Laff-Jam coming to St. Bede, no foolin’

By Joan Hadac

GSWNH Columnist At-Large

[email protected]

Once again this week, it’s my privilege and pleasure to write the Greater Southwest News-Herald’s column for Greater Ashburn (the Wrightwood, Ashburn, Parkview and Scottsdale neighborhoods).

As usual, there are plenty of interesting things happening in this special, vibrant part of Chicago.

Joan Hadac

• St. Bede School’s athletics program is hosting Laff-Jam, a night of live, stand-up comedy set for 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 1 in the church hall, 83^rd and Kostner. Headliners include comedians Anthony Bonazzo, Anthony Fuentes and Marci Deloney. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and there will be music from a disc jockey, a cash bar and raffles. Tickets are $30 at the door, $25 in advance. To buy your tickets now, visit the school or rectory during regular business hours. This is an adults-only event (18 and up). For more information, send an email to [email protected]
• The Scottsdale Neighborhood Watch has been pressuring the Lightfoot Administration for answers regarding the coming construction at Durkin Park. Chicago Department of Water Management Deputy Commissioner David L. Kohn said the ongoing soil boring/sampling work at Durkin Park and Southwest Pumping Station is “proceeding very well and more quickly than anticipated.” He said the engineering team reports they expect to complete the soil borings at Durkin Park and then move operations to the north side of the SWPS to obtain soil samples needed there. Bottom line: there should be no disruption of the park this spring, he added.
• If your child wants to play baseball or softball this year but has not yet signed up with a league, now is the time to do it. Several youth baseball and softball leagues serve this area. Most kids in Scottsdale are eligible to sign up with Burbank American Little League. Call Jim Falbo at (708) 601-6127 for details. If you live in Ashburn, Parkview or Wrightwood, you’ll want to check in with Wrightwood Little League Baseball at (773) 570-3077. If you live anywhere at all in this area, you are welcome to sign up with the Midway Baseball and Softball Association. Call Elsa Trujillo at (773) 575-9361 for details.
• The young artists at Bogan have posted several intriguing works online. Go to Twitter and search for Bogan Computer Tech High School. Well done, kids!
• Over at this area’s other high school, Goode STEM Academy, senior Marquis Brown, a football standout for the Knights, recently signed a letter of intent to continue his athletic and academic career at Elmhurst College, where he is expected to suit up and play for the Bluejays. If you’ve never seen Marquis in action, check out his high school highlight reel on maxpreps.com. His speed in rushing passers is amazing. He is a big reason the Knights went 5-0 in conference play last fall. Congratulations, Marquis!
• If ever you’ve had concerns about the conditions of our local streets and everything else handled by the Chicago Department of Transportation, you may want to attend an online meeting hosted by 18^th Ward Ald. Derrick G. Curtis, set for 5:30 to 6:15 p.m. Thursday, March 10. To join the meeting via Zoom, call Curtis’ office at (773) 284-5057 to get the link and passcode.
• As I noted last week, if you’d like to be the next Greater Ashburn columnist, please send an email to [email protected] swnewsherald.com.

You don’t need to be a trained journalist or anything like that at all. In fact, the large majority of neighborhood correspondents at this newspaper over the years had no formal training—and they did just fine.

We’re looking for a person who is active in the community, is naturally curious and enjoys writing and passing along news—nothing big or earth-shattering, but rather the smaller stuff. You know, the kind of news that won’t make the front page, but which is just as important, in its own way, as the big stuff: birthdays, anniversaries, birth announcements, engagements and weddings—plus news tidbits from our local schools, libraries, parks, churches, Scout troops, Little Leagues, senior citizen clubs, veterans’ posts, small businesses and such.

If you want to give it a try, send an email to [email protected] swnewsherald.com and we’ll discuss things further.

Well, that’s it for now. I may head over to Don’s Drive-In, 7748 S. Kedzie, an Ashburn favorite since 1963. I think I’ll get a tamale with chili—or possibly a corned beef on rye. My husband will buy a couple of hot dogs, and my younger daughter may order the Kronos Gyros sandwich topped with Tzatziki sauce, onions and tomatoes. Don’s has always been a family-owned and operated business—and for the last 25 years, the Gonzalez family has been in charge. Please say hello to them when you stop in. Call ahead at (773) 476-9392 for larger orders and faster service.