The City of Chicago launched the third phase of Retrofit Chicago on August 7th - the Residential Partnership.  Mayor Emanuel's Retrofit Chicago Residential Partnership will bring together ComEd, Peoples Gas, CNT Energy, the Community Investment Corporation, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association, and the City of Chicago.  The Lincoln Square Community Area was one of 12 Community Areas selected for inclusion in this program.  This partnership will provide building owners with a simple, one-stop shop for energy efficiency.  Owners can save up to 30% on their energy bills.  To see a map of the Lincoln Square Community Area, please click here. 

Residential buildings consume almost half of the City's total energy. This is due, in part, to the fact that older buildings are historically inefficient and the average age of residential buildings in Chicago is 83 years old.  Many owners find energy efficiency improvements cost prohibitive and confusing and simply do not know where to start making improvements. The City's residential buildings initiative aims to help owners easily and affordably retrofit their homes and buildings, solving these problems by providing access to financial incentives for home and building improvements, a one-stop-shop to access programs, and coordinated and targeted outreach in designated energy zones.

*Text drawn from website and press release from Mayor's office. 

The Chicago Conservation Corps is now recruiting for its Fall 2012 Environmental Leadership Training Series. During the training, you'll learn from community and environmental leaders about urban environmental challenges and opportunities for change; then you'll lead an environmental service project in your community with C3 support and resources.

To apply for the C3 Leadership Training Series, you must be a City of Chicago resident and attend one orientation. The Fall 2012 training will be held at the Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N. Sacramento Blvd, on six Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. on September 12, 19, and 26 and October 3, 10, and 17. Attend an orientation in August to learn more.

• Saturday, August 25, 11 a.m. - 12 p.m., Chicago Center for Green Technology, 445 N Sacramento Blvd
• Monday, August 27, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m., Chicago Department of Transportation at 30 N. LaSalle, 11th Floor
• Tuesday, August 28, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m., Hyde Park Arts Center, 5020 S. Cornell

To sign up for an orientation or for more information, click here or call 733-755-5122. A $75 fee covers course participation and project support. Financial assistance is available upon request.

Keep our gutters flowing!  Please rake and bag all leaves from your property and the gutters. Place the bags next to your garbage cart.  If you have older neighbors or neighbors who are living with a disability, please keep their gutters cleared too.  Do you have a landscaper? Please remind them that blowing leaves into the gutter is illegal.  For more stormwater management tips, please click here.

A special "shooting stars" event will occur this weekend at Montrose Beach. The Illinois Science Council is partnering with the Chicago Park District to allow residents extended access at two beaches this weekend on Saturday and Sunday to look for shooting stars during the Perseid Meteor shower.  

Saturday, August 11, 2012                            9:00pm - 12:00 midnight

Lighthouse Beach Park

2611 Sheridan Road (Central Street at Sheridan Road), Evanston, IL

(No swimming or entry into the water is allowed at the beaches during this event.)

Saturday, August 11, 2012                            9:00pm - 12:00 midnight

12th Street Beach (1200 South), Chicago, IL

Montrose Beach, (4400 North), Chicago, IL

(No swimming or entry into the water is allowed at the beaches during this event.)

Sunday, August 12, 2012                               9:00pm - 12:00 midnight

12th Street Beach (1200 South), Chicago, IL

Montrose Beach, (4400 North), Chicago, IL

(No swimming or entry into the water is allowed at the beaches during this event.)

The Chicago Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) will increase its level of larval and adult mosquito control.  The most important steps for combating West Nile Virus (WNV) are the common sense personal precautions that every resident can take.

CDPH is highly recommending residents take the following steps to avoid West Nile Virus:

• Use insect repellant containing DEET, Picaridin, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus.
• Consider limiting outdoor activity after dark (dusk to dawn), which is when Northern House Mosquito is most active.
• When outside between dusk and dawn, wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing that includes long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks and shoes.
• Check to see that all screen on doors and windows are tight-fitting and free of holes and tears.
• Encourage neighbors to exercise precautions.

To limit mosquito breeding opportunities, CDPH officials recommend:

• Draining and replacing water in birdbaths and children's backyard wading pools every four to five days;
• Properly disposing of old tires, jars, cans, pans, bottles, buckets and other unwanted containers that can hold standing water;
• Making sure that rain gutters, downspouts, swimming pools and pool covers are free of standing water;
• Keeping grass and weeds cut short to eliminate hiding places for adult mosquitoes

For prevention tips and updates on West Nile Virus activity in Chicago, click here. For an expert national perspective on West Nile Virus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here. 

West Nile Disease, Reported Cases in Chicago:

2002      225 cases, 22 fatalities

2003      4 cases, 0 fatalities

2004      6 cases, 1 fatality

2005      41 cases, 1 fatality

2006      29 cases, 1 fatality

2007      11 cases, 0 fatalities

2008      4 cases, 0 fatalities

2009      1 case, 0 fatalities

2010      1 case, 0 fatalities

2011      8 cases, 0 fatalities

Check out the new infrastructure map on our webpage!

W. Eastwood Avenue from Damen to Leavitt

Crews from the Dept. of Water Management (DWM) are working to replace the old 1891 water main under Eastwood Avenue between Damen and Leavitt. The work is schedule to be completed by late August.  To see the residents' notice click here. 

N. Wayne Avenue from Irving Park to 600 Feet South

The sewer main under the 3900 block of Wayne Avenue is currently being replaced by DWM private contractors and the concrete base course has been laid at the road is open to traffic. The final restoration will be completed in the near future. To see the residents' notice click here. 

Peoples Gas Main Replacement

Construction to connect the new main to each customer will begin soon on Irving Park Rd between Lincoln and Ravenswood.  Parking restrictions will be posted in the area.  

Construction crews from Peoples Gas and their contractor Northern Pipeline continue their multi-year gas main replacement project in the 47th Ward. Sod has now been laid (grass seed in some instances) in a number of areas throughout the ward to restore damage to city parkways.  

Metra Track and Bridge Construction along Ravenswood 

• Montrose: Drilled Shaft Coring 
• West Side Ravenswood- Irving Park to Berteau (Wall 9): Install Lagging and Walers  
• West Side Ravenswood- Grace to Irving Park (Wall 10): Drill, Set and Pour Soldier Beams 
• Lawrence: Install Temporary Platform, Install Retaining Wall, Install Abutment (all in Sears Parking Lot) 

Metra Traffic Closures and Detours  

ALL BRIDGES CURRENTLY OPEN

• Work is scheduled to begin on the bridge at Ravenswood and Winnemac on August 13th and will continue through early November.
• Upcoming Detour at Foster: Partial Closure 8/15-8/17 and full closure on 8/18 to demolish bridge. 
• Irving Park to Berteau Detours will be up until November 2012.
• Grace to Irving Park Detours will be up until November 2012.
• Parking has been restricted between the CTA tracks and Ravenswood on all streets from Grace to Berteau to accommodate u-turns while the road is closed.  The south side of Berenice has parking restrictions from Lincoln to Ravenswood to accommodate two-way traffic until Ravenswood is reopened.
• Parking restrictions and detours may be opened, when possible, and re-closed once work is ready to resume. 

Taking place along Lincoln Avenue from Irving Park/4000N to Berenice/3836N, the second year of this festival will be extended to Friday night. Note that the south end beer tent tips will benefit three community organizations. On Friday night Northcenter Neighborhood Association volunteers will staff the tent, all day Saturday Friends of Filbert volunteers will be staffing  and all day Sunday will be volunteers from the Neighborhood Boys and Girls Club. For more information on the festival's band line up click here.