The Mayor breaks up a gathering on the north lakefront this past weekend

This tweet from over the weekend from Mayor Lori Lightfoot showed up on Instapundit. And I see a number of tweets on twitter that took her well intended post in a bad way.

It's called a pandemic, people. This reckless behavior on Montrose Beach is what will cause us to shut down the parks and lakefront. Don't make us take steps backwards. pic.twitter.com/FHxeYfH7Wf

— Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) August 8, 2020

CWB Chicago shared this image of the Mayor at Montrose Beach crashing the so-called party along with her photographer on fb

Furthermore Ed Driscoll at Instapundit noted: "Curiously, none of the articles this weekend by the Chicago Sun Times, ABC’s Chicago affiliate, CBS’s Chicago affiliate, and NBC’s Chicago affiliate mention the July protests or Lightfoot’s blessings."

I admitted to an out of state friend that I miss Rahm Emanuel. He was unpopular as time went on but some of what's been going on in the city it wouldn't have been tolerated with him as mayor. However, the crisis going on he wouldn't let go to waste.

In addition, 2nd City Cop has an interesting post if you go to the bottom of the post about the various machines that exists in Chicago. In a fit of perhaps disrespect they refer to the mayor as Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy, perhaps the Mayor will only have one term. We have a while before '23.

No CPS classes in 8 days

This was on the Capitol Fax blog yesterday, Rich Miller isn't buying whatever numbers the teacher's union has been using.

Why I’m not buying the numbers that the CTU is selling https://t.co/u6bFh5bozS

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) October 28, 2019

Meanwhile CPS has a struck a deal with SEIU over the weekend as they still continue negotiations with the teachers.

Also I've been using social media to keep up with the strike to the best of my ability. From CPS's FB page to the Chicago Teacher's Union ig in addition to CapFax. My apologies for not keeping up with any updates with regards to negotiations between CPS and CTU on this blog.

Today marks the 8th straight day of cancelled classes for CPS students and this is considered the longest strike since 1987.

My hope is that classes will resume for CPS students and soon! 

Updates

To continue writing this blog my goal is to hopefully inform or entertain you all. It's probably why I do share some things that I hope you all would be entertained by. Also to share things that hopefully inform you of the issues of the day. Some of you may be parents and my goal is to keep that in mind.

With this said my former elementary school principal dropped by a few months and I had considered this encouragement to keep this blog going. It's become important for me to find ways to draw people to this blog and if you want a blog to grow that will always become a difficult task.

Over the years as something of a public service I used to have an EveryBlock widget on this blog to share any crime reports or any media reports for your convenience. Usually this is for the general area around both Bennett & Shedd schools. Of course EveryBlock no longer exists and thus no widget of benefit to anyone.

I used to have a weather widget from Accuweather (although there is still one at the top of the blog that only shows current conditions). One widget that Accuweather once provided was not only current conditions, a forecast and a radar as well. I'm working on finding a weather widget to attach to this blog to help inform you of the local weather here in Chicago.

Also it's probably time to revamp the about page. Not entirely sure what to put on there, although what you see in this blog could serve as a basis. Also bear in mind I'm looking into creating a domain for this space in the near future which is in keeping of this blog's identity.

Also I'm working on a fb page that hopefully will allow anyone who follows this blog to keep track of updates. That continues to be a work in progress.

I'm planning to make some changes here, hopefully good changes...

Also feel free to let me know what you'd like to see on here as far as posts or even just everyday things that you think would be of great value if you do check this blog. The comments here are always open. 🙆

Block Club Chi: Why Do We Get Labor Day Off?

And the other part of the headline "We can thank Chicago workers".

Of course not everyone gets this holiday off, however, it's a great day to chill and relax. Five events take place in the city's history that involves labor. Two of those events takes place on the south side in Pullman and the East Side (there is newsreel footage of that). Read on at Block Club Chicago:

Here's another image from our local ABC affiliate's ig page

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.

#tbt Martinique Restaurant formerly stood near 95th/Western

It's funny to find this about The Martinique restaurant/Drury Lane Theater that formerly stood at 2500 W. 95th Street. What exists on this site today includes a Walmart and Sam's Club. You can see an article about this here.

In the early 1990s at least this was the site of my 8th grade class banquet for Bennett School.

What I see from Pete Kastanes on his twitter page I got a kick out of seeing a pic of this ashtray.

Here is an ashtray from The Martinique Restaurant/Drury Lane Theater once located at 2500 W 95th St in Evergreen Park, IL. It’s one of the most missed places in the Chicagoland area that is still talked about today. pic.twitter.com/2cgIUEdFBf

— Pete Kastanes (@DefunctChicago) February 6, 2019

Also here's a photo found from one of Kastanes' FB pages. This was certainly a striking site driving west on 95th Street especially during the 1990s when the restaurant was in operation. I'm glad someone out there took some pics of the sign. Click through the embed to see more pics of this facility.

BTW, GO BADGERS😛

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.

The City of Chicago is hiring #BuildingwithBeale #Ward09

Found through Ald. Beale's FB page and you might want to read the disclaimer regarding any political based hiring. Beyond that best of luck to you job seeked.

2019 race for 9th Ward Alderman #Ward09

Recently I procured a flyer for Paul Collins who is running for Alderman in Ward 9. He seeks to challenge Alderman Anthony Beale in 2019.

Visit his under construction website at www.friendsofpaulcollins.com and he also has a FB page Paul Collins for 9th Ward Aldermen

Have any events to share with us?

As always if you have events that are worth sharing send them to us. It could be a community meeting, LSC, parent advisory council, PTA, park advisory council, political event, a new business, etc. Send them to us.

Feel free to post to our FB page, tweet us, or if you got a ig ready flyer tag us. As always feel free to send an e-mail to the address below.

blog @ thesixthward.us

Also bear in mind election season is upon us, we do expect more readership during this period from now to the November elections and through to next year's city elections. This would be a good time to get some exposure for your events, especially if you don't have a significant social media presence.

• facebook.com/thesixthward
• facebook.com/lovechatham (i.e. Concerned Citizens of Chatham)
• twitter.com/thesixthward
• instagram.com/thesixthward

Previously posted to The Sixth Ward on May 21, 2018

Have any events to share with us?

As always if you have events that are worth sharing send them to us. It could be a community meeting, LSC, parent advisory council, PTA, park advisory council, political event, a new business, etc. Send them to us.

Feel free to post to our FB page, tweet us, or if you got a ig ready flyer tag us. As always feel free to send an e-mail to the address below.

blog @ thesixthward.us

Also bear in mind election season is upon us, we do expect more readership during this period from now to the November elections and through to next year's city elections. This would be a good time to get some exposure for your events, especially if you don't have a significant social media presence.

• facebook.com/thesixthward
• facebook.com/lovechatham (i.e. Concerned Citizens of Chatham)
• twitter.com/thesixthward
• instagram.com/thesixthward

Previously posted to The Sixth Ward on May 21, 2018

#Ward09 News

Earlier this week I shared this portion of Ald. Anthony Beale's recent email sharing news for his Ward 9 constituents on The Sixth Ward's ig. This news is for the planned sports facility near 104th & Woodlawn or according to DNA Info 2016 article - 10355 S. Woodlawn Ave (I erroneously referred to the nearby address of 103rd & Doty). When you turn off 103rd street south onto Woodlawn you will go past the facility construction and will lead you to the Pullman Walmart.

All the same I saved this pictures and the portion of the email that talks about the coming sports facility and wanted to share this with you all on this blog. As always click on pic for larger resolution.

Daylight savings time returns on Sunday

You might have seen this on our FB page recently. Set your clocks ahead one hour Saturday night. We're getting closer to spring and warmer weather. This is yet another benchmark. :)

It's that time of year, tax time

Worlee Glover of Concerned Citizens of Chatham on fb has provided a flyer of tips if you want to hire a tax preparer to file your income taxes. These are some pretty good tips.

Capitol Fax: Emil Jones explodes at Pritzker, “safe blacks”; Bishop Trotter disinvites; Staffer quits

In this campaign with the wealthy JB Pritzker as a front runner seeking to be the Democrat nominee for Governor against the also wealth incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner some long ago wiretaps have been heard from in campaign ads. This time however another wiretap from what I can tell never heard in a campaign commercial so far has caused a different more racial controversy.

On Tuesday at the CapFax the comments made in this wiretap where JB Pritzker calls then Gov. Rod Blagojevich - shortly before his arrest by the FBI on corruption charges that would see him removed from the office of governor. Pritzker & Blagojevich discusses who to appoint to Obama's US Senate seat & yes this probably wasn't long after Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States. The comments Pritzker made offends one of Obama's mentors former state Senate President Emil Jones Jr.

As you'll see when you click the tweet below, Jones isn't happy - it's also noted that Jones in fact supports another wealthy candidate Chris Kennedy for governor. I could attribute this to hurt feelings and even if it was only that Jones definitely plays the race card.

Fallout: Emil Jones explodes at Pritzker, “safe blacks”; Bishop Trotter disinvites; Rally canceled; Staffer quits https://t.co/SnhSX8FIyV

— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 7, 2018

Of course there is more to this. The chairman of the city council Black caucus Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th Ward) offers a statement:

Finally let's get to this ABC 7 story further discussing this. At about 2:15 into this video Ald. Anthony Beale (9th ward) he absolutely takes umbrage to Pritzker's statements with regards to the Black community.

Allow me to pull this quote:

"This is a slap in our face, taking our community for granted, playing our community against each other, this is not the kind of leadership we need at this time," said 9th Ward Alderman Anthony Beale.

Now I wonder who Beale supports in the Democrat primary for Governor.

Thank you Sen. Donne Trotter

Illinois state capitol - Springfield

In portions of Chicago's 9th Ward Donne Trotter's 34 state senate district covers and area north and easy of the Bishop Ford/Calumet Expressway. So that means he covers Chatham, Chesterfield, West Chesterfield, Roseland Heights, & Pullman.

On Friday he announced his retirement from the Illinois state senate effective immediately. Rich Miller who writes the Capitol Fax blog and newsletter wrote this for the Sun-Times yesterday:

He was the Senate Democrats’ top point person on appropriations for years, and that “budgeteer” status gave him the access and the power to help shape the government in incremental measures with every new state budget. His contributions cannot be minimized. From KidCare, to things like clean needle exchanges, mental health programs, HIV programs – pretty much anything whatsoever to do with improving the health of people in Illinois – Trotter (who has a master’s degree in Health Policy of Jurisprudence from Loyola Law School and was an administrator at Cook County Hospital) has been part of it.

Trotter is also well known for his mentorship of young African Americans. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched him stop a conversation among older people to make sure a young black person’s voice was heard.

Rep. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) is probably one of his most successful mentorships. Sims served on the Senate appropriations staff under Trotter, then became the caucus’ budget director and, after law school, became a state representative who is now chairman of the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee.

As reported over at Concerned Citizens of Chatham, there is an expectation that Elgie Sims may be Trotter successor to the 34th district seat in the state senate. Continuing:

Sen. Trotter got his political start with Congressman Ralph Metcalfe’s 1974 campaign. Later, Trotter helped register tens of thousands of voters for Harold Washington’s 1983 mayoral campaign. The late Chicago political expert Paul Green used to tell the story about how Mayor Washington was duly impressed when only two voters in Trotter’s assigned precinct cast their ballots for one of the other mayoral candidates.

Trotter thought his big move to the Illinois General Assembly would happen in 1986, when then-Rep. Carol Moseley-Braun decided to run for lieutenant governor. He backed out of the race when the future U.S. senator decided not to run statewide. Instead, Trotter wound up being elected to the House in 1988, after Moseley-Braun was elected Cook County recorder of deeds.

The new legislative district map in 1991 forced him to run for the Senate the following year, where he has served ever since. Trotter turned out to be far more suited to the Senate (he often chafed under House Speaker Michael Madigan’s rule) and quickly became an indispensable member of Senate Democratic Leader Emil Jones’ team. When Jones was elected Senate president, Trotter’s power increased exponentially.

Below is the post from Concerned Citizens of Chatham and we have at least 30 days for Democrat bosses in 34th district to determine who will succeed Trotter.

West Chesterfield on the recent Walgreen's closure in the neighborhood

Crossposted from The Sixth Ward

347 E. 95th Street - June 2017

Unfortunately I didn't get the chance to go to the recent meeting hosted by state Rep. Elgie Sims on the Walgreen's store that closed on Tuesday Jun. 27th at 95th/King Drive. However I'm glad that the West Chesterfield Community Association was able to share a quick report on their fb page. That report is embedded below

Using legos to teach fractions

Found this on fb the other day. If only my teachers back in the day had come up with this method to teach fractions. They may well have worked well enough the methods they used back them. This is much more interactive and colorful.

And yet, I still don't miss having to study and practice fractions today...

facebook me!

facebook.com

Years ago someone on fb was able to contact me regarding an opportunity to start an alumni organization for Bennett-Shedd School. This was a while ago, however, times have changed. Then I responded to that message somewhat coolly because it certainly came out of nowhere and I never posted my fb information here.

That changes this week. This doesn't mean well be fast friends of course, but as to whether or not you want me to feel comfortable around you is entirely up to you. You're always free to say hello or what not.

Another idea I have considered is whether or not this Shedd School/Public School blog needs it's own fb page. I have some experience with The Sixth Ward and it's various social networking wings so that shouldn't be too difficult to accomplish. Feel free to let me know if that interests you although there are fb groups for past and present students of Bennett/Shedd School.

Also, this has become something of a "9th Ward Blog" lately as Bennett-Shedd is located within that city council district. So it's probably OK to start compiling groups for that purpose as well.

In the meanwhile feel free to facebook me. I have a badge at the top of the sidebar and you can also find me via the email address - itsmymind @ gmail.com - also in sidebar.

Another Facebook group for Shedd School

Did you attend Shedd School during the years 1976 to 1984. Then this is the Facebook group for you.