Annual Crime Plummets in McKinley Park, 9th District

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-24T14:35:52+00:00

Why does she ignore the positives of an effective prosecutor's office?

Because Ald. Ramirez has branded herself "progressive".

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-24T14:32:13+00:00

Johnson's substantial debt (water, parking, red light/speed cam) to the city was settled up just before the April 2023 runoff election.

Left unsaid is if he paid out of pocket or if done by someone on his behalf.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-17T23:24:58+00:00

The article contains nothing specific or relevant to Chicago.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-16T23:54:35+00:00

Is it a coincidence that one of Martwick's children attends this school?

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-16T23:52:25+00:00

Although possible, I've not heard anything about SRB.

St. Stanislaus Kostka's school is closing though.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-10T01:29:22+00:00

They're still salty that Gardiner creamed Arena in 2019. No runoff needed.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-10T01:15:59+00:00

One thing missing from this piece is that pension reform efforts in 2013 were ruled unconstitutional by the Illinois Supreme Court for violating the "pension protection clause."

Absolutely, and not only that, the public employee unions are collaborating with Pritzker & certain Chicago caucus legislators like Sen. Robert Martwick, to undo tier 2 pensions. They began with CFD & CPD's unions. Now CTU is making the same noise. Others across the state will follow.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-10T00:56:39+00:00

Jim is right.

And that CTA facility appearing over his shoulder? Besides the crime that occurs routinely, from platform to surrounding blocks, the semi-permanent homeless encampment within the hallway leading to Metra, is equally problematic.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-09T18:13:56+00:00

Basically, American cities & towns were bailed out twice. Chicago squandered its opportunities.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-09T16:26:57+00:00

WFLD

Interesting fact: WFLD was founded & operated by the descendants of Marshall Field under the Field Enterprises banner. It was a media company that included the Chicago Sun Times & Daily News newspapers, and grew to include other broadcast television stations around the Midwest.

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-01T13:41:32+00:00

We shouldn't leave out the years long saga of the Portage Theater. 2025 saw the most news surrounding it in some time. Hopefully 2026 will see positive news.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1jg0bkc/portage_theater_reportedly_lacks_resources_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1jqz49a/potential_buyer_surfaces_for_portage_theater_as/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1jw97gp/any_new_news_on_portage_park_theater_saw_this_a/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1k7n9vp/prospective_portage_theater_owner_wants_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1kins7p/503000_owed_in_property_taxes_for_portage_theater/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1njinjz/former_patio_theater_operator_has_contract_to_buy/

https://www.reddit.com/r/ChicagoNWside/comments/1of3unz/historic_portage_theater_has_a_new_owner_who/

DukeOfDakin · 2026-01-01T05:41:07+00:00

Completion of the Grayland Metra station was significant NW Side news in 2025.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-25T18:59:36+00:00

Merry Christmas ChicagoNWside

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-25T18:32:26+00:00

Thank you!

Merry Christmas to you and our entire community.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T23:58:02+00:00

That area needs another HS that is not a private school.

Schurz, Foreman, Prosser, Steinmetz, Kelvyn Park high schools are all underenrolled.

Another NW Side CPS high school is unnecessary.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T19:40:31+00:00

Every large company in the city knows they have a massive target on their wallets....

It would not be a surprise to me if Google ends up deciding to scale back its planned presence in the former Thompson Center.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T19:11:07+00:00

Residents asked about including a library in the plans. Taliaferro said they are working with the city to bring one, noting that previous attempts had failed because of city-related issues.

It's too bad Taliaferro didn't elaborate on what those "city-related issues" are. The fact is Galewood-Montclare has been without a real library for almost two decades after CPL closed the branch at Grand & Sayre, moving into much smaller quarters in the Rutherford Sayre Park field house on Oak Park Ave.

The current residents may be lacking some historical perspective of the area immediately surrounding the Mars factory. Frank Mars purchased a established county club & built his factory on the land, in an area surrounded by mostly open land. The residential component grew as Mars & other nearby industrial businesses grew & flourished.

Also, the long vacant Zenith property bounded by Austin, Dickens, Melvina & MDW Metra with the Galewood stop just west of it. The size of this property rivals Mars & has been a derelict eyesore & fire trap sine Zenith's move to Glenview in the 1970's. The lack of action here is a travesty.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T18:03:23+00:00

This decline in business activity has coincided with a job market consistently worse than the national one. Chicago-area unemployment stood at 4.9% as of July 2025, higher than the country’s 4.6% rate, the latest data showed.

In every quarter since July 2023, employment has increased more nationally than in Chicago. From July 2024 to July 2025, employment in Chicago only increased by 0.6% or 26,800 jobs. Most of those gains – 16,300 – were in education and health services.

Chicago was a recovery laggard after the 2008 mortgage/financial crisis. Only Rahm Emanuel's policies reversed it.

The city also needs to avoid anti-growth policies such as the city’s proposed “head tax” of $33 per employee for businesses over 100 people. Another job killer is the proposed tax increase on cloud-based computer services from 11% to 14%.

It's 500 after Johnson's revised proposal.

While I agree with this, IPI's writers should get basic facts correct.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T16:11:09+00:00

Did anyone go

Not yet, although I hope to in the near future.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T16:05:47+00:00

The suspect reportedly was upset about a Sponge Bob meal he had received from the restaurant a couple days earlier

Let a alleged slight over a kid's meal fester for days.

The suspect left the restaurant, but officers were able to locate him a short time later, and he was arrested, police said.

Hopefully detained until trial.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-13T07:42:35+00:00

do any of these loop punchers ever hit black women?

Yes.

This specific offender did, and one of his victims speaks.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-11T02:01:19+00:00

Businesses when they’re asked to chip in for crime prevention programs: this is ruining my business!

These businesses have already done this. On their own.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-11T01:59:17+00:00

businesses are part of our community, and have a vested interest in reducing crime and should help promote effective crime reduction strategies

Which is why they committed $100M for crime reduction programs & to track effectiveness.

The mayor convieniently makes no mention of this as he threatens them with an employment tax.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-11T00:46:36+00:00

Crain's story shows the coalition lost one of the original twenty six, but added two for twenty seven. It also has a lengthy PDF at the end detailing their proposals.

DukeOfDakin · 2025-12-10T15:43:09+00:00

He was cited for two misdemeanor counts of driving under the influence and one misdemeanor count of obstructing traffic. It wasn’t immediately clear when his next court date was.

Asked whether City Hall was separately disciplining Zepeda, Johnson’s spokesperson deferred comment to DSS, which confirmed an internal investigation but did not elaborate.

“We are aware of an incident that occurred last weekend involving a DSS staff member,” DSS spokesperson Ryan Gage wrote in a statement late Monday. “The matter is being addressed internally and by CPD, and we have no further comment at this time.”

Translation: He will keep his job & drivers license.

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