Friday, October 8, 2021

Tabares Leads Way to Big Success for Police

Raises $21,000 for protective vests

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

When 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares planned her annual Get Behind the Vest pancake breakfast at St. Daniel the Prophet Church, her goal was to surpass last year’s total of $10,500.
Ald. Silvana Tabares

 To say she succeeded is an understatement.

After the final pancake was sold at the drive-through event held Sunday, Oct. 3, Tabares and her team had raised a whopping $20,794. Then she herself wrote a check to bring the final tally to $21,000.

 That’s more than enough to purchase 41 protective vests for Chicago Police officers.

 “Get Behind the Vest is such an important program to ensure the day-to-day safety of Chicago Police officers,” said Chicago Police Memorial Foundation Executive Director Phil Cline. “We appreciate when communities pull together to host these events to support Get Behind the Vest and our officers. We cannot say thank you enough to Alderman Tabares and her team for this fundraiser.”

 In recent years, the CPMF’s Get Behind the Vest Program has enabled the non-profit to purchase 11,250 vests. Soon they will purchase another 500.

 At Tabares’ event, CPMF volunteers sold more than $5,000 in merchandise.

 Tabares thanked her aldermanic staff for organizing and running the event, especially Rosaura Bocanegra, Ann Nieciak, Vanessa Marcial and Brian Flynn.

 She also expressed gratitude to Chicago Lawn (8th) District Commander Bryan Spreyne and his team for being on hand, as well as Cook County Commissioner Frank Aguilar, 19th Ward Ald. Matthew O’Shea, the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, St. Daniel the Prophet Parish and School and others.

 Also getting a pat on the back were Tabares’ partners in the business community, including Three Sons Restaurant, McDonald’s, Weber’s Bakery, Shop-n-Save, Triano’s Pizza, State Farm Agency/Vivian Valtas, BPG Hospitality, In Realty, Danny’s Pizza, Bobby G’s, Jamie Auto Repair, Peaches Boutique, Ridge Funeral Home and Home Run Inn.

Here are a few photos the Southwest Chicago Post snapped at the event. Congratulations to all!




Posted by at No comments:

Thursday, October 7, 2021

FBI Offers Reward for Bank Robber Known as the "Bicycle Bandit"

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

Bridgeport, Brighton Park, McKinley Park and Back of the Yards are neighborhoods considerably east of the Southwest Chicago Post's coverage area. But a lot of SWCP readers have friends, relatives and co-workers over that way--so it may be that someone somewhere knows who this bank robber is.

This serial criminal has been dubbed the Bicycle Bandit by the FBI's Chicago Office because he typically uses a bicycle as his getaway vehicle. True story.

He hasn't struck in a few weeks, but he remains at large. Here are crimes he is suspected of committing:

• Brighton Park Community Bank, 4334 S. Kedzie, at 4:27 p.m. July 27. He wore a white mask, a checkered button-down shirt, light-colored pants and dark shoes.

• Byline Bank, 1947 W. 35th St., at 2:45 p.m. August 2. He wore dark sunglasses, a white mask and a red shirt.

• Royal Bank, 2869 S. Archer, at 3:37 p.m. August 13. He wore a dark mask, a checkered button-down shirt, dark-colored pants and dark shoes.

• Royal Bank, 1823 W. 47th St., at 4:03 pm. September 17. He wore a dark mask, a blue button-down shirt, dark-colored pants and dark shoes.

The Bicycle Bandit has been described as a Hispanic man in his 30s or 40s, 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-9 with a medium build, with black hair.

He should be considered armed and dangerous, so do not try to apprehend him yourself.

The FBI is offering a reward for information leading directly to the arrest and conviction of this bank robber. Report tips to (312) 421-6700 or tips.fbi.gov.








Posted by at No comments:

Police Warn of Robbers on Archer

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

Police issued a community alert on Tuesday, October 5 regarding two armed robberies that occurred last month in Garfield Ridge, in the parking lot of the Chase Bank branch at 5687 S. Archer.

One crime occurred at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. The other was at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29.

The bandits were described as black men age 20-25, about 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-1, about 190 pounds.

In the Sept. 15 crime, a 32-year-old man was robbed moments after he pulled into the lot. Two men accosted him and his 3-year-old daughter. One pulled a gun and demanded the man’s wallet and car keys.

The victim complied; but when the bandits failed to start the vehicle, they bolted, running away south on Latrobe.

In the Sept. 29 crime, a lone gunman accosted a 27-year-old man who had just withdrawn cash from a Chase ATM. After taking the man’s wallet, the robber reportedly sped away in a red Honda Civic.

Those with useful information to share about these crimes are asked to call CPD Area 1 detectives at (312) 747-8380 and refer to crime pattern P21-1-145.

Police issued these reminders:
• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Report suspicious activity immediately.
• If you are confronted by an assailant, remain calm.
• Remember any unique physical characteristics (such as scars, limp, acne or teeth).
• Never pursue a fleeing assailant; instead, provide the information to the police.
• If approached by a witness to the incident, request contact information.
• Dial 9-1-1 immediately and remain on scene when possible.


Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Here's a Great Chance to Say "Thanks" to Chicago Police and Their Families

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

All of us have read stories of individuals and organizations that go out of their way to thank the police for their service.

I like reading those stories, and I'll bet you do, as well.

But what about the families of police officers, the people who "back the blue" each and every day?

They typically go uncelebrated and even unnoticed by most of us.

But for one day this month, that changes.

A "Police and Families Appreciation Day" is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, October 23 in Kennedy High School’s west parking lot, near 56th and Narragansett.

The event is hosted by the Faith-Based Subcommittee of the CPD’s Chicago Lawn (8th) District.

I spoke with Donna Marquez, subcommittee chairman and volunteer chaplain for the district. She explained the event is for police officers who live and work in the district, as well as their families.

She and the rest of the subcommittee are looking for monetary donations from area churches, businesses and individuals. To donate, please call Donna at (630) 607-9796 or email her at donnamarquez@gmail.com. 

In years past, she told me, the subcommittee would have an annual event in the community room of the Eighth District Police Station--where they would honor a few officers who had gone above and beyond the call of duty during the previous year.

But because of the pandemic, that setting was scratched.

Donna wasn’t having it.

“We are not waiting a year,” she said. “These people are grieving.”

So the October 23 event is moving forward at Kennedy. It is being dedicated to the late CPD Officer Ella French, as well as Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., who continues to struggle with injuries sustained when he was shot in the head.
The late CPD Officer Ella French.

The event also will honor the memory of the young CPD officer who ended his own life this summer in a vehicle parked at Hale Park.

The goal of Donna and her group is to treat the officers and their families to a few hours of fun and relaxation. They would like to include kids’ games, raffles and prizes, food and resources for the officers who live and work in our district.

The event is not funded by City Hall, so Donna and crew are counting on all of us to step forward and write a check. Seems most reasonable to me, given all that police officers (and by extension, their families) do for the rest of us.


A bit of background: you may know that Donna is no stranger to the heartbreak of CPD families that grieve. She lives it. Her brother, CPD Officer Donald “Don” Marquez, was shot and killed in the line of duty on March 18, 2002.

“I do what I do because it is my brother’s legacy. My brother didn’t die in vain,” Donna said emphatically.
Before ending our conversation, Donna left me these words to ponder: “What they can do, we can’t do. What we can do, they can’t do.”

I hope you join me in thanking Donna Marquez and the Faith-Based Subcommittee. If you will, please contact her with an offer of support to make the October 23 event a success.


Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)