Mary Stanek

Mary Stanek

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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

Kathy Headley

Two ladies gone, but not forgotten

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Spread the loveBy Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 Guessing you have already read the sad news about the passing of Mary Ellen St. Aubin. For those of you that didn’t know, she grew up right here in Chicago Lawn, on 63rd and Richmond, and…

Mary Fabis (right) shows her award from Anita Cummings. --Greater Southwest News-Herald photo by Dermot Connolly

Honored for service to business

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Spread the loveFabis earns UBAM award  By Dermot Connolly The United Business Association of Midway recently honored founding member Mary Fabis with a Lifetime Membership Award for Outstanding Service for her 35 years of work with the business organization she continues to serve as a board member. Fabis, now 92, has owned and operated Archer…

With a long and colorful life, Mary Ellen St. Aubin had no shortage of good memories. --Supplied photo

She was a ‘Munchkin by marriage’

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Spread the loveMary Ellen St. Aubin dies at age 101 By Joan Hadac Mary Ellen St. Aubin once said that if her life could be summed up in a movie title, it might be It’s a Wonderful Life. That life came to a conclusion late last month. Mrs. St. Aubin was 101 years old. “I’ve…

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Fire and ice

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Spread the love December was unseasonably dry and warm, but it was cold enough late in the month to form icicles on a Bedford Park Fire Department truck– even after it returned from a blaze that gutted a warehouse in the 6500 block of South Lavergne, just steps south of Clearing. The weather forecast for…

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‘They made us look like fools’

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Spread the loveParents furious over one-two stumble by CPS By Tim Hadac As Chicago Public Schools were set to re-open earlier this week, parents of CPS students were still fuming over what most seemed to see as a two-part stumble by district administrators. “We did exactly what they asked of us, and they made us…

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St. Rita takes 5th at Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic

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Spread the loveBy Steve Millar  Correspondent St. Rita’s youth was evident in some mistakes the Mustangs made down the stretch in the fifth-place game of the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. But the Mustangs’ talent won out in the end. Sophomore guard Jaedin Reyna went coast-to-coast and scored on a drive to the basket with 2.5…

Lyons Township’s Tavari Johnson was an all-tournament player as he helped his team to a second-place finish in the Jack Tosh Tournament. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Lions take 2nd at Tosh Holiday Classic

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Glenbard West won the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic. That made sense. The Hilltoppers are ranked No. 1 in most state and Chicago-area polls. But not much else about this tournament made a lot of sense, especially when it came some of the seven area teams involved or, in two…

Abbey Murphy, a Mother McAuley grad and University of Minnesota hockey player, was named to the Olympic team. University of Minnesota photo

Murphy joins Schofield on U.S. women’s hockey team

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Abbey Murphy lists Kendall Coyne Schofield as her sports role model. Now, she will be a teammate of Schofield on the biggest stage for women’s hockey. Team USA Hockey announced its Olympic roster over the weekend and two-time medal winner Schofield, a native of Palos Heights and a Sandburg…

A fast-food restaurant worker affixes a Fight for $15 sign to a window at a McDonald’s in the city. --Photo courtesy of FightFor15.org

New laws taking effect

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Spread the loveStatewide jump in minimum wage ‘just a start’  By Bob Bong and Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois   Minimum-wage workers across Illinois will see a boost in their hourly pay to $12 per hour starting Jan. 1, while tenants in affordable housing units will be allowed to keep pets. Those are just some…

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Three Wise Men at Snows

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Spread the love Portraying the Three Wise Men at the Christmas pageant at Our Lady of the Snows School this year were Yarely Garibay, Noah Rosas and Amira Cepeda. The three eighth graders were part of “Las Posadas” a nine-night depiction of Mary and Joseph’s search for a place to stay and where Jesus Christ…

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Pritzker calls SCOTUS emergency abortion ruling ‘small respite’ as state protections await his signature

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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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