August 30 - September 6, 2021

August 30 - September 6, 2021 Vol. 29 No. 34

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Arts & (Home) Entertainment

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SportsWise

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We are replacing our usual calendar with virtual events and recommendations from StreetWise vendors, readers and staff to keep you entertained at home!

The SportsWise team discusses NBA trades.

Cover Story: Chicago's Rivers

Chicago's lakefront is a well-loved amenity, but better use of its 150 miles of riverfront could improve the quality of life for many Chicagoans. "Our Great Rivers" is a plan to make the Chicago, Calumet and DesPlaines Rivers "inviting," "productive" and "living" in terms of water quality and shoreline areas, with staggered goals for each decade up to 2040.

Inside StreetWise

StreetWise Vendor A. Allen talks about the Chicago River.

The Playground ON THE COVER: The Chicago River (Josh Hild photo via Unsplash).

THIS PAGE: The South Branch of the Chicago River (Kevin Bhagat photo via Unsplash).

Dave Hamilton, Creative Director/Publisher

dhamilton@streetwise.org

StreetWiseChicago @StreetWise_CHI

Suzanne Hanney, Editor-In-Chief

suzannestreetwise@yahoo.com

Amanda Jones, Director of programs

ajones@streetwise.org

Julie Youngquist, Executive director

jyoungquist@streetwise.org

Ph: 773-334-6600 Office: 2009 S. State St., Chicago, IL, 60616

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ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Since being stuck inside, which shows have you been watching? Which movies? Have you read any good books lately? Any new music releases have you dancing in your living room? StreetWise vendors, readers and staff are sharing what is occupying their attention during this unprecedented time.

To be featured in a future edition, send your recommendations of what to do at home and why you love them to Creative Director / Publisher Dave Hamilton at dhamilton@streetwise.org

Mini Golf as Art!

Par Excellence Redux: The Front 9 In a unique collision of recreation and art, the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst, commissioned a two-part miniature golf course of playable works of art by local and national artists. This course is a reimagining of the wildly popular 1988 exhibition Par Excellence at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The mini golf course was put together from a public call for proposals for area artists, designers, and architects, including the museum's Teen Art Council, which attracted diverse artists who designed holes of varying difficulty. The custom-built playable miniature golf course will be split into two exhibits: The Front 9 (Summer) and The Back 9 (Fall). Designed to use the museum’s galleries with COVID protocols, the two 9-hole courses promise an unusual twist on a familiar pastime.

From social justice to the occult, the course includes a surprisingly varied collection of themes and forms, including a fortune-telling hole and one that challenges players with an optical illusion. The summer course is available until September 26, the fall course will be available after. Book a tee time and get tickets ($10 adult/ $8 Senior/ $5 children age 5-15/ 4 & under FREE) at www.elmhurstartmuseum.org/exhibitions/par-excellence-redux.

Getting to Know You!

(HOME) ENTERTAINMENT

The Things I Could Never Tell Steven PrideArts begins its season with this sung-through musical by Australian composer/lyricist/playwright Jye Bryant. The four most important people in one man’s life struggle to communicate meaningfully with him and really know him. We learn all about Steven through his wife, mother, father, and ex-boyfriend. In Bryant’s 19 funny and touching original songs, the characters share intimate details about their life with Steven and the things they fail to tell him. Through their disclosures, we learn that Steven may have as much trouble knowing himself as the others have in understanding him. Playing through September 19 at Pride Arts Center - Broadway, 4139 N. Broadway, Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. & Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $30 ($25 for students and seniors) at www.goelevent.com/pridearts/e/TheThingsICouldNeverTellSteven

A Chicago Tradition!

Maxwell Street Market Every first and third Sunday, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Social Events (DCASE) brings this outdoor street festival to 800 S. Desplaines St. to promote entrepreneurship and community connection! In operation since 1912, this historic market brings together a variety of vendors from farmers to restaurants to local vendors and artisans. Bring your family and your friends to enjoy live music as you shop and eat delicious local food. If you can’t make it to the market this Sunday, September 5, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., come by on one of the other dates DCASE has arranged for this year. To see a full schedule, visit the DCASE page at chicago.gov. Admission is free!

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Keep Dancing!

Wave Wall Wax at Navy Pier There’s still time to see Navy Pier’s live DJ performance series this summer! Every Saturday since late May, Navy Pier has brought Chicago-based DJs to play house music at their Wave Wall Platform, and the last event of the summer takes place this Saturday, September 4, with DJ Jeet. The performance is free for all and begins at 5 p.m.

The outdoor venue makes this event a perfect option to safely dance and enjoy upbeat music with friends and family as you explore all that Navy Pier has to offer. Navy Pier has continued throughout the summer to adhere to CDC and city guidelines regarding COVID-19. For more information on the precautions Navy Pier is taking and on this specific event, visit their website navypier.org.

Chicago Tunes!

Chicago in Tune: Special Evenings at Millennium Park Chicago in Tune is a new festival that stretches throughout the city to celebrate the local music scene, and this Friday and Saturday (September 3 & 4), it will be at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. On Friday night, let a gospel music showcase raise up your spirits. Saturday, settle in for a relaxing evening of jazz. Both shows highlight Chicago musicians with tributes to trademarks and classics from each genre. Admission for these shows are free, and guests can look online at the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Social Events (DCASE) webpage, www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca.html, for information about other free and ticketed Chicago in Tune events occurring around the city through September 19.

Filmed in Chicago!

Millennium Park Summer Film Series: 'The Dark Knight' The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Social Events (DCASE) brings this free movie event to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park (201 E. Randolph St.) "The Dark Knight" (2008 PG-13) will be projected onto a large screen on the stage while audience members watch from the seats and the Great Lawn.

DCASE is particularly excited about this showing because the superhero movie featuring DC Comics’s Batman was filmed on-location in Chicago. Bring your family and friends to Millennium Park at 6 p.m. on August 31, to appreciate the community and Chicago’s rich cinematic legacy. Learn more on DCASE’s page at chicago.gov.

Environmental Imapct!

Opening of 'Future Fossils: SUM' at the Hyde Park Art Center Lan Tuazon presents this final installation in a series of three works meant to give visual meaning to the material trace humans leave on the world in a lifetime. This large-as-life exhibit appears as a human home staged in a two story gallery filled with evidence of human consumption compounded over decades. It is being showcased at the Hyde Park Art Center (5020 S. Cornell Ave.), a gallery with the mission of supporting local artists and especially women of color by offering a space where they can showcase their work in unique and innovative ways. This exhibit will be open from September 7 to November 13, but you can plan your visit and make reservations now at hydeparkart.org.

A Literary Classic come to Life!

Sense and Sensibility Audio Drama Opening This unique production of Jane Austen’s classic story "Sense and Sensibility" provides a fun and accessible virtual alternative to live theater. Each week, Lifeline Theatre will air an audio episode of the drama that audiences can access via a password they’ll receive with the purchase of a name-your-price ticket ($20 suggested donation). All episodes will be available to ticket holders through October 31. The story itself is a tale of romance hindered by class disparities in the late 1700s. Like so much of Austen’s work, it is lauded as a classic and archetypal love story that you won’t want to miss. Tickets are being sold on a pay-what-you-can basis with a suggested $20 donation. Learn more at lifelinetheatre.org/performances.

Gallery Visit!

Aladerri International Film Festival Aladerri International Film Festival (AIFF) is an IMDB Award Listing Qualifier dedicated to the celebration of "Short Films," a multi-day event in Chicago supporting filmmakers and giving them an opportunity to showcase their work in an effort to bring the most inspiring and impactful voices forward. AIFF has been created to showcase both national and international works by emerging and established artists who are passionate about storytelling via the art of filmmaking. AIFF aims to share great stories with the audience, while supporting independent filmmakers across the world. All films accepted into "official selections" will be screened in front of a live audience and will have the opportunity for a Q&A session with on-site filmmakers September 3 – 5. The event will be a hybrid of virtual and in-person events.

Purchase tickets and view a full schedule at aladerrifilmfestival.com -Compiled by Audrey Champelli & Dave Hamilton

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SPORTSWISE

Vendors Russ Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.

Patrick: Fellas, our Bulls acquired some real ballplayers, so y’all know this is a new day.

Russ: San Antonio’s DeMar DeRozan! We never get players like this in their prime. I’m stoked.

John: Don’t forget Lonzo Ball coming here, too. Not yet in his prime, but he’s good and can become much better.

Who did we give up again?

Russ: Thaddeus Young was the main piece in the DeRozan pickup, along with a few draft picks, including one first-rounder.

Donald: Hey, we also lost AlFarouq Aminu.

Patrick: I think we came up big-time. And as the Bulls traded to New Orleans for guard Lonzo Ball, the main loss was Tomas Satoransky, with Garrett Temple and a second-round pick.

John: Can we discuss the Russell Westbrook trade from the Washington Wizards?

Russ: Lakers made out with that one.

Patrick: I’m letting it marinate a bit, but, yeah, it could work.

My issue would’ve been feeling like there weren’t enough basketballs to go around with him and LeBron—not to mention Anthony Davis.

LeBron must’ve given the okay for it, so I’m good.

Donald: If nothing else, if one or two of their big three go down, each of them has the talent to carry the team for a bit.

John: You’re right about that.

Russ: The Lakers made out, but they did give up some major pieces for him. Shoot, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and the main one to me: KCP aka Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. There were a few others, but, yeah, those are some serious subtractions.

Patrick: I’m going to miss KCP most of all. I would’ve tried to keep him, but, shoot, I guess the Washington Wizards were smart.

Donald: Remember, fellas, this was a five-team trade.

Also, the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacers, and the San Antonio Spurs. But there was nothing more that stood out.

John: What about the Kyle Lowry trade?

Donald: Oh yeah…that is a big one. Toronto Raptor Kyle Lowry to the Miami Heat to team up with the former Bull Jimmy Butler. That could be huge.

John: Don’t forget Toronto getting Goran Dragic from the Miami Heat. That’s big.

Russ: Dragic is pretty good.

But, yeah, I can see Miami with Lowry making a run for the championship.

Patrick: I agree…though there are a few teams in the East who’re gonna give them a run for their money.

Donald: So, who do you see?

Patrick: Shoot, our Bulls for one. DeRozan, Ball, current Bulls Zach Lavine and Lauri Markkanen, and center Nikola Vucevic—these cats could surprise some folks.

John: Don’t forget Coby White and Patrick Williams.

Russ: Plus, we added University of Illinois’ standout Ayo Dosunmu. And we got guard Alex Caruso from the Lakers.

Donald: Man, I didn’t realize we did it like that. We really might be able to do something this season.

Patrick: Of course, we have the Brooklyn Nets with Kevin Durant, arguably the best basketball player in the world, James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

John: The Philadelphia 76’ers, Boston Celtics and, of course, the current NBA champions: the Milwaukee Bucks.

Donald: Wow, don’t know how, but I almost forgot about [The Buck’s] Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Patrick: Uhm, yeah, arguably one of the top three players— along with Durant and LeBron James—in the world.

So, over to the West, with all the trades, who’s coming out the West?

Russ: Lakers, hands down.

And we still have to give ups to the Phoenix Suns.

John: Golden State Warriors.

Donald: Utah dominated the entire season last year—could be their year this year.

Patrick: This is going to be a tough season to call, but I’m excited.

All: Agreed.

Any comments or suggestions?

Email pedwards@streetwise.org

COVERSTORY

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OUR GREAT RIVERS

by Suzanne Hanney

Chicago has 20 miles of lakefront, but better use of its 150 miles of riverfront – its “second coast” -- could improve the quality of life for many Chicagoans.

Redeveloping the Chicago River is “is one of the most important challenges and one of the most important opportunities that face our city,” says architect Carol Ross Barney.

In 2016, Ross Barney Architects, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), the City of Chicago, Friends of the Chicago River and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) together released “Our Great Rivers,” a shared vision for not only the Chicago River, but the DesPlaines and Calumet rivers to the north and south.

Even before the pandemic, whites lived longer than people of color due to chronic health conditions tied to social, built and natural environments, according to a request for Our Great Rivers proposals on The Chicago Community Trust (CCT) website. River access can lead to healthy activities.

“To be sure, the physical, emotional and economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for ‘complete’ communities, where services and amenities are relevant, affordable, and nearby,” according to CCT. “At their best, Chicago’s riverfronts promote wellbeing by providing space for physical recreation, social connection, and psychological restoration.”

The vision was informed by more than 50 town halls, canoe trips and bike trips on non-existent trails over the previous two years. More than 6000 people in nearly every Chicago ZIP code provided input, according to Chloe Gurin-Sands, MPC manager of health equity and planning. The result was three overarching goals for what Our Great Rivers should be:

CCT money complements government and private sector work around community river goals, Gurin-Sands said in a telephone interview. “A lot of areas are not getting the same attention from the public sector as well as the private sector, so they are funneling funds to bring those visions to life, sparking more private interest.”

• Inviting for the public, with continuous walking or biking trails and access for boats

CCT has already allocated $2.4 million in Our Great River community projects:

• Productive, supporting the economy through tourism at iconic destinations and through water transportation

• Murals at Ping Tom Park, the riverfront entrance to Chinatown

• Living, improving water quality and shoreline natural areas

• Riverfront access for the Chicago Housing Authority’s (CHA) recently redeveloped Lathrop Homes on the North Side

The pandemic has made development of Chicago’s second waterfront more important than ever, according to the “Our Great Rivers Update 2016-2020” posted online in February

by MPC Director of Land Use and Planning Christina Harris.

“The COVID 19 pandemic has made it clear that the Chicago region continues to struggle with deeply embedded inequity and that the community relies on the outdoors and natural assets, like their riverfronts, when it is not safe to gather indoors,” according to the report’s introduction. “Open space provides joy and respite during both positive and challenging times, but access remains unequal.”

• 4000N, an outdoor walking museum featuring art installations that tell the story of the Native American portage between the Chicago and Des Plaines rivers • A mural on the Major Taylor biking trail near the Little Calumet River, which honors a 19th century African American world record-holding bicycle racer

ABOVE: Ping Tom Park from the 18th St. Bridge (Wikicommons photo). RIGHT: A map detailing future renovation projects along the riverfront (Metropolitan Planning Council graphic).

• Forest Preserves of Cook County’s 10-year plan to connect residents of CHA’s Altgeld Gardens to nearby Beaubien Woods Forest Preserve, Flatfoot Lake and the Little Calumet River • Three in-stream monitors placed in the Chicago River to transmit real-time, user-friendly information about water quality • African-American Heritage Trail with information about the Underground Railroad and the Great Migration • A framework for South Branch parks led by the South Branch Advisory Council and MPC. “Many have forgotten the South Branch of the Chicago River’s key role in Chicago’s history,” Gurin-Sands and MPC research assistant Hanna Udischas noted in an August 2018 blog. The South Branch was the starting point of the Illinois & Michigan Canal that linked the Great Lakes and Mississippi Rivers in the 1840s and thereby elevated Chicago as a major trading center. Reversing the South Branch’s flow early in the 20th century was a major engineering feat. And for generations of immigrant families, nearby neighborhoods have been a port of entry.

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Park 571 at 2828 S. Eleanor in Bridgeport has the fourth boathouse built under Mayor Rahm Emanuel as part of his vision for both Our Great Rivers and the Building on Burnham plan. The boathouse opened in December 2016, close to Canal Origins Park (2701 S. Ashland Ave.) and the Canalport Riverwalk (2900 S. Ashland Ave.). The goal was to make the park inviting to rowing teams and the general public.

PING TOM PARK

The Chicago River is a central feature of Chinatown, not its back door, and officials wanted to attract more people to the 20-year-old Ping Tom Park and the waterway, especially during the dragon boat races every summer hosted by the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.

The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC) had done some studies on walkability/ health, parking, and building community assets as early as 2013, Executive Director Grace Chan told a Metropolitan Planning Council panel. Starting in 2017 with their first two years of grant money from The Chicago Community Trust, the coalition focused on modernizing and removing graffiti from the 18th Street bridge and the 19th Street corridor in cooperation with the Ping Tom Park Advisory Council.

“All in One,” a blue floral and bamboo design reminiscent of Ming Dynasty ceramics, was traced onto one wall by volunteers, colored in by artists and completed in 2018. A second mural, “Between the Mountains and the Water,” has a gold background. A third mural says “Be Like Water” in Chinese characters on the bridge supports.

In the third year of funding, the coalition is working with the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce and Chinatown Special Service Area to measure the economic value of the neighborhood, from providing outdoor eating venues in the time of COVID to studying spending patterns of people who take the water taxi to Ping Tom Park.

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MPC has joined with the South Branch Park Advisory Council, Active Transportation Alliance, Friends of the Chicago River and others to help residents of Bridgeport, Pilsen, McKinley Park and Brighton Park develop a framework for South Branch parks. The primary goal so far is to connect Park 571, Canal Origins Park and the Canalport Riverwalk to each other and the neighborhoods.

Pedestrian bridges are the most desired feature. Ninety percent of residents said they wanted a bridge over nearby Bubbly Creek (the former Stockyards dump) to connect the parks and provide a continuous riverfront trail. A bridge would shorten the walk to Park 571 and the CTA Orange Line at Ashland; in the process, it would also ease parking congestion at the park. Another desire was an underpass at Ashland Avenue similar to the extended walkways on the downtown Riverwalk. The Chicago Department of Transportation plans to begin a feasibility study for a recreation bridge this fall.

Outdoor movie nights were the favorite proposed park use, followed by yoga, flower gardens, stargazing and birding.

On the North Side Des Plaines River, meanwhile, the goal is a connected riverfront trail that rivals the Lakefront Trail.

The Active Transportation Alliance has formed a partnership with the municipalities of Franklin Park and Schiller Park, the Forest Preserves of Cook County and the West Central Municipal Conference to develop a Des Plaines River Trail between North and Touhy Avenues.

PING TOM PARK: The "All in One" mural (Coalition for Better Chinese American Community (CBCAC)).

Dragon Boat races on the Chicago River (Chinatown Chamber of Commerce photo). ABOVE: Park 571 Boathouse. CENTER: A map of proposed developments along Bubbly Creek, Canal Origins Park, Canalport Riverwalk Park and Park 571 (South Branch Park Advisory Council photos).

And on the North Branch of the Chicago River, there will be an urban business park at Addison that traverses parts of North Center, Avondale and Logan Square, Harris said in a telephone interview. Since companies no longer use the river for operations, there can be new riverfront access and strengthened neighborhood amenities like the riverfront trail and Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell.

MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL Modernization of the North Branch Industrial Corridor has led to the “Wild Mile” closer to downtown. The Wild Mile will be the world’s first floating eco-park, with 17 acres of in-stream wetlands located between North and Chicago avenues on the east side of Goose Island. The west side will remain as it is to allow boat traffic. The initial installation is behind the Whole Foods near Goose Island; an educational platform and kayak launch are planned.

Downtown at the confluence of the North, South and main branches of the Chicago River is Wolf Point, where French explorers and Native Americans drank and danced together during the time of Chicago’s earliest settler, Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable.

Located just behind the Merchandise Mart are two apartment towers of 485 and 679 feet, with a third, 813foot tower expected to open in 2023. The development will also have a 2.3 acre public park and 1000 feet of riverfront improvements.

There are a lot of private projects in the works, GurinSands said, and collaboration is necessary. Projects within Chicago must adhere to Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) design requirements for both a pedestrian trail and restoration of the river’s ecology, Harris said. The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), meanwhile, has started engineering to extend the Riverwalk from Lake Street to Ping Tom Park.

MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL: The Major Taylor Trail mural (Architreasures photo). ABOVE: A section of the North Branch of the Chicago River to be developed as the "Wild Mile" ( Urban Rivers photo). CENTER: The northeast intersection of Wolf Point, where the Chicago River splits into North and South Branches (Wolf Point Towers courtesy photo) .

Removing graffiti from the Little Calumet River Bridge was the first goal of the Major Taylor Trail Keepers – and the bridge has not been defaced in the two years since they repainted it to honor the first African American cycling superstar. A world champion in the 19th century, Taylor raced in Europe and then came back to prejudice and hard times before dying in Chicago in 1932.

The Major Taylor Trail Keepers undertook the bridge mural to honor their namesake and to provide a welcoming entry to Chicago, Dr. Brenda Dixon, founder and board president, told a Metropolitan Planning Council panel. The 7 1/2-mile trail extends from the Dan Ryan Woods north of West 83rd Street at South Western Avenue to the Cal-Sag Trail north of West 134th Street at South Halsted in Riverdale.

Three different jurisdictions maintain the trail: the Chicago Department of Transportation, the Chicago Park District for 95th to 105th Streets and the Forest Preserves of Cook County. It crosses five wards, three Metra lines and nine major streets in its proximity to 200,000 residents.

The lessons, Dr. Dixon said, were that “our community respects development,” “there are more like-minded groups than we knew existed” and “community engagement is key to longevity and respect for any project in our community.” The Trail Keepers hosted meetings in every ward and town touched by the project.

Because people didn’t realize the three sections were one continuous trail, the Trail Keepers developed direction signage and a logo of a Black man on a red background. The results have attracted cycling tourists from all over the U.S. www.streetwise.org

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Our Great Rivers takes a long view, with decade-by-decade benchmarks for making the rivers “inviting,” “productive” and “living” by 2020, 2030 and 2040. The project has already made staggered progress toward nearly all its 26 goals.

The long timeline, Gurin-Sands said, was planned to be “aspirationally possible. If we want to have rivers that are infrastructurally sound to swim in, [a 2030 goal] we have to start working on that now.”

In terms of its “Inviting” goals, Our Great Rivers made significant progress by 2020 for activities to draw people to the rivers: a 400 percent increase in events along the Riverwalk, for example. The project also made significant progress toward its 2030 goals of easy access from all neighborhoods and a continuous riverfront trail – the latter which requires collaboration with other government entities.

Regarding “Productive” goals, Chicago made some progress to redefine its five riverfront industrial corridors (Pilsen, Little Village, North Branch, Addison and Calumet) in terms of environmental impact and actual current use. There was also some progress on the 2020 goal of new tools to support productivity, such as microloans to support mini-businesses like food carts.

Significant progress was made on two 2030 goals: iconic riverfront destinations and a focus on sustainable industry and positive community impact for the Illinois International Port District, a rail, truck and water shipping facility on Calumet Harbor (3500 E. 95th St.) that links Chicago to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River.

Some progress was made on all “Living” goals, from 2020’s expanded Chicago Park District natural areas to 2030’s coordinated prevention of water pollution and restoration of rivers for swimming. Credit goes to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), which piloted new disinfection methods at its O’Brien and Calumet plants that are improving the health of aquatic communities. In 2017, its McCook reservoir also came online, which has increased the capacity to capture stormwater and reduce combined sewer overflows.

Last year, Congress authorized restoration of Bubbly Creek.

Unexpectedly, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also entered into a partnership with DPD, the Chicago Park District, MWRD and others to develop a framework for Chicago Rivers restoration.

There have been a couple of stalemates. Water quality control, a 2020 goal, has not been implemented for all stretches, such as the Grand Calumet River, the Chicago River below Ashland Avenue and the Lower Des Plaines. Doing so would require not only MWRD and Friends of the Chicago River, but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Illinois EPA, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and more. Nor is there integrated transit on land and water – a 2030 goal.

Harris says Our Great Rivers has nevertheless made great progress when you consider that the project is working with more than 60 partners. “We’re not all the way there, but we’ve made some progress on 2030 and 2040 goals as well. That’s the important part. When you’re working with so many partners, it can feel slow, but you’re all working toward a common goal.

There’s a saying, ‘if you want to get there fast, go by yourself.’”

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The proposed Coiled Serpent mound at 4000N (courtesy of Chicago Public Art Group).

4000N

4000N is a walking museum that features Native American effigy mounds that are the first-known installation in North America since the United States was established.

The walking museum is a 9-mile trail connecting the Chicago and Des Plaines rivers along Irving Park Road. Its goal is to promote the natural history of Indigenous People past and present, Maryrose Pavkovic, managing director of Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG), said in a Metropolitan Planning Council panel. Situated at the western end of the walking museum is the Serpent Mound

by Indigenous artist Santiago X. The mound reminds humans of their connection to the river and the land because the serpent weaves in and out of the earth and water.

Other lead partners included the American Indian Center, Field Museum, the Forest Preserves of Cook County, the Portage Park Neighborhood Association, the Chicago Park District, which helped with permitting; and the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust.

The Serpent Mound was dedicated on Indigenous People’s Day 2019 in a ceremony where the Forest Preserves of Cook County acknowledged they were on land used by the Council of Three Fires: the Ojibwa, Potawatomi and Ottawa tribes. Second-year funding of the project helped the American Indian Center develop a curriculum. A new mound, the Coiled Serpent, began construction this summer at Horner Park, on the Chicago River in Albany Park.

“We have to keep people excited about the river, because no matter what situation our world is in, our river is still here,” Pavkovic said.

U.S. Rep Danny k. davis: 'Our country is on track to reduce child poverty' with aid from advanced child tax credit

by Suzanne Hanney

• Dependents whom they claim can be their children, grandchildren, half-children, stepchildren, foster children, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters. They must be under 18 through yearend and have a Social Security number.

• The credit is not counted as income against any other federal programs like Medicaid, public housing or food stamps.

• The credit cannot go to unpaid federal or state income taxes.

• If people filed taxes in 2020 (or in 2019 if they only recently filed), they don’t need to sign up. The IRS has the information it needs.

When U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis went to church on a Sunday in mid-July, he gave a mother of four some welcome news: with two children under age 6 and two over 6, she would be getting an $1100 monthly check soon, thanks to the Advanced Child Tax Credit. For her two children under 6, she would receive $300 each, or $600; for her children over 6, she would receive $250 each monthly, for $500 more.

“That makes a biiiig difference, a tremendous difference,” the Chicago Democratic congressman said at a press conference on July 15, the first day that funds began to appear in bank accounts via electronic transfer.

“They can buy diapers, they can buy food that they need,” Davis said. “They can pay their bills and it does not impact any other benefit they receive. Those benefits will come next month and then in September they will get another check and then in October another check and in November, December.”

“Our country is on track to reduce child poverty,” he said, and added that some legislators want to make the tax credit permanent, or at least extend it five years.

The American Rescue Plan Act that passed in March raised the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,000 ($3600 for children under age 6) for 2021, said Marsa D. Penro of the Internal Revenue Service’s Taxpayer Advocate Office in Chicago. The monthly checks will amount to half the tax credit; when people file their 2021 taxes next year, they will receive the remainder of the benefit.

The credit will go to 39 million families who have made their main home in the United States for at least half the year, Penro said.

In addition: • Recipients don’t need a permanent address, they can even live in a shelter.

“As we begin to stitch our lives fractured by COVID back together, this tax credit is coming at the right time, to the right people, so they can start to breathe and regroup,” said Tamera Fair, executive director of Child Care Advocates United.

The pandemic showed that wealth disparities “were a real issue boiling underneath the surface,” Fair said. “The tax credit is a critical resource to how we address the needs of working families on a shoestring budget.” Eligible Individuals are single filers with income up to $75,000 or joint filers with $150,000.

Sharde Snyder of North Lawndale, a therapist with St. Anthony Chicago Wellness Center, said that personally, COVID was difficult.

As a single mom just getting back to work, the tax credit would be welcome. Her low-income clients who’ve been out of work for a year might use it for home repairs or other emergencies.

Chrystal Adams, president of Eve’s Garden Foundation, said that she has already seen people who could use the money. A mother with 11 children needed food to make it through the weekend and visited the food pantry she runs in Roseland. “We provided her with bags and boxes. There is a great need and it is greatly appreciated throughout the community.”

Eric Parker, a physician’s assistant and representative of Bethel Mennonite Ministries at the press conference, said afterward that a lot of their members lost faith in government during the Trump administration. Their reaction now is “OMG, this is a monumental moment that has set the Biden-Harris administration apart.

“As African American people, we thought the stimulus was it; to get this pushed through was on time, almost spiritually speaking right on time. Some people in custodial or fast-food jobs were barely making ends meet when COVID knocked them down.” Yet he also saw people become entrepreneurs – whether selling T-shirts with slogans or by catering.

They are resilient, but just need a little motivation – which the $250 or $300 a month per child provides, he said.

Congressman Danny K. Davis talks to Chrystal Adams, president of Eve's Garden, and Heaven Adams at a press conference about the monthly child tax credit. (Suzanne Hanney photo)

www.streetwise.org

FROM THE STREETS

Davis called the Child Tax Credit “the best legislation since the mid-1960s Great Society” that produced Medicare and Medicaid. He credited President Joe Biden and the work of the House Ways and Means Committee, of which he is a member.

• People who do not file taxes because they receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or are low-income can go to a portal to sign up.

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Vendor a. Allen: the rivers can become more exciting

As of right now, today, it is what it is. The lake and the rivers are two different bodies of water. The lake is so to speak, "luxury." When we think of living near the lake, we're speaking of a privileged population. To live on the lakefront, you're somewhat special, because you'll have access to beaches, boats, fishing and summer fun. To have access to this type of lifestyle, you're considered fortunate and most of the time you'll have to pay more for rent.

INSIDE STREETWISE 14

But now when we speak of the Chicago rivers, we think these places have not been considered places for the elite or well to do yet. But with a little bit of incentive, the rivers can become more exciting.

The rivers have a lot of potential: canoeing, kayaking, bike paths, riverwalks, restaurants, tours, water taxis, condominiums. Much like downtown, many historical, social and economic activities can be added to the infrastructure of the rivers.

The water can take you a long way. Look where it took Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable, the founder of Chicago.

The rivers are not expensive to live near now, but can easily become expensive if a lot of innovative ideas are invested into their 150-miles of "coastline."

As of now, it is what it is: inexpensive to live near the riverfront.

A Water Taxi travels on the Chicago River (photo courtesy of Wirestock).

62 63 64 65

Streetwise 8/16/21 Crossword To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Sudoku

Puzzle

Crossword Across

©2016 PuzzleJunction.com

For all to hear 39 Havana Water softener residue German river 40 Born Pass on 41 Rodents Overdue 44 Hoosier State City south of 45 Companions Salem 46 Straphanger 25 Look closely 49 Perfume Down 26 Withdraw sampler 1 Forest denizens 27 Neighbor of 50 Short shot Swed.

2 Conservation52 Ballroom ist’s concern 28 Nation, in dance 3 Kneecap Hebrew 53 Towhead 30 Hula hoop?

4 Restaurant 55 Fiber source calculation 33 Self-interest 57 Sapporo sash 35 Lukewarm 5 Music genre 58 Insolent term 6 Leprechaun’s 37 Dalmatian of address for land coast almost a boy or man extinct 7 ___ Lingus 60 Black and tan 8 Concord language ingredient 9 Frenzied, out of 38 Duchamp 61 Subway contemporary control Copyright ©2016 alternative PuzzleJunction.com

Anatomical sac Exuberance Initial stake “Peer Gynt” dramatist 66 Split apart 67 Despicable

10 11 12 13 18 23

Copyright ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com

©PuzzleJunction.com

lastSudoku week's Puzzle Answers Solution

Solution

Sudoku Solution

Find your nearest StreetWise Vendor at www.streetwise.org

36 Sicilian peak 37 Skyrocket 38 Ultimate ending 40 Via 44 Cobbler’s tool 49 Actor Guinness 51 Draft pick 53 Simulated 56 Crumbs 58 Obtuse 60 Tropical fruit 61 Pismire 62 After cross or wild 63 They’re inflatable 64 Blubbers 65 Forest unit 66 Hindu garment 67 Zest 70 Propel a boat

How StreetWise Works

Our Mission

Orientation Participants complete a monthlong orientation, focusing on customer service skills, financial literacy and time management to become a badged vendor.

Financial Literacy Vendors buy StreetWise for $0.90, and sell it for $2. The profit of $1.10 goes directly to the licensed vendor for them to earn a living.

Supportive Services StreetWise provides referrals, advocacy and other support to assist participants in meeting their basic needs and getting out of crisis.

S.T.E.P. Program StreetWise’s S.T.E.P. Program provides job readiness training and ongoing direct service support to ensure participants’ success in entering the traditional workforce.

Soluti

THE PLAYGROUND

To empower the entrepreneurial spirit through the dignity of self-employment by providing Chicagoans facing homelessness with a combination of supportive social services, workforce development resources and immediate access to gainful employment.

1 Water stoppers 5 Choir voice 9 Locksmith items 13 Wicked 14 Fencing move 16 Matinee hero 17 Daft 18 Candle 19 Telegram 20 Indefatigable 22 Merged 24 Ruckus 25 Fury 26 Where the buoys are 27 Letters of distress 29 Tree juice 31 Nobleman ©2021 PuzzleJunction.com 36 Type of valve 68 Fictional 7 Rewards for 39 Quick swim hunchback waiting 41 Theater box 69 Get into shape 8 Solitary 42 Accepted 71 Rodin 9 Fuzzy fruit 43 Offering to sculpture at the 10 Blue-pencil voters Met 11 Time past 45 Summer 72 Choir attire 12 Winter toy coolers 73 Tender spots 15 Test choice 46 Scruff 74 Scream star 21 Speech 47 Label Campbell problem 48 Dissonance 75 To be, in old 23 Capture 50 Stadium Rome 26 Roasting rod 52 Dry, like 76 Off the mark 28 Like some wine 77 Midge buckets 54 Journey 30 Saw segment Down 32 The Brady 55 Realtor’s Bunch offering housekeeper 1 River divider 57 Wordsworth 33 Lawn 2 Bypass work ornament?

3 Scientist’s tool 59 Epoch 4 Tart plum 34 Curved 62 Rankle molding 5 Following 66 Scope 35 Egg container 6 Charters

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