By William S. Bike
NEW TUTORS
Aquinas Literacy Center, 1751 W 35th St., recently trained ten new tutors: Brianna Franco-Mata, Zoe Williams, Harry Irizarry, Kristine Kulp, Karen Grace, Sally Greenwood, Samuel Robertson, Raymond Zanger, Algis Tamosiunas, and Brandon Hawkins Sr. The center offers free individualized instruction in the English language. For information on becoming a tutor or obtaining tutoring, call (773) 927-0512.
ICE SKATING
The Chicago Park District offers ice skating opportunities in several City parks. Log on to https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/ice-rinks.
COMMUNITY POLICING
Chicago Police Community Policing meetings in the 1st, 2nd, 9th, 10th, and 12th districts include:
1st District: Beat 122, Wed., Feb. 8, virtual meeting, 3 p.m.; Beat 124, Wed., Feb. 8, location to be determined (TBD), 5:30 p.m.; Beat 132, Wed., Feb. 15, virtual meeting, 3 p.m.; Beat 111, Wed., Mar. 1, location TBD, 5:30 p.m.; Beat 113, Wed., Mar. 1, virtual meeting, 3 p.m. Call (312) 745-4381. In-person meeting locations will be posted weekly via Caps.001District@ChicagoPolice.org.
2nd District, all meetings virtual: Beat 211, Mon., Feb. 13, 6 p.m.; Beat 212, Tues., Feb. 28, 6 p.m.; Beat 215, Tues., Feb. 21, 6 p.m.; Beat 222, Tues., Feb. 7, 6 p.m.; Beat 223, Wed., Feb. 15, 6 p.m.; Beat 233, Thurs., Feb. 16, 6 p.m.; Beat 235, Thurs., Feb. 9, 6 p.m.; Beat 225, Thurs., Mar. 2, 6 p.m. Call (312) 747-8366.
9th District: No beat meetings in February. Beats 911/921/922, Thurs., Mar. 2, 4314 S. Archer Ave., Brighton Park Library, 6 p.m. Call (312) 747-3501.
10th District: Beat 1011, Tues., Feb. 7, 4041 W. Roosevelt Rd., Sankofa Safe Child, 6 p.m.; Beat 1012, Tues., Feb. 28, 4339 W. 18th Pl., Montclare, 6 p.m.; Beat 1013, Tues., Feb. 21, 2524 S. Keeler Ave., Epiphany Church, 6 p.m.; Beat 1014, Wed., Feb. 22, 3839 W. Ogden Ave., Lawndale Church, 6 p.m.; Beat 1021, Wed., Feb. 15, 1448 S. Homan Ave., Carey Tercentenary, 6 p.m.; Beat 1022, Thurs., Feb. 16, 3030 W. 21st Pl., Albany Terrace, 6 p.m. Call (312) 747-7190.
12th District, all meetings except for Beat 1225 at 1133 W. 13th St., SoS Children’s Villages Community Center: Beat 1225, Wed., Feb. 8, 2189 W. Bowler St., Chicago Hope Academy, 6 p.m.; Beat 1231, Wed., Feb. 15, 6 p.m.; Beat 1232, Wed., Feb. 15, 7 p.m.; Beat 1233, Wed., Feb. 22, 6 p.m.; Beat 1234, Wed., Feb. 22, 7 p.m.; Beat 1235, Wed., Mar. 1, 6 p.m. Call (312) 746-8306.
To learn more about Community Policing programs, visit the Chicago Police Districts website: home.chicagopolice.org/community/districts/, tab: Get Involved with C.A.P.S.
WOMEN IN MUSIC
The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras will hold their Women in Music Gala on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 6 p.m. at the Geraghty, 2520 S. Hoyne Ave. Tickets are $450 each. Call (312) 939-2207, ext. 200.
HOLY FAMILY NEWS
Church of the Holy Family, 1080 W. Roosevelt Rd., will host an Ash Wednesday Mass on Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 8 a.m. Call (312) 492-8442.
TREE AMBASSADORS
Become a tree ambassador. Educate others about the benefits of trees and help neighbors request the City to plant trees in their parkways. The Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community will hold tree ambassador training at 311 W. 23rd St. on Saturday, Feb. 11, 10 a.m. to noon. Log on to https://cbcacchicago.org/.
ELECTRIC BILL HELP
For people facing difficulty paying their electric bill, ComEd offers these assistance programs: the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, a deferred payment arrangement; budget billing; flexible payment options; high-usage alerts; community solar; and energy efficiency offerings. Call ComEd at (800) 334-7661 (800-EDISON1), Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
TAX BILLS COMING
The Office of Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas announced Cook County property owners will have an extra month to pay their first installment property taxes this year, and the bills already are available online. Monday, April 3, is the new due date. The treasurer’s office will mail bills in late February or early March, but bills are available right now at cookcountytreasurer.com for payment or viewing.
FREE COVID TESTS
The Federal Department of Health and Human Services provides free COVID test kits. Log on to COVIDtests.gov or call (800) 232-0233.
ELECTION DAY
Election day is Tuesday, Feb. 28. People will vote not only for mayor, City clerk, City treasurer, and members of the City Council but for the new Police District Councils. For more information on the Police District Councils, log on to www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/ccpsa/supp_info/district-councils.html.
WARMING CENTER
The Garfield Center is a city warming center at 10 S. Kedzie Ave. and is available 24/7 to provide warming and connect people with shelters. Come to the center, call 311, or log on to 311.Chicago.gov.
FIELD MUSEUM
The Field Museum will host Black History Month events on Wednesday, Feb. 8; Tuesday, Feb. 14; Wednesday, Feb. 15; Monday, Feb. 20; Thursday, Feb. 23; and Tuesday, Feb. 28. Log on to http://fieldmuseum.org/blackhistorymonth. The Field Museum is at 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
Alberto Velazquez and a large cast of dancers perform in Joffrey Ballet’s Anna Karenina.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM
Glessner House, in partnership with Second Presbyterian Church, Friends of Historic Second Church, and Quinn Chapel AME Church, will present its annual program in honor of Black History Month on Sunday, Feb 26, at 2 p.m. at Quinn Chapel, 2401 S. Wabash Ave. A tour will follow. The program is free, but reservations are requested at glessnerhouse.org.
DISCOUNTS ON LICENSE PLATES
The Illinois Department on Aging and the Illinois Secretary of State have announced that low-income seniors and the disabled may be eligible for a discount on Illinois license plates. To apply visit https://ilaging.illinois.gov/benefitsaccess.html.
ANNA KARENINA BALLET
The Joffrey Ballet will perform a ballet version of Leo Tolstoy’s novel Anna Karenina in ten performances scheduled from Wednesday, Feb. 15, through Sunday, Feb. 26, at Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Upper Wacker Dr. Call (312) 386-8905 or log on to Joffrey.org.
INFORMATION ON WILLS
Legal Aid Chicago will provide free information on advance directives—power of attorney forms, living wills, and transfer on death instruments—at Central West Regional Senior Center, 2102 W. Ogden Ave., on Monday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m. Log on to www.legalaidchicago.org.
OBSERVANCES AND HOLIDAYS
February observances and holidays: Super Bowl, Sunday, Feb. 12; Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, Feb. 14; President’s Day, Monday, Feb. 21; Mardi Gras/Paczki Day/Shrove Tuesday, Tuesday, Feb. 21; Ash Wednesday, Wednesday, Feb. 22.
OUR LADY OF THE HOLY FAMILY NEWS
Our Lady of the Holy Family, 1334 W. Flournoy St., holds Sunday Masses at 9 a.m. in English and 11:30 a.m. in Spanish.
Mass is held at 6 p.m. in the church on Mondays followed by the Holy Rosary at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday Masses are at 8 a.m. in the chapel at 1335 W. Harrison St. On Friday, Mass is held in the church at 6 p.m., followed by Adoration and Confessions.
On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, ash distribution will be available all day in the rectory.
OLHF offers a Friday Food Pantry for area residents facing food shortages. Contact the parish office or just come to the pantry, located behind the church at 1334 W. Flournoy St., from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Call (312) 243-7400, email olhfparish@archchicago.org, or log on to www.olhfchi.org.
PEOPLES GAS PROJECT
KS Energy, a contractor of Peoples Gas, is working in the intersection of Jefferson Street and Canalport Avenue as part of the gas company’s Safety Modernization Program. The intersection will remain blocked throughout construction, which will conclude in late March. Posted detours will redirect traffic around the intersection. For questions or concerns, call Carlos at Alderwoman Nicole Lee’s 11th Ward office at (773) 254-6677 or Peoples Gas at (866) 556-6001.
SAINT IGNATIUS NEWS
Two months after 16 Saint Ignatius College Prep junior varsity hockey players were injured when a semi ran into their bus, the team returned to the ice beginning Jan. 15, with numerous first responders who helped them after the accident in attendance. Three of the injured players are out for the season but have returned to school and are expected to rejoin the team next year. The team won 5-0 over Marmion Academy, and will make up some of its postponed games throughout the season. Home games are at the Fifth Third Arena in the West Loop.
The school is at 1076 W. Roosevelt Rd. Call (312) 421-5900 or log on to www.ignatius.org.
RUSSIAN ASSAULT
University Village resident John Ruane has published a new action thriller novel, Russian Assault. The hero Dylan Reilly, lives on the Near West Side. In the novel, Reilly attempts to stop former Russian KGB agents from launching attacks on Washington, DC. The book is available on Amazon.com.
SECOND PRESBYTERIAN NEWS
Second Presbyterian Church hosts its annual winter coat drive during February and March. The church will distribute donations of new or gently used clothes, socks, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweaters, coats, gloves, caps, scarves, and mittens at its Lunch Bag Program and to neighbors who are in need.
The South Loop Symphony Orchestra will have a concert, Celebrating Black Music, on Saturday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m.
For more information, visit the church website at: 2ndpresbyterian.org or call (312) 225-4951. The church is at 1936 S. Michigan Ave.
FREE DAYS AT SHEDD
Shedd Aquarium is offering free days for Illinois residents every week in February starting Tuesday, Feb. 7, and running Tuesdays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The aquarium requires advance reservations for free days, which can be made online at www.sheddaquarium.org. The aquarium is located at 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.
BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL REGISTRATION
Sheridan McGuane Baseball and Softball is open to players of all abilities, with all-star divisions for more advanced players. Sunday, April 23, is opening day and games are played at Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St., as well as McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar Ave. Nearly 600 players participated last year in a league based on building character and leadership in youth. The league offers scholarships for any family needing financial support. All-star teams compete in the Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth national tournaments. Register at: https://sheridanmcguanebaseball.com/registration/.
SHRINE EVENTS
The Shrine of Our Lady of Pompeii is holding a food drive to support the food pantry at Our Lady of the Holy Family Parish. Drop off food items prior to the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday Masses on Feb. 12.
The shrine is at 1224 W. Lexington St. Call (312) 421-3757.
PEOPLE
Gazette Chicago reporter Kelly White on Dec. 1 had a baby, Sawyer Jade White, weighing 6 lbs., 12 oz.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
Community Organizing and Family Issues, 2245 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 226-5141, organizes and trains parents to win improvements in schools and communities and in how to create organizations and programs. See cofionline.org.
VETS’ EXEMPTIONS
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office provides property tax exemptions for veterans with disabilities and returning veterans. Log on to cookcountyassessor.com or call (312) 443-7550.
GET ORGANIZED
Community Organizing and Family Issues, 2245 S. Michigan Ave., (312) 226-5141, organizes and trains parents to win improvements in schools and communities and in how to create organizations and programs. See cofionline.org.
HELP WITH TAXES
Ladder Up will hold its annual Tax-a-Thon on Sat., Feb. 4 from 9 a.m. to noon at Olive-Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave. The event will bring dozens of tax expert volunteers to provide free, high-quality tax filing services to individuals earning up to $32,000 a year and families earning up to $60,000 a year. For more information, log on to www.goladderup.org/.
JOB PLACEMENT
The Community Based Organization Collective received a $1 million grant from Google.org to help place hundreds of jobseekers on the South and West sides into in-demand careers, such as in the tech economy. Log on to www.cbocollective.org/ for more information.
SEEKING YOUNG LEADERS
Chicago Votes offers the Civic Leaders Program, a leadership development program for young people who have experienced incarceration, training them to serve as leaders in the organization’s legislative advocacy, court watching, and voter registration efforts. Chicago Votes is located at 234 S. Wabash Ave. Log on to https://chicagovotes.com.
RENTER AND LANDLORD HELP
If you are a renter having trouble paying your rent, utilities, or other housing costs, or if you are a landlord trying to stay afloat, help may be available. State and local programs are distributing dollars for such needs. Visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in rental assistance to help renters stay housed during the pandemic. Visit the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at consumerfinance.gov to find programs. See also ChiCookilRentHelp.org or call (833) 221-9821.