I am posting this to urge you to shape the future of our community and the children who live here by becoming a candidate for one of our local school councils.

One of the most profound ways you can shape the future of our community, and the children who live here, is to work to insure that the local public schools operate at the highest level possible.  Local School Councils were established to allow for greater accountability, improve local school academic achievements and to allow parents and community member to have a say in local school budget and principal selection and retention.  They are extremely reliant on good people volunteering to serve and research shows that when a school with an active and involved Local School Council performs better.

On Monday evening, February 6 the Democratic Party of the 49^th Ward held a reception for all of the candidates running for Appellate Court vacancies, for the candidates running countywide for the Circuit Court and for candidates running for the Circuit Court in the 8^th Sub-circuit.  The endorsements for the Supreme Court race and for the two 9^th Sub-circuit races were previously determined by a vote of the membership on January 23.  They will also be listed below.

The Meet the Judicial Candidates reception provided an opportunity for each member to have one on one conversations with the candidates.  Both the members and the candidates found the format to be very rewarding.  Numerous judicial candidates thanked me for the opportunity to have a fair and real chance to gain our endorsement. There were also several comments regarding the thoughtfulness of the members in asking very good and thought provoking questions.  Our members were impressive in there questioning.

As a follow up to Monday’s event, a group of eleven 49^th Ward residents volunteered to serve on a judicial endorsement committee.  Any member was welcome to volunteer and fortunately we had some very thoughtful people join us.

Is your dog a “Dog of Distinction?”  Is your dog ready to represent Chicago as one of its top five canines?  City Clerk Suzanna Mendoza is sponsoring a contest to recognize the top five dogs in the city as determined by you, the citizens of Chicago.  To enter, you need to register your dog with the City Clerk’s office.

 If your dog is selected as Chicago’s Dog of Distinction you and your dog will win:

• Custom-designed Chicago dog tag with real rubies and topazes created by Sherry Bender of famed The Goldsmith, Ltd jewelers, valued at $2,000.
• Appearance in a 'WCIU, The U' TV ad
• Weekend stay at the Palmer House Hilton
• Photo shoot at Urban Out Sitters
• Feature article in Chicagoland Tails magazine

The Independent Voters of Illinois - Independent Precinct Organization have endorsed current 49th Ward Democratic Committeeman David Fagus for re-election.  Fagus is one of only two incumbent Committeeman endorsed by the organization known for its long held progressive stands on issues effecting Chicago and Illinois.  The endorsement by the Board of Directors was preceeded by a unanomous vote of the local chapter in support of Committeeman Fagus.

All endorsements for the IVI-IPO can be found for Political Offices and Judicial Offices at the IVI-IPO website or by following the highlighted links.

It was an exciting night at the fieldhouse as the members of the Democratic Party of the 49th Ward heard from the candidates and made its decisions about which ones will be supported in the March 20 primary election.  Races up and down the ballot were decided as the members asked questions and listened intently to what each of the candidates had to say for themselves.  There were some large margins of victory and some that were pretty close as you will see in the results that follow.  With good turnout, by the candidates, the members of the party, and the community the candidates were thouroghly screened and tested.

The results are:

The Chicago City Council approved a new ward map and it has changed the boundaries of the 49th Ward.  The new 49th Ward, which will not go into effect until after the March 20, 2012 election, brings much of the Rogers Park community into the ward.  I for one am happy with the outcome.  Working with our local elected officials I am happy to say that the 2010 re-map process has been good for the 49th Ward.  We have the entire 49th Ward in one State Senate and State Representative district and we now have a very large portion of the Rogers Park community in the ward.  Any new map is a crap shoot.  One only needs to look to the 2nd Ward or the 36th Ward to see how much things can change.

In a story today in Crain's Chicago Business it is reported that the Cook County Health and Hospital System has applied for an early start in expanding the eligibility for the Medicaid program prior to the 2014 start date prescribed in President Obama's health care reform bill.  This is a great example of what we stand to lose if the Republican Party takes over the White House and the Senate in elections this year.  That is why it is so important to actively support the President rather than passively standing by and watching.  There are plenty more things that need to be done, but keeping the things that have already been done are worth fighting for in 2012. 

As your Committeeman, I will continue to work to elect Democrats, not only here in the 49th Ward, but in congressional districts across Illinois and in states across the Midwest.  We have an abundance of political resources here in the 49th Ward.  If we want to see change in the House of Representatives, and you want to keep President Obama in the White House, we must be certain that we continue to take the roadtrips we took in 2008. The great volunteers from our community made a difference in places that needed our experience and expertise.

I have a record of delivering on that pledge and with your support I will be able to fulfill that pledge again in 2012.

Wikipedia decribes SOPA as:

The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), also known as H.R. 3261, is a bill that was introduced in the United States House of Representatives on October 26, 2011, by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX) and a bipartisan group of 12 initial co-sponsors. The bill expands the ability of U.S. law enforcement and copyright holders to fight online trafficking in copyrighted intellectual property and counterfeit goods.^[2] Now before the House Judiciary Committee, it builds on the similar PRO-IP Act of 2008 and the corresponding Senate bill, the PROTECT IP Act.^[3]

On the surface it sounds pretty reasonable.  Artists have the right to have their work protected.  I support that, as I am sure most of you do.

BUT . . .

Alderman Moore's Holiday Party is this Monday evening, December 19, 2011, from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the Hop Haus.  Please join in and celebrate the holidays with your friends from the 49th Ward.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!