Yesterday evening we had the great honor and pleasure to travel to Chicago’s Midway Airport to welcome back to Chicago, my wife’s Uncle Dick. Uncle Dick was the recipient of a seat on the Honor Flight Chicago’s most recent trip to Washington DC. It was a most amazing experience to be among the more than 3,000 well wishers assembled to honor our “Greatest Generation”!

According to Uncle Dick, he and his lovely bride of more years than I can shake a stick at – awoke at o-dark-hundred so the Uncle Dick could muster at Midway Airport.  My Uncle and his fellow travelers were transported to the waiting chartered jet and whisked off to our nation’s capital.  Once on the ground in Washington DC they were toured “all over the place” including the new World War II Memorial on the Mall.  Since all of the WWII vets on the flight are getting up in years, there were plenty of wheelchairs and young volunteers to escort the vets to see the sights.  After a full day of sight seeing, the intrepid travelers were loaded on the charter flight for the return trip to their departure point, Midway Airport.

Upon arrival at Chicago Midway Airport, the plane’s passengers were welcomed with a water canon salute from the Chicago Fire Department.  I am told, by those who know, that the water canon salute is reserved for only the most important, highest ranking visitors.  Our WWII vets sure qualify in that regard!  The more than seven hundred volunteers who make Honor Flight Chicago work had one more surprise in store.  When the flight disembarked, our Vets were greeted by members of our active-duty armed forces, backed up by a contingent from both the Chicago Fire Department and Chicago Police Department.  The tired Vets were serenaded by Bag Pipers and escorted by sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station to the main arrival concourse to be greeted by an assembled throng of well wishers.  My wife’s Uncle is not given to tears – a trait that is common to that age group of heroes – but his eyes were a tad wet from the reception from family and strangers.

None of the WWII Veterans pay anything for the days activities.  All costs are paid for by Honor Flight Chicago.  To date, Honor Flight Chicago has flown over 3,000 veterans to Washington, D.C. and there are more that 1,000 on a waiting list. On each trip to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight Chicago takes between 95 and 100 veterans. The cost of each trip is $50,000.00 or $500.00 per veteran. Sponsorships are available and encouraged.

The mission of Honor Flight Chicago, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is to raise funds to provide more WWII Veterans the chance to visit Washington DC and the WWII Memorial. On June 3, 2012, Honor Flight Chicago will host “Made in America” Benefit Concert to be held at the Paramount Theatre, located at 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL. All of the proceeds will benefit Honor Flight Chicago. The headliner will be Ricky Lee. The opening act will be Chicagoland’s patriotic sweethearts, the Legacy Girls. There’ll be two shows at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. General admission tickets are $40 and admission for WWII Vets is only $20. Advance ticket sales are available on the following websites: www.honorflightchicago.org, www.paramounttheater.com or www.rickyleemusic.com. The Paramount box office can be reached at 630-896-6666.

From our good friend, Wendy Tannenbaum, President North Avenue Business Association:

The City of Chicago unveiled a snow response website at www.chicagoshovels.org to assist residents and businesses during severe winter weather.  The site has a GPS system which will feature real time locations of Chicago snowplows.

The site includes online winter apps that will help people better navigate during the winter months.  Twoinch.es informs and alerts drivers of winter snow routes and parking bans.  Wasmycartowed.com uses data to assist with towed or relocated cars. There’s also a shovel-share program.

Call Oak Park’s snow info line at 708/358-SNOW (7669) to find out if the emergency snow parking ban is in effect.

For more info, go to Oak Park’s website at www.oak-park.us/publicworks.   Then click on the Winter Snow link.   Find out info about winter snow parking routes, snow parking FAQ’s and restrictions and sidewalk shoveling requirements. For more info, contact the Department of Public Works at 708/358-5700.

Shoveling requirements

Below, please find the requirements for snow removal from the City of Chicago and the Village of Oak Park.   To view, please click below:

• Chicago Snow Removal Ordinance
• Oak Park Snow Removal Ordinance

Emergency Preparedness Resources

NABA has put together an Emergency Preparedness Resource list. This valuable list includes phone numbers and websites.  To view,  click on NABA Emergency Preparedness Resource List.

Chicago’s Emergency Preparedenss info and resources:  www.AlertChicago.org

Oak Park’s link to Emergency Preparedness Planning and Response, go to: www.oak-park.us/prepared/index.htm.

Sign up for Emergency Alert Notifications:

Sign up to receive emergency alert notifications at www.AlertChicago.org.

Sign up for alerts from Oak Park’s Community Notification System by using this link: www.oak-park.us/notifyme/. You can be notified by phone, email or text when the no parking ban goes into effect.

Seconds Count in the Event of an Emergency

Please attach address numbers on the back of your building or garage abutting the alley, so that emergency vehicles can find your residence or place of business in the event of an emergency.

From our fiends at Berwyn Development Corp and the Roosevelt Road Business Association President, Paul Zimmerman

With construction substantially complete, a unified and more pedestrian-friendly Roosevelt Road welcomes back residents, visitors and commuters with the installation of traffic calming hardware. As part of the award-winning, comprehensive streetscape improvement undertaken by the City of Berwyn, Village of Oak Park and Town of Cicero, three lighted crosswalks have been installed along Roosevelt Road at the intersections of Home Avenue, Gunderson Avenue and Lombard Avenue.

The in-roadway warning lights are the first crosswalks of this type to be installed on an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) roadway. The marked crosswalks have protective lights installed directly into the roadway that flash when activated by pedestrian push-buttons. Illinois State Law requires motorists to stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks. The LED lights increase the visibility of the crosswalk and provide an early warning to motorists to brake to a full stop for crossing pedestrians. These energy efficient lights are solar-powered.

“This is a win-win situation for businesses and their patrons and has unified the business district by creating more defined paths for pedestrians. On bustling roadways like Roosevelt Road, this type of crosswalk helps clarify right-of-way and increases everyone’s safety,” stated Paul Zimmermann, President of the Roosevelt Road Business Association. “The lighted crosswalks have been effective at reducing roadway incidents and are being used nationally with excellent results. They are a great addition to the corridor,” added Anthony Griffin, Berwyn Development Corporation Executive Director.

The entire streetscape project, spanning just over one and a half miles, consists of very few traffic signals where safe pedestrian crossing is permitted. The addition of three lighted crosswalks adds much needed safety to this pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor.

For more information about the Roosevelt Road streetscape project, visit www.rooseveltroad.com.

One of the vexing issues associated with any major municipal construction project is that the “punch list” – the odds-and-ends of any construction project, can often drag on for a very long time after the project has been substantially completed.  Kudos to Paul Zimmerman for keeping the focus on Roosevelt Road!

From our friend and the President of the North Avenue Business Association, Wendy Tannenbaum:

The North Avenue Business Association (NABA) is sponsoring scholarships to two graduating high school seniors who plan on attending a college or university as a business major or in a business related field.  Each scholarship amount is $1000.00.

Students applying must reside in the Village of Oak Park, River Forest and the Chicago neighborhoods of Galewood and parts of Austin.  Chicago resident boundaries include Armitage (2000 North) to the North, Division (1200 North) to the south, Austin Boulevard (6000 West) to the east and Harlem Avenue (7200 West) to the West.

Eligible students must rank in the upper 20% of their class, have a 3.00 GPA, a combined ACT score of 21 and demonstrate financial need.

Students must complete an application, write an essay, provide a copy of their academic transcript and two letters of recommendation.  The application deadline is March 16, 2012.    For more information, please contact Deborah Fossey at 708/456-8843 or email: info.naba@yahoo.com.

Take your business in a new direction. GO NORTH! Join the North Avenue Business Association. Stay informed, get connected and support the North Avenue Business District.  For more information about NABA contact Wendy Tannenbaum, President
North Avenue Business Association phone: 773/622-4422 fax: 773/622-1443
wendytannenbaum.naba@yahoo.com

The National Weather Service predicting up to eight inches of snow today and tonight.  Our local municipal officials in Oak Park, River Forest & Forest Park are urging residents, merchants and visitors to plan accordingly.  When – let’s be proactive here and assume the worst – the Snow Emergency Parking Rules go into effect, cars may be towed.

Also, please be considerate of your neighbors by shoveling their sidewalks, if you’re able to do so.  You might receive some home-made goodies, or at least a smile from them.  What a wonderful way to show that you’re not such a bad neighbor.

Finally, we’ve said it before and we’ll say in again… if you experience an emergency, please dial 9-1-1;  and be sure that you’re not overexerting yourself moving the snow.  Many a heart attack comes from “just one shovel more!”

• Please pay close attention to the cold temperature and how tired you become. Don’t work to the point of exhaustion. Take breaks indoors to warm up.
• Stay hydrated – and that doesn’t mean beer or hard liquor!  You sweat more than you think while shoveling snow. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before and after shoveling to replenish fluids lost in the process.
• Bend legs slightly at the knee, letting thigh muscles do most of the pushing and lifting work. Better yet, push the snow, do not pick it up!
• Your clothing should be well-fitting and worn in layers, and you should shed clothing as the body becomes warm. Remember, overheating puts strain on the heart. Wearing a scarf over the nose and mouth helps reduce breathing cold air, which also makes the heart work harder.

And remember… Snow shoveling is not the exercise to use to start getting in shape!  Use common sense and reach out to your neighbors both to assist and for assistance!