Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Open House Chicago-Museum of Mexican Culture and History, Expungement Workshop, LV Muddy Park, 25th Annual IAHSE Conference, DVD Boxing Show Chico Corrales vs. Jose L. Castillo

Emiliano Zapata

          OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO: Visitors are cordially welcome to the Museum of Mexican Culture and History, 3610 W. 26th St. listed on the Chicago Architecture Open House Chicago tour list for this Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. William Luna, Historian and Curator of the Museum, will be greeting the visitors.
          THE MUSEUM of Mexican Culture and History has original photos of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 with Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, Mexican cowboy photos and gear, sombreros’, beautiful color portraits of twelve Aztec Emperors, MAYA calendars, history and paintings, army equipment and photos of Mexican-American Generals and heroes. The traveling museum boards, featuring history on Mexico and Mexican-Americans, will also be on display.
          “OPEN HOUSE CHICAGO” is sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Foundation and features 150 cool places to visit in Chicago. The experience offers behind-the-scene access to over 150 buildings, in over a dozen communities, across Chicago. You can see some of Chicago’s great places without the wait!
          CAROLINE STEVENS, is Open House Chicago Program Coordinator and may be contacted at 312/922-3432, ext. 317. For more information log onto openhousechicago.org  Curator Luna may be contacted at 773/551-4750.
Rep. Hernandez & Adam Monreal
          ON RECORD: The 2nd Annual Little Village Expungement Workshop held last Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 had 101 attendees. Attendees came to the free workshop for assistance on how to expunge their criminal record. “The workshop was a huge success,” said Attorney Jorge Montes, one of the co-sponsors of the event.
          WORKSHOP SPONSORS were the Little Village Community Council, Attorney Jorge Montes, State Sen. Steve Landek, State Rep. Elizabeth “Lisa” Hernandez, Blanca Jara, Liaison from Cook County Clerk of the Circuit Court, Dorothy Brown; Baltazar Enriques, HOPE Organization; Carlos Charneco, Illinois Dept. of Employment Security; Rosana Tanon, Secretary of State Office; Ambrosio Medrano, Pilsen community and Reggie Gonzales, Illinois Latino Voice.
          SPECIAL GUEST were Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County and Attorney Adam P. Monreal, Chairman, Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Both Clerk Brown and Chairman Monreal spoke to the attendees. Monreal stayed to help several attendees with their issues. “Chairman Monreal works very closely with me in Springfield on matters pertaining to the expungement of records,” said State Rep. Lisa Hernandez.
Chairman Adam Monreal
at the Workshop 
          ATTORNEYS at the workshop were Attorney Jill Roberts, Cabrini Green Legal Aid; Attorney Juan L. Baltierres, J. Fausto Gonzalez and Eric Shah from Stone & Associates.
          ALSO PRESENT at the workshop were Luis Gonzalez, Employment Service Program Manager, Illinois Dept. of Employment Security; Garry Smith, Assistant Chief Deputy Clerk, Criminal Division, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County/Dorothy Brown; Tanya Fernandez, Expungement Manager, from the office of Dorothy Brown, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Cicero Supermercado Torres, owner Adolfo Linares,  made a generous donation of water and soda for the workshop. A 3rd Annual workshop is being planned for next year.
          MANY THANKS was extended to all those who supported the Expungement Workshop and made it a success by August Sallas, President, Little Village Community Council.
          MUDDY PARK:  The park at Little Village Academy, 2620 S. Lawndale Ave. is in desperate need of a renovation. Parents and students at the Little Village Academy are circulating a petition seeking support to help renovate their school park. “Every time is rains our park gets flooded and becomes a hazard for our students, said Principal Lillian Lazu, it needs to be upgraded”.
          TWO STUDENTS have already been injured at the park. One girl student fell and broke her permanent tooth another received three stitches on the base of his head. Kids in the area play soccer at the park using it as a neighborhood park.
          FOR YEARS, the school has been asking for assistance from CPS and Alderman Ricardo Munoz [22nd Ward] in hope of funding a new turf, similar to that of Gary Elementary.
          “TAKE A LOOK at the picture of our park and see how our children are forced to play in a muddy field,” said Nora Avila, Parent Advocate/LV Academy. The petition reads, “Our community does not have many parks available and the small park at Little Village Academy is a hazard to our children. Please sign our petition to help us transform our muddy field into a beautiful park which our children and families can enjoy”.
           FOR MORE information call Nora Avila at 773/534-1899. 
          IAHSE CONFERENCE: The 25th Annual Illinois Association of Hispanic State Employees Training Conference held Friday, October 5, 2012 at the Hilton Chicago Hotel was a successful event. More than 500 people attended.
          WELCOMING ADDRESS was given  by Jose M. Prado, IAHSE Board Vice President; the Presentation of Colors made by the Illinois Dept. of Correction Color Guard; invocation by Father Manuel Dorantes, Associate Pastor, St. Clement Church; Master of Ceremonies was by IAHSE Counsel Jorge Montes, Esq.
Left to right: Willie Delgado, Toni Berrios, Juan Andrade,
Martha Lopez, Tony Munoz
          SPEAKERS were Martha L. Lopez, IAHSE Board President; David Vaught, Director, IL Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity; Judy Barr Topinka, Illinois State Comptroller; Juan Andrade, President, U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute [USHLI]; Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President and Community Service Award was presented to Carlos Mauricio Olea, Un Buen Doctor Magazine.
          LEGISLATIVE WORKSHOP: Speakers at the Illinois Legislative Latino Caucus workshop were State Rep. Toni Berrios, State Sen. Willie Delgado, State Sen. Tony Munoz, President Toni Preckwinkle and Juan Andrade. All the Hispanic legislators and Andrade expressed the importance of the Latino vote.
Luis Alberto Urrea
          LUNCHEON PROGRAM: Lunch was served in the Grand Ballroom and speakers were: Invocation by Father Marco Mercado, Director, Archdiocese of Chicago Hispanic Ministry; Dan Rutherford, Illinois State Treasurer; Welcoming Remarks by Martha L. Lopez, IAHSE Board President; Government Service Award was given to Edwin Reyes, 8th District, Cook County Commissioner; the Hilda Lopez-Arce Hero/ine Award was given to Oscar Chacon, Executive Director, National Alliance of Latin American & Caribbean Communities; Labor Leader, Henry Bayer, Executive Director, Council 31 AFSCME and keynote speaker, Luis Alberto Urrea, an Award-Winning Writer.
          SEVEN WORKSHOPS, all dealing with issues affecting the Latino community, were conducted during the conference. Speakers were Angel Herrera, Jorge Bermudez, Reynaldo Infante, Barbara Baird, Anel Gonzalez, Josette Heredia-Carmona, Mayra Soto-Gonzalez, Arturo Castro, Jim Exby, Lori Pietropaoli and Carlos Gutierrez.
          THE PROGRAM INCLUDED a Job Fair, Exhibit Area, Networking Reception, raffles and dance. It was an informative and gala event. We congratulate the officers and members of IAHSE for putting on a great conference.
          RESCHEDULED: The DVD 'Slug Fest' showing between Chico Corrales vs. Jose L. Castillo is rescheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20th at 2 p.m., at the Little Village Community Council 3610 W. 26th St. FREE ADMISSION.