Friday 9
While politicians debate building a new jail, the wisdom of mandatory minimum sentences, and corruption in the sheriff’s office, prisoners are sleeping on the floor and in hallways at the county jail. Overcrowding at Cook County Jail, a morning workshop sponsored by the League of Women Voters, takes a look at the causes and possible solutions. U.S. district court judge Milton Shadur, circuit court judge Thomas Fitzgerald, Cook County Commissioner Jerry “Iceman” Butler, Cook County Department of Corrections Director Spencer Leak, and John Howard Association director Mike Mahoney will be on hand. It’s free and runs from 9 to noon in conference room 9-040 in the State of Illinois Building, 100 W. Randolph. Call 939-5935 for reservations.
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In 1988 Mayor Harold Washington’s Shoreline Protection Commission prescribed measures to protect against erosion such as seawalls, harbors, and landfills that would cost between $800 and $900 million over ten years–an absolutely unaffordable price for the Park District, which manages most of the lakefront. Will the lakefront crumble from neglect? Or will high-power developers move in with promises of much-needed revenue, as they have on shores from New York to San Diego? Kathy Gemperle presents Chicago’s Changing Lakefront, a slide show of the history of the lakefront from 1830 to the present, illustrating the impact of nature and city planning. The free program runs from 2 to 4 at the North Lakeside Cultural Center, 6219 N. Sheridan. Call 743-4477.
Annette Siffin’s limited-edition porcelain tableware is meant for everyday use. Her satin glazes and minimalist approach give her work a certain elegance, but she says she also means it to be humorous, animated, and “loosely anthropomorphic.” The Sensuous Form–Works in Clay by Annette Siffin will be on display through April 8 in the upstairs gallery at Lill Street, 1021 W. Lill. The complex houses 47 studios, as well as a shop that displays the work of many more. It’s free to look around. Gallery hours are 11 to 6 Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; 11 to 7 Thursday; and noon to 4 Sunday. Call 477-6185.
Thursday 15
