News from the 44th Ward 
Dear Neighbors,
 
Block clubs play a key role in increasing the quality of life and safety in city neighborhoods. They foster unity among neighbors, set community standards and serve as watchdogs against crime. I would like to see more organized block clubs in the 44th Ward and encourage you to gather your neighbors together to create your own. Please click here for more information on how to form your own block club and register it with the City. 
 
Commander Voulgaris and I want to see at least five block clubs created by the end of this year and would like to attend your initial meeting. We want to meet your neighbors, identify issues that need to be addressed on your street and provide you with tips and resources to make your block club successful.  It has been proven that a strong association of neighbors; who look out for each other's families and property, communicate on regular basis,  alert the police of any suspicious activity or crime and make their neighborhood a safer and better place to live. Let us all work together and strive to make the 44th Ward an even better place to live, work and raise a family.  
  
This year, The Bank of America Chicago Marathon will be held on Sunday, October 13. There will be several street closures in the 44th Ward from 7:00 am until 10:45 am.  Please click here for more information on these street closures and alternative travel routes during the marathon.  
 
Have a great weekend!
  
Sincerely,

 

Alderman Tom Tunney

CAPS Meeting Update
  
Please read some highlights from last night's CAPS meeting for Beats 1923, 1925 & 1934.
  
Manpower
  • When Commander Voulgaris took over as Commander in August 2012, there were 411 officers in the 19th District.  Since then, we have lost 69 officers to transfer, retirement and promotion.
  • We have five tactical teams which focus on different missions within the 19th District. In the past, tactical teams were sent to other districts to help address spikes in violent crime. That no longer happens. They can be hired by other districts on their days off, but they are not reassigned to other districts.
  • The 19th District is the 6th highest in the City for staffing.

Crime Patterns

  • The police have seen a pattern of three individuals approaching a victim and robbing them of their cell phone and money.  These offenders have been using a getaway car and the police have been seeing a pattern that includes female offenders.  Please click here to see community alerts.  

Strategies in place

 

  • Administrative officers in the department have been redeployed to work on the street and the Commander has also increased foot and bike patrols across the district to have more police presence on the street. The entertainment detail has been enhanced and there is now a police car dedicated to homeless issues in the district.  This car is staffed with Crisis Intervention Team officers who will be coordinating efforts with social service agencies.  There are both tactical and plain clothes officers who work on different missions throughout the 19th District and a robbery car is in place to specifically deal with the issue of robberies in our area.

Arrests

  • The police have made 17 robbery arrests in the past 30 days.  These suspects are in custody and are attributed to multiple robberies in the area including: 1020 W. School, 1359 W. Roscoe, 3055 N. Sheffield,1140 W. School, 1313 W. School, 1254 W. Roscoe and 3248 N. Racine

Safety Tips

  •  Always be aware of your surroundings.
  • Dial 911 to report any suspicious people or vehicles in the area and provide an accurate description of the suspect to the police. Here are some helpful tips to use when describing a suspect to the police.
  • Never pursue a fleeing assailant.
  • Use well-lit and populated streets at night.  Avoid walking through dark alleys or parking lots. 
  • Avoid using your smart phone on the street or when using public transportation.  Smartphone thieves primarily use a "grab and run" technique. They target those who are using smartphones or have them prominently displayed.
New Businesses in the 44th Ward
 
Please stop by and welcome these new businesses to our neighborhood! 

 

City Dough (officially opening October 9)
2955 N. Sheffield Ave.
(773) 747-3100
  

Dandy Dollar

3176 N. Clark St.

773-248-3227 
  
Fun Fitness Studio (coming soon!)

2935 N. Clark St.

773-593-6846

 
3404 N. Southport Ave.
773-348-7139
  

Sabor Cubano

3132 N. Broadway

773-935-2822

 

 

  

CTA & Pace Announce Steps to Ease Customers' Transition to Ventra

 

The CTA and Pace provided the following key transition dates to help customers plan for their transition to Ventra:

 

September 9

  • Ventra is available to all CTA and Pace customers.
  • Chicago Card, Chicago Card Plus and magnetic stripe fare cards will no longer be sold online via CTA's website

October 7

  • Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus will no longer be able to have value loaded on to them, either online or at CTA rail station vending machines. 
  •  Rail station vending machines will no longer sell magnetic striped stored value cards or period passes. 
  •  Pace offers a new 30-day premium pass for customers using Ventra.

November 15

  • Chicago Card and Chicago Card Plus will no longer be accepted on CTA buses and trains, nor on Pace buses.
  • Customers will no longer be able to add value to stored value magnetic stripe cards. They will need to spend down balances or transfer their existing balances to Ventra cards.
  • CTA and Pace will no longer sell magnetic stripe period passes. Customers need to use up existing passes by December 15.

 December 15

  • The CTA and Pace will no longer accept any magnetic stripe fare cards.
  • Ventra replaces all CTA and Pace existing fare media.

Balance transfers to Ventra

 

The CTA and Pace encourage customers to spend down their balances on current fare cards, which will be phased out this fall. As a convenience to customers who want to transfer their balances from current CTA and Pace fare media, the agencies have announced 27 dates starting in mid-September through December 15, 2013 at multiple locations throughout the region to allow customers to have balances transferred from legacy fare media to Ventra cards, free of charge. Customers may bring a maximum of five eligible fare media cards at a time with a combined minimum of five dollars in transit value on the cards to transfer to a registered Ventra card.

 

For more information about Ventra and to obtain a Ventra Card, visit ventrachicago.com or call (877) NOW VENTRA (669-8368).  

 

 

 Add a description  
  
  
        
     
  
  
  
October 4, 2013
   
CAPS Meeting Update
New Businesses in the 44th Ward
Transition to Ventra
Sweetest Day at Sheil Park
Nettelhorst School Fundraisers
St. Alphonsus Annual Garage Sale
Hawthorne Neighbors Garage Sale
Section 8


44th Ward Service Office
3223 N. Sheffield Ave.
44thward.org

Office Hours
Monday-Thursday
 8am-6pm
Friday: 8am-5pm
Saturday: 8am-12pm

Contact us:

Phone: 773-525-6034
CAPS Meetings

Beats 1923, 1925 & 1934
Wednesday, November 6
7:00-8:00 pm
19th District Police Station
850 W. Addison

 
Beats 1924 & 1933
Thursday, October 10
7:00-8:00 pm
Illinois Masonic Hospital
836 W. Wellington
 
 
Upcoming Street Cleaning
  
    
  
Alderman Tom Tunney - 44th Ward