Rogers Park Talks

Shameless: Fagus and Moore


While the Glenwood Arts Festival was in full swing, an event to promote the local business community, some locally important Democrats were shamelessly engaged in self-promotion just a few blocks away. Hundreds of folks who might otherwise have been mingling with more productive members of the community were instead lined up for free food and handouts from the Moore and Fagus mini-machine. . . . More


Posted by Tom Mannis

The most important school day of the year is the first day of school. The Board of Education, Mayor Daley and many other groups across the city do their very best to make sure that parents send their kids to school on the first day. Why is that day so important? The first day attendance is the basis for the schools funding for the entire year. If you care about better public schools then you should be concerned about this first day and you should be supportive of every effort to get the kids to school on the first day.

Mr. Bench seems to have a great big problem with a 4 hour picnic and a 2 day, 16 hour street fair being held for 4 overlapping hours. He complains that Fagus and Moore have no concern for the business community because they didn't change the event to some other day. It was the Glenwood Art Fest that moved its date to August last year from September if I remember right, but that isn't important because even Mr. Bench says it doesn't matter after ripping Fagus for it.

As he so crudely puts it in the end of his post, the picnic serves the "LINK card crowd" and the Glenwood Art Fest serves the "yuppies". While that summary is unkind to the people at either fest, it provides his own words to contradict his own premises.

His terminology is insulting and ignorant, but it does touch on the fact that the events have different crowds as their targets. The Back to School Picnic is obviously a child driven event that has activities focused on kids. The Glenwood Art Festival may have some child oriented activity, but it is not a kids event and it isn't trying to be one.

Is there a point to this story other than to rip politicians Mr. Bench doesn't like? I don't see it if there is.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Back to School Picnic, David Fagus, Glenwood Ave. Arts Fest, Joe Moore, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 6:03 PM | Permalink | Comments

Attempted Hijacking
This flyer was posted on 24/7 August 2 after the creator made a few edits and corrections and received approval from North of Howard Parks Advisory Council. It was also distributed to certain entities to serve as notice of upcoming elections for officers per protocol/procedure directives from a park district employee. . . . See Flyer and More

Posted by Toni


* Joe Moore Plays Bully
Joe Moore, you piece of crap. You, of all people, pulling a stunt like this. Pure bullshit. This is what you are teaching Nathan? You are a poor example of a parent. This is as lying, cheating and underhanded as it gets. You're the main reason this ward is so divided right now. You encourage this type of divisive behavior. And everytime you pull a stunt like this, this is what your teaching your boys to do. You should be ashamed of yourself - but of course, you're not. . . . . See Post

Posted by Craig Gernhardt



So the people of the community came to a meeting that is by all accounts open to the public and wanted to have some say about what is going on in the park. That sounds like community partnership to me. I think the constant call heard across this and every other neighborhood is to increase community participation. If a small group of people who live North of Howard are not interested in public participation in the management of public facilities then those parks, (private property as I understand they once were), should have kept themselves private.

This was a clear case of the Alderman, working on a local, local, local issue trying to make sure that everyone in the community would have input in a very important new projects operation. I applaud the effort and I am very troubled by the closed door way that this group appears to operate. If organizing the participation of the people who have children in the area to come to a meeting to talk about the brand new facility going up in the neighborhood that will serve them is being a "bully" than I am all for it.

The question burning in my mind is if this council was interested in increasing participation, operating transparently and being fair, why did they try to sneak in their own re-election prior to having the meeting that they know would bring in the broader community. The logical answer is . . . sorry to say this but . . . to exclude the rest of the community from the process is the most logical answer, but perhaps there is something else that makes more sense. I am hoping so.

In any case, since nothing happened last night and it seems that things are more in order for next time maybe the old-hands and some of the young-bucks can work together to make the Gale Community Center a gem we can all be proud of in Rogers Park.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Gale Community Center, Joe Moore, North of Howard, Park Advisory Council, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 3:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

V.O.T.E.R. To Work For Honest Elections

I support the work of Rogers Park's new V.O.T.E.R. organization which today released a Message to 49th Ward Voters and Our Community.

Working For Honest Elections

Voters Organized For Truthful Election Results (V.O.T.E.R.), a Rogers Park-based organization, announced today that its mission will be to support government accountability and work for honest elections. . . . More


I guess this means that the election is over, even for those who didn't want it to end. The deadline for any more legal action has now passed, but have the bad feelings? One hopes that the community continues to move forward and continues to improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Rogers Park home. And for those still not ready to throw in the towel, 2011 is a long way away. It cannot be healthy for anyone to stay angry that long. Just get mad again in 2010.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Alderman, Gordon, Joe Moore, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 2:48 AM | Permalink | Comments

* 49th Ward Chief of Staff Too Busy for Ward Issues

A loyal reader writes . . . YIKES! This is what Joe assigned his new chief of staff, Betsy Vandercook, to do on Thursday, August 16, a working/business day in the city of Chicago!

DAMN! Is this what we pay them salaries for? No wonder the 49th Ward List of Thorny Problems and Easily Resolved Issues is so damn long. Joe doesn't have the interest, time, or patience to lead his staff in taking care of business at home first.

BLOGNOTES: More on Betsy. . . . More

Posted by Craig Gernhardt


TARGET BETSY: The Attacks Begin

Chronic blogwhiners have begun their attacks on the new 49th Ward Chief of Staff, Betsy Vandercook. Golly, it took a couple of weeks! There's something about her name that makes even more apparent how petty it is. "Let's all gang up on Betsy." It just sounds like the junior high school attitude that it is. . . . . More

Posted by Thomas J. Westgard


If it is true that the Alderman has staff that don't even work 40 hours a week on City of Chicago business it would be surprising. People have a lot of expectations of an Alderman, and what people expect is different from one person to the next. There are a lot of people in the neighborhood who go to the Back to School Picnic every year. Others have no interest at all. Some people want the Alderman and/or his staff to be at their meeting and other people question why they aren't out fighting crime instead. In general, only 49 + .something percent supported the neighborhood only approach.

Being an Alderman or an Aldermanic staffer is hardly a traditional 9 to 5 job. Meetings at night, many weekend activities, early morning breakfast meetings and long work days, well over 8 hours, are the normal course of activity in most legislative offices. Many people don't think that an Alderman is a legislator and there are some here in Rogers Park that think that any trip to city hall is a waste of Aldermanic time so of course if Betsy isn't patroling somewhere she is wasting time. Back to the basic premise though, I'll ask this question, How does the writer know if she was paid to be their at all?

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Betsy, Iraq War, Joe Moore, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 2:02 AM | Permalink | Comments

Another Late Announcement by Joe Moore

"We want your input tomorrow night," starts the email that was sent out TODAY by Chicago's 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore. Does this guy not have a clue that most of us need a little more than a day's notice to plan to attend a meeting "tomorrow night?" Most recipients of the email will not have seen it until this evening (Monday, August 20). That's short notice. Now consider the thousands of 49ers who will not get that email, and will not know about the meeting. (Details below!)

What's that, you say? You think Joe Moore wants it that way? That he wants as few people to know about this as possible because it's just a sham anyway? You say that by sending out this last minute email he can "honestly" say that he notified the community? Hmmm. You may have a point.... More

Posted by Tom Mannis

I wonder why these things cannot go out twice myself. People often only think about things from their own perspective and don't see others until it becomes more important to them. I used to be friends with someone long ago that didn't start work until 11 am. She always wanted to go out for dinner at 9:00 or 10:00 at night and couldn't ever make it earlier. I would have to be at work at 8:00 so eating dinner and going to bed on a full stomach did nothing to promote being healthy, something important to me.

But back to the post, it isn't enough to make a decent point here, it then becomes a conspiracy plot that is intended to deny people the right to participate. I cannot imagine why Moore would want a meeting like this and have little or no turnout. He has to know the NOH regulars are going to be there no matter what. Extra people means they will not be exerting undue influence based on poor turnout.

I also remember Mr. Hole always finding a group of fliers bunched in a good location for a picture with footprints all going in the same direction complaining about fliers being litter. I would like a good solution to this notification issue, but I said solution, not blame.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Joe Moore, Mannis, Meeting Notices, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments

Gordon Lawsuit Deadline Today


I've gotten a few questions in the last month asking why I'm still talking about the Gordon lawsuit. The answer is, of course, that ol' Don has been threatening to continue to batter the collapsed remains of the windmill. Specifically, he sent out an email blast to the effect that he was going to file a motion to amend the complaint. The other option would have been to file an appeal. Either document may be filed, as is his right under Illinois court rules, though whether or not he gets (or deserves) the relief is a different matter. . . . . More


Posted by Thomas Westgard

Whatever people might say about Westgard he has been on top of this and covered it well. Maybe the expectation that something is presented factually and then has reasoned opinions injected about the subject is so rare it is difficult to believe. That isn't the case with Mr. Hole and Mr. Bench. Ms. Neighbor seems to have that talent (Jocelyn at Rogers Park Neighbor) and on rare instances Ms. Howard shows it. It would be nice to see more of it, more logical conversations and less in your face, bitter, nasty, angry, and ugly. Ugly is certainly more sensational and draws more readers, but it contributes almost nothing positive.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Gordon, Joe Moore, Lawsuit, Rogers Park, Rogers Park Rake, Tom Westgard, Westgard

Posted by RPT at 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments

* Floods in Rogers Park
Hi Craig, I got a question for you. Where is the 49th ward menu money going? It may be spent on worthwhile and important projects for the ward, but what and where are these projects? Driving around Rogers Park Sunday, I noticed that there are lots of areas of standing water. Clearly the ward has sewer issues and seemingly more so than Andersonville (from where I came). For instance the alley between Estes and Touhy on Paulina - it's like a lake! Where's the Joe Moore's ward menu money going? . . . .More
Posted by Craig Gernhardt


Each ward gets more than a million dollars to make improvements each year, but that includes everything. Street lights, Traffic lights, Sidewalks, Repaving Alleys, Repaving Streets, Curbs, Gutters and other similar things. Every Alderman spends all of their money because there isn't much sense in saving it. I think if you have a major issue you should be calling the Alderman's office. Big pools of water are often the intentional result of not overflowing the sewers with rain water because when that happens it overflows the deep tunnel and that causes untreated (polluted) water to be released into the lake.

Fixing that would relieve the nuisance of the standing water for a few by polluting the water of millions. There is the possibility that the system is under built in that area or it is not operating properly. Have you spoken with your neighbors and sent a request to the Alderman or the city to come take a look? Group efforts are not mandatory, but are a good way to get attention since it is for several people rather than one person.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Deep Tunnel, Infastructure, Joe Moore, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 9:10 PM | Permalink | Comments

* Fagus/Moore Political Hack Gets SSA Mural Job
From the mouth of Mo Cahill.....> "I have been putting in more time in my studio, doing more political work... an actual job, tho temporary, may have landed in my lap. There is a local project to do a mural, hopefully the first of many annual projects. actual cash money." BLOGNOTES: So, no wonder Fagus/Moore political helper Mo Cahill was so anxious to push the Special Service Area #24 mural project through without community input. She is actually going to benefit from the project herself, in the form of cash payments. Looks like that old saying is true. You help me get elected, I help you. Screw everyone else. It's becoming clear what the Special Service Area tax is used for in Rogers Park. It's to help out politically connected people. . . . . More
Posted by Craig Gernhardt

Screamin' Mo Cahill: Working for The Man
She's so cutting edge, so progressive, so Establishment. Contradictions? Not in the mind of Mo Cahill, a local arts-and-crafts lady who has to give away free buttons with a co-opted expression that she did not create to get people to buy her arts-and-crafts. . . . . More
Posted by Tom Mannis

I have to go back to the RPGG issue, the gardeners who had Gordon linked defenders out of control about making a civic cause a political issue because the group was referred to as the Gordon Group. Where are the complainers and the voluminous posts about being so upset that a good project that is so civic minded that making it political was just wrong. Everyone knows that at a minimum the gardeners/gordoners defenders were all from the Gordon campaign and it doesn't take much to know that some of the members were volunteers for Gordon. I wasn't as offended as some were, but this example is about the outrageous lies and misrepresentations that the blogs known as the Rogers Park Bench, the Hell Hole and the Howard Watchers make every day. The mural project is a plus for the neighborhood and like gardens, as long as there is some quality control and oversight by a diverse group it will be successful. Who is watching these gardening rebels anyway?

I have not watched the video of Cahill yelling. It sounds like she was inappropriate, but if that was the standard Mr. Hole is inappropriate at almost every single meeting he attends. Mr. Bench never attends anything. He prefers to make up the facts as he goes along. His opinion is misinformed and unwitnessed opinions that are nothing but a load of crap. For UFO talk that is fine. For important neighborhood events it isn't good enough Bench. Ms. Howard St. goes to meeting and as I have noted in comments here she does sometimes reflect the actual facts. Her spin is sometimes off and her opinions about who is to blame are often way off.

Cahill is an artist of some sort. Maybe not even a good one, but she is an artist. Nobody has ever challenged her being an artist. The worst comments have challenged her quality. By the way, what evaluation are the RPGG members subject to? What kind of skills levels do they have? I'd guess they are hobbyists for the most part if not entirely. Since some have done political work for Gordon might the right name be the Rogers Park Gardening Hacks? In Hell Hole land that would be the nice name for them.

I hope the "Mile of Murals" has space to draw three jack asses with three faces we all know from blog world. They certainly have been earned. I will be making that suggestion. Please join me and send it to kbares@devcorpnorth.org

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Cahill, David Fagus, Hellhole, Joe Moore, Mannis, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 9:08 PM | Permalink | Comments

* Hate Crime Near Loyola University

The Tribune reports the Chicago police are conducting a hate crime investigation this morning after a 22-year-old man reported he was attacked because of his sexual orientation on the city's North Side overnight. The incident occurred while the man was walking in the 6700 block of Sheridan Road near Loyola University Chicago just after 1 a.m. and was confronted by three men, according to Rogers Park District police. The men exchanged words, with the group calling the man a derogatory anti-gay term, Lt. Ken Barnas said. . . . . More

Posted by Craig Gernhardt

This is a typical Hellhole style post. A serious event occurs, but that isn't the story, it is the set up. The real point is to rip Moore because the number of crimes committed in 24th District/Rogers Park is lower, as reported by the police, and to rip on Loyola University because they wouldn't validate the HellHole as a legitamate news organization when Craig wanted to talk about personal information that reportedly was stolen. The Hate Crime is the story here and it is very unfortunate that it happened here or anywhere else for that matter.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Joe Moore, Loyola University, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 12:50 AM | Permalink | Comments

August 9, 2007
* The 'Official' Joe Moore Blog?

Everyone remember the Alderman's funny Intern? I believe she's back.

Posted by Craig Gernhardt


The Hellhole today features Craig making claims of magical power over city services, an angry woman who wants to grill the Alderman, rather than the police I suppose, about the Alderman's crime fighting skills, a reminder about an event that could be very productive and speculation about a new blog and its potential author. None of this is really new or news.

The blog world can be slow and sometimes you just don't want to write about anything. For most people there is a normal life out there somewhere.

Labels: 49th Ward, 60626, Joe Moore, Rogers Park

Posted by RPT at 1:46 AM | Permalink | Comments