September 21, 2018 By

Office of Inspector General Launches New Information Portal

The City of Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) has unveiled a public, user-friendly Information Portal on its redesigned website.

This portal is an interactive data visualization tool that provides the public with an unprecedented means of engaging and understanding City of Chicago data. The portal dashboards contain over 100 ways for users to visualize city data related to the City’s budget and staffing, as well as information relating to the Chicago Police Department (CPD).

OIG’s mission to promote economy, effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity in City government is rooted in the core values of accountability and transparency. The Information Portal will operationalize these core values to help build public trust and foster wider public discourse around improving government services.

Source:  Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. – 27th Ward 9/26/18

Filed Under: Community
September 18, 2018 By

Neighborhood Notice: Parking Restrictions on Clark Street

Gray Productions will be shooting photography for Crate and Barrel in the neighborhood on Wednesday, September 19th, through Friday, September 21st. In order to park essential vehicles and equipment, streets in the area will be posted as a NO PARKING/TOW ZONE during the following dates/times:

Wednesday, September 19th through Friday, September 21st from 9:00am to 9:00pm
• West side of N Clark St from 819-842

The crews will be working with the Chicago Film Office and the Chicago Police Department to ensure a safe and positive filming experience.

If you have any additional questions please email Ward02@cityofchicago.org, or call the 2nd Ward Service Office at (312) 643-2299.

Source:  Alderman Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward Alderman 9/18/18

Filed Under: Community
September 17, 2018 By

Community Alert – Robberies – 18th District (Near North)

To print a copy, CLICK HERE.

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

Coffee with the Commander Returns this Week – September 19th

Join RNRA Public Safety Committee Members at Eva’s Cafe for “Coffee with the Commander.”  Stop by and share a cup of coffee with the 18th District Officers of the Chicago Police Department.   

When:  Wednesday, September 19th  9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Where:  Eva’s Cafe-1447 N. Sedgwick Street, Chicago, IL 60610

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

Hospitality Hires Chicago Event POSTPONED

Statement from Hospitality Hires Chicago (HHC):As you may know, workers at nearly thirty local hotels are on strike. Out of an abundance of caution, the Hospitality Hires Chicago partners have determined that postponing the September 19th hiring event at the Palmer House is in the best interest of all.

We are committed to this event and recognize its impact on the more than 800 people served to date. Towards that end, we will reschedule the event at the earliest possible opportunity.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and look forward to serving both jobseekers and employers during our next Hospitality Hires Chicago event. For updates, or to learn more about HHC, visit hhc2018.weebly.com.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 9/14/18

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

New Traffic Calming Improvements Coming to River North!

Alderman Reilly is very pleased to announce important safety improvements coming to River North. The Alderman had received reports of speeding cars and pedestrian safety concerns along Erie Street, between Kingsbury and Sedgwick.

Upon receipt of these concerns, Alderman Reilly requested the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) complete a traffic survey of the area, and develop a comprehensive traffic calming design intended to slow vehicular traffic and improve pedestrian safety along West Erie Street.  To print a copy, CLICK HERE.

Alderman Reilly is pleased to report that CDOT will install concrete curb extensions on Erie Street, at the intersections with Kingsbury, Hudson, and Sedgwick Streets.

Curb extensions narrow the roadway and help slow vehicular traffic, and bring stop signs closer to the driver. Curb extensions also reduce the pedestrian crossing distance and improve visibility between drivers and pedestrians.

For additional traffic calming, CDOT will install a speed hump and curb extensions mid-block on Erie Street between Kingsbury and Hudson, and another mid-block between Hudson and Sedgwick.

Alderman Reilly also requested that CDOT survey Huron and Superior Streets for possible installation of speed humps. CDOT traffic engineers have completed their survey, and will install mid-block speed humps on Huron and on Superior, between Larrabee and Orleans.

Speed humps are self-enforcing traffic calming tools that reduce travel speeds as drivers are forced to slow down in order to traverse the humps.  The new speed humps will reduce overall vehicular and pedestrian crashes within this corridor.

River North is home to a large (and growing) number of families, as well as several daycares and a popular park with robust children’s and dog amenities. All of these factors contribute to the significant pedestrian traffic along Erie Street in River North.

Alderman Reilly allocated a portion of the Aldermanic Menu to fund these important pedestrian and vehicular safety improvements, and requested CDOT expedite construction of this project. Crews are currently mobilizing to begin construction of the Erie Street curb extensions and speed humps, and work is expected to start this week.

Alderman Reilly is happy to have worked with the Chicago Department of Transportation to develop and fund these important safety improvements in River North!

Source:  Alderman Reilly reports 9/14/18

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

Chicago Streetlight Modernization Program Reaches Major Milestone with 76,000 Lights Installed in Year One

The Chicago Smart Lighting Program (CSLP) is wrapping up its first year and has installed new lights in all of the city’s 50 wards. To date more than 76,000 new LED smart streetlight fixtures have been installed as part of the four-year modernization program, which is increasing the reliability and quality of Chicago’s streetlights.

The modernization program is being implemented by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and will replace 270,000 of Chicago’s street, alley and viaduct lights with high-quality LED fixtures during its four-year timeframe. Chicago is also installing a citywide lighting management system for the new LED lights. When it becomes operational later this year, the system will alert the City when lights need service.

By switching to energy efficient LED streetlights, the City expects to cut its streetlight electricity costs by more than half, yielding savings of approximately $100 million over 10 years. Utility savings from the first year of the program are estimated to be up to $1 million. In addition, the City expects to qualify for as much as $35 million in ComEd energy efficiency rebates for switching to more efficient streetlights from outdated High-Pressure Sodium (HPS).

Streetlight fixture replacements in the first year have been focused in South and West Side neighborhoods with heightened public safety concerns, allowing those communities to quickly reap the benefits of higher quality, more reliable lighting. In addition, new lights have been installed on more than a dozen major arterial routes.

In the 42nd Ward, streetlight upgrades were completed on Grand Avenue from Jefferson Street to Lake Shore Drive. Additionally, streetlights on Lake Shore Drive were upgraded from Superior Street to Balbo Avenue.

To read the full press release, click here. The City has also created a website, chicagosmartlighting.org, where Chicagoans can track the progress of the program.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 9/7/18

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

Chicago Ranked as Nation’s Greenest City by Green Building Adoption Index

According to the 2018 National Green Building Adoption Index published by CBRE Group Inc. and Maastricht University, Chicago is the national leader in energy efficient office buildings for the second year in a row. The city gained a nearly six point spread over second-place San Francisco, marking the largest spread ever recorded in the Index.

According to the report, 69.8 percent of the office buildings in Chicago are market certified green and 265 buildings are green. San Francisco claimed the second spot with 64 percent of all space green certified, and Atlanta maintained the third spot with more than 58 percent. Los Angeles claimed fourth – up from sixth last year. Minneapolis rounds out the top five with 55 percent of office space certified.

To read more about the study, and Chicago’s strong environmental track record which includes the 2017 Chicago Energy Benchmarking Report, click here.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 9/7/18

Filed Under: Community
September 14, 2018 By

Meet Astro the Alderdog! Alderman’s Reilly’s Contribution to K9s for Cops

As a tribute to the important work the Chicago Police Department’s Canine Unit dogs perform every day, the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation launched the Chicago K9s for Cops public art campaign.  The campaign was conceived to memorialize our city’s heroes while supporting the families of police officers that have been killed or catastrophically injured in the line of duty.

Life-size statues of German Shepard and Retriever Police dogs have been designed by local artists, and are on display now along the Magnificent Mile and other prominent locations throughout Chicago. The 50 hand-painted police K9’s will be on display through September 30. For a map of locations, click here.

For generations, police officers in Chicago have used dogs as partners to assist them in solving crimes and keeping communities safe. Today, approximately 70 canines help our officers protect the city every day. They are invaluable partners that are highly skilled and trained to serve law enforcement professionals in a variety of capacities.

Alderman Reilly helped contribute to this initiative with Astro the Alderdog, presented in loving memory of 18th District Commander Paul Bauer. Astro currently stands guard outside 600 N. Michigan.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 9/7/18

Filed Under: Community

https://rnrachicago.org/11108/