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Kathy Headley
It truly is a small world
By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
I have been attending St Rita Church for many years now. In that time, I have come to know many people who are now or have been a part of the parish.
Some I knew because we worked together on committees or fundraisers, some because our kids went to school together, and some because we attend the same Mass on Sundays.
Week after week we wave and exchange stories. Through the years, little by little, we get to know each other. While the pandemic kept us apart for a while, we were all smiles and hugs when we were able to meet again. Such was the case with St. Rita parishioners Kim and Doug Johnson.
Some of you may also know the Johnsons because they both worked at and retired from Marquette School. Through all the time we have known each other, it never occurred to me to ask where they lived. So you can imagine my surprise when I learned they have been living down the street from me, on the next block, for the past 30 years.
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Kathy Headley
Now through the magic of Facebook and the post of another parishioner, I have learned that Doug, who by the way is also a Vietnam veteran, just celebrated a birthday. So happy birthday to Doug Johnson, and wishing you many more.
While we are on the subject of St. Rita, many alumni of the grammar school will no doubt remember Adrian Dominican Sister Ann Kelly (formerly known as Sister Neal Joseph), who passed away on Thursday, Jan. 13 at age 88. In her 69th year of religious life, she took the name of Neal Joseph to honor her two brothers. She was a much-loved first grade teacher at the school.
If you have fond memories of Sister, you might like to go to the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ website where they have posted a video of an interview with her.
This Sunday, Jan. 30, is the community baby shower sponsored by Monarca and the Helen and Joe Foundation, a newer not-for-profit that was established in 2019. As the pandemic situation worsened and people began to lose their jobs, the foundation saw a need. This is their first event of this type. They will offer food, gifts, and resources for single moms. They also would be happy to accept in-kind donations, gently used items, baby furniture, car seats etc. To sign-up for the event or to donate, call Juanita at (312) 972-9133.
Father Scott Haynes invites parishioners and friends of St. Thomas More Church, 2825 W. 81st Place, to take part in a 54-Day Novena beginning Monday, Jan. 31. For more information or to obtain a novena booklet, contact Father Scott at mysticaltheology@protonmail.com or call the rectory at (773) 436-4444.
Greater Southwest Development Corp. has announced they are getting ready to launch their first free training program of the year for business owners interested in learning about employee management. For more information, call (773) 735-6729.
Now, on to 1992. Let’s set the stage for our trip by checking out what was going on 30 years ago this month. Just like this year, January 1992 gave us a mild winter.
Some residents were facing similar challenges as are being faced today. Midway Airlines had recently shut down, leaving many without jobs. Daley College was offering seminars, workshops and computer training classes to former airlines employees. Fifty people attended the first session.
The Southwest Community Congress, which had been housed at the Chicago Lawn United Methodist Church on 63rd Place, needed more space than the church could provide. So they were moving to 2832 W. 63rd Street. The SCC was getting ready to celebrate their 23rd anniversary. Honored at the anniversary dinner would be Jim Vondrak, then publisher of this paper. Jim was given an award for giving so much of his time and service to the neighborhood.
Mayor Richard M. Daley had just received the tax hike he felt was needed, which added an average of $14 to our 1992 tax bills.
Now when we ended our visit to 1971 last December, we learned that Lindon’s Furniture and Appliances would be going out of business at the end of the year. Let’s start 1992 by trying to remember what store was making their home at that same location, 2540 W. 63rd St. in 1992,
We bought several pieces of furniture from this place, and those pieces are still in great condition today. The name of the store was the name of the owner. If I remember correctly, he got his start working at Soltes Furniture a bit west on 63rd Street before opening his own place. Anybody remember the name of his business?
Local News
![joanhadac Joan Hadac](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/joanhadac.jpg)
It’s a busy January in Gage Park
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Neighborhood correspondent at large Greetings, Gage Parkers! I’m pleased to be filling in this week for Karen Sala. It’s fun for me to report on Gage Park, the neighborhood where I lived for the first 26 years of my life. There’s always something happening in this big, exciting part of…
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You can bank on good service here
Spread the loveBy Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 In this world of corporate takeovers, it is kind of hard to feel safe in the hands of big business. First, we have to supply some of our personal information to the automated system. Then there’s…
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A heavenly sound
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Crime images spark outrage in Gage Park
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College Report: McAuley grad Swiatek plays hero for St. Francis
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Tax exemptions will be automatic, Kaegi says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports In response to the ongoing pandemic, the Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions. The Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year. If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions…
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Troop 1441 Scout earns Eagle rank
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Scavenger Sale different this year, Pappas says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ 2022 Scavenger Sale will look different, as the Treasurer’s Office takes steps to help small developers, homeowners and investors rebuild neighborhoods and create generational wealth. Under Illinois law, the Treasurer’s Office is required to conduct a Scavenger Sale every two years, offering at auction the…
Neighbors
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After 9 months, state data begins to detail new pretrial detention system
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Nine months after cash bail ended in Illinois, the state is taking its first steps in publishing the data that crafters of the bail reform law saw as essential to judging its effectiveness. The data shows that judges in the 75 counties served by the Illinois Supreme Court’s…
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ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS: Pritzker keeps economic development at forefront in exclusive interview
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Pritzker calls SCOTUS emergency abortion ruling ‘small respite’ as state protections await his signature
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‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com LINCOLN – On the eve of a scheduled vote to advise Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on plans to close and rebuild a pair of dilapidated state prisons, hundreds filed into a junior high school gymnasium Thursday evening clad in matching green T-shirts. Printed on the shirts was a…
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SCOTUS ruling could upend federal corruption cases for Madigan, allies
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday narrowed the scope of a federal bribery law prosecutors have relied on in their cases against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and several of his allies convicted of bribing him. A jury last spring found those allies – former lobbyists and…
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Quantum technology companies set for big tax incentives under new law
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday gave final approval to a plan to bolster the state’s tech industry, including an incentives package – backed by $500 million in the state budget – aimed at making Illinois the nation’s leader in quantum computing. The package also expands tax…
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Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children. The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…
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Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…
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Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Another caregiver at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna is facing charges for abusing a patient. A grand jury indicted Joseph A. Clark, 24, of Grand Chain, on a felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge of battery. Clark pinned a Choate resident to…
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State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death. But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…