THE WEEK >
Meetings
Flossmoor Board of Trustees will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 19, at village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road.
- Find the agenda here.
- Attend virtually here, ID 893 4895 8611, passcode 60422, or by phone at 312-626-6799.
- Highlights: The board will consider approving a number of budget amendments for the fiscal year 2023, a resolution honoring retiring Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Executive Director Debbie Kopas, a proclamation recognizing June as Black Music Month in the village and a contract for sidewalk repair work.
Homewood-Flossmoor School District 233 Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, in the South Building at 999 Kedzie Ave.
- Find the agenda here.
Flossmoor Green Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, at village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road.
- Find the agenda here.
Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 20, in the Goldberg Administrative Center, 3301 Flossmoor Road.
- When the agenda is available it will be posted here.
Homewood Public Library Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 21, at the library, 17917 Dixie Highway.
- When the agenda is available it will be posted here.
Stuff to do
Juneteenth Parade
On Monday, June 19, the Juneteenth Parade will step off at 9 a.m. at Western Avenue Elementary School, 940 Western Ave., and end at Parker Junior High School, 2810 School St.
Deadline to sign up for Homewood 4th of July parade
June 23 is the deadline to sign up to participate in Homewood’s 4th of July parade. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. July 4 starting from St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 17951 Dixie Highway, and ending at Izaak Walton Nature Preserve, 1100 Ridge Road.
Off Leash Overnighter/Izaak Walton family campout
Izaak Walton Nature Preserve and GoodSpeed Cycle are offering back-to-back camping opportunities from Friday, June 23, to Sunday, June 25.
The Izaak Walton Family Campout will take place at the preserve, 1100 Ridge Road in Homewood, on Friday. According to a post on the preserve’s Facebook page, tents can be set up in the grounds area in front of Blackbear Lodge. Cost for members is $5 per tent, $10 per tent for non-members. Register here.
Cyclists participating in GoodSpeed’s Off-leash Overnighter are invited to camp out in the meadow by the west picnic pavilion. The group will travel to Griffith, Indiana, on Saturday. Register here for the Overnighter.
Boy Scout troop 342 will be camping out east of the east pavilion and will cook breakfast for all campers, according to preserve officials. The Boy Scout breakfast can only be guaranteed for those who register in advance.
< THE WEEK
Five Hart students take first at state track meet
One big story last week was about the success of the James Hart School boys track team, with first place honors at the Illinois Elementary School Association’s track and field events. Seth Harris placed first in the seventh grade boys hurdles competition; Dylan Bell took first in the eighth grade boys long jump; and the boys eighth grade 4×100 relay team of Lee Watkins, Will Bundy, Eric Jacobs and Dylan Bell took first place in that event.
Hundreds gather in Irwin Park for live music and Pride Month celebration
Last week we posted Nick Ulanowski’s story about the community’s Pride celebration, which was combined for the first time with the H-F Park District’s first Starry Nights concert of the season. A big crowd turned out for performances by the Bel Canto Community Choir and the classic rock cover band The PriSSillas. Rainbow colors were abundant, as were various Pride community flags in a celebration of the local LGBTQ+ community.
Willow School kindergarteners shine in annual box car parade
On Monday, we published a report and video of the Willow School kindergarten students’ annual box car parade, cheered on by throngs of parents and friends. The parade is a cherished tradition at Willow that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
H-F sports wrap: Track highlights Vikings season
David P. Funk provided a roundup of H-F High spring sports team accomplishments, featuring the boys track state championship and the girls team’s sectional title.
District 153 sets 12 initiatives for updated strategic plan
Marilyn Thomas reported on the Homewood District 153 school board’s progress on its new strategic plan. The board adopted new goals that will place a focus on 12 initiatives over the next five years.
Farewell: Collecting memories was special part of H-F alumni director’s job
Our final school retirement feature this year focused on Ann Cherry, H-F High’s director of development and alumni relations for the past 13 years.
Kudos to You Matter 2
From 2010 to 2013, I was the chair of the Bob James Jazz Festival organizing committee in Marshall, Missouri, where the jazz pianist grew up. It was a small event. We had a jazz workshop during the day, and the participants played a song to start the evening concert. Most of the bands were from the Kansas City jazz scene. Bob James appeared twice. But Marshall is country music country, so we didn’t get huge crowds.
The experience of managing the many millions of details gave me a deep appreciation and respect for event planners, and I’m awed by what Destiny Watson and her crew of volunteers at You Matter 2 have accomplished in developing the HF Juneteenth Festival.
County commissioners approve human rights amendments
The June 13 edition of the Cook County Commission on Human Rights reported that on May 25 the county Board of Commissioners unanimously amended the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance to include protections of bodily autonomy and pregnancy status. The amendments apply to housing and employment discrimination and harassment.
Commissioner Kevin Morrison explained the purpose of the amendments in a Windy City Times article.
“Through this legislation, we make it known loud and clear that Cook County welcomes all who exercise their right to their own bodily autonomy, whether that be to receive gender affirming care or in making their own reproductive healthcare choices. This ordinance also validates trans lives and takes a critical step toward ensuring Cook County’s LGBTQ community feels safe and protected.”