Joan Hadac
Can’t we just fast-forward to spring?
By Joan Hadac
Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge
(708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com
Hi everyone. Is it spring yet? Is the pandemic over yet? Not that I’m impatient or anything. I want to move forward past all the negative COVID-19 has brought to my life and everyone else’s life. I want to see the rebirth of the earth. It’s a life-affirming sight. It’s hopeful.
It’s also hopeful to live in Clearing and Garfield Ridge. We have neighbors who care for each other and are not afraid to show their respect for first responders. We have aldermen who truly care about their constituents.
We have crime-fighters like the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch and Clearing Night Force looking out for our safety.
There’s the Garfield Ridge Chamber of Commerce, which takes seriously its job of building up neighborhood businesses. We have the Clear-Ridge Historical Society. They let us know where we’ve been, how things have changed and the impact of that change.
I have worked with the people who make up these groups, and I look forward to working with them in them in 2022 to share their information that is important to our community.
Then there are the neighborhood churches, places we go to feel closer to God, our neighbors and find peace. Our educational institutions provide the best in learning for our kids. The list goes on and on. The most important part of our community is you. Pat yourselves on the back for making Garfield Ridge and Clearing the great communities they are.
The best way to reach me if you have news about your family, friends or group is via email at joan.hadac@gmail.com. I hope to hear from all of you.
As I’m writing this, we’ve had our first significant snow of the season, and the temperatures have dropped below 20 degrees. I’m trying to look back to my Southwest Side childhood to remember what I liked doing in winter.
Then it dawned on me: sledding and skating. We took our sleds, courtesy of mom and dad giving us a lift, to Marquette Park and went up and down the hill until we exhausted ourselves. I had five sisters and we doubled and tripled up, toppled over, tried to avoid running into trees and laughed ourselves silly. It was fun and free.
Check out the local parks for a hill you can use your sled on. I know Summit Park (57th and Archer Road) has a nice hill, not too dangerous that the kids can enjoy. My husband and I took our daughters there when they were little. It was so much fun, as it is today for moms and dads of young children.
Skating is great also. We do have the rink at Wentworth Park. Check out chicagoparkdistrict.com and register for all skating, even the free skate. They have skates for rent. You can also explore the neighborhood to see if anyone is offering skating for free on a make-shift rink.
When I was young, I remember skating at my local grade school, St. Clare of Montefalco. The adults had put together a rink for the kids to use. We did have our own skates, hand-me-downs because of the number of kids in our family.
Personally, I skated better in my shoes because on skates, my ankles turned in. It was great being with my sisters and friends, breathing in the cold, crisp air and laughing the day away.
These days I’m still waiting to go riding in a one-horse open sleigh. That’s my speed.
Speaking of Wentworth Park and ice skating, The Chicago Blackhawks are hosting two hockey clinics on Saturday, Jan. 29.
Kids ages 5 to 8 are invited to join skating coaches from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Youngsters 9 to 12 can participate in the clinic from 12:15 to 1 p.m.
Use of skates and stick will be provided at no cost, but participants must bring their own gloves and helmet. Bike helmets and mittens are acceptable. Prior ice skating experience is required.
Advance registration is required. Participants must arrive 20 to 30 minutes prior to their scheduled clinic. For more information or to register for this activity, visit chicagoblackhawks.com/cpdclinics.
Weather cancellations will take place no later than four hours prior to the clinic start. Participants will receive email notification of cancellations. All participants will be required to complete a waiver.
So there you have it. A little fun in January for the kids. I’m sure parents and grandparents will get a kick out of watching their little athletes on the ice.
I hope you have a good week. I’ll talk to you soon.
Local News
Dems amend SAFE-T Act to address cash bail
Spread the loveSW Side voters rip GOP for ‘fear mongering’ By Jerry Nowicki Capitol News Illinois and Tim Hadac Lawmakers last week passed a long-awaited amendment to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform’s provisions that will eliminate cash bail when the calendar hits 2023. The measure expands the list of crimes for which a judge…
Chicago Christian seeking new head football coach
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent Chicago Christian is looking for a new football head coach. The Knights’ next coach will succeed Tom O’Connor, who in two seasons in Palos Heights compiled an overall regular-season record of 9-9. This season, Chicago Christian won its last four regular-season games, including a 19-0 decision over Ridgewood in…
College Notebook: St. Laurence alum rewrites Greyhound record book
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent As senior seasons go, it’s tough to top the one authored by University of Indianapolis running back Toriano Clinton. Clinton, who prepped at St. Laurence, was one of three Greyhounds chosen for the 2022 D2CCA All-Super Region 3 Team, and the only one to make the first team. This…
Area Sports Roundup: Marist, Nazareth mourns deaths of coaches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It was a sad week for two area schools. The Marist and local running communities were saddened by the death of Jon Gordon on Dec. 9, two days after sophomore Nazareth baseball coach Mario Ortiz. Gordon, the RedHawks’ boys track and cross country coach since 2017, died…
Area Hoops Wrap: Holiday tournament season starts early at Oak Lawn
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Oak Lawn got a jump on the rest of the area basketball world when its girls holiday tournament opened for business Dec. 10. Most area boys and girls holiday basketball tournaments take place the week before or the week after Christmas. But Oak Lawn has a tradition of…
Holiday cheer continues at Hale Park
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com I hope your Christmas season is off to a warm and memorable start. Thanks to the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, the Midway Chamber of Commerce and everyone responsible for making the annual Christmas tree lighting in Wentworth Park and the…
Hockey star headed to Wisconsin
Spread the love Garfield Ridge resident Brooklyn Ramaglia, a star ice hockey forward with Team Illinois (the most respected Tier I, AAA hockey organization in the state), recently signed a letter of intent to continue her academic and athletic career with Concordia University (Wisconsin). She expects to wear the blue and white and play for…
White Castle opens after renovation
Spread the love Employees and community members are all smiles as they cut the ribbon to officially re-open the White Castle restaurant at 63rd and Cicero. A recent renovation means a spruced up interior, as well as what White Castle official John Whitaker called a “hospitality door” designed to make the drive-thru experience more comfortable…
Neighbors
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…