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The year 2022 saw the community gather for many momentous events. The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held for the first time since 2019.
The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences welcomed new horses to its therapeutic riding barn.
Christ the King Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School on Sept. 16.
Late firefighter Walter Patmon Jr. was honored with a bell-ringing ceremony.
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences celebrated a new mural honoring bees.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush
St. Cajetan Elementary School Principal Michelle Nitsche was inducted into the Mother McAuley High School Hall of Honor.
Morgan Park High School special-education teacher Cara Wilmington celebrates with her students after receiving a Staples Thank a Teacher Award on Oct. 26.
Danny Golden, of Mt. Greenwood, received a hero’s welcome as he returned home in August after being shot during an altercation in July. Golden is a Chicago Police Department officer and was off duty when he was shot and paralyzed near 104th Street and Western Avenue.
The community has supported Danny Golden in many ways, including through a GoFundMe account.
Officials cut the ribbon to start the 2022 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 13. The neighborhood tradition was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Once again, thousands of people lined Western Avenue to celebrate the community’s Irish heritage. (Review photo)
Kathy Turney, of Mt. Greenwood, celebrates with Cook County Commissioner John Daley after being named a Cook County Unsung Heroine. Turney founded Pat’s Pantry in honor of her late son.
The year 2022 saw the community gather for many momentous events. The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held for the first time since 2019.
The Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences welcomed new horses to its therapeutic riding barn.
Christ the King Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School on Sept. 16.
Late firefighter Walter Patmon Jr. was honored with a bell-ringing ceremony.
Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences celebrated a new mural honoring bees.
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush
St. Cajetan Elementary School Principal Michelle Nitsche was inducted into the Mother McAuley High School Hall of Honor.
Morgan Park High School special-education teacher Cara Wilmington celebrates with her students after receiving a Staples Thank a Teacher Award on Oct. 26.
Danny Golden, of Mt. Greenwood, received a hero’s welcome as he returned home in August after being shot during an altercation in July. Golden is a Chicago Police Department officer and was off duty when he was shot and paralyzed near 104th Street and Western Avenue.
The community has supported Danny Golden in many ways, including through a GoFundMe account.
Officials cut the ribbon to start the 2022 South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 13. The neighborhood tradition was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Once again, thousands of people lined Western Avenue to celebrate the community’s Irish heritage. (Review photo)
Kathy Turney, of Mt. Greenwood, celebrates with Cook County Commissioner John Daley after being named a Cook County Unsung Heroine. Turney founded Pat’s Pantry in honor of her late son.
Another year is in the books, and for the most part, 2022 saw a return to normalcy.
With many COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Beverly, Morgan Park and Mt. Greenwood held traditional events in their usual format.
That was good news, but as in past years, the community also dealt with bad news. Here’s a look back at 2022.
Off-duty Chicago Police Department (CPD) Officer Danny Golden, of Mt. Greenwood, was shot and paralyzed after an altercation at a bar on Western Avenue in Beverly.
Golden was shot near 104th Street and Western Avenue early in the morning of July 9. A physical altercation occurred at a nearby bar, and three men allegedly shot at a group of people. Golden, who turned 32 a few days later, was struck in the back and is paralyzed from the waist down. The community rallied around him and his family, with about $1.5 million raised on GoFundMe.
Prosecutors said Golden was trying to break up the fight that led to the shooting.
Demitrius Harrell, Bryant Hayes and Justen Krismantis were charged, and Hayes and Krismantis are facing attempted-murder charges. All have been held without bond.
—A busy election year saw many incumbents challenged in the November election, but many familiar faces were re-elected. New leaders were also elected, and new boundaries were set at the ward level, in the state legislature and in the U.S. Congress after the 2020 Census.
After the boundaries of the Third Congressional District were redrawn, U.S. Rep. Marie Newman ran in the new Sixth District and lost in the Democratic primary election to Sean Casten, currently representing the Sixth District.
Casten, a scientist from Downers Grove, went on to defeat Republican challenger Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park.
In the First District, Jonathan Jackson, the son of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, won the race to succeed Bobby Rush, who is retiring. Jackson defeated a long list of fellow Democrats in the primary, then beat Republican Eric Carlson in the general election.
State representatives Fran Hurley (D-35th), Kelly Burke (D-36th) and Justin Slaughter (D-27th) won contested races, as did state Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-18th). Mary Flowers (D-31st) won re-election, and her district will now include part of North Beverly. State senators Willie Preston (D-16th), whose district will also include part of North Beverly, and Emil Jones III (D-14th) did not face challengers in the general election.
—The boundaries of the 19th Ward were extended slightly farther east, and 19th Ward Ald. Matt O’Shea will face Mike Cummings, a retired CPD officer, and Tim Noonan, who has been active in many community causes, in the February 2023 municipal election. O’Shea has been alderman since 2011.
—At Mt. Greenwood Park, two longtime employees retired. John Foran, park supervisor since 1997, retired on Dec. 31, 2021. Lisa Mulcrone, the coordinator of the Mt. Greenwood Special Recreation Association, retired in November 2022 after 34 years of service.
—The Beverly Arts Center announced Carla Carter as new managing director in July. A Chicago native, she brings 15 years of arts management experience to her new role.
—Chicago Public Schools (CPS) experienced about a week of no classes in January after a Chicago Teachers Union work stoppage due to members being unhappy with the safety plan for COVID-19. Classes were canceled for five straight days after winter break ended, although some school buildings, including in the 19th Ward, remained open, with teachers reporting to work. Teachers who did not report to work were locked out of their remote-teaching resources, leading to classes being canceled. A mask-optional policy went into place in March.
—Kellogg Elementary School teacher Diane Pajkos retired on Jan. 28 after 34 years of service to the school. She was honored with a surprise assembly on Jan. 27.
—Queen of Martyrs Elementary School Principal M. Jacob Mathius, commonly known as “Doc,” lost his job after making facemasks optional at the school in early February—despite the Archdiocese of Chicago saying they were mandatory. Mathius was placed on leave. Multiple protests were held outside the school to support him, but officials later announced he would not return.
About 24 hours after Mathius’ mask-optional announcement, the archdiocese said that schools in all of Lake County, as well as most of suburban Cook County, could make masks optional. That included Queen of Martyrs.
In late February, masks became optional at all Archdiocese of Chicago schools.
—Hope Chicago, a nonprofit organization, visited Morgan Park High School (MPHS) on Feb. 23 to announce that every student in the building, as well as a parent or guardian, could have their college paid for at several schools in Illinois.
—St. Cajetan Elementary School Principal Michelle Nitsche was inducted into the Mother McAuley High School Hall of Honor on March 20, and two days earlier, she was treated to a surprise assembly at St. Cajetan. A 1993 McAuley graduate, she was praised for increasing enrollment at St. Cajetan and leading fundraising campaigns netting over $2.8 million. She was one of six women inducted.
—MPHS Principal Femi Skanes announced she would step down after the 2021-2022 school year. Daniel Kuzma, of Beverly, was named her successor in May. Skanes is now overseeing a CPS art- and music-therapy program.
—MPHS special-education teacher Cara Wilmington was surprised in October with a Staples Thank a Teacher Award, which included $5,000 to spend on classroom supplies. An emotional Wilmington said she planned to purchase a Smart Board for her students.
—Mother McAuley announced Carey Temple Harrington as school president in May. A 1986 McAuley graduate, she served as vice president of institutional advancement from 2013-2021. She succeeded Mary Klingenberger, who had been president since 2013.
—Barbara Vick Early Childhood and Family Center and Clissold Elementary School, both in Morgan Park, are receiving major renovations to expand their pre-K programming, as announced by officials in May. An expansion is being built at Barbara Vick, 2554 W. 113th St., and a satellite location will open at 9901 S. Western Ave., formerly a bank. Clissold, 2350 W. 110th Place, is receiving a new modular unit that will serve early-childhood students; the current school buildings are also being updated.
—Mt. Carmel High School officials announced in August the school would remain boys-only, three months after saying the school was exploring going co-educational. Several meetings were held to receive feedback.
—Marist High School officials announced in September that the school had purchased Palos Courts, a 75,000-square-foot facility that will serve student-athletes, band members and alumni. Renderings showed a baseball/softball field, a football/soccer field, volleyball courts and a golf-simulator room. The purchase cost was $1.8 million.
—Mother McAuley unveiled a new, on-campus turf field in September, benefitting the soccer, lacrosse and softball programs. Multiple athletic programs had used off-campus fields to host events.
—Leo High School unveiled an updated turf practice field in August. Named Alumni Field, the facility is also used for physical-education classes and community programming. About $200,000 for the project came through a grant provided by the NFL’s Grassroots Foundation, sponsored by the Chicago Bears and facilitated by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation.
—Christ the King Elementary School was named a National Blue Ribbon School in September. The school was one of only 17 schools in Illinois selected and was the only Chicago school and only Catholic school in Illinois to earn the honor.
—The former site of Beverly Woods Restaurant, 11532 S. Western Ave., was sold in December 2021, with the new owner redeveloping the property for use as medical offices. The property sold for $900,000.
—Beverly Park is one of many local parks receiving notable updates, as lights will be installed around two softball/baseball diamonds. The park’s tennis courts will also be updated as part of a project announced in May. Other improvements coming to local parks include the four tennis courts at Mt. Greenwood Park being resurfaced and restriped; at Kennedy Park, a new baseball and softball batting cage will be installed, featuring fencing, netting and new ground surfacing.
—The Archdiocese of Chicago announced unique changes to four local parishes in May. St. Cajetan and St. John Fisher now share a pastor, and St. Barnabas and Christ the King will share a pastor in the future. Plans were announced that a council would form, and in December, Southside Parish Renewal announced it is seeking members. The layperson-led board has formed committees focused on keeping each parish strong.
—Garden Center Services (GCS), which serves people with special needs, opened its Second Chance Thrift Shoppe, 10444 S. Kedzie Ave., in Mt. Greenwood, in June. As part of restructuring its locations, GCS moved the thrift shop from Lemont.
—Macy’s opened its first dual store in October at the former Carson’s in the Evergreen Plaza. The first floor features a Market by Macy’s, and the second floor hosts a Macy’s Backstage, which offers off-price items.
—Gemma Foods, a pasta business opened by Beverly resident Chef Tony Quartaro in 2020, celebrated a partnership with Calabria Imports in June. Gemma Foods sells pasta at Calabria and offers delivery services around the Chicago area.
—Franconello Italian Restaurant, 10222 S. Western Ave., is completing a makeover that will add a retractable roof to the social space on its second level.
—Ridge Park will receive an elevator and other updates to accommodate people with disabilities. The $2.6-million project began in December after being announced in September. The elevator will provide access to amenities on the second floor.
—Many popular events were held in person for the first time since before the pandemic. The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade rolled down Western Avenue on March 13, with “Thankful for Catholic Elementary School Teachers” serving as grand marshal and the Tom Hopkins Foundation as the special honoree—both had been named to those roles in 2020 before the parade was canceled. Bailey O’Connell, of Mt. Greenwood, served as queen—an honor she earned in 2020—and Misericordia was also honored to celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Kelley Leyden, a Morgan Park resident who is a CPD officer in the 22nd District, served as queen of the downtown parade.
The Beverly Breast Cancer Walk also returned to its in-person format, with thousands of people marching through Beverly on Mother’s Day morning. Funds supported OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center.
Also, 19th Ward Ald. Matt O’Shea hosted his Thanksgiving dinner for senior citizens at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences as an in-person event in November; hundreds of guests gathered in the school gym. Students worked for several weeks to prepare the farm-to-table feast.
—O’Shea hosted his annual Get Behind the Vest Pancake Breakfast at St. John Fisher Elementary School on Feb. 27, though it operated on a to-go basis. Funds supported the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation’s campaign to purchase new bulletproof vests for CPD officers.
—The Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour, hosted by the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA), returned its traditional date in May, with homes designed by three generations of the Hetherington Family featured. The event was canceled in 2020 and held in September in 2021.
—BAPA celebrated its 75th anniversary in October, with officials commemorating many decades of supporting schools, businesses and community safety. BAPA’s official birthday is Oct. 14.
—Several local efforts were made to support Ukraine after the Russian invasion began in late February. Residents united with schools to collect items, and local businesses also led support efforts for those fleeing Ukraine.
—Kathy Turney, of Mt. Greenwood, was named a Cook County Unsung Heroine in March for her work in starting Pat’s Pantry, named after her late son. The pantry is based out of Mt. Greenwood Community Church. Cook County Commissioner John Daley nominated Turney.
—Matthew Buck and Karyn Mrotek, two participants in the Mt. Greenwood Special Recreation Association, both earned multiple medals in the Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando in June. Buck competed in swimming events, while Mrotek competed in bocce ball. They received a hero’s sendoff at Mt. Greenwood Park.
—The Summer Cam Blood Drive and Raffle, honoring late Beverly teen Cam Fahey, was held in July at Br. Rice High School, Fahey’s alma mater. Fahey received many blood transfusions during his battle with cancer, and his family wanted to help others in similar situations.
—Honorary Matt Hooker Way was unveiled at 113th Street and Artesian Avenue, near Kennedy Park, in September. The street honors the Morgan Park resident who spent countless hours at Kennedy Park. Hooker died in June 2019 at age 40.
—When Beverly resident Tammy Kelley needed a deck built for her daughter with special needs—and a contractor didn’t finish the job—several local residents stepped up. John Blainey, Charlie Brophy, Dan Scannell and Gary Anderson teamed up to complete the project by Labor Day. The new deck provides a space for Miranda Kelley, 17, to safely enjoy the outdoors and interact with neighbors.
—The Beverly Art Walk shined again in September, with about 150 artists participating at 45 venues in the neighborhood. Hosted by The Beverly Area Arts Alliance since 2014, the event attracts thousands of people every year.
—Several local winners earned Chicago Excellence in Gardening Awards in September. Meredith Horn, of the 10600 block of South Walden Parkway, earned top honors in the residential-vegetable category. Other winners included Kellogg Elementary School, 9241 S. Leavitt St., and the Edna White Community Garden, 1850 W. Monterey Ave. (community garden-vegetable), and the Beverly Farmacy, 1520 W. 104th St. (urban farm), which is run by Rashelle Strate.
—John and Kathleen Daly, of the 10500 block of South Campbell Avenue, were named winners in the 2022 Driehaus Bungalow Awards, hosted by the Chicago Bungalow Association, in November. They won in the Exterior Rehab category for their restoration of their front porch. It was their second win.
—Terry Hunter, a DJ from Beverly, was nominated for a Grammy Award in November. He is a finalist in the Best Remix Recording category for his remix of “Break My Soul,” by star singer-songwriter Beyonce. It is his second time being nominated. The Grammys will be held Feb. 5.
—Walter Patmon Jr., a Chicago Fire Department firefighter whose station was at 1724 W. 95th St., was honored on Nov. 11—the 10-year anniversary of his death—with a bell-ringing ceremony. Patmon’s family attended the event honoring a man who went into cardiac arrest after responding to a nearby kitchen fire.
—A turkey roamed the streets of Beverly in late November, and it was named Lucky Hamilton, in honor of it avoiding a worse fate around Thanksgiving and because it was first seen on Hamilton Avenue. Local animal caretaker Erin Yanz safely secured the bird, which was deemed a domesticated turkey. Yanz runs Erin’s Farm, an animal sanctuary in Indiana.
—The Lights and Ladders Brigade, consisting of three local charities battling cancer, put up holiday displays at 13 homes on the South Side and nearby suburbs in early November. The Forever Finley Foundation, the Tom Hopkins Foundation and Christmas Without Cancer teamed up with volunteer firefighters for the second year in a row.
—Two men died after a house fire on the 11300 block of South Homewood Avenue in Morgan Park on March 31. They were ages 63 and 61. The next day, Chicago Fire Department officials said they canvassed the area to distribute smoke detectors and literature about fire safety.
—Jin Yut Lew, a longtime chef at Chi Tung Restaurant in Evergreen Park, was left in a coma after being found unresponsive in Chinatown in April. Police said an offender took a vehicle by force from Lew. Termaine Patterson, 18 of Chicago, was charged with attempted first-degree murder and numerous other crimes.
—The Eugene S. Pike House, 1826 W. 91st St., was named by Landmarks Illinois to the 2022 list of Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois in April. That distinction doesn’t guarantee the house will receive the upgrades it sorely needs, but it helps raise awareness. The 19th-century home is owned by the Forest Preserves of Cook County (FPCC) and has fallen into disrepair; the FPCC said repair and utility costs have become too high. Officials are hoping to find a partner or buyer to save the home. The FPCC hosted a walk-through at the home in June.
—Private-security officers in June began patrolling commercial strips in the 19th Ward in an attempt to assist the CPD and deter crime.
O’Shea said the plan was developed in consultation with the CPD with a goal “to provide a visible security presence as well as additional eyes and ears in the community for the 22nd District.”
The program is being funded by a city micro-grant awarded to Morgan Park Beverly Hills Business Association, the 95th Street Business Association and the Mt. Greenwood Community and Business Association after a survey was conducted seeking input on ways to help business corridors recover from the pandemic.
—BAPA hosted public meetings in June regarding the many trees being cut down by the city. With residents worried about the many tree stumps left on parkways, Bureau of Forestry officials said that less than 400 trees had come down since January, with less than 100 more scheduled to be cut down. They said it may have felt like more than usual because of a backlog during the pandemic. BAPA teamed up with Openlands to host a tree planting in October.
—A stray pit bull attacked a woman and her dog near the Dan Ryan Woods in North Beverly on Sept. 13. The dog was secured by Chicago Animal Care and Control. Another pit bull seen roaming the streets around that time—but not considered dangerous—was secured in the days afterward.
—Sixteen members of the St. Ignatius College Prep junior-varsity hockey team were injured after their team bus was struck by an allegedly impaired truck driver in northern Indiana on Nov. 12. Five players were hospitalized, and families filed a lawsuit against the driver, Victor Santos, of Brooklyn, N.Y, who was charged with several felonies.
—Two fires occurred at a home on the 9800 block of South Hoyne Avenue in late November and early December, and a man was charged for both. Kierre Johnson, 33, was charged with two felony counts of residential arson.
—CPD Sgt. Isaac Lambert was awarded $910,000 in December after filing a lawsuit against the city alleging he was demoted from detective supervisor for not covering up for an officer who shot an unarmed teen with special needs in Morgan Park in October 2017. Off-duty Sgt. Khalil Muhammad shot Ricardo Hayes, 18, near the 11000 block of South Hermosa Avenue.
Another CPD member, Rodney Blisset, also has a pending case against the city saying he was also demoted after refusing to say Lambert was transferred for causing problems in the detective unit.
—Barry Shaw, a beloved basketball coach at St. Laurence High School and St. Xavier University, died on Jan. 16 at age 66. He worked in various positions at St. Laurence for 39 years, and he was known for his good nature and sense of humor.
—Richard Duchossois, a Morgan Park Military Academy graduate who owned the world-famous horse-racing track at Arlington Park, died on Jan. 18 at age 100. The military academy is now Morgan Park Academy, and Duchossois was its biggest donor; his $1.5 million donation built the school gym. The school now presents the Richard Duchossois Integrity and Values Alumni Award every year.
—Sr. Suzanne Schuman, who worked at St. Barnabas Elementary School for over 35 years, died on March 23 at age 92. She was known as “Sr. Hospitality” during a 72-year career as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa.
—Two local CPD officers died by suicide. Ed Dougherty, a sergeant from Mt. Greenwood, died on March 12 at age 52. Patricia Swank, a 29-year-old who attended Mother McAuley High School and St. Catherine of Alexandria Elementary School in Oak Lawn, died on July 2.
—Mike Hagerty, an accomplished actor from Morgan Park, died on May 5 at age 67. He was cast alongside Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell in “Overboard,” followed by stints on “Friends” and “Seinfeld.” Most recently, he co-starred with Bridget Everett in HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere.” Hagerty attended St. Cajetan Elementary School.
—Bill Holland, a longtime Beverly resident and proud Leo High School graduate, died on June 11 at age 66. Money collected after his death went toward tuition costs for current Leo students. Holland, known for his outgoing personality, graduated from Leo in 1973.
—Lillian Hennings, a founder of the Maple Morgan Park Food Pantry, died on June 17 at age 89. She served as executive director of the pantry, based out of Morgan Park United Methodist Church, up until about two years ago. She lived by a motto of “Let my work speak for itself.”
—Hannah “Anne” Hayes, a Beverly native, was killed in Hyde Park on July 11 when her vehicle was struck by a hit-and-run driver. Hayes was known for her tireless work in education, teaching at DeVry University and advocating for CPS students.
—The Rev. Bill Malloy, retired pastor at St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church, died on July 19 at age 74. Under his guidance, the parish embarked on its “Imagine. Innovate. Inspire.” campaign that included construction of a new education center at St. Barnabas Elementary School. Malloy was known for his kind, gentle nature.
—Lexie Spurlock, a former longtime football coach at MPHS, died on Oct. 28 at age 76. He coached the Mustangs from 1995-2010, leading them to the state quarterfinals multiple times and the state semifinals once. Former players gathered at MPHS about two weeks after his death to honor him.
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