Joan Hadac
Don’t take senior center for granted
By Joan Hadac
Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge
(708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com
I’m back. Thank you, Patti Tyznik, for filling in and giving me a week off. I hope this becomes a regular thing!
- Nominations are now open for officers to serve on the board of directors of the Southwest Side Senior Service Organization, which
operates the Garfield Ridge Satellite Senior Center. Needed are a new president, vice president and treasurer, as well as board members in general. If you want to get involved, please stop by the center, 5674-B S. Archer (barely west of Archer and Laramie) or call (312) 745-4255. Do it this week, because the time to step forward and join the board is almost over.
Years ago, senior citizens in Clearing and Garfield Ridge worked hard to pressure city government to establish a senior center west of the airport, because older folks out this way were tired of driving all the way to 61st and Kedzie to go to a City of Chicago senior center. So let’s honor their work by supporting the satellite center. May no one take its existence for granted.
- The next meeting of the Clearing Civic League is set for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11 at the Clearing Branch Library, 6423 W. 63rd Place. If you live in Clearing and care about the neighborhood, please attend and consider joining. Since 1960, the CCL has served as a non-profit, non-partisan group of Clearing residents dedicated to improving the community. At its best, it serves as an important counterweight to the power of elected officials and the business community. My thanks to longtime CCL officer Marie Zilka for sharing this information.
- If you live in Clearing, west of Central Avenue, you are welcome to attend the next CAPS Beat 812 meeting, set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the Clearing Branch Library. Meet your local police officers and talk about crime prevention in the neighborhood. This meeting also serves as the October meeting of the Clearing Night Force neighborhood watch, who are always looking for new members.
- Well, it’s almost here: 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares’ annual Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast. Bring a hearty appetite and your cash to Brennan Hall at St. Dan’s, 54th and Natoma, from 8 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16. A plate of pancakes and sausage costs $10 and includes a beverage (coffee, orange juice or water). Dine in at Brennan Hall with your neighbors or get your breakfast to go.
All proceeds benefit the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s Get Behind the Vest initiative, which purchases protective vests for CPD officers. The CPMF will have a table or two at the event to sell some pretty cool merch, as the kids say.
If you see me there with a camera, please smile!
- Two Holy Martyrs Parish will host a “super bingo” on Sunday, Oct. 16 at the St. Rene Goupil hall, 6340 S. New England. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., and games start at 1:30 p.m. Admission is $20. Food and beverages will be on sale. For details, call (773) 767-1523.
- If you live in Garfield Ridge, west of Central Avenue, you are welcome to attend the next CAPS Beat 811 meeting, set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Ward Hall, 5157 S. McVicker. Meet your local police officers and talk about crime prevention in the neighborhood. This meeting also serves as the October meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, who are always looking for new members. Thanks to Marilyn Koperniak for sharing this information.
- If you are age 60 or older, there are indoor activities just for you at Wentworth Park, 5625 S. Mobile. All are offered at no charge.
Start your week off right with a stretching class, set for 1:15 to 2 p.m. Mondays through Dec. 5. Keep those muscles limber and improve your breathing and circulation.
Want to meet other seniors and play bingo, board games or cards—or just talk? A senior club meets from 1 to 2:15 p.m. Thursdays through Dec. 8.
If you want to build physical strength, a conditioning class runs from 1:15 to 2 p.m. Fridays through Dec. 9. Train with weights and other fitness tools.
For more information, call the park at (312) 747-6993. My thanks to Tricia Orszula for sharing this information.
- At the September meeting of the Garfield Ridge Civic League, a speaker from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago talked briefly about what people can do to help monarch butterflies thrive. That matters because butterflies have an important role to play, as pollinators.
One easy thing to do is to plant milkweed in your garden. If you want free milkweed seeds you can plant in 2023, visit mwrd.org/save-monarchs. The seeds will be mailed to you.
- Finally, if you’re thinking ahead to Halloween and buying some candy for the wee ones who come in costume to your door, I encourage you to shop local and shop independent. See what places like Continental Sales, 6333 S. Cicero, have to offer. You may also order online at shop.tootsie.com if you want to spend your dollars with a local candy maker that has provided employment to generations of Southwest Side men and women.
That’s all for now. Have a great week.
Local News
Area Sports Roundup: Brother Rice riding in style; Evergreen Park’s Lily Strand fans 27
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For some games, Brother Rice arrives in style. On March 22, the Crusaders opened a few eyes when they arrived in Orland Park on a charter bus for a non-conference game against Sandburg. “We’ve had problems with the timing of getting a bus and sometimes 3:45 is the…
Boys Volleyball: Marist beats Lincoln-Way East in battle of national powers
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer High rankings do not mean a whole lot to Kellen O’Keefe. The Marist senior hitter was well aware the RedHawks were recently ranked 14th in the nation in a USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll in mid-March. But minutes after the RedHawks won their own 24-team tournament with…
Harlem Avenue resurfacing from 62nd to 111th to resume April 4
Spread the loveFrom staff reports The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a resurfacing of Harlem Avenue, from 62nd Street, in Chicago and Summit, to 111th Street, in Worth, passing through Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Burbank, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, will resume, weather permitting, Monday, April 4. The $5 million project, which consists of resurfacing the…
Tug of war over masks
Spread the loveCTU fights in court to stay covered By Tim Hadac Masks became optional last week at public schools across the city, but the Chicago Teachers Union still vowed a fight to keep everyone covered. In the wake of a decision against their position by a labor board, the CTU issued this statement: “By…
Aleah Radojevich headed north on a gymnastics scholarship
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. I’d like to share a lovely email with you I received from Garfield Ridge resident Danielle Radojevich, a 23-year employee of the Chicago Park District, sharing the accomplishments of her daughter, Aleah. Danielle told me that Aleah, whose…
Pro Soccer Report: Red Stars seek title after back-to-back runner-up finishes
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer It’s an obvious goal. Win it all. The Chicago Red Stars, who make their 2022 home debut in the Challenge Cup at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Kansas City at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, finished runner-up in each of the past two NWSL seasons in 2019 and 2021. There…
Madigan hits feds
Spread the loveActions routine, ‘not illegal’ By Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois Former Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan and former lobbyist Michael McClain have pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges of racketeering, bribery, fraud and extortion. Both were arraigned on those charges last week during a teleconference hearing before U.S. District Judge…
Neighbors
Stateville may close as early as September under Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Stateville Correctional Center could close as early as September under a plan laid out by Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on Friday. Top officials with the Illinois Department of Corrections testified in front of a key panel of state lawmakers. The 12 members on the General Assembly’s…
Labor-backed bill banning ‘captive audience’ meetings awaits House action
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With two weeks left before the General Assembly’s spring session is set to adjourn, negotiations continue on a labor union-backed initiative that would allow Illinoisans to skip religious and political work meetings without reprimand. Dubbed the “Worker Freedom of Speech Act,” Senate Bill 3649 advanced out…
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…
ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to call for cuts
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com When Gov. JB Pritzker proposed his budget for the upcoming fiscal year in February, he sought authority from lawmakers to raise more than $1 billion in revenue through various changes to the state tax code. Among other things, he sought to raise $526 million through extending an expiring…
State officials offer last goodbye to former Thompson Center as renovations begin
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State officials kicked off the private renovation of the building which once served as the state government’s Chicago headquarters. The James R. Thompson Center, as it was known under state ownership, was sold in 2022 to a development firm that is renovating the building for its…
Public officials seek greater oversight of prescription drug middlemen
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com As state lawmakers hold hearings targeting the role of pharmacy benefit managers – an influential arm in how the health insurance industry prices prescription drugs – multiple state agencies are considering how to better regulate the industry. Often referred to as pharmaceutical “middlemen,” PBMs act as third-party intermediaries…
Thousands of youths at risk of losing access to after-school programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. “The time is now for legislators to act to…
Lawsuit alleges sexual abuse was rampant in state-run juvenile detention centers
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Rampant sexual abuse occurred unchecked for decades at Illinois’ juvenile detention centers, a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 95 former detainees alleges, citing hundreds of incidents over more than two decades. The plaintiffs were boys between 12 and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred and…
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…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…