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

CRRNH_OLS3rdGradersWinPizzaParty_042424

It’s (pizza) party time at OLS

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Spread the love. Third graders at Our Lady of the Snows School break into cheers as they learn they’ve won a pizza party for selling more raffle booklets than any other class. The recent Grand Raffle fundraiser brought in about $6,000. Parents looking for a grade school for their sons and daughters for 2024-25 are…

Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart

Dart wants free mental health care for first responders

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Spread the love. From staff reports The Illinois Senate has passed legislation proposed by Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart that eliminates out-of-pocket expenses for first responders seeking mental health treatment. “We ask first responders to be constantly exposed to traumatic and dangerous situations to protect us,” Dart said. “This legislation is a solid step…

A security-camera image of the man wanted for the crimes. --Supplied photo

Hunt man who tried to rob Chase Bank

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Spread the love. FBI looking for tips from public .  From staff reports FBI officials are appealing to the public for help in finding a man who attempted to rob a Southwest Side bank branch. The bandit tried to rob the Chase Bank branch at 5687 S. Archer (just west of Laramie) at about 11…

Giannoulias

E-Notary makes things easier, Giannoulias says

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Spread the love. From staff reports Illinois residents will no longer have to notarize documents in person under a new Electronic-Notary system administered by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office. Electronic Notarization, or “E-Notary,” will radically change the way people and use notary services, Giannoulias predicted. Without leaving the home or office, an individual or…

Mary Stanek

A simple idea for Earth Day

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Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Moving right along through April, as the days get longer and nicer, time will start to go by faster. We have Earth Day on April 22 and the start of Passover at sunset.…

Kathy Headley

Bingo at St. Clare was something to yell about

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Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Recently I mentioned a bingo fundraiser the Augustinian Young Adults of St. Rita of Cascia Parish were holding. This was their first attempt at a bingo and they put on a really nice event. Held…

Peggy Zabicki

One thing is certain: life goes on

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Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . I get a lot of calls from residents who are discouraged about our neighborhood. There are so many car accidents, shootings and violent crimes being committed in West Lawn and surrounding areas. It certainly is challenging to stay hopeful and positive. Here is a paragraph…

The logosof the United Business Association of Midway. --Supplied image

Biz groups battle over names, logos

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Spread the love. UBAM, MCC trade barbs . By Dermot Connolly and Tim Hadac The leader of one Midway-area business association is accusing the other of bad faith, and the leader of the other is scratching her head over the dustup. United Business Association of Midway Executive Director Anita Cummings recently claimed that a rival…

BesonenBookCover2024

Chicago Lawn native’s book is ‘off the hook’

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Spread the love. Longtime journalist shares humor columns . By Tim Hadac Nancy (Emerson) Besonen has made a career as a news reporter and humor columnist for a weekly paper in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But her roots are in Chicago Lawn, and it showed during a recent conversation. Like most true Southwest Siders, she didn’t…

Oak Lawn coach Shawn Neubauer and Teagan Kryzstof survey the field during the Spartans’ 3-0 loss to Shepard on April 15. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard

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Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind…

Neighbors

Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?

Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?

by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again.  The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…

Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system

Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system

By ANDREW ADAMS  Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall.  Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…

Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track

Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…

Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored

Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now.  Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…

Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending

Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending

By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…

Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol

Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families.  “No one…

Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions

Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions

By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot.  It’s a move that caused minority party…

After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination

After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…

Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air

Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air

Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor.  “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…