By William S. Bike
AUDITORIUM THEATRE NEWS
The Auditorium Theatre will present Ghostbusters in Concert Saturday, Oct. 8; Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15; and singer-songwriter Charlie Puth Thursday, Nov. 3. The theatre is at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. Call (312) 341-2300 or log on to www.auditoriumtheatre.org.
FREE BALLET
Ballet 5:8, a female and minority-led ballet company, will perform Ver la Música, Oír la Danza at the National Museum of Mexican Art on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 1 and 3 p.m. Performances are free to the public, but tickets must be reserved in advance at https://www.ballet58.org/calendar/ver-la-musica-oir-la-danza-1pm. The repertoire includes the dance Mi Familia. The museum is at 1852 W. 19th St.
OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO
The Chicago Architecture Center will present Open House Chicago the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 15 and 16, with more than 150 sites participating. Log on to www.openhousechicago.org
FAMILY BIKE PARADE
ChicagoFamilyBiking.org hosts a family bike parade the third Saturday of every month at 9:30 a.m. at Palmisano Park, 2700 S. Halsted St. The next ride is on Oct. 15.
DONATE TO GAZETTE CHICAGO
The Chicago Independent Media Alliance #WeAmplifyChicagoVoices campaign seeks to raise $100,000 that will benefit Gazette Chicago and other local independent media. Money raised goes directly to Gazette Chicago or other media of your choosing, or you can choose to split your donation among several or all. The campaign runs from now through Monday, Oct. 17. Make your donation at savechicagomedia.org and help Gazette Chicago and other media continue to tell the stories that matter to you.
The Chicago Public Schools has its first wheelchair swing at the Wilma Rudolph Learning Center.
ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUND
The Chicago Public Schools at the Wilma Rudolph Learning Center, 1628 W. Washington Blvd., unveiled a new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible playground for the West Loop school that serves about 100 students in preschool through eighth grade who have cognitive and physical disabilities. Officials dedicated the playground to Debbie Kim, a former student at the school who went on to become a beloved teacher there. The ADA compliant playground features a swing for wheelchair users—the first of its kind in the CPS.
MEETINGS SET
The Chicago Women’s Park & Gardens Advisory Council will meet on the Tuesdays of Oct. 11 and Dec. 6 at 5:45 p.m. at the fieldhouse. All are welcome. The park is at 1801 S. Indiana Ave. Call (312) 328-0821.
ENROLL IN COLLEGE
City Colleges of Chicago has upcoming eight- and 12-week classes, with enrollment deadline on Thursday, Oct. 20. Because of all the scholarship and no-cost offerings, right now is the best time to enroll for certification classes, college-credit classes, and free English as a second language courses, and you can even earn your Illinois High School diploma at City Colleges. For more information visit ccc.edu/apply.
FIGHTING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Cook County Board and Cook County Justice Advisory Council have created an initiative funded by the American Rescue Plan Act to provide programming and support services to those affected by domestic violence; offerings include counseling as well as legal, advocacy, and housing support. For information, call (312) 603-6400. Organizations may apply for grants under the program at www.cookcountyil.gov/JACGrants?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.
BEWARE OF COMED SCAMS
ComEd and the Better Business Bureau have observed increased scammer activity. Scammers contact ComEd customers by phone, text, or email, demanding payment to a particular account under the threat of immediate service disconnection. ComEd will never call or come to a customer’s home or business to ask for direct payment with a mobile payment app or cash card, nor will ComEd ever ask for a Social Security or bank account number. All ComEd employees have company IDs. ComEd urges anyone who believes they have been a target or victim of a scam to call ComEd at 1 (800) 334-7661. To learn more visit ComEd.com/Scams.
NEW PRESIDENT
DeLaSalle Institute installed Anne Marie Tirpak as president on Sept. 18. Tirpak is the first layperson and first woman to lead the school in its 134-year history. DeLaSalle is at 3434 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 842-7355 or log on to www.dls.org.
MOBILE TOWN HALL
The 11th Ward organization will host a mobile town hall at McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave., Thursday, Oct. 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The public will be able to purchase dog licenses, city stickers, and parking permits and receive flu shots and covid vaccines. Call (773) 254-6677.
PHANTASMAGORIA
Art by Mikey Mosher entitled Phantasmagoria is on display at the Catacombs at Epiphany Center for the Arts Friday, Oct. 7, through Saturday, Nov. 19. See https://epiphanychi.com/mikey-mosher-phantasmagoria/. The center is located at 201 S. Ashland Ave.
RAINBOW FENTANYL
Gateway Foundation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency are warning of a new, brightly colored fentanyl in the U.S., for which drug dealers are targeting young adults and children. “Distributed in pill, powder, or block form, this deadly wave of rainbow fentanyl looks like candy,” and “even when ingested in small amounts can be deadly,” said Marc Turner of the Gateway Foundation. For more information, contact the foundation at (877) 381-6538 or log on to gatewayfoundation.org.
At SOS Children’s Villages Illinois at 1133 W. 13th St., Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet and UnitedHealthcare provided new shoes to more than 100 children in foster care. A $15,000 UnitedHealthcare grant paid for the new shoes.
FIELD MUSEUM NEWS
The Field Museum will offer free admission days on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 11 and 12. Death: Life’s Greatest Mystery, a new exhibition, will highlight different ways humans and animals interact with death. The exhibit opens Friday, Oct. 21. For the full in-person and virtual programming calendar, visit the Field Museum’s website. The museum is at 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. Log on to www.fieldmuseum.org.
GLESSNER HOUSE NEWS
Docents at Glessner House, 1800 S. Prairie Ave., conduct 75-minute tours on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 1 and 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20. Haunted tours of historic Prairie Avenue will be offered on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, Oct. 28 and 29, between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $18. Also on Saturday, Oct. 29, Lifeline Theatre will present readings of Edgar Allan Poe’s terrifying poems and stories, with performances at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $30. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.glessnerhouse.org.
CHEER THE MARATHONERS
Greektown Chicago will host a special cheer event for the 2022 Chicago Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 9, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the corner of Gladys and Halsted Streets. The marathon passes through Greektown twice, at miles 14 and 17, giving viewers two chances to support their favorite runners. For more information, visit GreektownChicago.org.
Viewers also can watch from the Mercy Mile Cheer Zone from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. This free, family-friendly event will feature food and refreshments plus carnival games for the kids, a rock-climbing wall, a bounce house, a DJ, and more. Bring your whole family to the Mercy Mile at 1140 W. Jackson Blvd., near mile 17 of the race, and cheer for your favorite runners—especially the Mercy Home Heroes.
STATUE DEDICATION
The public is invited to the installation of a bronze statue of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini in the north garden of Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St., on Saturday, Oct. 15. For information, call (312) 787-8040.
RUMMAGE SALE
The Ladies Aid of Holy Cross Lutheran Church is holding day two of their rummage sale on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the church assembly hall at 3116 S. Racine Ave. Items available include kitchenware, books, DVDs, hardware/tools, home decor, seasonal decor, and toys. Free admission. For more information or questions, call (773) 523-3838.
NEW CHIEF OF STAFF
State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-3rd) has named Abierre Minor chief of staff. Both are graduates of Monmouth College.
CHAMBER GALA
The Italian American Chamber of Commerce will host its gala and award dinner Friday, Nov. 4, at 6:30 p.m. at Cine Studios Chicago, 2429 W. 14th St. The event will honor William J. Catalona, MD, of Northwestern University; Jeffrey Sanfilippo of John B. Sanfilippo & Son Inc.; and Richard J. Augustine Sr. of RJ Augustine & Associates. For more information, log on to www.rjacpa.com.
VOCAL SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION
The Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia offers a chance for students to participate in a scholarship and Italian operatic concert event. The center welcomes operatic vocalists of all nationalities and ethnicities to compete for the scholarships. The competition will take place on Saturday, Oct. 15, at the center at 1621 N. 39th St., Stone Park, IL. Completed application must be received by Tuesday, Oct. 11. See https://casaitaliachicago.org/vocal-scholarship-2022-application-form/. If you have any questions, call (708) 345-5933 Ext. 2.
BEYOND BORDERS
Joffrey Ballet begins its season with Beyond Borders, a mixed repertory program, with ten performances from Wednesday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 23, at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker Dr. Call (312) 386-8905 or log on to joffrey.org.
BAROQUE HEROES
Music of the Baroque will present Baroque Heroes, a music and dance performance, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Harris Theater at 205 E. Randolph St. Log on to www.baroque.org.
NATIONAL HELLENIC NEWS
See three new art shows at the National Hellenic Museum. Resilience presents photography and a multisensory installation by Greece’s Prince Nikolaos through Friday, Dec. 30. Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography by Diane Alexander White runs through Saturday, April 30, and offers photos of ethnic and cultural festivals and parades. Storytelling in Cloth and Light presents a series of textiles and photographs. The museum is at 333 S. Halsted St. Call (312) 655-1234 or visit nationalhellenicmuseum.org.
OPEN HOUSES
Francis W. Parker School, 330 W. Webster Ave., will hold admissions open houses this fall on three Saturdays at 10 a.m.: Lower School (junior kindergarten through grade 3) Oct. 15; Middle School (grades six through eight) Oct. 22; and Upper School (grades nine through 12) Nov. 12. RSVP to fwparker.org/admission-events or call (773) 353-3000. The school is at 330 W. Webster Ave.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
Actor Danny Trejo recently visited Saint Ignatius College Prep, speaking to students about how God turned his life around. Trejo is best known for the movie Sky Kids. The school is located at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Call (312) 421-5900, or log on to www.ignatius.org.
SAN MIGUEL FUNDRAISER
San Miguel School will hold a fundraiser at the Old Post Office, 433 W. Van Buren St., featuring drinks, music, and games of bocce and pool, on Friday, Oct. 28, at 6:30 p.m. The school is at 1954 W. 48th St. Call (773) 890-1481.
SOUNDS OF THE SOUTH LOOP
Second Presbyterian Church will present Sounds of the South Loop on the Saturdays of Oct. 29 and Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. The Oct. 29 performance will feature the Silver Rose Duo with Kim Fleuchaus on flute and Julie Goldberg on guitar. The Dec. 17 performance will present Gaudete Brass. Admission is free, and guests are encouraged to make a free will donation of $15 or more to support the church’s Sacred Places and Safe Spaces Capital Campaign. The church is at 1936 S. Michigan Ave. Call (312) 225-4951.
LOCAL RESIDENT HONORED
Near West Sider Angela Valentino earned dean’s list honors at Emerson College in Boston, MA. She is a theatre and performance major.
WCA NEWS
The West Central Association Chamber of Commerce will hold a celebration at the Old Post Office, 433 W. Van Buren St., on Wednesday, Oct. 19. Log on to www.wcachicago.org.
HELP FOR VETERANS
Veterans Guide assists veterans with obtaining proper disability compensation, financial assistance, information on the GI bill, and other government services. See veteransguide.org/.