Kathy Headley

Kathy Headley

Don’t forget about homeless on the Southwest Side

Spread the love

By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

We have talked about the plight of the migrants that have been living at the 8th District Police Station, and I’m sure you hear more daily.

And it is a sad story indeed. But, as has also been said, we can’t forget about folks here that have fallen on hard times. I was driving down 71st Street and passed the Southwest Chicago Homeless Services building, known for many years here as PADS.

An unassuming building, it does not attract a lot of attention, yet the folks inside have helped a lot of people over the years.

I remember going back to the late 1990s and early 2000s when we would have an event at St. Rita Parish and had ordered more food than we needed. We would always call over to PADS and ask if they would like us to drop some off for their guests.

When I got home the other day after driving down 71st Street, I called over there and spoke to Eva Schultz. I asked her what they needed and she said toiletries, socks and underwear always. Eva said they are open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday at 3121 W. 7st St.

So, if you were looking for someplace to help, this might be a nice opportunity. I think I’ll drop off some toiletries this week. It won’t be a case-full or anything but every little bit helps, right?

The Young Adult Group at St. Thomas More has new leaders, Hanna O’Neil and Clarissa Sapien. They will be facilitating the meeting coming up this Saturday, June 17 in the Mission Center after the 4:30 p.m. Mass. Any young adult between the ages of 19 and 39 is welcome to attend. During this meeting, future dates and times will be secured, as well as an explanation of the purpose and goals of young adult ministry.

Teens ages 13 to 19 are invited to join in at the Teen Zone in the Chicago Lawn Library, 6120 S. Kedzie Ave., this Sunday, June 18 when Community Cinema shows the 2022 Marvel film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” beginning at 2 p.m.

The 40th Annual Senior Amateur Championship Golf Tournament at Marquette Park will take place next Saturday, and Sunday, June 24 and 25, with 18 holes of stroke play each day. The tournament is open to seniors age 50 and over, and the $80 entry fee includes green fees, prize fund, tee gifts and a daily lunch. To register for the tournament or for more information, go to MarquettePark.cpdgolf.com.

Also next weekend, the Midwest Augustinian Province of Our Mother of Good Counsel invites Catholic women interested in spiritual development to the first annual three-day Women’s Retreat from Friday evening June 23 to Sunday, June 25 at the Carmelite Spiritual Center in Darien. For more information and to reserve your spot, go to www.midwestaugustinans.org/retreat

Coming in July, Mary Mother of Mercy Parish will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the merging of Queen of the Universe and St. Adrian. The celebration will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 14 at the Chicago Park District Building, 3330 W. 71st St.

Tickets are $65 and includes the banquet, live mariachi music, dancing, singing, raffles, auctions and more. Tickets for a virtual dinner (to go) will be $45. For ticket sales or more information, call (773) 245-3399.

Some of you may remember Adrian Dominican Sister John Norton (Catherine)

Barrett, who recently passed away at the age of 96. Sister taught at St. Mary Mount Carmel and St. Kilian in the 1950s.

And for anyone that attended Visitation in the 1960s, Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Leonius Skaar also recently passed away. She was 85.

When we left 1973 last week, we had been shopping at A & P, and what trading stamps were we getting at the checkout? Anna B. was the first to fondly remember Plaid Stamps with the picture of the Scottish dancer on the stamp.

Fifty years ago this month, Miracle Drive-In Cleaners was offering a free geranium plant with each $3 order. What a deal! They had seven locations, ours, as I’m sure you remember, being at 6025 S. Kedzie.

And this week in 1973 a grand opening celebration was continuing over at 2908 W. 63rd St. They advertised the finest in Irish breakfast and dinner served every Sunday by Ray Lantry, one of Chicago’s finest cooks. They had entertainment on Friday and Saturday evenings with this particular week featuring Bonnie O’Donnell, Jim Crawl’s Band and Cal Starr.

Sound familiar to anyone?

Local News

York's Ben Brown, shown getting ready to serve against Marist in the state championship on June 1, is the son of Chris Brown, who helped Oak Lawn finish fourth in the state in 1993. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Brown family legacy continues in world of Illinois boys volleyball

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Brown family’s legacy continues in the world of boys volleyball. Twins Chris and Eric Brown helped Oak Lawn finish fourth in the IHSA volleyball tournament in 1993, the second year the boys state tournament took place. Though the twins graduated that year, that season served as a springboard…

Two-time national wrestling champion Austin O'Connor, a St. Rita graduate, won his MMA debut on June 9 in Texas. North Carolina photo

Don’t sleep on grappling great | St. Rita grad Austin O’Connor starts MMA career with a win

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The “Irish Nightmare” was not about to be put to sleep. Austin O’Connor, a four-time IHSA state wrestling champion during his years at St. Rita, made his professional MMA debut on June 9; and despite some pre-match taunting from opponent Camden Fontenot — who claimed he would put O’Connor…

Kathy Headley

Few cicadas to bug us in Chicago Lawn

Spread the love

Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Well, it looks like we escaped the big cicada invasion in Chicago Lawn. I know enough folks in other areas that did not, and it was almost unbelievable to see them all on the trees…

GSWNH_BFEDMfinalshow_060724

Celebrating culture with smiles

Spread the love

Spread the love Four young dancers share smiles backstage at Hubbard High School last weekend, just before they performed onstage as part of the season-ending performance of Ballet Folklórico Estrella Del Mar. The West Lawn-based youth group celebrates traditional Mexican culture through song and dance. – Greater Southwest News-Herald photo by Kelly White

Mary Stanek

Today is a day to fly Old Glory

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Fly the American flag proudly on Flag Day—Friday, June 14. This holiday commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States. Happy Father’s Day to all the men in the community on…

Peggy Zabicki

School’s out, but learning is still in

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . School is out for the summer, but this does not mean that our youngsters have been idle. The Los Youth Organization will be unveiling their mural located at the West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd…

Owner Rosa Prieto prepares to cut the ribbon and is encouraged by co-owner and husband, Jaime Prieto, to her left, for the Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Spot grand opening in Oak Lawn on May 29. They are joined by Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce members and in back (from left) Steve Loulousis, president of the Oak Lawn Parks Foundation; Mayor Terry Vorderer, and behind Rosa, Natasha Miller Williams, president of the chamber. (Photos by Joe Boyle)

Comings & Goings: New business offers fresh and healthy smoothies

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Rosa Prieto had been considering opening a business that provides refreshing drinks and food but was waiting for the right time. For Rosa and her husband, Jaime Prieto, that time has arrived. The Healthy and Delicious Smoothie Spot, 10408 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Lawn, officially opened on March 10. Since…

GSWNH_CitySnowReportCover_060724

Great idea or snow job?

Spread the love

Spread the love. SW Siders react to mayor’s winter plan .  By Tim Hadac A new plan to remove snow and ice from city sidewalks was released last Friday by Mayor Brandon Johnson, prompting a range of reactions from Southwest Siders. “Any time you see a politician announce something on a Friday, quietly with no…

Peggy Zabicki

Love can bloom in June

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . Happy June, everyone! The month of June used to be the most popular month to get married. Surprisingly, the month with the most weddings nowadays is October. According to industry professionals, 14.9% of weddings in the…

Mary Stanek

Enjoy summer while we have it

Spread the love

Spread the love. . By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Congratulations to all who have celebrated with spring festivities. They are winding down now, the Communions, Confirmations and now graduations. Thoughts turn to summer vacations and hot dogs on the grill. It…

Neighbors

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For the last two decades, each time a governor has moved to close a large state-run facility like a prison or mental health center, a legislative oversight panel has voted on the plan. That changed on Friday – at least for now –…

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

‘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…

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

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…

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of a would-be union representing staffers in House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office filed suit against their boss on Friday, asking a Cook County judge to force recognition of the union. The Illinois Legislative Staff Association, which formed in the fall of 2022, claims Welch’s…

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor. Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an…

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…

Judge blocks law that would have banned newly slated candidates from ballot

Judge blocks law that would have banned newly slated candidates from ballot

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A Sangamon County judge on Wednesday blocked the Illinois State Board of Elections from enforcing a new law that would have prevented certain General Assembly candidates who didn’t run in the March primary from getting on the November ballot. The move doesn’t void the bill in its entirety,…

“No Schoolers”: How Illinois’ hands-off approach to homeschooling leaves children at risk

“No Schoolers”: How Illinois’ hands-off approach to homeschooling leaves children at risk

By BETH HUNDSDORFER  & MOLLY PARKER  CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS investigations@capitolnewsillinois.com This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois. It was on L.J.’s 11th birthday, in December 2022, that child welfare workers finally took him away. They arrived at his central Illinois home to investigate an abuse allegation and decided…

Brushing off concerns of overspending, Pritzker signs $53.1 billion state budget

Brushing off concerns of overspending, Pritzker signs $53.1 billion state budget

By ANDREW ADAMS JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed the state’s $53.1 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, the largest in state history.  The signing caps months of work – and tension – among top Democratic leaders in Springfield and within the…

Stalled bills: ‘Dignity in Pay Act,’ Prisoner Review Board changes fail to move

Stalled bills: ‘Dignity in Pay Act,’ Prisoner Review Board changes fail to move

By ALEX ABBEDUTO,  COLE LONGCOR & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com A bill eliminating the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities failed to pass the General Assembly ahead of its May adjournment, although sponsors say they hope to pass it when lawmakers return in the fall. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938…