32nd Ward Newsletter May 8, 2026

Dear John,

Happy Mother's Day Weekend! If you haven't made reservations for Mother's Day brunch, the time to do that is right now. Manchamanteles is running a special prix fixe and so is newly opened steakhouse Deliz. If you're looking to do something fun with mom, consider Bottle & Bottega's event for a sip and paint or join a class at Reach Pilates. There are tons of great ideas to celebrate your mother right here in the 32nd Ward. Check out the directories from all of our Chambers of Commerce for an easy search of businesses to celebrate this special day: Lakeview Roscoe Village, Lincoln Park, and Wicker Park Bucktown.

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month! If you're looking for ways to celebrate, start with the Chicago Public Library which is offering classes, movies, and events. Choose Chicago has an incredible listing of events at various museums and venues. This is a great time to support many of the wonderful Asian owned businesses in our ward such as Hyun's Hapkido, Nail Lounge, and Le Sud!

I want to thank all the groups that participated in April's Clean and Green events. Moving into May, residents are still working on spring cleaning. We have neighbors doing some major clean up along Ravenswood, the Bucktown Community Organization is hosting a shredding event (see flyer below), and tomorrow will be Chicago River Day! If you are organizing any clean up events and looking for volunteers, please let our office know and we will happily share the information in our newsletter.

Recently, we hired a new Streets and Sans Superintendent - Diana Chakchay! It was a long process, but we're really excited to have her on the 32nd Ward team. Diana was promoted from within the Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) so she's familiar with the processes within DSS and working with local residents. If you see her, say hello!

Enjoy your weekend,

Alderman Scott Waguespack

Congrats to the Blackhawks' Chicago Junior Youth of the Year: Kaylin Jones! We're Proud of You!

Our office received this wonderful news from the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation and wanted to congratulate one of 32's youths -

On April 25, the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation hosted the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago Junior Youth of the Year Awards at the newly expanded Blackhawks Ice Center, bringing together more than 100 family members, staff, and supporters to celebrate eight outstanding middle school leaders from across the city. 

We were especially proud to recognize Kaylin Jones as the 2026 Junior Youth of The Year winner, from the Linda and Bill Gatnz Club who represented his community with confidence and leadership. During his speech, he shared: “I don’t give up when things get hard because I know reaching my goals takes hard work.” It is a powerful reminder of the impact youth development programs are having locally.

This celebration is part of a broader commitment by the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation to expand access to sports-based youth development opportunities across Chicago. At the start of the October 2025 season celebrating 100 years of Blackhawks hockey, the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation committed to ensuring every child in Chicago has access to sports-based youth development programs that support social, emotional, and personal growth. Through the Centennial Commitment and because of the Blackhawks Ice Center, they’ll be reaching 20,000 young people across the city in the coming years.

Great job Kaylin!

May CAPS Meetings

14th Police District

1432- May 20, 6pm

Holstein Park

2200 N. Oakley

[email protected]

14th District Twitter

14th District CAPS- 312-744-1261



19th Police District

1921/1922- May 20, 6:30pm 

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1931- May 26, 6:30pm 

Lathrop Advancement Center

2820 N. Leavitt

1932- May 28, 6:30pm 

Lincoln Park Library

1150 W. Fullerton

1933- May 12, 6:30pm 

Illinois Masonic Hospital

836 W. Wellington

[email protected]

19th District Twitter

19th District CAPS- 312-744-0064

Tap to Pay Scam Reminder

This is a scam where people ask others to make tap-to-pay donations for an event such as a loved one’s funeral, a fundraiser, etc, asking for a low amount, but then charging them large amounts, sometimes over a thousand dollars, once they get the victim’s phone.  We have been alerted again to this happening in the area around Bloomingdale and Wood. A reminder to never use tap to pay to donate money to someone you don’t know, and never hand your phone over to someone you don’t know. Legitimate organizations will not refuse cash and will be able to refer you to a website to donate after you do research. If you see anyone engaging in this scam, please call 911 and give a description of the offenders and location to the police.

2026 Street Cleaning Schedule

Street cleaning season has begun. Sweepers will do more than one pass on the block in their initial cleaning but will not come back to clean sections outside of their officially scheduled day.

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 20, 1, and 2 (parts of Bucktown, Lincoln Park, and Roscoe Village). Click on the map above to see your section's schedule.

Please be on the lookout for signs and make sure to move your vehicle on your scheduled day (south and east sides of the street are normally done on the first day, north and west on the second; please watch for signs).

Please take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property to keep the sewers flowing well. Any leftover landscaping debris from winter months should be bagged and put in the alley by your trash cans. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Piles of leaves and heavy garbage also clog the sweepers and will cause significant delays. Other large objects like branches will also damage the sweepers, so please remove them from curbs.

Residents can view street sweepers in real time using the Sweeper Tracker online tool. 

Deadline to Apply for Property Tax Exemptions

Friday, May 15

When you claim exemptions on your home, you unlock savings that help lower your property tax bill. Applying online is easy and allows certain exemptions to roll over year-over-year.

You may be eligible for exemptions. Browse available exemptions and apply online today.

The most common exemptions are listed below. 

• Homeowner Exemption 
• Senior Exemption 
• "Senior Freeze" Exemption 
• Persons with Disabilities 
• Veterans with Disabilities 

If you already applied, you can check the status following these three steps. 

1. Click here, enter your PIN or address. 

2. Select "2025" in the "tax year" dropdown field before clicking "search."

3. Click on the "Exemption Status" tab in the sidebar menu. 

Apply Today

Water Main Project

Greenview, Fullerton to Altgeld

Update 5/8/26

Tentative schedule for the week of May 11 (All field activities are weather dependent) -

• Monday 5/11/2026- DWM crew will start a test hole at Greenview and Fullerton to determine how other utilities are affecting the water main's path. A letter will be sent regarding the lane shift on Fullerton.
• DWM crews will continue installing the 8” ductile iron water main on Greenview to replace the existing one.
• A new fire hydrant was installed at Greenview and Altgeld this past week.

In addition to contacting our office with questions, residents can look for a Water Department supervisor on the street wearing a white hard hat to have questions answered immediately. 

Chicago River Day

Lincoln Roscoe Art + Craft Fair
May 16 & 17
Lincoln Ave between Roscoe & Melrose

This event features art for the home including fabulous paintings, sculptures, and fiber pieces, as well as décor, jewelry and more; all hand made by artists and artisans! Click here for more info.

Chicago Parents & Voters! Take This Survey About the Future of Our School Board!

The first-ever fully elected school board will be voted on this fall, and WBEZ wants to hear from you! Inform their candidate questionnaire and school board voter guide by telling them what issues are affecting you and your family, and what questions you have for the candidates.

Each spring and fall, about five million birds (of 250 bird species) migrate through Chicago. These birds are often attracted to building lights and lighted glass areas, sometimes with fatal outcomes. While lights can distract birds from their migration paths, bird fatalities are more directly caused by the amount of energy they waste flying around and calling out in confusion. The exhaustion can leave them vulnerable to other urban threats.

Good light reduction practices significantly lower fatalities. Multi-story buildings can save many birds by turning off decorative lighting from 11 PM until daylight each day from March 15 to June 15 for spring migration, and again from August 15 to November 15 for fall migration. Tenants are also encouraged to turn off lights or draw blinds during these periods.

What You Can Do to Help

• Turn off exterior decorative lighting, including lights on antennas, logos, clocks, and other displays or illuminations.

• Use timers effectively to ensure light is only used when needed.

• Install motion-sensitive lighting.

• Use lower-intensity lighting where possible.

• In outside public areas where light is needed for public safety, avoid “light trespass” by using light fixtures that direct the light down where it is needed, instead of horizontally and/or upward.

• Use desk lamps or task lighting for security desks/work stations rather than overhead lights.

• Use “zone capable” interior lighting systems that allow selected rather than all areas of an interior space to be illuminated.

• Draw curtains or blinds to reduce any light escaping.

Click here for more information on the Lights Out program.

Ventra makes it easy to ride CTA, Pace, and now Divvy. Whether it's the trip before or after your bus or train ride, Ventra connects you across the region, making your journey seamless.

How to retrieve your $5 Divvy credit:

• Enroll: Riders must have a registered Ventra account and an active Divvy account.
• Sign up: Riders should first sign up for the promotion at VentraChicago.com.
• Purchase: Once enrolled, riders can buy a qualifying 30-day CTA/Pace pass.
• Check your email: Riders will receive a unique $5 Divvy promotional code via email within 24 hours of their purchase.
• Redeem and ride: Riders then enter the code into their Divvy app to claim their credit and start riding!

City News

• Funeral Held for Fallen Chicago Police Officer John Bartholomew
• Tracking Technology Is Helping City Spend Less on Chicago Police Officers' Overtime, CPD Says
• Chicago’s Coyotes — the ‘Ghosts of the City’ — Help Balance Urban Ecosystem
• Chicago Inks New Deal With Ernst & Young to Pursue Savings in City Budget
• Proposed 7-Story Apartment Building in Bucktown Stalls
• Key City Council Panel Advances Plan to Ban ‘Sweepstakes’ Machines
• Dozens of Developments Advance at City Hall as Zoning Committee Finally Meets Again
• Chicago’s New Inspector General Faces Dicey Job
• New Zoning Chair Villegas Begins Chipping Away at Backlog of Stalled Projects

Alderman Scott Waguespack

2657 North Clybourn

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-1330

[email protected]