Division Street fences have fallen into disrepair or been removed illegally. Sidewalk cafes are already in the works for Division Street. They could open as soon as the first weekend in March. But there's no clear path to preserving trees that lend the cafes their leafy look, or maintaining the iron fences that help trees thrive. Business owners met with city administrators and 1st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno on Jan. 26 to review the rules on sidewalk cafes . Permits require approval from the City Council, which won't meet in February. City foresters and the local service district both plan to replace dead trees. Commissioner David Ginople, who owns Store B at 1472 N. Milwaukee, says 16 or 18 trees are dead. He wants to replace them in a three-year streetscape project with limited funds. The district pays for tree care on Division, and he says landscaping lends the street its vibrancy.

1st Ward candidates (clockwise, from left) Proco "Joe" Moreno, Anne Shaw, Ronda Locke, Andrew Hamilton. BETTER GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION TO MODERATE HOTLY CONTESTED 1ST WARD DEBATE Candidates for alderman in Chicago’s 1st Ward candidate will answer questions at a 7 p.m. Jan. 29 debate in the Wells Community Academy High School auditorium, 936 W. Ashland Ave. The forum is moderated by Alden Loury, senior policy analyst of the Better Government Association, and organized by a coalition of West Town community organizations. The format will include questions submitted by residents. Send yours here . All four candidates in the ward confirm they will attend: Proco “Joe” Moreno - Incumbent appointed by Mayor Richard M. Daley in 2010 and elected in 2011 Chicago municipal election. Anne Shaw – Lawyer active in public safety issues, former Cook County Board of Ethics commissioner. Andrew Hamilton – 1st Ward resident, consumer and victim’s rights lawyer. Ronda Locke – Former...

Craft brewer Forbidden Root tapped a rich seam last year. EVA backed its plans for a brewery and tap room, now headed toward a May opening. Curious readers came to the East Village Association website for months preceding a May community vote to allow a tavern license and commercial rezoning at 1746 W. Chicago Ave. Half the 10 most-viewed pages on the site were devoted to the issue. Two longtime development issues were also in the top 10: apartment plans for the onetime AAA Distributing warehouse at 1850 W. Chicago, and a bid to lure a Trader Joe's grocery to the former Miller Lumber site at 1815 W. Division St. A site refresh added popular topic pages on EVA, its development review process and a community resource list. Here are EVA's top 10 pages from 2014: Chicago Avenue zoning crafts a better community Planning, Preservation & Development About EVA Shopping for solution to Trader Joe's traffic Forbidden Root alternatives brewing EVA seeks Fifield a...

By Caleb Nolan , Chicago Public Library children's librarian Weekly chess lessons return Jan. 27 at the West Town Branch Library, 1625 W. Chicago Ave. The Tuesday evening classes from 6 to 7pm are supported by East Village Association fund-raising . An instructor from Renaissance Knights Chess Foundation heads the drop-in program through March 3. Segun Kamara led a loyal following of 40 kids in 6 weekly lessons last fall. Sessions are recommended for children 7 and up, or children ages 5 and 6 accompanied by a parent or guardian. A local children's musician will perform for the public and local Head Start groups in late spring. The concert should draw a full house of about 100 kids - details to follow. The branch will also update its "big books" collection for early childhood programming. We need new, oversized books we're unable to purchase from the book budget. When story time programs are in session, we serve on average 30 to 40 children a week...

Chicago approved a marijuana dispensary in a retail strip at 744 N. Damen Ave. Chicago has approved 10 locations for medicinal marijuana sales, including 744 N. Damen Ave. and 1368 N. Milwaukee Ave. But none has received a state license. The state's "in the process of comprehensively evaluating all applications," according to a Dec. 30 statement from the Medical Cannabis Pilot Program . Only 13 licenses will be granted in Chicago. East Village Association members will discuss marijuana dispensaries at Monday's meeting, at 7pm in the Happy Village, 1059 N. Wolcott. The agenda also includes question periods with 1st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno and 2nd Ward contender Alyx Pattison. Chicago has approved 10 marijuana dispensaries and a grow center. The city Zoning Board of Appeals approved the Damen storefront Dec. 19 . It's in Moreno's ward, but just outside EVA's boundaries (Chicago to Division, Damen to Milwaukee). Members will consider whether to ...

East Village Association board minutes for Dec. 1, 2014, submitted by Catherine Garypie 2ND WARD CANDIDATES: BRIAN HOPKINS Hopkins spent 16 years working as part of Streeterville neighborhood groups, and had a lot of experience with developers in those groups. Originally from McKinley Park, he worked as chief of staff for Cook County Commissioner John Daley. Campaigning since July, Hopkins said he's concerned about community confusion over the 2nd Ward boundaries. Your position on aldermen accepting campaign contributions when they have matters pending before them? Ethical rules prohibit it when you accept contributions when there are matters pending before the City Council. I am ethical and will be ethical. Ethics and laws are pretty different. Laws are clear. Ethical guidelines are grey. Your conscience will tell you when you are acting ethically. I would not accept any contributions from persons or entities having matters pending before City Council, zoning committees,...