Peggy Zabicki

Peggy Zabicki

Library has an offer you can’t refuse

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By Peggy Zabicki

Your correspondent in West Lawn

3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327

Here’s some good news for movie lovers. Monday night movies are back at West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd St. On March 14, The Godfather will be shown at 4:45 p.m. Call ahead at (312) 747-7381 to reserve your spot.

It’s not too late to register your sons and daughters for the 2022 baseball and softball season at Midway Baseball Association. There are seven baseball divisions and six softball divisions for kids ages 5-18.  Games are played at Madigan Park, 4701 W. Marquette Road, and are open to all neighborhood kids. Visit their website at midway-baseball.com for more details.

PeggyZabicki

Peggy Zabicki

The ASTRRONGU Southwest Youth Council is now having after school activities every school day, Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. There will be arts and crafts, games, life skill classes and volunteer opportunities. All activities will take place at the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 S. Pulaski. Send them an email for more information at astrrongu@gmail.com.

St. Nicholas of Tolentine School recently had their stairwells painted, thanks to the Big Shoulders Fund. This organization was inspired by Cardinal Bernardin and founded by a group of business and civic leaders in 1986. Their mission is to provide support to Catholic schools. Thank you to Joshua Hale and volunteers from Big Shoulders for doing such a nice job in painting the stairwells.

St. Nicholas of Tolentine will be having their annual scholarship dinner-dance (called Spring Fling) on Saturday, March 12. All are invited to join the celebration of the 2021-2022 Spirit of St. Nick Award, which will be held at European Chalet, 5445 S. Harlem. There will be dinner, drinks, dancing and raffle prizes. Tickets are $70 per person. Call (773) 735-0772 for more information.

At the February meeting of CAPS Beats 813 and 833, police reported that the number one crime in West Lawn is motor vehicle theft. In one month (Jan. 25 to Feb. 21 there were 15 car thefts reported). The number two crime is battery. In one month, sesven cases were reported. There were 19 arrests. Reported crimes are up 3% from last year. Thank you to our police for all they do to serve and protect.

Here’s some happy news. I recently received two wedding announcements in the mail. One is from my nephew, Joe, and his fiancé, Jamie. The second is from my nephew, Joel, and his fiancé, Alayne. Both weddings are scheduled for the upcoming fall season. Such good news! Congratulations to both couples.

Here’s a joke from my friend, Jo. Two little boys were at a wedding when one leaned over to the other and asked, “How many wives can a man have?”

His friend answered, “Sixteen: four better, four worse, four richer, four poorer.”

Thanks, Jo, and thank you to all for reading my column.

Local News

Mayor Lori Lightfoot

Mayor unveils gas giveaway

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Spread the loveTax dollars to aid some city residents By Tim Hadac Days after multi-millionaire businessman Willie Wilson attracted nationwide attention by giving away a million dollars of his own money to pay for gasoline at stations across the Chicago area, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced Chicago Moves, a financial assistance program related to transportation expenses.…

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79th St. slaying leads to fed gun bust

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Spread the loveCharge reputed gang members with buying weapons, ammo from soldiers By Tim Hadac A federal investigation launched in the wake of a shooting in a Wrightwood storefront a year ago has led to the indictment of nine reputed gang members allegedly tied to three U.S. Army soldiers accused of illegally selling firearms and…

U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (right) watches as President Joe Biden signs the Emmett Till Antilynching Act into law at a White House Rose Garden ceremony late last month.  – Photo courtesy of Congressman Rush’s Office

‘A day of enormous consequence’

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Spread the loveRush watches Biden sign Emmett Till law From staff reports The Emmett Till Antilynching Act, legislation sponsored and negotiated by U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st), was signed into law last week by President Joe Biden at a White House Rose Garden ceremony. The act passed the U.S. House on Feb. 28 by a…

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Scouts learn, earn at camp

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Spread the love Last month, members of Boy Scout Troop 1441 (sponsored by the St. Mary Star of Sea Holy Name Society) attended a cabin camping trip at the Owasippe Scout Reservation in Twin Lakes, Mich. Staying in the historic Owasippe Guest lodge established in 1948, Scouts prepared all meals to earn rank advancements, enjoyed…

Former Riverside-Brookfield star Ryan Cermak celebrates a grand slam against Western Illinois. Photo courtesy of Illinois State University

College report: Former Riverside-Brookfield star homers in four consecutive at-bats

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Former Riverside-Brookfield baseball standout Ryan Cermak is a leadoff hitter who is belting the ball like a cleanup hitter. The Illinois State University centerfielder hit three straight homers — including grand slams in consecutive at-bats— and broke a school record with 10 RBIs in a 15-7 victory over…

Chicago Fire II player Chinoso Offor (left) and Rochester’s Lamar Batista make nice in front of an official after they were jostling and shoving for a few minutes during the teams’ 0-0 tie on Sunday in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Pro Soccer Report: Fire II gets a point, but still no goals after three games

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The new Chicago Fire II team is winless and scoreless through three games, but coach Ludovic Taillandier knows wins and losses are not the team’s main focus. The Fire II, which tied Rochester 0-0 April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, is a mix of youth and Chicago…

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Marist sees better days ahead after rough start to season

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Spread the loveBy Steve Millar  Correspondent It’s been a tough start for Marist against a loaded schedule. But after the RedHawks fought back again and again in a 3-2 loss to 2021 Class 2A state runner-up Joliet Catholic on April 6 night at Joliet Memorial Stadium, there were plenty of reasons to think things are…

Lizzie Sedekis (white helmet) is congratulated by her Chicago Christian teammates after a home run against Timothy Christian on April 6 in Palos Heights. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Area Sports Roundup: Chicago Christian softball team looking to get their groove back

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Kevin Pittman said he’ll take some of the blame. The Chicago Christian softball and boys basketball coach has an annual tradition. After the rigors of the basketball season, he uses spring break to recharge. “When they asked me to take the softball job, I said I would do…

Mary Stanek

Can May flowers be far behind?

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Spread the loveBy Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 April showers bring May flowers, or so the saying goes. One could only wish. It seems it’s been a cold, rainy, slow start to spring. But Palm Sunday will soon be here. That usually is…

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Rain can’t stop West Lawn fun

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Spread the loveBy Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 Even though the weather has been cold and rainy, there’s always something going on in West Lawn.  Last week, the Envision organization held its Market Day at the St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish Center. There were lovely…

Neighbors

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

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

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

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

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

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…

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For the last two decades, each time a governor has moved to close a large state-run facility like a prison or mental health center, a legislative oversight panel has voted on the plan. That changed on Friday – at least for now –…

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

‘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…

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

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…

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of a would-be union representing staffers in House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office filed suit against their boss on Friday, asking a Cook County judge to force recognition of the union. The Illinois Legislative Staff Association, which formed in the fall of 2022, claims Welch’s…

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

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…