An open call goes out to our readership so that we can improve in 2009
I apologize if you've been misled, but Mayor Daley isn't the one that needs your help. In fact, as much as we often like to think of our elected officials as lovable goofs and inept stumblers, they're actually quite shrewd and calculating. So if you have suggestions on how to run the city, I recommend you call your Alderman. Better yet, why not contact your very own representative in the local shadow government. That would be the government of Cook County.
If, however, you have suggestions for me, your hostess, you've come to the right place. I began writing here daily on October 13, 2008. Now that the 3-month mark is looming and a new year has dawned, it seems like a good time to take stock and no opinion is more important to me than yours.
Please comment below on anything that strikes you as a good idea for improving this space. Are there any issues you feel I'm not covering? Would you like to see the structure of the daily posts change in any way? Perhaps there are features you'd like to see added? Get creative and let the suggestions flow!
Most importantly, what can I do to foster this community more? What can I do to keep the conversation going? Is there anyone I should be reading that I'm not? Is there anyone I should be partnering with that I've overlooked? Is anyone doing this better and if so, how?
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Anna Tarkov
What I love: my family, Chicago and Chicagoans, reading (mostly non-fiction), politics, media, discussing/debating almost anything, traveling, great TV shows like Mad Men, both films AND movies and fi More
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Alls I gots to say right now is that's a mighty fine suggestion box. Could totally pass as a project for a design class at Colombia. Helvetica, black on white, spaced out to fill the page and that's all the world needs. [You can make a website, it works, it looks good, I read the content and so do other people. That's more than I can do, so nothing but kudos to you.]
Abbie, thank you so much for the kind words. It truly means a great deal to me. However, I can't take any credit at all for the technical aspects. My knowledge and ability in that area is fairy minimal. All the kudos for that go to our brave and fearless leader: http://www.windycitizen.com/user/brad-flora
As for the suggestion box, the praise goes to Google Images. What can I say, those Google folks can read minds or something.
But I WILL take the kudos on the content which is all me :) And again, thank you. Please keep reading and commenting and spread the word around for others to do the same.
Ann - I've only recently started reading your posts & I enjoy them quite a bit. The only thing I can think of to add is perhaps more info on those dreaded City Council Meetings and the aftermath (results). For instance, what ever became of the battle of the Children's Museum? I know council ended up approving it, but wasn't there also a lawsuit filed? How about the Promoters' Ordinance? Oh and I do call my alderman's office, but not much comes of it usually except now I get their (unsolicited) mailings. My alderman lives across the street from me, so maybe I should just stand on the sidewalk and hope to catch him on his way to coffee. Ha, ha! Anyway, keep up the hard work!
Thanks for the great feedback Fayth. I very much appreciate you taking the time to give it and I appreciate your kind words. This truly is a labor of love and I'm glad you're enjoying it.
On the City Council meetings, I wish I could oblige. Unfortunately I don't yet have the time or staff resources to cover the meetings. The best way to make that happen one day is by telling people about Daily Daley and Windy Citizen and how much you enjoy what we do here. In the meantime, you can find out what happens by going here: http://www.chicityclerk.com/journalofproceedings.php
As for mildly stalking your Alderman, I say go for it. Aldermen collect very tidy salaries and their job is to represent you and make city services available to you. So go on and be a participating constituent. And if you're ever not making any headway on a serious, newsworthy issue, let me know.
I think you're off to a great start, and from what I can see you are doing the right things - it just takes time to grow a site. I think this kind of coverage of da Mayor is important. It's interesting to see what's been happening lately and how he's even lost touch with the basics - like you don't leave Chicagoans wallowing in snow after a storm (we've seen one mayor pay the price for that) - and he seems more out of touch these days. Too long in power? Keep up the great work!
Thanks Paula, I appreciate that. I'm glad you're enjoying what we're doing here at Windy Citizen and Daily Daley. If you want to see us continue to provide relevant, interesting local news, please recommend the site(s) us to anyone who might be interested. And of course keep reading, commenting, asking questions, etc.
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