The Advocates Society recently had their Annual Installation Dinner at the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The Honorable Aurelia Pucinski swore in the new officers. The Honorable Michael Zalewski, Alderman of the 23rd Ward, received the Award of Merit. Alderman Zalewski also was recently selected to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Chicago City Council. The Advocates usually have their monthly general membership meetings at the Copernicus Foundation.
The Copernicus Foundation was in the news recently. The City of Chicago started a new neighborhood tour of Jefferson Park. The Copernicus Foundation, which preserved the old Gateway Theater, will be on the tour.
The City of Chicago Community Development Commission recently recommended the sale of a vacant City-owned parcel of land at the southeast corner of Lawrence and Laramie to the Copernicus Foundation, which plans to rehab an old building adjacent to their main building.
The Belmont and Central neighborhood has also seen a lot of activity lately. In recent years, Alexandra Foods remodeled their building on Central and their pierogies remain as popular as ever. The Martini Club made a substantial investment in their building on Central, next to the parking lot.
The City of Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals recently granted a Special Use for a new beauty salon in the Belmont Plaza retail center on the corner of Belmont and Parkside. The new business is called the “Dream Factory Salon and Spa.” For more information, call (773) 385-4384 and ask for Aneta.
The retail center at Belmont and Parkside is built on the former site of the historic Will Rogers Theatre. The theatre, which was designed by Rapp & Rapp, was demolished in 1987. I have been advised that a local historical society is looking for pictures of the old theatre.
There was a change at the Belmont-Central Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Anna Krolikowski is the new Executive Director. The Chamber office is located on Belmont next door to the Lutnia Restaurant. The Lutnia recently received a favorable restaurant review in the Chicago Reader newspaper.
There is a group working to bring Chopin to Chicago and erect a copy of the famous Art Nouveau Chopin monument from Warsaw’s Royal Baths here in Downtown Chicago. Check them out at www.chopinmonumentinchicago.
New developments have taken place in the effort led by the Polish American Congress (PAC) to have a commemorative stamp issued for Lt. Colonel Matt Urban (Urbanowicz). The U.S. Postal Service has advised the PAC that Urban is now under consideration for possible future stamp issuance.
Urban (1919-1995) was a U.S. Army officer who served with distinction in World War II. He was belatedly awarded the Medal of Honor in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter.
Speaking of President Carter, his former National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, was in Chicago recently for a reception celebrating the opening of a sculptural exhibit for his wife, Emilie Brzezinski, at the 1112 Gallery of the Society for Arts on Milwaukee Avenue. The reception also included a book signing by his daughter, Mika Brzezinski. Mika is co-host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
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