As summer winds down, we’re starting to shift our focus towards the fall veto session and the beginning of the 103rd General Assembly in January. But we’re not ready to let go of all the things that make a Chicago summer so fantastic. We hope to continue to see our friends and neighbors at the various farmer's markets in the district and the team enjoyed spending some time at the Edgewater Farmers’ Market this week after the storms rolled through Monday afternoon. I had a chance to visit a CILA (Community Integrated Living Arrangement) in Rogers Park that houses 8 women with intellectual disabilities operated by Envision Unlimited to learn more about best practices while allowing folks to live in the community as independently as possible. I enjoyed hearing from one of the residents about how she likes to cook together with her housemates and how her love of fashion led to an annual fashion show for all of the residents.

Sunday’s shooting in Rogers Park north of Howard brought devastating news of a 5-year child who was struck in the head when his father was targeted and shot as well. Devin ended up dying this morning due to injuries sustained from the shooting. On Tuesday evening, I joined Alderwoman Maria Hadden and the faith community of Good News Partners for a prayer vigil at the site of the shooting where we were joined by a family member who was FaceTiming with Devin’s mom in the hospital. Saying his name in prayer with her was incredibly powerful. Being in a community with so many neighbors was both comforting and centering as we continue to fight to comprehensively address true public safety which includes getting illegal weapons off the streets, holding offenders accountable in meaningful ways, and addressing the root causes of so much of the violence in neighborhoods such as historic disinvestment, regressive policies that prevent people from putting criminal pasts behind them, and lack of meaningful educational and employment opportunities, among so many others. We’ve recently learned that Chicago Police have someone in custody in connection with the shooting. Below is a picture of local residents who wanted to gather as a community in front of Good News Community Church to heal and discuss what needs to be done. If you're interested in gathering with neighbors in this way, Good News Community Church will be meeting outside with community members at 7654 N. Paulina every Tuesday at 6:30 pm for the coming weeks.

Wednesday was International Overdose Awareness Day. Every year, advocates for harm reduction observe this day to raise awareness of the need to address addiction and recovery as a public health issue rather than a criminal justice one. I stopped by Trilogy in Rogers Park as they were observing the day with an outdoor gathering to provide access to Narcan which can reverse an opioid overdose and fentanyl test strips that can prevent overdose by revealing the presence of the deadly narcotic to unsuspecting users and other information aimed at keeping people safe and healthy. I am proud of the work of Rep. Will Guzzardi and Sen. Robert Peters who passed this hard-fought bill this year to make fentanyl test strips available. Later in the day, I joined my colleague and dear friend Rep. LaShawn Ford along with advocates and leaders from the Illinois Department of Human Services to mark the day by working to educate our colleagues about the benefits of Safer Injection Sites that would be permitted as a pilot program in the city of Chicago under our bill HB110. Modeled after successful programs in the US and Canada, these programs allow a safe place free from fear of prosecution where opioid users can be connected with treatment services, clean needles, fentanyl tests, and medical treatment if something goes wrong.

The weekly update wouldn’t be complete without a shameless plug for the amazing athletes of the Chicago Sky. If you haven’t been following their quest for a back-to-back championship, now’s the time. Their decisive victory over the Connecticut Suns last night evened up the best of 5 game series. They play again on Sunday at noon in Connecticut. We hope to be joining our neighbors out on the Jarvis Square al fresco space as they’ve been broadcasting the games on their giant inflatable big screen. It’s fun to connect with neighbors whether you’re on the patios of one of the Jarvis Square businesses or bringing a chair to hang with friends on the public space. Where’s your favorite local spot to take in the quest to “Re-Crown Skytown?” Share your pics and suggestions and maybe we’ll feature them in an update!

Thursday brought a fun opportunity to connect with neighbors and honor Chicago’s own Bob Newhart on his birthday by unveiling a street sign/historical marker noting Newhart’s many Chicago connections (did you know he’s a Loyola alum?) and highlighting the Edgewater icon that was featured in the opening sequence of The Bob Newhart Show, the Thorndale Beach Apartments. Bonus fun came when I learned that Margie Fritz-Birch’s (who many may know for her work in Alderman Harry Osterman’s office) late husband actually filmed those iconic opening sequences. Margie helped unveil the sign along with Edgewater Historical Society President John Holden and shared stories of her husband’s work with Newhart.

As we head into the long holiday weekend, please note that while our district office will be physically closed, our team will be working remotely until noon monitoring phones and emails. If there’s an urgent need after 12, I will continue to monitor the email to give Torrence, Wade, and Taylor a break after the last few weeks of non-stop events.

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend!

Our office, in partnership with City Clerk Anna Valencia, is hosting a CityKey Event on Friday, September 23rd from 10:00am to 1:00pm. Residents can come and apply for a CityKey Card at our office. This event is first come, first serve and we will serve as many as we can in the 10:00 to 1:00 time frame.

The CityKey is a free, optional government-issued ID card available to all Chicagoans regardless of age, gender, immigration status, or housing status. It serves as a government- issued ID, a Chicago Public Library Card, a Chicago Transit Authority Ventra Card, and a Chicago Rx prescription drug discount card. CityKey holders are also eligible for the many discounts and benefits offered by participating CityKey business partners across the city.

You can reference the following document guides to reference which documentation you must bring the day of the event:

• Document Guide for Adults
• Document Guide for Children
• Document Guide for Teens and Young Adults
• Document Guide for Veteran Designation

For more information about the CityKey Card program, visit

chicityclerk.com/about-citykey. 

This past Wednesday was International Overdose Awareness Day. On this day, I joined Trilogy for their prevention supply distribution and education event. Trilogy staff handed out Narcan, fentanyl test strips, vein care flyers, and provided trainings on these materials.

We are so lucky to have great local organizations in our community doing work such as this. Keep up the great work Trilogy and we are lucky to have you!

Jazz In The Yard At Senn High School

Glenwood Sunday Market

Source: Washington Post

The FDA has approved omicron-targeting coronavirus booster shots this past Wednesday, August 31st. This in in efforts to protect Americans from the expected rise of COVID-19 cases this fall and winter.

The boosters have been reformulated to take aim at the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants dominant in the United States and are being reviewed by the CDC next. If approved, boosters may be available starting as early as this weekend.

We will continue to keep you updated on this news as it develops. For more information about what we know so far, visit here.

Thursday, September 1st Update:

• Total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 IL residents: 28.8
• Daily new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 IL residents: 119
• Percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by IL COVID-19 patients: 20%
• Statewide Totals: 3,692,133 confirmed cases and 34,734 deaths

For more details regarding the status of COVID in Illinois click here.

Please click here to see the status of COVID in our zip codes.

Being vaccinated and boosted is critical to limit the major impacts of future pandemic waves we are to face as new variants come along. Please be up to date with your vaccines and continue to test when needed.

To find a vaccine clinic within the City of Chicago click here.

For questions or info regarding COVID-19 testing click here.

If you have questions related to COVID-19 you can contact the

Illinois Department of Public Health:

Hotline: 800-889-3931

Email: dph.sick@illinois.gov

City of Chicago's Department of Public Health:

Hotline: 312-746-4835

Email: coronavirus@chicago.gov

CASA of Cook County is hosting an informational Zoom session about becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate and how you can help our foster children. Join us on Tuesday, September 6th at 6:30pm. You can register for the event here.

Please visit helpillinoisfamilies.com to fill out and submit an online Request for Services form. After your Request for Services form has been submitted, await an email or phone call from your local agency to review and confirm your eligibility and to determine the amount of your LIHEAP benefit. If you need assistance with completing and submitting your Request for Services form, contact the call center at 1-833-711-0374 for live support. 

You can also contact the Chinese Mutual Aid Association at 773-784-2900 for further assistance or visit them at 1016 W. Argyle Street, Chicago, IL 60640.

To obtain the status of an application you can use the web link https://liheap2020.ilenergyassistance.com/customerinquiry/

or call the Help Illinois Families Call Center at 1-833-711-0374.

Due to the recent energy price increases and the availability of funds, the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) is not accepting new applications starting September 1, 2022 through May 31, 2023. Recertification for currently enrolled PIPP customers will continue during this time. Energy Assistance customers can still apply for the traditional one-time LIHEAP assistance. For more info regarding PIPP click here.

The City of Chicago's Utility Bill Relief Program (UBR) assists residents in paying their water bills. For more information, see the graphic above and visit chicago,gov/UBR.

For more information and how to register, visit CMSS' website here.

The Chicago Northside AARP Community Group will hold its next monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 6, at 12:30 pm. Congressman Mike Quigley will join to share what's new in Washington. Make sure to submit questions in advance of the meeting. 

Participants are welcome to join the meeting in person at the Lake View Presbyterian Church, 716 W. Addison, or via Zoom. To register to join the Zoom meeting, email northsideaarpcommunitygroup@gmail.com. For more information on the AARP community group, click here. 

The Part-Time Job, Internship & Service Fair offers students of all majors and levels part-time opportunities (paid or unpaid) while balancing their studies. For-profit and non-profit organizations from all industries can register via Handshake. This fair targets students who are seeking: part-time jobs on/off campus, engaged learning opportunities, and volunteer work in the fall semester. Students register in Handshake under 'Fairs.' Student registration is recommended, but it is not required. 

For more details click here.

The Chicago Board of Elections is seeking election judges and election coordinators for the general election this November 8th. Election judges can earn up to $230 and election coordinators can earn up to $450 working Election Day. Requirements of election judges include:

• Must be U.S. citizens.
• If they are 18 or older, they must be registered voters in Cook County.
• Must be able to speak, read and write in English. The Board of Elections encourages bilingual judges — especially those who speak Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean or Tagalog — to apply right away.
• High school and college students can also apply.

The responsibilities of election judges include:

• Arriving to the polling place 5 a.m. for setup.
• Opening the polls at 6 a.m.
• Issuing the correct ballots to each voter and helping voters with registration and other questions through 7 p.m.
• Completing reports after polls close.

More information and how to apply, visit the Chicago Board of Elections website here. 

Requirements of election coordinators include:

• Must be U.S. citizens.
• If they are 18 or older, they must be registered voters in Cook County.
• Must have be able to speak and understand English.
• Must have expertise in the operation, maintenance and proper use of a wide range of computer technologies.
• Must have a cellphone available for making and receiving calls and text messages on Election Day.
• Must complete all required training courses and successfully pass the examination after each class.
• High school and college students can also apply.

Responsibilities of election coordinators include: 

• Ensuring the polling place is accessible to voters with disabilities by following an accessibility guideline/check-off list.
• Serving all day on Election Day from 5 a.m. until all work is completed after the polls close and until election judges have secured their materials and are about to leave to deliver those materials to the receiving station.
• Having extensive knowledge of the Election Day registration procedures and directing the voter-registration activities on the e-poll book in the precinct.
• Assisting election judges with Election Day processes and procedures.
• Troubleshooting equipment problems and making minor repairs, such as changing the paper tape rolls.
• Assisting election judges with completing polling place closing paperwork

More information and how to apply, visit the Chicago Board of Elections website website. 

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) announced it is seeking applicants for internship opportunities for the 2023 Spring semester. It is accepting applications for internships in its Legal, Investigations, and Policy, Research & Analysis Division (PRAD). This is a great opportunity for young people who are interested in investigations, criminal justice, legal or policy-related careers.

More information and how to apply can be found on COPA's website at Chicagocopa.org/careers. Applications will be accepted through September 16, 2022.

Sincerely,

Kelly Cassidy

State Representative, 14th District



Office of State Representative Kelly Cassidy

5533 N Broadway

Chicago IL 60640