St. Nick's Students Stage Spring Concert

Just sharing a photo sent to us by St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, 3741 W. 62nd Street, of several student performing at the school's recent spring concert with students in violin, piano and guitar classes. The students gave two performances, one for all the students at St. Nicholas and the second in the evening with their families.

Students develop poise, self-confidence and a sense of teamwork through participation in various musical groups at the school.  Students as young as first grade play musical instrument and participate in the school choir. Music education is "an essential part of our curriculum," school officials say.

To learn more about St. Nicholas of Tolentine School, contact the school office at (773) 735-0772.

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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.

* * * 

A burglar broke into the Pearle Vision store at 5109 S. Pulaski and stole about $4,000 worth

of lenses and frames. The crime was discovered by police responding to a burglar alarm at 5:13 a.m. Thursday, May 8. The store’s front door was open, and a glass display case was smashed. Police said that surveillance video showed that a white Hispanic man committed the crime and fled in a Dodge Caravan. The offender wore a blue hoody, black pants and a black baseball cap.

* * *

A 41-year-old man from suburban Worth was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly threw a beer bottle at an employee of Duffy’s Place, 6355 S. Central, during an argument at about 9:55 p.m. Saturday, May 10. The employee, a 45-year-old woman, told police that Jeffrey M. Scellato was drunk at the time. The CPD incident report gave no indication of a court date.

* * *

Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in Beat 812 (see map), come to St. Symphorosa Church at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 14. 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.

* * *

A 101-year-old Vittum Park man told police that burglars entered the unlocked back door of his home near 48^th and La Crosse and stole $50 cash. The victim told police that he had been working in his garage at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 9 when he saw a man run past. The victim’s neighbor, a 62-year-old man, told police he saw three burglars running in and out and fleeing in a black Jeep. When the victim went inside, he saw that his bedroom had been ransacked. Descriptions of the three offenders were vague.

* * *

A 21-year-old West Lawn was arrested and charged with aggravated assault after he allegedly swung a baseball bat in a menacing manner at two people, a 20-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man. The incident allegedly occurred at 1:46 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 in a yard near 63rd Place and Linder. The victims claimed that Dylan Brychta of 61^st and Lawndale fled after the assault. Police said they apprehended him a short time later near 64^th Place and Laramie. He was positively identified by the victims, police said, and his is scheduled to appear in Cook County Circuit Court Branch 34-4, 155 W. 51^st St., on Monday, June 16.

* * *

Burglars forced open the back door of a home near 58^th and Sayre and stole $300 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim when he came home from work at 1 a.m. Thursday, May 8.

* * *

Want to fight crime (indirectly), meet your Garfield Ridge neighbors, pick up some great values and have lots of fun? Make plans to attend the annual Sell-A-Bration, hosted by the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 17 in the west parking lot of Kennedy High School, 56th and Narragansett. Plenty of interesting and unique bargains to be had at this outdoor rummage sale!

* * *

Burglars entered an open garage near 64^th Place and Nottingham and stole a bicycle. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 50-year-old man, at 3 p.m. Monday, May 5. He told police that he had left the overhead door open when he left to help a neighbor with a task. He apparently interrupted the crime, because when he returned to his garage, the bike was gone, and other items were stacked by the doorway, as if they had been readied to be carried away quickly.

* * *

Burglars broke through the service door of a garage near 63rd Place and Latrobe and stole an iPad and a toolbox filled with tools. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 37-year-old man, when he came home from a wedding at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, May 4.

* * *

Burglars opened the rear window of an apartment near 63rd and Gullikson and stole a diamond ring and a diamond bracelet worth $4,000 combined. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 36-year-old woman, at 9:30 p.m. Sunday, May 4, when she came home and saw her front door open.

* * *

A 32-year-old Scottsdale man told police that he was robbed at gunpoint in an alley behind 6314 S. Pulaski at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. Stolen was his wallet, cell phone and $25 cash. The robbers are described as Hispanic men age 20-25, 5’9 to 6’0 and 160-180 pounds. One has a full beard, and the other has a scar on the right side of his face.

* * *

A pair of thugs entered the Computer Zone store at 7951 South Cicero, forced aside a cashier (a 17-year-old Scottsdale girl) and stole five laptop computers and $290 cash. The crime occurred at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. The criminals did not appear to be armed, the clerk told police. They fled on foot north on Cicero. They are described as black men age 18-20, 6'0 and 150-160 pounds, brown eyes and black hair. 

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Bank Branch Bulldozed to Make Way for Checkers at Archer and Narragansett

The rumors of a Checkers fast-food restaurant being built on the southwest corner of Archer

6401 West Archer

and Narragansett, first reported nearly a year ago by the Southwest Chicago Post and which were initially denied by a Checkers spokesman, are turning out to be true, as heavy equipment operators this week starting tearing down the long-shuttered MB Bank building.

In an interview with the Southwest Chicago Post, Jennifer Durham--Vice President of Franchise Development for Checkers and Rally's Restaurants--confirmed that construction will begin within weeks, just after demolition is complete. A new Checkers restaurant is expected to open at the site in August, she added.

6401 West Archer

Durham said that the company acquired the site as part of a "bang-up deal" and added that the new Checkers will meet "unmet consumer demand" in the area.

The new restaurant will be owned and operated by the company and not franchised, she noted.

It is expected to employ 20-30 people, most of whom will work part-time. She said that the company is committed to hiring locally, and that people interested in working at that location should apply online now at checkerscareers.com.

The new restaurant will focus on drive-through service and will not have an indoor dining area, although there may be limited outdoor seating under a canopy.

Durham said the Archer and Narragansett unit will look similar to the Checkers at 115th and

11449 South Halsted

Halsted.

Like most Checkers, the one at Archer and Narragansett will be open seven days and open late, most likely until 3 a.m. weekdays and 4 a.m. weekends. The goal, Durham said, is to be open at least an hour after competitors close, and that the restaurant may possibly operate 24/7 at some point.

Checkers is a restaurant chain headquartered in Tampa, Florida. The company also owns Rally's hamburger restaurants--about 800 restaurants in all. Some are company owned and operated; many are franchises.

In the greater Chicago area, there are nine, according to the Checkers website: three on the

South Side (55th and Wentworth, 87th and Stony Island, and 115th and Halsted), one on the West Side (at North and Kostner), two in the south suburbs (Dixmoor and South Holland), and three in Northwest Indiana (two in Gary and one in Hammond).

Long-time residents of Garfield Ridge recall that decades ago, the site was home to a Jack in the Box drive-thru restaurant.

Twenty-third Ward Alderman Michael R. Zalewski noted Checker's interest in Archer and Narragansett, moments after he said at a public meeting last October that desirable food establishments like Corner Bakery will not locate on Archer, because there are no suitable corner properties available.

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Congrats to Girl Scouts Who Helped the Hungry, Learned an Important Lesson

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

As a local business owner and news publisher, but also as a former Scout mom and yes, a former Girl Scout, I want to offer my hearty congratulations to the girls of Junior Troop 21668, Brownie Troop 21035, and Daisy Troop 21134, sponsored by the Village of Bedford Park but which is made up mostly of girls from the Clearing and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods.

As told to us by Scout mom Jill Bernal, the girls recently finished up a service project called “Are You Hungry?"

Jill continues:

"They wrote a letter detailing some food insecurity statistics pertaining to families in our

area and went door to door delivering paper bags, along with the letter for people to help donate to benefit the St. Blase Food Pantry in Summit," Bernal wrote. "They were then required to return to all the houses on Saturday morning to retrieve the bags. The event was an incredible success!  We had two pickup trucks full of bags and boxes of donations that were delivered to the pantry."

"The 700 paper bags were generously donated from Jewel (near Archer and Mayfield).

"The girls were responsible for checking the expiration dates of the food and sorting all the goods into piles so that everything could be repacked.

"I spoke with Teresa at St. Blase and made arrangements for the food to be brought to them

on Wednesday, April 30^th.  We filled three oversized SUV’s with canned, boxed, and bagged goods. The girls all helped to load the vehicles and then unload when we arrived at St. Blase. The Sisters were overcome with joy and gratitude with the efforts of the girls.  Once all the food was unloaded the girls were given a brief tour and then brought back to the room where all the food was being stored.

"Mother Superior was crying tears of joy that the girls had filled the food room.  Mother Superior spent time talking with the girls and offering many thanks and prayers for all their hard work.  All the girls could not be there on Wednesday when the goods were delivered, so Mother Superior also asked the girls to hug and kiss all the other Scouts that weren’t able to join us today. 

"This was a very empowering event for the girls. It truly helped bring awareness regarding the needs of their community and how the power of team work can truly make a difference. Even the parents that joined us on Wednesday were emotionally moved.  Sometimes we tend to take for granted the basic things in life and become so wrapped up in our own personal worlds, we forget about the bigger picture."

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Civic Association Alliance is a Hopeful Step in the Right Direction for SW Side

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher

and

Tim Hadac
Managing Editor

Southwest Chicago Post

Neighborhood civic associations have a proud history in Chicago and across the nation, fostering the good and fighting the bad, speaking truth to power, rallying people around important causes, and reminding us all that the common men and women are the real owners of a community--not politicians or big business or street gangs. Reminding us, too, that there is strength in numbers and that when smart men and women stand up and stand together, they can work wonders they could not work alone.

The high-water mark of civic associations, in general and at least in terms of membership and attendance, was about 1935-55, before modern diversions like television, video games and online entertainment came along. Add to that the explosion of single-parent households and a declining economy that has led to more adults than ever working two or more jobs, and well, you can see how fewer people than ever have the time and energy to devote to staying informed about local concerns, much less doing something about them through participation in a civic group.

So in recent decades across Chicago, civic participation by the average man and woman has withered in most neighborhoods and died in many. Even here on the Southwest Side, there is a long list of extinct civic groups. Remember the Hurley Homeowners Association? The Parkview Civic Association? The Crestline Improvement Society? The Lawler Park Civic Association? The St. Nick's Neighbors? The Southwest Parish & Neighborhood Federation? The Southwest Community Congress?

Other civic groups are hanging on by a thread, with an ever-aging and ever-dwindling membership roster--too tired or too apathetic to try and recruit new members. Worse, some once-effective civic groups have surrendered their independence through leadership that has lost the zeal, fire and focus of their group's original founders, unconsciously becoming little more than pawns for local aldermen and other politicians. 

Those groups, in essence, are coffee-and-doughnuts clubs that don't do much more than serve as occasional photo props for politicians looking to get their faces in the neighborhood papers.

And frankly, some politicians like it that way, because an effective civic association can serve as a needed check and balance to those in power. With the average man and woman out of the way--well, you get the idea.

That's why we applaud the Archer Heights Civic Association (which we consider to be the gold standard among Southwest Side neighborhood groups--established, active, effective, inclusive, independent and vibrant) for its role in convening a recent meeting of minds among civic group leaders on the Southwest Side.

We'll let the AHCA pick up the story from here, from a narrative they posted online. (Politicians and staff, please pay special attention).

"On Saturday, April 5th, the presidents and executive directors representing the six civic

Civic association leaders' breakfast meeting

association/neighborhood groups of the Southwest Side communities of Archer Heights, Clearing, Garfield Ridge, Hearst, West Elsdon and Vittum Park met informally over breakfast at Masters Pancake House, 5265 S. Cicero Avenue. The purpose of the meeting was for the Presidents to meet and get better acquainted with each other and to keep the communication lines open between the civic groups on issues that affect both mutual community borders or transcend all southwest side neighborhood areas.

"Present were Archer Heights Civic Association President – Thomas S. Baliga, organizer of the meeting, Clearing Civic League President – Joe Rice and Executive Director Richard Zilka, Garfield Ridge Civic League President – Rich Techman, Hearst Community Organization President – JoAnn Williams, West Elsdon Civic Association President – Jim Mazenis, and Vittum Park Civic League President – Philip LoPresti. The Presidents came together to share information as to how their respective civic groups are doing and to share processes by which to increase the memberships in their organizations so as to become more effective voices for the homeowners and businesses of each community.

"Many subjects/issues were discussed, but one of the significant topics was the need for major economic redevelopment of the Cicero Avenue Corridor from the Stevenson Expressway south to Midway Airport at 55th Street, and from 59th Street south to 67th Street. These sections of Cicero Avenue affect all six of the communities represented at the breakfast.

"The east, or Chicago side of Cicero Avenue from 63rd to 67th Streets is peppered with closed businesses and empty lots, while the west or Bedford Park side has a beautiful hotel complex generating revenue for that suburb. From 53rd Street north to the Stevenson Expressway, the viable businesses on both the east and west sides (City of Chicago) of Cicero Avenue are faced with adjacent properties containing abandoned/closed business buildings, numerous empty lots some of which have been subjected to fly dumping, and derelict businesses

"The northeast corner of 43rd & Cicero, a prime piece of vacant property facing both Cicero Avenue and the Stevenson Expressway, has been the target of proposed waste transfer and recycling facilities that have been stopped through the efforts of the Archer Heights Civic Association (AHCA) working jointly with a group of very active residents from the Sleepy Hollow section of Archer Heights, Alderman Ricardo Munoz (22nd Ward) and Alderman Edward Burke (14th Ward). Such facilities would not only severely depress surrounding residential property values and discourage positive business development along Cicero Avenue, but would also project an extremely negative first impression of Chicago to out of town travelers using Midway Airport.

"The Archer Heights Civic Association continues to press for the development of a hotel/conference center at the 43rd & Cicero site. This property is minutes away from Midway Airport, a short trip to Downtown shopping and entertainment and is a highly visible location where a hotel logo would easily be seen from all directions of the Stevenson Expressway. A hotel/conference center would significantly contribute to the economy of the greater southwest side, provide much needed conveniently located local jobs and would be the anchor and catalyst for further economic develop of the Cicero Avenue Corridor. The positive impact on homeowner and business property values of all the Midway neighborhood community areas resulting from a redeveloped Cicero Corridor would be incalculable.

"Since Cicero Avenue from Midway Airport to the Stevenson Expressway is the first impression visitors get of Chicago, the AHCA calls for the formation of a “Gateway to Midway Committee” comprised of the Southwest Side civic association leaders and the Aldermen of the wards encompassing the Cicero Avenue Corridor to promote positive economic development of the entire area.

"The six Presidents will keep in touch with each other and meet bi-monthly as “The Presidents Breakfast Club”. The group’s first goal is to encourage and invite all neighborhood residents to become members of the respective community civic groups. The AHCA hopes that formation of “The Presidents Breakfast Club” will encourage fresh, forward thinking about the wealth of opportunities for a revitalized Cicero Avenue as the Gateway to Midway. Contact information and meeting dates for each civic group can be obtained by calling: Archer Heights Civic Association – 773-843-2232, Clearing Civic League – 773-229-2273, Garfield Ridge Civic League – 773-585-9094, Hearst Community Organization – 773-284-4782, West Elsdon Civic League – 773-738-1673, Vittum Park Civic League – 773-581-1287.

"Each civic group welcomes new members, and readers of this posting are encouraged to pass this article to friends and families who reside throughout the Southwest Side to seek out the civic group in your community."

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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.

* * * 

Four thugs robbed the Verizon Wireless store at 5403 S. Harlem, making off with five credit

5403 South Harlem

cards, a cell phone and $2,450 in cash.

The crime occurred at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. The robbers entered and immediately pepper-sprayed two of the four employees on duty (the owner, a 44-year-old Justice man, and three sales staff—a 39-year-old Darien man, a 32-year-old Berwyn man, and a 19-year-old Garfield Ridge woman). One of the robbers pulled a chrome-plated handgun and ordered the employees to lie on the floor, according to police.

One of robbers brandished the gun in a menacing manner, pulling back the slide and saying, “Someone’s going to die today.”

The robbers then ordered the owner to open the store’s safe. When he had difficulty seeing the numbers because he had been pepper-sprayed in the eyes, one of the robbers hit him in the head with the gun, knocking him out for a few minutes, according to police.

The four men then rifled through the victims’ pockets and purse.

The owner regained consciousness and was hit again in the head.

The robbers then fled, speeding away north on Harlem in a dark blue, four-door Chevy Cruze with Missouri license plates.

Police described the owner’s wounds as a “major injury” to the top and back of his head. The man declined a CFD ambulance ride, police said, explaining that his wife would take him to the hospital.

The four criminals are described as black men age 20-25, 5’8 and 170, short black hair, wearing dark baseball caps and hoodies.

* * *

A thug entered Pete’s Fresh Market, 4700 S. Kedzie, pushed aside a cashier (a 16-year-old Gage Park girl) in the middle of a transaction, and stole $750 cash. The crime occurred at 6:40 p.m. Thursday, May 1. The manager, a 41-year-old Garfield Ridge man, provided police with surveillance video to review.

The robber is described as a white Hispanic man age 18-21, 6’0 to 6’1 and 155-165 pounds, medium complexion, wearing a black baseball cap, black/red bandanna and a gray hoodie.

* * *

Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you

live in Beat 815 or 821 (see map), come to St. Bruno School (south entrance) at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. 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.

* * *

A 38-year-old West Elsdon woman who decided not to respond to a knock at the front door of her home near 56^th Place and Hamlin, minutes later heard burglars kicking in her back door.

She fled out the front door, and the burglars stole a laptop computer and assorted jewelry. The crime occurred at 2:04 p.m. Wednesday, April 30. The two burglars are described only as white Hispanic men age 18-21, 5’8.

* * *

Burglars entered the back window of a home near 68^th and Komensky and stole a TV, a desktop computer, a cell phone, three video game consoles and assorted video games, several purses, assorted jewelry, several crystal angels and two motorized scooters. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 38-year-old woman, when she returned home from work at 3:15 p.m. Monday, April 28.

* * *

Burglars forced open the back door of a home near 52^nd and Lavergne and stole a tablet computer, two watches, assorted jewelry and about $2,000 cash. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 32-year-old man, at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, May 1.

* * *

Burglars kicked in the side door of a home near 59^th and Natoma and stole $4,000 worth of gold chains and necklaces. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 46-year-old man, when he came home from church at 4:40 p.m. Saturday, May 3.

* * *

Burglars entered a home near 78^th and Keating and stole two checkbooks. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 65-year-old woman, when she came home from shopping at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, May 1. Police said they saw no sign of forced entry.

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