Last week Ald. Robert Fioretti got a testimonial on WGN radio from one of his constituents, guitarist Buddy Guy. The South Side clubowner had challenged the alderman at his victory party not to disappear till the next election, and Fioretti made good on his pledge not to be a stranger. Now Fioretti gets to sample not only blues at Buddy Guy's Legends on Wabash, but ping pong at the legendary Happy Village on Wolcott. He'll be guest speaker at Monday's East Village Association meeting as the newest alderman representing East Village: Redistricting has pushed the 2nd Ward north of the Green Line to Diversey Boulevard and west of the Blue Line to Western Avenue. Two years ago EVA prepared a white paper on East Village issues for incoming 1st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno. For this transition EVA members give the briefing face to face, starting at 7 pm in the iconic Happy Village tavern, 1059 N. Wolcott Ave.

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Commercial Park HUGE two day garage sale March 31 and April 1, 10am-3pm. Rent a table for $30 and sell their own stuff OR donate items to the park at 1845 W. Rice Street. Tax letter available upon request. Contact Georgiaburke@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Cook County Crime Stoppers provides up to $1,000 cash awards for information leading to an arrest. Citizens can send anonymous tips to the police Crime Prevention Information Center by text message or SMS. Enter the number 274637 (CRIMES) in the “TO” line. In the message box, type the word CPD, a space, and then the tip. Hit “Send” and you'll get an auto-generated confirmation. For details, check www.chicagopolice.org/txt2tip . To report crimes in progress, dial 911.

Learn more about eating well for less in a 10 am program April 28 at the West Town branch library, 1625 W. Chicago Ave. Get insider secrets, expert tips and dietitian-approved strategies on how to shop for cooking gear, conserve energy in the kitchen and stock the pantry. The event presented by Healthy Dining Chicago is one of the city's Money Smart Week programs on financial planning. A complete listing is at chicagopubliclibrary.org .

You’re often told not to be a victim of crime. How do you ensure that? While no one can guarantee your total safety, you can lessen the chance of being a victim by making it more difficult for a would-be thief or attacker. At home: Don’t be surprised Keep your doors locked when home alone and lock your windows too when leaving the house for any long period. Open doors and windows are an invitation you don’t want to send. Turn your porch lights on at night and illuminate your backyard to ensure that anyone lurking there will be easily detected.

East Village Association members on March 5 approved 2012 officers . Incoming president Neal McKnight filled out the board March 12 with these committee appointments to join vice president and planning co-chair Peter Locke, treasurer KK Goh and secretary Meghan Quinn. Gladys Alcazar-Anselmo As East Village Association president in 1997 and 1998 and board member for several years, I bring a historical perspective and experience to the 2012 board. I worked on the initial implementation of the CAPS program and spearheaded the preservation efforts that resulted in the city’s purchase of the Goldblatt’s building, now home to city offices and our local library. I have more than 10 years' professional experience in municipal government, focusing on special projects and operations management. Currently I provide tailored management consulting services including program development and implementation, construction project management, meeting planning and documentation preparation. A gr...

By Molly Murray This Saturday the 13th District will sponsor another "Keeping it Real" forum where you can hear directly from convicted offenders. This years subject is drug dealers and gang members. Please consider joining us. Last year we talked to a forum of convicted burglar/robbers. They'll first tell you a little about themselves then why they did what they did, how they did it, when they did it - all the details. This is interactive so you will be allowed to ask any questions of them along the way. Although our beat is not burdened with gang members, we are surrounded by them and with the potential closing of our station, we should hear what they have to say and maybe we will learn how to keep stake in our territory.

The East Village Association board filed written objections Monday to a liquor license request for Red Apple Convenience, 2000 W. Damen Ave. Discussion with the owners failed to allay community concerns on crime, traffic and other concerns. Owner Move N Pick Convenience had rebuffed a proposal to put its application on hold while trying to resolve community concerns. EVA in the past has been cautious in consenting to liquor licenses, which are rarely revoked. Before the Chicago Avenue store opened in November, president Irar Sweiss indicated the store would open with or without a liquor license. The same family owns the Citgo gas station at 1949 W. Augusta Blvd. Board members had concerns about liquor sales because of persistent crime and vagrancy linked to Chicago Avenue liquor stores. It was unclear whether an East Village liquor moratorium or the proximity to Dominick's Finer Foods would allow package sales at Chicago and Damen. Red Apple applied for the license Feb. 15, and S...

By Marjorie Isaacson Ald. Scott Waguespack announced that the long-anticipated blue recycling carts will be delivered to one- to four-unit residences later this month. This will end the tradition of 32nd Ward residents surreptitiously transferring bags of recyclables to blue carts belonging to their 1st Ward neighbors. The blue carts will be dropped off on the sidewalks; residences are responsible for moving them to the alley, where they will be collected every two weeks.

A no-trucks parking sign is on the way for the 800 block of North Winchester Avenue, according to 1st Ward staffer Ronda Locke. Till it's installed (possibly fall) a delivery obstacle course may face drivers near Roots Handmade Pizza. Managing partner Scott Weiner is working on it. He confirmed last month that the restaurant at 1924 W. Chicago Ave. does not plan to add a carryout window on the side street "at any point," and will follow the delivery and cafe protocols negotiated with the East Village Association in June. The agreement calls for annual meetings with EVA. Roots and the adjoining Bleeding Heart Bakery Cafe share a loading zone on Chicago Avenue, but often it's parked in.

By Molly Murray It's that time of year when everyone is out and about because of the nice weather -- maybe a little earlier than normal. In any event, there is a curfew law that I'm sure not everyone is quite clear on. Following are the ages and times for the the law. Please make sure to pass along to your family and friends in the city. If you see children out on the street past curfew time, please call 911. An officer can check to see if they are in violation and take the appropriate action.

Tuesday's primary election isn't just about the Republican presidential race. Chicago Democrats had to take notice when State Rep. Derrick Smith, who represents much of Ukrainian Village , was arrested this week on a federal bribery charge. Smith remains on the ballot, and for some observers he remains the favorite against Tom Swiss, a onetime Cook County Republican Party director running as a Democrat. The Chicago Tribune "retracted" its endorsement and suggested several ways the race could play out, including a Democratic replacement or independent challengers in the November general election. Democratic ward committeemen may be called on to replace Smith. The 1st Ward, which includes East Village, features an unusual three-way committeeman contest. Incumbent Jesse Ruben Juarez faces Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno and lawyer Anne Shaw, active in the Save the 13th District police-station campaign. All three candidates answered the Independent Voters of Il...

East Village Association Board Meeting Minutes March 12, 2012 Submitted by Meghan Quinn Red Apple Convenience, 2000 W. Chicago Ave., made a presentation to EVA members March 5 on its liquor license application . At the board's request, Chicago Police Lt. Roy Whitmore outlined the liquor license review process. Whitmore had a previous conference call on the issue with Local Liquor Control Commissioner Gregory Steadman and Police Cmdr. Frank Gross. There are 2 main reasons to deny a liquor license application: a law-enforcement objection or negative quality-of-life concerns from the community. In a law enforcement objection, police looks at data related to crime occurring in the past year at the address and within a quarter-mile radius. It is unclear which data Cmdr. Gross will share, or if EVA must file a Freedom of Information request to obtain data.

Architect and East Village Association planning co-chair Scott Rappe was an early advocate of a community vision for Division & Ashland. In this article for the Wicker Park blog Our Urban Times , Rappe traces past and current development plans at the East Village gateway intersection. By Scott A. Rappe, AIA After five years of uncertainty and concern, an empty lot at the southwest corner of the Polish Triangle finally may be getting the respect it deserves. Still called the Pizza Hut site, this corner had been the focus of community concern for decades. At a zoning hearing in the 1980s, members of the nascent East Village Association were told that they were lucky to be getting any development in that neighborhood. Despite vocal community protest, a zoning change allowed construction of the chain restaurant. While its closing in 2007 was welcomed, years of apprehension followed over what would replace Pizza Hut.

This advice was a standing headline in issues of the East Village Association newsletter a generation ago, and it still holds true. At Monday's EVA meeting Molly Murray, the volunteer Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy coordinator for East Village, recounted the testimony of ex-convicts assembled by the Safer Foundation for a July police seminar: Burglars would steer clear of a neighborhood where a resident stops and asks if they were looking for someone. And nosy neighbors get things done. Ronda Locke, 1st Ward police liaison, said that at the city's 911 call center not even gang mentions trigger a faster police response than a report of suspicious activity. A thorough description of the suspect is what police find most valuable, said Lt. Roy Whitmore, filling in for Cmdr. Frank Gross as EVA members discussed neighborhood response to crime. That's everything from age, height and skin tone to shoes, jacket insignia and other clothing details. Phoning 911 is the r...

Sustainable resources are highlighted in two upcoming resource fairs at ReBuilding Exchange , 2160 N. Ashland: a March 28 Green Business Resources Fair for small business and the April 15 Going Against the Grain expo for DIY enthusiasts. The free March event from 9 am to 1 pm is aimed at business owners, but a range of vendors will appeal to consumers, from the Chicago Green Restaurant Coalition to Greenheart Shop and the car dealer Green Wheels . The April do-it-yourself fair from noon till 5 includes a market, food trucks and workshops representing crafts from bicycle maintenance and gardening to beekeeping and chicken keeping. There's a $5 cover and $4 New Belgium beers. The Chicago Tribune this week profiled the ReBuilding Exchange's old-growth lumber salvage for home remodelers.

West Town residents willing to set aside a Saturday morning will play a role in setting Chicago's arts priorities. Attracting standing-room crowds in the early going, the Chicago Cultural Plan hearings seek creative ideas for a cultural master plan. One of the town-hall meetings is set for 10 am to noon March 31 at Pritzker School, 2009 W. Schiller St. The Cultural Affairs and Special Events department, reorganized in this year's budget cuts, is using corporate donations to conduct the survey. Its mandate is broad, touching on city facilities, school curriculum, festivals and international tourism. Critics are pushing for big plans and brass-tacks talk on paying for them. Ideas are being collected on a city website and via social media too, but the town hall across from Wicker Park will connect culture-minded neighbors face to face.

Please join me this Wednesday 7pm at the Wood St. Police Station for our monthly CAPS meeting. Attendance is crucial during the next several months while we fight to maintain some sort of police presence in our station. Your voice and input is needed!! I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday. --Molly Murray

A dog was found this afternoon on Wood between Ohio and Erie. Male, tan, short hair with blue collar and super friendly. He was brought to 13th district (Wood St) and is currently waiting for Animal Control to pick him up. Please help pass along his picture so that maybe we can find his home before he's gone. He is currently safe and sound in a cage at the police station but scared. Please call (312) 746-8350 right away if you know who this dog belongs to. Thank you! —Molly Murray

East Village Association officers for the next 12 months will be chosen at Monday's meeting. Nominations will be taken from the floor for a membership vote at the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott. The meeting starts at 7 pm. Here are the slated candidates: Neal McKnight, president For the past year McKnight has been an EVA director and co-chair of the Planning, Preservation & Development committee. The longtime resident of Chicago is active in a number of civic activities, and is a founding partner of the law firm McKnight, Kitzinger, McCarty & Pravdic LLC. McKnight's practice focuses on insurance coverage disputes and commercial litigation. This background provides him with a unique understanding of Chicago’s diverse communities and the culture of Chicago’s legal community. The Tulane University law graduate is a member of the Illinois bar, the trial bar for United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the bar of the United States Seventh...

A year after taking over Chicago's Wood Street police district, Frank Gross has his second appointment with East Village Association on Monday. This time his command's days are numbered: Police Supt. Garry McCarthy closes two stationhouses today and Gross' 13th District squadroom will follow in the fall. Construction of a replacement site in a merged 12th District began in May but stalled six months later when asbestos was discovered at 1412 S. Blue Island Ave., granting the 13th District a temporary reprieve. A working group to weigh the future of the Wood Street site is now being organized. McCarthy's cost-cutting squad consolidation sharpens the neighborhood focus on 13th District crime. This year through Feb. 25 police report a Feb. 9 homicide at the Subway restaurant at 1129 N. Western; a Feb. 21 sexual assault on Warren Boulevard, 35 robberies (most recently Feb. 24 on the 2300 block of West Chicago Avenue) and 26 aggravated assault or battery incidents (...