![joanhadac Joan Hadac](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/joanhadac.jpg)
Joan Hadac
Skating is winter’s silver lining
By Joan Hadac
Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge
(708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com
Hi everyone. As I write this, snowmageddon is raging outside. I’m not sure how many inches we have as of yet, or how many we will end up with; but I hope by the time you read this, we are all dug out.
If this were March, I’d say we started off the month like a lion. I’m still hoping February ends like a lamb. I am so over the snow. Snow, in small amounts, is decorative around Christmas. After that, not so much.
The good thing about colder weather is you know the ice rink over at Wentworth Park, 57th and Narragansett, is up and running during various hours Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Open skating is offered on these days as well.
![Skating is winter’s silver lining 1 joanhadac 1](https://www.southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/joanhadac-1.jpg)
Joan Hadac
However, because Presidents Day and Washington’s Birthday fall on Monday, Feb. 21, the rink will host open skating from noon to 7 p.m. The event is free, but skate rental is $7.
Registration is necessary, even for open skating. You may visit chicagoparkdistrict.com/park-facilities/ice-rinks. Registration for the open skate on Feb. 21 is already available. Make a note on your calendar to spend part of the day having fun at the rink. For more information, call (312) 747-6993.
You could also head a bit west, to Summit Park, 57th and Archer Road. I drove past the other day and saw boys and girls whooping it up as they rode their sleds, saucers and toboggans down the hill. Reminded me of when my girls were little, and we’d head over there for a couple hours of fun.
Hale Park, 6258 W. 62nd St., is hosting a volleyball tournament for girls age 12-13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 21. The park is asking for grammar school teams. The fee is $50 per team. Registration is in-person only at the park. For more information or to register, call (773) 229-1032.
Chicago Public libraries, including the Garfield Ridge and Clearing branches, will be closed Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12 in honor of President Lincoln’s Birthday. They will also be closed Monday, Feb. 21 in honor of President Washington’s birthday. The libraries will offer in-person programs before and after these dates.
The Clearing Branch Library, 6423 W. 63rd Place, will offer tweens and teens a chance to ignite their creativity at the Teen Zine, from noon to 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10.
Teens who like to write, draw or tell stories are invited to stop by and create a unique mini-zine. All supplies will be provided. Registration is not required. Since this is an in-library event, masks must be worn, social distance maintained and other pandemic guidelines must be followed. For more information, call (312) 747-5657.
Over at the Garfield Ridge Branch, 6348 S. Archer, kids age 2 and older are invited to drop in and make valentines for family members and friends from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10. Supplies will be available in the children’s area.
Later that evening at the library, adults will gather from 6 to 7 p.m. to discuss the book White Fang by Jack London.
White Fang is part wolf and part dog and an orphan. He relies on his instincts as well as his strength and courage to survive in the Yukon wilderness as he tries to survive both animal and human predators. He eventually comes to make peace with man.
Registration is not required. Since these are in-library events all pandemic precautions must be followed. For more information, call (312) 747-6094.
The St. Jane de Chantal (St. Faustina) Ladies Guild will be donating the profits from their upcoming Sweetheart Cash Raffle to a longtime parishioner and guild member and her family, as they recover from the Christmas Eve fire that destroyed their home. Nice job, ladies.
How can you help? Purchase a ticket or more, on sale after the 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 and 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 6 p.m. Masses Sunday, Feb. 13, or from 9:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the rectory, 5252 S. Austin.
Tickets are $10 each, and only 100 will be sold. The winner will match the last two numbers of the Illinois Lottery Evening Pick 3 Monday, Feb. 14 and bring home $500.
For more information, visit the St. Jane de Chantal Ladies Guild page on Facebook and send a private message or call the rectory at (773) 767-2411.
I hope all of you are enjoying or at least accepting the winter weather. I’ll see you next week.
Local News
![REAVIS Reavis bowlers claimed a regional title on Saturday. Photo by Reavis High School](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/REAVIS-e1644205878770-1024x666.jpeg)
Area Sports Roundup: Six area girls bowling teams headed to sectionals
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Six area girls bowling teams are headed to sectionals. Reavis and Stagg won IHSA regional titles last Saturday, and four other teams have advanced to this weekend’s action. Reavis won its own regional at Palos Lanes in Palos Hills with a 5,378 in six games, well ahead of…
![MARIST SPORTS Marist's cheerleaders finished second in the state in the Large Team division on Saturday. Photo by Jeff Vorva](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/MARIST-SPORTS-1024x581.jpg)
Marist cheerleaders takes 2nd in state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer After Marist’s cheerleaders watched a video of their state finals performance on Feb. 5, there were some long faces and tears as the girls filed out of the video room and into the cooling-off room. After a long meeting, there were more long faces. “I’ve had better days,”…
![CRRNH_IrishParade_020222 The neighborhood St. Patrick’s Day parade is a family-focused event, and those at the curb are often as colorful and interesting as those in the parade itself—as these parade goers proved in 2021. --Photo by Cosmo Hadac](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CRRNH_IrishParade_020222-1024x678.jpg)
Archer Avenue may go green
Spread the loveSt. Patrick’s Day parade planned By Tim Hadac Organizers of Garfield Ridge’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade are hoping the Lightfoot Administration will give a green thumbs-up to the small but festive celebration of all things Irish. For each of the last two years, City Hall withdrew its support and denied permits based…
![CRRNH_StSymLetUsGrow_020222 CRRNH_StSymLetUsGrow_020222](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CRRNH_StSymLetUsGrow_020222.jpg)
Let us grow, let us grow, let us grow
Spread the love The weather outside may be frightful, but the learning at St. Sym’s is delightful, is the message implied in a bulletin board designed by third grader Olivia Hernandez. School officials said Olivia was given the opportunity to design the bulletin board as a reward for the kindness she shows at school. Catholic…
![joanhadac Joan Hadac](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/joanhadac.jpg)
Cold weather, warm hearts
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. Welcome to February, the shortest month of the year, jam-packed with holidays like Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday–which are usually bundled together into Presidents Day–Groundhog Day, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Super Bowl Sunday. (Some of us just check…
![State to distribute $94 million to 96 airports through Rebuild Illinois plan State to distribute $94 million to 96 airports through Rebuild Illinois plan](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/img-PRITZKER-AIRPORT6-C9YjfQ-1024x535.png)
‘Once in a lifetime’ funding coming
Spread the loveGov’t. invites biz owners, non-profits to apply From staff reports Local business owners and community-based non-profit leaders are invited to attend an online meeting designed to raise awareness of the American Rescue Plan Act and other economic recovery funding opportunities, and better understand what they need to do to be eligible for these opportunities. Dubbed…
![CPD Chicago Police Department](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2013-04-02-at-3.28.02-PM.png)
Crime fighters will meet
Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac Residents of Police Beat 812 (Clearing, west of Central Avenue) are invited to attend their next CAPS meeting, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9. The meeting will be held via Zoom in a webinar format. To obtain instructions and passcodes, call the Chicago Lawn (8th) District CAPS Office at…
![EAGLEBOWL Sandburg’s boys bowling just missed bringing home a trophy but had its best showing ever at the state meet. Photo courtesy of Sandburg High School](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/EAGLEBOWL-e1643595565816.png)
Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg bowls ’em over at state; Marist cheerleaders win sectional
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Is there a state trophy coming for the Sandburg boys bowling team in the future? With this unpredictable sport, that’s hard to predict. But after a fourth-place finish in the IHSA state tournament, held Jan. 28-29 at St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon, the needle is pointing up. The…
Neighbors
![Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/IDEC-3-gA9lr0-1024x682.jpeg)
Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Tuesday creating a new cabinet-level state agency dedicated to early childhood education and development. The new Department of Early Childhood, which will become operational in July 2026, will take over programs currently housed across three state agencies, including funding for preschool…
![Speaker Welch rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’ Speaker Welch rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1024-EXEC-JN-WELCH-BURDEN-STAFF-09191-Jd97ud-1024x682.jpeg)
Speaker Welch rebuffs lawsuit from would-be staff union as ‘forum shopping’
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch is urging a Cook County judge to dismiss a lawsuit members of his staff filed against him last month seeking to force recognition of their union. In a new filing Monday, attorneys for Welch argued the Illinois Legislative Staff Association has no…
![Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/scotus1-N8hYn7-1024x768.jpeg)
Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com After the U.S. Supreme Court last week upheld a federal law that bars those under domestic violence-related restraining orders from owning guns, victim advocates say Illinois lawmakers should pass a measure to ensure firearms are actually confiscated in those situations. The legislation has been stalled for more than…
![Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240611-COGFA-SOTO1-AsGWYO-1024x682.jpeg)
Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…
![Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240429-BAILEY-PROFT1-yRwYCt-1024x624.jpeg)
Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor. Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an…
![State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’ State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FLASHING-LIGHTS-SQUAD-POLICE-00971-ilpWzw-1024x682.jpeg)
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…
![Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TRACY-06741-bRYaAc-1024x682.jpeg)
Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party. Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in…
![As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wetlands-Prairie-scaled1-3WD1bu-1024x683.jpeg)
As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails
by JENNIFER BAMBERG Investigate Midwest jennifer.bamberg@investigatemidwest.org In 2006, 19-year-old Jessica Whinston inherited 20 acres of land that her grandparents once farmed in Quincy, Illinois. The land had sat dormant since the 1980s and was overgrown, but Whinston and her husband Bradley worked to turn it into a productive farm. The couple were eventually able to…
![Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240618-PIC-Board-of-Elections1-1aDJ4Z-1024x658.jpeg)
Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – State elections officials on Tuesday indicated they were unlikely to step in to clarify what constitutes illegal campaign coordination after voting to dismiss a complaint alleging such coordination in the 2022 campaign for governor. At their monthly meeting in Chicago, Illinois State Board of Elections members…
![Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240614-PRITZKER-AA1-ViOzVJ-1024x682.jpeg)
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…