Heights City Council Designates a Landmark and Connects with a Pope

It was business as usual for the Chicago Heights City Council Monday, despite being the last meeting for two aldermen.

Fourth Ward Ald. Joe Faso gave up his seat to run for mayor. Joshua Deabel, who was originally chosen by Faso to run for the seat, will be taking over next month. Fifth Ward Ald. Lisa Aprati chose not to run for her seat again. Rich Amadio will be replacing her.

A Landmark Moment for the Jones Center

The council approved giving the landmark status, at the request of the Chicago Heights Historic Preservation Committee. Committee member Pete Petrowski said he wanted more fanfare at the meeting.

"We were hoping to celebrate a little more," Petrowski said. "But we'll get something set up in the near future."

Mike Bonhart, also a member of the committee said the group will probably wait until David Gonzalez is sworn in, in hopes that the new mayor will attend the big event.

"We want the new mayor to be there when we celebrate," Bonhart said. "Although we know it will be a busy time."

Pleasant Drive Gets Another Name

The council also approved commemorating Pleasant Drive as "John A. Maloni Honorary Way," with Mayor Zaranti brandishing the street sign that will go up in the late Height resident's honor.

"It's not easy carrying this thing around," the mayor joked.

Maloni had been a Chicago Heights city commissioner, and was a key player in getting Vollmer Road extended from Dixie Highway to Halsted. He was also a World War II veteran who had been honored with the bronze star.

The council chambers filled with "oohs" and "aahs" after the audience heard Maloni owned a pharmacy in the third ward for more than 30 years. Maloni's family represented him in the honor.

Heights Connection to the Late Pope's Birthplace

Chicago Heights has good reason to celebrate the beatification of the late Pope John Paul II, according to former teacher and city official Eugene Sadus.

The Pope was born in Wadowice, Poland, which happens to be a sister city to Chicago Heights.

"This is going to bring great honor to the city of Chicago Heights, because nowhere in this country is there another sister city that has a relationship with Wadowice," said Sadus, who is the chairman of the Chicago Heights-Wadowice Sister Cities Committee. "But we do."

Sadus announced, at the meeting, there will be a celebration for the Pope's beatification, which is the next step to being canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

The celebration will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, in the St. Joseph Chapel at the . Mass will be said in English, and Hymns will be sung in Polish.