One proposed bid for the former Shedd Elementary School - a community center

 I didn't update with regards to what's going on with Shedd School after that meeting that took place - which was a CPS meeting - with regards to what the plans are for that closed school. There are people who are coming up with plans for that school.

Recently I was alerted to an article from the Chicago Tribune which talks about one potential bid for the former Shedd Elementary School - branch of Bennett School.

I like how this article describes the building:

The low-slung building shows few signs of life: Ivy branches snake up the exterior walls, weaving through cracked brick and boarded-up windows. Its marquee sign reads like an epitaph, with faded block letters: “John G. Shedd Elementary School. A great place to learn!”

Would be nice if it could be again.

I snapped this shot in about 2009

Harlan Weekly Updates

 

[VIDEO] This caught my eye from John Marshall Harlan High School's YouTube channel.

We get a quick update about what's going on there and what this week's goals are and certainly schedule of events such as sporting events. We also see some staff get notice in this recent update.

I don't want to criticize what they're doing here it's great to see this YouTube channel get updated. I would like to see more people in these vids though granted we may not see students as much as we'd see staff. Perhaps in an earlier weekly update we know some of the staff and hear them speak.

Of course I'd like to see a lot more of what the students are doing. Perhaps something remarkable about a particular student such as their creativity or even their academic plans or even a science project. Perhaps such things were in earlier updates that I have yet to see.

I just view this as very text heavy and perhaps it would be OK if the public sees a lot more about what's going on with Harlan in 2024-25. These are just some suggestions I come up with.

There's a nearby nat'l monument I can visit soon

 

[VIDEO] The Pullman National Monument will open in the long shuttered Pullman Co. administration building and clock tower on 111th Street. I've listed places I'd like to share with you on this blog well this is one great place in Chicago that is part of the National Park Service that I can share with you. Hopefully I can do so before the weather really cools off.

The Grand Opening is today and tomorrow and sadly I won't be able to make it for that. However, this is a place to visit soon! 

Plans for historic Pullman revitalization #Ward09

[VIDEO] While it seems that the newly freed Rod Blagojevich is in the news a lot right now, let's check out the revitalization taking place in Pullman. New projects for the national monument in addition to new businesses coming into that historic neighborhood.

We got former Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaking with a few nice words about the work of Pullman residents in their care of their community. We also see 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale speaking to WLS-TV's Karen Jordan about the positive developments in Pullman.

Fire destroys south side food pantry #Ward09

[VIDEO] Been quite a while since I've shared a local story on this blog. On Monday there was a fire in Roseland near 111th/Michigan where a church operated a food pantry. You see the story above from WGN.

There is a GoFundMe drive page [CLICK HERE] for this church and also it was reported that Rev. Jesse Jackson is pledging help for this church as well. From ABC 7

How an Award-Winning Teacher Turned Principal Transformed Bennett Elementary

I like to see news about Bennett Elementary out there and especially if it's good news. This time about the current principal of Bennett School from March 2019:

Today Principal Teresa Huggins takes pride in her successful turnaround of Roseland’s Bennett Elementary. Since she took the helm in 2013, Bennett has transformed from a school on probation to a school at the top of the district’s accountability ratings. It’s one of 22 neighborhood elementary schools on the South and West sides of Chicago where students are showing high growth on the NWEA MAP test.
...
Huggins’ role in Bennett’s turnaround sounds similar to successful turnaround stories I’ve heard from other principals over the years. When she arrived, she made a point of observing without trying to make big changes right away. “When you come in and try changing everything at once, you rub people the wrong way,” she observed. But once she had the lay of the land, she was unafraid to push for improvement. She insisted on basics like grade-level meetings, teachers showing up on time and taking a hard look at what test score data said about how well students were learning. To increase student engagement, she coupled a behavior reward system with a requirement that teachers schedule quarterly field trips to give students wider experiences beyond the classroom.

To no one’s surprise, teachers pushed back. When Huggins put up data charts by classroom and named the teachers, she received emails complaining, “You cannot call us out.” She emailed the entire staff, reminding them that since they work for the public they must answer to the public. “I didn’t get any more complaints after that,” she said.

Teachers started bringing student work to grade level meetings. Huggins encouraged them to ask themselves questions straight from the National Board playbook: What is the student’s level of understanding? How do you know? What are your next steps as a teacher? Huggins also worked to improve teaching and learning for the 15 percent of Bennett’s students in special education, pushing for greater inclusion and revising IEPs. In her second year as principal, their growth led all the schools in Bennett’s network.

When teachers stepped up their game, Bennett rewarded their efforts with special events, like dinner at a restaurant for the entire faculty on her during staff appreciation week. These days, teachers have built a stronger culture, with a social committee that celebrates birthdays and more teachers staying late after school to plan and prepare. “Sometimes I have to put them out,” she joked.

If I may offer some commentary, elementary school I think is too soon for students to think about being college bound....

CTA Red Line extension update

Rendering 103rd Street Red Line station - CTA 

Over at The Sixth Ward on Tuesday I shared a tweet to a Curbed Chicago article with regards to various upcoming transit projects throughout the city. One project that many who live near the 95th terminal is the planned CTA Red Line extension. One reason that Curbed article was of interest to me is the seeming progress in which case is to merely fund engineering & design work.

Of course the reason for this interest is mainly the safety and activity of the area. The 95th terminal is one of the busiest of the CTA. The CTA Red Line connects with not only CTA and Pace suburban bus routes, also intercity bus services with Greyhound and Indian Trails buses. So there's definitely a lot of activity there especially during the week.

The main thing is building this extension further south to the city's southern limits might mean less activity at 95th. Or perhaps hopefully for local leaders in the community less opportunities for criminal activity. Either way another stated and important purpose for this extension is to cut commuting times for those individuals who must use public transit who must travel to other parts of the city.

Former CPS school to be adapted into a community center

I posted a quick blurb at The Sixth Ward about a community center to be located in a former CPS school named for an illustrious late president of the prestigious Morehouse College. It's a shame that the school had been closed since 2013, but it's great that it had found a reuse as a community center in Englewood.

As so far there have been no further updates that I know of with regards to the now closed Shedd School, I've always maintained this as one idea to reuse that property. Of course, it has to be reused with the right team to execute their plan. Here's hoping there are some updates as far as what's next for the former "John G. Shedd Public School".

Time for an updated pic of Shedd School

Want to do a Pullman strike tour?

Credit: The Chicago Neighborhoods

I was awfully slow in sharing this. On July 13, 2019 there was a tour in Pullman related to the 125th anniversary of the Great Strike of 1894 and there are more scheduled through October. I believe this strike caused the President of the time a man by the name of Grover Cleveland to sent federal forces to end it.

I found out about this event through Curbed Chicago earlier this month, however, all I did was retweet this information. It would've been cool for me to take part in this as I know more about Pullman's story and architecture, but very little of some of the labor drama that took place there.

Tour the site of the Great Pullman Strike on its 125th anniversary https://t.co/IxFHGZDoQo pic.twitter.com/NkOtsl9jWh

— Curbed Chicago (@curbedchicago) July 5, 2019

According to the above link:

Labor history tends to get short shrift in history books.

The Pullman National Monument Preservation Society, created by Barack Obama’s presidential proclamation in 2015, is trying to change that. During the Great Pullman Strike’s 125th anniversary, the group is giving guided tours each month through October.
...
The next tour is scheduled for July 13 at noon. Admission is $25, and each ticket includes post-tour reception and dessert.

WTTW has more on the history of this strike in 1894 with regards to the perfect company town that was Pullman.

Metra Electric delays during last nite's PM rush

[VIDEO] If you were traveling on the old IC line aka Metra Electric District you experienced some delays especially if you left from any station between Randolph Street to 51st Street. The video you see above aired on CBS 2's 6 PM broadcast.

Per  a tweet from a dedicated twitter page for the Metra Electic District electical power had been restored though trains would operate with residual delays

Metra Alert ME - Electrical power has been restored. Inbound and outbound train movement has been cleared to proceed. Trains will be operating with extensive delays - UPDATE #2

— Metra Electric (@metraMED) July 3, 2019

What are the feds looking for in #Ward34?

While this is old news from last week south side alderman Carrie Austin of Ward 34 has her ward offices raided by federal authorities on a search warrant. Reports seem to suggest that this might be related to the indictment of Ald. Ed Burke (Ward 11) or even a colleague wearing a wire for the feds former Ald. Danny Solis (Ward 25). Of course is it possible that the feds have been looking at Ald. Austin in the first place.

This is a topic of discussion on last weeks Chicago Tonight with Paris Shutz and Carol Marin

This is something that I did a post or two over at The Sixth Ward. However I wanted to add this from last week from Rich Millers CapFax

Could this be part of what the feds are looking at? https://t.co/EGJHZOb9eG

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) June 21, 2019

 

I also found this through CapFax's tweets. Another link as far as what the feds are looking for in Ward 34.

Family members. Her longtime chief of staff. Campaign contributions. Even food stamps.

The federal grand jury probe is looking for all sorts of stuff on Ald. Carrie Austin - and it's been going on since 2017.https://t.co/mVQDUhNZKg

— Dan Mihalopoulos (@dmihalopoulos) June 23, 2019

The future of the Gately's sign #Ward09

Nitram242/flickr

At least we get one good thing out of the loss of the former Gately's People's store landmark sign. The building was destroyed by fire earlier this month and the city is in the process of demolishing the former longtime department store which closed in 1981.

After fire gutted the old Gately’s Peoples Store in Roseland last week, Ald. Anthony A. Beale (9th) said he’s working with members of the Gately family to save the store’s historic neon sign.

“The sign deserves a place in a museum where it can tell our community’s story to present and future generations, and help inspire everyone to work together to make Roseland the thriving and bustling destination it once was,” the neighborhood’s alderman said Monday.

Beale said he went to the fire Friday and saw Gately family members at the scene. He was already planning to preserve the sign, he said, adding that Gately family members said they would help raise the money to make sure the sign is taken down, preserved and put up at a later date.

The sign was not damaged in the fire, but the blaze damaged the century-old building at 11201 S. Michigan Ave. so bad, demolition crews began to take it down Friday night.
...
The sign remains on the building but will come down in the coming days. Beale said it will go into storage for a while and eventually go on display — but he didn’t reveal specific plans in mind to display it.

It does deserve to be somewhere to help tell the story of the Roseland community. And it's great to know the family that owned this business is still around to discuss plans to preserve this landmark.

It's awful to know about the fire, but to hear everyone - especially online or even in soundbites from any news reports - talk about their memories of the now closed store is definitely fascinating. 

Gately's Peoples store...destroyed... #Ward09

[VIDEO] This past Friday I posted about the former Gately's store located at 113th & Michigan. The store from what I can tell doing some Googling had long closed in 1981, with another store located in Tinley Park until 1994.

Usually me and my family would drive on Michigan Avenue to head to River Oaks Mall in Calumet City, we'd often pass this store. Of course by the time I came of age all I would recognize is that antiquated sign for a store that was no longer there. Whoever owned this property if it wasn't the Gately family who previously operated their location there never removed this sign. It was just a great reminder of the history of the retail strip of south Michigan Avenue between at least 107th Street to 1115th Street.

Travel Advisory: High Risk Funeral Procession #Ward09

You might have seen this from Concerned Citizen's of Chatham and I see that Ald. Anthony Beale posted this as well (at least until it was deleted).

Let me state the route of this procession

Therefore neighborhood advocates involved with peacekeeping activities are calling for all area residents, businesses and faith based organizations to be aware and cautious when using, or crossing, Cottage Grove Ave between 115th street & 67th (Marquette road) between the hours of 1pm until 3pm 2 hours), where a procession leaving the "House of Hope" will travel to Oakwoods cemetery.

From what I'm seeing as far as comments this might involve the funeral of Lawrence "Big Law" Loggins who was murdered earlier this month. Police fear retaliation in his murder.

View our 2019 elections page #Ward09

Now one of the tabs for this blog. No one from the last election is on the ballot this year in Ward 09, however, we shall see if incumbent Alderman Anthony Beale will once again be re-elected to his office. He's been an Alderman since 1999.

I've been mostly paying attention to The Daily Line's 2019 Alderman election spread sheet. I see that Marcia Brown-Williams has been removed from the ballot due to petition objections. Her name will be stricken from the 2019 page.

Otherwise I will keep an eye out for other updates as I find them.

I will note our still public 2015 election page which was updated months after the election with vote totals for the candidates who were running at that time.

14-year-old boy shot in Fernwood

Saw this on my Facebook feed this morning video of the scene where teenaged boy was shot after being dropped off by his "Uber"

The boy was dropped off by the ride-share vehicle in the first block of West 105th Street at about 2:28 a.m., police said. He was approached by two male suspects who spoke with the boy before police said they opened fire.

The boy was grazed in the head and ran inside a home and is hospitalized at Comer Children's Hospital. Police said he is in fair condition. The ride-share driver was not injured.

The suspects fled the scene, police said. No one is in custody and Area South detectives are investigating.

And as always be careful out there! 

The new 95th terminal is now open... #Ward09 #BuildingwithBeale

The CTA terminal at 95th is 90% complete. The north terminal is now open as of Friday morning. As a result it gives me the excuse to share this article from the Tribune before the north terminal opened:

The $280 million project replaces the original 50-year-old rail and bus terminal at the southern end of the Red Line, which runs along the Dan Ryan Expressway. The station, one of the busiest on the CTA system, serves 20,000 daily commuters and sees about 1,000 CTA, Pace and Greyhound bus trips on an average weekday, CTA officials said.

The four-year station construction was also a necessary step in building the extension of the Red Line south to 130th Street, which is part of the agency’s long-range plan.

“This is a huge, huge accomplishment for the city of Chicago and the Far South Side,” said Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th. Beale said the station will be more user-friendly for bus, rail and pedestrian traffic and will draw business to the area.

The south terminal was completed last spring. Having two terminals eliminates the conflict between eastbound and westbound buses on 95th Street, allowing eastbound buses to use the south terminal and westbound buses to use the north terminal, CTA officials said. Previously, there was only a north terminal.

The new station includes a heated, glass-enclosed pedestrian bridge over 95th Street, connecting the north and south terminals and cutting down on conflicts between cars and people walking. The number of bus bays has increased to 26, from 12, CTA officials said.

The station also will have more turnstiles and Ventra vending machines, a longer train platform to reduce overcrowding, additional bike racks, and new signage.

“I think it’s a great lift to the community,” said Ald. Howard Brookins Jr., 21st. “It’s a beautiful station. It will spur additional economic development down 95th Street, and it will ease traffic going down that corridor.”

As for that future CTA Red Line extension:

The construction of the new station needed to be done before the Red Line can be extended to 130th Street, CTA officials said. Last year, the CTA picked a route for the extension, which will include four new rail stations. The agency is now preparing to complete the preliminary design and engineering work needed to pursue federal funding for the project.

You want to know the financial scale?

The cost of the station exceeds that of two recent big projects: the $203 million Wilson Street station rebuilding on the Red Line’s north branch and the $75 million Washington/Wabash station in the Loop. The 95th Street station construction was larger than the other projects and included track work in the rail yard at 98th Street, CTA officials said.

Finally seems like an unnecessary expense:

The new station, which has a distinctive red roof, will feature two new public art displays by Chicago native Theaster Gates. The south terminal will have a pair of tapestries made from the strips of decommissioned fire hoses that are sewn together, and the north terminal will include a radio station and DJ booth that will broadcast over the station’s public address system.

A DJ Booth and a radio station, really? Though I hear that there will be public bathrooms available. Still not sure about that idea of DJ at a transit terminal.

Regardless can't wait to see the finished project... 

Family of Thana Muhammad seeks her murderer #Ward09

[VIDEO] This is a pretty grisly story, Ms. Muhammad had just moved to 100th & Forest when her dismembered body was found in her home back in June. Her vehicle was stolen and abandoned on Chicago's west side where she previously lived. Who did this to the young lady?

Be careful out there everyone!

How did two officers miss seeing a train that hit them #Ward09 #PrayforCPD

[VIDEO] Check out yesterday's report from CBS 2. Megan Hickey retraces the steps of the two police officers who were hit by that South Shore line train on Monday night. They were chasing a suspect onto the railroad embankment and reportedly distracted by another train having never saw the train that hit them. It's unimaginable that there is a record of this from their body cam.

Also this was posted to Ald. Beale's fb page yesterday showing the image of the two officers from the Calumet - 5th District who lost their lives chasing the suspect on the railroad embankment at 103rd & Cottage Grove.

May officers Gary & Marmolejo R.I.P.

Tribune: Mayor Rahm Emanuel floats port district land as Chicago casino location #Serving17

Even though Rahm Emanuel will only remain mayor until May 2019, he seems to be coming up with some proposals. He's still trying to use what's left of his political heft to come up with some ideas for the city:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday floated a port district site on the Far Southeast Side as the possible location for a Chicago casino, if state lawmakers finally grant the city the long-sought gambling palace.

In a meeting with the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board, Emanuel noted his “love-hate” relationship with the idea of a casino but said if the city finally builds one it should be away from the Loop and McCormick Place. Instead, he said it should bring economic development to an area of the city that needs it, before floating an Illinois International Port District site near Pullman as “an example.”

The land, just off the 111th Street exit on the Bishop Ford Freeway, currently is home to the Harborside International golf course with some harbor operations and terminals nearby on Lake Calumet. The port district that owns the land is a joint city-state entity.

“If you go down to the port authority where the golf course is, there’s enough land there for both a hotel and a casino,” Emanuel said. “That would be a big boon economically to the Southeast Side of the city.”

Emanuel made the remarks on the same day he gave a speech to aldermen on his recommendations to address the city’s pension funding shortfalls moving forward. The mayor’s plan included revenue from a proposed Chicago casino as part of the answer.

Personally I'm with this, who says a proposed casino has to be in or near downtown Chicago. Put one in a neighborhood that's struggling. In this case Pullman, and then again hopefully there are other proposals.

However, to be honest it seems like forever that there's been discussions of a Chicago casino that seems to have a tendency to fall through. So perhaps deciding on a site or finally building one will still take years. Wait and see I suppose.

h/t to state Sen. Elgie Sims FB page hence why I used the #Serving17 hashtag.