Kathy Headley
DevCorp encouraging outdoor dining
.
By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
Over the years Greater Southwest Development Corp. has put together some wonderful ideas in and around our main corridors. As recently as the end of March, we talked about their plan to begin a tenant in-place rehab for the Churchview Manor Senior Complex, which sits between Rockwell and Washtenaw.
Another new idea that caught my eye is their Greater Together Dining Program, which encourages restaurants to take advantage of the warm summer months coming up by offering them assistance in providing their customers with an outdoor dining experience. So we’ll see how that goes. I am looking forward to it.
If you own a restaurant and are interested in the idea, contact Betty at Greater Southwest by calling (773) 922-6414 or email her at b.romo@greatersouthwest.org.
Registration for the Marquette Park Kids Soccer Summer League takes place this Friday, April 14 and again next Friday, April 21, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Marquette Park, 6734 S. Kedzie. Play is open to children ages 5 to 14. The cost of $120 includes practices, games and a uniform. For more information, call (773) 780-1361.
This Saturday, April 15, the Sisters of St. Casimir invite all to a Mass praying for the beatification of Venerable Maria Kaupas, foundress of the Sisters of St. Casimir, on the 83rd anniversary of her death. Mass begins at 9:30 a.m. in the St. Casimir Center Chapel, 2601 W. Marquette Road. After Mass join in the re-dedication of the outside statue of Father Anthony Staniukynas, spiritual guide and teacher for the Sisters of St. Casimir and co-founder of Lithuanian Roman Catholic Charities of America. Light refreshments will be served afterward.
This Sunday, April 16, the Symphony of Spring Concert performed by the renowned Lithuanian quartet Ciiurlionis will be held at Nativity BVM Church beginning at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and available at the rectory. For more information, call Audra at (773) 776-4800.
A couple of interesting seminars coming up next week at the Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie. The first one is on Monday, April 17, when a Cook County Assessor seminar takes place at 10 a.m. Then on Wednesday, April 19, a legal aid and advance planning seminar will begin at 10:15 a.m.
Next Saturday, April 22, the Chicago Lawn Branch Library. 6120 S. Kedzie, will begin hosting a Family Project Hour from 1 to 2 p.m. Suitable for children ages 6 to 13, the group will be working on a different project every month. For April, there will be a discussion of how plants grow and then everyone will be able to make plastic bottle planters. Space is limited so prior registration is required. For more information call the branch at (312) 747-0639.
The Annual Unofficial Bogan Reunion is scheduled for Saturday, April 22, at the Irish Rebel, 9953 Southwest Highway, Oak Lawn, at 7 p.m. The get together features a DJ and pizza. For more information go to the Unofficial Bogan Reunion 2023 Facebook page.
Next Sunday, April 23, the Lithuanian Center, 5620 S. Claremont, brings Tragic Magic to the stage. Developed and directed by Beth Bornstein Dunnington, official winner of the Hollywood Encore Producer Award, Tragic Magic is a story of recovery, billed as “ultimately a story of hope, redemption and triumph.” The show begins at 1 p.m. Tickets with lunch included are $30. A cash bar will be available. For reservations and more information email to antanas5190@gmail.com.
When we left 1973 last week, since there was still a bit of a nip in the air, we wanted to stop somewhere for a bowl of hot chili. Hearing good things about their chili, we decided to check out the grill on 63rd Street, just east of Kedzie, south side of the street, where we could sit at the counter and order what we heard would be some pretty tasty chili.
Jim S. was the first to recall many times stopping in at Gossage Grill. He tells us they used to have another convenient location for him on 63rd and Western where he would stop on occasion.
“They made some darn good hamburgers too,” Jim said. “I remember one called the Big Guy Burger. I could feast on that burger and a malt for about $1, I think.”
Now in 1973 we could still enjoy a nice cold Pepsi or Coca Cola in a glass bottle. It just tasted so much better in the glass bottle, didn’t it? Fifty years ago this week, the liquor store over by the Zayre on Southwest Highway was running a sale on an 8-pack of Pepsi Cola for just 75 cents, plus deposit of course. They also were advertising a 12-pack Hamm’s Beer in cans for just $2.09. Maybe we should zip over there and take advantage of the prices. Remember the name of that place?
Local News
‘Grizzled’ sophomores help Naz beat Marist
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth’s “grizzled veterans” have won 19 of their first 20 games. The Roadrunners’ were victorious in a big East Suburban Catholic Conference showdown with Marist, with two sophomores doing most of the damage in a 53-42 win in LaGrange Park on Jan. 19. Nazareth improved to 19-1, 4-0.…
Postseason Sports Report: Area stars ready for state bowling and dancing
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The first two IHSA state tournaments for winter sports will take place this weekend, and an army of area athletes will be competing in both. The boys bowling and competitive dance championships will be held Friday and Saturday, with the bowlers heading to St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon…
We need real solutions to crime
Spread the loveBy Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Crime and safety concerns are the number one topic of all the calls and texts I receive. It seems that many politicians offer no solutions except the usual lists of ways to keep safe. I think everyone knows about locking…
Icy spill yielded plenty of good will
Spread the loveBy Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Here is a giant shout out to our first responders in the community. On Jan. 9, when a sheet of ice descended on Chicago, I was walking the dog. Walking around Peck School was great.…
It’s a busy January in Gage Park
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Neighborhood correspondent at large Greetings, Gage Parkers! I’m pleased to be filling in this week for Karen Sala. It’s fun for me to report on Gage Park, the neighborhood where I lived for the first 26 years of my life. There’s always something happening in this big, exciting part of…
You can bank on good service here
Spread the loveBy Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 In this world of corporate takeovers, it is kind of hard to feel safe in the hands of big business. First, we have to supply some of our personal information to the automated system. Then there’s…
A heavenly sound
Spread the love In what is arguably the most ornate and beautiful house of worship on the Southwest Side—St. Joseph Church in Back of the Yards–the Polonijna Orkiestra Chicago played liturgical music selections last Sunday. Founded in 2011, the orchestra is designed to teach young musicians Polish music and culture. St. Joseph parishioner Konrad Pawelek…
Crime images spark outrage in Gage Park
Spread the loveRobbed at gunpoint in his own garage By Tim Hadac Home-security camera images of a 48-year-old Gage Park man being robbed at gunpoint in his own garage outraged a number of Southwest Siders this week. Images showed the man driving his car down the alley in the 5500 block of South Richmond at…
College Report: McAuley grad Swiatek plays hero for St. Francis
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Hannah Swiatek comes off the bench for the University of St. Francis and is averaging 3.1 points per game. But when called on for the biggest shot of her college career, the 5-foot-8 junior guard from Oak Lawn delivered. Swiatek scored the winning basket in a wild 99-97…
Neighbors
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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…