Tuesday, September 29, 2020

Tabares Gets Results, Convinces Board of Elections to Relocate Early-Voting Site West of MDW

Update as of 8:48 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29: 

Alderman Tabares has succeeded in convincing Chicago Board of Elections officials to relocate the 23rd Ward's early-voting site to Dore Elementary School, 7134 West 65th Street.


Original Story:

September 24, 2020

Tabares Wants Polling Place in CGR

Complains to Board of Elections



By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post


Switching the 23rd Ward’s early voting site from its traditional home at the Clearing Branch Library to a site east of the airport is “unfair,” Ald. Silvana Tabares told the head of the Chicago Board of Elections.

In a letter sent this week to CBOE Executive Director Lance Gough, Tabares complained about she called a “last-minute switch” to Richardson Middle School, 6018 S. Karlov, “which is almost five miles away via car. The 13th Ward early voting location is less than one mile away from Richardson, which seems redundant and disproportionally disenfranchises the many residents who live west of Cicero Avenue.”

The alderman noted that in the presidential election of 2016, 4,925 people who live west of Cicero Avenue utilized early voting.

“It is unfair their early voting location was changed without any warning,” Tabares continued. “Voters will be turned away from the Clearing Library and will not have adequate time or means to go to Richardson Middle School, and many of these residents will be seniors. I understand the need to provide enough space for social distancing. That is why I believe it is misguided to change a location and thereby forcing senior citizens who would normally walk to their early voting location to use public transportation, placing themselves in greater risk of contracting COVID-19.”

This year, Board of Elections officials are not using public libraries as early-voting sites because they have “a state mandated limit of 25 people that can be in the [library] building. If the early voting were taking place, the library would have to be closed to the public for two weeks,” one CPL librarian told the Southwest Chicago Post.

To remedy the situation, Tabares suggested that the early-voting site be changed back to the Clearing Branch Library. If not that, she suggested other sites in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, like Dore School, 7134 W. 65th St., or Valley Forge Park, 7001 W. 59th St.

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Thursday, September 24, 2020

Tabares Wants Polling Place in CGR

Complains to Board of Elections



By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post


Switching the 23rd Ward’s early voting site from its traditional home at the Clearing Branch Library to a site east of the airport is “unfair,” Ald. Silvana Tabares told the head of the Chicago Board of Elections.

In a letter sent this week to CBOE Executive Director Lance Gough, Tabares complained about she called a “last-minute switch” to Richardson Middle School, 6018 S. Karlov, “which is almost five miles away via car. The 13th Ward early voting location is less than one mile away from Richardson, which seems redundant and disproportionally disenfranchises the many residents who live west of Cicero Avenue.”

The alderman noted that in the presidential election of 2016, 4,925 people who live west of Cicero Avenue utilized early voting.

“It is unfair their early voting location was changed without any warning,” Tabares continued. “Voters will be turned away from the Clearing Library and will not have adequate time or means to go to Richardson Middle School, and many of these residents will be seniors. I understand the need to provide enough space for social distancing. That is why I believe it is misguided to change a location and thereby forcing senior citizens who would normally walk to their early voting location to use public transportation, placing themselves in greater risk of contracting COVID-19.”

To remedy the situation, Tabares suggested that the early-voting site be changed back to the Clearing Branch Library. If not that, she suggested other sites in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, like Dore School, 7134 W. 65th St., or Valley Forge Park, 7001 W. 59th St.

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Friday, September 18, 2020

FBI Seeks Help in Hunting Bank Robber

By Tim Hadac
Managing Editor
Southwest Chicago Post

Just in from the Chicago Office of the FBI at 3:34 p.m. Friday,

September 18.

The FBI is seeking tips related to a serial bank robber operating on the Southwest Side.

The bandit is described as a black woman about 25-35 years of age, with a medium build.

The clothing she used has varied. She has worn:

• a blue-hooded sweatshirt, a Chicago Bears hat and acid-washed jeans.
• a blue button down dress shirt, blue jeans and a black hair-covering.

She has not displayed a weapon, but implies that she has one. She demands money via a note.

Crime scenes include:

• Thursday, August 13 at about 4:42 p.m.: Fifth-Third Bank, 5640 S. Harlem, Summit.

• Friday, August 28 at about 12:56 p.m.: Peoples Bank, 6162 S. Archer.

• Friday, September 11 at about 2:38 p.m.: Royal Bank, 2740 W. 55th Street.

• Thursday, September 17 at 4:34 p.m.: Fifth-Third Bank, 5240 W. 63rd Street.

Those who see her should call 911 immediately and consider her armed and dangerous.

Those with other useful information to share are asked to call the Chicago Office of the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or reach out to tips.fbi.gov. A reward of up to $1,000 is offered.



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Thursday, September 17, 2020

GRNW Hosts Big, Fun, Community Rummage Sale at Kennedy HS

A big, friendly rummage sale is the best way to describe the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch's Sell-A-Bration, set for 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, September 19 in the west parking lot of Kennedy High School, 56th and Narragansett.


Ordinary and the extraordinary, run-of-the-mill and the quirky--all can be found at this event. Clothing, furniture, books, knick-knacks, you name it.

All are requested to wear masks and maintain a reasonably safe distance from each other.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the GRNW's various crime-fighting initiatives and charitable endeavors.

Rain date for the event is Sunday, September 20.


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Monday, September 14, 2020

‘Munchkin By Marriage’ Still Spry at 100

By Joan Hadac
Editor and Publisher
Southwest Chicago Post
September 14, 2020


If Mary Ellen St. Aubin’s 99-plus years could be summed up in a movie title, it would be “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
Mary Ellen St. Aubin

 
She will be celebrating her 100th birthday on Monday, Sept. 21. Her family is planning to mark the day with a celebration that is pandemic safe—or as Mary Ellen noted, “They are going to try their best.”

Her family boasts several generations, including nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great nephews and their children.

“I’ve enjoyed my life. It’s been a wonderful life. My family was wonderful. They helped me prove that I could do what I want. I still have a great family. They’ve always treated me like I was a big person, not a little person,” said Mary Ellen, who moved to Clearing in 1969 after living in Chicago Lawn.

Born Mary Ellen Burbach, this native Chicagoan never let her stature (3-foot-8) get in the way of her dreams. At the age of 14, she lied about her age because “we all lied about our age because we wanted to work,” and began work in the entertainment industry. She took the stage with other little people in the second year of the Chicago World’s Fair, in 1934.

Her husband, the late Pernell, had experienced the World’s Fair in 1933, but this was before she met him. 

The entertainment industry was one of the few places little people could find work, as did Mary Ellen. Of course one of the most coveted roles was being in The Wizard of Oz as a munchkin. Pernell earned a role as a soldier. He appears in the movie several times. Mary Ellen also confided in me he was 16 at the time. 

Mary Ellen couldn’t audition for the movie because she was under contract to someone else and was dancing on a stage in Detroit. Dancing was her talent and she could perform tap, ballet and acrobatic dancing. She had already had experience as a vaudeville entertainer and eventually experienced movie life when she was tapped to play a leprechaun with other little people in Three Wise Fools, a 1946 film starring Lionel Barrymore and Margaret O’Brien. 

After 13 years in the entertainment world, Mary Ellen decided to head back home to Chicago. Pernell was already back in Chicago. He had headed home and worked in a factory as a riveter. Many little people had done the same. 

Mary Ellen found work in a large department store downtown and during Christmastime, Pernell had ventured into the store. They met and on April 3, 1948 they married.

In August they opened The Midget Club, which over the years would carve out its place in the quirky history of the Southwest Side.

It was a cocktail lounge built so she and Pernell, 43 inches tall, could serve drinks behind the bar without having to step up onto anything.

“Everyone was welcome-as long as they were of age,” she laughed.

The unique club attracted a lot of attention from the news media, being featured in TV news stories and newspapers. The Midget Club was located at 64th and Kedzie from 1948 to 1954 and then moved to 63rd and Pulaski until Mary Ellen and Pernell retired in 1982.

That bar no longer exists. The building was razed to make way for the new West Lawn Branch Library in the 1980s.

“I met a lot of nice people. It was fun meeting people,” Mary Ellen said. 

Mary Ellen and Pernell would visit and be guests at various festivals featuring other Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz. 

After Pernell’s death in 1987 at age 64, a couple months short of their 40th wedding anniversary, Mary Ellen kept up this tradition. Billed as the last living “munchkin by marriage,” has been to festivals in Michigan, Missouri, and made special mention of The Indiana Wizard of Oz Festival, which closed after 32 years. She has also visited festivals closer to home in Tinley Park and at the Woodridge Theater.

Mary Ellen decided to keep working after Pernell died. She became an employee at St. Coletta’s, a Tinley Park social service agency that aids intellectually and developmentally disabled adults and children.

“They hired me at 67 years of age so it’s been 32 going on 33 years. It’s a lovely place to work. I still want to work. I enjoy getting out every day. I like seeing people every day. It keeps me going,” Mary Ellen said. 

Unfortunately, because of the pandemic, Mary Ellen has had to hunker down at home, like most people. She misses her daily contact with the other employees and clients at St. Coletta’s.

“I’m going stir crazy not working,” she said.

Mary Ellen said she didn’t know the secret to reaching 100 years old, but said keeping active, eating and drinking moderately helped her reach this milestone. 

I noticed something else while talking to Mary Ellen. Her laughter rang out strong and true. I think that is another secret to reaching 100. Laughter. It seems good humor is a constant companion of Mary Ellen and I hope she has more laughter ahead.
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