow and started to put it out before CFD could even get there. Coast Guard, CPD, CFD including divers and what appeared to be a paramilitary group of Chicago Police Officers were on hand for what was quite an unsettling sunset. Kudos to all the authorities for excellent work done!"

Check out the photos here, and link to the video at the bottom of the page.

Gotta love what some people think is appropriate behavior outside a family shelter. May not be safe for work viewing, although far from explicit.

CBS2 reports someone rained on the parade: An Uptown neighborhood man is due in court Monday morning on charges that he attacked crowds after Chicago's Gay Pride Parade. Lawrence Perea, 29, of the 4200 block of North Sheridan Road, is charged with reckless conduct, police said. Perea was charged with using an oversized squirt gun to spray and soak partygoers on North Halsted Street with an unidentified green substance. [...] Perea's activity was causing people to panic, according to police who said it was not known what the substance was. Read more here.

While, on a more positive note, Lake Effect News has an article and an awesome slideshow of photos of the parade and events.

Uptowners might not even know that they could get their hands on some of the best thin crust pizza around in our neck of the woods. Check out Villa May Pizzeria (formerly at Montrose and Damen in Ravenswood) on Lawrence just a bit west of Clark. Their website has their complete menu and ordering details here, or check out their Yelp reviews here.

Thanks to a reader for sending in photographic evidence that Ald. Shiller made it to at least part of the Pride Parade. Proof positive that she loves and supports gays (unless, of course, they run against her for office or don't support 100% low-income housing projects built in high-poverty tracts).

Chicago Architecture Foundation
Santa Fe Building, first floor gallery
24 South Michigan Avenue
No RSVPs/Free and open to the public
(Credit available: AIA/CES 1)

Portrait of a Palace
12:15 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Co-hosts:
Jerry Mickelson, founder and partner of JAM Productions, and
Andy Pierce, volunteer, Friends of the Uptown.

"This documentary film on Chicago's UPTOWN THEATRE provides an in-depth look at the history of this movie palace and its amazing survival. The film accurately portrays a theatre "that is beyond human dreams of loveliness," as touted by architects C.W. & Geo. L. Rapp in 1925. Following the screening, Pierce and Mickelson discuss the theater's history and its planned renovation."

Read more about it at the ArchitectureChicago Plus blog.

Update: Read "The Lowdown on the Uptown" from NBC5's website.

Yikes. A reader writes in that: "At around 6:30 [Saturday evening] I drove past Foster on LSD and there was a man standing on the bridge about to jump. There were dozens of emergency response people in place, fire trucks, cop cars, ambulances etc.

They had shut down Foster below the bridge and the ramp for exiting LSD onto Foster. On my way back I noticed they were blowing up a large inflatable below him. The crowds were huge, people gawking. What a strange place to pick to jump from. It's maybe 12 feet?"

We hope the man is safe and receiving the care he needs. If you have any further information, please add it to the comments.

Questions abound!

- Will Ald. Shiller participate in the Pride Parade this Sunday, or skip it like she did in 2007?

- If she shows up, will she make it all the way to the end of the route, or will she bail, like she did in 2008?

- Will she ride with one of the cool kids in an attempt to deflect the catcalls and boos, like she did in 2006?

Enquiring minds want to know!

Uptown Baptist Church, Wilson & Sheridan, 9am-3pm
All services are FREE

An event for Men, Women, Children, Teens, & Elders

Free Screening, Free Orientations. Learn about treatments for Disease & Drug Abuse. Gather Financial Assistance & Health Resources. Free Fitness Class. Free Massages.

Sample List of Resources, Services & Information: Stroke Screening Orientation; Drug Abuse Treatment & Prevention; Support after Abortion; Crisis Pregnancy Support; Children's Vaccines (bring medical records); Financial Advice; Alzheimer's Care; Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Cholesterol Screenings; Grants for Mammograms; Supplemental Health Insurance; Asian Family Services; Personal & Bike Safety

Sponsored by Uptown Baptist Church, CAPS, Uptown Ministry

The Chase Park Advisory Council presents a free screening of "The Goonies" Saturday, June 27 around dusk (8pm) in Chase Park (Clark & Leland). Pack a picnic and bring your lawn chairs. Popcorn and snacks will be for sale. Who could possibly forget this? Any questions? Email chaseparkplayground@yahoo.com

Photographer Jerry Goldner sends us a great photo of a peregrine falcon perched high atop the Uptown Theatre. You can check out all of Jerry Goldner's amazing Uptown falcon photography here.

Not many details at this time, but there was a stabbing this afternoon near Sheridan and Lawrence involving two females. No word on whether the stabbing was fatal. Blood was visible in the intersection. Please add any further details in the comments.

A reader sends in the following pic and question:
"I make my way over to Pollo Loco quite a bit and have been wondering about the scaffolding around the Sheridan Plaza building at Sheridan & Wilson. Correct me if I am wrong, but I imagine the scaffolding has been up for at least 2 years now. There is no discernible work being done on the building and the lighting under the scaffolding is less than sufficient at night. Why is this building left to crumble? Did they run out of money to fix it? Hope you can post this on your site."