Peggy Zabicki
Crime prevention starts with each of us
By Peggy Zabicki
Your correspondent in West Lawn
3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327
Hi neighbors! Before I say another thing, I want to wish my fellow columnist Karen Sala well. As you know, she wrote her final column last week. I love Karen’s style of writing. It’s conversational and natural. I always felt like she was speaking to me when I’d read her column. Karen, you are a good writer and I hope you keep writing. Maybe you could write a book about Gage Park someday.
Last week I mentioned the CAPS Beats 823/825 meeting on Jan. 19. For those who do not have internet access I thought I’d sum it up. The meeting focused on the increase in crime in our neighborhood.
Between Dec. 15 and Jan. 18, the number one crime was criminal damage. Nineteen cases were reported. This is followed by battery (18 cases), theft (17), burglary (9) and assault (7).
I’m grateful for the West Lawn Neighborhood Watch group, which still patrols every day. They work directly with the Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police.
If you would like to get involved with the WLNW, visit their Facebook page or call Eddie Guillen at (773) 899-2897. This is the phone number of Envisions Community Services. Eddie is involved with this neighborhood service organization, and you can leave a message for him.
Crime is the number one concern in West Lawn. We know that most of the crime is gang related. My neighbor, Javier Hermosillo, said, “I think it’s time for everybody to start taking back your neighborhood. All I know (is) this summer I’m going to organize something here and make sure we’re all safe. Why do we have to step out of our house and be scared that somebody’s going to jump us or shoot at us? Let’s take it back like how it used to be, seeing the kids play like they used to.”
Javier wants the gangs to know we are watching them. Thanks, Javier, for inspiring us all to take action. We can get together with the West Lawn Neighborhood Watch group. We can call the police if we see crime or suspicious activity. The results will be more arrests and hopefully some serious prison time for these criminals.
My neighbor, Pat, sent me a joke. Prison is just one word to you, but for some people, it’s a whole sentence. Thanks, Pat!
The West Lawn Snow Angels have been hard at work, shoveling snow for seniors and disabled neighbors. They could use some help. If you can volunteer some time after a snowfall, give Eddie Guillen a call.
I mentioned the Midway Baseball Association recently. The leagues play at Madigan Park, 4701 W. Marquette Road. They have updated their registration process for boys and girls ages 4-18. There are no neighborhood boundaries. The baseball leagues are open to all young people. Registration is online only. Go to midway-baseball.com for details.
St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, 3741 W. 62nd St., is continuing their Tiger Tots program every Friday at 9:30 a.m. This fun-filled hour has songs, stories and crafts especially for kids ages 3 and under. Call the school office to register at (773) 735-0772.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Church is now holding meetings for couples who want to share and learn about successfully overcoming relationship challenges. The meetings are bilingual and open to all. These meetings will be held on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Kelly building, located at the opposite side of the playground on 64th Street. The next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 11. The topic is love. Call the church at (773) 767-1246 for more information.
St. Mary’s February Casino Nights have been temporarily postponed. I’ll let you know if and when they will be rescheduled.
The Calvary Lutheran Church Senior club would like to wish both Karin Elsner and Cindy Vallejo a happy February birthday! May the dear Lord bless you both.
Local News
Mother’s Day is truly a day to be celebrated
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Mother’s Day happens on Sunday, May 12. If this isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Motherhood means new life, new beginnings, new possibilities. Even if you won’t be seeing your mom, you can still…
Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was…
St. Francis first baseman Nate Maliska earns conference POW honors
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent The University of St. Francis sophomore first baseman Nate Maliska was chosen the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s Player of the Week in baseball for April 7. In helping the Saints to four wins that week, Maliska went 9-for-15 (.600) with eight RBI and seven runs scored. The St. Laurence…
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight…
Red Stars fall to Spirit for third loss in past four matches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent After enjoying one of their best starts in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have slid to the middle of the NWSL standings, with the latest setback being a 4-2 loss to Washington at SeatGeek Stadium. The Stars (3-3-1) entered this week having dropped three of their past four…
Red Stars take aim at NWSL attendance record with Wrigley game
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are thinking big when it comes to their upcoming game at Wrigley Field. The team is taking aim at the NWSL record for single-game attendance when it hosts Bay FC at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs on June 8. The record is held…
IHSA announces boys volleyball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year, the area sent a pair of boys volleyball teams to state as Lyons finished runner-up to champion Glenbard South and Brother Rice lost in the quarterfinals. This year, both could face each other in the sectional finals. The Lions picked up the second seed and the Crusaders…
Badminton players from Reavis and Lyons going to state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Reavis singles player Dania Amjad finished third in the Bolingbrook Sectional on May 2 to qualify for the IHSA state tournament. The Lyons doubles team of Simone Brown and Mia Graziano finished fourth in the York Sectional to qualify for state. The state finals are May 10-11 at DeKalb…
Brother Rice, Sandburg sending boats to bass fishing state tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice is sending two boats to the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. The Crusaders had first- and third-place finishes at the Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Sectional on May 2. Sandwiched in between the Brother Rice boats was a group from Sandburg in second place. The Crusaders’…
Neighbors
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…
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…
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…