Kathy Headley
SWOP invites all to confront community concerns
By Kathy Headley
Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor
6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778
Remember the term Reclaiming Southwest Chicago? It goes back to 2013 when the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) formed a partnership with United Power for Action and Justice and Real Estate developer Brinshore.
Their plan began with buying and refurbishing abandoned properties and then converting them into affordable housing. They were so successful in their initial targeted area that they were able to extend their reach faster than anticipated.
To Reclaiming Southwest Chicago the group added issues of mental health and criminal justice. The pandemic may have slowed progress down a bit, but the work now continues.
On Sunday, July 17, these and other issues will be addressed in a live in-person action. You can be a part of the progress simply by being there. You can join an expected 2,500 people from 100 member organizations from across the six-county Chicago area–meeting with top officials from local, state and federal government as well as religious leaders, to address root causes of problems we are all facing.
It always feels good to do something. Travel together with SWOP members. Reserve your seat on the bus now. Sign up by emailing Imelda Salazar at isalazar@swopchicago.org or call (773) 987-4070.
On Tuesday, June 28, anyone that cast a ballot at the Marquette Park fieldhouse was treated to dinner. Now that was quite a surprise to me. As I watched the roast pork and potatoes go by, I was sorry I had already eaten.
Dinner was courtesy of Hope Church. Pastors Ben and Jordan Arias were serving up the eats, along with church members. I spoke with Pastor Jordan and asked her about this generous gesture.
“We hold these community dinners to get to know the community,” she answered. “We plan on being here every Tuesday for a while. So please tell anyone you know not to cook on Tuesdays, but to join us here at 6 p.m. We’ll be happy to have them!”
So, there you have it. No need to cook dinner on Tuesdays.
Last week, I took my little granddaughter over to the Chicago Lawn Branch Library for CircEsteem. The concept was begun in 2001 by a former Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus employee with the purpose of using the arts of juggling and clowning to promote self-esteem in children.
Doug Grew hosted the workshop and incorporated some historical facts, along with a bit of clowning around as he showed the audience different kinds of juggling and circus tricks. Everyone, both children and adults, were encouraged to join in and try their hand at the different tricks. It was a unique program that everyone certainly seemed to enjoy.
The newly elected officers of the Clearing Post 600 American Legion were scheduled to be sworn in yesterday, for the 2022-2023 year. Congratulations to the incoming Commander Rick Chlarella Sr., Vice Commander Al Cadena Jr. Vice Commander Jerry Rangel, Finance Officer Marv Gadbaw and Sergeant-at-Arms Ron Kalat.
On Saturday, July 9, the Chicago Lawn Branch Library, 6120 S. Kedzie, will screen the 2021 modern day retelling of the classic story of Cinderella at 2:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, July 13, it is Pre-School Story Time at the library from 11 a.m. to noon. Then from 4 to 5 p.m., it is Family STEAM Hour where families get together and complete a simple project.
The Young Adult group of St. Rita of Cascia Parish is hosting Theology and Tacos on two Saturdays, July 16, and July 30 at 3 p.m. in the garden of St. Rita (behind the rectory), 6243 S. Fairfield. All adults over the age of 18 are invited to join in. The guest speaker on the 16th will be Jeff Bartow, executive director of SWOP. On the 30th Emily Cortina, coordinator of outreach and formation for Kolbe House, will speak. For more information, call or text (773) 656-0776.
We had an early deadline for this week’s paper, so no one would have had a chance to answer last week’s history question in which case we will let it ride another week. What was the name of the business at 3927 W. 63rd St., before D C Sales and before R & S Liquors?
Local News
E-Notary makes things easier, Giannoulias says
Spread the love. From staff reports Illinois residents will no longer have to notarize documents in person under a new Electronic-Notary system administered by Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office. Electronic Notarization, or “E-Notary,” will radically change the way people and use notary services, Giannoulias predicted. Without leaving the home or office, an individual or…
A simple idea for Earth Day
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Moving right along through April, as the days get longer and nicer, time will start to go by faster. We have Earth Day on April 22 and the start of Passover at sunset.…
Bingo at St. Clare was something to yell about
Spread the love. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Recently I mentioned a bingo fundraiser the Augustinian Young Adults of St. Rita of Cascia Parish were holding. This was their first attempt at a bingo and they put on a really nice event. Held…
One thing is certain: life goes on
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I get a lot of calls from residents who are discouraged about our neighborhood. There are so many car accidents, shootings and violent crimes being committed in West Lawn and surrounding areas. It certainly is challenging to stay hopeful and positive. Here is a paragraph…
Biz groups battle over names, logos
Spread the love. UBAM, MCC trade barbs . By Dermot Connolly and Tim Hadac The leader of one Midway-area business association is accusing the other of bad faith, and the leader of the other is scratching her head over the dustup. United Business Association of Midway Executive Director Anita Cummings recently claimed that a rival…
Chicago Lawn native’s book is ‘off the hook’
Spread the love. Longtime journalist shares humor columns . By Tim Hadac Nancy (Emerson) Besonen has made a career as a news reporter and humor columnist for a weekly paper in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But her roots are in Chicago Lawn, and it showed during a recent conversation. Like most true Southwest Siders, she didn’t…
Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind…
Softball | Shepard blanks Oak Lawn behind CG from Kailey Selvage, 2 RBI from Madison Scapardine
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Temperatures are not the only thing starting to warm up in the Southwest Suburbs. Shepard, which began the season with three consecutive losses, defeated Oak Lawn, 3-0, on April 15 to run its winning streak to seven games. Astros junior pitcher Kailey Selvage tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out…
‘Horrific and unacceptable’
Spread the love. Police, neighbors decry shooting at family party . By Tim Hadac Drive-by shootings have become not at all unusual in recent years in Back of the Yards. Some might even call them common. What is still uncommon is for drive-by crimes to injure or even kill young children. But that is exactly…
A blue salute in Scottsdale
Spread the love. Family, friends, co-workers and neighbors of the late CPD Officer James R. Svec Jr. –as well as elected and appointed officials– gathered at 77th and Kolmar last Saturday to unveil an honorary street sign saluting him for his sacrifice. Officer Svec died at age 59 in December 2021 from causes related to…
Neighbors
Capitol Briefs: Expansion of postpartum coverage, ban on kangaroos among hundreds of measures to pass House
By ALEX ABBEDUTO & COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois kangaroo owners are one step closer to being forced to surrender their marsupials this week after the House passed a bill criminalizing their possession. That was one of more than 300 bills to pass the House ahead of a Friday procedural deadline.…
Pritzker says state ‘obviously’ needs to change 2010 law that shrunk pension benefits
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com With a month-and-a-half left in the General Assembly’s spring session, Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is readying its proposal to address Illinois’ chronically underfunded pension system. But the governor this week also acknowledged in the strongest terms yet that any plans to finally get the state on track toward…
Pritzker’s health insurance reforms targeting ‘utilization management’ clear House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker celebrated a partial legislative victory Thursday night when the House passed his initiative to end some practices health insurance companies use to control the amount and cost of health care services individual patients receive. The “Healthcare Protection Act,” House Bill 5395, cleared the…
Lawmakers, cannabis industry calls for ban on ‘delta-8’ and other psychoactive hemp products
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ largest cannabis business association is pushing to ban the sale of delta-8 THC, an increasingly popular psychoactive substance that’s popped up in corner stores across the country in recent years. New legislation filed in Springfield this week revives an ongoing debate over delta-8 and other…
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: Bill creating new early childhood agency among 244 to advance
By ALEX ABBEDUTO HANNAH MEISEL & COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan to create a new state agency to oversee Illinois’ various early childhood programs moved forward on Friday after the state Senate’s unanimous approval. It was one of 244 bills that cleared the Senate this week. Early childhood…
INVESTIGATE MIDWEST: Farmers have clamored for the Right to Repair for years. It’s getting little traction in John Deere’s home state
By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest Originally published April 10, 2024 During the 2023 harvest season, one of Jake Lieb’s tractors quit working. A week later, his combine stopped working, too. Both were new — and he was locked out from making any repairs himself because of software restrictions embedded in the machines. Instead, a technician…
Capitol Briefs: Pritzker appoints first-ever Prisoner Review Board director; Chicago advances migrant funding
By JERRY NOWICKI & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Weeks after two high-profile resignations at the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed the first-ever executive director to help lead the beleaguered agency. To fill the newly created position, the governor tapped Jim Montgomery, who most recently served as director of…
Advocates renew push to tighten firearm laws aimed at protecting domestic violence victims
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for stricter gun laws rallied at the state Capitol Tuesday for a measure aimed at protecting domestic violence victims and two other criminal justice reforms. The bills are backed by organizations such as Moms Demand Action and One Aim Illinois among others. “These policies support…
Education leaders seek added state funding to help districts accommodate influx of migrants
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The recent surge of international migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Those range from filling their most basic needs like emergency food, clothing and shelter, to more complex issues like lining them up with…