they’re building a new restaurant near Six Corners in Portage Park Here’s some good news on this frigid February day: city dwellers will no longer need to commute to the suburbs to enjoy favorites from Pita Inn the suburban Skokie institution that’s been around for more than four decades The restaurant is coming to Portage Park near the Six Corners Sears once ruled the intersection, as the retail giant operated a store and an auto repair shop before the company consolidated and filed for bankruptcy. A Target and apartments replaced the flagship Sears last year, while crews demolished the auto shop. Pita Inn will build a new restaurant on the former Sears Auto Center parcel at 4035 N tells Eater that they’re working on the plans for the new restaurant They’re unsure of the number of tables but hope to have room for more than 200 Fans will need patience as the plan is to open by mid- or late-2026 Ownership also hopes to build an outdoor terrace Many of their employees have continued to work for Pita Inn for more than four decades which lends itself to consistency Tabahi says many fans have requested a Chicago location and this was just the right time for a location in the city proper “Our customers often claim that Pita Inn has the best falafel and hummus they’ve ever had,” Tabahi writes our hummus became so popular that we started selling it at Costco to share it with even more fans.” Since its first location opened 43 years ago in suburban Skokie Pita Inn has established a passionate following for quality and affordable kabobs Jordanian immigrants Falah and Asma Tabahi grew their business while serving a wide variety of customers from starving Northwestern University students wanting a break from the school’s dining halls to vegetarians who knew they could feast instead of relying on a token meat-free menu that would often appear on menus to customers from the Middle Eastern diaspora who wanted a taste of home Hazem Tabahi emails that they’ll offer the same menu as other locations but after four decades Pita Inn has added some wrinkles; there will be some Chicago-exclusive items An example of the changes will arrive this week when they debut a Skokie-only exclusive: a wagyu steak shawarma wrap Tabahi adds the restaurant’s commitment to using high-quality ingredients and authentic recipes at affordable prices are reasons for the business’ success The location will also have on-site parking and ample space qualities not always available for Chicago diners “The Six Corners area is a historic and dynamic part of Chicago undergoing significant revitalization,” Hazem Tabahi writes “Pita Inn has a strong following in the Chicago area and this location allows it to expand its reach to a new customer base while staying accessible to its loyal customers.” Nadig Newspapers first reported the news More commercial burglaries were reported this week in the 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District on Chicago’s Northwest Side Irving Park Road and Cesar Pierogi and Cafe at 5749 W were hit in Portage Park during the early morning hours on Tuesday Entry to Brgrbelly was gained by smashing a front glass door 4 incidents were not immediately available Another business in the 6300 block of Higgins was vandalized but entry inside the establishment was not gained Entry to Sweet Cafe was made after a glass door was smashed and an unspecified amount of cash was reported stolen Officers responded to a commercial burglar alarm at the deli and found the front glass door shattered A deli employee provided surveillance footage that showed a man used a device to shatter the door and then fled a short time later without taking anything The employee reported that the cash registers were left empty when the store last closed Footage showed the man fled south on Nottingham Avenue The man was described as wearing a black hooded sweatshirt with a rectangle shaped logo on the back and a line across the front The 16th District has stepped up patrols on main commercial thoroughfares in recent months to help deter break-ins The district also has a burglary/robbery team that helps detectives by collecting surveillance footage and other evidence that can be used as part of investigations.  Police recommend that businesses leave registers unlocked and empty when they’re closed as thieves will smash registers against the ground until they open.  var _ctct_m = "443f17c969548a2439a568a09cb09c51"; var infolinks_pid = 3307912; var infolinks_wsid = 0; The Nadig Newspapers office is open Monday through Friday Each department has different hours which can be found by clicking on their department page link on the top part of the website Nadig Newspapers - 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Irving Park Road in Portage Park The president of the nonprofit Arts Alive Chicago has painted and overseen dozens of murals around Chicago which Portage Park business Novak Construction commissioned and about 65 neighborhood residents joined her in the summer of 2022 to paint the whimsical flowers and protected pollinators on the south wall of the viaduct “It was really about color and beauty and the bees,” she says Artist Cyd Smillie says in Chicago some murals “are political including gerbera daisies and African violets “were chosen for size and colors and contours,” Smillie says The bees were added to recognize their shrinking population This wasn’t her first mural under the viaduct she helped artist Jill Arena paint a robin blue jay and goldfinch — birds that often run into high-rise windows and suffer from disease That mural was commissioned by the Old Irving Park and Six Corners associations with consultation from local members of the Audubon Society artist Cyd Smillie helped artist Jill Arena paint a birds mural in 2021 Smillie says she’s proud to be a muralist in Chicago They don’t look like travel brochures or textbook art She’s also proud that “women muralists are creating the world we forget to see,” often recognizing nature in locations that otherwise lack it Smillie was nervous about the detailed work involved in painting the honeycombs but “a couple high school girls just locked into those,” and they were done in record time Working with schools and students is a passion Her recent work involves painting murals at Haugen Elementary and she teaches after-school programs at Hibbard Elementary She considers murals and street art as a form of “artistic literacy” for students who might not have a chance to study art in school or have an opportunity to visit the city’s renowned museums High school students helped artist Cyd Smillie the detailed work involved in painting the honeycombs Now she’s working with students who don’t speak English as a first language and is learning all the terminology for painting Learning art can help students in unpredictable ways It “tells you how to lay out your science fair project or class presentations,” among other skills Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale A reported convicted felon is facing weapons charges after a pregnant woman was fatally shot at her Portage Park home at about 4:50 a.m but the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office reportedly is not charging him with the shooting itself identified as Edith Castrejon of the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue The suspect reportedly told police that a gun was under a pillow in a bedroom and that she tried moving the gun and it went off The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office has ruled the death a homicide Police have described the incident as domestic-related The suspect was identified by police as Robert Pasco He was charged with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon/felon possession and a misdemeanor count of a firearm without a valid FOID card A gofundme.com fundraiser account has been set up for the family 12 there have been no murder or shooting incidents this year reported in the 16th (Jefferson Park) District Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Chicago straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Chicago without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Chicago Whether you like your hot dogs dragged through the garden or topped with ketchup Tikka Masala Dogs and Sausage Fest Food Truck will compete to see who makes the best frankfurter a top dog parade and a hot dog eating competition Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestspotifyAbout us Contact us Time Out magazine The annual “Northwest Side Holiday Trolley” on Dec The free trolley rides will be available from 3 to 6 p.m Portage Park and Jefferson Park business districts. In all there will be four trolleys operating The “green” route will operate along Irving Park Road between Eris Brewery where there will be a “Mistletoe Market” featuring crafts The green route also will include a “Frozen Holiday Festival” with characters from the movie from 5 to 6:30 p.m Hot coca and Santa also will be at the park from 5 to 6 p.m The “white” route will run along Milwaukee Avenue from the Six Corners intersection to the Gale Street Inn Plans are being made to decorate the pedestrian alley at 4870 N and there will be a pop-up market with crafts face painting and “modern” desserts at Sunnyside Plants The “red” route will run along Lawrence Avenue between the Lawrence-Milwaukee and Lawrence-Austin intersections Participating businesses include Delightful Pastries A fourth trolley will encompass all three of the other routes More information about the free trolley rides and routes is available at www.sixcorners.com Those interested in taking a trolley ride are encouraged to review the routes ahead of time and to plan accordingly Trolley sponsors include the Six Corners Association Portage Park District seeks nominations for environmental awardsRavenna Record-CourierPortage Park District Foundation is seeking nominations for its 27th annual Environmental Conservation Awards Nominees will be considered based on their contributions to Portage County's environment through education To nominate an environmental hero, describe their contribution to Portage County's environmental conservation on a form available on Portage Park District's website at portageparkdistrict.org or download a nomination form to mail to Portage Park District Foundation Streetsboro OH 44241 or to portageparkdistrictfoundation@gmail.com Awardees will be recognized April 26 at the 27th annual Environmental Conservation Awards Dinner Contact Portage Park District Foundation at 330-678-9127 or portageparkdistrictfoundation@gmail.com for more information The Portage Park District has launched its Community Parks and Trails Grant Program to assist in funding parks and trails in townships and villages in Portage County.  The Board of Park Commissioners has earmarked $100,000 from its 2025 levy proceeds toward this pilot program for awards between $1,000 and $25,000 per project “We appreciate how challenging it can be to create and improve parks on a small budget,” said Christine Craycroft “and while we are busy with several Park District acquisition and development projects we’re happy to also partner with communities to help meet their local park needs”.  The grant application is available for download from the Park District website with an application deadline of September 1st 2025.  Applicants are encouraged to contact the Park District for assistance in scoping park improvements or developing the grant application.  For more information Learn how to describe the purpose of the image (opens in a new tab) Leave empty if the image is purely decorative The home in the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue where Edith Castrejon The boyfriend of a pregnant Portage Park mother who was fatally shot inside her home this week faces firearms charges was in a bedroom with Robert Pasco about 4:50 a.m Thursday in the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue when she was shot in the chest was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where doctors delivered her baby at 5:48 a.m. but the baby’s condition was critical and was given a “25% chance of survival,” according to a police report obtained by the Sun-Times Castrejon was pronounced dead at 6:24 a.m. according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office Pasco told officers that the two were in bed with the gun under a pillow He believed Castrejon tried to move the gun when his hand was near it and it went off A handgun and a bullet were found at the scene is charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon by a convicted felon and misdemeanor possessing a firearm without a valid Firearm Owner’s Identification card A judge released Pasco from custody Saturday but he was ordered to report to probation and surrender all firearms and other weapons Ruth Cruz (30th) told the Sun-Times that Castrejon leaves behind three other children who are 12 A GoFundMe created for Castrejon said she was a “sister cousin and friend” as well as a “hard-working fighting woman.” It had raised more than $2,900 of the $6,500 goal by Saturday afternoon Paramedics were called Tuesday afternoon to the 5600 block of West Leland Avenue in Portage Park where they found a woman stabbed to death and an off-duty Chicago police detective wounded A man suspected of fatally stabbing his wife Tuesday in Portage Park already had been facing charges for allegedly choking and attempting to kidnap her last month 57-year-old Constantin Beldie was found dead inside a car a block away were formally identified Wednesday by the Cook County medical examiner’s office An off-duty detective witnessed the stabbing about 2:25 p.m in the 5600 block of West Leland Avenue and suffered a gunshot wound while trying to intervene according to a preliminary statement from Chicago police The Area 4 detective fired shots in the suspect’s direction and suffered a graze wound while trying to stop him The detective was being treated at Lutheran General Hospital for injuries that weren’t thought to be life-threatening according to the police statement and sources Investigators on the scene in Portage Park Authorities say the man who stabbed his wife to death was served an order of protection Oct Prosecutors tried to have him held in Cook County Jail pending trial The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said it responded to the scene and opened a probe Beldie was previously charged in a separate attack against his wife Oct 9 — the same day he was served with an emergency order of protection she had sought Prosecutors filed a petition that day to have him held in Cook County Jail pending trial The judge instead released the suspect on GPS monitoring ordered him to refrain from possessing weapons and forbade him from visiting his wife’s home According to Lacramioara Beldie’s petition for the protective order the second she had sought against her husband this year she said he grabbed her as she was walking to a bus tried to cover her mouth to stop her from screaming and attempted to knock her unconscious A bicyclist stops to take photos of police working the crime scene Tuesday night “Someone heard me and began to call police,” she wrote in the petition As he was driving off he threatened me saying '[I’ll] do it you don’t believe that I will do it’ as he was pointing a black object.” Constantin Beldie pleaded not guilty Monday to felony counts of aggravated domestic battery involving choking attempted kidnapping and unlawful restraint Lacramioara Beldie previously filed another petition for a protective order against him Jan saying they had been separated since September 2023 and had three adult children together Lacramioara Beldie alleged that the suspect was drinking at his home and asked her to leave during an argument then grabbed her and dragged her into a bathroom Detectives at the scene of Tuesday’s stabbing The suspect who police say stabbed his wife to death was found dead in a car a block away An off-duty detective injured while trying to intervene was treated at a hospital “I can kill you now and put you in a bag and take you to the lake,” she recalled him saying “I can get a gun and kill all of you and you don’t know I don’t care if the police take me because you left me.” The physical and verbal abuse continued for eight hours Lacramioara Beldie alleged that he had “been physically and emotionally” abusive throughout their long relationship and would send menacing messages “You know how easy it is to kill someone?” she recalled him asking “I took this as a threat from the [suspect] because my grandfather killed my grandmother and then killed himself,” she wrote An emergency order of protection was granted the same day as her petition which noted that she had filed a police report for domestic battery and a previous battery case filed in 2002 was dropped when the woman and her husband agreed to a so-called no contact order or interfere with the personal liberty” of his wife Nowinski, who allowed the husband to remain free while awaiting trial, previously declined to authorize an emergency order of protection against Crosetti Brand earlier this year The convicted felon had allegedly sent threatening text messages to an ex-girlfriend and came to her apartment after he was released from prison Because Brand had been taken back into custody Nowinski ruled that the woman’s case didn’t amount to an emergency and set a later hearing for March 13 Brand showed up at the home again that morning and allegedly stabbed the pregnant woman and killed her 11-year-old son Several residents and their pets were displaced early Monday after an extra-alarm blaze spread to at least two homes causing “extensive damage” in Portage Park on the Northwest Side firefighters responded to the fire in the 5900 block of West Waveland Avenue Chicago Fire Department officials said in a post on X which was elevated to a 2-11 alarm when it spread to a second home through embers 2 11 alarm on Waveland now struck out. All searches are clear. Several pets now accounted for and safe. Original fire building is 1.5 story brick. Fire communicated to 2.5 story frame with extensive damage. No injuries pic.twitter.com/vfAzVuOMN4 Damage to the roof of one of the homes was “extensive,” officials said It wasn’t immediately known how many people or pets were displaced At the March 12 City Council meeting Alderman James Gardiner (45th) described Portage Park area resident Nina Grenke-Kosinski as “a trailblazer,” as she had a 44-year career as a barber in a male-dominated profession Shortly after graduating from the Moler Barber College in the late 1970s she bought and managed a barbershop in a Downtown office building that was unheard of,” Gardiner said at the council meeting The council was honoring female leaders as part of its “Women in History Month” celebration Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th) and Alderwoman Ruth Cruz (30th) also were scheduled to speak about Grenke-Kosinski but the council meeting went long and comments were limited Occasionally a man would walk into her shop and ask “Is the barber in?” and Grenke-Kosinski would respond “I’m the barber.” The man would be surprised and sometimes leave with Grenke-Kosinski recommending another barbershop It’s a personal choice” who cuts one’s hair There were several obstacles that she had to overcome buying a barbershop which her male counterparts didn’t necessarily face “Back then women couldn’t even have major credit credit cards” without their husband and securing a lease on a commercial property was not easy.  She worked as a waitress 40 hours a week while in school managing to save $5,000 to invest in the business Eventually she ended up owning a couple shops but in 2021 she decided to leave the profession as the work-from-home mentality of the pandemic had cleared out many of the office buildings Why did Grenke-Kosinski decide in the first place to become a barber in a society where “women were cosmetologists and men were barbers” Basically there’s no particular reason adding that she liked talking to men and perhaps call it “a dare.” She now works as a liaison to local businesses for the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce she said that she loves helping and working with area merchants and motivates you never to give up,” chamber secretary Jacqueline Mancias “Nina is nothing short of remarkable and incredibly deserving of this recognition.An entrepreneur While she’s known for her signature phrase ‘Be kind to yourself,’ her kindness knowledge and dedication to the city of Chicago is infectious,” chamber president Dan Butterworth said Karen Wise appointed to Portage Park DistrictRavenna Record-CourierPortage County Probate Court Judge Patricia Smith has appointed Karen Wise to the Portage Park District Board of Directors The appointment completes the five-member governing board Wise is a lifelong resident of Portage County grew up in Randolph and has lived in Ravenna for the past three decades She recently retired from a 30-year career as a wetlands scientist project manager and environmental consulting business leader most recently as vice president of Davey Resource Group a subsidiary of the Davey Tree Expert Company Wise has dedicated many hours to community service efforts serving on the boards of Keep Ohio Beautiful PARTA and the Ravenna Shade Tree Commission along with volunteering for the American Red Cross Western Reserve Land Conservancy and the Portage Park District Foundation’s Annual Environmental Conservation Awards Event "With my background in science and conservation and being a lifetime resident of Portage County I want to support the momentum and positive results the Park District is achieving right now," Wise said "We are headed in a great direction with a super team and good resources As a park board commissioner I want to provide continued support in the areas of new land acquisition advocate for building out infrastructure and programming in our newer parks and be ready to approve upgrades and updates to some of our older legacy parks.” No charges have been announced after a 35-year-old woman was fatally shot early Thursday in Portage Park on the Northwest Side the 35-year-old woman was in the 5800 block of West Newport Avenue when she was shot in the chest The unidentified woman was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where she died Area 5 were speaking with a person of interest Police are looking for the driver of a black SUV that hit a pedestrian and fled the scene Wednesday night in Portage Park The 56-year-old woman was on a crosswalk about 7:50 p.m in the 5900 block of West Irving Park Road when the driver of a black sport utility vehicle hit her and continued driving west on Irving Park The woman was taken to Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge where she was listed in critical condition A 346-unit apartment complex and a car wash were among the Portage Park area development projects approved at the Sept 17 meeting of the City Council Zoning Committee The committee had delayed the redevelopment proposal for the Peoples Gas site at 3955 N on six occasions due to reported labor agreement issues but at today’s meeting it was approved with little fanfare Alderman James Gardiner (45th) had urged developer GW Properties to sign a project labor agreement and this summer the developer and the Chicago and Cook County Building and Construction Trades Council along with representatives of 21 unions signed the agreement and Gardiner issued a letter of support for the project “This has been a work in progress,” committee chair Alderman Bennet Lawson (44th) said at the end of the hearing A union representative testified that the labor agreement grants “significant robust worker protections” and means that union members would be used for the project’s construction He added that projects with a PLA are “20 percent” more likely to be completed on time and that other nearby projects including the 10-story Clarendale senior living building at 4715 W GW co-founder Mitch Goltz said that he signed a similar agreement before the July 16 committee meeting representatives of the Portage Park Chamber of Commerce and the Old Irving Park Association testified in favor of the development Chamber executive director Michael Giordano said that the project is “one of the final pieces in the redevelopment of Six Corners (once) known as the Downtown of the Northwest Side,” and that project’s 346 apartments would help bring customers to existing businesses Association board member Adrienne Chan said that her organization worked with GW for several years on formulating the current proposal “We’re excited about the existing plan,” Chan said The proposal calls for several one-story commercial buildings along Irving Park It will include 69 affordable (reduced rent) housing units 205 spaces for residential tenants and 27 spaces for visitors to the apartments Construction could start in the middle of 2025 the committee approved rezoning a former car dealership lot at 5553-57 W Irving Park Road from B1-1 to C2-1 to allow for an automatic car wash Environmental remediation will be required before construction can start Several years ago a Starbucks Coffee was planned for the site The parcel is located across from Portage Park her zoning advisory board and the Portage Park Chamber have supported the car wash proposal The committee also approved rezoning a property at 3520-22 N Pulaski Road in the 30th Ward from B3-1 to B2-3 to allow for the construction of a three-story structure with eight residential units and six on-site parking spaces The existing commercial building on the site would be demolished The committee also okayed a proposal in the 38th Ward to rezone from B3-1 to B2-2 a property at 6014-16 W in order to legalize a ground-floor residential unit in the existing two-unit the committee approved a proposal to rezone a parcel at 3316-18 W from B3-1 to B2-3 to permit the construction of a four-story building with 25 units and 17 parking spaces The full council is expected to vote on these matters at its Sept