Blogs

I would describe our meeting Tuesday with Health Commissioner Choucair (SHOE-care) as constructive and loaded with potential.  Over 30 members of the food business community made time to offer suggestions and begin what I hope will be ongoing diablog on how to work together in fine fashion.  THANK YOU to everyone who came, I am continually inspired by the food community in Chicago.  

CDPH Commissioner Choucair will visit Logan Square Kitchen on Tuesday, November 1st at 11:00am.  The visit will last about 45 minutes.

My thanks for Health Commissioner Choucair for meeting with me yesterday.  It was the first time I met him personally, and my suspicions were confirmed.  I met an energetic, positive, hard-working, solution-oriented leader.  He had read our petition at Change.org, and everyone's comments.

Chicago's new Shared Kitchen User Ordinance takes effect today.  It's written to regulate just two food facilities in Chicago, out of over 20,000.  Our experience over the past two years is unfortunately remaining consistent, with a heavy hand and regulations that would be front page news if restaurants had to live with them:

LSK appearance in Administrative Hearings yesterday resulted in a finding of 'not liable'--  so no fine.  Note the court does not find you 'innocent'.  There is no right or wrong in administrative hearings, only liable or not liable.  It acts like a court, but when I requested the Judge order CDPH to issue a new, clean inspection report, her response was, "I can't do that." Whaaaa?  A court with no remedy?

Logan Square Kitchen will be appearing at the Administrative Hearings Building, 400 W. Superior St., Room 107 at 1pm today in response to a Health Dept violation issued August 2, 2011.  Here's our submission to the City of Chicago Law Dept. and Administrative Hearings Judge. 

LSK has been inspected 19 times in 2 years.  Law requires two a year.  We've been inspected five times more frequently.  We're off to court this Thursday, August 25th to contest a $500 ticket for a groundless violation that we view as retaliation for questioning a Health Dept. supervisor's decisions.  We are officially FED UP. Here's a document that details our most recent experience.  Want to help?

Friday, May 20th, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce and Alderman Rey Colon signed an agreement concerning the operation and support of the 2011 Farmer's Market.  I helped secure this agreement as a neutral facilitator.  I appreciate the opportunity to serve my neighborhood.  As many people have asked what happened, and the details of the agreement, I'm sharing them here. 

LSK tends to use Facebook and Twitter (logansqkitchen) to give ongoing updates about events.  Our blog is turning into the place for more in-depth discussions of food policy, and the work we do to support food entrepreneurship in Chicago.  Lots coming up in next couple of weeks...

Yesterday morning, I was alone in the Logan Square Kitchen when I listened to a voice mail from my attorney.  He was telling me that the Zoning Board of Appeals had unanimously ruled in our favor.  After 14 months of persevering, we  were no longer in danger of losing our business license.  I sat down and cried.