Who is being considered and who is going to be selected to fill the 1st Ward Aldermanic position?

Despite the belief by many that tomorrow, Wed. Mar. 10 is the day that Mayor Daley will announce his replacement for Manny Flores as the 1st Ward Alderman, nothing about the Mayor's selection or announcement is certain.

What is certain is that a fourth person, Jesse Juarez, 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman, is on the short list. "I support Manny's two recommendations, Joe Moreno and Raymond Valadez," stated Juarez.  "Yes, I am a candidate and am going through the interviewing but I prefer to work behind the scenes instead of being the Alderman.  However, if the Mayor asked me to fill the spot, I would." 

Juarez was born and bred in Chicago and has been involved in the area and its politics his whole life.  "I really want to see Manny's plans carried out, " he added. 

As reported earlier in Our Urban Times, Moreno, Valadez and Mona Noriega are three other applicants for the office. 

Amidst denying requests under the freedom of information act for a list of the purported 90 applicants to fill the two vacant aldermanic positions stating that it would be an invasion of privacy and the ruling by State's Attorney Lisa Madigan that privacy exemption can not be used to withhold the names, the list has not been made available. 

Manny Flores resigned on Jan. 15 and the Mayor has, according to law, 60 days to fill the vacancy.