Law & Order Has Been Restored To Marshfield

Back in 2013 Alderman Joseph Moore signed into law the creation of a tow zone at the end of Marshfield Avenue.  Soon after the signs were posted last summer they disappeared (probably by motorists who didn't like the new tow zone). 

Alley parking resumed soon after.

Possibly the only street in Rogers Park missed by the Google Maps car. This street is truly off the radar. When you type in 7461 N Marshfield Google Maps gives you the intersection of Howard and Marshfield at Sol Cafe.

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Blank Slate

The wall behind the Howard Area Community Center (incidentally a peanut free zone) has been painted over presumably in preparation for a new mural. The old one was cute but was getting old.

It was bunch of purple, red, orange, blue, and green kids all holding hands and playing. Which is totally unrealistic. Its commonly known that Martians don't get along with the Ioans, Neptunians or  Plutonians.

Please continue reading for Rogers Avenue "L" viaduct update

"Give Us A New Tree"

Not everyone is pleased with People's Gas or the city of Chicago. Sometime in the past week someone stapled their concerns to a dead tree in the 1500 block of W. Fargo. We all know that the record breaking low temps of last winter coupled with the ongoing onslaught of the emerald ash borer has decimated city trees.

"The city of Chicago who we all pay our bills to will not replace a dead tree at 1542 w Fargo ave. We are all responsible tax payers. If anyone fail (sic) to pay a ticket or other bills it doubles. Why can't citizen (sic) and property owners be respected! GIVE US A NEW TREE!"

Last edited 7/28/14 4:12 pm

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Return Of Runge Roach Racing

Shakespeare In The Park

Shakespeare on the green is happening all over Chicago this summer.

If you missed out on Touhy Park's Shakespeare event this past weekend (On Saturday, July 19th and Sunday, July 20th from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Touhy Park 7348 N Paulina St.Chicago,IL 60626.  the Spectralia Theatre,in cooperation with the Touhy Park Advisory Council and various sponsors,along with the Chicago Park District Presents Shakespeare's "The Two Gentleman of Verona"   this FREE  90 minute version is about Love,Intrigue and Male Friendship.) have no fear. There are still plenty of Shakespearean events around town to check out.

This Friday and Saturday (25th and 26th)  A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed at Loyola Park (1230 w Greenleaf). Touhy Park is not listed on the website but checking the Park District site there is an event listed for the same play on Sunday August 17th from 2- 3 pm.        

(Above left - bonus shot of lady with cane loading her bike onto the front of the same CTA bus)

Mucking Mess @ 7500 N Rogers

Fresh sod now adorns the parkways of the irregular Ashland/Rogers/Birchwood intersection. The city has a man with a water truck come by every few days to hose it down. And most of it looks smashing save the parkway of 7500 N Rogers.

Cars routinely cut the corner short into the alley ruining the fresh sod job. Adding insult to injury the sewer is backed up turning the mouth of the alley into a giant mud puddle.

7500 N Rogers for low income housing is by and large a nice looking building. The front is hidden from view. Upon closer inspection one address numeral has fallen down and another hangs loose.

One very curious thing about the building. A Porshe Cayenne has been parked outback for the past year. Discussing this with a fellow neighbor got the following response, "I've given up on Rogers Park and all its inconsistencies".

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Your Tree Is Only Mostly Dead

Jnauts & Friends

Now that summer is finally here - take a look at your parkway trees - are they dead? 

You cannot tell if your tree is dead during the winter time - but now in the summer - if there are no leaves upon your tree - it is dead.

Some trees are 100% dead.  Some trees are 40% dead.  Some trees are 80% dead.  But you cannot tell this in winter time - just now that summer is here.

Call 311 for removal of your 100% dead tree.  Call 311 for trimming of your 40% dead tree.  If your tree is 80% dead, call 311 and tell them to do something about it.  Then wait.

You may have trees or shrubs on your personal private property that are dead.  Last winter was brutal.  Trim off the dead bits that might fall and damage something else or some body perhaps...

Lorraine Dostal

dostal@northwestern.edu

Track Renewal Continues Into August

Another generic nonspecific "Construction Activity Notice" was plastered all over town. Expect construction noise anywhere from Howard down to Granville all night long except on Friday and Saturday nights for the next four weeks.

Expect sudden street closures and giant heavy machinery to pop up on your block if you live close to the "L". Spose it would be pretty tough to print up a schedule on all the particulars for such a large project. Maybe you could rip down one of those notices and show it to your boss. A good excuse for being late to work.

Bangers Return To Devon

Just before noon a group of four (twenty something) gangbangers wearing red shirts and caps stood in front of  Devon Market's parking lot (@ Devon and Greenview). It was not safe to take their picture. Police responded quickly.

The flowers, candles, posters in memorial of the innocent bystander (William Lewis) killed in the crossfire of a gang dispute was taken down this afternoon.

Neighbors near and far have to stay vigilant in Rogers Park (and Edgewater). It may not be your property, your corner or your block but your well being (and everyone elses) depends upon you avoiding and not tolerating gang loitering.

This tragedy was just a matter of time. Untrained gunmen kill people on the south side with stray bullets on an almost weekly basis in the summer.

It may only take ten 911 calls or it may take a hundred and ten. In the end it doesn't matter. The streets don't belong to gun toting outlaws. And no one is safe with four corner hustling.

Out Of Towners To Chicagoans - Don't Walk This Way

Wayne and Farwell yesterday

An outlander decided a parking spot was more important that pedestrian access this past weekend. Not sure if this Hoosier's Nissan got a ticket but the infraction was called in Saturday and today. Apparently you can get in trouble for not paying Chicago parking tickets even if you reside in Indiana.

Yesterday an Acura from Georgia blocked the sidewalk at Greenview and Chase.

People in wheelchairs, walkers, strollers have enough trouble getting around in summer with all the street corners torn up. Visitors should respect the same laws in effect at home when travelling across America.

DNAinfo.com covered neighbors outrage over workmen blocking sidewalks on Everyblock. Maybe someone should investigate why guests with amnesia are clogging up our walkways.

At least the butterflies weren't disturbed.

Last edited 7/20/14 8:23 pm

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And Now A Giraffe For Rogers Ave "L" Viaduct

The artist busy looking busy for the iPhone

Ben Bauman has resumed working on his mural @ the Rogers Avenue viaduct. For awhile there it seemed that someone had just decided to put up a cheetah for the hell of it last fall. Most of his mural work is on display in Madison, Wisconsin. He is very happy to have the opportunity to gain some exposure in Chicago.

Like most artists its hard to find time to do your real work. He is busy with two or three other jobs right now. Next up a Zebra and an African tribal background. It does look sharp an unfinished background. The contrast of the unfinished pillars should still make this scene "pop".

Ben doesn't have a website yet but he has uploaded some stuff to Flickr. When he finds the keywords or link hopefully he can share that with Chevanston so that we may ooh and aah over more his paintings.

Last edited 7/11/14 4:50 pm

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Still Not Okay

Even though someone took down the no parking tow zone sign (last year when it was still up) this park job is still illegal. You can't park in an alley without your flashers on. This is where Marshfield Avenue meets the alley just north of Louis Dubkin Park.

When people openly skirt the law knowing that no one cares is not a nice place to live. Its not up to the tenants to keep things looking good and up to snuff. Whose job is it then? The landlord who collects the rent.

Problem is so many landlords take a hands off approach leaving it all up to a building super and or management company. Without oversight things like this happen. A forgotten corner of the city where people think its okay to squat down and take a pee break.

Needless to say this was called in. Plenty of legal parking still around this time of day. Worse case scenario there is the Gateway Parking Garage right around the corner on Rogers Ave.

K.K.H.Comm Electronics Ramadan Hours

Just In Case You Had Any Illusions About Sleeping

the CTA decided to use a giant reverse vacuum cleaner to blow dust all over the place at midnight. Looks like this falls under noise category diesel track maintenance equipment. Weird scene, the unearthly tumult and upheaval just above pastoral Leonard Dubkin Park. Its like something out of an M Night Shyamalan movie?

Can imagine that many neighbors with open windows on this hot and humid night are lying awake restless right now. Others are having nightmares fighting off construction workers and machines on the way to catch the "L" late for work.

Rock grinding has nothing on the DTME din.

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Roman Susan

June 2014 - Joshua Kent

August 2014 - Amber Ginsburg & Katie Hargrave

September 2014 - Pate Conaway

Romansusan.org for gallery hours, appointments, proposals, and event listings

1224 w. Loyola Ave. Chicago, Illinois

Take Care Of Your Fireplug!

Jogging is great exercise. When you're done though you don't have much to show for it except a sweaty t-shirt, sore legs, shortness of breath and extreme thirst.

Getting off your duff and taking five minutes to put caps back on your hydrant isn't too much to ask. City services use the hydrant and sometimes they forget to recap them. You aren't gonna call 311 and ask the city to do it, are ya?

This particular hydrant sits at Damen and Lunt. Single family homes dominate this vital east-west thoroughfare of Rogers Park. Neighbors should have enough pride in their block to take care of business like this.

A functioning hydrant and the fire department are the last line in defense in saving you and your house (apartment, condo, 2-3 flat, etc) from disaster. Ultimately its in your own self interest to keep your johnny pump happy. Besides a hydrant with no caps looks like hell.

Public Urination @ Marshfield Avenue

A regular emailed this photo to Chevanston earlier today. Best to not approach public pee-ers close up. Just yell from far away that its not cool to piss on a public street. 7400 N Marshfield just can't catch a break. Illegal parking, litter and now a lady dropping trou.

Two men were there to shield her from public view. You can see one chivalrous man doing his job. Only with extreme close up can you see the squatting woman.

Um miss, you do realize that this is a public street and kids are playing in the park over there? I'm sure Sol Cafe or some other nearby respectable business (like Subway on Paulina) would be more than happy to let you use their facilities. That's one good thing about getting a BK nearby. We need a good defacto public bathroom.

After the photo she got up and left with the two men in search of a decent place to relieve herself.

Loitering @ Golden Mini Mart

Golden Mini Mart just shooed away these loiterers after a short discussion regarding pros and cons. Not too many pros and a whole lot of cons. Con mainly being a drive-by shooting.

Right now the guys running GMM are sitting out front standing guard. If you see any more loitering feel free to give GMM a call 773-338-5478. Its been a long battle but public safety is worth the fight. The bangers will move back in if you let them.

Golden Mini Mart @ 1339 w Morse next to Morse Gyros; where you can buy all legal vices (cigs,lotto, alcohol mixers,condoms,junk food) save alcohol. They carry Jarritos too.

4th Of July Shooting On Birchwood Avenue

Transcript from ABC 7 News July 5th 8:02 am

"Later in the 1500 block of west Birchwood (that's in the Rogers Park neighborhood) another police involved shooting. In this case police officers said they approached a man drinking beer on the street. Investigators say he yelled to them, " I have a gun  you'll have to shoot me". And then he reached into his waistband. That's when they opened fire. He was shot and seriously wounded. This is still under investigation. None of the police officers were injured."

First reports of gunplay appeared on Twitter soon after 11:30 am 7/4/14.

Last updated 7/6/14 7:57 am

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"I Love Rogers Park" - Happy Third Of July

"Jargowood Address Project"

unknown garage in Jarvis/Fargo alley 

Jnauts & Friends

City Ordinance requires that you display your address at the front and rear of your property - so the firetrucks and police cars can find you when you call for HELP - makes sense, eh?

The CAPS 24th District has FREE NUMBERS - so you can post them at the front and rear of your property - they are self stick (just peel off the backing) and they stick to brick and wood and metal and all sorts of building materials.  They are BIG NUMBERS - approximately 8 inches high.  and they are REFLECTIVE NUMBERS too so they glow in the headlights of the approaching emergency rescue vehicle and the police and firemen can actually read them when they respond to your call for HELP.

To request (say please) your FREE BIG REFLECTIVE self sticking NUMBERS get in touch with Mayra Gomez at (312) 744-6321 or via email mayra.gomez@chicagopolice.org

If you are greedy, you could request two (2) sets - one for the front of your property and one for the rear of your property.....Mayra says she can deliver them to you because she wants to meet more community residents and help them get involved in the CAPS program.

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Ah, The Boot? What The F!?

Morning of July First the owner of this car made a horrifying discovery.

This vehicle has been immobilized ("BOOTED") by the city of Chicago for failure to timely pay or contest parking, compliance,or red light tickets

Warning do NOT disable, remove or damage the boot. Moving the vehicle or tampering with the boot will automatically subject the VEHICLE OWNER to fees of $750 to $1000 in addition to all costs. The City will hire attorneys trained to : PLACE LIENS AGAINST HOMES, REPORT TO CREDIT BUREAUS, and GARNISH WAGES.

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