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Plan to Honor Republican Alderman with Street Sign Has Been Dropped

By Heather Cherone | February 24, 2016 7:15am
 Former 41st Ward Ald. Brian Doherty
Former 41st Ward Ald. Brian Doherty
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Brian Doherty

NORWOOD PARK — A stretch of Catalpa Avenue in Norwood Park won't be renamed to honor former Ald. Brian Doherty, who represented the 41st Ward for 20 years.

Doherty said he asked Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41st) to drop the plan to renaming the 7800 block of North Catalpa Avenue between Canfield and Ozanam avenues "Alderman Brian G. Doherty Way" under the city's honorary street sign program.

"I'm not dead yet," Doherty said, laughing. "I'm still semi-active, and timing isn't right."

During his two decades on the City Council, Doherty — who retired in 2011 — was the lone Republican among the 50 aldermen for most of his tenure at City Hall.

Chris Vittorio, Napolitano's chief of staff, confirmed that the measure — which had been awaiting a vote by the Chicago City Council — will be shelved.

Doherty said the honor made him "uncomfortable."

"I told [Napolitano] he could buy me dinner," Doherty said.

Doherty, who unsuccessfully ran for the Illinois State Senate after leaving the council, served as an adviser and precinct captain for Napolitano, who was endorsed by the Chicago Republican Party, during his bid for office.

Napolitano defeated former Ald. Mary O'Connor in April.

On Election Night, Doherty told DNAinfo Chicago that he felt "vindicated" by Napolitano's victory over O'Connor.

Napolitano said he planned to introduce a similar measure naming a street in honor of former Ald. Roman C. Pucinski, who represented the 41st Ward from 1973-91. He died in 2002.

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