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Crime News Update

July 2, 2019, 4:12 pm
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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 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 the western section of the district. 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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Arrest woman on domestic violence charge
Yesenia Montero



A 46-year-old Clearing woman was charged with domestic battery after she was arrested at her home in the 6100 block of South Menard at 2:39 a.m. Sunday, June 23.


Yesenia Montero was apprehended after she allegedly struck a 44-year-old man.




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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in and/or own a business in Beat 812 (see map) make plans to attend your next CAPS meeting, set for 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 10 at the Clearing Branch Library, 6423 West 63rd Place. 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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Claim man hit woman on 63rd Street
Joel Moreno



A 32-year-old man from south suburban Lansing was charged with domestic battery after he was arrested on the street at 63rd and Kilbourn at 4:51 a.m. Saturday, June 22.


Joel A. Moreno, of the 2000 block of 185th Street, was apprehended after officers reportedly saw him scuffling with a 29-year-old woman.







Man charged again with domestic battery
Eduardo Aragon



A 53-year-old Scottsdale man was charged with domestic battery after he was arrested in the 8300 block of South Kolmar at 2:05 p.m. Tuesday, June 25.

Eduardo Aragon, of the 8100 block of South Knox, was apprehended without incident. He allegedly punched a 49-year-old woman, police said.

According to public records, Aragon has been arrested five times by CPD since 2016, on charges that included domestic battery (three times) and aggravated DUI.




Claim man threatened his family
Jaime Carlin



A 42-year-old West Elsdon man was charged with three counts of aggravated assault after he was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 17 at his home in the 4100 block of West 57th Place.

Jaime Carlin allegedly threatened to kill three members of his family.

According to public records, Carlin was arrested at his home last month and charged with domestic battery.




Bust Summit man at Dunkin’ Donuts
Jose Mendoza



A 42-year-old Summit was charged with battery and criminal trespass to land after he was arrested at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 5615 S. Harlem at 8:53 a.m. Saturday, June 22.

Jose Mendoza of the 7600 block of Lawndale, allegedly walked into the shop although he had previously been told never to come back, a CPD spokesman said.

He also allegedly threw a drink on another person. Police declined to say what the drink was or if the other person was a customer or employee.


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Arrest Scottsdale woman on shoplifting rap
Justina Anaele



A 43-year-old Scottsdale woman was charged with retail theft after she was arrested at a Ford City store at 5:40 p.m. Wednesday, June 19.


Justina Nkechinyere Anaele, of the 4100 block of West 80th Place, was apprehended with out incident. Police declined to say what allegedly was stolen or from which store.



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Claim man stole from store on Pulaski
Thomas Beach



A 32-year-old Oak Forest man was charged with retail theft after he was arrested at a store in the 4400 block of South Pulaski at 3:45 p.m. Friday, June 21.

Thomas E. Beach, of the 5900 block of Condado Drive, was apprehended without incident. Police declined to say what was reportedly stolen or from what store.

According to public records, Beach has been arrested eight times by CPD since 2014 on charges that included identity theft, possession of a controlled substance, panhandling and criminal trespass to land.



Arrested again on shoplifting rap
Gwendolyn Washington



A 64-year-old South Shore woman was charged with retail theft after she allegedly stole cosmetics from a store at Ford City.

Gwendolyn Washington, of the 7300 block of South Perry, was held by store security and arrested by police at 4:10 p.m. Saturday, June 15.

According to public records, Washington has been arrested five times by CPD since 2015—each time on a retail theft charge.



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Charge woman with 7-Eleven theft
Yvette Moss



A 53-year-old West Englewood woman was charged with retail theft after she was arrested at the 7-Eleven at 4353 W. 55th St. at 3:57 a.m. Friday, June 14.

Yvette Rhonda Moss, of the 5600 block of South Honore, was arrested without incident. 

According to public records, Moss has been arrested three times by CPD since 2016—once on a retail theft charge at Ford City.



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Palos Hills woman charged with felony after bust at Walgreens
Amani Abraham


A 40-year-old Palos Hills woman was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, as well as using a fraudulent prescription, after she was arrested at the Walgreens at 7150 W. Archer at 12:25 p.m. Thursday, June 13.

Amani Abraham, of the 9700 block of South Kingsbury Court, was reportedly arrested at the pharmacy with a controlled substance in her possession.

Police did not say what the substance was. A pharmacist told police that Abraham said she was dropping off a prescription for another person.

The pharmacist contacted the man listed on the prescription, but he stated he did not authorize anyone to pick up a prescription for him, police said. Then the pharmacist contacted the doctor named on the prescription, and he said he did not authorize the prescription and that it was false, police added.



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Say man had illegal gun, crack cocaine
Jashun Lambert



An 18-year-old Vittum Park man was charged with armed violence and possession of a controlled substance after he was arrested at a home in the 4500 block of South Lawler at 6:53 p.m. Friday, June 14.

Jashun M. Lambert, of the 4800 block of South Laporte, was arrested by police executing a search warrant, a CPD spokesman said.

Police reportedly recovered a handgun and suspect crack cocaine from Lambert.



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Bust woman on prostitution rap
Kaitlyn Kwak



A 23-year-old Vittum Park woman was charged with prostitution after she was arrested in the 4700 block of West 51st Street at 10:27 p.m. Wednesday, June 19.


Kaitlyn Rose Kwak, of the 4700 block of South Lamon, was arrested after she allegedly told an undercover CPD officer that she would perform a sex act for money.




Charge woman with prostitution
Dawn Schackart



A 37-year-old Hearst area woman was charged with prostitution after she was arrested by police at 8:30 p.m. Monday, June 17 in front of 5135 S. Cicero.

Dawn H. Schackart, of the 4500 block of South Lawler, was arrested by a specialized unit working in an undercover capacity.

According to public records, Schackart has been arrested five times by CPD since 2014.





Bust man on cannabis rap
Leonel Pfeifer



A 21-year-old Clearing man was charged with cannabis possession after a traffic stop that occurred in the 6100 block of South Archer at 10:05 p.m. Saturday, June 22.


Leonel O. Pfeifer, of the 6200 block of South Meade, was apprehended after police reportedly found cannabis in his vehicle.





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Garfield Ridge Civic League President Blasts Water Dept. Over Lead Poisoning

April 26, 2019, 7:17 am
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By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

The head of the Garfield Ridge Civic League has blasted City Hall, saying that its explanation of how its own actions appear to have caused elevated levels of lead in water in thousands of Chicago homes is nonsense.

“To me, that’s a bunch of hooey,” GRCL President Henry
Henry Pukala (left) listens to DWM engineers at the GRCL meeting.
Pukala said to two Chicago Department of Water engineers who spoke at the group’s April meeting.

Pukala said that the GRCL will contact local elected officials to demand more and better action to address what some call an environmental health scandal.

The GRCL may also reach out to other civic groups across the Southwest Side and rally them to action.

Citywide, more than 130,000 homes have voluntarily participated in the Department of Water Management’s MeterSave program since it was launched in 2009. Central to the program is installation of “smart meters” said to save homeowners money.

In recent months, the DWM’s own data has shown that as much as 20 percent of homes with smart meters have elevated levels of lead in their drinking water.

An investigation launched in 2016 appears to indicate that smart meter installation disrupts the protective orthophosphate coating in water pipes, meaning that lead seeps into drinking water. Just about every single-family home in Chicago built before 1986 has lead pipes running from the water main at the street to the home itself.

Lead is a heavy metal that is toxic. It accumulates in the body and causes brain damage and neurological disorders, especially in children. Federal health authorities have long stated that no level of lead is safe.

Alluding to the health and well-being of his teenage daughter, Pukala said he regrets allowing the city to install a smart meter at his home.

“I’m upset. I don’t know about everybody else in this room, but I’m upset,” he said, as some voiced their agreement with him. “They removed lead from paint in the 1980s…I don’t understand why they can’t keep lead out of our drinking water that we need to sustain life. This is not satisfactory for me…everybody is drinking water every day. Millions of people live in this city.”

Pukala added, “I don’t know why the city just doesn’t replace the service lines and be done with this problem,” Pukala said, as some of the 30 or so GRCL members in attendance nodded their heads in agreement. “If I knew then what I know now, I would never have agreed to have the city install a water meter at my house—unless they also replaced the lead service line at the same time.”

The DWM sanitary engineers, Jaylen Taylor and Nina Jones, downplayed the significance of the study. Jones said that the data is “preliminary and [the percentage of water-meter homes with elevated levels of lead] appears to be coming down a bit.”

Jones also said for those smart-meter homes that have experienced elevated levels of lead after installation, “Any increase should go away after a while of coating the new meter and everything (with orthophosphate, which the DWN adds to the municipal water supply).”

She did not say if she knows how long that would take.
Speaking to an audience of older adults, Taylor said, “The big thing with lead, lead has issues with developmental…studies show If you’re an adult, you’re done developing.”

After the meeting, a man who was in the audience said, “He can say that all he wants. But I have grandchildren in my house every weekend, drinking my tap water. And what if I decide to sell my home and downsize to a condo? Chances are, the prospective buyers of my home will be a couple with children or a couple planning to have children. If they find out there are high levels of lead in my drinking water—all because of what the Water Department did—and that lowers my property value and makes my house hard to sell, is the Water Department going to make up the difference?”

All 130,000 homes with smart meters may sign up to receive lead testing, as well as water pitchers and filters to help reduce lead in drinking water, according to a letter many Southwest Siders received earlier this year from DWM Commissioner Randy Conner.

“The people from the Water Department can do their best to put a happy face on this situation, but it looks to me like a scandal,” added Garfield Ridge resident David Santos. “If there’s no problem, why are people with water meters all of a sudden getting letters from the top guy at the Water Department? If nothing’s wrong, why are they offering to test for lead? If nothing’s wrong, why are they giving away water filters?

“It would be like if City Hall said, ‘Hey, there’s nothing wrong with the air,’ but then started handing out gas masks,” he concluded.

The next GRCL meeting is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15 in the community room at TCF Bank, Archer and Austin. All Garfield Ridge residents are invited.
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‘National Night Out’ Crime Fighting Events Set for Local Parks, Streets

July 30, 2019, 9:05 am
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By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

More than a thousand Southwest Siders are expected to take
a public stand against crime at the area’s annual National Night Out Against Crime celebrations, set for Tuesday, Aug. 6.

An NNO event for all residents of the Chicago Lawn (8th) Police District is set for 6 p.m. Tuesday at West Lawn Park, 4233 W. 65th St. Year after year, it is one of Chicago’s largest and most successful NNO celebrations.

“It has a real small-town feel,” said West Lawn resident Barbara Ziegler, the event’s principal organizer and one of the most visible civilian crime fighters in Chicago. “It’s draws a wide range of people—from babies in strollers to moms and dads to senior citizens, everyone; and while it’s a lot of fun, it’s also about bringing people together to build safer and better neighborhoods—not just in West Lawn—but all across the district, which we do every year.”

Ziegler, who heads the Eighth’s District’s volunteer court advocacy program—arguably the largest and most effective in the city—said that about 800 men, women and children will be at the event. When she started running the event 17 years ago, about two dozen people attended. 

The event will include a prayer, remarks by police officials and elected representatives, a “peace parade” around the perimeter of the park at 6:30 p.m., and more. Special emphasis will be placed on thanking Chicago Police and others in law enforcement.

CPD’s mounted patrol and canine units will be on hand to give demonstrations, and there will be a number of giveaways for adults and children who live in the district, while supplies last. A color TV will be raffled off; those who march are eligible to win.

Cold drinks, snow cones, popcorn and other treats will be available to keep everyone cool.

Included in the goody bags for adults is potentially lifesaving information that includes basic tips on how to make an effective 911 call, how to escape domestic violence, how to join the local CAPS effort and more.

A number of local businesses, large and small, have made contributions to the NNO at West Lawn Park, now in its 17th year. Nationally, NNO is in its 36th year.

At dusk, a movie suitable for families will be shown outside. 

All are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs.

West end of 8

While the NNO celebration at West Lawn Park is for people in every neighborhood in the Eighth District, two crime fighting organizations on the west end are planning their own, smaller events.

In Beat 812 (the Clearing neighborhood west of Central
Avenue), the Clearing Night Force neighborhood watch group will gather near Hale School at 62nd and Melvina for a prayer vigil at 6:30 p.m., followed by a motorcade through the community and then refreshments at Hale Park.

The site at 62nd and Melvina is a memorial to two local girls who lost their lives in a gang-related shooting in 1995. Community shock and outrage over the double homicide led to the formation of the Clearing Night Force, one of Chicago’s oldest neighborhood watch groups.

The Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, which serves Beat
811 (all of Garfield Ridge west of Central Avenue), will organize a fire truck-led motorcade that will start at 7 p.m. at St. Daniel the Prophet Church, 54th and Nashville, and wind up and down the neighborhood’s arterial streets.

It will end where it started, capped off with a brief prayer vigil at dusk.

All Beat 811 residents are invited to join in the motorcade and attend the vigil afterwards.

For more information on the district-wide observance at West Lawn Park, call the CPD Eighth District CAPS Office at (312) 747-8724.

For information on the Clearing NNO event, call (773) 340-8021 or send an email to clearingnightforce812@gmail.com.
For information on the Garfield Ridge NNO event, send an email to email@garfieldridgenw.com.


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City investigates salmonella outbreak at grocery store on 63rd Street in Clearing

August 10, 2019, 4:31 pm
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The Chicago Department of Public Health is investigating an
outbreak of Salmonella, a bacterium that is a common cause of food poisoning.

Since the beginning of July, at least four people became ill after eating pork tamales or carnitas served from the deli section of Sun View Produce, 6110 West 63rd Street.

If you have pork tamales, carnitas or other hot foods purchased from the deli section of this establishment since July 1, in your freezer, do not eat it—throw it out.

If you ate food purchased from the deli section since July 1, you may have been exposed to Salmonella. If you are experiencing severe diarrhea, symptoms of dehydration or high fever, seek medical attention.

As of August 5, the suspected food items are no longer available at the store. There is no evidence that food made after this date was contaminated. CDPH performed an environmental assessment of the grocery store and provided guidance on safe food handling practices and environmental cleaning to prevent further spread of disease. CDPH has also issued an alert to area physicians about the outbreak, providing medical guidance.

Salmonella symptoms usually last four to seven days, and most individuals recover without any treatment. Most people who are infected develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps between 12 and 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Although most infections resolve without antibiotics, older individuals or those with weakened immune systems may need medical evaluation and treatment. For more information on Salmonella, visit cdc.gov/salmonella.

CDPH is monitoring for additional reports of illness. If you experienced diarrheal illness after consuming foods from Sun View Produce, contact the Chicago Department of Public Health by calling (312) 746-SICK (7425) to file a suspected food poisoning complaint.


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Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch Invites All to Meeting at Archer/Neva

August 14, 2019, 3:38 pm
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By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

For the second time in three months, the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch will hold a public meeting at a place some consider a trouble spot.

All those who live in or own a business in CPD Beat 811
(central and west Garfield Ridge; everything west of Central Avenue) are invited to the event, set for 7:00 p.m. Monday, August 19 on the street, immediately north of Archer and Neva.

(In case of foul weather, the meeting will head inside to the Croatian Radio Club headquarters at Archer and Nordica.)

The site was chosen by the GRNW to express ongoing concern for petty crime occurring in and around the adjacent parking lot at Walgreens, 7150 West Archer, and update everyone on steps the pharmacy giant has taken to make its grounds safer and cleaner.

“There have been concerns about some people--not customers--using the parking lot as a place to buy and sell drugs and conduct other illegal transactions,” said GRNW President Al Cacciottolo. “Plus, there have been concerns about panhandlers at and around that site.”

Cacciottolo said that Walgreens management has been receptive to listening to local residents’ concerns and appears to be taking steps to address them.

The site is no stranger to occasional complaints by neighbors. For years, some have complained about the unkempt condition of the CTA bus turnaround at Archer and Neva. CTA officials have occasionally been criticized for failing to empty their trash cans in a timely manner or keep the parkway weeds under control.

Back in June, the GRNW held an outdoor meeting in the street in the 5200 block of South Neenah—the site of a home burglary in late May—to organize neighbors angry about the crime. Turnout exceeded expectations. Roughly 100 men, women and children flooded the street—about double the typical turnout at a GRNW meeting.

Background

Founded in 2009 by three people fed up with crime in the area, the GRNW has grown in size and strength and has been credited with helping reduce crime in Garfield Ridge, long one of the city’s safest neighborhoods.

The GRNW is widely viewed as one of the most effective citizen-led crime prevention organizations in the city or suburbs.

Born with assistance from the Clearing Night Force, the GRNW has helped start neighborhood watches in city neighborhoods as far away as Hegewisch and as close as West Lawn, as well as in suburban areas like Central Stickney, Summit and Oak Lawn.

GRNW members on patrol do not pursue criminals or get directly involved with crimes in progress, but they do serve as extra sets of eyes and ears for police, providing direction that has helped police solve crimes in some cases and prevent others. Their toll-free tip line played a role in the capture several years ago of a man who attempted to rob, at knifepoint, the Walgreens at Archer and Harlem.
Those interested in joining the group now are encouraged to send a message to email@garfieldridgenw.com.






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August 22, 2019, 6:43 pm
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Garfield Ridge Cop Hailed as a Hero

August 29, 2019, 11:41 pm
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Treated mentally ill woman with effective empathy

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

As policemen often are when they are praised, Officer Chuck Trendle was a bit aw-shucks modest as he received an award at a Garfield Ridge health clinic.

“This is pretty cool to get an award for something that comes second nature to me,” he said, moments after an August 28 press conference where he was praised by Access Community Health officials. “It’s like getting an award for riding a bike.”

Access officials gathered at the clinic near 55th and Merrimac to praise Trendle his work in defusing a potentially dangerous situation last winter, when a mentally unstable woman was ranting inside the clinic.


Officer Chuck Trendle with Access Health executives and staff.

Staff called 911 to request assistance; and although another officer was tasked with responding, Trendle took the call because he is well-versed in de-escalation techniques—in fact, he taught de-escalation to recruits at the police academy.

“When we arrived, she was in the street,” Trendle recalled. “We were able to convince her to come back here for her own well being. I already knew that she was going to be taken to a hospital. I told her, ‘You can come see my doctor.’ I bluffed her a bit; and that’s the way you have to do it. You don’t just say, ‘Hey, you’re coming to the hospital, whether you like it or not’ and throw her in handcuffs.’

“So I de-escalated, got her to the point where she was comfortable and got her to the hospital,” the officer continued. “The entire ride there, she was thanking me; and when I saw her three weeks afterwards, she thanked me again. That’s what the job is all about.”

“With her, unfortunately her meds aren’t working or she’s not
Officer Trendle speaks with news reporters after the award ceremony.
taking her meds,” Trendle said. “It’s been a regular thing with her. But these people [at the clinic] did an awesome job. They assigned her to a hospital. They care for her. She didn’t just go home for the day and yell and scream about demons in her head.”

It helped quite a bit, Trendle said, that he is a longtime Garfield Ridge resident and that the woman in crisis is a more or less neighbor.

“I’ve been dealing with her for a while,” he said. “I live in the community; so not only do I deal with her when I’m on duty, but off duty as well. I have a good rapport with her, for the most part... She is a person who needs a lot of help. The fact that I’ve been able to help her several times, it’s a nice feeling.”

It also helped that Trendle has seen and dealt with mental illness since he was young. He has a brother who “has been in and out of an institution, so I learned early how to talk with a person in crisis.”

In September, Trendle turns 46. In December, he will mark 25 years with CPD. He enjoys serving as a policeman.

“My whole career, I was taught to go in there and get the job done—and then move onto your next job. We’ve always been trained to rush through our jobs…go go go,” he said. “The new officers—those who have been on the job 10 years or less—they’ve been taught to take their time, to think of safety first.”

That’s important, he said, because “with de-escalation, it’s ‘Take your time.’ If it takes eight hours to bring someone down from being in a manic state to a getting them safely to a hospital—take eight hours. A lot of [older police officers] didn’t want to hear that at first; but then finally, we got the supervisors to learn the program, and then the people on the street, the regular patrolmen, were OK with it. Teaching de-escalation is not new at the department, but taking your time to de-escalate is a new theory.”

“I get it. I get not wanting to take your medication. I get the ‘hearing voices’ and all that stuff,” Trendle said. “But [a police officer responding to a crisis involving mental illness] can’t be heavy-handed…you have to treat [mentally ill people] humanely, and the more you can just breathe and relax while you’re in the situation, the easier it is to do.”

Trendle was praised by Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch President Al Cacciottolo.

"I have long said that one of the many benefits of living in Garfield Ridge is that so many of our Eighth District Police officers live right here, and that makes them more effective in going after criminals," he said. "But Officer Trendle added a dimension to that. Because the woman in crisis is a neighbor, someone he's familiar with, he was better able to assess her situation and get her the help she needed. We are all grateful for Officer Trendle and others like him."





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Neighbors Slam Walgreens Over Crime

August 20, 2019, 1:13 pm
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Claim parking lot is scene of drug deals

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

Neighbors in the west end of Garfield Ridge took to the street
on Monday to vent their frustrations about crime some say is exacerbated by foot-dragging on the part of a local business.

The airing of grievances occurred at an outdoor meeting of the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch, held in the middle of Neva Avenue, immediately north of Archer on Monday, Aug. 19. About 75 local men and women were on hand, filling every seat arranged on the asphalt.

Most of their ire was reserved for Walgreens. The pharmacy giant has a store at 7150 W. Archer, between Neva and Harlem.

“There have been issues with Walgreens’ parking lot,” said GRNW President Al Cacciottolo, who said the lot is home to “ongoing drug dealing” and was the site of two carjackings in recent months.

“We know that. The police know that. The people living here [in the 5400 block of South Neva] know that,” he said.

His assertions were confirmed by police, both at the meeting and in the release of information to the press in recent months.

Cacciottolo said that Walgreens has taken some steps to address the concerns, such as installation of security cameras and improved lighting. They were supposed to put in security, but they never did, he added.

“I’ve seen drug deals going on in Walgreens’ parking lot,” said a woman living close to the drug store. “We call the police, but by the time the police come, [the dealers and buyers] are gone. I can’t get a plate number because the deals happen so fast. I’ve seen it so many times.

“I can’t go to the drugstore at night, because I’m afraid,” she continued. “I work, sometimes ‘til 8 o’clock and sometimes have to pick up a prescription. I won’t go. I wait a day or two. I’m just sick of it. I’m sick of being scared. We had to put four cameras on our house, just to watch what’s going on. I watch the cameras from work. It tells me if someone is in my backyard, at my side door, whatever. But this is ridiculous. You should not have to do that.

“I am tired of this. I have lived here all my life and I live close to this parking lot. My grandsons come over to visit, but I won’t even let them walk to the drugstore. It’s ridiculous, and something has to be done. And we have to be the ones to do it,” she concluded, as her neighbors burst into applause.

Others criticized Walgreens for keeping its parking lot fairly clean, but failing to keep the grassy parkways on Neva and on Archer clean and mowed.

Although the meeting was adjacent to Walgreens, no one from the company was on hand to respond to the criticisms.
Cacciottolo said that he initially had been told that a store manager would attend and speak at the meeting; but that officials at Walgreens corporate headquarters vetoed the idea.

A Southwest Chicago Post request for comment from Walgreens went unanswered.

Cacciottolo said that 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares has met with Walgreens officials and continues to meet with them to address crime-related concerns in their parking lot. He urged all Walgreens customers who share his concerns to make their views known to Walgreens employees inside the store.

The next GRNW meeting is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 16 at a site to be announced.



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‘My dad is definitely with us’

September 20, 2019, 9:05 am
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Police, family, neighbors unite
to salute Officer Benjamin Perez

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

Seventeen years after her dad died, Katarina Perez shared a few thoughts about his life, at a public and emotional ceremony.

“As a young man, he was very intelligent, humble, smart,” she said. “He was a student council president. He ran his own prom. He was popular. He drew people to him. He was charming.”


Flanked by family, friends and dozens of supportive police officers, Perez was a key speaker Sept. 18 at an outdoor roll call of the Chicago Police Department. The event, which honored the late Officer Benjamin Perez, was held on the street at 53rd and Nashville, near the Perez family home. It was the ninth consecutive year an outdoor roll call was held in Perez’s honor.

Officer Perez was a young dad 17 years ago. He had been
Officer Benjamin Perez
on the police force for four years.

Assigned to the Odgen (10th) District, he was killed in the line of duty on Sept. 18, 2002. He and his partner, Officer Ron Zuniga, received information about a narcotics transaction occurring near the Burlington Northern-Sante Fe railroad tracks, just north of Cermak and Spaulding.

The officers climbed over an embankment and were conducting surveillance from a railroad trestle. As they watched for illegal activity, a Metra commuter train traveling at a high rate of speed was headed in their direction. 

Although both officers were able to get off the tracks, Officer Perez was pulled underneath the wheels by the forceful winds the train created.

He left behind his wife, Michele; as well as Katarina, a 9-year-old schoolgirl at St. Daniel the Prophet; toddler son, Benjamin; and infant daughter, Rebecca. All of them, as well as members of the larger family, were on hand Wednesday.

“I see old faces. I see new faces. It means a lot to us to know that you’re here,” she told the audience. “My dad is definitely with us, I can feel it.”

Known as a modest, hard-working, effective policeman, Perez earned 16 CPD honorable mentions in his four years on duty—yet no one in his family, not even his wife, knew of them until after his death. His family found the certificates stashed in a china cabinet drawer as they went through his personal effects.

Serving as master of ceremonies at the roll call was retired CPD Supt. Phil Cline, a former Garfield Ridge resident and current Chicago Police Memorial Foundation executive director.

“Ben died doing a job he loved, serving a country he loved even more,” Cline said. “He was the best of his generation. Ben was the ‘real police’…our mission is simple: go out and be the police. But that mission is sometimes dangerous.

“A small part of every one of us died when we lost Ben,” Cline continued. “Not just members of the police department, but every Chicagoan. When you look at Ben’s life, you discover a man who devoted himself completely to others and to his family. We did not just lose an exceptional police officer, we lost a remarkable person.”


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It's Isa's way

September 21, 2019, 12:29 pm
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Street dedicated in memory of Garfield Ridge teen

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post

The 5200 block of South Rutherford will always be a place
Isa's sign is unveiled by her her sister, Lexi.
where people can dance with Isa—so to speak—and be inspired by the life of a Garfield Ridge teenager.

Family, friends, neighbors and even complete strangers gathered on Sept. 20 at 52nd and Rutherford to witness the unveiling of a street sign that proclaims the block to be honorary Isabel Lopez Way.
Isabel "Isa" Lopez

A self-described “dancer for life” who enjoyed Broadway stage productions and danced competitively in local troupes, Isabel “Isa” Lopez succumbed to her public, inspiring fight against cancer in 2017.

“She was a beautiful young woman who loved life,” said 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares, who played a key role in obtaining the street designation. “She loved her family, and she loved dancing. The strength of Isa and her family is an example to all of us. Let this sign remind us of her love and courage. Each time we drive by this block or we walk down this street, let this sign remind us of what true courage really looks like; because it’s Isa on the dance floor, with a smile on her face.”

Tabares presented extra street signs to Isa’s mother, Victoria,
Alderman Silvana Tabares hugs Isa's mom, Victoria.
and father, Roberto.

“People often tell me that I’m so strong and courageous,” Victoria said as she stood shoulder to shoulder with Roberto. “I am strong because of Isa. Isa taught us about strength and courage. She is the reason that Roberto, Lexi (Isa’s sister) and I continue to live. We live for her. We live for the things she can no longer do, and we know that she is with us every step of the way.

“I know she is with us now, and I know she would want to turn this into a giant party—with a lot of dancing, of course. That is our Isabel: so full of life, so loving, kind and caring.”
Lexi’s remarks echoed those of her mother, and she climbed a ladder and unveiled the street sign, as the dozens of people in attendance applauded.

Background

Isabel was diagnosed with T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma on Feb. 12, 2015 and began chemotherapy the following day—her 15th birthday.

“We could not believe this was happening,” her mother recalled. “Isa was a healthy 14-year-old dancer. Dancing is what she loves. This was her freshman year at Queen of Peace High School, and she was looking forward to a new chapter of her life.”

In her battle with cancer, Isabel partnered with the American Cancer Society to educate and motivate millions. Her image appeared on posters and large public billboards, and an ACS video public service announcement featuring her has aired nationally.

Like most of her classmates, Isa transferred to St. Laurence High School when Queen of Peace shut its doors. Illness prevented her from ever attending classes at St. Laurence; but in a Facebook post, school officials said, “We still consider her a part of the Viking family.”

A number of boys and girls from St. Laurence were on hand to show support.

Also on hand was the student band of Byrne Elementary School, Isa’s alma mater, a pipes and drum contingent from the Emerald Society, Chicago Police Department, and other supporters.

Editor's note: Here is some footage we shot of the unveiling ceremony.
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Crime News Update

September 29, 2019, 8:56 am
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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 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 the western section of the district. 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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One arrested after knife fight over woman
Two men stabbed each other with a kitchen knife during a fight on the street in the 6100
Agustin Nava
block of South Keeler at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25. Arrested and charged with aggravated battery was 34-year-old Agustin A. Nava, of the same block. The victim, a 23-year-old Gage Park man, came to the block after his 24-year-old ex-girlfriend who today is Nava’s common-law wife, according to police, said she was being abused by Nava. The victim reportedly has fathered a child by the woman. During the argument, Nava allegedly used a kitchen knife to stab the victim repeatedly. He fought back and reportedly grabbed the knife away and started stabbing Nava. Both men were transported by CFD ambulances to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where they were listed in stable condition. Police said they recovered a bloody knife and T-shirt from the crime scene, and they observed blood smeared on several vehicles. Nava also was charged with domestic battery after he allegedly slapped the woman’s face during an argument.



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Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in and/or own a business in Beats 815 or 821 (see map) make plans to attend your next CAPS meeting, set for 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, October 2 at St. Bruno School (south end of the building), 4839 S. Harding. 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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Man beaten, robbed at Ford City
A 55-year-old Chicago Lawn man was beaten and robbed as he waited at a CTA bus stop near the JC Penney’s in Ford City Mall at 1:20 p.m. Friday Sept. 20. The crime was reported to police five days later. The victim said that two men walked up and punched him, knocking him to the ground. Then kicked him and stole his house keys and a handbag with a dollar inside. The offenders were described only as black men age 20-25.






Big haul for man swiping jewelry at Ford City
A robber stole 40 rings worth a total of $30,000, from Venetian Jewelers, located in Ford City Mall, 76th and Cicero. A shop employee—a 26-year-old West Lawn woman—told police that a man posing as a customer asked to see engagement rings. When she complied and unlocked a jewelry case, he grabbed a ring, pushed her away from the counter and grabbed several trays of rings. He then ran out the door towards the parking lot. A manager—a 29-year-old Skokie man—gave chase, but the robber then jumped into a waiting vehicle—a small, light-blue SUV and sped away. The robber was described as a black man age 40-45, about 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, with brown eyes and a dark complexion. He wore a red, white and blue baseball cap, a white jacket with red and blue accents, and blue jeans.



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Man reportedly admits vandalizing 16 vehicles
Jacob Crouch-Short


A 22-year-old man was charged with 16 counts of criminal damage to property after he was arrested in the 5200 block of South Keating at 11:18 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 19.

Jacob Daniel Crouch-Short, who according to police is from the 5300 block of East Churchward Street in San Diego, Calif., allegedly admitted to using a landscaping brick to vandalize 16 different vehicles—in the area just east of Cicero Avenue and south of Archer. Most—if not all—had smashed windows.

Bond was set at $50,000, and Crouch-Short is currently in the custody of the Cook County Department of Corrections. His next scheduled court date is Oct. 18 at Branch 38, 727 E. 111th St.



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Man charged with drunk driving after crash
Adelbert Harper



A 35-year-old Southeast Side man was charged with DUI, transporting open liquor in a vehicle and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after he was arrested at Archer and Narragansett at 5:40 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14.

Adelbert Harper, of the 1200 block of East 96th Street, allegedly drove a vehicle that rear-ended another. He was taken into custody without incident.





Kindness to a stranger ends in theft
A 40-year-old Minooka woman told police that a man snatched away her wallet—which she said contained $4,000 cash—in a crime that reportedly occurred at 4:15 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26 on the street in the 5400 block of South Lorel. The victim told police she was at Midway Airport she met a man who asked for a ride to his mother’s house. She complied and when they arrived at the destination, he got out of the vehicle, walked around to the driver’s door and asked for two dollars. When they victim pulled out her wallet, he reached in, snatched in and ran away north on Lorel. The thief was described as a Hispanic man age 20-26, about 5-foot-8 and 140 pounds, with black hair and a medium complexion. He wore a red hoody and red gym shoes.



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Arrested again, a day after his arrest

A 36-year-old Hearst area man was charged with multiple crimes after he was arrested at
Calvin Armfield
6:32 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 in front of 4928 S. Cicero. Calvin P. Armfield, of the 4500 block of South LeClaire, was initially stopped because he was riding a bicycle on a sidewalk, police said. A computer check showed that he is a convicted gun offender and has allegedly failed to report to authorities.

Armfield also was charged with five counts of retail theft after police said they learned he was wanted for the offense—although they declined to say what was allegedly stolen, when or where. He also was charged with obstructing identification after he allegedly gave a false name. A day after he was arrested, Armfield was arrested again—this time in the 4400 block of South Sawyer. He was charged with battery of a merchant and multiple counts of retail theft.

According to public records, Armfield has been arrested 11 times by CPD since 2014 on charges that included unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon, domestic battery, possession of a controlled substance and criminal damage to property.





Claim man swiped tire off vehicle
Raymundo Lucena



A 22-year-old West Side man was charged with theft after he was arrested at 58th and Oak Park at 8:36 a.m. Monday, Sept. 16.

Raymundo Lucena, of the 1600 block of North Linder, allegedly stole a tire off a parked vehicle, put it in his vehicle and started to drive off.

According to public records, Lucena has been arrested four times by CPD since 2015, on charges that included domestic battery and driving on a suspended license.




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Claim man threatened to kill woman
Kevin Webber



A 53-year-old Clearing man was charged with assault after he was arrested at his home in the 5800 block of West 64th Place at 12:45 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 15.

Kevin T. Webber allegedly threatened to kill a neighbor, during an argument. He was apprehended without incident.

According to public records, Webber had been arrested four times by CPD in the last 15 months, on charges that included theft and burglary.







Charge Scottsdale man with weapons violation
Rodolfo Barrientos



A 30-year-old Scottsdale man was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after he was arrested in the 8300 block of South Kildare at 11:58 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20.

Rodolfo Barrientos, of the same block, was stopped by police after they reportedly spotted him riding a bicycle on a sidewalk. A pat-down yielded a handgun, a CPD spokesman said. 

According to public records, Barrientos has been arrested nine times since 2014 on charges that included aggravated DUI, possession of a controlled substance, assault and disorderly conduct.




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Jewelry taken in home heist

Burglars broke into a house in the 3700 block of West 57th Place and stole assorted jewelry. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 40-year-old woman, at about 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 26.


Claim man was trespassing in Garfield Ridge
Sergio Soto



A 41-year-old Southeast Side man was charged with criminal trespass to real property after he was arrested outside in the 5500 block of South Newland at 9:51 a.m. Monday, Sept, 23. 

Sergio Soto, of the 10300 block of South Avenue L, allegedly was spotted hopping a fence and trying to get inside a home on the block.

A neighbor called 911, and Soto was arrested.

According to public records, Soto was arrested five times by CPD since 2016 on charges that included theft, unlawful use of a weapon and drinking alcohol on the public way.



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Man waits three weeks before reporting crime

Burglars kicked in the service door of a garage in the 6000 block of South Mason and stole a power sander, a grass trimmer, a leaf blower, an air compressor a miter saw and a grinder. They also stole an iPhone from an unlocked vehicle parked in the garage. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 47-year-old man, at about 11 a.m. Sept. 1. It was reported to police 25 days later.

Claim man sold booze to a minor
Joaquin Morales-Peralta



A 44-year-old Archer Heights man was charged with selling liquor to a minor after he was arrested in front of his home in the 5100 block of South Kilbourn at 11:52 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21.

Joaquin Morales-Peralta was found lying in the grass in front of his home by police responding to a 911 call, a CPD spokesman said.

Morales-Peralta was reportedly hosting a house party and was spotted accepting cash from a minor in exchange for alcohol, the CPD spokesman added.





Claim man stolen items from parked vehicle
Eric Torres


A 40-year-old Clearing man was charged with theft after he was arrested on the street at 63rd and Major at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 9.

Eric Torres, of the 6200 block of South Major, allegedly was spotted trying door handles of parked vehicles and taking items from at least one of them.

A CPD spokesman declined to say what was allegedly stolen.

According to public records, in the week after his arrest in Clearing, Torres was arrested twice more by CPD: once in the Loop and once in the North Loop—both times charged with retail theft.


Burglars hit garage on Kildare

Burglars entered a garage in the 8500 block of South Kildare and stole two leaf blowers, a pressure washer, two cordless impact wrenches, a power drill and two lawn mowers. The crime was discovered by the victim, a 57-year-old man, at about 6 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24.


Charge Orland Park man in drug rap
Gregory Meyer



A 39-year-old Orland Park man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after he was arrested at an apartment in the 6200 block of West 65th Street at 8:25 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13.

Gregory M. Meyer, of the 8200 block of West Spyglass Circle, also was charged obstruction of identification after he allegedly gave a false name to police.

Police did not say what narcotic they allegedly found or in what quantity.






Arrest number 10 for Hearst area woman
Megan Marin


A 33-year-old Hearst area woman was charged with possession of a controlled substance after she was arrested at 9:17 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 in the 4700 block of South Lavergne. 

Megan L. Marin, of the 4500 block of South Lawler, was spotted walking behind a garage while appearing to conceal something, police said.

A pat-down reportedly yielded an undisclosed amount of an undisclosed drug, police said. 

According to public records, Marin has been arrested 10 times by CPD since 2016 on charges that included prostitution and retail theft.


Bust woman on ride solicitation rap
Cassandra Carnahan



A 30-year-old Hearst area woman was charged with soliciting a ride on a public roadway after she was arrested at 6:18 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, just steps west of 48th and Cicero. 

Cassandra Carnahan, of the 4500 block of South Lawler, was reportedly spotted flagging down a vehicle.

According to public records, Carnahan has been arrested 10 times by CPD since 2015, on charges that included possession of a controlled substance, criminal trespass to a residence and driving on a revoked license.




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Mayor Lightfoot Visits Garfield Ridge

September 27, 2019, 8:51 pm
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By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

It's not often at all that Mayor Lori Lightfoot visits the Southwest Side--let alone Garfield Ridge.

But she did exactly that on Thursday, September 26, helping cut the ribbon at a food processing kitchen at 5370 S. Cicero.

In any event, here is the press release that the mayor's people put out. Southwest Chicago Post video is embedded below it.

Mayoral Press Release:

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot joined Farmer’s Fridge, World Business Chicago and members of the community for a ribbon-cutting at the company’s new 50,000 square foot facility located at 5370 S. Cicero Avenue in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood. The facility currently employs 170 individuals, many from surrounding neighborhoods, and is expected to double the number of kitchen staff by the end of 2020 to fuel the company’s rapid expansion.

“Chicago is home to incredible neighborhoods with talented and highly skilled workers who need companies to meet them where they are, and today’s opening is doing just that,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Farmer’s Fridge has changed the way people think about healthy eating by providing access to fresh, healthy food. That commitment to helping people lead healthier lives will now be strengthened with this new facility that will expand economic opportunities and create jobs for our neighborhoods and the people who live in them - particularly on the South and West Sides where Chicagoans have not seen the investment they deserve for far too long.” 

Through this new facility, Farmer’s Fridge will continue its rapid expansion and open an additional 150 Fridges by the end of 2019, while working toward national expansion as it grows its kitchen facility team and hires more local employees to support this growth into new markets

"As a Chicago transplant, I am deeply grateful to this city for its incredible support of entrepreneurship and powerful local network of talent which has helped grow Farmer's Fridge from a single location to more than 350 Fridges in just six years," said Luke Saunders, Founder & CEO. "With the opening of our new 50,000 square foot production facility, we’re thrilled to be part of the South Side community. We're excited to bring great local talent onto the Farmer’s Fridge team and look forward to doubling our kitchen headcount by the end of next year."

Established in 2013, Farmer’s Fridge is a privately-held food and technology company founded and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company operates a network of automated smart Fridges that serves chef-curated meals and snacks in seconds, including salads, sandwiches, grain bowls and more. Each Fridge offers an affordable, seasonal menu of wholesome, handcrafted food items where it typically wouldn’t be available, including high-traffic office towers, hospitals, convenience stores, universities and airports.

“Farmer’s Fridge is a great example of the impact that Chicago’s growing innovation ecosystem is having not just in our central business district but in our neighborhoods” said Andrea Zopp, President & CEO, World Business Chicago. “It is especially exciting because this is home grown business that was incubated here, grew here and today is creating, economic opportunity for Chicago residents”

Farmer’s Fridge is uniquely tackling the three major barriers that prevent people from eating healthier: taste, convenience, and affordability through a revolutionary way to get fresh, delicious food in seconds. Currently, there are 350 Fridges located in three states filled with 25 balanced meals, snacks, and beverages. Farmer’s Fridge uses proprietary technology that tracks inventory and individual Fridge sales patterns to ensure that each location is stocked to fully optimize demand and minimize waste. The maintenance-free, low-energy Fridges have become a go-to amenity for businesses across multiple regions, having already served over two million meals to date.

In addition to serving more than two million handcrafted meals over six years in Chicago, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis, Farmer’s Fridge has adopted a Zero Waste policy and has composted over one million pounds of food through Organix Recycling to reduce landfill waste. Farmer’s Fridge has also donated 255,000 pounds of food through partnerships with local food pantries.

Mayor Lightfoot remains committed to bringing jobs into Chicago, with a special focus on the South and West Sides of the city where the need is the greatest. The City of Chicago is committed to partnering with organizations like Farmer’s Fridge who fuel the growth of neighborhoods which have experienced long-term disinvestment. Yesterday, the Mayor joined the Entrepreneur of Color Fund to announce at additional $3.6 million investment to support entrepreneurs and small businesses on the South and West Sides.




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'Big Guy' Needs a Little Boost

September 12, 2019, 7:03 pm
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Popular sports figure battling health challenges, medical bills

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

The Big Guy is looking for a little help from his friends.

Tim Maher, one of the best known and well-liked Southwest
No stranger to a microphone, Tim Maher is a familiar face and voice.
Side sports figures of the last 50 years, is the subject of a public benefit set for 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6 at 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 W. 115th St., Merrionette Park.

Maher, 66, is a onetime prep football star and in later years a radio and TV sports broadcaster known as The Big Guy. He has been a tireless promoter of 16-inch softball and Chicago Catholic League sports, has gone public with his struggles with his health.

“I lost my left leg below the knee five years ago; and earlier this summer, I lost my big toe on right leg--with the right side of my foot now black, so off it will come,” Maher posted on social media several months back. “I live on very little a month: Social Security with no job and no other income.”

The Oct. 6 fundraiser, billed as Da Bears and Da Big Guy, will feature a “watch” party for the Chicago Bears versus Oakland Raiders game, broadcast live from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England.

Admission is $30 per person and includes an all-you-can-eat buffet, as well as beer and wine.

“You can’t beat that ticket price, when you consider what you’re getting,” Maher said. “I’m not looking to get rich on this, believe me. If I walk away with two or maybe three thousand bucks, I’ll be happy.”


The event will include a number of sports-related raffle prizes, such as four tickets (with a parking pass) to the Nov 16 Notre Dame vs. Navy game at South Bend.

To purchase admission tickets and pool squares, visit paypal.com/paypalme2/catholicfootball. Tickets are also available at several noteworthy watering holes in the area, including Lawlor’s two Chicago locations: 6854 W. Archer 3636 W. 111th St; and The Hideout, 4755 W. 137th St., Crestwood, and McGaffer’s Saloon, 7737 W. Roosevelt Road, Forest Park.

Those unable to attend the October event may still use the PayPal link to make a donation.

Those with additional questions about the event are welcome to contact Maher at tim@chicago16inchnoglovesoftball.com.

“I want to thank everyone who helps me out,” Maher said. “We get knocked down, but we always get back up; but it’s just a bit harder for me this time. I'm on the goal line, fighting best I can.”

Background

Maher is a South Side native who grew up at 5417 S. Racine, across the street from Sherman Park, where as a boy he wore the football uniform of the Visitation Ramblers—butting heads with grid powers across the South and Southwest Sides.

His father, John, was a 1944 St. Rita graduate and football player who joined the Marines and earned a Purple Heart fighting on Okinawa.

At St. Rita, Tim Maher saw highs and lows. In his sophomore year, the Mustangs went an abysmal 0-9 in 1968; but then turned it around to 9-2-1 in 1970—sweeping to three November victories at Soldier Field over tough CCL opponents (Fenwick, Loyola and Leo) to a December Prep Bowl triumph over Lane Tech before a Soldier Field crowd of 65,745.

The feat was unheard of in Chicago’s prep sports history, Maher said. He chronicled the championship season in a book he authored, “3 Yards and a Cloud of Dust,” a 200-plus page book available in paperback for $14.95 at chicagocatholicleaguefootball.com.
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Stunod's is Bringing Delicious Pizza, Italian Comfort Food to 63rd Street

October 7, 2019, 8:51 pm
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‘This is a pizza neighborhood’

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

While their new pizzeria in Clearing is their first brick-and-mortar venture, the two brothers in charge seem to have the neighborhood figured out.

“This is a pizza neighborhood—a community filled with hard-working, down-to-earth men and women looking for good portions of tasty food freshly prepared, quickly and conveniently ready for pickup or delivery,” said older brother Austin. “That’s what we offer, every day of the week.”

The brothers are the owners of Stunod’s, 6535 W. 63rd St.,
in the storefront that for decades had housed D’Anardo’s Pizza—which went out of business earlier this year.

The new eatery’s name is sure to bring a smile and even a chuckle to the faces of folks in the neighborhood who know that stunod is a Sicilian-American slang term that roughly translates to a stubborn, hard-headed goofball.

“It’s one of those words that we all heard as kids—like when your grandma or grandpa would say, ‘Ah you’re such a stunod,’” younger brother Frank said. “It’s a word that’s familiar and fun—and that’s the kind of vibe we’re creating here.”

The brothers opened their restaurant in June and have since poured quite a bit into it, renovating the place from front to back. They also shortened and simplified the menu, which today features pizza, calzones, sandwiches (such as Italian beef and sausage, meatball, hamburgers, chicken parmigiana and breaded steak), pasta (spaghetti and ravioli), chicken wings, sides, salads and more.


Frank and Austin take a break in front of their blackboard wall menu.
The menu also will soon include the brothers’ own frozen treats that they have made and sold in recent years via their popular Buddy’s Italian Ice business—from Evanston to Lincoln Park to the Loop to Orland Park, and many points between.

“This is Italian-American comfort food—not too fancy, not complicated, just delicious,” Frank added. “We’re confident everyone in the neighborhood who tries us will like us.”

Stunod’s is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Its phone number is (773) 586-7373 for pickup and delivery calls. The restaurant’s food will soon be available via Uber Eats and Grubhub.

The Battaglia brothers added that a grand opening celebration begins Friday, October 11.


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Pumpkin Jamboree Parade Coming

October 15, 2019, 9:47 am
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Dungeons & Dragons Display at the Zidarich Home is Frightfully Good

October 19, 2019, 4:59 pm
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Looking for a frightfully good Halloween display this year?
Look no further than the front lawn of the Zidarich home in Chrysler Village, just south of 63rd and Latrobe.


A Beholder is the centerpiece of the south end of the Zidarich lawn.
Electrician Raymond Zidarich, along with his son, Raymond III, have outdone themselves this year with a stunning Cult of the Eye display inspired by decades of Dungeons & Dragons.

It's a creative triumph, even better than their built-from-
scratch displays of previous Halloweens (like their ghost pirate themed display and their ghosts of the Old West display).

The Southwest Chicago Post stopped by with a video
Raymond Zidarich III as a Mind Flayer as his mom, Pam, looks on.
camera and shot some footage. It's posted below; but really, you gotta see this in person. Yet another fantastic and spooky journey, courtesy of the Zidarich family!

Viewing hours are dusk 'til 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, dusk 'til 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday!






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Crime News Update

October 24, 2019, 6:05 pm
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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 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 the western section of the district. 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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Convicted felon busted after cops search home
Ain Zuniga


A 28-year-old Clearing man was charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon after he was arrested at his home in the 6400 block of South Lorel at 10:25 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Ain Zuniga was apprehended without incident by police executing a search warrant. Police said they found a handgun and a large quantity of cannabis in the home.

According to public records, Zuniga has been arrested 12 times by CPD since 2016 on charges that included reckless conduct, criminal trespass to a residence and six parole violations for having contact with street gang members. State of Illinois records indicate that Zuniga was convicted of theft and aggravated robbery seven years ago.



* * *

Want to work directly with Chicago Police to prevent crime in your neighborhood? If you live in and/or own a business in Beats 815 or 821 (see map) make plans to attend your next CAPS meeting, set for 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 6 at St. Bruno School (south end of the building), 4839 S. Harding. 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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Arrest man after crash on Pulaski
Abel Tamayo



A 24-year-old Scottsdale man was charged with DUI, carrying open alcohol in a vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid and accident and damage to public property after he was arrested at 75th and Pulaski at 7:02 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9.

Abel Tamayo, of the 8000 block of South Kilbourn, reportedly drove a vehicle that crashed into a lightpole.

According to public records, Tamayo has been arrested seven times by CPD since 2014 on such charges as armed robbery, criminal trespass to a vehicle and criminal defacement of property.






Arrest number 19 for Ashburn man
Kevin McGraw


A 26-year-old Ashburn man was charged with domestic battery and violating an order of protection after he was arrested in the 3700 block of West 78th Street at 1:27 a.m. Monday, Oct. 7.

Kevin McGraw was apprehended without incident. The victim is a 29-year-old man, police said.

According to public records, McGraw has been arrested 19 times by CPD since 2014 on such charges as reckless conduct, assault, possession of a controlled substance, criminal damage to property and child endangerment.



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Bust man for fleeing from cops
Michael Arroyo


A 29-year-old Clearing man was charged with reckless conduct after he was arrested in the 6000 block of West 64th Street at 7:06 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

Michael Arroyo, of the 6300 block of West 63rd Street, was apprehended after he allegedly fled on foot from police responding to a 911 call of a domestic disturbance.

According to public records, Arroyo has been arrested nine times by CPD since 2014 on charges that included domestic battery, aggravated assault and telephone harassment.



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Bust man on shoplifting rap

A 39-year-old Northwest Side man was charged with retail theft after he was arrested at the
Joel Garcia
Jewel-Osco at 6107 S. Archer at 8:50 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Joel Garcia, of the 5900 block of West Dakin, allegedly stole merchandise from the store, although a CPD spokesman declined to say what was allegedly stolen.

He also was wanted on two warrants, although a CPD spokesman did not say what the warrants were for or what jurisdiction issued them.

According to public records, Garcia has been arrested nine times by CPD since 2016—six times charged with retail theft, once with criminal trespass to a vehicle and twice on warrants.


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Arrest man on crack cocaine charge
Louis Castorena


A 53-year-old Garfield Ridge man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after he was arrested in the 5100 block of South Melvina at 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 7.

Louis A. Castorena, of the 5200 block of South Mason, allegedly was found carrying what police suspected was crack cocaine.

According to public records, Castorena was arrested by CPD in 2014 and charged with assault.







Bust man again on drug rap
Piotr Zukowski



A 31-year-old Garfield Ridge man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after a traffic stop in the 4700 block of West 47th Street at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.

Piotr Zukowski, of the 6200 block of West 55th Street, was found to be in possession of crack cocaine, a CPD spokesman said.

According to public records, Zukowski was hit with the same charge after he was arrested near 47th and Latrobe in April of this year.


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Woman drove on revoked license, police say
Dulsen Colin-Coronel



A 24-year-old Oak Lawn woman was charged with driving on a revoked license after her vehicle was curbed by police at 55th and Pulaski at 6:53 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Dulsen Colin-Coronel, of the 9000 block of South Cicero, also was cited for avoiding a traffic control device and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

According to public records, Colin-Coronel has been arrested four times by CPD since 2017, on charges that included possession of a stolen vehicle.






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Kids Line Archer to See Pumpkin Parade

October 26, 2019, 1:42 pm
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The annual Pumpkin Parade along Archer Avenue stepped off at 11:00 a.m. today.

Cloudy and cool--and until the end, the rain basically held off. Not bad weather for an October parade.

Hundreds of boys and girls in costume lined the parade route---along with moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles.

Thanks once again to the parade's sponsor, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-3rd).

At the end of the parade, in Wentworth Park, the congressman and others hosted a celebration that included free treats, entertainment and more.

A tip of our cap, as well, to those police officers who, seeing candy that was thrown from parade units but which landed
too close to the parade to be picked up safely by kids at the curbs--picked up the candy themselves and handed it to boys and girls at the curbs.

Here are a few photos of the parade units, as well as the real stars of the show: the children themselves! (Along with moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, and even a couple of dogs and mascots.)

(Editor's note: parade video added below.)






Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:










Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:









Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:

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Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:

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Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:











Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:

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Southwest Chicago Post parade coverage made possible, in part, by:

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Police Warn of Business Break-Ins

October 31, 2019, 1:34 pm
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A cluster of burglaries of businesses in the Archer Heights
area in October has prompted CPD to issue a warning.

"In these incidents offender(s) force entry through the front of a business and remove property from within," the CPD alert read.

Crime scenes include:

• 4600 block of South Cicero at about 7:20 a.m. October 3.
• 4300 block of West 47th Street at about 10 p.m. October 6.
• 5200 block of South Archer at 9:54 a.m. October 8.
• 4800 block of South Archer at about 7 p.m. October 9.
• 4800 block of South Cicero at about 8:30 a.m. October 10.
• 4800 block of South Cicero at about 8:50 a.m. October 29.

Police advise business owners:
• Keep the perimeter of your property well lit.
• Report suspicious activity immediately.
• Keep doors and windows secured.
• Immediately repair any broken windows, doors or locks.
• If video surveillance is available, save and make a copy of the incident for investigating detectives.
• If you are a victim do not touch anything; call police immediately.
• If approached by a witness to the incident, request contact information.

Those with useful information to share about the crimes are asked to call the CPD  Bureau of Detectives – Area Central
at (312) 747-8382 and refer to crime pattern P19-1-361.


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Dentists Helping Veterans This Month

November 2, 2019, 11:54 am
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Throughout the month of November, many Illinois State Dental
Society dentists have reserved appointment times in their offices to salute Illinois veterans.

Under the Illinois Dentists Salute initiative, participating dentists will provide critically needed dental services for veterans, at no cost. The dentist will determine priority treatment for the veteran patient. 

Visit the Illinois Dentists Salute page at ISDS.org for a list of participating dental offices.

According to the ISDS, there is one Southwest Side dentist participating: Dr. Larry Abdullah, 8036 S. Western, (773) 476-0600.

Participating dentists in nearby suburbs include:

• Michelle Jennings, 6520 Joliet Road, Countryside, 708-354-4545.

• William Earley, 15748 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen, 708-301-2220.

• Nancy Cozzi, 1400 W. 47th Street, Suite 8, La Grange, 708-579-1522.

• James Maragos, 4727 Willow Springs Road, La Grange, 708-352-7358.

• Carly Paragas, 15544 S. Cicero, Oak Forest, 708-687-0100.

• Denis Bartz, 8704 S. Ridgeland, Oak Lawn, 708-430-4440.

• Kenneth Grebliunas, 4237 1/2 W. 95th Street, Oak Lawn, 708-423-4100.

• Alyssa Litkowski, 8704 S. Ridgeland, Oak Lawn, 708-430-4440.

• Sharon Horwitz, 110 N. Oak Park, Oak Park, 708-386-8070.

• Nicholas Cudney, 7400 W. College Drive, Palos Heights, 708-448-8670.

• Geraldine DiFranco, 10059 S. Roberts Road, Palos Hills, 708-430-1133.

• Denise Hale, 9944 S. Roberts Road, Suite 207, Palos Hills, 708-599-7090.

• John Kozal, 7336 W. Archer, Summit, 708-458-8585.

• F. Wayne Gedutis, 16571 S. Oak Park, Tinley Park, 708-429-0030.


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