13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn
Political sands shifting
Lopez mayoral exit leaves question marks
By Tim Hadac
The political sands of mayoral politics shifted last week, leaving many in Clearing and Garfield Ridge asking “What next?” questions.
Garfield Ridge native Lopez worked the neighborhoods hard since he announced his mayoral candidacy back in April.
His law-and-order stance and sharp criticism of Mayor Lori Lightfoot appeared to endear him to many in a part of Chicago angry over what some describe as out-of-control crime.
But with Lopez withdrawing in favor of running for re-election as an alderman, some who supported him have started shopping for like-minded mayoral candidates.
That may be a tall order with the field of candidates largely populated by political liberals who don’t appear to have crime fighting at the top of their to-do list.
One who may stand out is former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas, who has openly courted Lopez supporters in the last week.
“Alderman Raymond Lopez has been voicing two things foremost in the minds of people across the city — fear of the rampant crime plaguing all of our communities, and Lightfoot’s incompetence in addressing them,” Vallas said on social media. “I appreciate his direct approach, especially around the need to support Chicago’s understaffed and overworked first responders.”
That may play well in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, which have relatively high numbers of law enforcement families, as well as a strong number of city workers.
On the other hand, in the mayoral election of 2019, candidate Lori Lightfoot won every precinct in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, in her one-on-one battle with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. While the mayor’s supporters in the area are not vocal, they will doubtless show up to the polls on Feb. 28 and vote for Lightfoot, who is running for a second term.
Who will be supported by the area’s two aldermen, Marty Quinn (13th) and Silvana Tabares (23rd), remains to be seen. Tabares had thrown her political lot in with Lopez, but has not recently said anything about the race going forward. Quinn, much like his political mentor (former Illinois House Speaker and current 13th Ward Democratic Committeeman Michael J. Madigan), is keeping his views close to his vest, at least for now.
Other candidates in the race include Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th), businessman and philanthropist Willie Wilson, State Rep. Kam Buckner, Ald. Sophia King, Ald. Roderick Sawyer and activist Ja’Mal Green.
Neighborhood races taking shape
In the 13th Ward, Quinn filed his nominating petitions promptly on Nov. 21, the first day candidates could file.
Also filing on the first day was Garfield Ridge resident Paul Bruton, a former employee of the Chicago Office of the Inspector General.
Two other candidates who have announced but had not yet filed as of last Thursday were Garfield Ridge resident Jason Pullappilly, a CPD detective running as an advocate of public safety; and Clearing resident Paul “Paulino” Villarreal Jr., who lost a head-to-head race to Tabares in 2019, when he lived in the 23rd Ward. Villarreal owns a private security firm headquartered on Archer Avenue.
In the 23rd Ward, as of last Thursday, only Tabares had filed petitions. West Lawn community activist, a member of Madigan’s political organization who had announced his candidacy, had not yet filed.
Exactly who files nominating petitions next month and exactly who survives the nearly inevitable legal challenges remains to be seen. But the next 100 days are certain to bring a flurry of political activity in Clearing and Garfield Ridge.
Also on the ballot are candidates running for police councils created as a result of police reform legislation passed by the City Council last year. There will be a council in each district. Clearing and Garfield Ridge are part of the Chicago Lawn (8th) District.
Filing petitions last week for the council was Garfield Ridge resident Al Cacciottolo, a Streets and Sanitation official who also serves as president of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch; Scottsdale resident Jason Huff, a city Department of Finance supervisor who also serves as president of the Scottsdale Neighborhood Watch; and Mark Hamberlin, an Ashburn resident who describes himself as a Teamsters Local 781 steward and a referee of youth sports on the Southwest Side.
Local News
Area Sports Roundup: Top pick Ava Cook scores Red Stars’ lone goal in winless trip to Portland
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Mixing a blend of veterans and newcomers, the Chicago Red Stars lost two games and tied one while scoring just one goal during a three-game preseason series in Portland. New coach Chris Petrucelli watched his team open with a 0-0 deadlock with the U23 U.S. Women’s National Team…
College Report: Rice grad Rothstein enjoying coaching at Fontbonne
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer After hitting the floor time after time after time as a libero at Brother Rice and Fontbonne University, Zach Rothstein’s body is glad he is now a graduate assistant with the latter. The Evergreen Park native admits there is a time or two where he wouldn’t mind diving…
Feds bust Madigan
Spread the loveNeighbors vent disgust with former political powerhouse By Tim Hadac (Editor’s note: this story is a companion piece to this Capitol News Illinois story: https://www.southwestregionalpublishing.com/capitol-news-post/the-madigan-enterprise-inside-the-federal-indictment-of-the-states-former-speaker/) Southwest Siders reacted largely with disgust, cynicism and even a bit of resignation to the news that former longtime political powerhouse Michael J. Madigan has been indicted by…
St. Patrick’s Day Parade coming
Spread the love Families decked out in green are expected to line Archer Avenue this Saturday, March 12 for Garfield Ridge’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The festive event, enjoyed by the Irish and the “Irish for a day,” is organized and hosted by the Clear-Ridge Men’s Social Athletic Club (SAC) and the International Union of…
The March forecast: warmer with a strong chance of fun
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. The day I wrote this column, it was an amazing 45 degrees outside. The sun was hot on my face as I drove in the car. Now it’s only the beginning of March, so I don’t expect the…
Moraine Valley looking for local residents to host international students
Spread the loveLearn about another culture while welcoming an international student into your home. Moraine Valley Community College’s International Student Affairs Department has immediate needs for local residents to help integrate students into the U.S. and provide a safe place for them to stay through its Host Home Program. Hundreds of international students from countries…
RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation offers $10,000 scholarship
Spread the loveFrom staff reports The RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation is offering a $10,000 scholarship to a woman who is seeking to return to or start college, Foundation President William O. Lipinski announced this week. Lipinski said the scholarship, named after his late wife, is intended to help a mother with two children who are in…
College Roundup: Saint Xavier women’s hoops heading to national tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer St. Xavier’s women’s basketball team may have ended the conference tournament on a rough note, but it is still going to the NAIA National Tournament with a top-five seed in regionals. The Cougars (25-6) earned the fifth seed in the Omaha Sports Commission Bracket and will play No.…
Neighbors
After 9 months, state data begins to detail new pretrial detention system
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Nine months after cash bail ended in Illinois, the state is taking its first steps in publishing the data that crafters of the bail reform law saw as essential to judging its effectiveness. The data shows that judges in the 75 counties served by the Illinois Supreme Court’s…
ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS: Pritzker keeps economic development at forefront in exclusive interview
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com With fiscal year 2025 slated to begin Monday, Gov. JB Pritzker continues to tout available state tax incentives and promote Illinois as a site for business development. On the season finale of “Illinois Lawmakers” this week, Pritzker pointed to a pair of developments in East Alton and Normal…
Pritzker calls SCOTUS emergency abortion ruling ‘small respite’ as state protections await his signature
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Abortion remains legal as an emergency medical procedure in Idaho, for now, after a Thursday U.S. Supreme Court ruling, while a bill that would cement those protections in Illinois law awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature. The 6-3 decision saw the three liberal justices concur with the order. Three…
‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com LINCOLN – On the eve of a scheduled vote to advise Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on plans to close and rebuild a pair of dilapidated state prisons, hundreds filed into a junior high school gymnasium Thursday evening clad in matching green T-shirts. Printed on the shirts was a…
SCOTUS ruling could upend federal corruption cases for Madigan, allies
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday narrowed the scope of a federal bribery law prosecutors have relied on in their cases against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and several of his allies convicted of bribing him. A jury last spring found those allies – former lobbyists and…
Quantum technology companies set for big tax incentives under new law
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday gave final approval to a plan to bolster the state’s tech industry, including an incentives package – backed by $500 million in the state budget – aimed at making Illinois the nation’s leader in quantum computing. The package also expands tax…
Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children. The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…
Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…
Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Another caregiver at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna is facing charges for abusing a patient. A grand jury indicted Joseph A. Clark, 24, of Grand Chain, on a felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge of battery. Clark pinned a Choate resident to…
State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death. But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…