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Sgt. Chris Schenk (018), Tony Falada (RNRA), Frank Gross (Chicago Police Memorial Foundation),  Captain Melvin Roman (018), Karl Costello (RNRA)

On February 27 the River North Residents Association’s Public Safety Committee presented a gift of $1,000 to the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation in support of the Get Behind the Vest program to honor the esteemed legacy of 18th District CPD Commander Paul Bauer and to show ongoing appreciation of the Chicago police officers who protect and serve the citizens of Chicago every day.

Established in1997, the River North Residents Association (RNRA) is a non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality of life in River North. Representing thousands of residents, the RNRA collaborates with CPD, city officials, local businesses, homeowners’ associations, rental complexes and other stakeholders on a range of programs in six key areas:  public safety, responsible development, infrastructure and amenities, open green space, commerce and hospitality, and community events.

Most people don’t realize that a vest isn’t bulletproof forever.  It wears out.  It breaks down.  It needs to be replaced every 5 years.  And just one bullet permanently damages a vest, making it unusable.  Chicago police officers are responsible for replacing their own vests. At $500 or more per vest, in addition to other equipment and uniform expenses, the costs can quickly add up. The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation  established the Get Behind the Vest program to ensure that every officer protecting the community is protected.   Every donation helps this effort.

“We are privileged to work closely with the officers of the 18th District CPD and are grateful for their ongoing support and protection,”  says Karl Costello, Chair of the RNRA Public Safety Committee.  “These men and women put their life on the line every day for us and we felt this program was a meaningful way to show our support.”

Members of the RNRA Public Safety Committee, Court Advocates and attendees of 2/27/19 RNRA Public Safety Committee Meeting

We’d like to thank SpeedPro Imaging – Chicago Loop for generously donating the large printed check!

The Friends of the Parks 30th Annual Chicagoland Earth Day Parks and Preserves Clean-Up will take place on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to noon. Join the River North Residents Association and Friends of the Parks in celebration of Earth Day by volunteering to help make A. Montgomery Ward Park cleaner, safer and more beautiful.  It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and make a difference in our community.

If you – or your friends and family members – are interested in volunteering, please register by April 12th so that we can plan for a sufficient amount of supplies.

For 30 years, Friends of the Parks has been mobilizing community members to participate in Earth Day volunteerism. People from neighborhoods throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs volunteer at their local parks and forest preserves to practice stewardship and celebrate community. This year’s event is conducted in partnership with the Chicago Park District, the Forest Preserves of Cook County and many community groups across Chicagoland.

A host of other activities are planned during EARTH WEEK which will kick off on Monday April 22! For more information click here to visit the Friends of the Parks online.

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The Office of the City Clerk recently launched a pilot program that allows qualifying Veteran’s with an Illinois Driver’s License or State ID with a Veteran’s designation issued on or before December 31, 2018 to be eligible to receive one No Fee City Sticker for a passenger, large passenger or motorbike for FREE.

Qualifying Veterans will be able to take advantage of the program at one of the three Office of the City Clerk locations when their sticker is due up for renewal. The vehicle must be registered to the Veteran.

For Veterans who already receive a No Fee Veterans sticker, there will be no changes and they will continue as to qualify as before based on their license plates.

Click here for more information.

Navy Pier brings visual and interactive art full circle with its latest free public art installation, Loop. Inspired by the zoetrope – an optical device invented in the 19th century – this retro-futuristic machine creates playful animations with the simple pull of a lever, bringing to life 13 classic fairytales. The interactive and whimsical installation will remain on display from February 28 to May 12, 2019.

Loop, produced by Ekumen and Montreal-based Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, is a cross between a music box, a zoetrope and a railway handcar. Guests of all ages are welcome to sit inside of one of the 12 nine-foot cylinders and pull a lever to set in motion a flickering strobe effect of black and white images accompanied by sound – reminiscent of early films. Once activated, the cylinder becomes animated with light and sound, creating the illusion of motion in the drawings. The black and white images can be viewed from close up or far away. The speed at which the images fly by, the frequency at which the light flickers and the rhythm of the audio composition are all directly related to the pace set by the participants’ effort at the pump-powered machine.

Loop is part of Navy Pier’s ongoing commitment to offer guests free, one-of-a kind arts and cultural programming, designed to inspire, educate and connect communities. For more information, visit www.navypier.org.

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Annex houses 22 classrooms, including a computer lab, science lab, art room and multipurpose room

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joined Alderman Walter Burnett on Sunday 2/24/19 to cut the ribbon on the 36,000-square-foot annex at Skinner West Elementary School. The four-story annex has 22 classrooms, including an art room, a computer room, and a science lab, as well as a multi-purpose room that can accommodate up to 120 students for lunch.

“Skinner students are working hard to live up to their promise and potential, and this new annex will help ensure they are earning the first-rate education they deserve,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Expectations are high for Chicago students, and they deserve the space and facilities they need to succeed.”

“An investment in our children is an investment in the future of Chicago, and the state-of-the-art annex at Skinner will pay off in dividends for generations to come,” said Alderman Walter Burnett, 27th Ward. “Together with the Mayor and our community, I am proud to bring our students the facilities they need to continue concentrating on their studies.”

The annex was built to accommodate overcrowding relief at the school. The addition also includes a new elevator and a chiller, as well as renovations to the existing building and landscape. The annex was constructed by the Public Building Commission.

Mayor Emanuel and CPS have addressed overcrowding at over 40 local schools in recent years, including Zapata, Dore, Dawes, South Loop, Prussing, Addams, Little Village, Bridge, Onahan, Ebinger, Pasteur, Canty, Byrne, Edwards, Dore, Garvey, Hale, Peck, Stevenson, Dirksen, Sauganash, and many more. The Mayor remains committed to working with communities to find innovative ways to relieve overcrowding.

The City of Chicago has been committed to broad investment in capital projects at schools across the city. Investments with CPS has included new schools and annexes, playgrounds and air conditioning, improvements and access to technology, new computers and expanded bandwidth, expanded academic programs and core facilities investments.

To view photos click HERE.