Your #1 source for local news, sports and events in the community! In this issue: New Section - Our Business Times, Hegewisch Bulldogs Homecoming, CTU Ends Strike, SFDS Pioneers Homecoming and more!
October 11, 2012 Issue 15 / Vol.5 PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S.POSTAGE PAID EDDM Retail *****************ECRWSS**** RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER www.facebook.com/ontnews Promoting the voice of our Community • HegewiscH • east side • soutH cHicago • slag Valley • Vets Park • soutH deering • BusH 1-708-474-0000 17730 TORRENCE AVENUE LANSING IL ridgewaychevy.com AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE • Fill System with Freon Refrigerant • Performance Test System • Inspect For Leaks • Check Hoses • Check Drive Belt Condition and Tension On most GM vehicles. Plus tax. $ 79 63 Offer ends 6/30/2012 DISCOUNT GM SERVICE LOWEST LABOR COST IN THE REGION! 10/31/2012 Corey CoJack Cahill 2012 BOTB Winner y our #1 source for news, sPorts and eVents in tHe community! Hegewisch Bulldogs Homecoming Farmers Insurance Opens Hegewisch Bulldogs ready to take on Evergreen Stallions Meg Bonadurer Cheers on On Saturday Sept. 28th, 10th Ward Alderman John A. Pope cuts ribbon to welcome Mercedes Burgos-Diaz and Farmers Insurance to the Hegewisch neighborhood. Bulldog football!!! Bulldogs take the field • Look inside for oUr new bUsiness section •
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Around Town P 3Strike Ends P 4-5Mokena Deans List P 6Our Business Times P 7-10
Mexican Parade P 11-12Classified Ads P 13 Movie Review P 13 Pioneers Homecoming P 14-15
Staff
Around Town
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HEGEWISCH NEIGHBOrHOOD WATCH
The newly organized Hegewisch Neighborhood Watch officially had its second meeting on september 10, 2012 and its third meeting on October 9, 2012. The members of the Hegewisch Neighborhood Watch would like to extend their gratitude to Alderman Pope and members of the Chicago Police Department for their ongoing assistance in community issues. The next meeting will be held Monday November 5, 2012 at Club 81 Too, located at 13157 s. Avenue M at 6:30. The Hegewisch Neighborhood Watch would also like to thank Mancini’s for their hospitality. You can check out the neighborhood watch happenings at www.hegewischnw.com. Donations are greatly appreciated and accepted at Hegewisch Neighborhood Watch c/o Citizens Financial Bank, 13220 south Baltimore Avenue Chicago Il 60633.
SATUrDAY, OCTOBEr 13,EGGErS GrOVE TOUr,
1-3 P.M.Join John Pastirik for a tour of
this Forest Preserve located on the City’s far southeast side. Meet
in the parking lot at 112th street and Avenue e, Chicago. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the autumn weather. Call John at (773) 991-0613 or Judy lihota
(773) 646-4773 to register for this event sponsored by the Calumet
ecological Park Association.-----------------------------------------
SATUrDAY, OCTOBEr 20st. Florian school board presents:
TrIVIA NIGHT 7 P.M.st. Florian Gymnasium-131st & Houston Avenue
$10 per person - cash prizes to winning teams
--------------------------------------
SATUrDAY, NOVEMBEr 4thV.F.W. MODEL TrAIN SWAP
MeeT “All GuAGes”- 10 AM - 2 P.M.
ehinger Bros. Veterans ofForeign Wars Post 8141
664 Hirsh, Calumet City Il. 60409
General admission $3.00 Contact Diane for details 219-322-3725
----------------------------------------- SATUrDAY, NOVEMBEr 10CeNTeNNIAl CeleBRATION
FOR sOuTH sHORe HOsPITAl, 6 p.m., at the Hilton
Chicago, 720 s. Michigan Avenue. Black-tie dinner with music by the stu Hirsch Orchestra. $150 tickets may be reserved with a check to south shore Hospital,
Attn Helen Wiersma, 8012 Crandon Drive, Chicago, Il
60617.-----------------------------------------
SUNDAY, NOVEMBEr 11ST. FLOrIAN’S SUPEr rAFFLE BINGO BASH
st. Florian school Gym, 131stand Houston on sunday,
Nov 11, 2012. Doors open at Noon. Games start
at 1:30, 11:30 admittance with your ticket.
$25.00 admission includes luncheon Buffet – Jimboo’s (served from 12:00 – 1:30)
Beverage, Dessert and set-up.Raffle, Door Prizes and More!!
$500.00 Coverall!!Admission $25.00, Make checks
payable to st. Florian school.Call the school office (773-646-2868) or stop in during school
hours (7:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.) to purchase your ticket(s)Only 150 tickets sold!!
On Monday, september 10, 2012, the approximately 30,000 members of the Chicago Teacher’s union (CTu), led by their recently elected President, Karin lewis, went from their classrooms to the picket lines affecting over 350,000 Chicago public school students in what is the third largest education system in the country. The walk out was the first Teacher’s union strike in Chicago in 25 years and caused major controversy and debates, not just in Chicago, but around the world. Many factors caused the CTu to go on strike, from pay raises to longer school days and from new criteria for teacher evaluations to layoffs and recall procedures for CTu members. Many individuals outside of the discussions saw this as Chicago’s Mayor Rahm emanuel versus CTu President Karen lewis but both sides maintained that this was not the case despite many instances of Ms. lewis
publically calling out Mayor emanuel. “The only way to beat a bully,” Ms. Lewis said. “Is to stand up to a bully!” Mayor emanuel said, “Don’t take it out on the kids of Chicago if you have a problem with me,” but was not without some controversial comments and actions himself. The height of which came on the sixth day of the strike when Mayor Emanuel filed an injunction with the Cook County Circuit Court in an attempt to legally force the Chicago teachers back into the classrooms. Despite these actions, Chicago Public schools and the Chicago Teacher’s union were able to come to an accord on Wednesday, september 19, ending a 7-day strike and putting teachers back where they belong, in the classrooms all across Chicago. The debate rages on as to who won and who lost but both sides made concessions. It remains to be seen if this strike has caused Mayor emanuel irreparable political damage in his first term as Mayor, but he was able to have some of his signature education
initiatives such as the longer school day and school year in Chicago as well as a new modified teacher evaluation system. As many seem to agree, it is a very difficult process to properly evaluate how well a teacher is performing and many argued that a longer school day would never happen but prior to the new agreement. “This is no way to measure the effectiveness of an educator,” said Ms. lewis. “Further, there are too many factors beyond our control which impact how well some students perform on standardized tests such as poverty, exposure to violence, homelessness, hunger and other social issues beyond our control.” Despite her claims, Chicago performs
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News
Bowen High School
10th ward Alderman John A. Pope’s
Upcoming Events
10th Ward Alderman John A. Pope’s
Upcoming Events HIGH SCHOOL FAIR SENIOR SPAGHETTI DINNER Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 Date: October 20, 2012 Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Where: st. Francis De sales High school Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus 10155 s. ewing Ave. 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If participating please respond by For Seniors over 60 & over October 15, 2012
FLU SHOTS!! Date: Friday, October 19, 2012 Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus Hall 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If you have a Medicare card please bring it with you
Office Information
3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617 Telephone: (773) 721-1999
www. johnapope.org
Office Information3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617Telephone: (773) 721-1999
www. johnapope.org
fLU sHots!!Date: Friday,
October 19, 2012Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.Where: Trinity Knights of
Columbus Hall11207 S. Ewing Ave.
If you have a Medicare card please bring it with you
senior sPAGHetti dinnerDate: Saturday,
October 20, 2012Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus
11207 S. Ewing Ave.For Seniors over 60 & over
HiGH scHooL fAir Date: Thursday,
November 8, 2012Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Where: St. Francis De Sales
High School 10155 S. Ewing Ave.
If participating please respond by October 15, 2012
10th Ward Alderman John A. Pope’s
Upcoming Events HIGH SCHOOL FAIR SENIOR SPAGHETTI DINNER Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 Date: October 20, 2012 Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Where: st. Francis De sales High school Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus 10155 s. ewing Ave. 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If participating please respond by For Seniors over 60 & over October 15, 2012
FLU SHOTS!! Date: Friday, October 19, 2012 Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus Hall 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If you have a Medicare card please bring it with you
Office Information
3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617 Telephone: (773) 721-1999
www. johnapope.org
10th Ward Alderman John A. Pope’s
Upcoming Events HIGH SCHOOL FAIR SENIOR SPAGHETTI DINNER Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 Date: October 20, 2012 Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Where: st. Francis De sales High school Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus 10155 s. ewing Ave. 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If participating please respond by For Seniors over 60 & over October 15, 2012
FLU SHOTS!! Date: Friday, October 19, 2012 Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus Hall 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If you have a Medicare card please bring it with you
Office Information
3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617 Telephone: (773) 721-1999
www. johnapope.org
10th Ward Alderman John A. Pope’s
Upcoming Events HIGH SCHOOL FAIR SENIOR SPAGHETTI DINNER Date: Thursday, November 8, 2012 Date: October 20, 2012 Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Time: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Where: st. Francis De sales High school Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus 10155 s. ewing Ave. 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If participating please respond by For Seniors over 60 & over October 15, 2012
FLU SHOTS!! Date: Friday, October 19, 2012 Time: 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: Trinity Knights of Columbus Hall 11207 s. ewing Ave.
If you have a Medicare card please bring it with you
Office Information
3522 E. 106th Street
Chicago, IL 60617 Telephone: (773) 721-1999
www. johnapope.org
CTU Votes To End Strike After 7 Days
Gallistel Elementary
Henry Clay
Arnold Mireles Elementary
poorly on national assessments of educational quality. As Reuters notes, fourth-graders in Chicago performed an average of nine points worse than the big city average and sixteen points worse than the national average on the math section of the National Assessment of educational Progress (NAeP), the national gold standard for measuring learning. Reading scores are also low, they were eight and seventeen points worse than big city and national averages, respectively. Prior to the new agreement, Chicago had a shorter than average school year and school day. For most students, a school year consisted of only 170 days,
which was below the state minimum of 176 and well below the national average of 180 days per year, which will now be the number of days Chicago students must also attend. Prior to the new agreement the average school day in Chicago was five hours and forty five minutes in elementary schools (as opposed to the national average of six hours and forty-two minutes) and seven hours for secondary schools, above the national average of 6.6 hours. under the new agreement school days are now 7 hours and 7.5 hours, respectively. CTu members also made compromises with regard to pay raises to include a 3% raise year one, 2% raises in years two and three and 3% if the CTu approves a 4th year. However, one very large question remains as to how CPs and the city of Chicago intend on paying for these new pay raises. The school system was already operating at an estimated $665 million deficit, this number is despite the fact that the city of Chicago has already raised property taxes to the maximum
amount allowed by law. The deficit is set to top $1 billion next year so as of this moment, no one is really sure where the money for these raises will come from. The debate will rage on as to who were the winners and who were the losers, but despite the new agreement in place between CPs and CTu, there are still many unanswered questions remaining. Only time will tell if the new evaluations will raise our educational standing in the us. Only time will tell if the longer school days and longer school year will make a difference. For now, both sides are content with the agreement and Chicago students are back in school. It is still to be determined as to how the seven lost days will be made up but one thing is for certain, the only truly unhappy group left in this equation are the students, who reluctantly had to give up their extended summer vacations and get back to school. Congratulations to all those involved on resolving the issues at hand in a relatively timely manner.
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CTU Votes To End Strike After 7 Days
Jane Addam’s Elementary
Marsh Elementary
Washington Elementary Washington High School
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Mokena StudentMakes Notre Dame’s
Dean’s List
ARE YOU LOOKING TO MAKE EXTRA INCOME PART TIME?
enerGy brokers needed!!
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susan esquivel of Mokena, Illinois, has been named to the Dean’s list in the university of Notre Dame’s College of Arts and letters for outstanding scholarship during the Fall 2011 semester.
susan esquivel attended lincoln Way east High school and st. Mary of Mokena grammar school. susan is now a senior of ND and will graduate Cum laude in May of this year. susan has received the Dean’s list recognition every year at ND.
students who achieve dean’s honors at Notre Dame represent the top 30 percent of students in their college.
October 2012
Introducing a business oriented view to
‘Our Neighborhood Times’ profiling businesses in the
Southeast Side of Chicago
Paket:A package in the making
Volume 1 Issue 1
Sponsored by
If you’ve recently purchased a bottle of Deerfield based Walgreen’s brand hand lotion or Blue Island based Namasté Laboratories’ Organic Hair Root Stimulator, chances are that it was manufactured and filled right here on the Southeast Side.
Location, LocationPaket was first established as a contract packager in 1957 in a nearby factory on Baltimore Avenue in South Chicago. Today, Paket serves customers as far as away as New York and Texas. This current prime location allows Paket to serve customers across the country while supporting the local manufacturing base. According to Paket’s owner and president, Mike O’Malley - who purchased the company from its original owner in 1996 - the Southeast Side has a lot to offer. One could tell it was a vibrant community during the steel age, but even in 1996, he realized there were a lot of possibilities here. For business purposes it is a great location in Chicago with the nearby Calumet River, vacant industrial land, and access to major railroads providing logistical resources.
The current state-of-the-art, 110,000 square foot manufacturing facility houses 25 different filling stations. Initially, the company mainly packaged industrial and automotive products into metal and plastic tubes. Taking advantage of increasing demand by consumers to plastic containers, Paket became the first contract packager in the U.S. to have plastic tube filling capabilities.
Contract manufacturing in the packaging business is really a niche, fractional business, according to O’Malley. “You sort of pick your niche and you develop the expertise. I don’t think there is anyone in the country that can blend and fill pouches better or more efficiently then we here at Paket”.
Paket CorporationTucked away in South Chicago, just east of the 92nd street bridge, is a sprawling 110,000 square foot, state of the art manufacturing plant that is capable of producing over 100 million pouches, packages and tubes per year.
A new perspective using analysis and observation of local businesses to ‘Our Neighborhood Times’ readership. This perspective will consist of a regular newspaper piece and monthly magazine, both highlighting businesses in the Southeast Side of Chicago. You’ll still get the local reporting that ONT is known for and this new section will add value to your reading experience.
If you’re like me, you care about the Southeast side and you want to see your neighborhoods and neighbors, friends, and family prosper, grow and remain healthy. One of the key components to understanding improving the community’s prosperity is to be interested in the business-of-business in ‘Our Neighborhoods’.
So who am I? I view the world from the eyes of a lifelong Southeast Side residency, with education from Purdue and Northwestern Universities, experience in the power generation and industrial automation industry, and hold leadership roles with the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. I keep a pulse on industry and business in the greater Calumet area, amongst other local and global interests.
I am inspired to write about the things that matter most. I look forward to sharing ideas and perspectives and the Exchange with you.
Paket Corporation, located at US 41 and the Calumet River, just off Lake Michigan
Welcome to ‘Our Business Times’ (OBT)
A Manual-Facturing way of making things In this modern age, one would expect a company like Paket to run lean in more ways than one, mostly by automating at every opportunity. However, the way O’Malley puts it, “..the manual factor is very important in our business. Our production runs are usually only two weeks, so we have to always change our equipment and clean and sanitize. We could never fully automate our process.”
Management realized Paket needed to expand to accommodate all of steady growth. The existing plant, equipment, and space were redesigned to accommodate the bulk formula processing needs of existing and new clients. If there’s been anything clear about Paket’s strategic focus, it is willingness to invest and reinvest in the capital infrastructure and workforce to support their growth. Paket is also investing in additional packaging equipment and technology as it continues to diversify. Paket uses real time tracking as a component to their quality assurance process. Four of their larger customers leverage the syncing of this tracking information which is transmitted in real-time as product is manufactured,packaged, and shipped. Anything that Paket has shipped can be traced back to alot and the date it was made. Contract packagers need the ability to recall quickly and is considered an important competitive advantage.
There wouldn’t be a manual factor without the dedicated employees. Many of the workers have been with the company so long that they were employed at the former location as well. At least 48 employees out of the 65 are 10th ward residents (67% of employees). One particular employee actually retired and came back to work because she said she was bored at home. According to O’Malley, “she doesn’t get really tough manual jobs any more, but there is always a place for her here. She still has an eye for what is good and what is bad and has an eye for how things should be.”
A package in the makingCompanies such as Paket represent the new form of manufacturing that is welcome and expected in the area. They operate lean, hire locally and represent a continuous investment in the region. Customers needing contract manufacturing for their packaging needs can go just about anywhere, yet they continue to use Paket for their quality, customer service, and capability. As a premier provider or tubes and pouch packaging, Paket’s services are not driven by how many market places they serve, but through the quality and efficiency of their services.
Paket’s state of the art plastic pouch fillingequipment.
Want Not, Need Not: Green Initiatives
As for green practices, there is a conscious
effort to try not to waste packaging film,
which is difficult to recycle. Paket follows
a “triple bottom line” business model,
which focuses on improving environmental
impact, employee working conditions,
and profitability. It is a great example of a
local company that is going green and also
investing in the community and employees
at the same time. According to VP of
Manufacturing, Mike Hintz, “even the entire
consumer product manufacturing complex
known as the Paket Corporation is ‘recycled’
from its former Rust Belt incarnation as a
chemical manufacturing plant.”
Paket’s President, Mike O’Malley
9165 South Harbor Avenue Chicago, IL 60617 773- 221-7300www.paketcorp.com
Cover Images: Paket’s recently purchased packaging and filling equipment
Publisher Dan Lira Correspondent Dimitrios Sarentas
Associate Publisher Sam Gomez Art Director Angelina Villanueva
Adelman’s Resource Solutions Having five locations throughout the Midwest, Adelman’s located on 106th Street in Chicago, has invested into expanding their Recycling of end-of-life vehicles, household appliances, paper and cardboard products, with a focus creating a market for these items and keeping them out of landfills. A majority of their business is full-time recycling. They have recently completed their first phase expansion of a 30,000-square foot operations center which will allow them to move a majority of their parts and processing indoors. Construction of the second phase will begin this year. Definitely a company to watch for continued growth in the future.
Ford Motor CompanyWith continued growth and adding a third shift, Ford continues to be one of the largest employers in our area. With the agreement to build 100 new Ford Interceptor Sedans and SUV’s for the police
department, this results in a 3.5 million dollar agreement with the City. With this increase in production, the surrounding suppliers of auto parts to Ford have also increased their employment needs, bringing in a multitude of continued revenue.
AOS Asphalt Operating Services of ChicagoA liquid terminal service company that stores, handles and ships bulk liquid products for the petroleum industry, AOS is located at 106th and Torrence Ave, and has purchased 131 acres on the land of former Wisconsin Steel Works from Navistar. The facility operates 24/7, all year and is utilizing monies from the Recovery Zone Bond. This has resulted in employment of 35 permanent jobs.
O’Reilly Auto PartsOpening a new 7,100 square foot facility this fall is O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store. Located on the corner of 106th and Avenue B, this new facility will employ 15 permanent positions.
EXCHANGENew DevelopmentWelcome to “The Exchange,” a place where readers can look for and contribute updates towards the future of business in the area, as we anticipate growth and the economy slowly trickles towards recovery. This can only happen when community and business work together and support each other both directly and indirectly.
There are actually some companies that are contributing towards the growth of a revitalized community in the Southeast Side. Rebuilding and giving back to pave the way for future growth is the plan for these companies. New and existing businesses are investing into their companies by renovating the building they are in, redeveloping the land, and creating new employment. We see ‘The Exchange’ as an open dialogue to build community and business relationships, so that we may share the benefits of redevelopment and growth of our neighborhoods. Promote your new hires, people moving up in the company, your firm’s expansion plans, or just simply gloat and pat yourselves on the back for a good year or milestone.
THE
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Mexican Independence Day Parade
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september in south Chicago, hoofed animals pull carriages down Commercial Avenue and the streets are flooded with high-spirited people clad in red and green. It may look something like an early Christmas celebration, but this spectacle is for the annual parade which commemorates Mexican Independence Day. Founded in 1939, the Mexican Patriotic Club of south Chicago has organized and held a parade every year for 73 years. since 1992, Carmela Vargas has acted as President of the Mexican Patriotic Club. she says that the purpose of the parade is “to provide good, clean, fun and family entertainment while instilling and preserving heritage.” Vargas explained that a lot of preparation and money go into the parade. The south Chicago Chamber of Commerce and university of Chicago Medicine partnered with the organization to make the parade happen this year. The club arranged for the
Mexico-Chicago Counsel General to be present at the parade. When asked how she was able to do so, Vargas joked, “I’m a good beggar.” The club takes pride in actively uniting its community. A number of floats in the parade belong to local business staples like Capri Pizza and Royal Bank. Many other floats belong to educational institutions such as st. Michael’s, st. Augustine College and Chicago state university. The Mexican Patriotic Club also hosts an annual Cinco de Mayo luncheon which honors local educators. The organization also gives out scholarships to four college-bound high school seniors each year. One of this year’s scholarship recipients, elena Palomo, has also been delegated queen of the parade. Kim landfair is one of the cheering people and has been a local resident in the neighborhood for 13 years. “I live in the community and I shop in the community, why not support it?” she says. landfair says she looks forward to seeing the horses do different tricks
and comes back every year to see what new things the parade has to offer. This year she has brought her friend sheila Overton and sheila’s son leevon. sheila is a first-timer to the parade and says she likes the music from trumpets and traditional outfits worn, “The girls’ dresses are beautiful,” she beams. Alejandra Rico could be spotted riding a horse courtesy of one of the many riders present. Rico isn’t a resident, but works at local daycare el Valor, and feels a sense of community at the parade. “I come to represent the community and because I like the patriotism, live music, dancing and all that!” she says, enthusiastically waiting for the parade to begin, Tony and Anita Garcia stand by their pristine classic 1956 Chevy Windsor.
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SALE SALE SALE!!!25% Off of Selected K-Swiss Shoes
Mexican Independence Day ParadeCONTINUED ON PAGE 11
Tony was born and raised on 87th and Houston, but has since moved with his wife to steger. Anita says they come back out to enjoy the parade because it’s a chance to be proud of their Mexican heritage and the parade acts as a distraction where “people can get along, coexist for awhile and enjoy themselves.” seeking some relief from the unseasonably warm day, many people ducked in to el Potrillo for some frozen refreshment. The ice cream shop was opened in 1999 by Rosa Magallanes. The shop has a strong presence in the parade with a float, costumed dancers and a live 9-piece band. Rosa’s son leroy says they look forward to the parade as a chance to be involved with the community. “We’ve been very blessed. After all these years, you grow to become a family with the customers.” When asked how the parade affects business, leroy shared: “sundays are
by far our busiest day anyway, but with the parade we couldn’t afford to give anyone the day off. It’s september, so business is slowing down, but today compares to a day in July, which is our busiest point.” The parade goes off without a hitch. The floats, classic cars and men on horses march south on Commercial Avenue from 87th down to 100th.
The bystanders all cheer and wave flags from their places on the sidelines. Candy is thrown from floats, children and adults alike rush in a frenzy to collect it and as the parade moves through the residential blocks, attendees with folding chairs are replaced by families enjoying the parade from their front porches and lawns. Almost immediately after the
parade ends, street sweepers and men with leaf blowers come in droves to clear any debris left from the parade. If the goal of the parade was to provide clean, fun family entertainment, then mission accomplished on all fronts.
rEVIEW: Dredd 3D is remarkably unoriginal and visually average. We are in an age where studios are counting on misjudged remakes to pull in the big bucks. unfortunately, most of them are totally unnecessary failing to live up to the
source material or the previous film that came before it. We are launched into a dilapidated future world, in an area stretching from Boston to Washington DC called Mega City One. The street Judges are a method of law enforcement by which the Judges act as judge, jury and more often than not, executioner. The most notorious of these is Judge Dredd (Karl urban), a law enforcer unwavering in his dedication to serving his bosses and in any decision to protect his society. His latest obstacle is clearing the streets of the drug called “slo-Mo”. The drug industry
is headed by a violent ex-prostitute turned baron named Ma-Ma (lena Headey). Dredd 3D is unfortunate in that it has a plot that is strikingly similar to The Raid: Redemption and it pales in comparison to Gareth edwards’ superior martial arts thriller. unfortunately, the unoriginality of the film doesn’t stop there. The act of homage in movies has been around for a very long time but usually, a film still has its own vision. Here, there is no uniting vision, every visual trope has been taken straight out of other films and it feels a lot like a patchwork. We have visuals ripped straight from the vast cityscape of Blade Runner, the wizardry of The Matrix and the intolerable slow motion of Watchmen, among others. Good performances from urban, Thirlby and Headey and inventive head crunching violence do make the 95 minutes pass easily and for fans of the Judge Dredd comics, Dredd 3D might be 90 minutes of really solid entertainment that is an accurate representation of how this character should be played, but ultimately it is nothing earth shattering.
On a scale of 1-10, I give this one a 7My 2¢ -Bread the full review online at:www.themotionpicturereviewer.blogspot.com
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“Bitter sweet” seems like the correct term of the mood Friday night, following the st. Francis De Sales Pioneers first victory of
the season. That is exactly how Pioneers head coach Martin Quiroga described the feeling after their thrilling victory over the Crossroads Christian Academy Crusaders at the homecoming football game. The uneventful first half of the
homecoming game was a complete aberration of what was to be a thrilling final quarter. The Pioneers nearly blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead with under 7 minutes remaining, but held on to win 28-24. The game’s deciding play was an interception by the Pioneers, after the Crusaders were in the midst of a game-winning drive. unfortunately, Pioneers starting WR and CB Kenneth Catron Jr. went down with an injury as he made a play for the ball. He was eventually carted off and taken away in an ambulance. Catron is one of the leaders on the team and had already made a major impact in the game. st. Francis took a page out of the Green Bay Packers playbook and quickly jumped in front 7-0 in the first quarter on a fake field goal. They also took advantage of a recovered fumble and connected on a 31-yard touchdown pass on 3rd down, giving them a 13-0 2nd- quarter lead.
They failed on a 2-point conversion attempt. The Crusaders responded with a score of their own and converted on a 2-point conversion. The Pioneers found themselves backed up in their own endzone in the ensuing possession, but were bailed out on 2nd and long as Catron saw a perfect pass come his way and came down with a clutch 39-yard reception. They failed to score on the drive and went into the half leading 13-8. The third quarter completely belonged to st. Francis. Catron scored a touchdown out of the backfield midway through the quarter, followed by a 2-point conversion. They capitalized with another touchdown following a botched punt attempt by the Crusaders. The Crusaders found themselves down by 20 and showed no signs of making a contest out of the game until st. Francis did them a favor with a questionable coaching decision
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Kenneth Catron Jr. in defensive position
Pioneers Homecoming Win Comes With a Loss
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Pioneers Homecoming Win Comes With a Losshalfway through the final quarter. With just over six minutes remaining, the Pioneers decided not to punt the ball on 4th and 3 with the ball on their side of the field. They were stopped short of the first down—resulting in a turnover on downs—and gave the Crusaders good field position. TheCrusaders capitalized with a touchdown and 2-point conversion, inching closer 28-16. On the ensuing kickoff attempt, the Pioneers played it like they expected a routine kickoff. Instead, the Crusaders surprised them with an onside kick and recovered. At this point the st. Francis home crowd grew antsy, as their team had completely given up the momentum of the game. Things got worse when the Crusaders connected on a textbook pass and catch over the outstretched arms of the Pioneers defender. After the 2-point conversion, the Crusaders found themselves down by only four with 3:47 remaining.
They again attempted an onside kick, but the Pioneers expected it and recovered the football this time. st. Francis all but sealed the win with a huge 30-yard touchdown run, but it was called back due to a holding penalty. They were so close to putting the game away, but instead turned the ball over with a fumble at the 2-yard line. The Crusaders had to drive 98 yards in just over 2 minutes to complete the big comeback. They got themselves out of trouble and began to drive down the field, before the Pioneers came up with the deciding interception. Catron was one of the defenders that was involved in the play and made a play on the ball, before he awkwardly landed on his foot. In a moment when the coaches, players and fans should have been celebrating their homecoming game win, coaches, friends and family stood over Catron as he lied in pain while trainers took a look at the
injury. Quiroga was glad that his team came up with the win but found it difficult to be entirely happy. “It’s bitter sweet,” Quiroga said of their first victory of the season. “As nice as it is to get the win, you have to be heartfelt about losing one of our guys.” Quiroga said that even though his young team struggled to close the game, getting the win is what matters. He though, did get worried as the Crusaders made their comeback. “Yea we were nervous. Now that I think about it, we might’ve done things a little differently,” Quiroga said of some of the questionable decisions in the 4th quarter.
According to athletic director, Richard Maggio, Catron dislocated his kneecap and is looking to miss a couple of weeks. We, here at ONT, wish Catron a speedy recovery and hope he will be back out on the field soon enough.
The Pioneers lined up on defense
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