Non-profit organization
Form e rly th e W.I. M. Block Association
JU N E 2009 M eet ing
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St. James Lutheran Church
8 0 0 0 S. M i c h i g a n
S t i ll a c c e p t i n g G C A
$30 yearly member dues
Carl Lewis, President
7 7 3 . 9 9 4 . 5 3 0 8 for more info
REQ UE ST O UR E - NE W S L ET T ER V I A
e m a i l: g c ah ono r @ s b cglob al.n e t
A
A GG EE
1. Meeting Open & Minutes Read.
2. Treasury Report
3. CAPS report by Robert Hearn.
4. President’s Opening Remarks.
5. Nominations being accepted for
the following offices because of
our new Constitution:
a. New Treasurer – our former
treasurer had to resign due to
personal matters.
b. Chairman for Finance/Fund-
raising Committee.
c. Chairman for Education
Committee.
Special Guest
6th Ward Alderman
Freddrenna Lyle
It’s that time of the year again when we
get to talk with our Alderman and hear
an update on the State of the 6th Ward.
Plus find out what’s new and on the
horizon for Chatham.
In addition, this is your opportunity to
share your concerns and ask the ques-
tions about our community needs. And if
you want to praise the Alderman and her
sta ff fo r th e i r e ffo rts, w e wan t you
to speak up as well. You can’t afford to
miss this meeting!
N
N D
D A
A
d. Chairman for Safety &
Security Committee
Note: We have a Chairman in place for the
Membership Committee.
6. Do we fund our annual LAWN
PATROL this year?
7. Scholarships – How many this year
and the amount.
8. Volunteers for two Co-Chairs for
annual Chicken Dinner Fund-
raiser.
9. Report on Tuskegee Field Trip for
kids.
IF YOU ARE A GCA MEMBER WITHOUT AN E-MAIL
ADDRESS, CALL TO GET YOUR COPY OF NEW
CONSTITUTION – GAY LEWIS: 773.994.5308
NEIGHBORS - THIS IS AN ALERT! READ CAREFULLY!
About 12 days ago... In the alleys between 82nd & Wabash and 82nd & Michigan,
about one-half of the garages for those two blocks were either broken into, or–– an attempt
was made to break into the garages in that area. Needless to say, the folks on these blocks
were stunned that so many garages were hit at one time. From what we could piece together
from the neighborhood, it seems someone did hear some noises around 4 a.m. from their
open, bedroom window. However they didn't see anything when they looked out of the
window.

The crazy thing is this: NOTHING WAS STOLEN! STUFF WAS JUST
STREWN EVERYWHERE AND SCATTERED! However, three (3) cars in
garages had their windows smashed in. IT WAS STRICTLY VANDALISM!

Plus, there was one basement that was broken into at a multi-condo flat. But again, nothing
was taken. Not even patio furniture or barbecue pits or other bric-a-brac. The first neighbor
to discover in the morning that their car windows were broken called the police. Thankfully,
the police arrived and dusted for fingerprints. The police said the fingerprints were small like
a woman's hands or a young teenager's hands.

Naturally, as the word circulated throughout the two blocks, the other cars that had broken
windows were also revealed. GCA President Carl Lewis (his condo's garages and basement
were broken into) contacted the police as did other neighbors in the area. The police were
equally baffled but could offer little more than sympathy. Now we’ve heard about some
garages in the alley between 83rd and Prairie and Indiana that were broken into also around
two weeks ago.

SPECULATION FRO M THE POLICE AND NEIGHBORS

There is a possibility that this was a gang initiation. Another theory is that a week and a half
before the incident last week, flyers/door hangers were tacked to all of the garage doors.
These flyers were distributed by a company that repairs and services garages and garage
doors. Was this a coincidence or fiendish salesmanship?

IF YOUR BLOCK(S) SHOULD EXPERIENCE A MASS GARAGE BREAK-IN AFTER NOTICING A

GARAGE COMPANY FLYER/DOOR HANGER POSTING, PLEASE CALL GCA PRESIDENT
CARL LEWIS AT: 773.994.5308. We want to make sure the police stay on top of this!! This
was not one or two garages, it was at least 6 break-ins and 4 attempts all at the same time!
So let us know if your neck of the woods gets a multi-hit like this too!

WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT GARAGE BREAK-INS? – DON’T FORGET MOTION LIGHTS!
The police have suggested that owners with garages on the alley strongly consider adding
an alarm system to their garage. Why? If you have a side door to the garage or window that
they can break into late at night, you probably will sleep through it. Unless perhaps you have
a dog who may hear something and alert you! But some of the neighbors hit did have dogs
and no dogs barked! Can’t afford an alarm, then put guard iron doors on your garage and
irons on your windows. It’s a shame that we have to do this, but it is what it is!

Around 81st & Wabash, shots were heard early one morning: around 1 a.m. or so.
Stay alert! If you hear gun shots late at night or in the real early morning and don't see anything, it
doesn’t matter, still report the gun shots to the police anyway.