Mary Stanek

Mary Stanek

To receive City services, you must ask

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By Mary Stanek

Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon

3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394

The CHI311 website is the way to go, or a simple 311 phone call can help keep our neighborhoods clean and safe!

To quote from an article written by Mike Kovac in the Archer Heights Civic Association’s newsletter, “We extend a hearty thank you to the graffiti removal crews for your hard work in our community.” From Dec. 16 through Jan. 15, Mr. Kovac submitted 59 service requests for graffiti removal, with all but three locations completed within three working days. Many were completed on the next day following the report.

MaryStanek 1

Mary Stanek

Our household agrees completely with Mr. Kovac. Having our dog, we spend a lot of time walking around West Elsdon, Archer Heights and West Lawn. Our favorite parks are Pasteur, Archer and West Lawn. Or a simple walk around Peck School, or up and down Central Park will do.

On our walks, we notice things like graffiti and street lights being out. We always assume that no one else has reported these incidents, so we do. Lo and behold, within a day or a few days, it’s cleared up or fixed. So, if you see something, use CHI311, the app on your phone, or just a simple call to fix the issue.

There is only about 2½ weeks to Paczki Day. Remember to visit one of our excellent bakeries near or along Archer Avenue for these delights. I need to buy a few dozen for my neighbors here along 57th Place, who have been so kind to me during this situation with my knee.

My thank-you list is endless to my community. I’ve received awesome food, vodka, tequila, flowers, notecards and prayers, to name just a few things. I also need to take the box of King Cake mix that I bought in New Orleans over to the St. Turibius convent, before the Lenten season, so the Sisters can start baking. Thank you to the Sisters for their prayers.

Yes, it’s going on four weeks now, but I started physical therapy right here in good old Archer Heights at ATI. My hospital’s physical therapy was backlogged, so they suggested that I use a local place. As of this writing, I just have had one visit, so I will keep you posted. But I am so far very pleased with my physical therapist, Neil, down on Pulaski.

I asked all when I fell to please salt your walkways. But there are other things that can be done in this nasty weather. Be sure the fire hydrants and garbage cans are accessible to the firefighters and sanitation workers. And let’s just all hope for an early spring.

Happy Super Bowl Sunday to all. We may be making Cincinnati chili over spaghetti for the game. It’s famous and resembles Greek pasta sauce.

Speaking of football, the students of St. Bruno got an extra special experience. Staley Da Bear visited them. He is the official team mascot of the Chicago Bears. As always, maybe next year for the Bears.

Happy Birthday to my dear friend and best Bear fan, Judie Amato.

Local News

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle

Apply for violence prevention funds, Preckwinkle says

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Spread the loveFrom staff reports Community organizations engaged in violence prevention are invited to attend a series of virtual information sessions for the upcoming Gun Violence Prevention & Reduction Grant opportunity. The information sessions will help local organizations understand the application process for nearly $50 million in funding that will be awarded in the city and suburban…

Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi

Kaegi hosts webinars on affordable housing

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Spread the loveFrom staff reports The Cook County Assessor’s Office has announced dates for its upcoming informational webinars about a new affordable housing property tax incentive. Created by state statute, the Affordable Housing Special Assessment Program provides property tax relief to incentivize the creation, rehabilitation and maintenance of affordable housing units in Cook County. While…

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle

County offers help with water bills for people in poverty

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Spread the loveFrom staff reports A new program to assist low-income residents with water utility bills has been announced by Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County. Funded with dollars provided by the American Rescue Plan Act, the Low-income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provides financial…

Richard Chavez, 24, of Oak Park, was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Charisma Ehresman of Forest View. (Booking photo)

Oak Park man charged in Forest View woman’s murder

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Spread the love By Carol McGowan and Bob Bong A 24-year-old Oak Park man has been arrested and charged in the strangulation death last month of 20-year-old Charisma Ehresman, of Forest View. Richard Chavez, of the 600 block of South Maple Street in Oak Park, was arrested on February 18 at Cook County Jail where…

Kathy Headley

Years later, he still takes the cake

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Spread the loveBy Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 In the past I’ve started columns dated Feb. 25 by giving a shout out to former Beatle George Harrison, who would have celebrated his 79th birthday today. Today is no different. He was my favorite of…

Joan Hadac

Laff-Jam coming to St. Bede, no foolin’

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Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac GSWNH Columnist At-Large joan.hadac@gmail.com Once again this week, it’s my privilege and pleasure to write the Greater Southwest News-Herald’s column for Greater Ashburn (the Wrightwood, Ashburn, Parkview and Scottsdale neighborhoods). As usual, there are plenty of interesting things happening in this special, vibrant part of Chicago. St. Bede School’s athletics…

Mary Stanek

Best of all, spring is coming

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Spread the loveBy Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 Mardi Gras, Paczki Day, Fat Tuesday and the start of the Lenten season all happen this coming week. But the absolute best part is, March is here. Spring is just around the corner (we can…

Peggy Zabicki

A sweet treat, right on 63rd Street

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Spread the loveBy Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 Hi neighbors! Today is Chocolate Covered Nuts Day. Celebrate wisely. I suggest a trip to Villa’s Nuts and Candy, 4635 W. 63rd St. They have scrumptious chocolate-covered everything and so much more. Call them for information on days and hours at (773) 581-8313.…

The late CPD Officer Ella French. --Supplied photo

St. Patrick’s Day parade dedicated to Officer Ella French

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Spread the loveHeroism, sacrifice to be honored By Tim Hadac A 29-year-old woman remembered as a hero and martyr among many—in Chicago and elsewhere—will be saluted at the Archer Avenue St. Patrick’s Day parade, set for Saturday, March 12. The late Chicago Police Officer Ella French, shot to death during a traffic stop near 63rd…

State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr.

Pandemic relief funds available for business, Gonzalez says

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Spread the loveFrom staff reports State Rep. Edgar Gonzalez Jr. (D-21st) is calling attention to a new round of Back to Business grants available to local businesses dealing with financial hardship related to the pandemic. “For years now, the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for small business owners throughout Illinois, but they have largely…

Neighbors

After 9 months, state data begins to detail new pretrial detention system

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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

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SCOTUS ruling could upend federal corruption cases for Madigan, allies

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Quantum technology companies set for big tax incentives under new law

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Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

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Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

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Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident

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State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

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