Joan Hadac

Joan Hadac

Trying to see the sunny side of life

Spread the love

By Joan Hadac

Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge

(708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com

Hi everyone. I hope you’re doing well. Coming up is one of my favorite months, and it’s not for the reason you think.

Yes, Valentine’s Day is special, but I like the fact that I see more sun, more daylight and know spring isn’t that far away. I may be harping on a theme in my columns lately. I’m trying to be an optimist, not a pessimist. I’m trying to see the sunny side of life.

Speaking of Valentine’s Day, Two Holy Martyrs Parish is hosting a Valentine’s Day bingo on Saturday, Feb. 12 on the St. Symphorosa campus in the Sharp Center, 5940 W. 62nd St. Doors open at 12:20 p.m., and games start at 1:30 p.m. You’ll pay $20 at the door. Pull-tabs will also be part of the fun.

joanhadac 1

Joan Hadac

You won’t go hungry either. The event will feature a chili bar, hot dogs, chili dogs, nachos, chips, popcorn–and in honor of Valentine’s Day, red velvet cake.

For more information, call the parish office at (773) 767-1523. Thanks to Lara for sending me the news.

Do you enjoy playing bingo on a regular basis? Bingo is played every Thursday at the Rhine VFW Post, 5858 S. Archer. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and games begin at 6:45 p.m.

Players must wear a mask when entering the bingo hall. They must also show their identification and vaccination record card. Temperatures will be checked.

The post is looking for volunteers, even if you can only help once or twice a month. Every volunteer makes a difference. For more information, give the post a call at (773) 284-9025.

KN95 masks are available on a first come, first served basis at 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares’ office, 6247 S. Archer. These are one of the best masks out there.

It’s a nervous time out there, especially since the latest COVID-19 variant, Omicron, is so contagious. If you are among those getting the shots, make sure you are up to date and have gotten your booster.

Omicron may not be as virulent as other variants, but if you get it and have symptoms, you will still feel lousy and are required to go through quarantine. So to be safe, mask up, stay six feet apart from others, wash your hands and follow other pandemic-related guidelines. Your health matters.

Just a note to parents who may be deciding for the first time or considering a change of school for their child or children, Sunday, Jan. 30 starts Catholic Schools Week. St. Symphorosa School, 6125 S. Austin, is hosting an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 30. Parents can learn what programs make St. Symphorosa special and meet the people that make up St. Symphorosa. Registration is being accepted for the 2022-23 school year. For more information, call (773) 585-6888 or visit stsymsschool.org.

St. Daniel the Prophet School, 5337 S. Natoma, is also hosting an open house during Catholic Schools Week from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 30. For more information, call (773) 586-1225 or visit stdan.net.

Take care and I’ll talk to you next week.

Local News

Screen Shot 2022-11-30 at 1.57.20 PM

A Thanksgiving surprise

Spread the love

Spread the love The kindergarteners at St. Daniel the Prophet School had a surprise visitor earlier this month–known to them as Army National Guard Sergeant Bryan Dudycha. But one student in the class knows him as Daddy; and when she saw him, Madison leapt into his arms, gleeful over his return from deployment, just in…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound November 30, 2022

Spread the love

Spread the love

CRRNH_SweetSaluteRhineVFW_112322

A sweet salute to veterans

Spread the love

Spread the love Rhine VFW Post 2729 members William Haas and Jerry Dipasquale survey some of the bags of candy, pastries and other treats given to the post earlier this month by the students of Sahs School in Central Stickney. The Sahs boys and girls also wrote personal letters and made patriotic posters expressing their…

Runners get off to a fast start at the Orland Park Turkey Trot, where a record 1,000 runners signed up. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Orland Park man wins Turkey Trot; St. Laurence runner takes women’s title

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The number 19 meant good things on Thanksgiving morning. The top two finishers in the 34th running of the Orland Park Turkey Trot had “19” as part of the number on their bibs. Brandon Lukas, 25, of Orland Park, wore No. 7519 and took first place with a…

The varsity Orland Park Pioneers team had a huge 2022 season. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Area Sports Roundup: Orland Park Pioneers honored; local hoops teams win Thanksgiving tourney titles

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Two youth football teams teams were honored by the Orland Park Village Board for winning Super Bowl championships in their respective divisions. The Orland Park Pioneers’ varsity and super lightweight players received awards and recognition Nov. 21 from the board and Mayor Keith Pekau, who has the distinction…

cook county helicopter

Cook County Board approve Aguilar’s proposal for a sheriff’s helicopter 

Spread the love

Spread the loveThe Cook County Board of Commissioners voted overwhelmingly last week to approve Commissioner Frank J. Aguilar’s proposal to lease a helicopter to the Cook County Sheriff’s office. While Cook County is among the largest metropolitan areas in the nation, its helicopter fleet lags far behind other large urban areas. The Los Angeles metropolitan…

Nazareth players celebrate winning the fourth football championship in the school's history on Nov. 26 in Champaign. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Football Class 5A State Championship: Roadrunners win shootout for fourth state title

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth opened the season in August with a 2-0 win over Kankakee. It closed the season the afternoon of Nov. 26 with a 45-44 win over Peoria at Memorial Stadium in Champaign to take the IHSA Class 5A state championship. In between was a rollercoaster of wins and…

Brookfield Zoo’s ring-tailed lemurs—Skinner (left) and Moses—were treated to an early Thanksgiving feast that featured all the trimmings. This annual tradition, now in its ninth year, takes place the day before the holiday. (Photo by Jim Schulz/Brookfield Zoo) 

Ring-tailed Lemurs at Brookfield Zoo enjoy 9th annual Thanksgiving feast

Spread the love

Spread the loveThe annual tradition of Brookfield Zoo’s ring-tailed lemurs receiving an early Thanksgiving feast took place today, November 23. Now, in its ninth year, the animal care staff prepared the meal for the primates that featured all the trimmings laid out on a fall-themed table setting. This year, the menu for the lemurs—15-year-old Moses…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound November 23, 2022

Spread the love

Spread the love

mount carmel logo

Strong second half lifts Mount Carmel over St. Rita for trip to 7A title game

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Steve Millar  Correspondent After the Mount Carmel offense was shut out in the first half by St. Rita in the teams’ IHSA Class 7A semifinal, Caravan coach Jordan Lynch remained confident his offense would get going on a cold, windy night. “It was just a matter of time,” Lynch said. “Penalties were…

Neighbors

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…

Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans

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

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

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?

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

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

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’

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

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

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,…