Did you know that there's a new way for you to find the health insurance you need?

Individuals and families in Illinois can now sign up for quality health coverage through Get Covered Illinois by visiting www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov. Through the Marketplace, you can make side-by-side comparisons of health coverage options and find the plan that works best for you, your family and your budget.

All of the plans you'll find through Get Covered Illinois cover important things like doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions and more. And you won't be denied coverage if you are sick or already have a condition like asthma, diabetes or even cancer.

You may even be able to get help paying for your plan. For example, if you are an individual who earns less than $45,960 a year, or a member of a family of four that makes less than $94,200 a year, you may be able to get a tax credit to help pay for your health insurance coverage. You may even qualify for a free or low-cost plan.

Sometimes finding the right health plan can be confusing. The good news is that you don't have to figure it out alone. There are specially trained counselors, called Navigators, who are available to help you learn about your choices and enroll for free - online, by phone or in-person. To enroll online or find a Navigator near you, visit www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov.

It's an exciting new state of health care in Illinois. Having health insurance means being there for your family when they need you. With a plan from Get Covered Illinois, you'll know you can get the care you need, when you need it, including free preventive care to help you stay healthy. No one plans to get sick or injured, but if the unexpected happens, you'll now be able to see a doctor or go to the hospital without racking up huge medical bills.

So why wait? Enrollment is open through March 31, 2014. Take the first step to getting covered. To enroll online or find a Navigator near you, visit www.GetCoveredIllinois.gov or call the toll-free Help Desk at (866) 311-1119, open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Heartland Alliance is hosting a number of enrollment events in Chicago.  For a calendar of those, please click here.   

Killadelphia is a one-man theater piece determined to take an unflinching look at the causes of the crime rate and its effect on the community. In the summer of 2008, it was often said that Philadelphia had "more bodies than days." The city was in the midst of a murder epidemic that put it on par with some third world countries. Playwright/performer Sean Christopher Lewis introduces us to the inmates of Graterford Prison - men employed to beautify the city as they serve out life sentences.  This is the Chicago premiere and the show is presented free of charge. The audience will be able to pay what they can or what they want afterwards. 

3 Free Shows - Monday 2/24, Tuesday 2/25, Wednesday 2/26

All Start at 8pm - show is followed by a talkback with playwright/performer Sean Christopher Lewis 

American Theater Company, 1909 W. Byron 

There are four more school tours this year. If you know parents interested in hearing about Waters School, please share the following dates with them. Please be prompt. 

• Thurs, March 20, 8:45am in Annex
• Thurs, April 24, 8:45am in Annex
• Thurs, May 22, 8:45am in Annex

We will continue to collect warm items all winter; as we are told more are needed. Please clean out your closets; someone else can use your children's outgrown jackets and the coats, hats and gloves you no longer wear?  We also welcome donations of pet food, towels and blankets for those pets less fortunate than our own.

On the 3rd Friday of the month The Lincoln Square Friendship Center 2733 W. Lawrence is the home to Friendship Pet Food Pantry. Pet food is provided to folks who are having a hard time feeding their beloved pets.  

Upcoming dates are: February 21 & March 21 from 3-5pm

If you know anyone who needs assistance, please pass this along.

In their 1st three distribution dates a month's supply of food was given to:

92 cats & 38 dogs!

Lincoln Square Friendship Center Pantry Are you interested in our newest neighborhood pantry? Sign up for their newsletter: lincolnsquarefc@gmail.com  

There are many ways for you to help - volunteer, help fundraise, hold a food drive, donate bins, pick-up donations, sponsor/manage a community garden bed. We are neighbors helping neighbors and making a difference.

The Tree House Humane Society is excited to tell you that during the month of February Cook County is offering two $40 rebates per household towards spay/neuter surgery for feral/stray cats as well as house cats.

For feral cats, the Trap-Neuter-Return package is FREE with the rebate.  House pets receive $40 off an already heavily discounted rate.  Residents must live in Cook County.  Cats must also receive a rabies vaccine at the time of surgery.  (Please note that kittens under 3 months can't yet receive a rabies vaccine and are therefore not eligible.)

Tree House handles all of the paperwork, so all you need to do is book an appointment by calling their Bucktown clinic at 773-227-5535.  

There is no better time than now to get any intact cats in for spay/neuter surgery.  Please help us spread the word!

Sulzer needs your old games.  Thanks to our neighbors who have donated games for the Sulzer's Game Night!  If you have games that your family no longer uses, please bring them to the 47th Ward Office or to Sulzer Library. Their ever-popular "Game Night" could use a few more board games like Sorry, Chess, Life, Uno, Jenga, Rummy Cube, etc.   

Check out the infrastructure map on our webpage!

Water Main Replacement for Hutchinson between Lincoln and Damen

Contractors working with the Dept. of Water Management are replacing the water main from 1897 under Hutchinson St. between Lincoln and Damen.  No parking will be enforced between 7am and 4pm Monday through Friday.  During work, there will be no thru traffic allowed.  For full information, please click here.   

Water Main Replacement for Hoyne between Irving Park and Grace

Contractors working with the Dept. of Water Management will begin replacing the water main from 1895 under Hoyne between Irving Park and Grace in late February.  No parking will be enforced between 7am and 4pm Monday through Friday.  During work, there will be no thru traffic allowed.  For full information, please click here.  

Water Mains Coming Soon:

Byron (Damen to Ravenswood): Start in early March

Berteau (Bell to Damen): Start in mid-March.

The Chicago Cubs have provided some additional funding for infrastructure improvements in the 44th 46th and 47th Wards.   In the 47th ward we will be getting new residential street lighting on: W Byron (Clark to Ashland), N Janssen (Addison to Irving Park) and N Greenview (Addison to Irving Park).

Chicago River Work (east side) Berteau to Montrose (from Riverbank Neighbors) 

Please check out this updated landscaping plan for the bank.

New to the plan:

• removal of all Ailanthus, honeysuckle and buckthorn (all invasives);
• add soil to the rip rap on the upper sections of the project area to make planting easier and recovery quicker;
• substitute for the elderberry, since we said we have a thriving e-berry community already;
• substituted a cover seed mix instead of the IDOT mix we objected to;
• four species of gray dogwood (stakes) that a vigorous colonizers for the new territories.

These will be substantial new lands, with the bank secured, and planting begun. Riverbank Neighbors will be able to enrich species diversity over time and introduce many new forbs. Habitat for birds and reptiles and amphibs and mammals will be greatly improved.

• Leland Ave Full Closure will be up until April, 2014.  
• Ravenswood from Lawrence to Leland Ave Full Closure will be up until April, 2014 on the west side of Ravenswood.
• Ravenswood (east side) between Ainslie and Winnemac some of the landscaping features will be installed before snowfall in preparation for planting in the spring.  Blockades may be in place on the street to make room for the work to be done however there is not a parking restriction when workers are not present.

For more information, visit the infrastructure section of our website or contact Bill Higgins at bill@chicago47.org or 773-549-2745.