Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Roderick Sawyer, Alderman-elect...

I'VE LOCKED COMMENTS ON THIS POST. IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT ISSUES ON YOUR BLOCK I WOULD LIKE TO REFER YOU TO OUR BLOTTER PAGE, COMMENTS ARE ACCEPTED THERE. ALSO WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THIS BLOG IS NOT ASSOCIATED IN ANY WAY WITH THE OFFICE OF ALDERMAN RODERICK SAWYER! - LEVOIS 11.30.2011
Alderman-elect Roderick T. Sawyer
A lot of money in this run off race and even some big names such as Ald. Edward Burke from the 14th Ward and Rahm Emanuel, Mayor-elect. In spite of that, Roderick Sawyer is our new alderman. First story from the Sun-Times:
The son of late Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer on Tuesday ousted his father’s protégé, longtime Ald. Freddrenna Lyle, from her 6th Ward seat after 13 years in office. 

Roderick Sawyer picked up 50.6 percent of the vote in the showdown with Lyle, who received 49.4 percent of the vote with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial vote totals. 
...
In the 6th Ward, Sawyer declared a bittersweet victory.

“I’m extremely happy, but at the same time sad my father is not here with me,” Sawyer said of the former mayor, who died in 2008 at age 73. “I know he’s watching over us and he’s proud. But now it’s time to start our work. Got a lot of work to do. It won’t be easy.”

Once a Lyle supporter, Sawyer said he decided to run against her because she voted for the city parking meter lease deal.

On Tuesday night, Sawyer said his win over Lyle, who was supported by Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel, sends a message.

“I’ll work with everyone in the City Council including the mayor, but this sends a message that the 6th ward will not support a candidate that gets bossed and is controlled by special interests,” he said.
Also it was noted in this article that, that Ald. Lyle had conceded outside of her office near 75th & King Drive this evening:

Lyle conceded late Tuesday as supporters and staff milled around her 75th Street aldermanic office.

“We did a yeoman’s job fighting against horrible odds,” she said. “We fought against a bad economy. We fought against major, major cutbacks in city services that we got blamed for personally. We fought against two police offices being tragically murdered in our ward over the last year. And no other incumbent had to fight the crime issue . . . in a quickly changing neighborhood.”
UPDATED 10:51 PM I would like to refer you to this Chicago News Coop article:
Lyle conceded to opponent Roderick Sawyer, the son of former mayor Eugene Sawyer. With all precincts reporting, Sawyer received 51 percent of the total votes while Lyle received 49 percent despite strong support from Emanuel and labor unions. Sawyer will now claim the City Council seat his father once held before he became mayor.

Economic development and crime have been two big issues in the South Side ward that has long been a home to the African-American middle class. Last year, police officers Thomas Wortham IV and Michael Bailey were killed in separate incidents in the ward.

“No other incumbent had to deal with the crime issue in a quickly changing neighborhood,” Lyle told supporters gathered at Army and Lou’s. “The sale and allure of change is what the community voted for, so they will go back to the days when a Sawyer was seated as alderman.”

“The residents of the 6th ward are ready for someone who’s not going to be afraid to challenge the mayor, to challenge the powers that be. It’s what they deserve,” Sawyer said in his victory speech.

Sawyer said Lyle’s heavy support from labor unions may have actually aided his campaign.

“In all honesty, I think they did her a disservice with the negative politicking that is their style.” he said. “So I guess in a roundabout way, I should thank them.”
 Sorry if that's a lot of reading, but I'm done for now. Hopefully there will be some video to share in the future.

Congrats to the Alderman-elect. Best wishes to Ald. Lyle.

7 comments:

  1. Dear Alderman Sawyer,
    I live behind McDade School, And It's becoming a nightmare for our young children to play in the McDade Campus. The"Young Adults Thugs" are trying to take over!!! It's starting about 7 until 1:00 p.m.and sometimes later than that!! Please have the bicycle police or squads to canvas the areas in the evening. These Young People are smoking, having sex Parties in there vans or cars leaving waste materials every where in the school and on our blocks. PLease see what you can do. A Very Concerned Citizen of The Chatham Community.

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  2. Alderman Sawyer, I'm trying to walk in my mother's foot steps. My mother Shelley Maxwell started the Family Start Learning Center. I'm currently working with Appeal For Charities & GoodWill Inc. in Englewood. Our families need all the help they can recieve. I'm going to start calling your office to ask for your support. Our parents need jobs. I'm a little guy in this big world but we all can pull together to help were ever we can. I look forward to meeting you.

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  3. Alderman Sawyer,

    On 7/20/11 at 11:14p, I contacted 311 regarding two street lights out in the alley (7300 Block of King Drive). I also left a message on your voice mail along with a few other concerns. To date, the lights remain out and a neighbor's home has been burglarized.

    The reference numbers: 11-03422390 and 11-036600589. If you would, please address this matter right away. I do not feel comfortable parking in my garage and the thieves are waiting for such incidents.

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  4. P. Brown thanks for the information. We have forwarded your message to the Alderman's office. The Aldermans office can be contacted directly at 6thwardchicago@gmail.com.

    Also, you need to report this at your CAPS meeting.

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  5. Also note that if you're on Facebook you can write on the wall on the 6th Ward service office profile @ http://facebook.com/6thWardChicago. In addition to the e-mail Worlee posted above.

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  6. The street light between Prairie and Indiana along 90th place have been out for 2weeks. We have called 311 numerous times without anyone coming out to fix this. Please we dont want to wait until somebody gets robbed or killed before the light is fixed. Already, strange vehicles park along the street and most of the times you will smell marijuana. There was a time we found condom on the grass by the sidewalk. Please help us out on this block and have the street light fixed. PLEASE !!!

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  7. Once again this blog is not at all connected with 6th Ward Ald. Roderick Sawyer. Here is the Alderman's official web page where there is direct contact information to his office @ 6thwardchicago.com. Also the office have a FB page @ www.facebook.com/6thwardchicago and a twitter account @6thwardchicago.

    Also I've forwarded your comment to the Alderman's office. Contact them at 6thwardchicago@gmail.com

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