Local News

MaryStanek

Neighbors lighting the way to Christmas season

By Tim Hadac / December 6, 2023 /

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere me and Oliver go! Thank you, neighbors. The blocks around my home are simply beautiful with the displays. To get yourselves more in the Christmas…

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MaryStanek

Dogs had their day at alderman’s office

By Tim Hadac / November 29, 2023 /

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Who let the dogs out? Who, who, who let the dogs out? Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares let the dogs in, at her office on 63rd Street. Our Oliver was one of the first to…

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MaryStanek

Poles point the way to holiday cheer

By Tim Hadac / November 22, 2023 / Comments Off on Poles point the way to holiday cheer

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . If you take a ride down Pulaski Road in the West Elsdon community, please notice the street poles. They are decorated for the holiday season, which is a nice touch. Also, it’s time to celebrate…

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MaryStanek

Can Thanksgiving already be here?

By Tim Hadac / November 19, 2023 / Comments Off on Can Thanksgiving already be here?

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I cannot believe I am saying that already. This Saturday our Oliver will be visiting 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares’ office at 3954 W. 63rd St. There will be a pet…

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MaryStanek

Pets don’t set their clocks back

By Tim Hadac / November 7, 2023 / Comments Off on Pets don’t set their clocks back

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . On 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, we all set our clocks back an hour for the end of Daylight Savings Time. We finally get that extra hour of sleep that we gave up in spring.…

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We’re disconnected and going mobile

By Tim Hadac / October 18, 2023 / Comments Off on We’re disconnected and going mobile

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 You can ring my bell, bell, bell, ring my bell! We have had our house phone (land line) for years, paying monthly for it. The past few years the only calls we receive for the most…

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MaryStanek

Time for sweatshirts, jackets and warm socks

By Tim Hadac / October 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Time for sweatshirts, jackets and warm socks

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 Well, the weather has turned to fall, along with the sunrise being later and sunset earlier. It is sweatshirt, warm socks and jacket time – goodbye capris and sandals. With that comes preparation for Halloween. Sts.…

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We need more migrants, alderman says

By Tim Hadac / October 8, 2023 /

. Rodriguez accuses colleagues of ‘anti-American’ attitudes . (From the September 29, 2023 Greater Southwest News-Herald) By Tim Hadac A Southwest Side alderman told a group of local business leaders last week that Chicago needs more, not fewer migrants from the nation’s southern border. “I make the argument that we need more migrants in the…

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MaryStanek

There’s lots to do this autumn

By Tim Hadac / October 4, 2023 / Comments Off on There’s lots to do this autumn

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 Get ready to “fall” for many events happening in our community this autumn. First off, this Sunday, Oct. 8th is a free Flamenco guitar and dance show at Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 S. Pulaski.…

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MaryStanek

Why not pumpkin spice year-round?

By Tim Hadac / September 27, 2023 / Comments Off on Why not pumpkin spice year-round?

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 . Well, it is October. I started buying the Halloween candy, which I hid in the depths of my closet until Oct. 31. Next up: Christmas trees. One thing I always ponder is, if pumpkin spice…

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Lifestyle

Comings & Goings

CRRNH_MDWCoolKids02_121323

Cool Kids see Santa

. Several dozen special-needs boys and girls were let in early at the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s annual Snack With Santa, held earlier this month at Mayfield Banquets. The special time was the brainchild of the Midway Cool Kids Club, a social club founded earlier this year by Geno Randazzo of All Exterior Contractors. The…

Marist’s Stephen Brown finishes with a dunk in the RedHawks’ 49-44 overtime win over St. Laurence on Dec. 1. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Basketball | Marist unbeaten heading into clash with Marian Catholic

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Four quarters were not enough time to determine a winner between Marist and St. Laurence in a Chicago Elite Classic matchup. The RedHawks prevailed, doubling up the Vikings in overtime to take home a 49-44 win and improve to 6-0. The game was played December 1 at Credit Union 1 Arena…

Stagg senior Connor Williams, seen here in a Dec. 2 game against Bolingbrook, has helped Stagg jump out to a fast start this season. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Basketball | Stagg off to a strong start, dr

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Stagg has started the season strong, opening by winning the title at their own John McBride over Thanksgiving weekend. The Chargers won the championship game, 49-45, over Plainfield South. Senior guard Connor Williams was named MVP of the tournament, and teammates David Ortiz and Domas Narcevicius were named to the All-Tournament…

Mary Stanek

Neighbors lighting the way to Christmas season

. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere me and Oliver go! Thank you, neighbors. The blocks around my home are simply beautiful with the displays. To get yourselves more in the Christmas…

Peggy Zabicki

Hanukkah, a holiday of happiness and peace

. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. and the miracle of the temple lights lasting eight days with just one day’s supply of oil. Hanukkah is a happy…

Saint Xavier running back Amari Venerable tries to break a tackle in a loss to Northwestern (Iowa) in the NAIA quarterfinals. Photo courtesy of Saint Xavier University Department of Athletics

College Report | SXU football falls in quarterfinals

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For three quarters, Saint Xavier went nearly toe-to-toe with the No. 1-ranked football team in the nation. Justin Pringle had returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to bring the Cougars to within three points of Northwestern (Iowa), the top-seeded team in the NAIA playoffs and the defending national…

Richards grad Sean Lewis is the new football coach at San Diego State. Photo courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics

Area Sports Roundup | Richards grad Sean Lewis ready to air it out in San Diego

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The rollercoaster ride continues for Sean Lewis. The Richards alum went from being the head coach at Kent State to the offensive coordinator at Colorado, one of the most talked about college football programs in the country this season because of Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders. He was then demoted…

Argo's Alizza Quinones gets ready to pass the ball against Andrew at last year's Sandburg Holiday Tournament. The Argonauts are scheduled to return to this year's tournament in Orland Park. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Girls Hoops | Sandburg and Oak Lawn to host holiday tournaments

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The field has been finalized for the third Sandburg Holiday Classic, which is the only girls basketball holiday tournament in the area to feature 16 teams. The host Eagles will be joined in the event, to be held Dec. 27-29, by area teams Oak Lawn, Richards, Argo and Riverside-Brookfield. Also…

Misael Sanchez

Offer cash reward in Chrysler Village slaying

. By Tim Hadac . Someone somewhere knows who shot and killed Misael Sanchez. To help bring that person forward, the Cook County Crime Stoppers group is offering a cash reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the killer’s arrest. Sanchez, 23, was shot in the 5200 block of West 64th Place (close…

An Evil Elf is among the terrors at Christmas Fear in Oak Lawn on December 15-17. (Supplied photo)

Midnight Terror serves up a different kind of spirits at Christmas Fear

By Bob Bong The Halloween fans at Midnight Terror in Oak Lawn have decided to extend the haunted house season into the holidays with their eighth annual Christmas Fear weekend in December. Savage Santas, eerie elves, and sinister snowmen will be running amok and showing off their own kind of Christmas spirit at the haunted…

Illinois News

State health plan declares racism a public health crisis

State health plan declares racism a public health crisis

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders. The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan,…

For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains

For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com State regulators allowed a Carlinville funeral director to operate for months despite a complaint filed by a local coroner who found a decomposing body in his funeral home and alleged the care of the remains was “unacceptable and criminal in nature.” While trying to assist a local family…

Dolly Parton Imagination Library officially launches statewide in Illinois

Dolly Parton Imagination Library officially launches statewide in Illinois

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the official launch of the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program founded…

What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban

What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban

By ANDREW ADAMS  Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Gun owners face a Jan. 1 deadline to register their assault weapons with the state under Illinois’ assault weapons law. But between lawsuits and ongoing policymaking, the exact guns, accessories and ammunition covered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act remain unclear to many gun rights advocates, who point…

Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield

Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield

Capitol News Illinois Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about the 2023 petition filing deadline for Illinois’ 2024 primary election.   Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield

Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy

Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that automobile insurance policies must cover people against uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents, even if the person covered by the policy is not in a vehicle at the time of the accident. The case involved a 14-year-old Chicago boy, Cristopher…

State high court finds medical personnel exemption to biometric information privacy law

State high court finds medical personnel exemption to biometric information privacy law

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the state’s strongest-in-the-nation biometric information privacy law does have an exemption: health care workers who use fingerprints or similar scans to access things like medication, materials or patient health information. In a unanimous opinion, the justices ruled against a pair of…

Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure

Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure

By PETER HANCOCK  Capitol News Illinois  phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that people may obtain records about their own Firearm Owners Identification cards, but they may not use the state’s Freedom of Information Act to do so.  In a 7-0 ruling, the court said the Illinois State Police acted properly when…

Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law

Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A group of temporary staffing agencies and their trade associations are asking a federal court to block enforcement of a new state law that governs how day laborers and temp workers are managed and paid. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Chicago, challenges several changes…

Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial

Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Monday was supposed to have been the first day in the weeklong federal corruption trial of former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann, who allegedly misused more than $200,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. A pull-down projector screen in the Springfield courtroom of U.S. District Judge…