Sign up now, play ball later
.
.
By Joan Hadac
Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge
(708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com
.
Looking to get your son or daughter off their cellphone screen and into the sunshine? The time is now to sign them up to play baseball or softball with Clear Ridge Little League, one of the best youth athletic associations in the Chicago area. Early-bird registration is open all this month, so visit clearridgell.com now. Save money and guarantee your child a spot on a roster.
There are also plenty of options for folks who want to volunteer to help, as well as businesses that want to sign up as a league sponsor.
Eligible to play are children living west of Central Avenue in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, as well as Summit and Bedford Park (north of 71st Street).
Opening day is set for Saturday, April 22.
Since the 1950s, CRLL has provided athletic opportunities for thousands of boys and girls in this area, promoting physical fitness and teaching teamwork and good sportsmanship, lessons that often last a lifetime.
There are a number of signs of a thriving neighborhood. A successful youth athletic organization is one. A number of neighborhoods in the city and suburbs used to have their own Little League association, but no longer do. Let’s all work to support our Clear Ridge Little League.
Mark your calendar
- Today is the final day to order your Home Run Inn Take ‘N Bake Pizza and help the Parents Club at St. Daniel the Prophet School. So order your pizza today and then pick up at Home Run Inn, 6221 S. Archer, Feb. 13-15. Bring it home and bake it and voila! For details, visit https://bit.ly/StDanielParentClub2-23.
- The next meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 at Ward Hall, 5157 S. McVicker. This meeting also serves as the monthly CAPS meeting for Beat 811 (all of Garfield Ridge west of Central Avenue). My thanks to CAPS Beat 811 co-facilitator Marilyn Gilroy for sharing this information, as well as her continued service as a community volunteer.
- The Garfield Ridge Civic League’s next public meeting is tentatively set for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, 5550 S. Merrimac.
A strong, independent, non-partisan civic association is an important part of any good city neighborhood or suburban town, and the GRCL has served in that capacity since 1939. So please consider stopping by.
- Next week will be busy at the Garfield Ridge Satellite Senior Center, 5674-B S. Archer (immediately west of Archer and Laramie). Here are just a few highlights:
A Valentine’s Day singalong is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14. Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. You’ll need a ticket for lunch, and they are available starting at 9 a.m. At 1:30 p.m., stick around for bingo.
A “cardio chair” exercise class is set for 9 to 9:45 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15. A $1 donation is requested to join this class. At 10 a.m., a pharmacist from the White Crane Wellness Center will be on hand to discuss your meds. At 12:45 p.m., enjoy a cooking class with Chef Gloria D. Hafer.
A White Crane social worker will be on hand from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16. A nurse will be there from 12:30 to 3 p.m. for individual consultations. An exercise class for those with arthritis will run from 1 to 2 p.m.
Bingo starts at 9:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 17. If you like romantic films, the movie The Good House will be shown at 1 p.m.
The Senior Center will be closed on Monday, Feb. 13 (President Lincoln’s birthday) and Monday, Feb. 20 (President Washington’s birthday).
For details on the center, it events and services, call (312) 745-4255.
- Please remember to order your paczki no later than Wednesday, Feb. 15 from Pticek’s Bakery, 5523 S. Narragansett. More than 15 varieties are available. Paczki Day is Tuesday, Feb. 21. Call Pticek’s at (773) 585-5500.
- Well, that’s all for this week. I don’t feel like cooking, so I’m going to call Triano’s Pizza at (773) 229-1444 and take advantage of Wing Wednesday. Jumbo chicken wings are just 99 cents each (minimum order is four) and you get your choice of sauce.
See you next week.
Local News
Football | Evergreen Park gallops past Oak Lawn in conference opener
Spread the loveWithin the first five-plus minutes of the Week 3 battle between Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park, 27 points had been scored. The host Mustangs sustained their offensive momentum throughout the contest en route to a 49-31 victory over the Spartans in the South Suburban Red opener for both teams. Leading the way for…
Football | Mount Carmel’s Jack Elliott and Cooper Lehman set records in defeat of Nazareth
Spread the loveA rare matchup between back-to-back state champions saw two of the state’s top quarterbacks combine for 11 touchdown passes and ended as an historic night for a program familiar with making history. The quarterback duel and the game both went to Mount Carmel, which rode the arm of senior signal-caller Jack Elliot to…
Community Fun and Fundraising at Garfield Ridge ‘Sell-a-Bration’ Yard Sale
Spread the loveEverything from action figures and baseball cards to zippered coats was on sale at the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch’s “Sell-a-Bration” Community Yard Sale on Saturday at the Kennedy High School parking lot. Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch (GRNW) Secretary Michele Doherty and Treasurer Debi Kurbac said they were pleased with the turnout as they…
Sandburg girls volleyball players bond via Smurfs and zombie brides
Spread the loveSandburg junior middle hitter Ayah Kashkeesh and her volleyball teammates did not have a normal Thursday night on Sept. 12. Rather than playing a match in the school’s main gym, the Eagles had the night away from volleyball and held a fashion show and raffle. The players were not, however, modeling the hottest…
Red Stars’ Schlegel scores in return, but Swanson hurt in win over Portland
Spread the loveAlly Schlegel welcomed herself back to the Chicago Red Stars starting lineup in the best way possible. The forward scored the only goal in the game in the 16th minute to give the RedStars a 1-0 road win over Portland in an NWSL game at Providence Park on Sept. 13. Red Stars star…
College Football | Saint Xavier falls to St. Thomas in battle of NAIA Top 10 teams
Spread the loveMany Saint Xavier football players remember when St. Thomas University came to Chicago in 2022 and beat the Cougars by three touchdowns. Those players were seeking revenge in a rematch at Deaton Field on Sept. 14, but that didn’t happen. SXU, ranked 8th in the nation by NAIA coaches, dropped a 33-14 decision…
Autumn fun right around the corner
Spread the love There’s a bite in the air and Halloween decorations are on sale everywhere! Time for football and bonfires and curling up with a good book. The days may be getting shorter but there’s still plenty to do. It’s going to be a busy month around the neighborhood this fall so keep a…
Ridge Funeral Home Hosts Appreciation Cookout to Honor First Responders
Spread the love In honor of local heroes, Ridge Funeral Home took time to honor those who dedicate their time and lives to helping others. The funeral home, 6620 W. Archer Avenue, Chicago, hosted a First Responders Appreciation Cookout on September 7 as a thank you to local police officers and firefighters, and all first…
Football | St. Laurence ‘D’ dominates in shutout of Notre Dame
Spread the loveSt. Laurence coach Adam Nissen was a happy man following the Vikings’ 24-0 shutout victory of Niles Notre Dame, Whether running the ball or dominating the Dons defensively, St. Laurence turned in an impressive performance in the CCL/ESCC crossover on Sept. 13 in Burbank. The Vikings defense allowed just 55 yards of total…
Neighbors
Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A federal judge on Thursday declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked in their deliberations over whether former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza bribed longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via a no-work contract for the speaker’s political ally. After nearly 15 hours of deliberation…
High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Law enforcement officers in Illinois cannot rely on the smell of burnt cannabis alone to justify searching a vehicle without a warrant, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The decision was unanimous, though Justice Lisa Holder White did not take part in it. Writing for the court,…
State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. Judge Steven McGlynn, who has…
Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A firearms expert testified Wednesday that the weapons restricted under Illinois’ assault weapons ban include many of the most common firearms that American consumers use for self-defense. Steven Randall Watt, a combat veteran and retired law enforcement officer who now owns a private firearms…
Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – On Valentine’s Day in 2017, then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza got some good news: After years of trying to push for legislation in Springfield that would save the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan had agreed to a…
State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in actor Jussie Smollett’s appeal to overturn his conviction on disorderly conduct charges for falsifying a hate crime. Smollett, who was an actor on the TV show “Empire,” was improperly charged with the same crime twice, his legal team…
Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – An engineer who spent decades designing weapons for one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers testified Tuesday that the assault-style weapons now banned in Illinois are intended only for civilian use and cannot be easily converted into military-grade firearms. James Ronkainen, a former engineer…
Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Around 4.6 million records associated with Illinoisans in over a dozen counties – including voting records, registrations and death certificates – were temporarily available on the open internet, according to a security researcher who identified the vulnerability in July. The documents were available through an unsecured cloud storage…
Prosecutors rest case against former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – After years of pushing in Springfield, AT&T Illinois’ executive team was thrilled when the Illinois General Assembly in 2017 passed legislation that would get the company out from under expensive obligations to maintain its aging copper landline wires in Illinois. “Game over. We win,” AT&T Illinois…
Trial begins in challenge to assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – The owner of a gun store testified Monday that Illinois’ ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and large capacity magazines has had a significant impact on his business and prevented his customers from buying items they would normally use for self-defense, hunting, target…