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Articles by Peter Gianakopoulos
11th District Faith in Action Night
11th District Faith in Action NightYou Have the Power to Help Take Back Your NeighborhoodFriday, May 25th, 2018 12:00 PMShare on FacebookShare on TwitterEmailPrintBy West Garfield Park Community StakeholdersResidents & Community Stakeholders in the area of Pulaski/Van Buren You Have the Power to Help Take Back Your Neighborhood. Join Friends, Neighbors, Chicago Police Department for Faith And Action 2018, smoke-out and light music entertainment.
'Blues For Mister Charlie' burns with intensity
See "Blues for Mister Charlie," Fridays and Saturday, 7:30 p.m., and Sundays, 2 p.m., through May 27, at Madison Street Theater. James Baldwin, mid-century African-American novelist and essayist, wrote only two plays. Blues for Mister Charlie is one of them. We are fortunate that the intrepid new Echo Theater Collective has mounted a production in our community at Madison Street Theater, 1010 Madison. This seldom-revived 1964 drama still burns intensely.
Austin Coming Together: Thrive 2025 - Quarter 2
Austin Coming Together: Thrive 2025 - Quarter 2Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018 12:00 PMShare on FacebookShare on TwitterEmailPrintBy Advertising Department
Gardening icon Mary Peery honored in Heroes Park
Community members light a peace torch, once carried by Mary Peery, during Saturday's event in Heroes Park, where Peery, the memorial garden's founder, now has a brick in her honor. Peery, the founder of the Austin Green Team, died last year at 91. | MICHAEL ROMAIN/Staff For years, Mary Peery — the revered founder of the Austin Green Team and perhaps the West Side's most prolific planter — presided regally over these brick-laying memorials at Heroes Park, on the corner of Washington and Laramie.
Big Week: May 23 - 30
On Saturday, May 26, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Malcolm X College, 1900 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago's oldest African American real estate trade association, Dearborn Realtist Board, will host a "Community Wealth Building Day" designed to help build black wealth through homeownership. This event will feature FREE admission, FREE credit reports, FREE food and more. Register at tinyurl.com/communitywealthbuilding2018. For more info, call (773) 374-9191 or email chicagorealtist@gmail.com.
Warming up to The Hatchery
MOVING UP: Trinisa Williams, a West Garfield Park resident who owns Trini's Tasty Pastries, shows off her baked goods inside of her kitchen. She hopes to utilize The Hatchery's commercial kitchen when the facility is finished. | IGOR STUDENKOV/Contributor Trini's Tasty Pastries, owned by West Garfield Park resident Trinisa Williams, is at least one West Side small business that stands to benefit once The Hatchery, a food business incubator, opens in the area.
A few side notes on the royal wedding
I watched the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle this past weekend. I wasn't able to see the live broadcast. However, thanks to modern technology, I did find an online site that had the ceremony available for view. I thought everything about the ceremony was wonderful. I love the way she came down the aisle by herself and was momentarily escorted by Prince Charles. That action sent a message to the world that she was being accepted by the family as a new member of the royal household.
Number of patrol cops down on West Side
SURGE OR NO SURGE?: The number of beat cops are down across the city, the Sun-Times reports. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons According to a May 4 Chicago Sun-Times report, the Chicago Police Department has fewer beat cops today than the department had when they hired an additional 1,400 cops roughly two years ago.
Wanted %u2014 workers seeking clean slates
Cara Cleanslate workers wear their uniforms and listen to live music from Low Down Brass Band last Thursday, during a special kick-off event for Cara at the Austin Town Hall Park in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer The Low Down Brass Band performs for attendees last Thursday during a special kick-off event for Cara at the Austin Town Hall Park in Chicago's Austin neighborhood.
Wanted: workers seeking clean slates
Cara Cleanslate workers wear their uniforms and listen to live music from Low Down Brass Band last Thursday, during a special kick-off event for Cara at the Austin Town Hall Park in Chicago's Austin neighborhood. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer The Low Down Brass Band performs for attendees last Thursday during a special kick-off event for Cara at the Austin Town Hall Park in Chicago's Austin neighborhood.
Blues at St. Martins on June 2
Larry Taylor and the Soul Blues Healers will be playing Saturday June 2, from 8 to 10:30 p.m. at Blues in the Sanctuary, a fundraiser for the ministry of St. Martin's Episcopal Church, 5700 W. Midway Blvd., Chicago IL 60644. This 140 year old church, with an active music and social ministry is still doing good in the hood; this summer they will be hosting restorative justice circles. St. Martins has been hosting blues and jazz in the sanctuary for several years to support its ministries.
A 'farm lab' grows in Chicago
Digging in the dirt: Neighbors and students began work at Chicago Farm Lab in the first weekend of May. Farm Lab organizer Marnie Ware says fundraising efforts are ongoing for the 2-acre urban farm. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer Farming the next generation: Marnie Ware says she's working to reconnect students to their agrarian past. Chicago Farm Lab also is empowering residents of the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood.
Big Week: May 16-23
On Saturday, May 19, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the corner of Washington Blvd. and Laramie, the Austin Green Team will hold its annual memorial program where six community residents, who are now deceased, will be recognized for their commitment in serving the Austin community. The six community leaders who will be honored this year include: Rev. Elizabeth V. Bynum, Kenneth "Butch" Campbell, Claudell Ervin, Kamile Kalina, Mary Peery and Carol Williams-Hall.
Marseil Jackson launches new radio show
West Side native, entrepneur and activist Marseil "Action" Jackson, 30, recently launched a daily radio show. Called "The Brunch Bunch," the show is hosted by Jackson and Tamera Fair. It airs Monday through Friday, 12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Inspiration 1390, an iHeart Radio station in Chicago.l During an interview last week, Jackson said that the show will feature a diverse array of guests— from Gospel artists to political figures and business owners.
Fear of the blue and white
I love to drive. That's one of the reasons I have a part-time job doing it. I like discovering areas of the city I have never been to. I also enjoy maneuvering my way throughout the suburbs. Nothing is more challenging than to go into one of those suburban developments where it seems like you're trapped in a maze with the same street name that changes from Main Court to Main Circle to Main Drive to Main Street. Whatever city planner allowed that had a mean streak.
Austin bakery opens brick-and-mortar shop
Austin residents and customers from as far away as Atlanta filled a tiny storefront space on May 12 to get some cheesecakes and other pastries at Schweet Foods, 5051 W. Chicago Ave., officially opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Austin. Schweet was founded by Camille and Brian Weddington. They started out online before taking their wares to markets and festivals throughout Chicago.
A conversation with Lonnie Bunch
Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C., was in suburban River Forest last week to speak at Dominican University's commencement. During a roughly 30-minute conversation, he also waded into contemporary waters, addressing everything from #MeToo and Bill Cosby's place in the museum to President Trump and Kanye West's controversial "slavery was a choice" statement.
Dealing with carjacking
Every year, hundreds of troubled teenagers from all over the state of Illinois run afoul of Illinois' laws and find themselves in the juvenile justice system. Many factors, ranging from unemployment, drugs, behavioral health issues, and family poverty cause youth to turn to crime. In Chicago, carjacking by poor, young black men has become one of the city's major concerns for drivers. The city's answer to stopping the carjacking is to pass a state law to increase penalties directed at juveniles.
Austin teens look to launch new business
By the fall, if all goes according to schedule, there will be a new business on the West Side — and it will be started by four Austin young people. Aaliyah Ward, Isaac Johnson and twin sisters Kayla and Cicara Reese are part of the Westside Health Authority's inaugural Village Fellowship Program.
Budgets to increase at Austin schools
Fewer Austin schools will see funding cuts next year compared to this year. Six of Austin's 17 schools will see cuts ranging from -0.17 percent to -6.5 percent, while the remaining 11 schools will see increases ranging from 0.06 percent to 3.97 percent. George Leland Elementary School is facing the largest budget cut at -6.5 percent, leaving the school with $3,683,437 for the year, while John Hay Community Academy will receive a 3.97 percent increase, with $2,434,529.
In praise of mothers
In praise of mothersMonday, May 14th, 2018 3:27 PMShare on FacebookShare on TwitterEmailPrintMembers of Greater St. John Bible Church worship during a special Mother's Day service held at Ella Flag Young Elementary School in Austin on May 13. Far left, the church's pastor, Rev. Ira Acree. | SEBASTIAN HIDALGO/ContributorGreater St. John Bible Church members crowded into Ella Flag Young in Austin for Sunday worship on Mother's Day.
Weekends are for convention hopping
I recently saw a woman walking through LaGuardia Airport wearing a denim jacket covered in patches from something called "PezCon". I chased after her to make sure I had read them correctly, because I was entranced by the idea that there were enough fans of Pez candy and the dispensers thereof to warrant an annual convention. (I didn't talk to her, of course.
Albion to begin demolition
Demolition of the two-story office building at the corner of Lake and Forest, where the new luxury apartment high-rise by Albion Development will eventually stand, is expected to begin this week, according to Albion spokesman James Prescott. Prescott said in a telephone interview that the demolition will take about 4-6 weeks and then Albion will begin construction of the 18-story building.
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