Philip Bernstein stands up to Blockclubs, Harry Osterman and Carol Ronen Video
"Edgy in Edgewater", Chicago's 48th Ward Block Club Meeting
Tonight was a meeting of the minds in the Chicago Edgewater neighborhood. This was an EBNA block club meeting, an open meeting, at Edgewater Presbyterian Church.
Phil Bernstein, a candidate for 48Th Ward Alderman, gave a well thought out presentation. the various issues showed he took the time and was prepared to debate. The guests and block members are well educated, community minded, and very sophisticated. Many of these community activists were not at all pleased with some of Phil’s prior posts on one of his websites. Like a shark swimming in circles, some members waited to strike. The debate was very good for our community, many people were hungry to put in their two cents. Some of the exchanges were downright rough and tumble. The 48Th needs more debates and soon. The block club members are an important part of the 48Th ward. Phil deserves credit for his honest approach and making the case as Alderman. Phil would make a much better Alderman than Harry Osterman when it comes to an intellectual approach to issues, but Harry has more political savvy. Phil is new to the game and this takes time. I made a video of tonight’s meeting and hope to have it for everyone. Photo by Patrick McDonough.
Harry Osterman was 45 minutes late for 5415 North Sheridan Rally
It was a very bleak attendance for Harry Osterman, a multiple candidate for offices, at 5415 North Sheridan in Chicago. The meeting was scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and Harry was lucky to have 10 people in attendance. I was glad to go because I cover City of Chicago issues, workers issues, and labor issues. I brought government workers concerned with their jobs and furlough days. After a couple of questions, one of the guys in attendance threatened me and harassed Joe Yost. The man stated he was on the board and acted very difficult. (For lack of a better word). The staff at the building was very professional and very courteous towards me at all times. I have a video of the event and did not understand Harry Osterman’s strange behavior towards me and others asking questions. I will put a rant video together that would make Rich Miller of Capitol Fax proud. I think the future video will speak for itself. Politicians need to remember, people are out of work and they want the questions answered. And being 45 minutes late with no phone call is just unprofessional. It just gets thing started in the wrong direction. Or as one guy that greeted Harry Osterman said, “Your Late!” Photo by Patrick McDonough
Is Chicago Media asking the tough questions to Rahm? The Video
The private personal video of Daley's forced removal from office
Fran Spielman finds Water Department Truck stolen from Night Crew
Please read article from Chicago Sun-Times Fran Spielman. Fran Spielman gets her own truck now… GPS tracks city truck taken on a joyride
Vehicle swiped while Water Management crew on fast-food run
September 15, 2010
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Mayor Daley has installed GPS tracking systems in city vehicles to improve employee accountability and speed deployment of limited resources.
Little did he know one of the devices would be used to track down a stolen city truck taken for a joy ride.
A night investigator for the city’s Department of Water Management is in hot water after his truck was stolen early Saturday morning from the parking lot of a Burrito King on the Far Northwest Side.
The investigator and several members of his crew had apparently stopped for tacos, even though they are paid to work eight hours straight.
Thanks to GPS, the truck was recovered a few hours later at the Renaissance Apartments on River Road.
“Some time around 3 a.m. Saturday, we had a crew on the North Side having lunch. Apparently a truck was taken and driven for an hour or so,” said Water Management spokesman Tom LaPorte.
“It was recovered using GPS and found out in the O’Hare area. There was nothing altered on the truck. There was no theft. We have the truck back, and the driver is facing disciplinary action.”
LaPorte acknowledged that the crew was supposed to be working eight hours straight and was not authorized to stop for food.
The GPS system was activated by the so-called “leak desk” at the Jardine Water Filtration Plant.
Leak desk employees, assigned to answering phones and prioritizing repair requests, were at the center of a 2005 payroll scam.
Those accused of falsifying attendance records over a two-month period by swiping each other in and out included the brother-in-law of County Commissioner John Daley, the mayor’s brother.
The assignment has long been dominated by 11th Ward loyalists. The Department of Water Management was at the center of the Hired Truck scandal, which branched out into city hiring. Photo by Patrick mcDonough
Vince, Tony, Daley maka money handa over fista for GV Construction
I was cracking up last week following up on story after story, construction site after construction site. Mayor Daley sending our money to suburban contractors is legendary. While City of Chicago employees starve and must reside in Chicago, contractors rent a space and the Office of the Inspector General seems unconcerned with compliance. I think this is because the Commissioners can overrule the OIG. Could you imagine Daley would allow the OIG investigations crimped and scuttled by politics? Could you imagine the waste of money only to find out all the taxpayer money on investigations are clouted. I spoke with the engineer on this jobsite, he lives in the suburbs. He has worked doing the exact same job as city workers for about twenty five years. The site had trucks, equipment and concrete trucks on the ready. Ozinga, who would have guessed? I passed Department of Transportation city workers and they were waiting for cement. They were standing around like knuckleheads. When Daley gets out, the Commissioners from transportation, the contractors with all the shared offices and buildings need an audit. The Office of the Inspector General needs independence. What a scam. When Daley leaves Chicago and takes all the scum buzzards with him, many more will face the Federal Hatchet. Photo by patrick McDonough
Mayor Richard Daley is not going to run for re-election, Thank God!
The phone rang, the emails came in, and the chickens came out to play today. Ding, dong, the witch is dead. The real fighters should take a bow and get some real deserved credit. The City of Chicago is in real trouble and Daley cannot handle what is next. I said before, it is easy being mayor when the loot is plentiful; it is difficult when the chickens are pecking for scraps. Many of Daley’s management team might walk into a cold reality. Power is a gift many could have used to make a legacy, but many used it for personal gain. Many of the departments in Chicago have been mismanaged for far too long, and now the sores will be exposed. Depending on how you look at this, I say much of Daley’s weariness is due to whistleblowers and scandals. I also give much credit to Fran Spielman. One more year of her grinding down Daley would exhaust anyone. I also think much of the credit goes to the relentless blogs. I also think Tim Novak and the Hired Truck Scandal wiped Daley out. I was on the phone with many of the major players in Chicago deciding what the next step is going to be. I make one thing very clear, incumbents are in lots of trouble. Illinois is bankrupt and many politicians like Harry Osterman are jumping ship. People are mad and things are at a breaking point. I strongly suggest for everyone to run for office. This might be your year. Let freedom ring.