Results tagged “rogerspark”

We love storefront theater. There are no daunting crowds; the actors are right there; and you can usually enjoy a beer during the show. Chicago thrives on these theaters, and Rogers Park’s No Exit Café numbers among the best of ‘em. And while we also love Theo Ubique and applaud their gutsiness in Man of La Mancha, we felt a little too close to this production.

An increase in robberies and gang members hanging out in various parts of Rogers Park has area residents worried.

In Chicago, murals can sometimes convey a culture or a neighborhood's feel better than the businesses and residents. Stretching across the north and south walls of the Foster Street underpass at Lake Shore Drive is a new addition to one of the city's most recognized artistic traditions: a mural entitled "Indian Land Dancing,"

While police released a suspect in last week's Lincoln Park attacks, they've arrested a fourth teen connected to a trio of attacks that happened late Sunday night into early Monday morning. The Sun-Times reports 17-year-old Courtney Andrews has been charged with two counts of vehicular hijacking and two counts of armed robbery. She's charged, along with three teenage boys, in a carjacking in Rogers Park late Sunday night and a pair of violent mugging attacks in Roscoe Village several hours later. The Trib talked to one of the Roscoe Village mugging victims yesterday, who said, "I can't forgive them. Only God can forgive them."

Okay, now this is getting kind of serious. This morning, Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman announced that Kilmer Elementary School in Rogers Park would be closed today and tomorrow due to a 12-year-old student who is home with what is being called a "probable case of swine flu." A sample from the student is being sent to the CDC today for confirmation.

Rogers Park is one of the city's most ethnically diverse neighborhoods; organizing an "Alphabet of Nations" tour of its restaurants seems eminently feasible. From 4-8 p.m. Sunday, that's exactly what's going to happen.

Monday night I met up with Gapers Block Editor/Publisher Andrew Huff after he'd reported that Hop Haus was opening a new location in Rogers Park, in the old Amphora/Gateway space at 7545 N. Clark. We were literally the first two customers in the place. This gave us some time to be able to speak to some of the Leona's corporate folk about their plans for the space and expectations as residents become aware that they're open.

Two incidents in the last 24 hours have underscored the recent crisis of violence involving Chicago Public School students. Last night, a boy who - until just recently - had attended Sullivan High School - was shot in Rogers Park last night in what appears to be a gang-related incident. At last report, the student, who was shot multiple times, was in serious condition at St. Francis Hospital. This comes on the heels of CBS 2's report on Monday that 508 Chicago Public School students had been shot in the last 16 months - a number that has grown to 510 including last night's shooting. In addition to the shooting, a student was stabbed at DuSable High this morning. Police hadn't said whether the incident happened on school grounds but confirmed the assailant was in custody and the weapon used had been recovered. The student was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County in serious-to-critical condition.

    

Hadn't had the chance to visit Uncommon Ground's Edgewater location (1401 W. Devon, 773-465-9801) since it opened last year. With an old friend visiting from Colorado over the weekend, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to see how the place is doing. Judging from the bustle in the dining room Saturday night the answer was "quite well." This was "slow food" without the pretense, served masterfully with a well-trained, informed and opinionated waitstaff. The bar is also an underrated gem, although the flashing blue light of the police camera outside may trick some into thinking there's a perpetual special running.

• Our thoughts and prayers with the family of Chicago's Staff Sgt. Roberto Andrade who was killed in action this weekend in Baghdad from injuries sustained when his vehicle struck an IED.
• A Calumet City resident found an unpleasant surprise when shoveling snow today: a dead body.
• Two teens have been charged in the shooting of another student outside Collins High School last night.

[50th Ward resident Hugh Devlin]...told the committee that he wanted to note the multiple political donations to his alderman from the Banks law firm and from the project architect's. State records show more than $3,000 in donations to Stone from Samuel Banks.

Continue reading "This Just In: Developers More Powerful, Connected Than Average Residents"

A new study from the Chaddick Institute at DePaul examines Chicago's diversity by neighborhood by creating a "composite diversity index." The study measured ethnic diversity, income diversity and age diversity. According to their findings,

The Rogers Park Young Women’s Action Team formed five years ago when a handful of teenage girls decided to rally against the unsolicited cat calls and sexual harassment they felt forced to endure on the streets. Now, they’re kneeing the CTA in the balls.

In a crazy, sad story that’s been evolving all day, Boubacar Bah has been charged with the early morning hit-and-run death of Thomas Dalof. Dalof, 26, had been celebrating with friends his recent acceptance into both the Chicago Fire Academy and the local stagehands union. His friends gave an account as to what happened after they left the bar:

Just when you think it's safe to vote in Chicago, something like this has to happen.

Fish on Fridays and denouncement of vices may be just for Catholics in the upcoming Lenten season, but luckily the preemptive celebration of Mardi Gras seems to span all religious sects. And this Tuesday’s celebration is set to pack an extra punch considering it’s not just Fat, it’s Super. If your presidential pick is pulling up the rear and you need a place to drown your sorrows, check out our choices for the best Mardi Gras bashes in town.

Or, in honor of the start of holiday shopping season, we should probably christen this week's installment the "Black Friday Buffet". Anyway, let's get to it. West Lakeview Liquors weekly tastings will focus on Christmas ales (tonight) and whiskies (tomorrow). The French Wine Society is sponsoring a wine and cheese tasting at Taste Food & Wine in Rogers Park from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday. Cost is $30 for Wine Society members; $35 all others ChicaGourmets and...

Extortion is funny, violence is hilarious, and murder provokes a smirk in Bad Guys in Suits, Hobo Junction’s quirky late-night tribute to the hardest times our hard-time town has ever known. It’s 1933 and the mob rules Chicago with an iron fist. When you’re not waiting on a bread line or begging for work, you take solace in a radio voice urging you to keep your chin up.

From Rogers Park up north to Pullman in the wild-wild hundreds, Chicago is a town full of renters. But there is a problem. The Center for Housing Policy, a national organization that examines housing policies and programs, has reported that Chicago ranks 17th out of 31 areas studied in their Least to Most Affordable Rental Markets. Even more distressing is their finding that 43,000 families are spending more than half their income on rent. Another...

First person to name the song those lyrics in the headline came from gets a no-prize. Own some of Billy Corgan. Really. It's not a good idea to e-mail a Playboy playmate via Myspace, especially when said playmate is dating the Bears' Adam Archuleta, you're from Aurora, and type in bold threatening capital letters. Some Wisconsinites have a unique take on the designated driver. What did you do on your summer vacation? (via) Give...

As the week winds down, here are some things of note while we go out and find a fuck lion. Mayor Daley presses Springfield to approve a sales tax increase for the Chicago area to stave off the proposed Doomsday scenarios of CTA and Pace. Bank of America’s pending acquisition of LaSalle Bank could cost the metropolitan Chicago area over 10,000 jobs over the next two years when completed. Chicago Public School teachers voted...

When we were kids, we used to visit many of the neighborhoods around Chicago as part of our parents endless quest to eat food from as many cultures as possible. Pierogi in Avondale, tortas in Pilsen, souvlaki on Halsted, dhal on Devon, and the biggest polish-with-kraut you ever saw on Maxwell are just a taste of what we've had the good fortune to eat over time. It isn't the food that sticks in our minds...

Crossing California Stage Adapter Alan Donahue

Outside.in, the aggregator of all things in neighborhoods across the country, recently tallied their numbers of neighborhood specific blogging and released the top 10 "bloggiest" neighborhoods in the country. Coming in at number 5 was Rogers Park/North Howard. Outside.in describes the neighborhood as, "Located in one of the last remaining pockets of poverty in Chicago's North Side, it‘s home to a culturally diverse group of residents that have very mixed feelings about the rapid gentrification."...

While we've been busy enjoying the nice weather over the weekend, and trying to get back in the groove this week, lots of other newsworthy stuff has happened here in the City by the Lake. Let's take a look back at everything that's happened so far this week: Daley Picks a New Chief of Staff; Local Press Makes Bad Sports Jokes. As Daley promoted Ron Huberman to try and save the CTA's ass, he's tapped...

This election has been one of the most significant in recent memory. With seven new aldermen set to take office in May, including the wife of Jesse Jackson Jr. in the 7th Ward, the stage is set for a new power struggle in Chicago. This year, more than any other, saw the city's labor movement — especially the service-sector unions — flex their political muscle. The result? A record-low turnout in the mayoral vote, and...

It's tax week, everyone. It's also a busy weekend for food and drink events in the city, between WhiskyFest and the IACP Cookbook Expo. Some of you are probably shedding tears in your beer after writing yet another check to the Man. In the spirit of empathy, we have a wine-and-spirits intensive edition of "YFFB" to take your mind off things. It's Still Alright to "Head For the Mountains of Busch": Sometimes it pays...

Boy oh boy, the shit is starting to fly! Now that the Aldermen and their challengers have taken the gloves off, you better believe it's game on in your neighborhood! This week, we dedicate this edition of the Hump Day Political News Roundup to kickin' ass and talkin' shit. Yee Haw! 32nd Ward Candidate Sues Incumbent. That's right, Scott Waguespack has had it with Steady Teddy's bullshit. So he's filed a $5 million lawsuit against...

Labeling young, successful artists as The Next [insert name of popular artist] is as common a practice as it is unfair. Few up-and-coming writers, directors or actors mind the attention and praise, but many hope to succeed on their own terms. Theatre Seven of Chicago’s Is Chicago, which presents Marisa Wegrzyn’s latest play alongside one of David Mamet’s earliest and most talked about scripts, prompts two reactions. It takes some chutzpah to invite comparisons to...