Streets and San Responds Swiftly, Efficiently to Remove Decaying Tree

Less than 24 hours after it was reported to 311, a storm-damaged and potentially dangerous dead tree near 56th and Austin was removed by crews from the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation.

The situation was the subject of a story posted yesterday on the Southwest Chicago Post website. Heavy rain and high wind had combined to blow the decaying tree's bark into the street.

Arriving well before 9:00 a.m., the crews worked swiftly and efficiently, with minimal disruption of traffic on Austin.

(Editor's note: Comments about this swift work by Streets and San posted at http://www.facebook.com/SWChicagoPost)

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And video highlights of the work:



Severe Rain, Wind Strip Bark Off Dead Tree; Neighbors Want City to Cut It Down

Last night's heavy rain, followed by this morning's high winds, delivered a one-two punch to a dead tree in front of 5636 South Austin, stripping off much of the bark and blowing it onto the street.

According to a next-door neighbor who saw a Southwest Chicago Post photographer and came out to chat, several neighbors on the block are concerned that the tree, which has been dead for at least two years, is a hazard to fall and damage property and/or injure people (or worse).

The Southwest Chicago Post is contacting the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation for a response to the allegation.

Update at 2:00 PM: Streets and San spokesperson Anne Sheahan got back to us promptly (and we praise her for that). She did not address the homeowner claim about alleged S & S footdragging in the past on the tree in question, but she did offer this bit of hope: "Over the last two days, the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation has been working to service over 165 tree emergencies that have been reported by residents in the wake of the storm. The tree at 5636 S. Austin was reported today and examined this morning by our Bureau of Forestry. The tree is scheduled for removal this week."

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Local Crime Roundup

Editor's note: The crime news reported by the Southwest Chicago Post---taken directly from Chicago Police Department incident reports---is not by any means an exhaustive catalogue of all crime reported in the Chicago Lawn (8th) District. For example, it typically does not include news of crimes committed in the eastern and southern sectors of the district---because the Southwest Chicago Post's coverage area is primarily the neighborhoods that border Midway Airport and secondarily because including the relatively large volume of crime news from elsewhere in the district would be a logistical challenge. We make this note to offer a little helpful perspective and remind everyone that while crime is definitely a concern in all parts of the district (as it always has been), crime remains relatively low overall in Sector 1. May all of us work together diligently to keep it that way.

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A 44-year-old Gage Park man was a victim of a strong-arm robbery at 2:00 a.m. Friday, April 13 at 47th and Pulaski. While he was stopped at a red light, two women walked up to his car and knocked on the window. As he rolled down the window, the women asked for a ride. Suddenly, three men ran up to the car, forced the window all the way down, and dragged the victim from the car. They searched him and the car, stealing his wallet. All five then fled east on 47th Street. The only description the victim gave police is that all five offenders were Hispanics ages 22-25.

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An 18-year-old West Lawn woman was a victim of an armed robbery at 7:40 p.m. Friday, April 13 on a sidewalk near 58th and Tripp. She told police that she was out walking when she was approached by four men (no other description available), one of whom displayed a handgun and ordered her to hand over her cell phone and cash ($20), which she did.

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A 39-year-old Archer Heights woman claimed that two men stole $1,500 cash from her apartment near 50th and Tripp at about 7:00 p.m. Thursday, April 12. Arriving home from work with her children, she said she noticed that the locks of her front door appeared to have been changed. As she investigated, she said she saw two men leaving via the rear exit, fighting with each other and one hitting the other with a brick. She reported that as she ran back to her car to protect her children, the two men went back in the rear door and then ran out the front door and down the block. She then went inside and discovered that the water had been turned off and her cash missing. She told police that she thinks the two, described as white men ages 40-45, were acting on behalf of the bank that is foreclosing on her landlord's building.

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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 59th and Keeler on the morning of Tuesday, April 10 and stole a mitre saw, a skil saw, a table saw, three nail guns, a frame gun, an air compressor, a grinder, a tile cutter and a weed cutter. The crime was discovered at 1:00 p.m. when the victim, a 46-year-old man, returned home from work.

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A 51-year-old woman told police that someone stole a 32-inch flat screen TV and an Xbox 360 video game console from her basement apartment near 52nd and Kostner, in the early afternoon of Thursday, April 12.  The victim discovered the crime when she returned home from work. There was no sign of forced entry, and the burglar appears to have entered via an unlocked window. Police investigating the incident were told by a tenant on the first floor of the building that he had seen a young man leaving the basement apartment carrying a book bag. He said the young man is a former friend of the victim's son.

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Burglars stole a mountain bike from a garage near 61st and Komensky sometime Wednesday/Thursday, April 11/12. There was no sign of forced entry, and the crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old man, at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 12.

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All Southwest Side residents are invited to a Chicago Police burglary prevention seminar set for 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21 in the first-floor auditorium of Daley College, 7500 South Pulaski.

The seminar will feature ex-offenders sharing their secrets on how a burglar thinks: including how they choose which home or garage to burglarize, common mistakes that homeowners make, and more----and they will offer a number of practical steps people can take to minimize their risk of being a burglary victim.

The ex-offenders are participants in the Safer Foundation’s “Keepin’ It Real” program, started by Chicago Police Officer Maudessie Jointer about five years ago to connect former criminals with the community in constructive ways.

Admission and parking are free.

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Letters to the Editor

Editor's note: We respect your opinion and are privileged to share it via this website. All letters to the editor will be reviewed before being posted. We do allow anonymous comments, yet we will not allow the Southwest Chicago Post to serve as a forum for bigotry of any kind. We also will not allow personal attacks against anyone, including elected officials and other public figures. On this site, all of us need to keep our tone respectful and our criticisms constructive. That's important as we work together to build better Southwest Side neighborhoods for all. So please join the conversation by sending your letter to editor@swchicagopost.com.

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Dear Editor,

Congratulations on your new venture. I wish you success. Thank you for putting together the recent article on the possible long-term effects of sports-related injuries to children. This is something that doesn't get a lot of attention, but should. Too many children---right here in the neighborhood and elsewhere---suffer injuries that go undiagnosed and therefore may not heal properly and which may lead to health problems in the future. As your article pointed out, these problems can often be prevented with prompt diagnosis and a smart regimen of chiropractic care.

Dr. Joseph Coler, DC
Coler Chiropractic

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Dear Editor,

I want to know what's going on with all the tearing up of the streets around here. Sometimes I think it's just so these politically-connected construction companies can make millions of dollars---at our expense.

Anonymous

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Editor,

I see your new publication. I like what I see so far. It looks like you will be different from other neighborhood newspapers in this city that serve as little more than mouthpieces for local politicians. Papers that load up their front pages with pictures of politicians smiling for the camera and glad-handing anyone who will stand still for a photograph. Papers that fill their pages with politicians' press releases and worse, opinion columns written by the politicians in which they brag about how great they are---all in space that could have and should have been used for the people of the neighborhood. It's sad that some newspapers sell their souls to politicians in exchange for the lucrative advertising that appears in their "public notice" classified ad section. They have no credibility.

I hope your paper is different. Keep up the good work and please continue reporting the crime news. It's good to know what's going on.

William "Bill" Barczak

Clearing

(Editor's Note: Thank you, Mr. Barczak. If you like what you see thus far from the Southwest Chicago Post, you'll probably enjoy what's ahead in the weeks and months to come; because it will be more of the same straightfoward, no-frills, honest and accurate news reporting on relevant topics---namely, making the Southwest Side a better place to live for us all---celebrating our community's successes and working to fix what needs fixing. And thanks for your concern about our soul. Rest assured it is safe and strong. While we are appropriately respectful of our local elected officials and the offices they hold, we have no plans to be anyone's parrot. Not us, not ever. Thanks for writing, and please write again soon. Your opinion---and everyone else's---counts.)

Local Crime Roundup

Editor's note: The crime news reported by the Southwest Chicago Post---taken directly from Chicago Police Department incident reports---is not by any means an exhaustive catalogue of all crime reported in the Chicago Lawn (8th) District. For example, it typically does not include news of crimes committed in the eastern and southern sectors of the district---because the Southwest Chicago Post's coverage area is primarily the neighborhoods that border Midway Airport and secondarily because including the relatively large volume of crime news from elsewhere in the district would be a logistical challenge. We make this note to offer a little helpful perspective and remind everyone that while crime is definitely a concern in all parts of the district (as it always has been), crime remains relatively low overall in Sector 1. May all of us work together diligently to keep it that way.

* * *

A 24-year-old Clearing woman told police that sometime while she was away on vacation from April 3-11, someone stole $5,000 from a small safe she had hidden in the crawlspace of her home near 62nd and Merrimac. There was no sign of forced entry to her residence, and she provided police with the names of two people---a 25-year-old house sitter and a 24-year-old former roommate---who she said have keys to her home.

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Burglars kicked in a service door and stole two mountain bikes from a garage near 55th and Kilbourn, some time between 9:45 and11:30 a.m. Monday, April 9. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 38-year-old man.

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Burglars used a stolen garage door opener to gain access to a garage near 57th and Springfield, some time between 10:00 p.m. Saturday, April 7 and 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 9. Taken from the car inside the car were a pair of prescription sunglasses and miscellaneous other items. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman.

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A 79-year-old Garfield Ridge woman who left her home at 4:45 p.m. Monday, April 9 to go to a hair appointment and get a bite to eat, arrived home two hours later to find her back door pried open and various items stolen. Police investigating the incident near 53rd and Monitor questioned a known gang member living across the street, as well as a visitor to that house who has a prior arrest for possession of burglary tools.

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Burglars forced open a service door and stole miscellaneous hand tools from a garage near 51st and Kenneth. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 37-year-old woman, at 5:00 a.m. Saturday, April 7.

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A 67-year-old man who left his overhead garage door open in the late morning of Saturday, April 7 was hit by thieves who stole a circular saw, a power washer and a set of sterling silverware. The garage is located near 76th and Springfield.

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A 59-year-old West Lawn woman discovered, at 3:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 10, that her garage near 61st and Kostner had been burglarized. Stolen were several tool boxes, a lawn mower and a quilt.

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Burglars forced open the side door of a garage near 80th and Komensky overnight April 9/10 and stole a bicycle, two drills, various wrenches, a pair of sunglasses, a pair of eyeglasses and car keys. The crime was discovered at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 10 by the victim, a 28-year-old man.

* * *

All Southwest Side residents are invited to a Chicago Police burglary prevention seminar set for 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21 in the first-floor auditorium of Daley College, 7500 South Pulaski.

The seminar will feature ex-offenders sharing their secrets on how a burglar thinks: including how they choose which home or garage to burglarize, common mistakes that homeowners make, and more----and they will offer a number of practical steps people can take to minimize their risk of being a burglary victim. 
The ex-offenders are participants in the Safer Foundation’s “Keepin’ It Real” program, started by Chicago Police Officer Maudessie Jointer about five years ago to connect former criminals with the community in constructive ways.

Admission and parking are free.

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Garfield Ridge Neighbors' Action Evicts Alleged Gang Members from 52/Normandy

Community action has resulted in a local landlord evicting several purported gang members who were renting a home near 52^nd and Normandy, leaders of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch (GRNW) said on Monday.

The news was announced at the GRNW’s April meeting, held at Wentworth Park. About 40 people, mostly GRNW members, were in attendance.

“This was a situation where the elderly woman who owns the home had no idea she was renting to these type of people,” stated GRNW President Al Cacciottolo. “When it was brought to her attention, she was shocked; and fortunately, she responded quickly and did the right thing.

“I know a lot of us have been watching this house very closely in the past month or so; and you’ll notice positive changes there now that they (purported gang members) are gone,” he added. “Things have quieted down and are back to normal.”

The house and its tenants had been a sharp point of discussion at the GRNW’s March meeting. Chicago Police Eighth District Commander David R. McNaughton, a speaker at the meeting, had vowed to contact the home’s owners and “call them in” for a discussion of the matter.

At that same meeting, McNaughton told everyone, “Gangbangers are like rats. They follow the path of least resistance. If they know the community will not put up with them, they will move on. They will leave.”

A day later, in response to a citizen call to 911 alleging that occupants of the house were flashing gang signs from the front porch, police searched the house and made an arrest in connection with a misdemeanor amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia found on the premises.

Other matters discussed at the GRNW meeting included:

► a presentation on the Eighth District’s court advocacy effort, in which local volunteers attend select criminal court proceedings to display unity, support local crime victims and impress upon judges and everyone the community’s ongoing demand for justice. In recent years, local court advocates have played a role in the convictions of over 200 criminals on graffiti-related charges and more than $32,000 in fines. There are currently about 40 men and women who serve as Eighth District court advocates. “It’s the easiest volunteer work you can do,” stated court advocate and West Lawn resident Barbara Ziegler. “You work in teams with other people. All you do is go to court; and when they call the case you’re following, you stand up and look disgruntled.” For more information on becoming an advocate, call Ziegler at 708-269-8833.

► a recap of a successful thwarting of a burglar initially discovered inside a home near 53^rd and Mayfield. The criminal had broken into the home at about 10:30 a.m., while a 92-year-old woman was in bed inside. Fearing for her safety, she pretended to be asleep while the burglar began to ransack the home. The crime was interrupted, however, when the woman’s 60-year-old son stopped by. The two men struggled briefly in a hallway before the burglar fled.  About 90 minutes later, the same man was arrested on burglary charges at a home near 55^th and Meade. According to police, the man’s car contained items stolen from the house near 53^rd and Mayfield.

► a report that alleged gang members have just begun renting a home near 56^th and Narragansett, across the street from Kennedy High School. All community members were advised to watch the block closely and promptly report any suspicious activity to 911.

► an update on GRNW efforts to thwart trespassing and teenage drinking along the Belt Railway tracks near 59^th Street.

► a few words of thanks from Kinzie School Principal Martin McGreal and Assistant Principal John Keith for GRNW support of efforts to prevent graffiti around the school. “If you see anything, please let us know right away,” McGreal said. “We have paint and are ready to address graffiti quickly and effectively.” GRNW members on patrol were also asked to keep an eye on the below-ground stairwells on the Kennedy/Kinzie campus and report any teenagers congregating there at night.

► a brief appeal for monetary donations from local businesses and individuals to help the GRNW purchase gasoline cards to reimburse members who patrol in their vehicles, as well as buy signs and other educational/motivational materials.

► an update on GRNW efforts to help a local homeowner of limited means remove raccoons from an attic near 56^th and McVicker, after Chicago Animal Care and Control refused to remove them or provide a trap. GRNW volunteers are purchasing Shake-Away repellent (concentrated coyote urine pellets) and using them to dislodge the raccoons.  They are also patching the entry hole in the roof.

► an update on GRNW efforts to assist a local homeowner of limited means near 58^th and Neva. The GRNW has secured donated lumber and is seeking volunteer carpenters to mend a 15-foot section of dilapidated fence in the back yard.

► a brief discussion of ongoing efforts to stop businesses from taping unsolicited advertising leaflets to local garages and front doors, as well as a discussion of illegal posting of “garage sale” signs on public property, and of illegal and unsightly front-yard sales.

► a “save the date” announcement that the GRNW and the Archer Heights Credit Union will host a “Neighborhood Awareness Day” from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, May 19 (Editor's update: date has been changed to Saturday, June 2) on the northeast corner of Archer and Nashville. The event will include crime prevention and community improvement information, as well as a limited amount of free food and refreshments. Details will be announced soon.

► a reminder about the Chicago Police Department’s burglary prevention seminar set for 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21 in the first-floor auditorium of Daley College, 7500 South Pulaski. For everyone’s convenience, the GRNW is offering a free bus ride to and from the event. The bus will depart at about 10:15 a.m. from Lindy’s/Gertie’s, 6544 West Archer. To reserve a seat on the bus or for any information about the GRNW, visit www.garfieldridgenw.com.

The next GRNW meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 14 in the lobby of Bridgeview Bank, 6366 South Archer.


(Video below: CAPS facilitator and Archer Heights community advocate Michael Kovac offers a few words of praise for the GRNW.)

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New Owners of Cafe Reneé Promise Same Great Restaurant, With a Few Twists

Cafe Reneé, 6411 West 63^rd Street, one of the Southwest Side’s oldest family restaurants, began this month with new owners and a renewed commitment to serving delicious meals at reasonable prices in a friendly, comfortable setting.

Jerry and Virginia Grosh recently purchased the restaurant from Peter Kavouras, who had owned and operated Cafe Reneé since 1969.

“We plan to run things the way Pete did, with a few additions---such as a children's menu,” Jerry Grosh says. “We want to encourage families to eat here.”

Kavouras is currently training Jerry and Virginia, as well as their son Joshua and daughter Amanda---passing along decades’ worth of experience to ensure a smooth transition.

Originally from the McKinley Park neighborhood, Jerry and Virginia Grosh live in Clearing and say they are committed to maintaining and enhancing Cafe Reneé’s image as a local business. They are keeping all four staff members on board, and they plan to add local favorites to the menu, such as pie from Pticek & Son Bakery.

“This restaurant is also well known for its soup; and we have all the recipes,” adds Virginia Grosh.  “And based on the suggestions we have received from our staff, we may be adding such favorites as biscuits and gravy, Belgian waffles and more. There is a lot to like about Cafe Reneé, and we intend to make it even better.”

The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Hours of operation are 5:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Saturday, and 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday.

A formal grand opening celebration will be held soon.

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