Obbie’s Pizza, located on Archer Avenue, is temporarily closed due to a recent fire. No one was injured, and first responders extinguished the fire quickly.
There was a great outpouring of concern from customers and other businesses. Triano’s Pizza and Cipriani’s Pizza are donating 25% of their Sunday sales to Obbie’s employees. Staff have been relocated to Villa Rosa’s Pizzeria, 5786 S. Archer Ave., during repairs.
As a frequent Obbies customer, I was so surprised to hear of the fire, and I will greatly miss their pizza. Obbie’s menu items remain available for delivery, pick up and catering through Villa Rosa.
For more information, contact Villa Rosa’s Pizzeria.
Best of luck.
Midway Chamber
The Midway Chamber of Commerce is excited to partner with M&M Yoga Momma to offer relaxing, one-hour community yoga classes at the Midway Chamber BizHub! (Located at 6422 W. Archer Ave.) Whether you’re new to yoga or have years of experience, this welcoming class is designed for all fitness levels. Register at MidwayChamber.org. Cost is $10 a session and space is limited to 20 participants. Please bring your own yoga mat. Last session is August 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Midway Chamber of Commerce presents, “Summerween Pop-Up,” on Saturday, August 23 from noon to 4 p.m. A little spooky, a little sunny, and a whole lot of fun! Join us for the Midway Marketplace Summerween Pop-Up, where summer meets Halloween for a family-friendly afternoon of local shopping, themed treats, trick-or-treating, spooky goods, creative vendors, and community fun. Costumes are welcome, and participating vendors will have something special for trick-or-treaters!
Garfield Ridge Library
As our summer reading program draws to an end, we would just like to thank all the parents and kids who have faithfully participated for almost 7 weeks now. We have 365 kids enrolled at our location and they have been vigorously reading and doing cool activities all summer long. As a last-minute prize, one lucky child will win 4 White Sox baseball tickets! The last day to check in with your reading log is August 2. Other grand prizes include magnetic tile sets, a turbo car, art supplies and more.
Before school resumes, bring your child in and apply for a library card and they will gain access far beyond their imagination. A tablet cannot replace a book or interactions with friends. Just ask Jessie, Woody and Buzz Lightyear!
The winner of our Fourth of July basket was Linda Morrell. Congratulations!
Watercolor Postcards Saturday, August 15 at 2 p.m. Patrons will design and paint a watercolor postcard inspired by their Chicago! Ages 14 and up.
Ice Cream Finale Saturday, August 1 at 11 a.m. Ice cream donated by Andy’s Ice Cream. Children who participated in our Summer Reading Program can drop by for some ice cream and raffles!
Family Bingo Monday, August 10 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., while prizes last. Summer reading may be over (as of August 2), but we still have some prizes left to give away! Join us for family bingo and try your luck. For families with children ages 4 and up.
Family Game Time Wednesday, August 12 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Stop by the library and play UNO, chess, checkers, Candyland, Connect Four, Sorry, Don’t Break the Ice and more! Ages 4 and up.
Back to School DIYs Thursday, August 20 at 5 p.m. As summer comes to a close, join us to get ready for back to school! Customize a tote bag using the vinyl cutter, make a button, or make a keychain! Only for teens ages 13 to 18.
Clearing Public Library
Retro Video Game Expo Friday, July 31 and Saturday, August 1 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m,; Sunday, August 2 from 1-4:30 pm. Join us for a flashback to the golden era of video games. Play on old video game machines from the 1970-2000s. Check out the old home video game consoles from Atari to the Nintendo Switch. Play pinball on our virtual pinball machine. Fun for the whole family. All ages.
Off the Rails: How Transit Shaped Our City Saturday, August 15 at 11 a.m. Offered in partnership with Chicago for Chicagoans. Chicago is known around the world as the railroad capital of the US, and we owe much of our neighborhoods and urban development to the indelible mark of train tracks on our city. Discover clues hiding in plain sight that help you to understand what came before and how we got here. Why are Archer, Milwaukee, and Clark angled streets while the rest of the city is a strict grid? What happened to the former industrial land that, not even 30 years ago, was carrying freight to the Loop? How did the L end up serving the stations and communities that it does today? A lot of those historic clues to explain the transportation network we have today are hiding in plain sight, up an embankment or just under our feet.
Route 66: 100 Years of History Monday, August 24 6 p.m. Join Route 66 historian, Ed Kozak, as he presents the story of Historic US Route 66, celebrating 100 years in 2026. Trace the history of the road and see some great sites right here in Illinois on the Mother Road that are worth checking out and exploring. Ed has become the number one tour guide for Route 66 in Illinois, escorting dozens of groups on a fun-filled journey of history and nostalgia in the Land of Lincoln.
Community Events
Our Lady of Snows “Leopard Learners,” a kindergarten and first grade readiness bootcamp for children ages 5 and 6 that will meet on Wednesdays, July 29; August 5 and 12 from 9-10:15 a.m., $5 per session. Located at 4810 S Leamington, children will enjoy some time at OLS playing educational readiness games in reading and math in a fun and interactive setting.
Annual “Back to School” Backpack Giveaway Saturday, August 8 from 9-11 a.m. at Kennedy High School’s parking lot (56th and Narragansett). Sponsored by the Midway Chamber of Commerce. Is it too early to start thinking about going back to school? Maybe but August will be here in the blink of an eye. So, mark your calendars and get that free backpack with school supplies. Other activities are scheduled for that day as well. Child must be present to receive backpack, while supplies last. These backpacks have been generously donated by our incredible community partners and sponsors to ensure every child starts the school year ready to learn. We believe in the power of education and are proud to help equip students with the tools they need to succeed. Come out, connect with neighbors, and celebrate the start of a great school year—we can’t wait to see you there!
The Garfield Ridge Senior Center, located on Archer and Laramie (5674-B S. Archer Ave.) has many fun events for July. Tuesday, July 28, join us at 10 a.m. for “Happy 250th America! Pictionary”. Have some fun playing Pictionary with the Fourth of July and its celebrations being the subjects of the game. On Friday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., join us for Happy Birthday, America BINGO Party. Fun, fun, friends and BINGO with gift card prizes. Advanced tickets required at the cost of $15. Please call 312.745-4255 or stop at the center. Ask for Julie.
In a celebration of the 250th Birthday of America and Soul Train (Chicago born) we had a Soul Train Dance Party on Thursday, July 2. Seniors danced to the tunes supplied by DJ Chico and the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. The Southwest Side Seniors Service Organization supplied the punch and cupcakes. A great time was had by all!!
Until next time, keep being nice to one another and share a smile!
Please continue submitting information to my email: ptyznik@gmail.com.