The Weeks | June 25: Fireworks are beautiful, annoying, dangerous (and where to watch displays); mural tour; Homewood land deal; casino agreement

FIREWORKS: PLEASE WATCH, DON’T SHOOT

Fireworks are a mixed blessing. Some people love the bright colors and beautiful shapes against the night sky. Some people like to blow things up. 

Some people and the pets they love are terrorized by the rapid-fire blasts that can last for weeks as people celebrate the 4th of July from mid-June until they run out of fireworks to shoot.

Also, fireworks are dangerous. Megan Tipton with the Homewood Fire Department said this year is an especially bad year for fireworks. 

“Drought and fireworks don’t mix. This year the fire department is very concerned about drought conditions and the possible fire issues associated with non-professionals setting off fireworks in their backyards or driveways,” she said. “Fireworks can quickly get out of control and cause major damage. Aside from fire damage, people can be severely injured or possibly die.”

Not only are most fireworks illegal in the state, but the drought increases the risk of fires set by errant fireworks, which can risk the lives and property of the fireworks shooter and their neighbors. OK, it rained early Sunday and might rain again before July 4, but that won’t magically end the drought or remove the fire risk. 

Tipton added some advice for those who decide to take the risk and shoot fireworks at home.

• If you must have fireworks, always have hose ready. Have it turned on. There is no time to waste if a fire starts. Call 911 just to be sure the fire is out. 
• If you will be using sparklers, have a bucket of sand or bucket of water ready to extinguish them. Don’t leave sparklers on the ground or in the grass where someone might step on it or pick it up while it is still hot.  
• Immediate treatment is critical with burns. 
• If you are burned, cool the burn with cool water, not ice, which will cause a different type of burn. 
• Do not put any type of cream or ointment on a burn. Doing so only holds the heat in, instead continue to run cool water on the burn. When the burn has subsided, cover the burned area with a clean, dry, sterile cloth.
• Burns often can cause swelling, so remove any jewelry to keep it from inhibiting circulation.
• If a burn shows any signs of blistering, seek professional medical treatment right away.
• Any burn which involves the face, head or hands demands immediate medical attention. Call paramedics or go to the hospital emergency room for treatment. 

The Homewood police and fire departments are reminding residents to be considerate and be safe: Leave fireworks to the professionals.

What’s cool is that there are so many community sponsored fireworks shows in our area that there’s really no need to spend the money, break the law and risk injury or fire from home fireworks shows.

Here are the public displays we know about. If you know of other fireworks displays in our area, please let us know and we’ll add to the list. Email [email protected].

Harvey
Saturday, July 1. Parade at 3 p.m. The parade route will go from 155th and Wood to 155th and Broadway. The carnival at 155th and Broadway will feature a kids’ zone and bouncy houses, a train ride for younger kids, a gaming truck and small carnival rides for elementary age kids as well as a trampoline station for teenagers. Fireworks planned but time not listed on promotional material.

Hazel Crest
Saturday, July 1. Festivities start at 4 p.m. at 3000 170th Place. A DJ will provide music. Fireworks at dusk. (Cancelled because of storms in the weather forecast.)

Chicago Heights
Monday, July 3. Family-friendly viewing area located on Bloom High School’s north field opens at 6 p.m. Food vendors, craft vendors music and more. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Fireworks at dusk.

Tinley Park (updated)
Tuesday, July 4. Celebrations will take place the north parking lot of the 80th Avenue Metra train station, 18001 S. 80th Ave. Live music, food and beverages. Fireworks at dusk.

Frankfort
Tuesday, July 4. DJ at 7:30 p.m. Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. at Main Park, 200 S. Locust St.

Glenwood
Tuesday, July 4. Parade at 1 p.m. from Glenwood Oaks Restaurant, 106 N. Main St. east to village hall. Music, food and vendors at Glenwoodie Golf Course at 6 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dusk.

South Holland
Tuesday, July 4. Celebration at Veterans Memorial Park, 500 E. 160th Place. Kiddie Bike Parade at 12:15 p.m. Live music from noon to 1 p.m., 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Fireworks shortly after dusk.

Thornton
Tuesday, July 4. Fireworks at sundown. The public can view from Hubbard Park, 200 N. Wolcott. Concessions will be available.

Homewood and Flossmoor will host parades to celebrate Independence Day, and the volunteers at the Izaak Walton Nature Preserve will host a community picnic, but neither village sponsors fireworks shows.

THE WEEK >

Meetings

Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education 6 p.m. Monday, June 26, 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 5, at Normandy Villa, 41 E. Elmwood Drive, Chicago Heights. (Tonight’s meeting postponed.)

• Find the agenda here.
• Highlights: The board will consider authorizing the issuance of $13 million in working cash fund bonds and hiring a new assistant principal at Serena Hills School. The board will also discuss options for kitchen expansion, the new assistant principal, and the bid for designing new kitchens.

Flossmoor Community Relations Commission will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, June 26, in the committee room at village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road.

• Find the agenda here.

Homewood Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 13, in village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road. 

• Find the agenda here.
• Attend virtually here. ID 980 4907 6232, passcode 830183.
• Write to the board by sending email to [email protected] or by placing written comments in the drop box outside village hall. Comments submitted before 4 p.m. on the meeting date will be distributed to all village board members prior to the meeting.
• Highlights: The board will consider a budget amendment and authorize the purchase of land on 175th Street as part of an agreement to enable Apparel Redefined to relocate its clothing manufacturing facility to 1313 and 1351 175th St. The board will also consider on its consent agenda a redevelopment agreement with Wind Creek Casino and the village of East Hazel Crest governing the development of the casino and hotel currently under construction at 174th and Halsted streets.

Stuff to do

Haas mural walking tour July 2; Register by July 1
The Flossmoor Public Library and Flossmoor Veterans’ Memorial Inc (FVM) will host a walking tour of Richard Haas’ mural collection. The 2 1/2-mile, 2 1/2-hour tour will start at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 2, and will be led by FVM member Kristine Condon, who published a book on Homewood’s Haas murals in 2020. The tour is for ages 18 and up. Registration ends at 5 p.m. July 1. There will be a cash-only $5 fee per registrant. All proceeds will benefit Flossmoor Veterans’ Memorial, Inc., an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, and its Wall of Honor project.

For more information, contact Janet DiCastro via email at [email protected] or phone: 708-798-3600, extension 112.

< THE WEEK

H-F celebrates Juneteenth
Chronicle reporters Nuha Abdessalam, Andrew Burke-Stevenson, Faith Lee and Nick Ulanowski produced three stories and numerous photos and videos of the 2023 HF Juneteenth Festival.

• Painting Black America: Artist Abe Ilo’s collection displayed at H-F Juneteenth Festival (June 24, 2023)
• Artists capture spirit of liberation in displays at HF Juneteenth fest (June 23, 2023)
• Juneteenth embraced, celebrated at annual festival (June 23, 2023)
• A glimpse at the HF Juneteenth Fest (June 18, 2023)

Homewood trustees extend Washington Park sales tax sharing deal
Washington Park Plaza got a five-year extension to its sales tax sharing agreement with Homewood when trustees voted May 23 to approve the deal.  The shopping center at 17748-17956 Halsted St. is home to national retail stores such as Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Five Below, Petco and Old Navy. Property owners told the village the extension will enable them to attract more quality retailers.

D233 board names Stovall, Dore to director positions 
At the June 20 District 233 school board meeting, Hope Stovall was named director of Career Pathways and Workforce Development and David Dore was promoted to director of Special Education at Homewood-Flossmoor High School. 

H-F class of 2023 marks rite of passage June 4
Members of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School class of 2023 are pandemic survivors, and that disruptive event left its mark on students and was a recurring theme during speeches at the graduation ceremony on Sunday, June 4.

Board thanks Kopas for 32 years with H-F Parks
The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Board of Commissioners gave retiring executive director Debbie Kopas a send-off filled with kudos for her many accomplishments over the years.