32nd Ward Newsletter January 30, 2026

Dear John,

We're heading into a weekend of possible heavy snow so we ask that you do what you can to shovel your sidewalks and make sure they are accessible for all people. Businesses should take extra care to make sure that their sidewalks are done as well.

We are in the middle of Chicago Restaurant Week, an event that actually lasts more than two weeks. Make sure to support your local businesses, especially now during Restaurant Week when you can find some pretty great deals and keep our businesses up and running. I was glad to be part of the Illinois Restaurant Association annual meeting yesterday with keynote speaker Governor Pritzker leading off. Our congratulations to 32nd Ward community member Liz Lombardo Stark of Gibsons Restaurant Group on being appointed Chair of the IRA Board of Directors. I'd also like to congratulate the winners of this year's IRA Industry Award for Restaurateur of the Year, Christina Gonzalez, owner of Taqueria Los Comales in Little Village, where her family has been serving customers for over 50 years. What a great story, and great food!

Have a good weekend.

Alderman Scott Waguespack

Statement Regarding the Killing of Alex Pretti by ICE

Earlier this month, we all witnessed the horrifying killing of Renee Goode by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. This week, another Minnesota citizen, Alex Pretti, was killed by ICE agents in a horrifying assault. The videos of the killings by untrained, out of control ICE agents don't lie.

Our system is built so that Americans have a fundamental right to peacefully demonstrate without fear of being killed. This system was betrayed by the ICE agents, who seem to be untrained and ill equipped to handle any situation involving 1st Amendment rights to protest. Alex Pretti, like Renee Goode, was doing what Americans are allowed to do, protest what they believe are wrongful acts by this federal government. They didn't deserve to die at the hands of ICE agents. ICE and their leadership should be reined in now, and at some point, they will be held accountable for these and other acts of violence. There is so much more to say about each of their lives, and of those who have borne the brunt of an out of control agency. For now, as President Obama put it, this is a wake up call for every American.

Chicago Restaurant Week

This is the last week of Chicago Restaurant Week! Check out some of the best deals in town and support our local businesses. If you haven't checked it out, you can easily filter by neighborhood using this link. In the last couple of years, we've had some great locations open so make sure to visit these spots so that we can keep them in the neighborhood!

February CAPS Meetings

14th Police District

1433- February 17, 6pm

Pulaski Park

1419 W. Blackhawk

1434- February 25, 6pm

Bucktown/Wicker Park Library

1701 N. Milwaukee

[email protected]

14th District Twitter

14th District CAPS- 312-744-1261



19th Police District-

1921- February 18, 6pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1922- February 18, 7pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1931- February 24, 6pm

Lathrop Advancement Center (new location)

2820 N. Leavitt

1932- February 24, 7pm

Lathrop Advancement Center (new location)

2820 N. Leavitt

1933- February 10, 6pm

Illinois Masonic Hospital

836 W. Wellington

[email protected]

19th District Twitter

19th District CAPS- 312-744-0064

Recap of Beat 1931's Meeting (Belmont/Ashland/Fullerton/river)-

There were three robberies in the last two month period, which is down two from this time last year. Two of these robberies were to businesses where employees were threatened with weapons. There were six burglaries including two to garages and three that included the use of a postal key. Almost all of these burglaries were in the southeast part of the beat.

Recap of Beat 1932's Meeting (Ashland/Lincoln/Fullerton)-

There were no robberies in the last two month period. There were three burglaries, which is down six from this time last year. Two of these were to businesses along Lincoln where an ATM was taken in one and cash registers in the other. The other was to a house where the victims were out of town and the side door was pried open.

Better Streets for Buses Plan

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) and the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) have established the City’s first comprehensive framework plan to improve street infrastructure for public bus service: the Better Streets for Buses Plan.

This plan lays the groundwork for ongoing bus infrastructure improvements by establishing a network of corridors to prioritize, and a toolbox of street treatments to consider as solutions. The Better Streets for Buses Plan does not assign specific street treatments to corridors, but feedback gathered through the outreach process will help guide future bus priority improvements citywide.

As part of this outreach, the CTA has a survey for Chicago residents that will help guide the prioritization of potential corridors and selection of street treatments. The survey is open through January 31st. Interested constituents are encouraged to fill out the survey and refer to the plan website for updates and information. Potential corridors in the 32nd Ward include Ashland, Fullerton, and Western.

Election Dates to Keep in Mind

Vote By Mail!

You may now apply online to Vote By Mail for the March 17, 2026 Primary Election– click here to get started!

To apply online, please enter your first and last name (no middle name), address (Street Direction and Street Name) and five number zip code to proceed. Please do not leave any spaces after the numerical value in the online form.

You will be asked to choose one Political Party ballot type for the upcoming election: Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, and Non-Partisan (referenda only). Per Illinois Election Code, voters may only choose one ballot and cannot vote multiple Party ballots.

Prefer to always vote from the comfort of your own home? You may also apply online to join the Vote By Mail Permanent Roster ahead of the next election –click here to join the Permanent Roster!

You may request to have your Vote By Mail ballot sent out of city or state, but not out of the country. Choose your best option for delivery in Step 3 of the Online Application. You may choose to receive your Vote By Mail ballot in Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, Polish, Korean, or Tagalog in Step 4.

You may also choose to join the Accessible Vote By Mail Program in Step 3. This program allows voters with disabilities to access and mark their ballots through an online system and then print out their ballots and mail in those ballots. Please note: You will not receive a ballot in the mail. Voters with disabilities will access and mark their ballot electronically – this is not online voting.

When you apply online to Vote By Mail, the Board will send you emails:

• When your ballot is mailed to you,
• When the Board receives your Ballot Return Envelope, and
• When your ballot has been processed and counted.

The Board will tentatively start mailing ballots by Feb 5, 2026. All Vote By Mail ballots come with postage-paid Ballot Return Envelopes.

When you receive your Vote By Mail ballot, you may return it through standard US mail and must postmark it before or on Election Day, March 17, 2026. You may also submit the Ballot Return Envelope in a secured drop box at any Chicago Early Voting site before and on Election Day.



Questions? Learn more here or call 312-269-7967 or email [email protected]

Sign Up to Be an Election Judge!

• You must be a US citizen and a registered voter in Cook County - and you can earn up to $230 for your service. Being bilingual is especially helpful.
• High School Juniors and Seniors can also apply. Do you know a student with a GPA above 3.0 and an interest in government? Let them know they can serve as an election judge and see how democracy works from behind the polling place curtain.
• You can go to pollworker.chicagoelections.gov or call 312-269-7984 to learn more and apply.

LPCC’s Annual Meeting: Lincoln Park 2026

You're invited to Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting: Lincoln Park 2026 to learn more about future plans and exciting programs from Lincoln Park’s three aldermen. Hear from Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward, Ald. Scott Waguespack of the 32nd Ward, and Ald. Timmy Knudsen of the 43rd Ward. In addition to this lively discussion, the LPCC will hold their annual election of directors.

The LPCC will also be presenting Neighborhood Champion Awards, which recognize neighborhood involvement and making a positive impact in the community.

Thursday, February 5

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

WhirlyBall

1825 W. Webster

REGISTER HERE

Property Tax Appeal- North Chicago Township

Beginning January 20, 2026, you may file an appeal of your property assessment through the Cook County Board of Review.

Property Tax Appeal Resources 

1.) Click to access the Step by Step Guide to File an Appeal

2.) For information on filing a Property Tax Appeal online or by mail, visit the Board of Review website, appeals.cookcountyboardofreview.com 

The Deadline for filing a Property Tax Appeal is February 18, 2026.

The Deadline to submit Additional Evidence is February 28, 2026.

Fletcher (Hoyne to Oakley) Water Main Project Update 1/30/26

Crews will continue working on LSLR transfers and private drain replacement.

Monday (02/02/26): Lead service line replacement at 2118 W Fletcher and Service transfers at 2102 & 2108 W Fletcher 

Tuesday-Friday- Private drain replacement at multiple properties on the 2100 block

Water Service Interruptions:

No scheduled water main shutdown unless if there is any emergency. DWM will provide advance notice before any service interruptions.

Traffic & Parking Impacts:

No parking will be allowed within the active work zone during construction hours.

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

Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) Program

Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) Program is now accepting applications for new grant funding. Through this opportunity, $50 million is available to support community-based organizations across Illinois. The R3 Program reinvests state cannabis tax dollars into communities most impacted by violence, economic disinvestment, poverty, and mass incarceration.

Who should apply? 

This funding is for community-based organizations working in eligible R3 areas that support: 

• Reentry services for people and families impacted by the criminal legal system 

• Economic development and workforce programs 

• Civil legal aid 

• Youth development using positive, strengths-based approaches 

• Violence prevention, including street outreach and trauma-informed care 

Funded programs should be led by the community and reflect the voices and lived experiences of the people they serve. 

When is the deadline? 

Applications are open through March 6, 2026. Full application details and eligibility information are available at r3.illinois.gov. 

WPB Winter Olympics

February 6-22 @ Various Bars & Restaurants around WPB

Celebrate the spirit of the Winter Olympics with a neighborhood-wide competition that turns your favorite local bars into Olympic “venues”! Grab your friends, form a team, or compete solo as you tour participating bars, complete exciting challenges, and earn stamps toward a grand-prize entry.

Stay tuned for more details at www.wickerparkbucktown.com! 

Roscoe Village Wine Walk - Feb. 13 (Galentine’s Day)

Join us for a fun night of shopping and sipping! Taste 20+ different wines while strolling through shops along Roscoe St. Find your new favorite bottles and shop special discounts on new apparel, home goods, or services. It’s the perfect Galentine’s and/or Valentine’s Day celebration!

Live Ice Sculpting - Jan. 31 & Feb. 1

Watch Master Ice Carvers make winter magic happen as they sculpt a block of ice into a beautiful creation of the audience’s choosing! That’s right — bring your ideas, as the ice sculptor will ask the audience for suggestions of what to create. This event, organized by SSA 27, is free to attend!

Saturday, January 31st: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

The CTA Brown Line Station (3411 N Paulina Ave)

Sunday, February 1st: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

St. Alphonsus Church (1429 W Wellington Ave)

Click here for more details.

WPB Love You Lab 

2/7 from 10 AM - 3 PM

@ The Den Theatre

Love You Lab is a vibrant health and wellness experience designed to inspire self-care, self-love, and holistic well-being.

Explore a curated marketplace featuring incredible wellness vendors, enjoy rejuvenating classes, and immerse yourself in hands-on experiences that nourish your whole self.

Click HERE to view full event details and purchase your tickets today!

WPB February Business Mixer & Neighborhood Guide Release Party 
2/11 from 6 - 8 PM

@ Prism Spaces

The 2026 Wicker Park Bucktown Neighborhood Guide is here! Join us for the big cover reveal and Support, Partner, Connect with WPB businesses, partners, and neighbors from across Chicago! Light bites and drinks will be served at Prism Spaces (1212 N Ashland Ave)

Click HERE to register for our mixer today!

Don't Forget to Shovel!

City News

• Chief Judge Reforming Electronic Monitoring Program
• Proposed 7-Story Bucktown Apartment Building Moving Forward in City Council 
• ‘Abolish ICE’ Submitted 9,200 Times for Chicago Snowplow Naming Contest, Records Show
• When Is the 2026 Illinois Primary Election, and Who's on the Ballot?
• 22 Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend: Cider Summit, Seed Swap and Winter Markets
• Free Museum Days in Chicago

Alderman Scott Waguespack

2657 North Clybourn

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-1330

[email protected]