Dear Third Ward Resident, Voting is the basis for our democracy and it is the best way to have your voice heard in government. There are many ways to participate in the 2016 election starting with voting in the upcoming primary election. Illinois holds is primary elections on March 15th. Please visit www.chicagoelections.com for complete voter information or call 312-269-7900 to speak with someone at the Chicago Board of Elections office. Early voting has already begun and its a great way to avoid the long lines and hassle of voting on Election Day. From February 29th to March 12th early voting can be done at any of the 51 early voting sites. The 3rd Ward early voting location is Bee Library (3647 S. State) and it is open between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday (closed Sundays). You can also vote at other nearby locations like the King Center (4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave., open Sundays!) or the Chinatown Library (2100 S. Wentworth Ave.). But again, you are allowed to vote at any early voting site across the city. On March 13th and 14th you can only early vote at one of the 14 permanent early voting sites. New this year, Illinois residents can now register to vote "same day." On Election Day, March 15th, a Chicago voter may register at the precinct polling place assigned for that voter's home address. To register, please bring two forms of ID, one of which must show your current address. This is an especially important election as its a Presidential election year. Both the Democrat and Republican parties are conducting hotly contested primaries races. In order to ensure your favorite candidate is on the ballot for the general election in November, you must vote in the March primaries. So get out there and use your vote to make Chicago and the nation the best it can be!

Sincerely,

Pat Dowell Alderman, 3rd Ward

Third Ward Newsletter

March 2016

In This Issue

Third Ward Update 2-5

Events in and Around the Ward 6-7

Important Announcements/ 8-9

Employment and Training

3rd Ward Star/Feb. Caps 10

2

Third Ward Update

Alderman Dowell Hosts South Loop Town Hall Meeting On February 1st, Alderman Dowell hosted a very well attended Town Hall meeting at South Loop Elementary School (1212 S. Plymouth Ct.). At the meeting, residents heard from new 1st District Commander Robert Klich, area developers, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Alderman Dowell also delivered an update about what is happening in the 3rd Ward and took questions from the audience. At the meeting attendees learned about the City's Motor Row streetscape project, updates to Women's and Webster parks, changes to the Clark House operating schedule, the 1326 S. Michigan development project and public safety priorities for the neighborhood. A full recap of the meeting, including copies of the presentations, can be found on Alderman Dowell's website www.dowellforthirdward.com. Thank you to South Loop Elementary School Principal Tara Shelton for hosting the event, the many great presenters for sharing their projects with the community and all the residents who took time out of their busy schedule to attend the Town Hall meeting.

3rd Ward Pastors and Ministers Breakfast On February 24th, about 30 pastors from churches across the 3rd Ward attended Alderman Dowell's Pastors and Ministers Breakfast Meeting. 2nd District Commander Terence Williams and 9th District Commander Daniel Godsel were on hand to discuss public safety issues in the community. Also on-hand to present were: Lisa Davis, Supervising Manager for the Youth Division, Department of Family and Support Services; Pastor Chris Harris, Chairman, Bronzeville Community Action Council; Delizza Russell, Director of Adult Day Care Programs, Chicago Commons; and Michael Henry, External Affairs Manager, ComEd. Alderman Dowell discussed various services offered through her office, and those offered by the many churches in the ward. A special thank you also to Pastor Eric Thomas of Grater Harvest MB Church for making their building available to host this important Pastors and Ministers Breakfast Meeting.

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President Obama Comes to Springfield President Barack Obama returned to the Illinois State Capitol where he once served as a State Senator to deliver a special address to the Illinois General Assembly. A full recap of President Obama's remarks can be found at www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room. In addition to reminiscing about his time as state senator, President Obama encouraged legislators to embrace compromise for the betterment of the state. He encouraged both parties to work together and not fall into partisan bickering. And following his speech, he met with all of the senators he use to work with in Springfield, including State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-03, pictured right) whose senatorial district covers a large portion of the 3rd Ward.

Alderman Dowell Receives Award from Friends of the Parks Friends of the Parks presented Alderman Dowell with their Aldermanic Award at their Annual Meeting and Legacy Lakefront Luncheon. Each year Friends of the Parks presents awards to people who have supported new parks, park improvements and fought to preserve open space. Alderman Dowell was selected for her commitment to protecting the Chicago lakefront as an open space for everyone to enjoy. Friends of the Parks is a 40-year old non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, protect, improve and promote the use of parks and open spaces throughout the Chicago area for the enjoyment of all residents and visitors.

3rd Ward SBIFs Accepting Applications in March The Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) program helps businesses by providing financial assistance for building improvement costs. To access these funds, businesses must meet strict eligibility requirements and submit an application to SomerCor 504 by the end of an open application period. SBIF funds are very limited and only available during certain windows when the TIF in your area is accepting SBIF applications. SomerCor 504 is currently accepting SBIF applications for the following TIFs through Thursday, March 31,

2016. Applications submitted after this date will not be accepted.

24th/Michigan

47th/Halsted

Bronzeville

Michigan/Cermak

To find out if your business is located in a TIF district, please click here. Only businesses located within a TIF district with an open SBIF are eligible to apply. If you have SBIF questions please call SomerCor 504 at 312-360-3300 or go to their website, www.somercor.com/sbif.

LSC Election Information and Important Dates Local School Councils (LSC) are committees made up of both elected and appointed representatives that help govern individual Chicago schools. LSCs are responsible for three main duties in Chicago Public Schools: approving how funds and resources are allocated, developing and monitoring the annual School Improvement Plan, and evaluating and selecting the school's principal. LSCs are made up of parents, community members, teachers, school staff and a student representative (high schools only). LSC positions are filled by elections held every two years. This year, elections will be held Wednesday, April 13th for elementary schools and Thursday, April 14 for high schools. Teachers and non-teacher staff LSC members are selected by the Board of Education. If you would like to become an LSC member, candidate forms are available at www.cps.edu. Completed forms must be submitted to the school where you intend to run by 3:00 pm on March 4th. For more information on Local School Councils and LSC elections, please call 773-553-1400.

Third Ward Update (Continued)

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Residents Living in Residential Permit Parking Zones Now Able to Purchase Three Sheets of Permits per 30 Day Period Residents who live in a residential permit parking zone area now have the option to purchase up to three sheets of Daily Parking Permits per 30 day period. Prior to this change, customers were only eligible for two sheets of Daily Parking Permits per period. This change makes it more convenient for residents and makes the purchase process more efficient and customer friendly. The price of the permits remains the same. Each sheet costs $8.00 and contains 15 parking permits. Permits can be purchased at the Chicago Clerk's office or online through EZ>BUY at www.chicityclerk.com.

South Loop Connector Construction The CTA is making structural improvements to remove slow zones and improve rail service on the Green and Orange Lines. In order to make these improvements work will be performed that may affect the South Loop community. While progress sometimes comes with inconveniences, the CTA will do their best to keep them at a minimum. Work will occur from Sunday, February 28th to Friday, November 17th weekdays from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm and Sundays from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm (note on some Sundays night work may occur). CTA will be performing structural maintenance on the Green and Orange Lines elevated structure from 14th Place to Van Buren Street. Work will require parking restrictions under and next to the elevated tracks while work is being performed. Access to residential garages may be temporarily restricted. There will be noise while work is performed including: the use of pneumatic tools, beeping from backup alarms on equipment, metal on metal disposal, chainsaws, jackhammers and truck traffic. The CTA can be reached at 312-681-2709 for information or to share your concerns.

2015 Yearly 311 Report The 3rd Ward Office in partnership with the various departments in the City of Chicago work hard to address your service request needs. In 2015 alone the 3rd Ward generated 34,021 service requests, 32,886 of them were completed. That is a 96.7% completion rate! Almost half of the service requests fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Streets and Sanitation, which deals with issues like rodent control, street cleaning, garbage collection and traffic management. Over 10,000 of the requests fall under either the responsibility of the Chicago Department of Transportation or the Department of Family and Support Services. A breakdown of the top requests for 2015 is below.

Third Ward Update (Continued)

Type Number

Weed Removal 2,858

Immediate Tow 2,357

Neighborhood Improvement 2,248

Aging Direct Service 1,432

Shelter Request 1,138

Street Light Out 1,132

S.W.A.P. (Sheriff's Work Alt. Program) 1,032

Pothole in Street 810

Vehicle Impoundment 796

Graffiti Removal 666

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January Top Ten 311 Requests

January 2016 Streets and Sanitation Requests

Third Ward Update (Continued)

Type Number

Department of Family and Support Services - Hu-

man Services 133

Department of Buildings - Vacant Buildings 58

CDOT - Electrical Operations 50

Animal Care and Control 43

Department of Water Management - Service Is-

sues 42

Streets and Sanitation - Sanitation Complaints 28

Streets and Sanitation - Traffic Services 25

Streets and Sanitation - Garbage Cans 24

Streets and Sanitation - Rodent Control 23

Streets and Sanitation - Recycling 23

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Events in and Around the Ward Low Cost Legal Clinic Are you in need of affordable legal services? Were you rejected from a legal aid agency because your income was too high? Come to Chicago's low cost legal clinic. Prices as low as $25 and they can assist with: custody, divorce, debt collection defense, foreclosure/evictions, criminal defense, social security and more! Walk-ins are welcome. For more information call 216-245-3234.

Where: 208 S. Jefferson St., Suite 204 When: 3rd Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm

Project Gentlemen Project Gentlemen is the philanthropic arm of I Am A Gentleman. They believe that young men should "dress the way they want to be addressed." To accomplish this goal Project Gentleman will be clothing 1,000 young men graduating high school. They are collecting gently used or new suits, sport coats, dress shirts, neckties and shoes. Donations must be neat, clean, have all working parts and be on a hanger. Drop off locations and dates are below. For more information call 773-531-7719 or go to www.iamgentleman.com.

Where: 2nd District Police Station - 5101 S. Wentworth Ave. or Greater Bethesda M.B. Church - 109 E. 53rd St. When: February 29th - March 14th

Free GED Classes Don't miss out on job opportunities because you don't have a high school diploma! Join the City Colleges of Chicago for High School Equivalency (GED) preparation. Classes start the week of March 7th. Register at either Kennedy King College or Dawson Technical Institute. When registering please bring proof of address, and for 16 or 17 year old students please bring a high school release form from the last school attended. Please allow 2 hours for the registration and testing process. Food and drink is not allowed. For more information please call 773-602-5340 or 773-487-6830.

Where: Kennedy King College (747 W. 63rd St.) or Dawson Technical Institute (3901 S. State St.) When: Starting Monday, March 7th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (KKC 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays)

Social Security: Rights, Responsibilities and Deadlines The Circuit Court of Cook County's Elder Justice Center is hosting a free seminar for seniors entitled "Social Security: Rights, Responsibilities and Deadlines." The seminar will discuss Social Security benefits eligibility requirements, how to earn Social Security credits, SSI eligibility requirements and how to create an online Social Security account. To register please call 312-603-9233.

Where: Richard J. Daley Center (50 W. Washington, Courtroom 2005) When: Wednesday, March 9th from noon until 1:30 pm

Faith Based Fellowship with the 9th District Join the 9th District Police Department for a faith based fellowship meeting. Light refreshments will be served. For more information please contact Officer Sabrina King or Officer Cheryl Clark at 312-747-3501.

Where: 9th District Police Department (3120 S. Halsted) When: Wednesday, March 16th from 10:00 am to 11:00 am

Register to Become an Openlands TreeKeeper Since 1991, more than 1,700 trained TreeKeepers have provided "eyes and ears on the ground" year round in neighbor-hoods all over Chicagoland to identify potential tree-related problems and lead neighbors in tree planting and care. Spring 2016 TreeKeepers courses are now open for registration. Register on line at www.openlands.org/treekeepers. For more information please call 312-863-6271.

Where: West Pullman Park (401 W. 123rd St.) When: Select Tuesdays and Saturdays, March 19th through April 12th starting either at 9:00 am or 6:00 pm

7

Events in and Around the Ward (continued) 9th District Police Department Community Basketball Game In order to strengthen relationships between the community and the local police department, the 9th District Police are hosting a basketball game where police officers will compete against youth from the 9th District community. For more information please contact Officer Sabrina King or Officer Cheryl Clark at 312-747-3501.

Where: Armor Square Park (3309 S. Shields) When: Wednesday, March 23rd from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Reverse Mortgages and Foreclosures: What You Should Know The Circuit Court of Cook County's Elder Justice Center is hosing a free seminar for seniors entitled "Reverse Mortgages and Foreclosures: What You Should Know." The seminar will cover homeowner rights in foreclosure cases, the mechanics of a reverse mortgage and the pros and cons of reverse mortgages. To register please call 312-603-9233.

Where: Richard J. Daley Center (50 W. Washington St., Courtroom 2005) When: Thursday, March 24th from noon until 1:30 pm

PDNA Annual Easter Egg Hunt 2016 The Prairie District Neighborhood Association is proud to once again host the annual Easter Egg Hunt in Chicago Women's Park. Bring your little ones for a fun day in the Prairie District. Festivities will include hunting for 12,000+ Easter eggs (eggs will all have a small prize or candy inside), a petting zoo, fun sports games and activities, 1000 amazing prizes, pinatas, tasty treats and of course a visit with the Easter Bunny. Tickets are $12 for children between 1 and 12 years old, $5 per person ages 13 and up. Tickets for children 12 months and under are free.

Where: Chicago Women's Park and Gardens (1801 S. Indiana, enter on 18th St.) When: Saturday, March 26th from noon until 2:00 pm

MBoutique Save the Date The MBoutique is an annual service project run by the Metropolitan Board of the Chicago Urban League to provide underprivileged girls with free dresses, shoes and accessories for the upcoming prom season. The dress drive runs from November 2015 through March 2016. Donations of gently used formal/special occasion dresses, shoes and accessories, as well as unopened makeup and purses can be dropped off at the Chicago Urban League building at 4510 S. Michigan. For more information email metroboard1983@gmail.com.

Where: De La Salle Institute (3434 S. Michigan Ave.) When: Saturday, April 2nd

Tiny Homes Summit Hosted by Pride Action Tank and the Polk Brothers Foundation, the Chicago Tiny Home Summit will bring together experts from Chicago and across the U.S. to discuss utilizing lower-cost, quicker solutions to meet the demand for homes for the unstably housed in Chicago, especially focused on the youth homeless population. Early bird registration is $45. After March 15, registration is $65. Breakfast and lunch will be provided on the 18th, breakfast only on the 19th. Register here: http://chicagotinyhomes.com

Where: University of Illinois at Chicago When: Monday, April 18th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm / Tuesday, April 19th from 9:00 am to noon

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Soldier Field Events Parking restrictions are in place for the South Loop during all Chicago Bears football games as well as other events hosted at Soldier Field. Vehicles parked in the South Loop without a valid Soldier Field Parking Pass or Soldier Field Guest Pass are subject to ticketing or towing. For a complete list of Soldier Field events, please visit www.SoldierField.net/events. The 3rd Ward is providing the list below as a courtesy to residents and visitors and does not assume liability for the accuracy of the monthly list of Soldier Field events. All Soldier Field events are subject to change, including cancellation or the scheduling of additional events. It is your responsibility to adhere to the parking restrictions in place.

No Soldier Field Events Scheduled for March

Garbage Fee Implementation This year, Chicago residences who receive garbage collection services from the Department of Streets and Sanitation will begin paying a garbage service fee of $9.50 per month per dwelling unit. This fee pays for a portion of the costs associated with weekly garbage collection. The fee will appear on a unified utility bill for City-provided water, sewer and garbage services. The unified utility bill allows residents to receive one bill and make one payment for each billing cycle, eliminating multiple payments or separate billing cycles. This new unified utility bill will match your current water and sewer billing schedule - every six months or every two months depending on your account type. Between April and September 2016 your residence will receive the first unified utility bill with current charges for water and sewer services and current charges for garbage services. The first unified utility bill will also include four months of catch up charges for garbage services rendered since January 2016. To help ease the transition, the City is waving all late payment penalties for 2016 for the garbage fee portion of your utility bill. A 50 percent discount rate ($4.75 per month per dwelling unit) is available to low-income seniors who are enrolled in the Cook County Assessor's Senior Freeze Exemption program. For more information on the Garbage Fee go to www.cityofchicago.org/garbagefee or call the Utility Billing Call Center at 312-744-4426.

Need Food? The Greater Chicago Food Depository Can Help Anyone in need of emergency or supplemental food assistance in Cook County is eligible to receive assistance from the Greater Chicago Food Depository. To find a nearby Food Depository member agency, please go to www.chicagosfoodbank.org or you can call the Greater Chicago Food Depository at 773-247-FOOD (3663).

mRelief - Social Services for Low-Income Families mRelief enables low-income families to access social services both online and through text messaging. mRelief simplifies the qualifying process with an easy-to-use form of 7.5 questions available through their website application at mrelief.com or through an SMS application at 773-377-8946. After the user fills out the necessary information, you are directed to community or government resources based on eligibility indicators and zip code. mRelief provides users with information about whether the user should invest the time in the application process. Users who are undocumented or have a specific case are referred to paralegals who can help.

Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Celebrate the special women in your life at the Susan G. Komen Chicago Mother's Day Race for the Cure! Bring your friends and family and help create a world without breast cancer. The race is scheduled for Sunday, May 8th, 2016 in downtown Chicago. The race site opens at 6:30 am, and the Race begins at 8:00 am. Register for the 10K or 5K timed run, 5K or 1 mile fun walk at www.komenchicago.org. 75% of funds raised will go to provide breast health and breast cancer care, treatment and support here in our local community; the remaining 25% will provide global research to help find the cures. Registration to join Team Komen for the Chicago Marathon for the Cure opens on March 4, 2016! Funds raised will help to serve those in need in our local community, as well as support global research to find the cures. For more information, contact marathon@komenchicago.org.

Important Announcements

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Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Small Business Grant Award The Chamber is now accepting applications for the 2016 James Tyree Emerging Business Leadership Award, which is presented annually to a high-growth entrepreneur or small business with a demonstrated commitment to philanthropic values. The winner of the award will receive $50,000 in cash courtesy of Mesirow Financial and The Private Bank, and valuable training and consulting from the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Qualified applicants must meet the following criteria:

Operate within the six-county Chicagoland metropolitan area;

Be in business for a minimum of two years;

Generate revenues of at least $500,000 but less than $10 million;

Demonstrate substantial growth over the past two years;

Have five or more employees;

Be active in local civic/philanthropic initiatives.

The open application period runs now through the March 21st. More information may be found at www.chicagolandchamber.org/JamesTyreeAward.

New Winter Senior Life Enrichment Gide Now Available In the new Winter 2016 Senior Life Enrichment Guide you will find hundreds of free and low-cost activities, programs and resources courtesy of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. Topics include: benefits eligibility checkups, income tax preparation, Citywide wellness programs, Microsoft-sponsored computer workshops and special events, classes and support groups. The Senior Life Enrichment Guide is also available online at www.cityofchicago.org/fss.

Chicago's Community Kitchens Job Training Program Ever dreamed of working in a professional kitchen? The Greater Chicago Food Depository runs a job training program that prepares trainees for a career in the culinary arts. Training classes begin monthly and sessions meet Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. The 14-week program is offered at NO COST for accepted applicants and is held at the Greater Chicago Food Depository - 4100 W. Ann Lurie Pl., Chicago, IL 60632. Students will receive hands-on experience in a state-of-the-art kitchen, ServSafe sanitation certification, transportation, job placement assistance, a two-week unpaid internship in a commercial kitchen, and a letter of recommendation. You must be at least 18 years of age, eligible to work in the United States, a resident of Cook County, have a government ID, and be able to pass a drug screening test to qualify. For more information please call 773-843-5414.

Important Announcements (continued)

Employment and Training

10

Third Ward Star

Ladies of Mollison Elementary School Room 208 The 7th grade young ladies of Irvin C. Mollison Elementary School room 208 have spent most of the school year in their International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP) Art Class working on an international art exchange with a school in St. Petersburg, Russia. Both the ladies of room 208 and their partner class in Russia, have created artwork around the theme "My Community, My Point of View," showcasing how their communities demonstrate cultural values. This projects gives students the opportunity to learn so much comparing and contrasting lives with those in another country. Although the students speak different languages and celebrate or showcase values differently, both sets of students share closely held values like family, education and friendship. The 7th grade girls have developed questions for our partner class around five artworks from Russia about the Russian artists' culture, lifestyle and interests. Both our class and the Russian class participated in a video conference where they were able to ask questions of each other, as well as perform a dance.

Attending and participating in the Chicago Police's Community Policing Program (CAPS) is one of the best ways to address crime and quality of life issues in your neighborhood. By attending CAPS meetings, you can share important information with the police that will assist them in making arrests and preventing crime as well as receive valuable information about resources that promote homeowner and community safety. Visit www.chicagopolice.org to find out what district you live in and click on each district title to learn more about what is happening in your neighborhood

March CAPS Meetings

1st District

131/132 No Meeting Due to the Election

133 Wednesday, March 16th @ 7:00 pm Trinity Church (125 E. 26th St.)

2nd District

211 Monday, March 14th @ 6:30 pm Il College of Optometry (3240 S. Indiana)

212/214 Tuesday, March 1st @ 6:30 pm Mandrake Fieldhouse (3858 S. Cottage Grove)

213/215/224 Wednesday, March 9th @ 6:30 St. Elizabeth's (4058 S. Michigan)

221/223 Tuesday, March 15th @ 6:30 pm King Center (4313 S. Cottage Grove)

225/231 Thursday, March 10th @ 6:30 pm Coppin AME Church (5627 S. Michigan)

7th District 9th District

711/712 Thursday, March 24th at 6:30 pm Sherwood Park (5701 S. Shields)

915 Tuesday, March 8th @ 6:30 pm McGuane Park (2901 S. Poplar)

924/931/933 Tuesday, March 1st @ 6:00 pm New City Supportive Living (4707 S. Marshfield)

925 Wednesday, March 16th @ 6:00 pm St. Gabriel's Church (4500 S. Wallace)

934/935 No Meeting Due to the Electio