Mary Stanek

Mary Stanek

Central Park looking brighter than ever

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By Mary Stanek

Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon

3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 284-7394

Murals make neighborhoods beautiful, adding color and art to plain walls. So, I took a dog walk towards Central Park to visit the status of the murals on both 58th and 59th Streets. Robert Valadez and his helpers are doing a great job on 58th Street.

I wanted to meet James Jankowiak, the artist leading the group on 59th Street, but I didn’t see him. But there was a group of helpers also doing a great job. Both of those viaducts are going to be so much more improved.

MaryStanek 1

Mary Stanek

A paper-shredding event will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. It is within walking distance from me! The event will be held at the parking lot of Peck Elementary School, 3826 W. 58th St.

In addition to paper shredding a medicine take-back and small electronics recycling will be held. For the medicine take-back, pills in bottles will be accepted, but please no liquids or sharp items. For the electronics recycling, things like cellphones, cables, holiday lights or printers will be accepted.

While you are there, step on over to the Peck Panther Patch on Springfield for a rest. A lot of our blooms are fading with fall but the birds are still there and it is a tranquil place. If I remember the morning of, I will pop over to feed the birds so they can be around in the garden.

I always find something to write about my 23rd Ward. But here is great news from 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn: there will be work starting soon on two new dog parks located at Wentworth and West Lawn Parks.

The alderman has long stated he believes that strong schools and parks make for safe neighborhoods. So, thank you Alderman Quinn! My dog Oliver travels to the dog park at Katherine Legge Park in Burr Ridge every weekend. He will have to try the neighborhood spots as soon as available. He has girlfriends at the park he visits now; but being the player he is, he can always find new gals.

I was in the north woods for last week’s paper, so I am sorry I missed you all. I also missed quite a few birthdays that bear mentioning. Happy belated birthday to Geri Biel, Mary Rose McNamee, Sandy Vrkljan and Rita Fyfe. The last three mentioned birthdays are St. Turibius alumni from my class. They recently visited St. Turibius for the St. Vincent de Paul Society food drive making donations. I just visited the food drive on the morning of Sept. 17. It was nice visiting with Sister Mary Beth and Sister Barbara. I haven’t seen them in quite some time.

Happy 42nd Anniversary on Sept. 27 to Robert Stanek and me! Happy Belated Anniversary to my two good friends, Russ and Pat Charleston.

Local News

18th Ward Ald. Derrick G. Curtis

‘Will be great for everyone’

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Spread the lovePete’s coming to 87/Kedzie, Curtis says  By Tim Hadac Pete’s Fresh Market, which had been planned for the vacant Luther South High School site at the northeast corner of 87th and Kedzie, will instead move into the vacant Ultra Foods site on the northwest corner of the intersection. “This will be great for…

GSWNH_MahAndJB_022522

Tigers on Archer Avenue

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Spread the love State Rep. Theresa Mah (center) shares a joyful moment with Governor JB Pritzker at last week’s new year’s parade near Archer Avenue. This month begins the Chinese lunar new year, the Year of the Tiger, which will last into early January 2023. Mah’s district includes McKinley Park, which has a large and…

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.…

Neighbors

Nursing home industry unlikely to see much help from Springfield in tough budget year

Nursing home industry unlikely to see much help from Springfield in tough budget year

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com It’s been four years since some of the worst scenes of COVID-19 played out in locked-down nursing homes during the early months of the pandemic.  But while most of the world has moved on, the nursing home industry is still reeling from COVID, which exacerbated pre-existing challenges in…

Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships

Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships

By ALEX ABBEDUTO & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ.  The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he…

House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo

House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com After Illinois received another failing grade from a national advocacy group, state House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at further protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. Shared Hope International, an advocacy organization that works to prevent sex trafficking, said in its 2023 Illinois report card that…

Hundreds of bills pass, including changes to state’s biometric data privacy law

Hundreds of bills pass, including changes to state’s biometric data privacy law

By HANNAH MEISEL COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABEDDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment.  Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law.…

Pritzker pledges to expand access to mental health care in Illinois

Pritzker pledges to expand access to mental health care in Illinois

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In the middle of Mental Health Awareness Month, Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton hosted a panel in Springfield this week at which he pledged to expand the state’s behavioral health services. With several dozen services providers from around the state in attendance, Pritzker…

With 1 week left in session, Pritzker admin says all revenue options remain on the table

With 1 week left in session, Pritzker admin says all revenue options remain on the table

By JERRY NOWICKI  Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com While the governor’s office instructed its agency directors to prepare for $800 million in potential budget cuts last week, all facets of his plan to raise $1.1 billion in revenue to avoid those cuts remain under consideration.  Read more: ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to…

Illinois launches summer food assistance program

Illinois launches summer food assistance program

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state is launching a new program to provide food assistance during the summer for families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. Gov. JB Pritzker joined other state officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thursday to announce that Illinois will…

Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships

Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships

By ALEX ABBEDUTO & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ.  The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he…

House gives OK to new state agency focused on early childhood programs

House gives OK to new state agency focused on early childhood programs

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House gave final passage Thursday to a bill establishing a new cabinet-level state agency whose mission will be to provide a kind of one-stop shop for services focusing on early childhood development and education. By the time it’s fully operational in 2026, the new…

As vacated Centralia funeral home prepares for new tenant, owner makes a startling find

As vacated Centralia funeral home prepares for new tenant, owner makes a startling find

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com In the basement of a Centralia funeral home in a dark hallway off the embalming room, tucked inside a nook behind two steel plates and a door, a visitor found three disembodied, neatly wrapped human legs, two of them marked with names and dated to the 1960s.  The…