Kathy Headley

Kathy Headley

Something smells at 62nd and Washtenaw

Spread the love

.

.

By Kathy Headley

Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor

6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778

From time to time I’ll mention something I’ve caught on the downtown TV news that I know won’t make the front page here, but I think you’ll be interested in, since it has a connection to our neighborhood.

That being said, watching the news on a recent evening, as they were giving us a hint on what will be in the next segment, a picture comes up of Fairfield Academy (the former St. Rita Grammar School) with emergency vehicles surrounding the 62nd and Washtenaw entrance! Did you see it?

My daughter texted me, as she is an alumna of St. Rita. She also saw the photo of her old school on the news. We both waited anxiously, through commercials, the sports highlights and more commercials.

kathyheadley2021

Kathy Headley

Finally the story comes on. Geez, according to the report, “A student set off a stink bomb in one of the classrooms.” Remember those? I didn’t even know they made stink bombs anymore.

So if you didn’t see that segment, it was determined that the spray was non-toxic and the five ambulances they dispatched were unnecessary. However, it was good to see how seriously they took the situation, and how necessary they felt the emergency responders were.

As a precautionary measure the report said they did transport a child who has asthma to Holy Cross to make sure. I’m glad the kids are fine and thankful it turned out to be a childish prank, as opposed to any number of horrible things that have gone on at schools in the country the last few years. But it was surprising to see a stink bomb make the 10 p.m. news.

Coming up this Saturday, March 25, the Sand Ridge Nature Center and Forest Preserve District of Cook County will be holding an open music jam at the Dan Ryan Woods Pavilion, corner of 87th and Western, at 11 a.m. Bring your instrument and create music with the community. All instruments and music types are welcome.

As I mentioned recently, Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas is visiting Lithuanian communities in the United States and coming here to Nativity BVM this Saturday, March 25, for recollections at 3 p.m. and Mass at 4 p.m. Then this Sunday, March 26, he will celebrate the 11 a.m. Mass, followed by a dinner in the parish hall. For more information, call the rectory at (773) 776-4600.

Coming up on Tuesday, March 28, Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office has made a date to come to the Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie, for seniors that would like to renew their Illinois State Identification card and driver’s license. For those of you who showed up last time only to find out they were a no-show, I double-checked. The bosses at the Center did the same, so we should be able to expect them for sure this time. Timing on the event is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Senior Center is devoting the rest of the week to driving, beginning with the Illinois Secretary of State Rules of the Road on Wednesday, March 29 at 10 a.m. And then the following two days, Thursday and Friday, March 30 and 31, with the AARP Driving Safety Class at 9 a.m. For more information on any of the events, call the Center at (312) 747-0440.

Greater Southwest Development Corporation has announced that Churchview Supportive Living Apartments, 2626 W. 63rd St., will be undergoing a tenant in-place rehab updating all major mechanicals and refreshing all senior apartments. The opening ceremony will be Wednesday, March 29 at 11 a.m.

Coming up on Palm Sunday, April 2, Nativity BVM Parish will host an Easter-themed painting class for people of all ages and abilities, with Ieva Bagdonas. The event will take place in the parish hall after 11 a.m. Mass. For reservations or more information, call Ieva at (708) 288-2067.

Tickets are now on sale for the annual Augustinian Gala which will take place at The Drake Hotel on Friday, April 21. The 2023 Honorees are Rev. John Sotak OSA, Peggy and Matt Coughlin, The Augustinian Contemplative Nuns of Good Counsel Monastery and The Augustinian Sisters of St. Rita. For tickets, donations, sponsorships and additional information visit augustiniangala.org.

For those that attended St. Thomas More Grammar School, you may remember Sister Virginia Kinsella (Angelique), who recently passed away at the age of 83. A member of the Sinsinawa Dominicans, Sister taught at the school in the mid-1980s.

Now let’s return to 1973. When last we met, we were visiting Water Wonderland Pet Center, billed as the area’s largest seller of tropical fish. Jim D. remembered it well. He said, “Once you mentioned walking into the front door and everything was black except for the glow of all the aquariums, I knew it was the shop on 63rd and Mozart. It was fun to go in and just look around. It was so big, it was like it was never-ending to a kid.”

Yep, it sure was big, taking up several storefronts as I recall. As long as we are almost to California Avenue, how about we go a little further east to 63rd and Campbell and pick up a small party tray? They are so good. Remember where we are going?

2 Comments

  1. Mary Clancy on April 3, 2023 at 12:21 pm

    Hi Kathy,

    Did you not have a column this week? Nothing seems to be updated. Thank you, Mary



  2. Tim Hadac on April 3, 2023 at 1:58 pm


Local News

Sorry, we couldn't find any posts. Please try a different search.

Neighbors

Appeals court skeptical of Mike Bost’s case to stop ballot counts after Election Day

Appeals court skeptical of Mike Bost’s case to stop ballot counts after Election Day

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A panel of federal appellate judges on Thursday seemed skeptical of legal arguments made on behalf of Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, who claims Illinois’ law allowing counting of mail-in ballots for two weeks after an election is in violation of federal law. Bost’s late 2022…

DCFS hires on-the-spot at hiring events

DCFS hires on-the-spot at hiring events

By BETH HUNDSDORFER  Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Cyrenthia Threat spent Wednesday morning at a hiring event in Fairview Heights waiting for word on whether she was hired by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.  Threat wants to move to Illinois from Georgia where she works as a social worker. She has 20 years…

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

By PETER HANCOCK  Capitol News Illinois  phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact.  That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval.   Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

By ALEX ABBEDUTO   Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother – both of whom worked in law enforcement.  Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…