CHICAGO NEWS BENCH: Heartland Cafe

Showing posts with label Heartland Cafe. Show all posts

Bizarre Email From Chi-Town Daily News Editor

My my, seems the well-paid "citizen journalists" at the heavily grant-funded Chi-Town Daily News just can't handle criticism. Not rationally, anyway. Early this morning, I noted that the publication treated the recent food poisoning-mouse turds-moldy ice-related closing of the Heartland Cafe with kid gloves, and that one of their stories is missing. That got me a terse (and amusing) response from Alex Parker, the guy who wrote the pieces I criticized. Now, editor Geoff Dougherty has jumped into the fracas with a bizarre email, below, followed by my response to Dougherty: --- On Sat, 3/21/09, Geoff Dougherty wrote: From: Geoff Dougherty Subject: Correction, please To: "RogersParkBench Tom Mannis" Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009, 5:50 PM Tom, You've published some seriously inaccurate information regarding the Daily News, and I'd suggest you move rapidly to correct your mistakes. The Daily News is published by PublicMedia, Inc., which is incorporated as an Illinois nonprofit and has received a 501(c)(3) tax exemption. You can find us on the IRS charity listings [here] You can also find us listed as a 501c3 at guidestar.org, which is the most commonly used source of charity listings on the web. The story you mention regarding the Heartland Cafe has been continuously available on our website since it was published March 13. Our server software constantly monitors the availability of our content, and we can assure you that nothing on our end would have prevented you, or any other reader, from accessing this story. Indeed, the story's been read more than 1,000 times over the past week. Perhaps you have some connectivity, browser, or computer competence problems that prevented you from successfully accessing the article. Thanks for sharing your wild fantasy regarding our supporters at the Knight Foundation, the Council on Foreign Relations and our coverage of the Heartland. Here's a tip for you: If you spend four days dropping acid and then watch the Zapruder film, you'll see me, Alberto Ibarguen and the Heartland crew descending from a black helicopter with Lee Harvey Oswald. Happy viewing. The Daily News has moved -- again. Please note our new address: Geoff Dougherty, Editor Chi-Town Daily News 800 W. Huron, Suite 3E Chicago, IL 60642 773.362.5002, ext. 10 geoff@chitowndailynews.org My E-mailed Response to Geoff Dougherty: Geoff, I [have made] the "correction" [about the IRS listing], but as noted in my post, I never said that you were not a registered charity. I said that you did not seem to show up when I searched for you at the same IRS search site you just referred to me. As for the "connectivity" issue that you say might be the reason that I cannot see the missing text, answer this: Why do I have no trouble reading any of the other stories on your site? There is no connectivity issue on my end, Geoff. The other stories by Alex showed up just fine, but the one in question had headline only at 1:30 pm today. For me, anyway; perhaps my computer selectively filtered out that one story? [Post Script: Several friends confirmed that, too, saw only the headline with no story text at your that link to the March 13 story.] Here's a tip for you, Geoff: Maybe you drop acid, but I have never touched the stuff. That said, is your suggestion that I "spend four days dropping acid and then watch the Zapruder film, you'll see me, Alberto Ibarguen and the Heartland crew descending from a black helicopter with Lee Harvey Oswald" supposed to be witty? It's not, Geoff, really it's not. Post Scripts: Geoff Dougherty did not address important points in my exchange with Alex Parker, in which I stated that Parker's coverage of the Heartland debacle was not complete: Who is the woman who became sick? There is no mention of the fact that the ice machine was leased or the name of the company it was leased from, the "fired" exterminator is not named, no mention of the fact that rodents easily chew through caulk, and no mention of whether or not required building permits for replacing the floors and possibly other work done were prominently displayed. You do not mention the multiple health code violations that the Heartland Cafe has incurred over the past seven years. You do not mention their multiple liquor license violations either." Dougherty, rather than address those points, chose the typical Liberal response of baseless ridicule with his final, drug-referencing paragraph. Notice Dougherty's arrogant tone. "You've published some seriously inaccurate information regarding the Daily News, and I'd suggest you move rapidly to correct your mistakes." I am supposed to "move rapidly" to correct my "mistakes?" As noted, I never said Chi-Town Daily News ("publicmedia") is not a listed charity; I said I didn't find it listed. Reader alert: Next time any of you see anything omitted or slightly off write a terse, hallucinatory email to Geoff Dougherty demanding that he move rapidly to correct such mistakes. One such mistake would be Alex Parker's inaccurate statement that "The Red Line Tap and No Exit Cafe [are] adjacent to the Heartland Café" in his March 17 article. In fact, the No Exit Cafe is half a block away from the Heartland Cafe. Had Parker bothered to visit the neighborhood, he might have noticed that. Dougherty stated, "You can also find us listed as a 501c3 at guidestar.org, which is the most commonly used source of charity listings on the web." That may be so, but guidestar.org pulls its data from IRS records. I chose to search the primary source rather than a secondary one. Dougherty seems to feel that guidestar.org is good because it's the most popular. What a sad standard that is for an editor, who should understand the basics of researching data. I do hope that he doesn't go first to Wikipedia, a notoriously unreliable source of information, just because it's a "commonly used source" on the web. Alex Parker is a professional journalist, not an unpaid "citizen journalist." Chi-Town Daily News loves to present the image of a bunch of unpaid bloggers writing for the love of craft and altruistic concern for community, but in fact a number of the writers there are paid. I have nothing against a writer being paid, certainly, but if you're going to present yourselves as "citizen journalists," you should actually be "citizen journalists," which is really just a fancy name for "bloggers." If a site has "daily news" in its name, should it not present news daily? RELATED: ChiTown Daily News Writer Responds to Criticism Update 2X: Missing Story at Chi-Town Daily News Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

ChiTown Daily News Writer Responds to Criticism

ALSO SEE: Bizarre Email From Chi-Town Daily News Editor I posted a criticism, this morning, of the way in which ChiTown Daily News has covered the city's health code violations-related closing of the Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood in Rogers Park on March 13. One of the major points of my post is that their original story from March 13 has gone missing. As of 1:30 this afternoon, only the headline appears. The writer of all three articles about the closing, Alex Parker, responded by email. I present that to you; my response follows his. Saturday, March 21, 2009 10:18 AM From: "Alex Parker" To: Chicago News Bench Tom, Our coverage of the Heartland Cafe incident is complete and has not disappeared from the Daily News site. The first story is here: http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Chicago_news/Rogers_Park_cafe_closed_after_critical_health_code_violations_found,23735 The second, which includes mention of the 311 call, is here: http://www.chitowndailynews.org/Chicago_news/Heartland_owners_hope_to_open_later_this_week,23849 Our list of donors is here: http://www.chitowndailynews.org/about/supporters Next time you question my integrity, please try to be a little more accurate. Alex Parker My response to Alex Parker: Yes, Mr. Parker, your story has disappeared from ChiTown Daily's website. It's still not there, as of 1:30 this afternoon. I have not said that you deleted it. Perhaps it was a weird mistake by your web master. Perhaps an editor deleted the text. In any case, the link you provided (which is the same link I provided in my post this morning), brings up the headline but not the story text. Your coverage is not "complete." Who is the woman who became sick? There is no mention of the fact that the ice machine was leased or the name of the company it was leased from, the "fired" exterminator is not named, no mention of the fact that rodents easily chew through caulk, and no mention of whether or not required building permits for replacing the floors and possibly other work done were prominently displayed. You do not mention the multiple health code violations that the Heartland Cafe has incurred over the past seven years. You do not mention their multiple liquor license violations either. You are correct, however, that I erred in saying that there was no mention of the poisoned woman who called 311. I have corrected that in my original post. As for your donors, I stand by that information. Next time you defend your integrity, please try to be a little more accurate. RELATED: Heartland Cafe search on Chicago News Bench Where is Heartland Cafe's Building Permit? The Audacity of Heartland Cafe's Arrogance SDS and the Heartland Cafe Owners Heartland Cafe's Inconvenient Truths Analysis: Systemic Filth at Heartland Cafe, Rogers Park Heartland Cafe Blames City for Health Code Violations Comments at Yelp When Permits Are Needed (Chicago DOB) Building Permits in 49th Ward Heartland Cafe Survivor Wear Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Update 2X: Missing Story at Chi-Town Daily News

UPDATED 2X: ChiTown Daily News Writer Responds to Criticism ALSO SEE: Bizarre Email From Chi-Town Daily News Editor ----------------- On Friday, March 13 the Chicago neighborhood of Rogers Park was not-so-surprised to see a big green "License Suspended" on the front door of the Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood Avenue. ChiTown Daily News ran a story by Alex Parker that same day with the title "Rogers Park cafe closed after "critical" health code violations found," which had this passage in it: Chicago health inspectors found rodent feces, food kept at unsafe temperatures and mold in a Rogers Park restaurant today. Heartland Cafe was ordered to close and faces $1,500 in fines. The source for that passage? Not the ChiTown Daily News, although that's where it first appeared in a story that has been removed from their website. As of 2:00 a.m., March 21, only the headline remained although the story's text is mysteriously gone. (The source for the above quoted passage is here.) Since then, ChiTown Daily News has had two more articles, making three in breathless succession by Parker about the Heartland Cafe. The two after the now-missing article are both glowing and upbeat, in sharp contrast to the March 13 article. On March 17, an optimistic story/public relations fluff piece titled "Heartland owners hope to open later this week," ~~in which there is no mention of the woman who called 311 on March 12 and complained that she'd gotten food poisoning at the Heartland.~~ Parker wrote this: "They've removed the ice machine and caulked the stage to prevent rodents from entering. James says the concrete floor has been replaced, and they fired their exterminator, hiring a new one." There is no mention of the fact that the ice machine was leased or the name of the company it was leased from, the "fired" exterminator is not named, no mention of the fact that rodents easily chew through caulk, and no mention of required building permits for replacing the floors and possibly other work done. On March 20, another fluffy happy piece titled "Heartland Cafe reopens after passing health inspection." ~~Again, no~~ There is mention this time of the woman who called 311. Although both articles, March 17 and 20, do mention the critical health code violations, but both read like uncomfortably like public relations spin pieces. Why did the March 13 story suddenly disappear? It's not the standard practice over there to delete stories only a week after they break, and certainly not while there is still a lot of traffic yet to be had. Some examples of similar stories by Alex Parker at ChiTown Daily News that are well over a week old but still up on ChiTown Daily News' website: City inspectors closing more restaurants for health violations (Feb 26, 2009) Health inspectors close Near West Side restaurant after finding cockroaches (Feb 19, 2009) Einstein Brothers remains closed after failing health inspection (Feb 17, 2009) Two restaurants closed after health violations (Feb 16, 2009) So why the rush to delete the March 13 Heartland story? By the way, why no rush to follow up on the Einstein Brothers story? Very strange. At the bottom of their website, it is duly noted that "The Daily News is a 501(c)(3) public charity." A 501(c)(3) is a federally tax exempt corporation. They survive by taking grant money; The Knight Foundation is their primary sponsor, with grants totalling $435,000 to "Chi-Town Daily News/PublicMedia, Inc." The IRS, however, shows no listing that we could find for any charities called "Daily News," "ChiTown Daily News," "Public Media" ~~or "PublicMedia~~." This does not necessarily mean that they aren't properly registered; it just means that the IRS website seems unaware of them. Perhaps the IRS listing went the way of that March 13 article about the Heartland Cafe. UPDATE: We were finally able to find "publicmedia" on the IRS charity listings here. The dependence on grant money means that ChiTown Daily News' independence is fair game for speculation. That is particularly so when you take this into account: The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (also known as the Knight Foundation), is a major supporter of seemingly "independent" media projects, and was created in 1940 with monies generated from the Akron Beacon Journal. Since 2005, the president and CEO of the foundation has been Alberto Ibarguen, the former publisher of The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. Ibarguen maintains impressive democracy-manipulating credentials, as he is a US member of the imperialist Inter-American Dialogue, board member of the CIA-linked Council on Foreign Relations, and has held high-level appointments within a number of media-manipulating groups like the Freedom Forum's Newseum, and the Inter American Press Association. Ibarguen, however, is a board member of the newly formed and ostensibly progressive investigative journalism project, Pro Publica -- for a critique of this organization's work see "Investigating the Investigators: A Critical Look at Pro Publica." (Source: Media Blunders) Next time you read the ChiTown Daily News, question where the Heartland Cafe story of March 13 disappeared to, then wonder about the puppet masters' strings attached to the huge amounts of grant money they take. RELATED: Alex Constantine's Blacklist: Duncan & Blake "Suicides" Solved ... Steiger serves as chairman of the Knight Foundation-supported Committee to Protect Journalists and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. ... In 1999 was elected to the Pulitzer Prize board. .. " ...... And Hunt does detail in the book how the CIA was engaged in many clandestine operations of covert front groups and foundations using media manipulation and propaganda to project American imperial power and hegemony throughout the world. ... VDARE.com: 12/04/04 - Pity the poor Founding Fathers - When I questioned Larry "Bud" Meyer, Knight’s Vice President of Communications about why Knight would fund these radical left-wing groups, he made it clear he wasn’t fond of my inquiry....In total, the Knight Foundation will fund seven immigration related projects for an aggregate of $13.5 million. Knight calls its largess "Immigration Integration Investment."....The foundation apparently thinks that illegal aliens and those who lobby on their behalf deserve special treatment. (See the 2003 Knight Foundation annual report for proof: 2003 annual report.) Knight Foundation Grants Prompt Debate - Philanthropy.com Follow the Money Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Where is Heartland Cafe's Building Permit?

Do they need a building permit for "top-to-bottom refurbishing?" There is a lot of cleanup going on at the still-shut down Heartland Cafe. Its license was suspended last week for mouse dropping "throughout," mold in the ice machine and warm refrigeration. Eeee-yuk. The cleanup, however, raises yet another question. The ChiTown Daily News had a piece with some interesting information in it (emphasis added): "[Partner Michael] James says the concrete floor has been replaced, and they fired their exterminator, hiring a new one....But first they’ll need to pass another inspection. Hogan says they are praying they will pass, especially with the top-to-bottom refurbishing the restaurant has received..." (Full post) Okay, then, here's the question: Where's the permit to make those repairs and replacments? I'm not making accusations, I'm just asking. According to the City of Chicago's Department of Buildings, "The Easy Permit Process allows home and building owners to obtain a permit to REPAIR or REPLACE THE SAME OR EXISTING elements of a building, without making any changes to the structure of the building." In other words, you need a permit to replace a concrete floor and, one would imagine, to do "top-to-bottom refurbishing." In fact, the types of projects requiring a permit from the DOB include: - Repair or replace existing non-structural elements - Drywall – patch, plaster - Floors – doors, cabinets - Light fixtures - Furnaces (except if part of a major conversion)– replacement only - Scaffolding - An Easy Permit can be received same day if the work has been approved by the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) The DOB website notes that, "Depending on the complexity of your project, an Easy Permit can be issued the same day if the following criteria is met:" - All paperwork and documentation is correct and has been approved - There are no prior code violations on the property Did the Heartland Cafe get a permit for the "top-to-bottom refurbishing," which includes replacing the concrete floor? Was "all paperwork and documentation" correct and approved? If so, by who? If so, is the permit displayed prominently, as required, where it can be easily seen from outside of the building? Since I no longer live in the Peoples Democratic Republik of Rogers Park, maybe one of the local blogger sleuths there can look into this further. While you're at it, RP bloggers, look into whether the Heartland Cafe will be taking this opportunity to make the joint "green" by replacing all of its lightbulbs with the new mercury-laden coil flourescent bulbs. RELATED: When Permits Are Needed (Chicago DOB) Building Permits in 49th Ward Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Chicago Sun-Times on Heartland Cafe

Three Chicago-Sun Times pieces on the Heartland Cafe health code violations. One here, another here, and another here. Left: In addition to cleaning up mouse feces, mold slime and fixing the refrigeration, the Heartland Cafe has been ripping the place apart. Here, a bunch of doors are left next to dumpsters in the alley behind the restaurant on Satuday, March 14. The city suspended the restaurant's license last week for several critical health code violations. The Heartland Cafe is located at 7000 N. Glenwood in Rogers Park, Chicago. Photo by Chicago News Bench. RELATED: Heartland Cafe Blames City for Health Code Violations Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Heartland Cafe's Inconvenient Truths

That big, bright green "LICENSE SUSPENDED" sign is the Big Fear of any restaurant owner, but they only get it if they're running an unhealthy dining establishment. (Click images to enlarge them.) In this photo, taken on Saturday, March 14, owner/partner Michael James stands near the front door, on which the City of Chicago slapped one of those signs last Thursday night/Friday morning. Even though the sign is a nice green, just in time for St. Patrick's Day, there wasn't much festivity at the Heartland Cafe. Friday the 13th was unlucky for them, as it was closed down by the city for having mouse feces "throughout" the place, refrigeration that was too warm, and mold slime in the ice machine. They remain closed today, Monday, March 16. They will probably remain closed on Tuesday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. As one Rogers Park blogger put it: I used to be a semi-regular customer at Heartland. In the last few years, all the ass-kissing b.s with Joe Moore was a big turnoff, and the deterioration of service and food quality more of a turnoff. Their whiny attitude about these serious health code violations does not exactly entice me to return as a regular. It disgusts me that they would choose to respond in such a childish way. If anything, it would make me inclined to patronize almost any restaurant in the 'hood EXCEPT Heartland. And there are plenty of other neighborhood restaurants that I enjoy. Full Post at Fargo Observer... RELATED: Heartland Cafe Blames City for Health Code Violations Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Heartland Cafe Blames City for Health Code Violations

March 15, 2009 - Late last week, a popular hangout for wannabe hippies, old hippies, progressive liberals, socialists and communists in Rogers Park was shut down for critical health code violations.

A female customer called 311 and said she'd gotten sick after eating at the Heartland Cafe, 7000 N. Glenwood, Chicago. City inspectors found mouse feces "throughout" the restaurant, mold slime in the ice machine (which was causing cross contamination in beverages), and at least one refrigerator that was not keeping food cool enough.

Now, the self-avowed socialists who own the dump claim that they are being persecuted by the City of Chicago. Like what, the inspectors planted the rodent crap and mold slime? The toxic restaurant has been in business for 32 years; you'd think they would know food safety procedures by now.

Michael James makes excuses at Heartland Cafe

One local felt compelled to write this to me today: "This is a long time coming as far as I'm concerned. Maybe a good lesson in capitalism for the local commies. Or maybe karma coming back to Michael James for his pathetic and disgraceful treatment of musicians and artists. Wait...The tears are rolling down my face, I must get out my handkerchief."

Yesterday afternoon, I passed by the Heartland Cafe and saw co-owner Michael James puttering around at the front door (photo, right). That's the door on which city inspectors placed the big green "License Suspended" sticker. I heard Michael James make this mind boggling statement to a woman: "We've been in business 32 years....We'll learn from this and move on."

It took Michael James 32 years in the restaurant business to "learn" about mouse feces, mold slime and proper refrigeration? What about the false excuse that his Heartland Cafe is not to blame but is just being persecuted by the city? That seems a contradiction. If he's really being persecuted, why would he say he will "learn from this?"

James isn't the only one making bad excuses. A tiny local socialist propaganda rag, "The Urban Coaster," a soon-to-be-defunct micro-newspaper also run by socialists, is happy to excuse the gross violations at The Heartland.

The Heartland Cafe is their biggest advertiser and Michael James writes the occasional column for them. Objective journalism knows no place at The Urban Coaster, as demonstrated in post on their website today. You don't believe Michael James is a socialist? Watch this video and let him tell you himself.

That post on the Urban Coaster's webiste said, "On March 12, the Heartland Cafe's license was suspended by a City of Chicago health inspector and its doors were temporarily closed. Owners Katy Hogan and Michael James have decided to use the city's action as an opportunity to make repairs ordinarily not possible during normal operations, such as resurfacing floors and cleaning large refrigeration equipment."

Resurfacing the floors, which should have been done years ago, is well and good, but has nothing to do with the mouse crap everywhere. So immediately, the Urban Coaster post attempts to divert our attention from the unsafe food practices at the Heartland Cafe. As for "cleaning large refrigeration equipment" that the nameless author cites, that should have been an ongoing procedure regardless of whether it was done "during normal business hours" or at other times. Obfuscation is a favored tactic of socialists, and it's in high gear at The Urban Coaster.

Heartland Cafe: Eat here at your own risk.

More from the Urban Coaster's post: "Michael James expressed a little frustration with City of Chicago inspectors taking the drastic action of shutting down his restaurant. He said that had they simply given him a week to make repairs, as has generally been their policy with restaurants in the past, he would have seen to it that the violations were corrected."

Look, a woman became sick last week from eating at the Heartland Cafe. She became sick not because the city is too tough on the Heartland Cafe. She got sick because the Heartland Cafe didn't care enough about customers' health and safety to keep the place clean or to maintain their refrigeration.... which Michael James is just now learning how to do after 32 years as a restaurateur.

How many other people became sick but never called 311 cannot be known, but thank God the city acted swiftly before someone with a weak immune system ingested a mouse crap burrito. It might have killed them. The city is obligated to shut down unsafe restaurants, and acted properly in this case. James, according to the propaganda piece in The Urban Coaster, complains about being given a week to correct the situation. That's not quite accurate you see, because in reality the shit-infested restaurant has has 32 years to "make repairs."

The Urban Coaster shifted into melodrama with this: "The Heartland employs 50 people who serve the community organic food with a side of social activism at the corner of Glenwood and Lunt. In already difficult economic times the closure means the loss of a paycheck and the hardships that go along with that missing income for many of those workers. For the tightly knit community of Rogers Park, the affect of the loss of business from the locked doors is certain to ripple through many lives. To neighbors it also means the temporary loss of an iconic establishment."

We question the claim of employing 50 people, but the insertion of the phrase "organic food with a side of social activism" is obviously intended to rally the local communards to sympathize with restaurant that was endangering people's health.

You want organic? Mouse poop is organic. Mold slime is organic. Bacteria growing on food in warm refrigerators is organic. Eat up, activists! Do not panic, it's organic!

Let's address the issue of "the hardships that go along with that missing income for many of those workers" at the Heartland Cafe. Every one of them should be upset with James and partner Hogan for running a filthy joint, thereby forcing them to be closed in the interest of public safety. To The Urban Coaster, apparently, serious food poisoning would not "ripple through many lives" and is less important than having a comfortable place to dream about the violent overthrow of the United States.

As for the loss of an "iconic" establishment, well, Typhoid Mary is still iconic after all these years. The Heartland Cafe will remain an icon, but an icon forever more of shoddy food safety practices and "that place with the mouse turds everywhere." Perhaps Katy Hogan will be remembered as Mold Slime Katy.

The anonymous author of The Urban Coaster's column wraps up with this sappy statement:"Several passersby on Saturday said they feel strongly that Rogers Park needs the Heartland. Especially now, it needs Rogers Park."

Hey, pass that handkerchief, my eyes are tearing up. I wonder if the passersby noticed that the mock broken US Navy missile, which graced the rooftop for many years, has recently been removed?

Does Rogers Park really "need" the Heartland Cafe? If so why? For what? Dry buffalo burgers? Slow, inattentive wait service and overpriced coffee? As a reliable disease vector? A place for illegal immigrants (excuse me: "undocumented trespassers") to work and take jobs from people here legally? They make it sound as if people will be lost without a nice place for America haters to congregate and plan their next anti-US rally.

"Especially now, it needs Rogers Park." Really? The Heartland Cafe should have thought about that a long time ago, before the mold slime started growing, before the mice had the chance to defecate "throughout" the restaurant, before the tofu went bad in the too-warm refrigerators, and before at least one customer became ill. Rogers Park needs the Heartland Cafe like a heart patient needs a cigarette.

Related:

Oysters - To Chew or Spit at Heartland Cafe

A popular restaurant in Rogers Park was shut down for filth and vermin by city inspectors this morning, but not a word from "The Urban Coaster" tabloid. (See post below this one for that story.) The Urban Coaster claims to present "all the news that fits the neighborhood." So where is The Urban Coaster today on the story of the Heartland Cafe's multiple health code violations already getting moldy? They're nowhere. The Urban Coaster, apparently, doesn't feel that news of a local public health threat "fits" the neighborhood. That's especially true for the socialist propaganda rag because the owners of the Heartland are politically cozy with the UC's gang of three, Jim Ginderske, Tom Westgard and Francis Scumellari. Two of Heartland Cafe's partners, Michael James and Katy Hogan, are self-avowed socialists and are politically sympathetic to The Urban Coaster's far-left writing. The Urban Coaster's food columnist seems to be ignoring the Heartland Cafe story too, which is especially odd since he writes a food column for the Coaster and is himself the owner of a little catering company. Terry "The Chef" Feingold wrote a glowing report about oysters being served at the officially filthy, vermin-infested Heartland Cafe recently. Here's a snippet: The subject of oysters comes up recently because one of our neighborhood restaurants, the Heartland Café (7000 N. Glenwood Ave.), has been offering fresh, plump, delicious Blue Point oysters on the half-shell on Friday evenings for about four weeks now. Stop on by the Buffalo bar through April to get a taste for yourself. Terry knows well the patron reactions because he shucked about one hundred of those oysters on the first night they were presented for sale (Michael James’ birthday). Terry also polished off a few himself.. Full column... Feingold did not say whether he had to spit mouse droppings as he stuffed those oysters into his pie hole. Perhaps he thought the rodent feces added a certain, delicate je ne se qua. There are a couple of odd things about Feingold's column. First, Feingold is Jewish and claims to steer away from pork, so it's odd that he's eating and waxing poetic about oysters, which are also a no-no for Jewish people who adhere to Kosher food laws as Feingold claims to. Second, Feingold should have a food safety certification from the City of Chicago as required for caterers, yet somehow his expert eye missed all the mouse shit that has been, according to the City of Chicago Department of Health, nicely distributed throughout the restaurant. When can we expect The Urban Coaster to present this important story about a public health threat to Rogers Park, the neighborhood they claim to serve? RELATED: Sweetheart Run overall winner Jesus "Chuy" Mendoza (written by Michael James, co-owner of the filthy, contaminated Heartland Cafe) Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

Filthy Heartland Cafe Closed for Health Code Violations

After a patron got food poisoning, a popular gathering spot of socialists and "progressive liberals" shut down for health code violations.

I've been telling you for a long time that the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park is dirty, filthy and vermin infested. Now, the City of Chicago officially agrees. This morning, a big green "License Suspended" sticker was slapped on the Heartland's door, announcing to the world that the restaurant is not a safe place to eat.

The web-extra report this afternoon from Lorraine Swanson (emphasis added) gives details, but note that there is much more to this story than what Swanson reports:

City public health inspectors this morning ordered the Heartland Café at 7000 N. Glenwood closed after finding three critical health code violations inside the Rogers Park restaurant. What is a "critical violation?" The City of Chicago Food Protection Division defines it this way: This category includes such occurrences as: Inadequate storage temperatures Inappropriate food handling practices Improper personal hygiene Rodent and/or insect infestation Lack of hot running water These types of violations create an immediate health hazard that carries a greater risk of causing food-borne illness (disease carried to humans through food). Critical violations identified during an inspection must be corrected immediately. If the business fails to do so, it fails the inspection, receives a citation, and has its business license suspended. The business owner is required to correct the violation(s) and contact the Chicago Department of Public Health to schedule an inspection to reopen the business.Source

We told you so...

Tim Hadac, spokesman for the Chicago Department of Public Health, said that the inspection was prompted by a 311 call by a customer who said she became ill after eating at the restaurant on Thursday. Inspectors who visited the Heartland reported finding mouse feces throughout the restaurant, food stored at improper temperatures, and cross contamination from mold found in an ice machine.

All three counts are considered "critical violations," according to city's public health code, which warrant immediate closure. Each violation carries a fine of $500. Food found to be stored at improper temperatures was ordered to be immediately discarded. Hadac said that the customer reported becoming ill after eating a dish that included tofu, sautéed vegetables and a spicy sauce.

The Heartland Café is owned by Michael James and Katy Hogan. The closing also affects a store operated on site the restaurant, and the adjacent Red Line Tap, where customers can order food that is prepared at Heartland and is passed through an opening into the bar. The Red Line, at 7006 N. Glenwood, is also owned by James and Hogan. "The establishment will remain closed until they can pass re-inspection. The burden is entirely up to them to address the violations until they can open again," Hadac said referring to the owners.

Swanson conducted a full-fledged investigation by calling city officials for accurate information and quoting them directly. She tells me that she will have more on the story in next week's News-Star. Heartland Cafe will probably remain closed through the weekend, since there seems little chance that another inspection will be performed today. It seems most likely that it, and possibly the Red Line Tap next door, will remain closed through this St. Patrick's Day weekend. Food served in the Red Line comes from the Heartland Cafe's filthy kitchen.

As reported here previously, Michael James also owns a garage in a nearby alley that he has rented out to push cart food vendors. Those vendors sell uninspected, unregulate food from their carts. Food items were stored in the garage without refrigeration. The doors to the garage have gaping holes more than large enough for any rodent to enter through. Hogan and James are politically active in local socialist groups and are both former members of the radical SDS. They are also close political allies of 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore, who has used the Heartland Cafe for political functions on numerous occasions, including one that flagrantly violated the city's fire codes.

Stench Removed - Again! (Ha ha ha ha ha!)

"STENCHTOO" GETS "STRIKETWO" THANKS BLOGGER! Wanna go for three, Brettly? Oh, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!! What was that, like a four day life span? Oh, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!! Hey kids, see related: Internet Loses Its "Stench" Oh, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!

Heartland Liquor License Modified (Why No Public Meeting???)

Item #2 in the June 25 email blast from Sandi Price, DevCorp North's managing director, is a notice that Heartland Cafe will again be serving liquor on its patio. They were fined $3,000 last fall for serving on the patio, which was not included in their license. But what's the deal? If Heartland Cafe is again serving on the patio, it means that they are (a) continuing to violate their liquor license, or (b) their liquor license was modified to include the patio. If it's (b), then we'd like to know why there was no public meeting to consider that liquor license modification! (If you gag a little bit after reading Katy Hogan's hyperbolic text, you're to be forgiven.) From: Sandi Price [mailto:sprice@devcorpnorth.org] Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:16 AM To: sprice@devcorpnorth.org Subject: Rogers Park Happenings The HEARTLAND CAFE, at the corner of Lunt & Glenwood in the heart of Rogers Park, is ONCE AGAIN, as it had for many years, SERVING ALCOHOL along with its consistently "Good Wholesome Food for the Mind & Body", on their gorgeous, flowering Outdoor Patio space; an outdoor cafe without peer for its grace and beauty. Yours in serving the 'hood since 1976, Kathleen & Michael, Heartland Cafe Co- Founders, Owners and Neighbors 7000 N. Glenwood, Chicago 773 465 8005 www.heartlandcafe.com Sandi Price Managing Director DevCorp North (773) 508-5885 www.rogers-park.com (By the way, notice Katy's claim that Heartland Cafe's serves "consistently" good food. Really? The service is consistently slow, the kitchen help is consistently underpaid and not allowed to join a union, and a common complaint about the place is inconsistent quality of the food!)

Michael James On The Air

Michael James On the Radio!

Rogers Park's very own celebrity bald communist restaurateur & radio host, Michael James (left), interviews some old white guy (right) on his weekly radio show, called something or other, that he does from his filthy Heartland Cafe.

James, himself an old white guy, still refuses to comment about all the liquor license violations his establishment has received over the years, including a whopping $3,000 fine last fall.

We Are All Safer Now

Thanks to Michael James, Rogers Park restaurant owner, communist and son of a wealthy New England family. He is also the proud co-recipient of a recent $3,000 fine from the City of Chicago for violating the terms of his liquor license. But I digress. How did Michael James make us all safer? Why, through the Revolutionary Magik of his "run for peace." Since the run finished, all wars around the world have ceased and human nature has changed completely. Thank the God he doesn't believe in for Michael James! Now, let's hope that Michael James will show us the site plan and permits for the event.

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: CHICAGO SDS REUNION

The event was advertised, although poorly. In a badly written flier that was haphazardly distributed around the Rogers Park neighborhood in Chicago, a "reunion" of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) members was promoted. The flier listed the free event as being at "6525 N. Sheridan Road." But that's the corporate address for the entire campus of Loyola University's North Shore Campus in Rogers Park. The flier was written by Rogers Park saloon owner Katy Hogan, whose business partner Michael James was a panelist at the gathering.

I decided to look for old hippies. Surely, I thought, following them would lead me to the meeting. And sure enough, a group of four of them lead me straight to the meeting. (How did they know the exact address?)

The resulting video (below) is stunning, even with the boring segments. Just under 58 minutes long, it is worth watching every minute.

For those of you who may not know what SDS is: "Forming the core of the 1960s counter-cultural movement known collectively as the New Left, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a radical organization that aspired to overthrow America's democratic institutions, remake its government in a Marxist image, and help America's enemies defeat her sons on the battlefield in Vietnam. The group developed from the Student League for Industrial Democracy, the youth branch of the socialist League for Industrial Democracy." (Source) (More information and definitions at Answers.com.)

Indeed, SDS was at the front of the line of those spitting on veterans returning from Vietnam. I have personally been criticized for calling people like Michael James a communist or a socialist. In fact, James and his comrades call themselves communists. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and calls itself a duck, it's a duck.

Some think SDS is dead. It is not. It may be lame and old, but it is working hard to revive itself. Speakers in the video make it clear that they are targeting students - high school and college - for their dreams of glorious communist revolution.

The panel of four speakers revealed more about themselves than they realized. Feeling comfortable amongst people of similar philosophies, they showed a side of themselves that they don't generally reveal to strangers. Of particular interest to Rogers Park residents is the Michael James segment. James, in practice a capitalist pig who pays low wages to his non-union employees, loves to pose a Vanguard of the Revolution. But all of these senior citizen subversives talk as though they are oppressed, as if The Man still holds them down. And each is an egoist, talking more about themselves than about SDS, in spite of the flier's promise to "tell all" about it.

Related:

Students for a Democratic Society (S.D.S.), Records, 1965-74 Kent State University

Students for a Democratic Society (many links here) Discover the Networks

The New SDS The Nation

Does Heartland Cafe Own This?

The orange and white saw horse seen here was photographed this morning. It was in the rear of the notorious Heartland Cafe, in the open, fenced in storage area.

Is the saw horse City of Chicago property? Again, just asking. It sure looks like public property, doesn't it? Just asking.

If it is city property, will the Heartland return it? Just asking.

HEARTLAND CAFE VIOLATES LIQUOR LAW

Kudos to Craig at Broken Heart for digging into this story.

When RPB first hinted at this story last week, it set off a small firestorm of whispers and gossip. The rumors are true. The accusations are true.

The Heartland Cafe, a vile institution with a door open to vermin and rats, whose sister bar the Red Line Tap maintained a broken window for six months, whose partner Michael James rents five garage spaces to unlicensed food vendors, is in serious breach of the conditions of it liquor license.

Oh, but folks, this is just the beginning. Wait until you what's next. Scandal, scandal, scandal. Just wait.

RELATED:

Heartland Cafe Open to Rats, Vermin

See the door all the way in the back of this picture? (Click to see larger image) This is the rear of the Heartland Cafe as seen from the alley behind it. This photo was taken on Sept. 2, but RPB has noticed that this is the usual practice at the restaurant owned by Katy Hogan and Michael James. That door is open, with strips of plastic loosely hanging from it. Rats and other vermin can walk right in. Look at the photo and you can see right into the restaurant. Rats and vermin can see right into the restaurant, too. Or walk right in. Hey, Department of Health... You reading this?

But Michael James Knows NOW...

Michael James's vermin-infested push cart garage

Michael James has no more excuses, despite what his protector and political officer Katy Hogan screams on the street corner.

On June 12, Craig Gernhardt reported on his blog that Michael James, co-owner of the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park, was renting a five-car garage to the people who operate those little plywood pushcarts, selling Mexican corn and mayo to unsuspecting people on the street.

The next day, June 13, I ran into Gernhardt at Common Cup, a cafe on W. Morse Avenue in Rogers Park. As we sipped coffee outside, an agitated Katy Hogan dashed across the street to confront Craig. Hogan gave me a dirty look, then blasted Craig.

Katy Hogan and Michael James
(photo credit: John Sturdy, Chicago Reader)

Hogan, James's partner in the Heartland Café, asked Craig why he linked the questionable operation of the pushcart garage to the Heartland. Craig correctly answered that he didn't, he simply (and accurately) noted that the owner of the garage is a well known local restaurateur.

Hogan yelled that Michael James should not be held responsible for the operation, since he "didn't know" what was going on in the garage he owns. Well, it's been a month since Craig broke the story.

Michael James certainly knows about this operation by now, yet the filthy operation continues. We watched a pushcart lady docking her plywood cart in the garage a few nights ago.

Now that Michael James, co-owner of the Heartland Café, is fully aware that food is being stored in his uncooled, unsealed, filthy rat-filled garage, what will he do about it?

Our photos here, taken on July 11, show how decrepit the rotting garage is. Vermin can easily get into the structure. Food is stored in there, food you or your neighbors eat. Elotes, anyone?

RELATED:

Illegal Food Vending, Distribution Uncovered in Rogers Park

Must-read report at Broken Heart reveals that local businessman and restaurant owner Michael James is allegedly a partner of some of the unregulated street food cart operators in Chicago. (Photos by T.H.Mannis. Click to enlarge.) Alleged food safety violations, under-the-table payments and more, with great photos. This could develop into quite a scandal. Michael James is also a partner in the Heartland Cafe and the No Exit. Craig Gernhardt's report is stunning. In part, he writes: From the looks of things, Michael James is allegedly running a unsanitary food storage distribution network from the back of his home at 1509 West Lunt. That's right, a food cart storage facility right there in Mr. James old, five car garage. And some storage facility he offers his vendors. The garage door is so old and rotted, the wood door has big gaping holes for easy rodent access. From the evidence I've been able to uncover, there are a two dozen or more, half full - gallon jugs of liquid syrup and sticky unwashed dispensing cups all over the place. The Michael James Food Storage Company LLC uses all their cramped space, even storing sticky syrup on the oily old concrete garage floor. FULL REPORT... RELATED: Filthy Heartland Cafe Closed for Health Code Violations (13 March 2009)

Hippy in an SUV

There was a "peace" rally ("troops out now, screw the Iraqis, no war for oil") in Rogers Park. That's not the story here. The story is the old hippie driving the SUV.

Last night I was at the Red Line Tap in Rogers Park, Chicago. For those of you who don't know the Red Line, it's aptly named in two ways: It is next to the "Red Line" of the Chicago Transit Authority elevated train, and it is also a popular gathering place for folks who have a political orientation that follows something of a red line.

There was an anti-war gathering earlier that day, all very peaceful, at the adjacent Heartland Cafe. You need to know this: There is a realistic sculpture of a broken Navy missile perched atop the Heartland. The Heartland and the Red Line are owned by the same people.

There was an old hippy in front of the Red Line Tap last night. He had been at the anti-war rally earlier and still had anti-war posters taped all over his Nissan SUV. Somebody had slashed his front right tire, perhaps because they disagreed with his politics or perhaps it was one of our many clinically insane neighbors killing time between drug deals. Either way it's wrong. Nevertheless, it provided some humor.

I couldn't resist going out to get a closer look. "Excuse me," I asked Mr. Natural, "what kind of gas mileage do you get on that SUV?"

"I don't know," he said, a bit gruffly. That was enough. I returned to my beer inside while my friend Ghostphotog snapped these pictures.

We laughed about the guy outside. There he was, insisting that the war in Iraq is all about oil, all the while driving around all day in an SUV, guzzling who knows how much gas. By his own admission, he didn't know how much.

I wonder if the hypocrisy and the irony ever registered with him.

I wonder if he realizes that he's nearly as hypocritical as Al Gore, who goes from slide show to slide show in a private jet. That is, when he's not at one of his five energy chugging mansions.

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