THE WEEK >
Your government
Flossmoor School District 161 Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. Monday, July 22, in Normandy Villa, 41 E. Elmwood Drive, Chicago Heights. Find the agenda here. Attend remotely here.
Homewood Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, in village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road. Find the agenda here. Attend remotely here or call 312-626-6799. Use meeting ID 980 4907 6232 and passcode 830183 to login.
Highlights:
- Public hearing on the proposed 183rd Street West tax increment financing district. Find the agenda here.
- Public hearing on a proposed bond issue for capital projects. Find the agenda here.
- Consider authorizing installation of new signage to make public parking areas more visible.
- Consider authorizing staff to proceed with a colorful lighting installation in the newly created alley between The Hartford at 2033 Ridge Road and the building at 2049 Ridge Road.
- Consider authorizing a contract for the installation of Tivoli lighting from Chestnut Road to Martin Square.
- Discuss a liquor license request from for Mitchell and Michaels Plat Du Jour, a soul food and live entertainment establishment proposed for 18031 Dixie Highway, formerly the location of Culture.
Assessor Town Hall. Matteson will host a town hall featuring Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at Matteson Community Center, 20642 Matteson Ave. The meeting will offer an explanation of how the property assessment system works and what property owners can do to reduce their tax bills.
Flossmoor Zoning Board of Appeals will meet at 7:30 p.m. in village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road. Find the agenda here.
Bloom Township Board of Trustees will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 23, at 425 S. Halsted St., Chicago Heights. Find the agenda here when it is available.
Stuff to do
Monday, July 22
Music & Magic. The Flossmoor Public Library is sponsoring an evening of music and magic at Chicago Magic Lounge. The bus will depart from the library, 1000 Sterling Ave., at 5 p.m. Boarding will begin at 4:45 p.m. The bus will return to the library by about 10 p.m., depending on traffic. Registration is limited and for adults age 21 and up. To register, email [email protected].
Tuesday, July 23
Evening Book Discussion: “Wandering Stars.” The discussion of Tommy Orange’s book will be from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Flossmoor Public Library, 1000 Sterling Ave. The book “traces the legacies of the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 and the Carlisle Indian Industrial School through three generations of a family.”
Choo-Choo Ride. The weekly four- to five-mile bike ride through Homewood and Flossmoor neighborhoods returns. Riders will meet at 6 p.m. at GoodSpeed Cycles, 2125 183rd St. The ride starts at 6:30 p.m. It continues Tuesdays weekly at the same place and time through Labor Day.
Wednesday, July 24
Tour of the Stars. The Peoria Riverfront Museum will visit Flossmoor Public Library, 1000 Sterling Ave., from 6 to 7 p.m. with its portable planetarium for a one-hour guided tour among the stars. Registration is required for this free, limited-space event. Click here to register.
Mucca Pazza. The quirky and eclectic band will be the featured performer for Freedom Hall’s Main Street Nights on the village green in Park Forest. Event begins at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 25
Bubble-Ology. Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center, 20000 Western Ave., will host an exploration of bubbles for kids at 4 p.m. Fee is $10 per child for H-F Park District residents, $12 for non-residents. A non-paying adult must accompany the child. Organizers recommend bringing a towel and wearing clothes that can get wet and soapy. Click here to register.
IPO Chamber Night. An evening of music in downtown Flossmoor will start at 5 p.m. with dining and shopping. The free concert will begin at 5:45 p.m. with a performance by the Bel Canto Community Choir. An Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra ensemble will follow. Five plein air painters will be creating art during the afternoon, and their work will be auctioned off in the evening. Proceeds will benefit the artists and the Flossmoor Public Art Fund. Stop by the Chronicle’s table and help us celebrate our 10th anniversary.
Saturday, July 27
Back to School and Community Celebration. You Matter 2 presents its annual Back to School Bash from noon to 3 p.m. at Woodlands Community Church, 18320 Argyle Ave. The youth empowerment organization will also kick off its 10th anniversary campaign, “A Decade of Impact: Celebrating 10 Years of Empowering Youth.” There will be free school supplies, vendor booths, activities for kids, food trucks and a DJ.
Health Fair. Physicals Plus, 19740 Governors Highway, will host its third annual health fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be free health assessments, blood pressure screenings, giveaways, a DJ, school supplies and more.
Battle of the Chefs. Dunning’s Market & Deli, 3:30 to 9:45 p.m. at 1050 Sterling Ave., will host its fourth annual Battle of the Chefs cooking competition. Proceeds will benefit the iCan Dream Center. Live music and food. Get tickets here.

Feast of the Goat Queen. A festival of the fae hosted by Rabid Brewing from noon to 11 p.m. at 17759 Bretz Drive in Homewood. Baby goats from Deer Creek Farm will be available from 2 to 6 p.m. There will be food, vendors, fun costumes, art, wrestling, roller derby skaters and live music.
Get tickets here.

Summer Sizzler. The Cancer Support Center will host an event from noon to 3 p.m. at 2028 Elm Road in Homewood, including games, a DJ, a bouncy house for the kids, face painting, an ice cream sundae table and educational resources.
Alexis Wilson Memorial. Cara Wilson and her family and friends will gather at Irwin Park, 18120 Highland Ave. to remember her daughter, Alexis, who was killed by Dolton police officers on July 27, 2021. The event provides those who knew Alexis an opportunity to share memories.

Homewood Farmers Market. Fresh produce, artisan foods, handcrafted personal care item vendors plus live music will all be available on Martin Square between Ridge Road and Chestnut Road from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Barb and Dan’s Road Ride. Weekly bike ride starts at 8 a.m. Saturday from GoodSpeed Cycle, 2125 W. 183rd St. in Homewood. There are two groups. One is a no-one-gets-dropped group that follows a 20-mile route. Another group goes on a longer ride. Helmets required. Lights encouraged. Riders of all experience levels are welcome.
Off-Leash Bike Ride. A nine-mile ride every Saturday starting at 8:30 a.m. at GoodSpeed Cycle, 2125 W. 183rd St. in Homewood. The route includes Butterfield Creek bike path, past Rover’s Run and through Izaak Walton Preserve. No registration. Donuts upon return.
< THE WEEK
- Cancer Support Center’s ‘Summer Sizzler’ fun and educational event is July 27 (July 21).
- DeLuca urges state to shift migrant funding to property tax relief (July 21).
- Prepare to get weird at the Feast of the Goat Queen (July 20).
- Attorney: Judge declines to stop Heather Hill detention basin construction (July 20).
- Flossmoor seeks residents’ storm info for FEMA report (July 19).
- Visitors marvel at garden varieties on annual NCJW Garden Walk (July 19).
- Tennis, pickleball courts coming to Highlands Park (July 19).
- Application deadline is Aug. 12 for District 153 school board candidates (July 19).
- District 153 taxes went up, but they’re not the whole problem says Superintendent McAlister (July 18).
- Drama Group to stage the musical ‘Hair’ in August (July 18).
- H-F girls wrestling to host summer invite Saturday; Registration still open, walkups welcome (July 18).
- Thornton Township Board meeting becomes a showdown (July 17).
- Park crew starts cleanup at Indian Trail Park (July 17).
- Flossmoor considers creating business registration program (July 17).
- Newest Homewood firefighter follows family tradition (July 16).
- Deb Havighorst resigns from District 153 school board (July 16).
- Storm hits hard in some H-F neighborhoods, spawns tornadoes throughtout the region (July 16).
- Eighner’s Florist changes its ownership to younger family members (July 15).
- Homewood board votes to accept Mongolian barbecue proposal for Ridge Road property (July 15).
- Homewood Hawks 9U end season with big tourney win in Iowa (July 15).
- Paying tax bill online is easy and safe, but you can also pay by mail or in person (July 14).
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