Mayor Emanuel and City Clerk Anna Valencia recently announced that Coast2Coast Rx has been selected as the vendor to provide discounts on name brand and generic prescription drugs at no direct cost to the City or participating Chicago residents.

Residents will be able to take advantage of the free benefit by using a discount card available at www.ChicagoRxCard.com, public library branches or many aldermanic offices. Additionally, CityKey cards that are issued going forward will include a discount number so that the CityKey can also be used as a resident’s prescription benefit card.

The Chicago Rx Card allows residents to locate participating pharmacies and search for the price of prescription drugs, medical equipment, and even medication for their pets.

Residents will also be able to read more about the program and download a discount card if they don’t have the discount number printed on their CityKey.

The Chicago Rx Card will be accepted at all major chain pharmacies in addition to many independent ones. Over 60,000 drugs are included as part of the program with savings of up to 80% on both name brand and generic prescriptions. One card can be used for dependents for an entire family and is good for pet prescriptions as well when they are filled at a pharmacy. There are no limits to the number of times the card can be used.

Pharmaceutical benefit managers often place contractual limitations on pharmacists that prevent them from disclosing if and when a customer’s prescription would cost less if purchased outside their insurer or pharmacy plan, as well as what the true price of a prescription would be without these benefits.

These provisions, often referred to as “gag clauses,” also limit pharmacists from providing consumers with information about the cheapest way to pay for their prescriptions. This deceptive practice often causes consumers to pay more than is necessary for prescriptions, which is why Mayor Emanuel announced the City of Chicago would end this practice in May. As a result, Chicago’s discount prescription drug program is the first municipal prescription benefit program to be free of a gag clause.

To learn more, click here to read the full press release or visit  www.ChicagoRxCard.com for more information.

Alderman Reilly Reports:  7/27/18

Mayor Emanuel and Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced 97 new probationary police officers have been sent to neighborhood police districts on July 22nd for their first assignment, including 30 officers who have been deployed to the 1st, 12th, and 18th Districts – police districts with boundaries within the 42nd Ward.

Since the start of 2017, more than 1,800 new recruits have entered the Police Academy to train to become police officers. This year alone, 654 new officers have deployed to their district assignments to support public safety and engage community members in effective problem solving through community policing.

These new officers are being deployed after successfully completing their training at the Academy and initial field training. The new officers benefited from CPD’s enhanced training curriculum which includes scenario based instruction and renewed focus on de-escalation and force mitigation. During the six-month police academy, recruits learn all applicable laws and protocols for being a Chicago Police Officer. In addition to physical training, they receive instruction in procedural justice, critical thinking, scenario-based training in crisis intervention and de-escalation, use of force, and community building.

This was followed by three months of field training, during which officers are paired with Field Training Officers for hands-on guidance during their first in-the-field months.

These new officers have joined as part of CPD’s ongoing “Be the Change” recruitment campaign which reflects the belief that this new generation of police officers will lay the groundwork for a more diverse department and be future leaders who define how police support, protect and work together with Chicago’s communities.

The breakdown of the city-wide deployment is below:District 1 (Central) 10
District 2 (Wentworth)  10
District 6 (Gresham) 10
District 7 (Englewood) 10
District 8 (Chicago Lawn) 10
District 11 (Harrison) 10
District 12 (Near West)  10
District 15 (Austin)  10
District 18 (Near North) 10
District 19 (Town Hall)    7

Alderman Reilly Reports:  7/27/18

Thank you to those who were able to attend the 444 North Dearborn community meeting on July 16!  Alderman Reilly appreciates your feedback. Please find the links for the presentation and traffic study below:

• Presentation
• Traffic Study

Due to low attendance at the initial community meeting on July 16, Alderman Reilly has asked the development team to host a second meeting closer to the impacted area for the convenience of nearby residents. The development team will present their plans and answer any questions you may have about this proposal. Alderman Reilly will be present at this meeting to monitor the discussion and record your feedback.

WHAT:    New Engine Company 42 Firehouse and New Commercial Building at the southwest corner of Dearborn Street and Illinois Street

WHO:      Hosted by Alderman Brendan Reilly and the River North Residents Association

WHEN:     Monday, July 30, 2018, 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

WHERE:   Springhill Suites – 410 N. Dearborn Street, 2nd Floor Breakfast Area, Chicago, IL 60654

Alderman Reilly works hard to provide an open and transparent community review of all local development proposals.  He hopes you can join him and the River North Residents Association to engage in a direct dialogue with the development team to gain a better understanding of this proposal and receive answers to any questions you may have.

Alderman Reilly Reports:  7/20/18

Property tax bills are due on August 1st, but they have already been posted online at cookcountytreasurer.com where property owners can pay for free, according to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. The bills are available about two weeks before they will be mailed.

A growing number of property owners like the convenience of paying their taxes online, where payments now exceed those made at bank branches. There is no longer a charge for owners who pay online from their bank accounts. Fees do apply to credit card payments.

To make a payment, go to cookcountytreasurer.com and:
– Select “Make an Online Payment”
– Enter your address or Property Index Number (PIN)

You may also use the website to:
– Download a copy of your Tax Bill
– Search $94 million in available refunds
– Check property tax exemptions, which can lower your taxes.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas also said that printed bills, with a due date of August 1, are to be mailed at the beginning of July.

The 18th Police District will soon be equipped with a Strategic Decision Support Center (SDSC), a technology-driven “nerve center” that analyzes existing data sources collected by the Chicago Police Department, such as past crime data and offender criminal history databases, to determine where to deploy officers and resources.

The new SDSC places all this information into a single, usable, platform to help district command staff and officers  plan for patrol deployments or prepare to respond to a call for service. These Centers have helped CPD reduce shootings and crime in other police districts throughout the City.

In conjunction with the 18th District’s new SDSC, high-definition security cameras have been installed at the following Red Line Stations as part of CTA’s Safe & Secure program:

Once established, the SDSC will monitor the CTA’s Red Line Cameras 24/7, allowing CPD to track offenders, flash mobs, and identify individuals with active warrants.

A Strategic Decision Support Center was installed in the 12th (Near West) District earlier this year, along with POD crime cameras to support police in preventing, combating and responding to violent crime. The implementation of these predictive technology and analytical tools builds upon CPD’s crime strategy of targeted, data-driven enforcement to build a culture of accountability among offenders.

Please stay tuned to Reilly Reports for future updates regarding the 18th District SDSC.

Source:  Alderman Reilly Reports 7/6/18

In response from demands for additional security measures along the Red Line, new high-definition smart cameras were just installed at the following stations:

The equipment is now operational. The cameras are now monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by Chicago Police Officers at Strategic Command Centers.  The new cameras can allow police officers to zoom in on a crime in progress. They can even be linked to follow criminals as they flee the scene of a crime.

The new cameras have state-of-the-art facial recognition technology that can allow officers to scan and recognize the faces of wanted offenders with active warrants.

The additional capability also allows Chicago police officers to integrate facial recognition and other A.I. capabilities into real-time video.  The new cameras will also work in conjunction with Shot-Spotter technology now being expanded throughout the city.

Source:  Alderman Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward Newsletter 7/3/18

Regarding today’s 7-13-18 report in Crains Chicago:

When I took office I pledged to do everything in my power to facilitate a relocation or shutdown of General Iron.

Today marks the beginning of the final phase of these efforts.

However, I will not be satisfied with a drawn-out relocation process. With the North Branch modernization and environmental issues in mind, this transition should be expedited to accommodate for the future of the area.

I will continue my push to ensure that long-awaited improvements to this community are delivered safely and swiftly.

Brian Hopkins
Alderman, 2nd Ward

The River North neighborhood will dazzle once again when its signature food and culture festival, Taste of River North, takes place for a 17th consecutive season, July 20-22.

With its unique location in Ward Park, this colossal summer party differs from the typical Chicago street festival. 35,000-plus are expected to gather in the picturesque green park setting next to the Chicago River to taste some of River North’s most dynamic cuisine and rock out to party jams.

Presented by River North Residents Association, this year’s festival includes new attractions like a Wine Garden and Art Walk and Official After Parties along with live music, prominent chefs, a kid’s activity area, dog-friendly foods and games, local artisans and merchants, and Yoga in the Park by East Bank Club.

More info

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