You can print guns from a 3D printer now!

I find this terrifying...and it throws a wrench in the whole gun control/gang violence debate.

Last Night's Fire Displaced 28 Albany Parkers

....reports the Twitter stream of the American Red Cross.

Volunteers providing shelter for 28 local people displaced by a fire in Albany Park.
— ChicagoRedCross (@ChicagoRedCross) March 17, 2013

 
The blaze began around 4am on Sunday morning, on the back porch of a three-story apartment building. No one was injured. From the Tribune's "overnight violence and mayhem" reporter Peter Nickeas:

Fire engines, trucks and ambulances jammed the blocks surrounding the building, in the 4800 block of North Lawndale Avenue, as crews worked to extinguish the blaze.

Nickeas snapped this pic, as well as this one he shared on Twitter:

Fire: 4800 block of North Lawndale Avenue. ow.ly/i/1HzU0 #chicago #albanypark
— Peter Nickeas (@PeterNickeas) March 17, 2013

 
Meanwhile CBS/WBBM Radio, who made a note to mention the CTA's "warming buses" for the people displaced, is reporting that 4800 North Lawndale Avenue is "Avondale."

What? Avondale is Lawrence between Kimball and Pulaski? They're trolling me, right... Right???

Take Congressman Mike Quigley's Survey on Gun Violence

It's actually only one question, but a good one.

And here is Quigley with some NIU students recently, taken from his official Twitter stream. (In case you can't tell, I also think Quigley is a good civil servant.)

 

Gunman Killed by Albany Park Police this morning

Happened around 4am on Wilson Ave, reports all the presses. The man was speeding down Wilson and probably drunk as he crashed into & sideswiped a bunch of parked cars before getting out of his vehicle and shooting at the approaching police.

The two officers suffered "bruises and contusions" when they dove for cover.  

Police Shoot, Kill Man in Albany Park After Exchanging Gunfire

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130316/albany-park/police-shoot-kill-man-albany-park-after-exchanging-gunfire#ixzz2NjOyVx3F

Police shoot, kill man in Albany Park neighborhood 

 Read more: http://www.suntimes.com/news/18893726-418/police-shoot-kill-man-in-albany-park-neighborhood.html

Police: Man killed after exchanging gunfire with officers

Read more, with video: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-police-kill-man-in-albany-park-20130316,0,4396546.story

Alderman Laurino Spring Newsletter includes an O'Hare traffic & noise meeting!!!

(cut and pasted from my email for your viewing pleasure, now that EveryBlock is gone...)

Issue: 202

March 14, 2013

O'Hare traffic and noise meeting Alderman Laurino is hosting an informational meeting about O'Hare traffic and noise over the Thorndale corridor. Invited speakers will be from the Chicago Department of Aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission.

Thursday, April 4, at 6:00 pm. North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski, H-Building Community Room.

Clean and Green April 20 is Clean and Green day! Clean and Green is Chicago's annual community clean up day! Meet your neighbors and make your neighborhood more beautiful. If you'd like to start a volunteer group, or join an existing group, call Jonathan at Alderman Laurino's office, 773-736-5594.

Boys Basketball Tournament

Congratulations to all the participants in Alderman Laurino's Eleventh Annual Boys Basketball Tournament! It was a lively competition, and a great time was had by all. Thorp won first place in the 5th and 6th grade division, while St. Edward finished second. Brentano won the 7th-8th grade division, while Volta finished second. Also participating were Gray, Farnsworth, Hibbard, Marshall, Newberry, Portage and Saugansh.

The APCC has moved? Did this neighborhood even need the APCC?

 Pardon me for being late to this news, as I was in India for a month, but the Albany Park Community Center is now located in Ravenswood!?

Can someone explain to me how the APCC will continue to serve the community if it is no longer located in Albany Park, but two well-to-do neighborhoods away and towards the lake?

Well, that's the thing: the APCC is now trying to be a city-wide service, as opposed to a neighborhood service.  The APCC isn't really concerned about serving Albany Park any more, they say. They want to serve the whole city.

Is this a sign of Illinois' economic times? In an interview, APCC president did say they are depending less and less on government and state funding.

Huh.

According to Patch (which is now covering Lincoln Square for some reason - no wonder Fourcher felt threatened), the move allows the APCC to employ more people, provides a better social and working atmosphere as the organization is no longer split between 2 floors, and offers bigger space for cheaper rent. Programs offered at the APCC include employment training and the rehabilitation of veterans, but something about Ravenswood and its comparable wealth really rubs me the wrong way.  It's all about location, right?

You'd think that if the APCC was trying to reach more people in need of their services, they'd move to a less affluent neighborhood.  You know, a neighborhood where their services are actually needed and wanted.

Are you really going to make poor people commute farther to your center? Where they'll walk past pretty boutiques and manicured streets with flower boxes - aka, feel more shitty about their economic level and life - to go take job training classes and learn how to speak English?  Well, yes.  Yes you are.

At least Albany Park still has Our Lady of Mercy, which many would argue is the real community center here in Albany Park.  And we have the APNC and NRC, which actually provide real services to the community.

Sigh. I don't know why I am angry about this.

Oh, no, yes I do.

I hate it when we lose nonprofits and neighborhood services. I was pissed when Blue Sky Bakery left, when they reduced CAPS meetings for every other month for my police district, and then when they closed down the library at Kimball & Foster.

Now this???   

pro tip on how to get out a gang!