Happy Friday Neighbors,

How quickly the year flies by! We are heading into March already, with Chicago’s 189th birthday coming on Wednesday. Please celebrate accordingly!

This past week I met with the North River Youth Council, a group of extraordinary students who organize locally and are already ahead of where I was at their age by light years. They have organized rallies, worked on ideas for legislation, and have members of their group who intern at our office. It is truly inspiring to see what the future of our city looks like in seeing their leadership.

On Wednesday, our Director of Public Safety and Infrastructure, Deirdre O’Connor and I started this year’s Pothole Patrol, as we do every first quarter of the year. For those who aren’t aware, twice a year, I drive every street in the 40th Ward to survey the road quality, submit 311 tickets for every pothole we see, and then send a spreadsheet and map to the Chicago Department of Transportation so that they can patch them all up more efficiently. It’s also a great opportunity to see what other items in the ward need to be addressed!

On Wednesday, I met with the State’s Attorney’s Office to discuss their protocols for charging federal agents when they commit felonies while in their role as ICE Agents or when they commit crimes off the clock. We will continue engaging as we identify what they are doing, what best practices across the country are, and how Chicago stacks up. I am grateful for our Policy Chief Pooja Ravindran for their efforts in this work!

Yesterday I met with the CEO of Choose Chicago, Guy Chipparoni, where we discussed growing the city’s tourism, economy, and also discussed my vision for establishing city merchandise as a way to build upon our city pride and brand.

We also had a bit of an aesthetic refresh at the ward office, as I put up new wall pieces to bring in some new year energy. If you get the opportunity, stop on by to check it out at 5620 N Western and let us know what you think!

Speaking of refreshes: the Ainslie Arts Plaza has been coming along with new lights and an identifier being installed this past week! You can check it out below, or better yet, stop on by at Ainslie and Western, and let us know what you think.

Lastly: save the date for our first Town Hall of 2026! You can see all the details below. I look forward to hearing from all of you about what you want to see from us this year. In the meantime, take care, and enjoy the warm weather!

Yours in Service and Community,

Andre Vasquez

Lincoln Avenue Streetscape

The second and final phase of the Lincoln Avenue Streetscape Project is nearing the finish line! Contractors are currently working on finishing up the Ainslie Arts Plaza and modernizing the Western Avenue traffic signal.

Work at Ainslie & Western on the traffic lights is set to begin 3/9. The installation of the new poles is expected to take roughly 6 days. DEO has to come in and test to make sure the lights are functioning properly. They anticipate this could take a week or two and this will include the removal of the delineators in the turning lane on Lincoln. Completion expected end of March. Visit 40thward.org/lincolntrafficchanges for more information!

Ashland & Berwyn Traffic Signal

Construction is set to begin on the Ashland and Berwyn traffic signal this week, and is expected to be operational by the end of February!

Repaving for Ashland Avenue from Montrose to Foster will pick up again in Spring when the asphalt plants reopen. The signage crew has also started work in Phase 1 (from School to Montrose) and will move to Phase 3 (Foster to Ridge) later in the season. For more on details and timeline, visit the project page.

Andersonville Explore and Restore

On Saturday, February 28, from 10AM-2PM, stroll through Andersonville and explore a wide range of wellness-focused businesses offering interactive experiences. Discover services that support physical and mental health, financial well-being, home design, organization, and more. Enjoy short demos, mini workshops, consultations, samples, and hands-on activities, all created to help you feel informed, inspired, and restored. Whether you're looking to try something new or deepen existing routines, Explore & Restore offers a fresh way to experience wellness in the neighborhood.

Ladder Up: Free Tax Assistance Program

Ladder Up is offering free tax preparation services for Chicagoans with a household income of up to $40,000 annually. Service locations include Truman College in Uptown, which operates on Mondays-Thursdays (9:00 am - 1:00 pm) and Saturdays (8:30 am - 12:30 pm). Services are provided free of charge and on a first come, first served basis so please arrive early as doors will close when the site is full for the day. Please see the flier for information on additional sites and information on what documentation to bring with you or visit ladderup.com for more information.

Election Judge Recruitment

Are you bilingual in Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean or Tagalog? The Chicago Board of Elections needs your help! Support communities across the city by serving as an election judge in 2026. Learn more and apply at pollworker.chicagoelections.gov.

Troop 894 Pancake Breakfast 

Get a taste of warmer temperatures at Troop 894's All You Can Eat Spring Fling Pancake Breakfast on Sunday, March 1st, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Holy Family Hall (Lower Church). This fundraiser will have delicious pancakes, coffee, juice and sausage, cooked and served by the boys and girls of our Troop. Admission for adults is $10, while kids (under 12) and seniors (65 and over) are $8. Purchase your tickets here or at the door!

Andersonville Purim Carnival 

Join the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, March 1st from 10am-12pm for the joyful return of the Andersonville Purim Carnival, in partnership with Emanuel Congregation! The celebration kicks off with a special kid-powered performance of the Purim story by the children of the Emanuel Congregation, then rolls into a morning full of crafts, stories, and hands-on activities from local Chicago organizations. The festivities will take place at the Bramble Arts Loft located at 5545 N. Clark on the second floor.

Mandy Crypt Virtual Cemetery Tour

Join the Northtown Garden Society on March 5th from 7:00-8:30pm for a fun and informative evening with Amanda Piotrowski, AKA Mandy Crypt, at Warren Park, 6601 N Western Ave! Mandy is a researcher and historian who embraces the weird and entertaining side of history. She will give a virtual tour of Graceland Cemetery.

The 3 B's: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms

On March 8th from 3–5pm, DANK Haus German American Cultural Center is hosting the 3Bs Concert at 4740 N Western Avenue. The program features selections from J.S. Bach’s Peasant Cantata, Beethoven’s Adelaide, and songs from Brahms’ Opuses 48 & 49, performed by Andrew Schultze and Svetlana Belsky. Following the recital, guests are invited to enjoy a light reception with cake, tea, and coffee, with an opportunity to purchase the artists’ CD. Learn more and register here!

Spring Vaccination Clinic

The office of State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-14) is hosting a springtime Vaccination Clinic! Get your flu and Covid-19 vaccines/boosters at no cost. Partnering with the Illinois Department of Public Health, this event will be on Thursday, March 12 from 10am-2pm at 1507 W. Morse Avenue. No ID or insurance required. To register ahead of time, please go to bit.ly/KellyCassidyVaccine. For questions, please email info@repcassidy.com.

Adopt a Park for Earth Day!

Spring is approaching, and so is Earth Day! Contribute to making the ward a greener, cleaner place by volunteering as a site captain for your local park to organize a cleanup this Earth Day, April 18th. Register as a site captain by March 1st!

Public Safety Updates

Hi Neighbors,

This week, I attended the Community Commission for Public Safety monthly meeting in my capacity as one of the 20th District Councilors. We received updates from COPA Interim Chief LaKenya White and OIG Deputy Inspector General Tobara Richardson regarding Chicago Police Department interactions with federal agents. We were informed that all reports submitted to COPA concerning these interactions have been referred to the Bureau of Internal Affairs for formal investigation. Without CPD present at the meeting, we were unable to receive additional information beyond that update.

For background: in December, a group of District Council members and I submitted more than 2,000 signatures calling on the Commission to hold a public hearing on ICE interactions with CPD. In response, the Commission held a listening session on January 8, 2026. Nearly 1,000 neighbors attended, and many shared firsthand accounts of what they have witnessed in their communities involving ICE and CPD.

Since January, several District Council members have continued meeting with CCPSA executive staff and Vice President Angel Rubi-Navarijo to plan a substantive public meeting with the Commission, Superintendent Snelling, and other panelists. This remains a priority for our work as community representatives, and it is an issue identified as a top concern by 15 of the 22 District Councils. Our goal is to ensure a meaningful and transparent conversation about the Welcoming City Ordinance and Mayor Johnson’s executive order. We continue to advocate for a process that guarantees CPD officers are properly trained and that all interactions are clearly documented and reported. We hope the Commission acts swiftly to move this important work forward.

On a more local front, we invite neighbors to attend the 20th District Council’s monthly meeting on March 9 at 6:00 PM at the Anderson Pavilion, located at 2751 W. Winona! Alder Vasquez will join us as we discuss public safety in the ward, review the newly released Workforce Allocation Study, and provide updates on the Parking Ticket Pilot Program. This pilot shifts the responsibility for issuing parking violations from CPD to the Department of Finance and increases the number of parking aides. This change allows officers to focus more directly on public safety priorities.

We hope to see you there! In the meantime, you can find some more of the updates we’ve gotten from CPD this month below.

• Homicide on the 6900 block of N Bell: Area 3 Detectives are also continuing to investigate the deadly shooting of Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) employee Da'J Dameka Flowers, who was found in her apartment on the 6900 block of N Bell on Friday, February 6th. Audio from surveillance cameras in the area may indicate the shooting could have occurred at approximately 7:30pm on Thursday, February 5th. Cook County Crime Stoppers are now offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-535-7867 or submit tips at www.CPDTIP.com.

  
  

• Catalytic Converter Thefts: We’ve also seen an increase in catalytic converter thefts citywide. These thefts tend to happen in under a minute, which makes it really hard for police officers to respond quickly enough to apprehend offenders. Because catalytic converters are not serialized, even when they are recovered, it is very difficult to trace them back to a specific vehicle. For that reason, CPD recommends that folks at risk consider anti-theft measures like installing a catalytic converter cage or shield, attaching protective cables, or having your VIN etched onto the converter. In addition, we’ve also heard from Area 3 detectives about a citywide trend of targeting late model Hondas and stealing airbags from the steering wheels.

We will continue to communicate with police about these incidents and trends, and will share updates as we receive them!

Yours in Service,

Deirdre O’Connor

Public Safety Trends

Overall, violent crime is down 30.3% in the 40th Ward for the year so far compared to last year! Citywide, violent crime is down 10.2%. See below for a breakdown of citywide and 40th Ward statistics across all categories.

Public Safety Meetings

20th District CAPS Business Public Safety Meeting

Join 20th District CAPS for business networking and a discussion on business public safety initiatives on March 10th from 1-3pm at the 20th District Community Room! Questions? Call 312-742-8770 or email CAPS.020thDistrict@chicagopolice.org.

It was great to celebrate Lunar New Year with so many Chicagoans last weekend!