Mary Stanek

Mary Stanek

Gardening time is here

Spread the love

By Mary Stanek

Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon

3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394

It’s time to garden!

My mother-in-law always told me to wait to plant the flowers ‘til after Mother’s Day. So, I think it is safe to do so.

(I never can wait and put up my petunias on April 28, first checking the weather for no frost).

The students of St. Bruno and St. Richard schools will be performing in a dance showcase at 5 p.m. May 18 in the St. Richard parking lot.

MaryStanek 1

Mary Stanek

The third and fourth grade students from St. Richard, and the fourth and sixth grade students from St. Bruno will be participating. The students are instructed by Dancing with Class, and the event is funded by Big Shoulders.

The folks around 57th Place are eagerly anticipating their new letter carrier. From what I understand, a decision won’t be made until June or July.

We have gotten to meet several carriers, some from the past and some new. Substituting for Gabriel’s route we have seen Eddie (who was our carrier in the past), Dave (whose wife was our carrier years ago), George (whom we have known for some time) and Sahnay (whom we just met).

We still offer treats when they deliver. If I had to pick one as a favorite, I would pick all! The best part is our dog, Oliver, loves them too.

I had my shower party back in August 1980 at The Blue-Sky restaurant at 48th and Pulaski. At that time, it was a Polish restaurant and had a little bar attached to it. Well, that building has been completely remodeled and looks great. According to talk on social media, it’s set to be a restaurant.

But in the construction news, the work on our Walgreens at 59th and Pulaski is coming along quite nicely as well.

Congratulations to those students of the St. Turibius Religious Education program that will be making the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 6.

Also, congratulations to my neighbor, Maria’s, son Isaiah on his report card. He received all As from Peck School and is on the A honor role. We had to reach into our bucket of dollar coins and give him a few for his success, even though mom says it’s his job to get As.

Remember, if you want to read this column online, please head over to southwestregionalpublishing.com and click on Subscribe. An online subscription to the Greater Southwest News-Herald costs as little as four cents a day (spread out over a year).

Happy Birthday to Justin Kuchta on the 12th. As always at this time of year, Happy Mother’s Day to all. It would have been a great day to travel to Boston’s Fenway Park for White versus Red!

Local News

Officials and potential participants in the After 22 Project pause for a photo as they discuss the new initiative’s planned impact of the lives of Chicagoans with developmental disabilities. --Supplied photo

Building a bridge at Daley College

Spread the love

Spread the love‘After 22’ program to help adults with disabilities  By Tim Hadac For Chicagoans with developmental disabilities, their 22nd birthday can feel like falling off a cliff. That’s when they become ineligible for the special education transition services they’ve received all their lives. That ineligibility can last for up to seven years, until they…

U.S. Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García (D-4th)

Society failed Melissa, Chuy says

Spread the love

Spread the loveCalls for more gov’t funds to fight violence  From staff reports Hours after police announced the arrest of two suspects in the slaying of 8-year-old Melissa Ortega, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th) issued the following statement. “Since the tragic death of Melissa Ortega, we have seen the resilience and strength of Little…

Guzman

Charge Brighton Pk. man with child’s murder

Spread the love

Spread the loveDrove getaway vehicle, police say By Tim Hadac A 27-year-old Brighton Park man and a 16-year-old boy have been charged with murder in the Jan. 22 slaying of 8-year-old Melissa Ortega in the Little Village neighborhood. Xavier Guzman, 27, of the 4600 block of South Fairfield, and the teen are in custody. Bond…

BBBlogo2021

Think before you answer a Facebook quiz, BBB says

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Better Business Bureau staff Social media is used as a fun distraction for some people, and taking a Facebook quiz may seem like a harmless way to pass the time. But are you giving away more information than you think? How the scam works A fun quiz pops up on your Facebook…

Joan Hadac

Thank you, Karen Sala

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac GSWNH Columnist At-Large As we all know, longtime Gage Park correspondent Karen Sala has decided to conclude her time with this column. Like every Greater Southwest News-Herald correspondent, Karen made the neighborhoods she served a better place. Thank you, Karen! That said, the search now begins for a new Gage…

Peggy Zabicki

Crime prevention starts with each of us

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 Hi neighbors! Before I say another thing, I want to wish my fellow columnist Karen Sala well. As you know, she wrote her final column last week. I love Karen’s style of writing. It’s conversational and natural. I always felt like she…

Mary Stanek

Plenty to celebrate in February

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394 “February is the month when days start to get long and gloomy nights to shrink.” –Anonymous. Thank goodness there are only 28 days this year. We are getting closer to March. But it’s silly to…

The Halo Life + Light, available via online retailers or directly from halolifelight.com. --Supplied photo

Necessity was this invention’s mother

Spread the love

Spread the loveHalo Life + Light could light way to safety, Brown says By Tim Hadac Two teenage girls are coming home at night. They walk through a dark gangway to reach the house’s back door. But a bulb is missing in a porch light, so the back entry is dark, as well. As one…

State to distribute $94 million to 96 airports through Rebuild Illinois plan

‘Once in a lifetime’ funding coming

Spread the love

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…

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

Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg bowls ’em over at state; Marist cheerleaders win sectional

Spread the love

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

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…

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…

Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident

Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Another caregiver at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna is facing charges for abusing a patient. A grand jury indicted Joseph A. Clark, 24, of Grand Chain, on a felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge of battery. Clark pinned a Choate resident to…

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…

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…

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…

Pritzker signs bill creating new Department of Early Childhood

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’

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

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

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…