The new Blue Cart recycling program in the 1st Ward is off to a great start. The majority of carts are being used, and most of the time as intended: They're being filled with recyclables, not garbage or yard waste. However, there's always room for improvement. To this end, the city has asked residents who are especially excited about recycling to channel that enthusiasm into helping their neighbors get with the program. The 1st Ward has over 70 of these supporters ("Recycling Block Captains") lined up, and I'm one of them. The suggested roles for the block captains are to answer questions, provide the city with feedback about the program, and help spread the word about future recycling-related activities, such as composting and household hazardous waste disposal. There's no required duties or time commitment. The goal is simply to facilitate the process of neighbors communicating with their neighbors, in whatever way they want, to encourage recycling. If y...

Password-protected links Resources Issues Log Purpose, Policies, Procedures Project Review Protocols East Village Landmark District Committee Members Scott Rappe Stephen Rynkiewicz Rich Anselmo Greg Nagel Amy Bilton Bill Wendt Mary Anne Donley Tim Mattix Brian Thompson

— From Blanchard's 1862 Guide Map of Chicago, Encyclopedia of Chicago The Northwest Side of Chicago, though incorporated in 1837, was largely unsettled during the 1830s and 1840s. The Northwest Plank Road (Milwaukee Avenue) was finished in 1848. The establishment of the railroad car shops at Grand and Kinzie fostered the building of frame boarding houses and workmen's homes, which quickly deteriorated. By 1859, patches of settlements along Milwaukee Avenue had a horse-drawn streetcar. During the 1860s, Chicago grew slowly as workers settled near the factories built along the Chicago River and Milwaukee Avenue. In 1869, land speculation accelerated with the establishment of the West Side Park Board. After the fire in 1871, solidly built brick buildings sprang up to house those who had been burned out. Completion of the Logan Square and Humboldt Park Rapid Transit lines, as well as the installation and extension of streetcar lines during the 1880s and 1890s, contributed to furthe...

The Vittum Theater finally has a marquis! A marquis is a signboard that projects from the building to advertise what play is presently being performed (see photo). Until now, they just had flat, unlit letters above the door. I didn’t even know there was a theater there until Around the Coyote sponsored a couple events there a couple years ago. The Vittum Theater is affiliated with the Northwestern Settlement house that runs numerous community programs including the Noble Street Charter High School. Plays for children are shown on weekend afternoons, modern dance is performed in the evenings, and a variety of workshops are held there throughout the week. For a schedule, log on to www.vittumtheater.org, or you walk down to the east part of East Village, and read the marquee at 1012 N. Noble Street.

Paula Barrington, Executive Director of Wicker Park & Bucktown Chamber of Commerce, will be the guest speaker at the next EVA general members’ meeting on Tuesday, June 5, at 7:00 pm at Happy Village Tavern. Paula will address topics such as the mission of the chamber, service boundaries, past accomplishments, upcoming events, and ways we can all work together. Our local chambers of commerce play an increasingly important role in developing relationships with commercial as well as governmental and residential partners in our everchanging community. Please plan on attending and hearing what Paula has to say about the chamber's rp;e

East Village Association General Membership Meeting Minutes 7 PM May 1, 2007, Happy Village Tavern 1. This was the first meeting with the new elected officers for this term. 2. The President announced the appointed directors; Deborah Milkowski, as the Dominick’s liaison, Scott Rappe, Zoning, and Rohan Sundaralingam. 3. Meeting minutes from the April meeting were approved. 4. There is approximately $2000 in the general funds. 5. The East Village Association has acquired a new domain eastvillagechicago.org. 6. Mr. Stephen Rynkiewicz has volunteered to set up a web design, assisted with Marjorie Isaacson. 7. Aaron Bilton has offered to be the library committee person. 8. Representative from the 13th Police District, Commander Christine Kohlman and Sergeant were the guest speakers. They updated us on crime rates and took questions from the floor. Their e-mail address is Caps013district@ chicagopolice.org. 9. The Pizza Hut on the corner of Ashland and Division has closed for business. No on...