June 09 Flyer

Non-profit organization

Form e rly th e W.I. M. Block Association

Special Guest

JU N E 2009 M eet ing S Saattuurrddaayy,, JJuunnee 2200 1111::0000 aa..m m.. –– 1122::3300 pp..m m..

St. James Lutheran Church 8 0 0 0 S. M i c h i g a n S t i ll a c c e p t i n g G C A $30 yearly member dues Carl Lewis, President 7 7 3 . 9 9 4 . 5 3 0 8 for more info REQ UE ST O UR E - NE W S L ET T ER V I A e m a i l: g c ah ono r @ s b cglob al.n e t

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

A G E A G E Meeting Open & Minutes Read. Treasury Report CAPS report by Robert Hearn. President’s Opening Remarks. Nominations being accepted for the following offices because of our new Constitution: a. New Treasurer – our former treasurer had to resign due to personal matters. b. Chairman for Finance/Fundraising Committee. c. Chairman for Education Committee.

6th Ward Alderman Freddrenna Lyle It’s that time of the year again when we get to talk with our Alderman and hear an update on the State of the 6th Ward. Plus find out what’s new and on the horizon for Chatham. In addition, this is your opportunity to share your concerns and ask the questions about our community needs. And if you want to praise the Alderman and her sta ff fo r th e i r e ffo rts, w e wan t you to speak up as well. You can’t afford to miss this meeting! N D A N D A d. Chairman for Safety & Security Committee Note: We have a Chairman in place for the Membership Committee.

6. Do we fund our annual LAWN PATROL this year? 7. Scholarships – How many this year and the amount. 8. Volunteers for two Co-Chairs for annual Chicken Dinner Fundraiser. 9. Report on Tuskegee Field Trip for kids. IF YOU ARE A GCA MEMBER WITHOUT AN E-MAIL ADDRESS, CALL TO GET YOUR COPY OF NEW CONSTITUTION – GAY LEWIS: 773.994.5308

NEIGHBORS - THIS IS AN ALERT! READ CAREFULLY! About 12 days ago... In the alleys between 82nd & Wabash and 82nd & Michigan, about one-half of the garages for those two blocks were either broken into, or–– an attempt was made to break into the garages in that area. Needless to say, the folks on these blocks were stunned that so many garages were hit at one time. From what we could piece together from the neighborhood, it seems someone did hear some noises around 4 a.m. from their open, bedroom window. However they didn't see anything when they looked out of the window.

The crazy thing is this: NOTHING WAS STOLEN! STUFF WAS JUST STREWN EVERYWHERE AND SCATTERED! However, three (3) cars in garages had their windows smashed in. IT WAS STRICTLY VANDALISM! Plus, there was one basement that was broken into at a multi-condo flat. But again, nothing was taken. Not even patio furniture or barbecue pits or other bric-a-brac. The first neighbor to discover in the morning that their car windows were broken called the police. Thankfully, the police arrived and dusted for fingerprints. The police said the fingerprints were small like a woman's hands or a young teenager's hands. Naturally, as the word circulated throughout the two blocks, the other cars that had broken windows were also revealed. GCA President Carl Lewis (his condo's garages and basement were broken into) contacted the police as did other neighbors in the area. The police were equally baffled but could offer little more than sympathy. Now we’ve heard about some garages in the alley between 83rd and Prairie and Indiana that were broken into also around two weeks ago.

SPECULATION FRO M THE POLICE AND NEIGHBORS There is a possibility that this was a gang initiation. Another theory is that a week and a half before the incident last week, flyers/door hangers were tacked to all of the garage doors. These flyers were distributed by a company that repairs and services garages and garage doors. Was this a coincidence or fiendish salesmanship? IF YOUR BLOCK(S) SHOULD EXPERIENCE A MASS GARAGE BREAK-IN AFTER NOTICING A GARAGE COMPANY FLYER/DOOR HANGER POSTING, PLEASE CALL GCA PRESIDENT CARL LEWIS AT: 773.994.5308. We want to make sure the police stay on top of this!! This was not one or two garages, it was at least 6 break-ins and 4 attempts all at the same time! So let us know if your neck of the woods gets a multi-hit like this too! WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT GARAGE BREAK-INS? – DON’T FORGET MOTION LIGHTS! The police have suggested that owners with garages on the alley strongly consider adding an alarm system to their garage. Why? If you have a side door to the garage or window that they can break into late at night, you probably will sleep through it. Unless perhaps you have a dog who may hear something and alert you! But some of the neighbors hit did have dogs and no dogs barked! Can’t afford an alarm, then put guard iron doors on your garage and irons on your windows. It’s a shame that we have to do this, but it is what it is!

Around 81st & Wabash, shots were heard early one morning: around 1 a.m. or so. Stay alert! If you hear gun shots late at night or in the real early morning and don't see anything, it doesn’t matter, still report the gun shots to the police anyway.