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

Chicago Police Department

Police reports

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Spread the loveMan shot to death in Chicago Lawn A 23-year-old man was shot in the back of the head and killed in a crime that occurred in the 6400 block of South St. Louis at about 1 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 30. Officers responding to a “person down” call discovered the victim lying on the…

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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…

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

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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…