NEIGHBORHOOD UPDATE - CELEBRATIONS, SMOKING BAN AND MORE ROGERS PARK
Garry Becker of West Rogers Park turned 100 years old on January 10, 2008. "I just passed my driver's license test. The gal said I did very well. She couldn't believe I was 100," says Becker.
Garry was born in Russia and came to the United States at the age of three. He met and married Jean, his wife of 74 years in 1933. She is 97 years old.
Garry is a retired pharmacist and has five grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren.
Becker is still an active man who likes to swim twice daily. He was the founder of a dance class and sings with a group at his retirement community while playing the piano.
When asked about his secret to longevity Becker stated, "I don't let my mind start wandering. Because if a person sits in a chair and does nothing, the mind starts to go."
Read the entire article on this Roger Park centurion, by clicking here.
UKRANIAN VILLAGE
Most bar owners and smokers in Chicago are expressing disappointment with the new State of Illinois smoking ban that went into effect. One Ukrainian Village business owner is rather happy about it.
Brian Gordon, manager of Guess Hookah located at 1829 W. Chicago Avenue, is benefiting because his business sells mainly tobacco and tobacco related products, they are exempt from the ban. As a result interest, patrons, and sales have gone up.
Find out more by clicking here.
NORWOOD PARK
Twenty years ago, the Noble-Seymour-Crippen House was purchased by the Norwood Park Historical Society. If they hadn't the neighborhood would just not be the same.
Developers had planned to buy the property at 5624 North Newark and two other surrounding lots to build 12 single family houses around a cul-de-sac. Preservation of the historic residence was maintained and they just celebrated a 20th anniversary of the purchase by the Historical Society instead, which included children's crafts and games to mark the event.
The Noble-Seymour-Crippen House is the oldest residence in the city. Learn more about this historic treasure by clicking here.
EDGEBROOK
The Chicago Sun-Times has begun to layoff employees. The first cut came last week and ranged from management level to the editorial board.
These job cuts were expected for some time as the paper announced having to cut back costs in the tens of millions of dollars. Measures are being taken to save the paper and make it profitable once again. Voluntary resignations were also offered to employees.
One of the efforts to save money is that the paper intends to make cuts in the suburbs. This would include five newsroom jobs in the Waukegan daily, the Lake County News-Sun, and an additional eleven editorial positions from its Pioneer Press weekly paper which is closing down three of its fifty seven editions.
Targeted for cuts are Edgebrook-Sauganash Times, the Jefferson Park/Portage Park/Belmont-Cragin Times, and the Harlem-Irving Times which all service Chicago's Northwest Side. Read the entire article by clicking here.
PARK RIDGE
ABT Electronics is going "green." The family owned retailer that services Chicago and its surrounding suburbs has a newly built recycle center on its premises.
The Glenview based ABT Electronics president, Mike Abt explained that this is just one of many the store's efforts to be more environmentally aware and encourage other's to do the same. Coming from a biology background, he jokes that it's "in his blood," not to mention good business. Click here to see how you too can join in on the cause.
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JENNIFER GARRITY & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
