Dart is in trouble.

Wants to go into showbiz.

Dart needs to look at the poll to the right of this post. He is lagging behind other would be mayors. It wasn't that way a year ago. Why? Some people would say it's because he has started to take himself too seriously.

My advice? Get over yourself, you aren't that great. You're just normal like the rest of us. Quit showing up everytime there is a television camera crew around and just do your job.

Verizon

The T-Mobile Girl

Verizon Wireless will soon make some customers pay for the privilege of paying their bills.
The nation's largest wireless company is instituting a $2 "convenience charge" for those customers who make one-time bill payments either online or by telephone. The fee will go into effect on Jan. 15.

Time to go to another phone carrier, like T-Mobile?

Steve Williams, Candidate for State Rep 35th District

Murph,

I just saw your request for candidate information on the 19^th Ward Chicago blog. I am a Republican candidate for the 35^th IL House district. Thanks for getting the word out about the candidates. Your readers are exceptionally in tune with the challenges our current House leadership has brought us. I hope to give them an alternative to more of the same.

Thanks

Steve

I grew up in New Madrid County Missouri and graduated from New Madrid County Central High School in 1983. I attended college for a year and then worked in my parents’ small businesses as well as a local factory before joining the U.S. Air Force in May of 1985.

In the Air Force, I served as a Law Enforcement Specialist (Police Officer) at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX for 2 years before earning a position in the San Antonio Armed Forces Police Detachment (AFPD) in the San Antonio Police Department. During my two years at AFPD, I was responsible for the military’s relationship with 26 local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies as well as investigating over 100 deserter incidents per year.

After being honorably discharged from the military in 1989, I entered the University of Memphis and graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance in 1992 while working full-time for the Germantown, TN Police Department as a dispatcher/jailer.

After graduation, I entered the private sector and over the last 20 years have held Internal Audit and Information Technology positions with Ameritech, Federal Express, CCC Information Services, and CNA Insurance. While working full-time, I attended Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business, earning a Master of Business Administration degree in Technology Strategy, Management, and Entrepreneurship in 2001. While in these positions, I have led numerous process improvement initiatives to drive out waste and inefficiency, saving those organizations millions of dollars.

Today, I am a Director in the IT Business Management Office at CNA Insurance leading the Metrics, Reporting, and Analytics group and a key leader in planning and managing the organization’s $350 million budget.

My family moved to Orland Park in 2006. My wife earned a Bachelor and Master degree from Northern Illinois University and is a stay at home mom after holding positions in audit and product management. My son is currently in first grade at Centennial School and is actively involved in sports within Orland Youth Association. Our family supports numerous charities including Toybox Connection, The Julian Center, Orland Township Food Pantry, St. Barbara Food Pantry, Susan G. Komen For the Cure, Dress for Success, and Literacy Volunteers of America.

I am also an avid mountain biker and member of the Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, a non-profit advocacy and education organization.

In the legislature I will focus on improving the Illinois business environment to bring jobs, particularly manufacturing jobs, to those hardest hit by the current economic situation. As we are able to put people back to work, I will shift my attention to reducing state spending to enable tax relief and balance the budget. Finally, I will work to prepare Illinois for the future by prioritizing strategic investment in long term assets like education and infrastructure.

I welcome any feedback. Given the diversity of the 35^th House district, listening to my constituents will be a top priority for me as I simply cannot know everything that is impacting those in the district. You can connect with me at my website (http://www.stevenwilliams.org), through email info@stevenwilliams.org, or at my Facebook page Steven Williams for IL 35^th House District.

If you feel that you are inclined to support the candidacy of Steve Martin, feel free to write about why, below.

New Map?????

Rumors about the new 19th ward boundries are out there. I don't know what to believe. Perhaps Matt O'Shea can send out one of his email blast to keep everyone informed.

Tony Martin, Candidate for State Rep 35th District

Candidate Martin

This candidate did not respond to my request for info.  He works as a Chicago fireman. He is married and lives in Mt. Greenwood. It is notable that he just constructed a new house at a location which is outside of the boundaries of the 35th dist. He has pledged to sell that house when he is elected. His position on a number of political issues is unknown. He education is unknown.

If you feel that you are inclined to support the candidacy of Tony Martin, feel free to write about why, below.

The latest attack on the Catholic Church......by a journalist that seems to be abusive.

Is Mr. Steinberg being abusive of his power or is he being rational and objective? Read this and be the judge.
Is it still OK to elect Catholics?

By NEIL STEINBERG nsteinberg@suntimes.com December 18, 2011 5:38PM

• Reprints

Updated: December 19, 2011 3:24PM

Anti-Catholic bigotry was once widespread in this country. In 1959, nearly a quarter of Americans — 24 percent — said they would not vote for a Catholic for president, no matter how well-qualified.

John F. Kennedy overcame this prejudice in part by insisting that, if elected, he would not be a tool of the Vatican.

He said he believed in “an America where the separation of church and state is absolute . . . in a president whose views on religion are his own private affair . . . I am not the Catholic candidate for president, I am the Democratic Party’s candidate for president, who happens also to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my church on public matters — and the church does not speak for me.”

Pope John XXIII did not contradict him.

Such discretion, alas, is not the style of Cardinal Francis George, who over the weekend decreed that Gov. Pat Quinn isn’t using his own conscience correctly.

Quinn met with Cardinal George and nine other bishops Saturday. This being Christmas week, Quinn put a bright spin on the meeting, telling the Sun-Times that they mainly talked about aiding the poor.

A wiser man might have left it at that. The cardinal chose to respond, challenging Quinn, saying, basically: The hell we did!

“We share the Governor’s concern for the poor,” Cardinal George and his bishops wrote. “From our point of view, however, this was a meeting between pastors and a member of the Church to discuss the principles of faith, not the works of faith. On several occasions, the Governor has referred to his Catholic conscience and faith as the justification for certain political decisions.

“As Catholic pastors, we wanted to remind the Governor that conscience, while always free, is properly formed in harmony with the tradition of the Church, as defined by Scripture and authentic teaching authority. A personal conscience that is not consistent with authentic Catholic teaching is not a Catholic conscience. The Catholic faith cannot be used to justify positions contrary to the faith itself.”

Sure it can. The cardinal might not like it — I’m sure he doesn’t. But plenty of the faithful join the governor in considering themselves good Catholics while conducting parts of their lives in ways “not consistent” with church policy — just last week a survey showed 98 percent of sexually-active Catholic women use or have used birth control banned by the church. (We’re fortunate that the cardinal has not challenged the governor over which form he uses, at least not yet). Much Catholic doctrine isn’t even followed by Catholics, yet church leaders would dragoon government to force it upon the rest of the state anyway.

What Quinn has done to draw church censure — for those of you not up to date — is present an award to a rape victim at a pro-choice dinner, and lead a state whose laws forbid discrimination against citizens due to their sexual orientation, which means the church had to decide whether to place homeless children with gay couples, or get out of the adoption business. It chose to get out of the adoption business — you can debate among yourselves whether that is a choice a loving God would smile upon.

The church is free to turn its back on orphaned children in the name of faith — I would never tell them what its conscience should dictate. But Pat Quinn also enjoys the right to act as the citizens of Illinois — 70 percent of who are not Catholic — want him to act, even if veering from church writ.

Some readers will complain that I am commenting upon their religion — a Jew bashing Catholics! — and I will observe that their leader is more than commenting, he is pressuring and berating the governor of my state, a state whose voters elected him based on his merits, not upon his faith.

If at election time I were to say, “You can’t vote for Pat Quinn — he’s a Catholic and will be bullied into strictly following church doctrine” — I’d be accused of bias and rightly so. Yet the cardinal is trying to do exactly that, to exercise an authority over public life he does not and should not possess.

Quinn attended 13 years of Catholic school — the church already had its chance to mold him. Now he is 63 and an adult. It is Quinn, and not Cardinal George, who gets to decide how his faith influences his life. I’m sorry to be the one to deliver the news.

For some reason, I think Steinberg is not sorry he got to take on the Cardinal.

Andy Hodorowicz, Candidate for State Rep 35th Dist.

Candidate Hodorowicz

This candidate did not respond to my request for info. Andy Hodorowicz is a former 19th Ward  Democratic precinct captain and comes from a 19th Ward political family.

He is employed as a mortgage broker. He is married and lives in Palos Heights. His position on a number of political issues is unknown. His education is unknown.

If you feel that you are inclined to support the candidacy of Andy Hodorowicz, feel free to write about why, below.

Fran Hurley, Candidate for State Rep 35th District

Candidate Hurley

This candidate did not respond to my request for info. Fran Hurley is the 19th Ward endorsed candidate. What that means is that the local leadership has looked around and concluded that Fran Hurley is the 'best" candidate. I presume that they are considering what is best for the neighborhood as opposed to what is best for the 19th Ward Dems.

Her picture reveals a healthy physique. (Rumor is that she hits L.A. Fitness often). She was employed for a number of years as an aide to former State Rep Kevin Joyce. She is a divorced mother and lives in Mt. Greenwood. Her position on a number of political issues is unknown. He education is unknown.
If you feel that you are inclined to support the candidacy of Fran Hurley, feel free to write about why, below.

Joe Bird, Candidate for State Rep 35th District

Candidate Bird

I'm Joe Bird, 41, married to Regina, with three kids, Sean, 12, Maddy, 10, and Joe, 8. All attend St. John Fisher (SJF). I coach Sean's SJF 6th Grade Basketball, and am an assistant coach for his travel baseball team, Orland Park Southside Express and his Southwest Ball Hockey team. I'm an assistant coach for Joe's Southwest Ball Hockey as well.

I have been a Chicago Police Officer for roughly 15 years (5 May 2012 will be 15 years). I was promoted to Sergeant in July 2008 off the list. I worked the street for most of my career and I believe I carry an excellent reputation with fellow officers. I was an aggressive and active police officer. I tried out for the SWAT Team with 41 other Sergeants and finished 3 in a two-month testing process about two years ago. I truly enjoy being a Chicago Police Officer.

I have my undergraduate degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a Masters Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I received both prior to joining the police department. I was in my first semester of law school when the police department called. I took the police department’s test in 1993 when around 26,000 people took the test. While on probationary status as a police officer, I was required to postpone law school for 1-year. I completed law school and passed the bar exam on the first attempt.

I have operated a law practice at 10450 South Western Ave., since 2005. As a small business owner, I have felt the crunch of slower business with the constant requirement to pay monthly expenses (rent). I am no different than other business owners, but I feel the importance to maintain a practice instead of leaving another vacancy on Western Ave.

Positions:

1. Getting Illinois Financial House in Order

2. Pension Stability

3. Political accountability and responsibility

As to #2, I do not want to refer to it as "Pension Reform". Believe me, I am disgusted as every police officer, fireman, laborer, when its reported that people are double-dipping on pensions or that some only had to work a minimal amount of days to receive a pension. However, I'm tired of seeing police, fire, and other public sector pension benefits being grouped with that group and then falsely portrayed in the media as “excessive” and “gold-plated” when the truth is that members of these professions dedicate their lives to the service of others to receive a fraction of their salary after retirement.

#3 - most legislators (or their group of people) have been governing for the last 20 years, yet none of them take the blame for the State's current financial crisis. There is no accountability. It’s very difficult to makes changes via the election process.

I hope this is helpful. Thank you. Joe Bird The picture and bio was sent to me by Joe Bird. It is my opinion that Joe Bird is a truly independent candidate. If you feel that you are inclined to support the candidacy of Joe Bird, feel free to write about why, below.

Please read the Beverly Review

Be sure to support The Beverly Review. Good for the neighborhood.

Another request for information.

I am again asking all of the candidates for their bio's, etc.

Dart

PR Hound

What is happening that Sheriff Tom Dart would try to get mileage out of an attack on a priest?  Tom, if you are reading this. Your press antics are wearing thin. Please focus on the job you were elected to and try to keep out of the press.

95th Street boardups are a disgrace.

I don't know about you but I am getting tired at looking at the boardups on 95th street. I am especially thinking about the buildings at 1841 and 2215 W. 95th st. Am I alone in my concern? Isn't there a city ordinance that mandates the replacement of broken glass? Plywood is not an option. Where are the building inspectors? Have these buildings been cited? Are they in court? I don't think the 95th street business strip has a chance when conditions like these are allowed to exist.

Am I wrong for asking about this? Am I wrong for asking some absentee landlord to take care of his building? Where is BAPA on this? Where is Alderman O'Shea on this?

111th and Kedzie

It's looking better and better every day. They were out there planting trees today.