Bridgeport International

Version 12 Call for Submissions

2012-01-22T20:14:00.001-08:00

What happens when you invite cultural workers, urban entrepreneurs, artists, designers, foodies, public space hackers, urban planners, community activists, and dreamers to swarm a neighborhood and transform it for one month? Version 12: Bridgeport The Community of the Future.

This May 2012, we're inviting you to come visit us in Bridgeport, a Chicago neighborhood, and join in on our month-long urban experiment. During the Eleventh Annual Version Festival, we will be opening and remixing twelve temporary spaces, businesses, enterprises and projects, all to celebrate the neighborhood we love and call home. And then we're going to use these places as home bases, networks, and maps, all to energize our local environs for long-term change - but we need your help to make it happen.

Version 12 seeks collaborators and partners to help us re-imagine the tactical urbanization of our hood. We will supply the spaces for your project and help coordinate the activities and ideas that you would like to share with our communities.

Right now our plans include opening up the following: a used bookstore, a nightly performance space in a church, a home brewing club kitchen, a department store/gallery showcasing all locally manufactured small batch and artisanal products, nomadic collaborative restaurants and community kitchens, parking lot flea markets, a neighborhood tourism bureau, and a rotating exhibition space for artists and designers. And we're still looking! We need groups and individuals to open or manage temporary stores, co-working spaces... any choose-your-own pop-up space endeavor you can imagine.

Of course, there are other ways to participate too. You could also create or install public art in the hood, volunteer at a space, bring your food cart or truck to the neighborhood, conduct a public space hack, farm in a local urban garden, perform at one of our venues, or just stop by and dive in. Everyone is welcome!

The festival is co-produced by Public Media Institute (PMI) and dozens of our neighbors, friends, and business owners here in Bridgeport. PMI is a non-profit 501(c) 3, community based, arts & culture organization located in Chicago, Illinois. Our mission is to create and incubate innovative arts programming and cultural infrastructures to transform people - socially and intellectually – through the production of festivals, art spaces, events, exhibitions, community projects, artifacts and media. Public Media Institute is committed to the region's cultural ecology and is evident through our series of programs, spaces and projects. http://www.publicmediainstitute.org

WANT IN? LET US KNOW HOW YOU'D LIKE TO GET INVOLVED. PLEASE RESPOND BY MARCH 1, 2012 AND
EMAIL YOUR RESPONSE TO --> versionfest12@gmail.com

PLEASE CHOOSE ONE (OR MORE!) OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
[ ] opening up a space
[ ] performing
[ ] making or installing public art
[ ] providing a service to the neighborhood
[ ] having your product featured in our department store
[ ] volunteering
[ ] other

YOUR NAME:
EMAIL:
TELEPHONE:
WEBSITE (it's OK if you don't have one though):

ONE PARAGRAPH PROPOSAL - let us know what you want to do!:

PLEASE INCLUDE 3-6 images up to 1,000 pixels wide

Bridgeport in Chicago Magazine

2012-01-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone! The year is off to an auspicious start with two great articles about Bridgeport in the Chicago Magazine. The first is, "A Guide to Bridgeport: Where to Eat, Phop, and Play," which highlights our great local businesses, galleries, and even our quarry/park. The second article is about one of the busiest Bridgeport resident we know, Ed Marszewski. He recommends Bridgeport as the Community of the Future (of course), and says that if you don't already live here, you should come check us out!

Days 10-12 of Bridgeport Christmas!

2011-12-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

10. On the Tenth Day of Christmas… Ten Pounds of Sausage
If your sweetheart is the curious type, take her along when you visit the pocket-wholesale-food cluster behind Henry Palmisano Park, on Poplar Street. Makowski’s Real Sausage has been making sausage back there since 1938. They sell sausage wholesale, but also to the public. Nicole Makowski says they sell cooked sausages in 5 lb packages, raw sausage in 10 lb packages. Prices range from $3.50 to $6.00 per pound. Nicole says they are best known for their smoked polish, which comes both skinless and in natural casing. They also sell Real brand franks and wieners, as well as bratwurst, knockwurst, chorizo and andouille. http://realsausage.com/

11. On the Eleventh Day of Christmas… Eleven Bridgeport Coffee Company Roasts
If you love a coffee drinker, make sure you head to Bridgeport Coffee House to grab some of their locally hand-roasted beans for a great cup of coffee. This is not just great coffee–many roasts they offer are organic, fair trade, or direct trade, as well. You can pick up some beans at the Bridgeport Coffee House at 3101 S. Morgan Street, or order online (including 2 and 3 bag gift box options) at bridgeportcoffeecompany.com.

12. On the Twelfth Day of Christmas… Twelve Savory Pies!
Bridgeport is fast becoming the place for savory pies in Chicago. With so much going on for the holidays, let one of our fantastic new businesses do the cooking for you–it will make your next holiday party much more relaxing! Pleasant House Bakery (946 W. 31st Street) has several Royal Pies and one pasty (pass-tee) on the menu, including Steak & Ale, Chicken Balti (curried chicken), Mushroom & Kale, and Cold Pork Pies. They also make additional seasonal savory pies. Give them a call or stop in for details and place an order for your next get together (pleasanthousebakery.com).

Days 7-9 of Bridgeport Christmas...

2011-12-22T07:51:00.000-08:00

7. On the Seventh day of Christmas… Seven Moonshine Fish Lures
Henry's Bait and Tackle has been on Canal Street since 1972. Kyle, a young salesman who says he practically grew up at the store, is reluctant to make gift recommendations, because every fisherman knows what he/she likes. He says the Moonshine lures are really hot this year. They are “jigging” lures– you jerk them up and down in the water. Their bright colors can be made to glow in the dark, and they hold their charge for a long time. Moonshine lures sold so well in summertime, Henry’s is carrying some for ice fishing, too. Kyle also speaks highly of the Shimano Stradic reels (they retail for about $180). They turn smoothly and have an excellent drag system (an adjustment you make to the resistance that prevents a fish from pulling out too much line, without allowing it to snap the rod). http://henrysmarine.com/

8. On the Eighth Day of Christmas… Eight Funky Records
When Neal Keller opened Let’s Boogie Records 35 years ago, he sold all new records. Over the years, technologies changed, and the shop evolved into a used record store, with some 8-tracks and cassettes. Now, vinyl is hip again in a retro-cool way, and some of the record companies are making reissues. Some are even issuing brand new albums on vinyl. Let’s Boogie has the new Tom Waits album on vinyl–he says the kids are rediscovering him. He still gets customers from Asia to Sweden who stop in to buy up large quantities of specific labels, or genres. Visit Let’s Boogie and you’re sure to find something you loved listening to, or always wanted to hear. Let's Boogie on Yelp.com

9. On the Ninth Day of Christmas… Nine Precious Oils
Augustine’s Eternal Gifts (3327 S. Halsted) is your best source for Frankincense and Myrrh, but they have scores of other scents, and they will mix custom potions from their wall of ingredients to meet customer requests. You can wear them, or heat them in a dish to suffuse a room. Augustine’s owner, Cathryn Hennes, says her family has been running shops in Bridgeport for 100 years–though earlier generations sold candy and ice cream. In addition to oils and incense, Augustine’s carries a wide range of other spiritual supplies, from prayer candles to crystals, amulets, and tarot cards. http://www.authenticspiritualgoods.com/

Days 4-6 of Bridgeport Christmas...

2011-12-20T19:29:00.000-08:00

(continued)

4. On the Fourth Day of Christmas… Four Winter Cocktails
Are you in the mood for some artisanal cocktails to warm you up? Take your loved one to family owned & operated Nana’s (3267 S. Halsted St.) for some seasonal cocktails, and stay for dinner. If you like whiskey drinks, try the Fresh Fig & Seedling Orchard Cherry Old Fashioned, or if you like lemonade in summer, try the Fall Cranberry and Ginger Bridgeport Lemonade. Other tasty concoctions include the Fall Sidecar and The Prince of Fall cocktail. You can check out the full menu at nanaorganic.com.

5. On the Fifth Day of Christmas… Five Chicago Sports Team Jerseys
Grandstand (600 W. 35th Street) sells jerseys and hats for all the Chicago teams (yes, including the Cubs). But you can buy jerseys anywhere, a Grandstand owner observes. She says people travel to Grandstand from across Chicagoland because they’ve got an amazing collection of other stuff. They have seasonal ornaments including miniature team Christmas trees, hand-painted tree-ornaments, and White Sox player-nutcrackers. They also have clothes from slippers, to socks, to negligees, plus a great assortment of toys, including team-themed Monopoly games and Mr. Potato Head. http://www.grandstandsox.com/

6. On the Sixth Day of Christmas… Six Bike Maintenance Workshops
Winter is the perfect time to take your bicycle apart and rebuild it. And Blue City Cycles at 3201 South Halsted is offering a winter series of bike maintenance workshops that can teach you, or the lucky gift recipient of your choice, to do just that. Workshops are $30 each, or $150 for a 6 class series that starts with the basics (fix a flat and make simple adjustments) and progresses through brakes, derailleurs and each of the bearing systems, and culminates with the fine art of truing a wheel. But act quickly, classes are limited to 3 students each – the number of bike stands in the shop. http://www.bluecitycycles.com/

(PSST - Issue 4 is now out at your local businesses - pick up a copy today!)

12 Days of Bridgeport Christmas (condensed version)

2011-12-19T19:56:00.000-08:00

We're posting the 12 Days of Christmas article here in installments over the next 4 days to give you some ideas of what you can grab in the neighborhood for your gifting needs. Enjoy!

The 12 Days of Christmas: A Bridgeport Gift Guide
By Kristin Ostberg & Lynn Barnett

Been procrastinating with your shopping? Well, we’ve got the gift guide for you. We bet there’ll be at least one thing on this list that will surprise you – and it proves you don’t have to leave the neighborhood to get great gifts. It has been a tough year for retailers, which is an even better reason to spend your money here in Bridgeport!

1. On the First Day of Christmas, My True Love Gave to Me… One Traditional Tattoo

If you want to get your sweetheart something that will last forever, but don’t want to choose the wrong thing, consider buying a gift certificate to use at Bridgeport Tattoo Company (3527 South Halsted). Bridgeport Tattoo has walls full of traditional designs, and a reputation for doing very good work, safely, and for a fair price. The folks in the shop say a tattoo the size of a deck of cards typically runs about $150, but they can do smaller or simpler designs for $100 or less, or much larger ones for $100 an hour. http://www.bridgeporttattooco.com/

2. On the Second day of Christmas… Two Diamond Earrings

A friend of the Bridgeport International raves about Oscar’s Watch & Jewelry, now at 3505 South Halsted. Our friend had scoured Jeweler’s Row on Wabash, looking for an engagement ring. Then he walked into Oscar’s and found the perfect, distinctive, ring-set right here in Bridgeport. He says the quality was as good as anything he’d seen elsewhere, and the price was better. Oscar Serna first set up shop as a jeweler in Bridgeport in 1977. The shop has many types of fine jewelry & watches, and also repairs both on the premises. Want something extra special? They offer custom design work, as well. http://www.oscarswatchandjewelry.com

3. On the Third Day of Christmas… Three Brawling Monsters

Monster Island Toys (3335 S. Halsted) carries a wide range of action figures, but it’s best known for its Japanese monsters, including Godzilla, and the other beasts he fought with. Owner Loris Basso says he is the only Godzilla dealer in Illinois. He has customers who drive days from Canada to shop the store in person. But lately, between the recession and the big box sore options, there haven’t been enough of them. He may close the store at the end of January, depending on how the holiday sales go. Now’s the time to stock up! Some of the figures become collector’s items rapidly. A model of Ghdorah –a 3 headed dragon on display in the store’s counter–retailed for $25 when it came out a few years ago, and is trading for $100 today. http://www.monsterislandtoys.com/

Winter Issue Soon

2011-12-13T19:41:00.000-08:00

The Holiday Issue of the BI Will be coming out soon!

A recipe from this month's issue:

Wiki that Cocktail: The Flip
with Edmar

Since it is the BI’s holiday issue, I thought I would share a delicious recipe that we made for our bar, Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar.

A flip is a class of mixed drinks. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term was first used in 1695 to describe a mixture of beer, rum, and sugar, heated with a red-hot iron (“Thus we live at sea; eat biscuit, and drink flip”). The iron caused the drink to froth, and this frothing (or “flipping”) engendered the name. Over time, the proportion of eggs and sugar increased, the beer was eliminated, and the drink ceased to be served hot.

White & Snowy Flip in Bridgeport
Recipe by Ken Zawacki and Eric Olson of Maria’s.
Our flip is a cold gin flip using Junipero Gin. Junipero is made by Anchor Brewing Company, one of the first major craft breweries in the US who got their hands dirty with distilling spirits. Their gin is made by hand in the classic “distilled dry gin” tradition, utilizing more than a dozen botanicals in their natural state, in a small copper pot still at their little distillery on Potrero Hill in San Francisco. You can try a Dutch Gin as a substitute.

RECIPE:
1 and 1/2 ounce of Junipero Gin
1/2 ounce of simple syrup
1/2 to 1 ounce egg white
Two dashes of nutmeg
One cinnamon stick
1 1/2 ounce Knudsen’s Spiced Cider

Add ice gin, simple syrup, egg white, and cider into a shaker. Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds
Pour in a chilled rocks glass.
Add nutmeg and cinnamon stick
Drink.

The New Issue of the BI is out

2011-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

Get your copy at your favorite shop in town... Or try Bridgeport Coffee, Maria's, Pleasant House, Dunkin Donuts, or Ramova Grill...

Download a copy , here>>>

Bridgeport Wants to Retire Crawford and Fisk coal plants

2011-09-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

A note from our friends at Sierra Club:

As you read this, Chicago is at an energy crossroads. Our community remains dependent on dirty energy sources like coal that contribute to asthma, lung disease, cancer and other serious health and environmental problems. Here in Bridgeport, that Crawford and Fisk coal plants just across the river are contributing to cancer and respiratory disease, as well as causing asthma attacks especially in children.

The good news is that we have solutions. There is a bright future in transitioning to clean energy, but change will not come unless we demand it. That’s why we here in Bridgeport are building a campaign to pass a strong clean energy plan through this fall that will limit dangerous health pollution from coal and create clean energy jobs for Chicago workers.

We can make this happen this fall, but we need YOUR help. The best way to learn more and get involved is to come to our Community Action Meeting to Move Beyond Coal Wednesday night here in Bridgeport. RSVP right away and bring a friend to:

Community Action Meeting to Move Beyond Coal

Wednesday September 28^th 7:00-8:00pm

Benton House

3052 South Gratten St, Bridgeport

(Refreshments Provided)

All are welcome, please bring your friends!

We have a unique opportunity this fall to push Edison International to stop burning coal and bring in clean, healthy jobs. We need investment in the health and wellbeing of Bridgeport, not more of the same.

So please join us on Wednesday Sept 28^th at 7:00pm. We will have special guest speakers attending, as well as lots of your neighbors. You can expect to find out how you can make a real difference to support the campaign and bring an end to unhealthy coal pollution. It’s time to tell Edison International that enough is enough, and that we’re ready for clean energy now!

RSVP here to let us know you can make it, and bring a friend! Bring a neighbor! Bring anyone interested in cleaner air and a healthier Bridgeport!

Best,

Emma Greenbaum

Sierra Club Field Organizer

Clean Power Coalition Campaign

Bridgeport, Chicago, IL

520-275-4812

emma@greencorps.org

September 24th is Chicago's Roll Beyond Coal Day

2011-09-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Form our friends trying to make The Fisk Power plant (across the river) change to clean energy:

The coal plants in the city of Chicago have been polluting our air for decades. Our campaign to transition these plants is a defining moment in the Sierra Club's national Coal to Clean Energy Campaign. Coal combustion puts billions of tons of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.

Here in Chicago, the Fisk and Crawford coal plants are contributing to climate change by emitting 5 million tons of carbon dioxide every year.

At our Roll Beyond Coal event, September 24th, we'll call on Midwest Generation, owner of Chicago's two coal plants, to clean up or retire the plants and support renewable energy projects.

Don't miss out -- sign up to attend the Roll Beyond Coal Event on September 24th!

Here are the details:

WHO: You, your friends, and family!

WHAT: We'll kick off the day with a massive bike ride from Daley Plaza to Dvorak Park in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. We'll gather with community residents and others in front of the Fisk coal plant for a rally and clean energy march.

WHEN: Saturday, September 24th, 11am

WHERE: Bike Ride leaves Daley Plaza at 11 a.m., Rally near Dvorak Park (1119 W. Cullerton St.) in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood starts at 12:30 p.m.

Questions: Christine Nannicelli, christine.nannicelli@sierraclub.org

RSVP: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Calendar?id=156861&view=Detail

Hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Christine Nannicelli
Beyond Coal Campaign
Sierra Club

Property Owner & Manager Workshops

2011-09-11T08:17:00.000-07:00

Hey there, in our latest issue that recently came out, we had an article titled, "You might be a slumlord if..." that talked about property maintenance and tenant screening. The information we posted about the workshops at the end of the article was slightly incorrect, we've learned. Here's a link to more information about the 4 upcoming workshops (two in Sept. and two in Nov.): http://www.greenpublicsolutions.com/landlord-resources-training/property-mgmt-training/schedule/

"Massage" Parlors Closed

2011-08-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

We are super excited by the response we had to our last issue of the BI! Thanks so much for your feedback, your contributions and spreading the word!

We think the last issue had a greater impact than we ever could have imagined. The Bridgeport Red Light District Crossword Puzzle and the Massage Parlor Wordsearch might have caused some controversy and action. Since the last issue came out three "massage" parlors have closed on Archer Avenue.

Wow.

We want to thank our community leaders for shutting down some pretty shady businesses. And we applaud your efforts on making the neighborhood safer for women.

Of Science and Smoke Stacks

2011-08-23T20:53:00.000-07:00

By By Melissa Naiman
(From Vol 2 Issue 1 of the BI)

It’s pretty clear that the Fisk and Crawford Generating Stations are bad for the health of Bridgeport residents. Numerous scientific studies have established that exposure to the types of chemicals and particulate matter that the Fisk plant releases negatively impacts our wellbeing. In 2002, the Harvard School of Public Health published a mathematical model that combines information on how weather conditions move emissions from coal plants and how pollutant concentrations damage health to determine how many people get sick or die because of a given plant. When this model was applied to the Fisk and Crawford plants in Chicago, they estimated that each year the plants contributed to 41premature deaths, 550 emergency room visits and 2800 asthma attacks. This equates to between $750 million and $1 billion in health related damages in the Chicagoland area over the last 8 years.

Despite protests and scientific evidence, the Fisk plant won’t be required to reduce its chemical emissions until 2015. Even then, how would we know, as a community, that the upgrades actually improve our situation? Other urban communities situated near industrial areas have successfully partnered with local and state governments to implement technologies necessary to quantify pollutants in their local area and pressure federal authorities to enforce compliance.

Sheffield, England has been monitoring NO2 levels (one of the chemicals released by the Fisk plant) through a network of community volunteers and laboratory analysts. Volunteers place plastic tubes coated with a special chemical that traps NO2 around the city and then submit them to a lab to calculate NO2 concentration. The local government uses this information to guide air quality policies. Similarly, Tonawanda, NY conducted an air monitoring study using special canisters that captured toxic molecules and analyzed them using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. This helped target inspections of two plants suspected as point sources of pollution. After remediation, air monitoring showed a 33-56% reduction of the toxins emitted by these plants. These monitoring efforts are both supported by governmental funds.

The EPA sponsors two grants that could help Bridgeport improve air quality and the environment overall: the “Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Program” and the “Community-Scale Air Toxics Ambient Monitoring Program”. Further details and past announcements can be found at http://www.epa.gov/air/grants_funding.html. If the EPA can’t enforce national standards, we can at least try to take their money to improve our neighborhood.

New issue of the BI is on the streets

2011-07-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Volume 2 Issue 1 is on the streets of Bridgeport. Find a copy at the Bridgeport Coffee House, Maria's, Pleasant House bakery and other locations near you.

Our next open meeting will take place Tuesday July 26 at 8pm at Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar. Stop by and bring an article idea with you!

2011-07-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

We are meeting about issue 2 right now!

2011-06-25T14:18:00.001-07:00

After a long hiatus. The next issue of The Bridgeport International will be coming out soon!
Look for our launch party and an issue near you soon..

Artists for Migeul Del Valle

2011-01-30T21:09:00.000-08:00

NEW DATE!!
February 10, 2011 7-9pm

Co-Prosperity Sphere

3219 S Morgan Street

Chicago Il 60608

Join us Thursday February 10, 2011 from 7 to 9pm for a chance to meet and ask Chicago Mayoral candidate Miguel del Valle some questions regarding the arts in Chicago.

We have joined a group of concerned citizens who find Miguel’s progressive stance on the issues as our ONLY alternative in this historic and important election for Chicago’s next Mayor.

If you believe that money cannot buy an election and if you believe you have a voice when it comes to choosing a candidate that aligns more closely to your interests than the other candidates, please join us.

We want to ask Mr Del Valle what he will do to promote the arts and culture in Chicago and get him to re-create an independent Department of Cultural Affairs in Chicago. We also want to know how he can help creative industries in Chicago and see if he has plans to improve the state of the arts in Chicago.

We are conducting an art raffle during the event to benefit Miguel’s campaign. As you know he refuses to accept campaign money from businesses that have contracts with the city. So your help will go a long way.

Please come by.

Spread the word.

We usually do not throw our hats in for any politician. A real grassroots campaign can make a difference..

Don't forget to register to vote.

2011-01-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

We were checking out Steve Vances awesome local Bridgeport neighborhood blog and came upon his suggestion that you register to vote.. thanks steve:

From his blog:

"While you await the results of my interviews with the three Aldermanic candidates, please ensure you’re registered to vote in the 11th Ward. If you recently moved within Chicago, you need to update the Chicago Board of Elections with your new address so you get a more convenient polling place AND so you can vote for the 11th Ward alderman.

Register to vote – You can register (or change your address) by mailing this form (PDF), at the Board of Elections office in the Loop, or at any DMV/Secretary of State office.
Check your registration status (this tells you which address you’re currently registered at)

The election is on Tuesday, February 22, 2011. You have until Tuesday, January 25, 2011 to register to vote or change your address. If you don’t change your address in time, you have to vote at your assigned polling place."

Bridgeport (11th Ward) Aldermanic Election

2010-11-28T12:53:00.001-08:00

Steve Vance runs a local business blog. He's helped start a Bridgeport neighbors group on facebook, too. He is going to ask the five Aldermanic candidates for the 11th Ward some questions. It looks like we have five candidates!

James Balcer – Current 11th Ward Alderman. Office at 3659 S Halsted Street.
John Kozlar – University of Chicago student, Canaryville Little League coach.
Steve McNulty – No information at this time.
Carl Segvich – Ran for 11th District Cook County Commissioner, lost to John Daley. Currently the elected 11th Ward Republican Committeeman.
Jay Verdugo – Lawyer at Anthony J. Peraica & Associates since 2008.

Steve's questions look like a soft effort, so we hope he asks them to answer a few difficult questions like these:

What exactly is the job of an alderman? Describe what you are supposed to do.

What is your overall vision for the future of the 11th Ward?

What will you do to help create jobs in the ward?

How can you use your office to improve the overall quality of Life in the neighbohood?

How will you help businesses in the neighborhood? What specifically can and will you do to enable new businesses to start in the Ward?

Can you explain what the Tax Increment Financing Program is?

How will you use the Tax Incremental Finance money for use in our ward?

Will you help bring back the 31st Street CTA bus line?

Will you help community groups start community gardens on city owned vacant lots?

Where do u think the gang problems are in the Ward? What will you do to address the gang problems in the ward?

What improvements are needed in our public and private schools?
What can you do to help improve the education of our children ?

What City of Chicago Services are you in favor of privatizing? And how would you do it?

Are you in favor of Live/work spaces for artists and other Creative Industries? What can you do to help rezone industrial properties to be converted to live/work spaces?

How will you improve our civic services: road repair, sewer repairs, etc?

Are you a supporter of Labor Unions?

Do you consider yourself a "green"? Are you in favor of sustainable urban practices?

What will you do to improve race relations in the Ward?

What can you do to help citizens of the Ward deal with unethical foreclosure of their properties by local banks?

How accessible will you be to the citizens of the Ward? Please explain how the average ward resident can contact you about an issue they are concerned about.

We'll be keeping close attention...

Bridgeport Art Walk Weekend

2010-10-14T11:11:00.001-07:00

If you ever wondered what the hell this Brideport Art scene is about. Now is the time to figure it out..

From Friday October 15 to Sunday October 17, 2010 many spaces and artists in Bridgeport will be opening their galleries and studios for you to come and investigate.

Download a map someone made over here (it is a MS word doc)

Here are a few things we have going on..

Friday Oct 15, 7-10pm
Michael Gloss
@ Eastern Expansion
244 W 31st Street

Friday Oct 15, 7-10pm
Wave Int’l invites you to open Issue 01 with them from 7-10pm

//////

Sat. Oct. 16th 8PM - 1:00AM
Lumpen magazine party
@ Co-Prosperity Sphere
3219 S Morgan Street

Our bar Maria's will be ready for you, too.
960 W 31st street

Aron Gent photography>

See you at Cork and Kerry, Mr Mayor.

2010-09-09T10:48:00.000-07:00

Chicago and the Legacy of the Daley Dynasty

On Daley's Retirement

Chicago Without Mayor Daley: Positive And Negative Changes In Store, Experts Say

End of the Daley Show

Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar opens in Bport

2010-08-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

Kaplan's Liquors has turned into Maria's Packaged Goods and Community Bar.
Check it out when you are on the corner of 31st and Morgan st.

Also Gabriel Villa is showing new work at the Co-Prosperity Sphere.
The show is rad.

Tribune Finds that "Bridgeport paves way"

2010-08-13T20:13:00.000-07:00

From The Chicago Tribune August 13, 2010:

Bridgeport paves way
Local artists find community, culture in a new part of town, 1 mile from Pilsen

Long before Comiskey Park became the Cell, even before there was a new Comiskey Park, two brothers emigrated from China to a Near South Side neighborhood called Bridgeport. They lived on the North Side for the first few months, right on the lake, but they were grand-scale visual artists and needed enough space for a large studio. Not to mention, as non-English speakers, they wanted to be close to Chinatown. Bridgeport was the most logical choice, geographically and economically: It was located within close proximity of native Chinese speakers (and food), and its abandoned warehouses were practically a steal. It was 1987, and the brothers had found their home away from home.

More than 20 years later, Realtors have learned to sell Bridgeport based on its two most significant residents, past and present: Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Zhou brothers.

"We were the first artists in the neighborhood," says DaHuang Zhou (pronounced "joe"), the younger of the two. He's sipping an iced coffee prepared by one of his employees at a cafe in a large art center, both of which bear his name. "We wanted to create a special stage for artists. This was our only dream for a long time."

DaHuang and ShanZuo Zhou's dream came true in 2004, when the brothers purchased an enormous 84,000-square-foot warehouse building on 35th Street and built the Zhou B. Art Center. It houses two vast exhibition spaces, multiple galleries, the cafe, a gift shop and offices. It's the epicenter of their empire, built over two decades.

On the day I meet DaHuang Zhou, I ask him how many lots he and his brother own in the neighborhood. He paused before answering, as if counting in his head. "Nine," he says finally, borrowing my pen to outline little squares on a piece of paper marked with an upside-down T, representing 35th and Morgan streets. He drew a box for the Zhou B. Art Center on 35th, and in the middle of Morgan another to indicate their studio. Another square marked the residential building in which visiting artists are housed. He outlined a lot for the sculpture garden they designed and built in 1997, and next to that the Zhou brothers Art Foundation, established in 1991.

The Zhou brothers, of course, are just two residents in this slowly burgeoning neighborhood.

Slow is the typical pace in Bridgeport. Nestled in a pleasantly low-traffic wedge of the Near South Side (bordered to the west and north by the Chicago River, to the south by Pershing Road and to the east by railroad tracks), it's quietly residential with more than adequate amenities. It is increasingly becoming one of the most ethnically diverse neighborhoods in the city, yet maintains its Irish Catholic pride and long history of political residents, including five Chicago mayors.

Daley moved out in 1993. But artists have moved in.

Down the street from the Zhou B. Art Center is the newly christened Bridgeport Art Center, known until a handful of months ago as the Artists of Eastbank. Building manager Drago Batar changed the name of his 10-year-old business, located in the former Spiegel catalog warehouse, to reflect its transition to a multidisciplinary building. Painting, drawing and sculpture artists — about 45 of them — have populated the lofty warehouse for years. Batar says the number of photographers is increasing, and in the next few months he plans to lure ceramicists with a brand brand-new clay center on the sixth floor, awash in natural light from the sea of skylights.

Batar says the local artists' community used to be centered in Pilsen, a mile northwest across the expressway. Not anymore. "Five or six years ago, (the community) started shifting to Bridgeport," Batar says. "Pilsen's real estate prices went up, and more artists started coming here."

And why not? The art is the icing.

A modest collection of cafes and historically rooted restaurants are there, including Polo Cafe and Catering, which has occupied a Morgan Street four-flat for a quarter-century. Chef-owner-innkeeper Dave Samber is quick to name-drop the Zhou brothers when quizzed about the locals. But his patrons are mostly suits and families. A chalkboard in the foyer, featuring drawings by artist and former neighbor Jacqueline A. Harrison, features detailed mayoral portraits, including Richard M. Daley — who used to live within walking distance. Samber keeps a piece of chalk with his name on it (literally) to score a signature when the time comes.

Up the street, the neighborhood's next generation of artists down dark Guatemalan brews at Bridgeport Coffee, which hosts live jazz as enjoyable as its BLTA (bacon-lettuce-tomato-avocado) wrap. A few doors down is Co-Prosperity Sphere, an independent alternative cultural center opened in 2008 by longtime local art enthusiast Ed Marszewski as a bricks-and-mortar home to his various endeavors. He bought the building, junk piles and all, from a guy he met at his mother's bar, Kaplan's, up the street. The lofty space now holds frequently rotating art shows, storefront installations and the offices for Marszewski and his wife's nonprofit, Public Media Institute, which produces a half-dozen art-centric publications and programs annually.

Marszewski, like the Zhou brothers, embraces the neighborhood's opportunity. Later this month, he and his brother will re-open Kaplan's as Maria's, in honor of his mother, with a beverage program and potential for more. Meanwhile, he frequents the decades-old, buzzed-in-entry Bernice's Tavern (established 1965, as the sign boasts). It shares a strip of Halsted Street with crate-digging destination Let's Boogie, which continues to stock new (not used) vinyl and tapes, despite the shrinking market; and organic eatery Nana, whose successfully eclectic brunch (chilaquiles, house-made granola, bacon hash) prompted last month's expansion to dinner.

The best place to contemplate all that Bridgeport has to offer is one of the oldest: McGuane Park, which has been in the neighborhood for 105 years. Perched from the lofty hill above Halsted and 29th streets, you can see the whole neighborhood. And it's quite a view.

lviera@tribune.com

Mayor wants to sell off recycling program

2010-06-16T17:20:00.001-07:00

After selling off the skyway and municipal parking meters the Mayor wants to sell the city's blue bag recycling program. Next Up: Water.

From Chicago Now:

Facing mounting criticism over a painfully slow roll out of blue cart recycling, reports say that "Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Tom Byrne is working on a plan to privatize recycling to shave as much as $40 million off the $60 million annual cost."

+ The BI are pretty much against selling off public assets but we think the city's recycling program is ineffective and is a wasteful greenwashing campaign. Blue bagging is bullshit. Lets do the right thing and retire the blue bag program and come up with a better solution instead.

Danger! Coal Fired Power Plant just Two Miles Away!

2010-06-16T17:18:00.001-07:00

Local artists and the Chicago Rain Forest Action Network posted warning signs over many locations on the south side including this one on Morgan St near 32nd Place.

We found this information at the Just Seeds Blog:

RAN Chicago teamed up with local artists to raise public attention to the Fisk and Crawford coal-powered plants on Chicago's near south side that have been poisoning the air for decades. Both Plants are located in highly populated neighborhoods - primarily Latino neighborhoods - and have operated with outdated equipment and safety standards that has made Chicago one of the worst cities for air quality in the US. Exposure to these plants has led to an average of 40 deaths a year and high rates of asthma and other upper respiratory ailments. The kicker is that these plants do not even benefit Chicago residents. Most of the power produced is sold on the open grid to Ohio and Pennsylvania while community residents (not to mention the ozone layer) suffers, while company execs get rich.

Local groups - LVEJO (Little Village Environmental Justice Organization), PERRO (Pilsen Environmental Rights and Reform Organization), RAN Chicago, and others are calling for the plants to be closed and for the end of burning fossil fuels as an energy source.

http://www.justseeds.org/blog/2010/06/warning_signs_awareness_campai.html

An Accident at 31st and Halsted

2010-06-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today we passed by this wreck at the corner of 31st and Halsted by the 9th district police station. An officer at the scene wanted to arrest me because she said that it was illegal to take photos of accident scenes. I told Officer Williams, that if what she was saying was true then it seems unconstitutional to me. She replied that it was illegal because of Nine Eleven and wondered if i was going to post the images to facebook or twitter! I guess blogger counts!

VFW Post 5079 At 3202 S May

2010-06-08T15:29:00.000-07:00

Recent Mayor Daley news and bloggable items

2010-05-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

"Mayor Daley's criticisms of lawmakers at the state and federal level are always widely reported. His inconsistency and hypocrisy should be part of the story as well."
From Mayor Daley: The Incomprehensible Adviser.

How to Distract a Press Corps:
Mayor Daley's incendiary comments did just what they were probably meant to: bury the lead. - Chicago Reader

and the must read:

The Shadow Budget: Who Wins in Daley's TIF Game

Chicago Teachers Union News

2010-05-30T00:11:00.000-07:00

There is a chance that Education "reform" might happen in a more positive manner in Chicago. Corporate style reform that Obama and Daley like could end.

From Counterpunch:

IF REFORMERS in the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) win union elections June 11, it will shake up City Hall, rattle teachers unions--and provide a rebuke to President Barack Obama's education policy."

The Olympics Bill

2010-05-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Crain's reports Chicago’s unsuccessful bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics cost a total of $70.6 million, according to its final income tax return, released Monday.

Alderman Balcer wins award for censoring art mural in Bridgeport

2010-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Last year you may have heard about how Alderman Balcer censored a mural in Bridgeport at the beginning of Version 9 Festival. On April 13 The Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression gave this incident a 2010 Jefferson Muzzle Award.

Announced on or near April 13 — the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Jefferson — the Jefferson Muzzles are awarded as a means to draw national attention to abridgments of free speech and press and, at the same time, foster an appreciation for those tenets of the First Amendment.

Here is the entry:

3) Chicago Alderman James A. Balcer

The private owner of the property and the artist have a right to some due process before an alderman simply orders troops out.”

- Ed Yohnka of the ACLU reacting to Chicago Alderman James Balcer ordering the painting over of a mural on private property.

For claiming the authority to destroy a work of art based on his personal assessment of the work’s content, a 2010 Jefferson Muzzle goes to…Chicago Alderman James A. Balcer.

In the spring of 2009, the owners of a building in south central Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood sought to have a mural painted on the outside wall of the building as part of an upcoming arts festival. Artist Gabriel Villa devoted two weeks painting a work that he admits was intended to be provocative. The large-scale mural featured three police cameras, each emblazoned with the Chicago Police Department logo and an unusual icon: a crucified Christ, a deer head, and a human skull. Said Villa, “I wanted to create a platform for dialogue but the mural was never given a chance.”

BEFORE Alderman Balcer’s Order.

AFTER Alderman Balcer’s Order.

Villa’s comment reflected the fact that immediately upon its completion, the mural was completely painted over on the orders of 11^th ward Alderman James A. Balcer. Balcer initially explained that his order was not based on the mural’s content but the fact that neither Villa nor the building’s owners had obtained a permit as required by a local ordinance. “Everyone has a right to their opinion, but there’s limits. He has to follow the law, this artist, like everyone else.”

The problem with Balcer’s explanation is that Villa was following the law. News reporters covering the incident soon discovered that a permit was not required for murals on private property. Following this revelation, Balcer’s explanation for his actions changed somewhat, implying that he had in fact been motivated by the mural’s content. “If it’s a threat to this community, I’ll take it down. I believe that … [mural] was a threat.” Despite the fact that he was wrong about the permit requirement, Balcer was unapologetic for his action. “I acted on behalf of my constituents who were calling the ward office. I stand by that. I will not back down. I will not retreat.”

If this were a simple case of a government official misstating a permit requirement, perhaps a Muzzle would not be warranted. But the Alderman’s statements imply his actions were justified even if he knew no permit was required. Alderman Balcer is therefore claiming that he has the authority to destroy works of art based on his personal assessment of their content. In fact, the U.S. Supreme Court has clearly established that the Alderman’s order is the sort of arbitrary action by government officials that the First Amendment prohibits. For failing to appreciate this constitutional principle and his city’s own permit requirements, a 2010 Jefferson Muzzle goes to Alderman James Balcer of Chicago’s 11^th ward.

Mayor Daley in The New Yorker

2010-03-07T23:09:00.001-08:00

A fantastic feature, Evan Osnos', Letter from Chicago, “The Daley Show, is in the recent The New Yorker, March 8, . Kudos to the Mayor.

The BI in the NYT

2010-02-22T20:00:00.001-08:00

The Bridgeport International was featured in the Sunday New York Times!
It was super hard to find copy and we had to go to the Dominicks on Roosevelt to get a copy.
Read the little shout out here!

Call for Articles!

2010-02-20T10:04:00.001-08:00

The March issue of The Bridgeport International is in the works. We are looking for recipes, interviews with residents, and a few good stories about your favorite places, people and things in the neighborhood. Email Bridgeportinternationl@gmail.com for guidelines. Deadline is Feb 27, 2010.

Pull a Democratic Ballot on Tuesday.

2010-02-01T16:08:00.000-08:00

The Democratic Party Primary ballot will be the most contested and interesting ballot to vote in. Please do you duty as a Bridgeportian. Vote Early and Often!

Statewide Candidates

United States Senator: #2 Hoffman
Governor: Dan Hynes
Lt. Governor: #19 Ricky Hendon
Attorney General: #23 Lisa Madigan (Unopposed)
Secretary of State: #24 Jesse White (Unopposed)
Comptroller: #27 Clint Krislov
Treasurer: #29 Robin Kelly

Congressional Candidates

US Representative 3rd District: #42 Jorge Mujica

State Cental Committeewoman 3rd District:
#51 Helen A Ozmina Barc (Running Unopposed)

State Cental Committeewoman 3rd District:
#53 Michael Madigan (Running Unopposed)

State Senator 1st District: We are leaving it blank

State Representative - 2nd District:
#74 - Josip ‘Joe’ Trutin

Cook County Candidates

President of Cook County Board: #95 Toni Preckwinkle
Cook County Clerk: #101 David D. Orr (Unopposed)
Cook County Sheriff: #102 Thomas J. Dart
Cook County Treasurer: #104 Maria Pappas (Unopposed)
Cook County Assessor: #107 - Raymond Figueroa
Cook County Board Commissioner: 111- John Daley

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner:
You can vote for Three We only endorse ONE!
#84 - Mariyana T Spyropoulos

Judges:
Reccomended: #167 Joanne F. Fehn

Your vote matters!

2010-02-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

WHY VOTE?

Here is a big fact: In our voting district a few hundred voters have the ability to upset business as usual.

If you plan on voting on February 2, 2010 for the primary ballot we suggest you check out http://www.evoter.com for information on where your polling place is located. There is a reason they made the primary happen in the dead of winter. They really don’t want you to vote. It helps the incumbents.

We have made endorsements for the three parties running in the coming primary election: The Democrats, Republicans and The Greens.

Feel free to bring this newsletter with you to the polls.

However, you shouldn’t just rely on our opinion. We suggest you conduct your own research.

Try these papers and websites for advice:

Evoter.com ( http://www.evoter.com ) shows endorsements of candidates by everyone from the Chicago Sun Times and the Federation of Labor to the Homer/Lockport Tea Party.

Chicago Sun Times: check out their Voter’s Guide.

Chicago Tribune

Chicago Reader: You can read some of the best reporting about our local officials at the reader website. Start with the Clout City blog.

Download our First Issue!

2010-01-29T17:39:00.001-08:00

The first issue of our newsletter is now available at stores and shops in the neighborhood.
Download a pdf copy as as single page document
or download one as a spread.

woo hoo!

2010-01-28T20:44:00.001-08:00