Peggy Zabicki
Campaigns over, time to lead
.
By Peggy Zabicki
Your correspondent in West Lawn
3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327
Now that the aldermanic part of the city elections is over, it’s time for aldermen to let go of campaigning and get down to the business of being aldermen. We have all seen enough photo ops of politicians posing with policemen, with seniors at a bingo hall and at prayer vigils. It’s time to fulfill campaign promises and get back to work.
I get calls and texts every day from residents of the 13th and 23rd Wards. Lately, many readers of my column have asked about Ford City. One young gal even asked if it was still open. I told her it is still open.
I also shared a tip from my neighbor, Gladys. If you are shopping and want to bring your purchases to your car and then go back into the mall and continue shopping, you should get in your car and park in a different parking lot location. This is because many thieves will watch as you load up your car and walk back into the mall. Once they see you are inside the mall they will break into your car and steal your packages. If they are able, they will steal your car, too.
Ford City is no longer a busy, store-filled shopping center. It is bleak and almost empty of both shoppers and stores. There are several places to eat. As one neighbor said, eating is the only thing to do in a dying mall.
Our neighborhood mall has been bought and sold several times by investors trying to make a success of it. The main reason for the failure is customer concern about crime. There have been shootings and robberies. This is an issue that local politicians should be involved with.
The next CAPS Beat 813/833 meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 28 at West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St. This meeting will give all West Lawn residents as well as residents of other wards who shop at or used to shop at Ford City mall a chance to voice their concerns. I hope our local politicians will attend as well.
Neighborhood activist Eddie Guillen organized a West Lawn Park clean up a couple of weeks ago. Several residents joined him and worked hard to clean up the garbage in our park. Eddie will be doing clean-ups every Saturday in various neighborhood locations. He said, “I’m trying to make a difference.”
Thank you, Eddie, and all the volunteers. You are definitely making a difference.
As you read in last week’s edition of the Greater Southwest News-Herald, the old Kmart location at 71st and Pulaski, once considered for a possible housing site for newly arrived migrants, will not be used for that purpose.
I called State Rep. Guerrero-Cuellar’s office about this over a month ago because of all the calls I received from neighbors. I was told that someone would get back to me, but I never heard from anyone. My thanks to my neighbor, Dawn Ferrarini, who shared the news on her Facebook page.
In my opinion, a better location for housing immigrants would be an empty Chicago Public School building. There are a number of them just sitting unused. These buildings already have adequate plumbing, lots of individual rooms, industrial heating and air conditioning, gymnasiums and more.
I hope the old Kmart site can once again be a large retail or grocery store because of the tax revenue it would provide for our neighborhood.
The Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture, 6500 S. Pulaski, is an important place in our neighborhood. They offer arts and crafts classes, workshops, lectures and musical programs, in addition to the opportunity to see their extensive collection of artifacts and historical documents.
Balzekas Museum is also a great place to shop for gifts, jewelry and one of a kind items like their Grateful Dead 1996 Lithuanian Olympic basketball t-shirts. All sizes are available from small to 3XL. The museum is open every day until 4 p.m. Call them at 773-582-6500. You can also shop online at balzekasmuseum.myshopify.com.
Have you shopped recently at Tony’s Fresh Market, 7770 S. Cicero, Burbank? This grocery store continues to have the largest produce department imaginable. It is very top notch. Their deli and meat departments offer very nice, quality foods as well.
The store is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call them at 708-733-7337. Tony’s is accepting online job applications for general employment at this time. Go tonysfreshmarket.com.
Thank you to all who texted and called this past week. I do love hearing from all my neighbors and friends.
Local News
Southwest Regional Publishing basketball roundup, Dec. 4-5
Dec. 5 Boys TF North 67, Argo 52: Kassam Saleh scored 15 for the Argonauts (2-3, 0-1 South Suburban Red). Girls Reavis 49, Tinley Park 25: Emily Grochola scored 13 points to lead the Rams (4-2, 1-0 South Suburban Red) past the Titans. Shepard 52, TF South 49: Jessica Manley’s 21 points helped the Astros…
Richards’ Myles Mitchell signs with North Dakota State
Myles Mitchell is one of the state’s premier running backs, with a bright future with one of the nation’s best FCS programs. But the path hasn’t always been easy for the Richards senior, who made his college commitment to North Dakota State official during a signing ceremony on Dec. 4. “Eighth grade was kind of…
Brad Johnson Jr. finds range, leads Curie past Lane
Facing what was literally a tall task against Lane on Dec. 5, Curie was in serious need of a spark. Brad Johnson Jr. provided it. Led by 6-foot-10 Penn recruit Dalton Scantlebury, Lane is one of the area’s biggest teams. Curie was undersized by comparison in the Public League Red Shield opener and trailed by…
Southwest Regional Publishing basketball roundup, Dec. 2-3
Dec. 3 Boys Andrew 72, Argo 50: Darron Greer Jr. led the Argonauts (2-2) with 14 points. Evergreen Park 70, U-High 58: Keshaun Vaval had 25 points to lead the Mustangs (3-1). Lonnie Mosley added 17 points and Camryn Dandridge grabbed 14 rebounds. Lemont 65, Stagg 35: Omar Barakat scored 17 for the Chargers (0-4).…
Football signing day: Local recruits
Here is a list of football players in the Southwest Regional Publishing coverage area committed to Division I schools. Please email additions or corrections to mikeclarkpreps@gmail.com. Brother Rice Tyler Lofton, RB, Illinois State Jimmie Maxson, WR, North Dakota Charlie Stec, Edge, Western Illinois Lyons Tyler Chambers, OL, Northern Illinois Travis Stamm, WR, Illinois State Marist…
Michael Oliver Jr. offers veteran presence for new-look Curie
There are a lot of new faces at Curie this winter. Gone are the five senior starters from a 31-3 team that won the Public League title and lost by two points to eventual Class 4A champion Homewood-Flossmoor in the Elite Eight. But veteran coach Mike Oliver is back and so is his son, junior…
Boys basketball notebook: Kassam Saleh, Argo aiming high this season
Kassam Saleh is ready to set the tone for Argo. “As time goes on you gain the most experience on the team and become that leader for everyone else,” said Saleh, a senior guard. “They follow you.” The Argonauts finished runner-up in the John McBride Classic at Stagg, falling 50-44 to Plainfield South on Nov.…
Will Johnson helps Sandburg finish second at Spartan-Ram Classic
Will Johnson likes where he is, but knows he has to go farther. Johnson earned a spot on the all-tourney team as Sandburg finished runner-up in the Spartan-Ram Classic with a 53-41 loss to Crete-Monee in the title game on Nov. 29 at Oak Lawn. “I shot the ball well,” said Johnson, a 6-2 junior…
Charles Barnes’ leadership a key for young De La Salle
As one of the veterans on a young De La Salle boys team, Charles Barnes knows he must be a leader. That’s a role the 6-foot-5 junior forward embraces wholeheartedly. Barnes’ leadership skills were on full display in Saturday’s third-place game of the De La Salle/St. Ignatius Windy City Turkey Classic at De La Salle.…
Neighbors
‘There’s something fishy here, don’t you think?’: Wiretapped calls detail Madigan confidant’s confoundment over complicated land deal
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – It was the last day of the General Assembly’s spring legislative session in 2018 when veteran Statehouse lobbyist Mike McClain realized his bill wasn’t going anywhere. McClain was officially retired but still took on “assignments” from his longtime friend Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. But one particular project he took…
Illinois American Water will increase water rates
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — The state’s largest private water utility, Illinois American Water, will increase customer bills in the new year. The move comes after state regulators at the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the requested increase on Thursday. The five-member board approved a $110 million increase for the company, a 30% reduction from the…
Jurors see list of Madigan’s job recommendations given to newly elected Gov. Pritzker
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – In the weeks following now-Gov. JB Pritzker’s November 2018 victory over one-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan busied himself preparing for a brand new administration after years of conflict with governors of both parties. One of his first priorities was finding jobs for his political…
How RFK Jr.’s health proposals could affect Illinois
Capitol News Illinois Every new presidential administration comes with policy changes, but the incoming second administration of President-elect Donald Trump and his proposed secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., could dramatically reshape the public health landscape. Kennedy, a former political rival of Trump, became a close ally of Trump over the…
‘You won’t spend a day in jail’: Madigan attorney hammers Solis’ agreement with feds
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – The day after Christmas 2018, then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis signed an agreement with federal prosecutors, with whom he’d spent the last 2 ½ years working as a secret cooperating witness in a sprawling corruption investigation. Solis’ undercover work helped bring down two of Illinois’ biggest and longest-serving Democratic powerbrokers. Former…
Pritkzer education policy advisor named to head new Department of Early Childhood
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed Teresa Ramos to be the first permanent secretary of the newly-formed Illinois Department of Early Childhood. “I’m eager to get started working with an incredible team of state employees, parents and families, advocates, and early childhood providers to create something exceptional that will give…
Semi driver involved in fatal crash of deputy had previous unreported DUI conviction, prompting call for federal audit
Capitol News Illinois Four years before police said he caused a crash that killed a DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy, Nathan Sweeney pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and having 44 grams of heroin in his car – an offense that, if properly reported to the secretary of state, should have led to the revocation…
Madigan attorney accuses Solis of not telling feds ‘all the crimes you committed’
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – Former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis spent more than 2 ½ years living a double life as an FBI cooperating witness after agents approached him in 2016, asking him to wear a wire on his colleagues or risk being charged for multiple bribes he’d taken while in office. Solis’ extraordinary cooperation…
State Board of Elections certifies election results showing decline in turnout
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by nearly 11 points as turnout dipped in 2024, according to official election results certified by the State Board of Elections. The board met Monday to certify the results of the 2024 election and released final vote totals for races around the state, including…
Appellate Court finds former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson should be released until trial
Capitol News Illinois Prosecutors will ask the Illinois Supreme Court to review an appellate court ruling that found former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson should be released from jail pending trial on charges related to the July 6 shooting death of Sonya Massey. On Wednesday, Nov. 27, the 4th District Court of Appeals ordered…