Legislative Update

It was good to be back in the Capitol this week. Now that the campus is entirely open to visitors again, the Capitol was buzzing with advocates in town for lobby days. I was pleased to greet volunteers from the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and the Illinois Environmental Council on Wednesday as they pressed legislators to support their priorities in the remaining days of the session.

We had an extra special visitor this week when Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson came to town to connect with members and leadership. The Chicago delegation met with him briefly on Tuesday night, while the Progressive Caucus had an early start to the day on Wednesday with a breakfast meeting at 7:30 am. Later in the day, the Mayor-elect gave a rousing speech to a special joint session of the House and Senate where he described his desire to unite the state through our shared progressive values. Later in a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus, he became even clearer. In rejecting the politics of finger-pointing and blame that too often take center stage, he shared an anecdote from his childhood. Being from a large family like mine, he described that his father didn’t assign individual chores to the kids but instead expected them to work together to accomplish their lists. If something wasn’t done, rather than singling out one child to blame for failing to complete the job, he’d ask everyone why they hadn’t worked together to solve the problem. From that practice, he learned a very simple problem-solving tool: ask “what do you need” to ensure everyone succeeds. Similarly, he believes that by working together, we can solve Chicago’s and the state’s problems in ways that benefit all of us.

I am excited to have been invited to join 21 legislators from across the country at the Clean Slate Summit hosted by the National Conference of State Legislatures, or NCSL to end my week. This event brings together subject matter experts on reentry and expungement policies with a bipartisan group of legislators nominated by their caucuses from all over the country to learn together and explore emerging policies designed to restore records and allow people to resume productive lives in the community after incarceration. These opportunities for collaborative learning have been invaluable over the years when I’ve been able to take advantage of them and I am grateful for this opportunity.

Next week brings the deadline to move Senate bills out of their assigned House committees. I have 3 bills to move next week, while we continue to work on a second trailer bill to the Patient and Provider Protection Act reflecting changes prompted by the Texas case seeking to ban the use of Mifepristone in administering abortion care. While the Washington case seeking to protect the FDA’s approval of the drug continues to protect access in Illinois, we face a new deadline as the United States Supreme Court will rule on the Department of Justice’s motion to stay the lower court decision against access to Mifepristone by midnight Friday, April 21.

As I wrote in last week’s newsletter, the confusion and chaos are a feature of the strategy being employed by opponents to access. In an evening meeting with a statewide network of abortion providers, I saw the fatigue and frustration in the faces of the caregivers who are facing this onslaught head-on every day, reassuring patients that their rights are protected here in Illinois, even as they carefully watch the courts for future threats. I will continue to do all I can along with the leadership of my fellow great advocates and legislators to ensure we keep Illinois a place where people can exercise their full reproductive rights and gender-affirming care services.

Medicaid Redeterminations

DRUG EDUCATION SAVES LIVES

Day of Action May 3rd

Property Tax Exemptions Available

Neighborhood Shoutouts

Beard & Belly 3 Year Anniversary

Tucked away into the buzzing atmosphere of Broadway is Beard and Belly; a relatively new spot to enjoy specialty burgers and other comfort foods, alongside bar services. As restaurants have reopened, Beard and Belly is opening its arms to the Edgewater community.

The restaurant was founded by Kyle “The Beard” Schrage and Jim “The Belly” Torres, but opened long before their Edgewater location. “We opened up in the Longroom as a little food window,” said Schrage. “We were there for about two and a half years, and we were getting too big for our britches so we left the space and began looking for another one.”

Another two and a half years later, Beard and Belly moved into their current location at 6157 N Broadway. But, it was not as simple as finding and moving into the space. “When we first visited this spot, it was a burnt-out shell of a building. The plumbing company that was here had a fire,” said Schrage. Despite the initial state of the building, it was soon fixed up into a restaurant space that was unique to Beard and Belly.

“We got to put in the bar and finish off the restaurant to our own design,” said Schrage.Not only was the restaurant to their own design, a few of the pieces found at the restaurant were customized and handcrafted just for them. “The sign out front is all wood from my uncle’s property in Northern Minnesota, and my uncle and my dad carved out the sign, stained it, and painted it,” said Schrage. “Our bar top is also from my uncle’s property, and it is all black walnut. Also, most of our tap handles were made by my dad.” Diners can also enjoy another custom aspect of the restaurant on their intimate and cute patio: the bright Beard and Belly mural.

“We had the mural done by Emmy Star Brown, who oddly enough is my middle school art teacher’s daughter,” said Schrage. “It adds some really bright colors, and it’s just awesome.”Even with the original restaurant design, what really makes Beard and Belly stand out is its food, which has been ranked highly throughout the years, and drinks.

“We have a quality bar with quality products and food, all of which can be enjoyed in a good atmosphere,” said Schrage. “We do burgers, poutine, chili cheese fries, craft beer and cocktails, and more. Everything is made from scratch and we take a lot of pride in that.”

Not only are they serving up craft tavern food, and delicious drinks, they have pies. Like really, really good pies. “When we opened this space we teamed up with Valeri Luck’s business Honeypie, which is a pie shop from Milwaukee. Valeri’s pies have been in so many publications, and have won so many awards,” said Schrage. “The pie shop is next door, and pie has become a huge draw for the restaurant.” In fact, selling more pies is one of Beard and Belly’s goals.

“When Thanksgiving rolls around we are hoping to increase the amount of pies that are ordered. Ideally, we would love to sell one thousand pies this year,” said Schrage. Food aside, Schrage would simply love to see the restaurant become more and more established and be around for years to come in the community he adores.

Make sure to stop at Beard & Belly located at 6157 N. Broadway. Click here for more information.

Ellipsis Coffeehouse

When a guest walks into Ellipsis Coffeehouse, located on 1259 W Devon Ave, they will notice two new faces: Edgewater-based Mike and Janine Waszkowski. The couple recently took over the coffeehouse in April, and are working to revitalize the spot into a gathering space for the community.

Prior to the purchase, and move back to sweet home Chicago, the husband and wife team spent eight years in Los Angeles working in the food industry, alongside cultivating their dream to operate their own cafe. That dream took form in Ellipsis, a well-established spot the Waszkowskis are already putting their own spin on! On the counter, Janine’s baked goods company, Bake Me Wild, has their delectable, half-pound cookies available for purchase. On the drink menu, cookie inspired

drinks are now available, such as the refreshing Strawberry Rose Matcha Latte and Brown Sugar Shaken Latte.

But the Waszkowski’s impact on the cafe extends beyond new and adventurous treats; a rebrand is in the works! Ellipsis Coffeehouse guests will enjoy a remodeled interior, a food menu, and a market area stocked with Edgewater-crafted products. In the future, they plan to host a variety of events, including movie nights and art pop-ups. As Janine puts it, “we want this to be the coffee shop for everyone in the area.”

You can visit Ellipsis Coffee House at 1259 W. Devon Ave.

In the District

Clean & Green Events

Volunteer & Kids Activity Fair

The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is excited to host businesses, organizations, on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 10AM-1PM for a fair that brings together organizations in need of volunteer support and offer kids activities! Folks can learn about volunteer opportunities here on the north side of Chicago and kids activities available all year long. Volunteer in ways most important to you with special interests in environmental, social gathering, non profit, economical areas, culture, games and athletics.

Parents can learn about different after school programs, summer camp sign-ups, classes, and activities for kids. We have an incredible growing family demographic in and around Andersonville and we love providing great ways to discover different opportunities to encourage your kids activity in arts, culture, and more.

Peirce Elementary School

1423 W Bryn Mawr Ave, Chicago, IL 60660

Kitizen Science

Join Kitizen Science for our third year of monitoring the outdoor cat population in a section of Chicago! This study will allow us to learn whether targeted spay/neuter programs are successful at humanely reducing cat populations in these areas.

The project: Working in pairs, you will complete a walking survey on an assigned route along public sidewalks and alleyways. Our smartphone app includes a map showing your route and where you are located. Any time you see an outdoor cat, you will photograph the cat and submit the sighting via the app. Surveys take place in the late afternoon and evenings and should be a fun way to contribute to important cat welfare research while getting some fresh air. Cat survey pairs will be working independently, but someone will be available by phone if any questions arise during your survey.

Who we need: Adults over 18 who like cats and feel comfortable with technology/smartphones and walking for about 2 to 2.5 hours from about 5:30-7:30pm (timing varies based on your own walking pace). Our app works on Apple and Android (running 6.0 or later). Each volunteer needs their own smartphone. We prefer to recruit volunteers who can commit to volunteering on multiple evenings or even each evening for an entire week for ease of scheduling, but even a single shift helps. There is no previous experience needed with citizen science or research, but an eye for spotting cats is a major plus. Feel free to volunteer with a friend or partner, or we can put solo volunteers into pairs.

Required preparation: This is a structured volunteer position where you need to sign up for shifts ahead of time, be assigned a cat survey route, and do about half an hour of homework beforehand. After viewing an online orientation video and downloading our app, you will need to register and send a test submission from your phone to make sure everything works before your first cat survey. While our app has been tested on many devices, there could be bugs we haven't found yet, and we want to discover those before you're in the middle of conducting a cat survey. On the days of your surveys, you'll self-start at an assigned location with a partner, log into the app, and complete your survey route.

What to bring: A fully charged smartphone with a data plan, water, and sun protection in the form of a hat or sunscreen. If you have an older phone that does not hold a charge well, we recommend bringing an external battery bank. We ask that volunteers comply with current local masking and social distancing guidelines.

Resources

Back to Business Grants

Illinois Department of Insurance Unveils New Consumer Complaints System

The Illinois Department of Insurance (IDOI) rolled out the new IDOI Help Center this week to replace the current consumer complaints system, which was in use for decades.

The completely revamped and renamed system will help IDOI better serve the nearly 15,000 Illinois insurance consumers annually that file complaints against insurance companies, including life insurance companies, property and casualty insurers for home and auto, health insurers, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), insurance agents and other entities regulated by IDOI.

IDOI Director Dana Popish Severinghaus said the new IDOI Help Center is an important tool in the Department’s ongoing efforts to increase transparency, ensure companies’ compliance with the law, and help Illinois insurance consumers understand their rights under the law. “Consumer complaints are sometimes an early indicator of issues that need our attention and intervention, so we are committed to providing a seamless user experience to further encourage insurance consumers to tell us how we can help,” she explained.

Popish Severinghaus said that enhancing mobile access was a top priority. “User-friendly mobile access is critical because many insurance consumers access our website and the complaints system from their phones, rather than laptops or desktops. Now, consumers can more easily navigate the system to submit and monitor complaints using their cell phones and tablets, allowing for more convenient tracking of any complaint they file with the Department.”

For more information click here.

Youth & Teen

Spring Blooms in the Park

The Chicago Park District offers an extensive array of programs for all ages this spring. You'll find a variety of in-person programming options along with our popular virtual programs. Get out and be active, or go online and be active - whatever you choose, we have you covered.

For more details please click here.

CIADC Youth Pathway Program

Chicago Industrial Arts and Design Center is kicking off its Youth Pathways Program for kids in grades 6-9. The program exposes students to hands-on, industrial arts including woodworking, metal casting and CNC Fabrication. Students will work on guided projects that focus on learning the fundamental skills in a safe, non-intimidating and fun environment.

The next 5-week program begins on May 8. Tuition assistance is available!

Job Resources

Clark St Mural Opportunity

Rogers Park Business Alliance, the service provider for Clark/Morse/Glenwood Special Service Area #24, is seeking proposals for a single artist or artist team to paint a mural on Clark St. in Rogers Park.

Proposals must be emailed to Ana Bermudez, abermudez@rpba.org no later than Friday, May 12, 2023. Proposals received after this date will not be accepted. Preference will be given to artists from Rogers Park and those with bicultural backgrounds.

More information Vision Mural RFP.

Chicago Public Schools is Hiring