
Peggy Zabicki
Time to get walking, West Lawn
By Peggy Zabicki
Your correspondent in West Lawn
3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327
Hello, dear readers. I hope everyone is enjoying this good day. This is the Day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24).
The weather has certainly been nice. If you’d like to enjoy the pleasant temperatures and take a walk, you might want to take part in an event called A Walk to the Park.
All are welcome to join other walkers and meet at the West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd St., on Wednesday, June 22 at 6 p.m. Everyone will then walk to West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St.

Peggy Zabicki
While walking, you can play a game called Pokemon Go! Using special codes, participants can catch Pokemon characters, exchange friend codes and have fun. Kids and teens love this game. They will need to be accompanied by adults.
Here’s a library event for those who are young at heart. On Wednesday, June 29 from 2 to 3 p.m., an informational program about Medicare will be presented by a licensed Medicare adviser. You can learn about the different parts of Medicare from A through D. You will have an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. Call the library at (312) 747-7381 to register for all library programs or to get more information.
Did you know that our library has adult yoga classes every Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.? Call the library to register.
The library is open every day. Their schedule is noon to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
St. Mary Star of the Sea School is having a car wash on Sunday, June 12 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The car wash will take place at their Parish Center, at the corner of 63rd and Knox. The cost is $5 for cars, $8 for SUVs, and $10 for trucks and mini-vans. All proceeds go to the Class of 2022 graduation celebration.
St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, 3741 W. 62nd St., will be hosting a summer camp from June 27 to July 22 from 8 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday. The camp is for preschoolers to eighth graders. Breakfast and lunch will be served. There will be academics, fun and field trips. Call (773) 735-0772 for registration information or visit stnicksschool.com.
As usual, there are loose dogs spotted every single day in West Lawn. Recently, a neighbor and his dog were attacked by a pit bull that was loose and roaming around because of its careless owner. Both the man and his little dog sustained injuries. It is such a shame that this attack occurred. I hope the victims are healing.
Often, loose dogs are neglected or abused. West Lawn neighbor Aztra H. wants to remind us about the laws concerning animal abuse. She said, “If you see animal abuse which goes from hitting a dog or leaving a pet unattended, etc., this is a felony now. Let’s keep an eye on those poor animals.”
In addition to calling 311, you can also report animal abuse anonymously by calling the Anti-Cruelty Society at (312) 645-8338 or you can email them at abuse@anticruelty.org.
Thank you to everyone I spoke to about last week’s column. I enjoyed talking and sharing information with each one of you. A special thank you to Francisco Torres for calling me. I really enjoyed our conversation about Daley College and look forward to hearing from you again.
Local News

Area Sports Report | Stagg flag football coach invited to Super Bowl
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Saja Alnajjar said she became a football fan growing up, and one of the first games she watched was Super Bowl XLI between the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts in February 2007. Little did she know then that she would someday be a football coach. And little did…

College Report | SXU beats Trinity in battle of interim coaches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer It was a battle featuring two interim coaches on the sidelines. Both Saint Xavier and Trinity Christian College had to find women’s basketball coaches roughly a month before the start of practice this season, and the athletic departments went to work. SXU hired assistant coach Sidney Lovitsch as…

Girls Hoops Wrap | Oak Lawn sees a lot in first 10 games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Oak Lawn’s girls basketball team beat Lindblom 64-14 on Dec. 9. The Spartans also lost a game 52-18 against Wheaton North on Nov. 24. They have just about seen it all while compiling a 6-4 record to open the season. Close games. Blowouts. But they entered this week…

Unbeaten Oak Lawn edges Evergreen Park on late free throws
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn forward Henry Martinez has long thought about playing for the Spartans. Martinez is not only playing for them, but he is also becoming a key contributor for an Oak Lawn team that entered this week unbeaten. His 20-point performance and some clutch free-throws were instrumental in maintaining…

Cool Kids see Santa
Spread the love. Several dozen special-needs boys and girls were let in early at the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s annual Snack With Santa, held earlier this month at Mayfield Banquets. The special time was the brainchild of the Midway Cool Kids Club, a social club founded earlier this year by Geno Randazzo of All Exterior…

Boys Basketball | Marist unbeaten heading into clash with Marian Catholic
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Four quarters were not enough time to determine a winner between Marist and St. Laurence in a Chicago Elite Classic matchup. The RedHawks prevailed, doubling up the Vikings in overtime to take home a 49-44 win and improve to 6-0. The game was played December 1 at Credit Union…

Boys Basketball | Stagg off to a strong start, dr
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Stagg has started the season strong, opening by winning the title at their own John McBride over Thanksgiving weekend. The Chargers won the championship game, 49-45, over Plainfield South. Senior guard Connor Williams was named MVP of the tournament, and teammates David Ortiz and Domas Narcevicius were named to…

Neighbors lighting the way to Christmas season
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere me and Oliver go! Thank you, neighbors. The blocks around my home are simply beautiful with the displays. To get yourselves more in…

Hanukkah, a holiday of happiness and peace
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Happy Hanukkah to all who celebrate the rededication of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 165 B.C. and the miracle of the temple lights lasting eight days with just one day’s supply of oil. Hanukkah is…

College Report | SXU football falls in quarterfinals
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For three quarters, Saint Xavier went nearly toe-to-toe with the No. 1-ranked football team in the nation. Justin Pringle had returned a kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to bring the Cougars to within three points of Northwestern (Iowa), the top-seeded team in the NAIA playoffs and the…
Neighbors

Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Capitol News Illinois Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about the 2023 petition filing deadline for Illinois’ 2024 primary election. Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield

Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that automobile insurance policies must cover people against uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents, even if the person covered by the policy is not in a vehicle at the time of the accident. The case involved a 14-year-old Chicago boy, Cristopher…

Pritzker signs measure allowing new small-scale nuclear technology in Illinois
By JERRY NOWICKI & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed into law a measure that will allow for the limited development of new nuclear power generation technology in the state. The measure, House Bill 2473, does not allow new large-scale power generation facilities like the six plants that are…

Capitol Cast: Halfway through FY ’24, CNI’s Jerry Nowicki breaks down estimates and predictions
With new estimates from the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, as well as Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, Capitol News Illinois’ Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about how the numbers shake out. Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Halfway through FY ’24, CNI’s Jerry Nowicki breaks down estimates and predictions…

Chicago utility pushes back against state oversight, asks for further rate increase
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Chicago utility Peoples Gas is requesting a multimillion-dollar bump to its already record-high rate increase approved by regulators last month. In November, the Illinois Commerce Commission forced a yearlong pause on the company’s controversial pipeline replacement program while it investigates whether the program adequately prioritizes replacing…

State health plan declares racism a public health crisis
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders. The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan,…

For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com State regulators allowed a Carlinville funeral director to operate for months despite a complaint filed by a local coroner who found a decomposing body in his funeral home and alleged the care of the remains was “unacceptable and criminal in nature.” While trying to assist a local family…

Dolly Parton Imagination Library officially launches statewide in Illinois
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the official launch of the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program founded…

What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Gun owners face a Jan. 1 deadline to register their assault weapons with the state under Illinois’ assault weapons law. But between lawsuits and ongoing policymaking, the exact guns, accessories and ammunition covered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act remain unclear to many gun rights advocates, who point…

Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Capitol News Illinois Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about the 2023 petition filing deadline for Illinois’ 2024 primary election. Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield