Friday, March 20, 2026

Small-Town Support for a Sweet Little Girl in Need

St. Sym’s Girl Scouts Sell Cookies to Neighbors Hungry to Help Estelle

Opinion
By Tim Hadac
Southwest Chicago Post


When people smile and describe Southwest Side neighborhoods as small towns in a big city, they may be thinking about a sweet little girl named Estelle.

Estelle at a GS cookie sale.
Six-year-old Estelle is a student at Dore Elementary School. She is one of just six girls in Daisy Troop 25597, a new Girl Scout troop in Clearing, where Estelle lives with her mom and dad, Bettie and Steven. The troop is led by Bettie, along with Melinda Tomasewski, mother of Estelle’s friend, Penny.

Daises are the youngest of all Girl Scouts—so Estelle and the others were excitedly looking forward to selling Girl Scout cookies for the first time through their new troop.

They were hoping to sell hundreds of boxes of Thin Mints, Samoas, Do-si-dos, Trefoils and other varieties (including Estelle’s favorite, Lemon-Ups), which would entitle them to go on a lakefront boat cruise this summer.

But for a tiny troop of Daisies, selling hundreds of boxes of cookies was a tall order, if not an impossibility.

That is, until their big sisters stepped up and stepped in.

Girl Scout Troop 26186, based out of St. Symphorosa School, is almost nine times larger than Daisy Troop 25597. The St. Sym’s unit includes girls from kindergarten through freshman year of high school. It’s a strong, active troop with good adult leadership.

Here’s where the Clearing neighborhood showed its small-town character.

When the St. Sym’s troop and its leaders heard that Estelle has been fighting Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since last November, they swung into action, no questions asked.

They decided they’d donate 100% of the credit from their Sunday, March 1 cookie sale (held outside Fair Share Finer Foods, 63rd and Narragansett) to Estelle and Daisy Troop 25597.

They predicted they’d sell a couple hundred boxes, which could be added to Estelle’s total—hopefully bringing her close to the 500-box sales goal she’d need to hit to earn a Cookie Cruise ticket.

Turns out the St. Sym’s girls were a bit modest in their prediction. Business was brisk, with men, women and children (including firefighters from the CFD house at 56th and Narragansett) hungry to help.

By afternoon’s end, they sold 596 boxes—far more than what Estelle needs. The remainder will be credited to Daisy Troop 25597 in the hope that at least one other girl can enjoy the Cookie Cruise with Estelle.

“[Selling Girl Scout cookies on behalf of Estelle] was an easy decision,” GS Troop 26186 leader Karen Kielbasa says. “This was a good thing for our girls to do, to live the Girl Scout Law.
Daisy Scouts Sofia, Estelle and Penny


“Our troop has been so lucky to have the support of this neighborhood in recent years,” she adds. “It’s a privilege for us to support others in need.”

Those who missed the March 1 sale at Fair Share, but who still want to buy Girl Scout cookies to help Estelle and her troop are advised to click this link and order/pay online: https://digitalcookie.girlscouts.org/scout/troop25597c430?fpkp=1.

The good deed the St. Sym’s Girl Scouts have done is part of a larger and “awesome” amount of support the community has shown for Estelle, Bettie says—everyone from family, friends, neighbors and the staff at Lurie Children’s Hospital, as well as Estelle’s classmates and teachers—one of whom, Samantha Villa, even shaved her head as Estelle’s was, in a touching show of solidarity and love.
Estelle and teacher Samantha Villa.


“We continue to ask for prayers and all the love and healing vibes from everyone, it’s working!” Bettie wrote in a recent Facebook post. “We are so thankful for all the love and support so many shower on us all, especially Estelle.”

Folks who may not want to buy cookies but who want to help Bettie and Steven with the inevitable mountain of medical bills are advised to click this GoFundMe link: https://gofund.me/ec3da702d.


Estelle and her mom, Bettie.






















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Electronics Recycling Event Set For March 21 at Kennedy High School

Looking to get rid of unwanted electronics (like old TVs, radio, computers, printers and appliances)?


Bring your unwanted electronics to Kennedy High School's west parking lot (just south of 56th and Narragansett) from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21.
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Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Be Careful After Storm Damage, Southwest Side Homeowners Advised

 ...call this homeowners’ advocate.


By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post
(adapted from an earlier post)

When severe storms pass through the Chicago area--gusts of up to 60 mph, knocking out power to more than 100,000 homes--they can leave quite a bit in their wake: downed trees and power lines, damaged roofs and fast-talking quick-fix guys who seem to come out of nowhere.

“The morning after the last storm passed, there were
branches, leaves and even a few [roof] shingles on my front lawn,” said Garfield Ridge resident Bill Wajda said after a storm a few years ago. “The only thing that wasn’t blown all over the place were the three—three—advertising leaflets from three different guys offering to fix my roof, all stuffed in my storm door.”

Wajda said he didn’t recognize any of the companies named on the leaflets and that none of their phone numbers appeared to be local. He threw all three in the trash.

Such businesses are known as storm chasers. Everyone, from the Better Business Bureau to local chambers of commerce, warn against them.

“Although not all storm chasers are scammers, they may lack the proper licensing for your area, offer quick fixes, or make big promises they can’t deliver,” cautioned the BBB in a seasonal statement.

“Be careful, check references and make sure you’re dealing
Geno Randazzo (right) and Al Cacciottolo
 with a reputable, local business owner with a track record of success,” added Garfield Ridge business leader Al Cacciottolo, who publicly recommended Southwest Side native Geno Randazzo after a recent wave of high-wind storms pounded the area. “Geno will represent you when you deal with your insurance company, he will work to get you what you deserve from them, and his company will make all repairs necessary. Hundreds of the better roofs in this area—homes and businesses alike—are there because of Geno’s work.”

Randazzo’s business, All Exterior Contractors—licensed, bonded, insured and a member of the Midway Chamber of Commerce—is known for quality home repairs at a reasonable price.


He also has been visible in the community over the last several years, helping sponsor drives to assist military veterans, local school children and Thanksgiving dinners for senior citizens.

What sets Randazzo apart from others is that he also serves as a public claims adjuster—a licensed professional who can and has gotten insurance companies to pay what they should pay homeowners.


“Just about everybody likes their local insurance agent—it may be a friend, a relative, an old classmate—but all too often, it’s a different story when people have to deal with the big insurance companies,” Randazzo said. “Keep in mind, that big insurance company you’ve been paying premiums to for years and years does not represent you. They represent themselves. I have heard story after story where homeowners had thousands of dollars in storm damage, only to have their insurance company cut them a check in the hundreds. They got short-changed; and since they didn’t know their rights, they didn’t know what to do.”

“What I tell people is, call me first at (708) 705-7900—before you call your insurance agent, before you contact your insurance company to make a claim,” Randazzo added. “I will show you how I will work on your behalf, representing you, to get what you deserve.”

Click here to see two testimonials.
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Friday, March 6, 2026

Chicago Bar Association Shares Opinions on 2026 Judicial Candidates

Downloadable guide posted on CBA website

The Chicago Bar Association has released judicial evaluation results for candidates running to become a Judge in Cook County, including candidates for the Illinois Appellate Court and the Circuit Court. The CBA strongly encourages voters to use the findings to cast informed votes for judicial candidates on the March 17 primary ballot. 

The Judicial Evaluation Committee findings are available on the CBA’s website at chicagobar.org/votejudges. The CBA’s downloadable “Judge Smart Pocket Guide” is available in English, Spanish, and Polish, allowing citizens to take the findings into the voting booth. 

“The CBA’s ‘Judge Smart Pocket Guide’ is a valuable resource voters can utilize to cast smart and informed votes for judicial candidates,” said Jeffrey Finke, Chair of the CBA’s Judicial
Evaluation Committee. “With 46 judicial candidates on the ballot for this primary, it is imperative for each candidate's qualifications to be accessible to Cook County voters.”   

The non-partisan evaluations are a comprehensive, peer-to-peer review process conducted by the CBA’s Judicial Evaluation Committee as a long-standing public service. Candidates who submit a questionnaire and participate in the screening process are evaluated based on seven criteria: integrity, legal knowledge, legal ability, professional experience, judicial temperament, diligence and punctuality. 

Candidates must also participate in a personal interview with members of the evaluation committee. They must receive a 60% favorable vote of the hearing panel members to receive a “Qualified” finding and an 80% favorable vote to receive a “Highly Qualified” finding. Candidates who receive less than a 60% favorable vote receive a “Not Recommended” finding, as do candidates who decline to participate in the evaluation process. 

In the March 17 primary election, there are candidates seeking positions on the Illinois Appellate Court and the Cook County Circuit Court. 

Appellate Court: 
One candidate is running to fill one open seat on the Illinois Appellate Court. The candidate was rated “Qualified.” 

Circuit Court of Cook County: 
In addition to the Appellate Court race, 45 candidates are running for Judge in the Cook County Circuit Court. Of the 45 circuit court candidates running, 37 were screened by the CBA’s Judicial Evaluation Committee. Of those 45, the JEC rated two as “Highly Qualified,” 31 as “Qualified,” and 12 as “Not Recommended.” 

The 12 “Not Recommended” candidates include eight who declined to participate in the JEC screening process and were automatically found “Not Recommended” pursuant to the JEC's governing bylaws. 
  
About the Judicial Evaluation Committee 

The Judicial Evaluation Committee (JEC) is the nonpartisan, semi-independent committee of The Chicago Bar Association that conducts evaluations of candidates for judicial offices and of sitting judges seeking retention in Cook County. The JEC has 150 dedicated volunteer investigators, 32 hearing division members, and an executive committee of 12 senior JEC members. As a public service, the CBA reports the JEC's findings for all elections. The evaluations are designed to inform the public and the courts of the qualifications, independence, and integrity of judicial candidates.   

About the Chicago Bar Association 

Founded in 1874, The Chicago Bar Association has maintained the honor and dignity of the legal profession, cultivated relationships among members, and promoted the administration of justice and the public good for more than 150 years. One of the oldest and most active metropolitan bar associations in the United States, The Chicago Bar Association has more than 17,000 members, including attorneys from every practice area, the judiciary, and law students. Through CLE (Continuing Legal Education) offerings, mentorship, and pro bono projects, the Association provides resources and opportunities for attorneys of all ages, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the modern practice of law. Learn more at chicagobar.org.

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