I hope our local students, teachers, school staff, and parents had a wonderful first week back to school. We are looking forward to another positive school year in the community and are planning ways to bring families and stakeholders from our local schools together throughout the year.

Yesterday I convened a meeting with 49th Ward Alderwoman Maria Hadden, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, State Senator Heather Steans, and other city, state, and federal elected and government officials regarding the rising lake levels in Lake Michigan. The Army Corps of Engineers shared a presentation at the meeting and highlighted that lake levels are at a 30-year high due in part to this spring's record-breaking rainfall. Lake levels are cyclical and projections estimate that the lake will soon level off and will begin to reduce over time. When lake levels were last this high in 1986, Lake Shore Drive and Sheridan Road were significantly affected. It is my priority to prepare for fall and winter weather in order to take precautions against bad weather that may cause dangerous conditions exacerbated by high water levels. The Army Corps of Engineers will continue to monitor the lake in the coming months. I am committed to working with the City and with the Army Corps of Engineers to prepare our community for the coming fall and winter weather. Alderwoman Maria Hadden and I will host a town hall on this topic later this fall. If you have any questions about this issue, please email me at harry@48thward.org.

At the September 11 meeting of the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, we will vote on an ordinance I introduced with Alderman Brendan Reilly regarding condo deconversions. The ordinance would increase the threshold from 75% to 85% of owners voting to approve a sale of a condo building to developers. Our office has seen an increase in the number of concerns about this issue in our community and across the city. 

The most recent plan for the former Bluewater development at 5440 N. Sheridan, a 16-story residential building for seniors, fell through last year. Cedar St. Properties is looking to develop the southern parcel at that location, with a proposed 4.5 story development including 78 residential units. Tomorrow they will host an open house to share their plans with Sheridan Road residents and other nearby neighbors from 10am to 2pm at St. Andrew's Church, 5649 N. Sheridan. I encourage you to stop by to learn about their proposed designs. My office will keep you informed on the plans for this site moving forward.

September is Hunger Action Month and Care for Real, our local food pantry, has launched a new and ambitious initiative in honor of it. The Great Tomato Challenge is a month-long and community-wide fundraising campaign featuring more than 20 local businesses. Restaurants have selected a special dish featuring tomatoes and will donate a portion of proceeds from each sale of that dish to Care for Real. Each year Care for Real distributes more than 1 million pounds of food to our neighbors in need. Click here to learn more about how you can participate in The Great Tomato Challenge and support this important organization in our community.

With the new property tax assessments, many homeowners in our community experienced increased property taxes on the most recent bill. Next week I am co-sponsoring a Property Tax Appeal Workshop with Board of Review Commissioner Mike Carbonargi. The event is Thursday, September 12, 6:30pm, at the Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway. Bring a copy of your second installment property tax and a photo ID. Click here for more information.

Please enjoy the beautiful fall weather this weekend. There is plenty happening here in the ward:

• Tomorrow is the annual Lakewood Balmoral Yard Sale, featuring 12 blocks of yard sales. This is a rain or shine event, Saturday, Sept. 7, 9am - 4pm, on Magnolia, Lakewood, and Wayne, between Foster and Bryn Mawr. Click here for more information.
• Tomorrow is also the kick-off of the TPAN Ride for Life. This two-day, 200-mile bike ride raises money and awareness for the important and critical work TPAN (Test Positive Aware Network) does across the city. This year is the first that the ride will take participants through Chicago along the Lakefront Trail and into Michigan. Please join me in wishing riders a safe and successful event. If you'd like to support this event, click here to learn more.
• This Sunday, Cedar Playground Park Advisory Council is hosting their first ever Kid Biz Day, from 9am to noon at the park. This event is an opportunity to support our community's youngest entrepreneurs. Some of the businesses who will be selling their goods include Rainbow Wish Rocks, CocoLotion lotion bars, O's Fruit Stand, and more. Click here to learn more.

Enjoy your weekend. 

Sincerely,

Harry Osterman
Alderman, 48th Ward

Lakewood Balmoral Annual Front Yard Sale

Lakewood Balmoral Annual Front Yard sale will be help Saturday, September 7th from 9-4, Rain or Shine. This event with over 40 years of tradition is always  a great day in Edgewater. With over 12 blocks of bargains, 5200-5500 blocks of Magnolia, Lakewood and Wayne, this is a sale for all to enjoy with residents selling great items in front yards or on porches. Also Northshore Baptist Church, 5244 Lakewood will be having a Craft and Vendor show and ethnic food sale.  Unity Church at 1212 Balmoral also participating in sale. 

Edgewater Castle Football Club - Foster Fridays

Care for Real - The Great Tomato Challenge

Care for Real is excited to announce a new fundraiser, The Great Tomato Challenge, a month-long partnership between local businesses, our community and Care for Real.

What is The Great Tomato Challenge?
Local businesses will offer a unique dish, menu item or special retail product that highlights tomatoes! From September 1 - September 30, every time this item is sold, a portion of the purchase will be donated to Care for Real by the participating business. For a list of participating businesses and their designated menu items, please visit Care for Real’s website or Facebook event.

100% of all donations from The Great Tomato Challenge will support Care for Real's free programs and services. Customers and supporters will also be encouraged to visit multiple participating businesses and take selfies or create a post with the tomato themed item using the hashtag #thegreattomatochallenge. All participants will be entered into a chance to win a gift basket chockful of delicious food and drink.

Why tomatoes?
Tomatoes represent Care for Real’s focus on providing a variety of seasonal, fresh produce for our neighbors in need. Tomatoes are a robust, delicious reminder of the importance of distributing fresh produce in the fight against hunger and an extension of Care for Real's dedication to encouraging clients to eat better and live healthier lifestyles.

To participate
If you are a local business who wants to sign up as a charitable partner, please contact Kate Polgar via email at kate@careforreal.org. We encourage everyone in our community to support all the businesses participating in #thegreattomatochallenge. Follow Care for Real on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep updated and visit our website and sign up for our newsletter at www.careforreal.org for more information.

Northside Hiring Event
Tuesday, September 10
10am - 1pm
Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave., Room 1106
Click here for more information

Advocate Medical Group Open House
Tuesday, September 10
3-5pm
Advocate Medical Group, 5304 N. Broadway
Click here for more information

An Evening with Kim Phuc
Wednesday, Sept. 11
6-9pm
Pasteur, 5525 N. Broadway
Click here for tickets
 

Kim’s Phuc’s life’s journey began at the age of 9, in a haunting photo taken of her running down a Vietnam road naked—screaming in skin-scorched pain and fear behind the backdrop of a napalm attack filled sky. That’s when AP photographer, Nick Ut, captured his famous Pulitzer Prize photo for the world to see. The black and white photograph was titled, “The girl in the photo”.

Since that horrific moment 47 years ago, Kim Phuc’s road has transformed to one of peace. A personal indelible path of courage and self reflection. Her story is not about anger, but of forgiveness, God, hope, purpose and mindfulness. Kim’s life mission has shaped her in becoming a Peace Ambassador and author of the book, Fire Road.

If you don’t know of Kim Phuc, please Google her. You won’t want to miss Kim’s extraordinary story that will personally touch your heart. Forever. Get to know Kim Phuc, and take a moment to watch this remarkable CBS interview.

Property Tax Appeal Workshop
Thursday, September 12
6:30pm
Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway
Click here for more information

This workshop is hosted by the office of Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Mike Cabonargi. Please bring a copy of your 2nd installment property tax bill.

Edgewater Historical Society Home Tour
Sunday, September 15
12-4pm
Edgewater Glen
Click here for more information

The Edgewater Historical Society has been offering at least one Home Tour every year since 1989. On Sunday, September 15, 2019 (rain or shine), we will be featuring the Edgewater Glen neighborhood and, for $25 per person, you will receive a guided tour through several of its historic homes. You will also receive a souvenir Tour Booklet containing a map of the neighborhood and descriptions of each home on the Tour.

At each home, a volunteer docent will greet you and tell you something about the exterior of the house. You will then be escorted with others in a group to tour the inside of the house, where another volunteer docent will highlight some of the features of the interior.

Andersonville Arts Week + Arts Fest - Sept. 19-22

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce will present the 17th annual Andersonville Arts Week + Fest, September 19-22, 2019. The event features the returning Self-Guided Art Walk, over 50 local businesses, 200 artists, and a new weekend outdoor arts festival. 

Andersonville will transform into a district of art galleries, with visual art exhibited throughout the neighborhood in local businesses. Attendees can explore these exhibits with the Self-Guided Art Walk Thursday, September 19 - Sunday, September 22. The esteemed Night of 100 Parties takes place on September 20 from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. and showcases both the art and the artist in spirited celebration. Andersonville Arts Fest caps off the week with a two-day street festival produced by nationally acclaimed arts festival production company, Amdur Productions, south of Foster Avenue on Clark Street between Winona and Argyle Streets.    

For complete details, click here.

Edgewater Small Business Growth Panel
Friday, September 20 from 11:30am - 1:30pm

Topic: Creating the Perfect Team: How to Recruit & Retain Good Employees
Lunch & Learn during our Small Business Growth Panel at The Edge Off Broadway Theater! A must-attend for any small business owner or manager, our moderator and panelists will discuss how they successfully built their ideal teams and keep their employees happy. Learn how to improve your workforce during a lunchtime break by listening to the perspectives of a start-up business, a home-based business and a larger, multi-departmental  company. Lunch will be provided by Francesca's.



Website: https://www.edgewater.org/events/small-business-growth-panel/
Buy Your Ticket: https://smallbizgrowth.bpt.me

Intergenerational Skillshare Program

Apply Online at https://seedscenter.org/intergen By Sept 21st, 12AM
Since 2017, Seeds Center’s free program offers a diverse range of activities and new skills for students to learn together all while experiencing and bonding with those 55 and older and 35 and younger in the same recurring group for each term.

Not English Confident? Feel free to bring 1 bilingual friend for FREE too for our regularly scheduled classes and programs taught in English- please mention it in your completed application 

Experiences students shared together over the 2 years have included:

digital photography | paper flower making | marbled designs on card-stock | qi gong, herbal medicinal teas, diy acupressure | mini Chinese crepes | butternut squash soup making contest | latin dance | line dance | calligraphy | reflective painting | conversational painting | abstract wave painting | jewelry making | wire wrapping | understanding canines | drawing mandalas on vinyl records | vision boards | embossing on tin  

A.C.T. Group hosts the 6^th Annual Shred Event to benefit Care For Real

We are all so excited to bring this back for the 6^th year.  Please come out to help us support Care For Real. For those not familiar with Care for Real, they have been serving the Edgewater/Uptown Communities by providing  food, clothing, pet supplies and job readiness to those in need since 1970.
 
When:  Saturday, 9/21/19
Where:  in front of The A.C.T. Group’s office (6228 N. Broadway)
Time:   9:00-Noon
Click here for informational flyer
 
To recap the “rules”…
Bring as much shred as you want and then donate generously (!) by giving cash, checks (made out to Care for Real) or non-perishable, NON EXPIRED food.  ALL DONATIONS ARE GIVEN DIRECTLY TO CARE FOR REAL. 
Don’t forget to tell your friends and neighbors.
 
If you cannot be at the shred event but would like to donate to Care For Real, you can send us your checks (made payable to Care for Real) and we will include them with our collected donations. 
Last year we collected $5115 in cash donations, 200 pounds of food and had 3800 pounds of shred!!  These generous donations go a long way to support Care for Real!
 

Be an ambassador for the City and plants of the world at one of Chicago's most beloved retreats -- become a Lincoln Park Conservatory Docent or Greeter! The Lincoln Park Conservancy and the Chicago Park District are seeking volunteer greeters and interpretive guides at the Lincoln Park Conservatory and Gardens in Lincoln Park, Chicago. The Conservatory's soaring palms, ancient ferns, and vast orchid collection delight visitors year-round, and is one of Chicago's loveliest retreats, especially in the winter!

Both Greeters and Docents welcome visitors, assist with questions and directions, and share their knowledge of this National Historic Landmark with visitors from around the world. Additionally, Docents give interpretive and educational tours of the Conservatory.

Greeters attend a one-day training on Saturday, October 5, 2019. The one-day training highlights the uniqueness of the Conservatory, the Conservancy connection with the Park, and exceptional customer service skills.

Docents attend six, half-day trainings, beginning Saturday, October 5, 2019. Sessions focus on the plants found in the Conservatory, the history of the Park and Conservatory itself, and the art of interpretation.

Volunteers then commit to two, three-hour shifts a month. For more information, please contact Rebecca at (773)883-7275 or volunteer@lincolnparkconservancy.org

48th Ward Youth Advisory Council

The purpose of this council began with our desire to make a difference in the way youth engage, learn, and participate in the community they call home. The council plans community events that will others in the community will enjoy. They get the opportunity to meet with other leaders in our community. If you want to learn more or have any questions contact PC at pc@48thward.org.

Circles and Ciphers Events
Circles & Ciphers is a hip-hop infused restorative justice organization led by and for young people who are impacted by violence. Click here to learn more.

• ComEd Service Transfers - 5100-5232 N. Winthrop (8/12-9/20) -- Click for details
• ComEd Service Transfers - 5530-5628 N. Winthrop (8/12-9/20) -- Click for details
• ComEd Service Transfers - 5634-5722 N. Winthrop (8/12-9/20) -- Click for details
• ComEd Service Transfers - 5726-5812 N. Winthrop (8/12-9/20) -- Click for details
• Underground Utility Work - 1101-1126 W. Lawrence (7/8-8/30) -- Click for details

48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman