Saturday, December 5, 2015

Garfield Ridge Lights Its Christmas Tree

Thanks to everyone at GRREAT (Garfield Ridge Retail
Entertainment and Amusement Team), as well as the Chicago Park District, the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch and other co-sponsors, for pulling together--for the second year--a Christmas tree-lighting event this evening at Wentworth Park.

Plenty of family photos by the Christmas tree (which this year came not from the north woods of Wisconsin or Michigan, but from right here on the Southwest Side).


Plus visits with Santa Claus and family after family lacing up skates and enjoying Wentworth Park's ice skating rink. 

Here are a few photos we shot, in no particular order.
 

Lots of Christmas-season family fun in one of Chicago's very best neighborhoods!



































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Friday, December 4, 2015

GRREAT Christmas Tree Lighting Set For This Saturday at Wentworth Park

Garfield Ridge residents are invited to stop by Wentworth Park, 57th and Narragansett, for a Christmas tree lighting on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The event is sponsored by the Garfield Ridge Retail
Entertainment and Amusement Team (GRREAT), the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch and the Chicago Park District.

Festivities start at 5:30 p.m., with the arrival of Santa Claus on a fire truck and the tree lighting starting about 30 minutes later.

According to a GRREAT press release, revelers will
sing Christmas carols and enjoy tasty treats from Lindy's Chili and El Patron, as well as the food trucks.”

The park district ice rink will be open for skating, and those without skates may rent them free of charge that night, according to GRREAT.

Last year's event was plenty of fun. Check out the highlights by clicking here.

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Thursday, December 3, 2015

Crime News Update


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. May all of us also remember that a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Three thugs robbed a 72-year-old Garfield Ridge man at gunpoint as he walked home after shopping at the Jewel-Osco at 6107 S. Archer. The crime occurred at 6:32 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 in front of 5336 S. Moody.

The victim told police that the trio put a gun to his head and issued a demand, in Spanish, that translates to, “Don’t move, motherf~cker.” They then went through his pockets and stole his wallet, credit card and $100 cash. They also snatched a gold chain and Blessed Virgin Mary medallion off his neck before fleeing on foot.

The robbers were described as Hispanic men age 18-19, heights ranging from 5-foot-4 to 6-foot-1, 160-170 pounds, wearing dark clothes.

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Two men robbed the Subway sandwich shop at 6458 W. 63rd St. at 5:25 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 18. An employee, a 37-year-old man, said one the men was armed with a handgun and demanded that he open the store’s safe, which he is unable to do. They then stole $145 cash from the register and $55 cash from his pocket before leaving the store and walking north on Natchez. They were described as black men age 20-25, ranging in height from 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-1, 160-180 pounds, wearing dark clothing.

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Four thugs beat and attempted to rob a 19-year-old South Side man at a gas station at 2801 W. 59th St. at noon Wednesday, Nov. 25. The victim told police he was standing inside the station when four men got out of a car and entered the station. One man tried to make conversation with him, while another shouted, “Run those pockets!” as the others started to go through his pockets.

When the victim resisted, he was punched by the would-be robbers. The struggle spilled outside, where the victim was punched and thrown to the pavement. The criminals then sped away in a gray, four-door Pontiac Grand Prix. The CPD incident report gave no indication what, if anything, was stolen from the victim. The offenders were described only as black men wearing dark clothes.
2801 West 59th Street.
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            A 43-year-old Burr Ridge man was robbed as he walked to his car, which was parked near 52nd and Long, at 1:57 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 26. The victim said he had just left a nearby nightclub when two men approached from behind and demanded money. The victim surrendered his wallet, which contained several credit cards and his ID, but no cash. The offenders then sped away east on 52nd Street. Descriptions of the offenders and getaway vehicle were vague, police said.

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An 18-year-old West Lawn man on his way to school was beaten and robbed by five thugs as he walked down a sidewalk in front of 5600 S. Keeler at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. The victim said the offenders got out of a white car, jumped him, hit him and stole his cell phone and wallet before fleeing in an unknown direction. The victim was transported by CFD ambulance to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was treated and released. He described the attackers only as five black men.

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A 19-year-old Garfield Ridge man was beaten and robbed as he walked down a sidewalk in front of 4150 W. 60th St. at 12:55 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. The victim told police that several men jumped out of a light blue minivan, chased him, tackled him, beat him and stole his wallet and cellphone. He sustained several cuts and bruises to the face, but refused medical attention. He described the robbers as black men age 18, all about 5-foot-6 and 130 pounds.

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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 812 (see map), come to the Clearing Branch Library at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 9. Hear updates on crime in your neighborhood and learn how you can work with neighbors and police to make the community safer and better for all.


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A 33-year-old Chicago Lawn man, said by police to be a gangbanger, was beaten and robbed as he stood on a sidewalk in front of 6135 S. Homan at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. The victim said that four thugs approached, with one asking, “What you is, n~gga?” (street slang for “What gang do you belong to?”). The victim said he was then punched in the mouth and hit in the legs with a crowbar as the offenders took his cell phone, $20 cash and ID. The quartet then ran away west on 61st Place. They were described as Hispanic men age 23-27 of various height and weight.

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A 51-year-old Englewood man told police that another man threatened him with a knife as he took photos of the outside of a home near 64th and Lamon at 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 22. The victim told police the he was taking photos on behalf of a mortgage company when a man pulled up in a black Chevy pickup truck and started hollering and cursing at him. The offender claimed he lived on the block and then allegedly pulled a knife and pointed it at the victim’s neck. The photographer then got in his vehicle and drove away. He described the offender only as a Hispanic man, 5-foot-7 in height.

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Burglars cut a hole in the overhead door of a garage near 56th and Narragansett, pulled the emergency-release cord inside, entered and stole assorted tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 35-year-old man, at 6:15 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22.

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Burglars entered the unlocked service door of a garage near 48th and Keating and stole an air compressor and a nail gun. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman, at 4:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23.

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A burglar cut a hole in the overhead door of a garage near 54th and Rutherford, pulled the emergency-release cord, entered and stole a jack hammer, a tile saw, an air compressor and a tool bag with assorted tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman, at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, when her garage’s burglar alarm was triggered. She told police that when she looked out the back window of her house, she saw a man wearing a gray hoodie in the garage, who then ran into the alley and sped away in a gray sedan.

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Burglars entered the bedroom window of a home near 85th Place and Hamlin and stole three TVs, a stereo system and a cell phone. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 51-year-old woman, at 3:45 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.

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Burglars forced open the back door of a home near 57th and Kolin and stole three TVs, a tablet computer and an iPad. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 38-year-old woman, at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.

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Burglars kicked in the side door of a home near 55th and Tripp and stole a TV, a bluray disc player, two watches and $500 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 45-year-old man, at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27.


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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 814 (see map), come to the Vittum Park Fieldhouse at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, December 10. Hear updates on crime in your neighborhood and learn how you can work with neighbors and police to make the community safer and better for all.


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Burglars forced open the overhead door of a garage near 49th and La Crosse and stole five tires and rims, a lawnmower, a snow blower and a car jack. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 48-year-old woman, at 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 26.

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Burglars kicked in the service door of a garage near 61st and Keeler and stole a gas can and a set of tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 25-year-old woman, just after midnight Saturday, Nov. 28.

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Burglars pried open the service door of a garage near 66th and Lawndale and stole two snow blowers and an air compressor. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 51-year-old man, at 9 a.m. Thursday, November 26.

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Burglars broke the basement window of a home near 64th and Lockwood and stole a TV. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 76-year-old man, when he came home at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24.



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Saturday, November 28, 2015

CPD Issues Missing-Person Alert for 14-Year-Old Girl; May Be in Brighton Park

Update: At 10:07 a.m. Wednesday, December 2, CPD stated that Samantha has been found and reunited with her family. They offered no other information.

Chicago Police have issued a missing-person alert for 14-
year-old Samantha Rodriguez, last seen on Friday, November 27 on the 3600 block of West 66th Place.

Police said she may be hanging around in the Brighton Park neighborhood, specifically near 38th and California or 41st and Francisco.

She is Hispanic, 5-foot-3 and 110 pounds, brown eyes and hair, with a medium complexion.

When last seen, she was wearing a beige hoody, a beige shirt, black leggings and black gym shoes. She may be carrying a black backpack.

Those with useful information to share are encouraged to call CPD Area Central Detectives at (312) 747-8380 and refer to case HY516852.
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Thursday, November 5, 2015

Fourteen More Reasons Why Archer Heights Is One of Chicago's Most Beautiful Places

Our friends at the Archer Heights Civic Association
presented their biannual House Beautiful Awards at their
October meeting.

More than a dozen homeowners were saluted for doing their part to keep Archer Heights what it has been for decades---one of Chicago's best and most beautiful neighborhoods.

Click on the image below and see the winners for yourself.


https://www.scribd.com/doc/288576111/Archer-Heights-Civic-Association-House-Beautiful-Awards-2015

Our congratulations to those who won awards this year, and our thanks to the good people of the Archer Heights Civic Association, one of Chicago's most active and effective neighborhood advocacy organizations. The AHCA does an excellent job of speaking truth to power and rattling the right cages to get things done, but they also understand the importance of celebrating all that is good about the neighborhood, and they do that with pride.

If you live in Archer Heights or own a business there, the AHCA is the group to join!

To learn more about the AHCA, call 773-843-2232 or attend the next meeting. AHCA meetings are always the second Wednesday of the month, with the exception of July and August, at UNO Veterans Memorial Campus, 47th and Kildare, and always start at 7:30 p.m. All Archer Heights residents are encouraged to attend.

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