Columns

  Back when I started my genealogy research in the late 1980s, there was no social media to speak of. Heck, there was barely internet access! So during the formative phase of my research, when I was attending classes and genealogy groups and conferences, there were no presentations on techniques for using social media for genealogy. When it comes to Facebook and its use for genealogy, I am “a completely self-taught idiot,” to borrow a phrase from Monty Python. I never attended any presentations on “Facebook For Genealogy,” so the ideas I have are based purely on my own experience. …

  Two important developments have happened since the November elections. First and foremost for the majority of Fra Noi readers, one of the likely things on President-elect Trump’s to-do list is the block granting of Medicaid. Medicaid is the premier federal and state joint government program that pays for long-term care for seniors in nursing homes along with a host of other societal needs. While one of Trump’s campaign promises was repealing Obamacare, his election coupled with the Republican control of both the House and Senate means that there will almost certainly be a new GOP effort to convert the …

  I can’t believe it! Rock super group Chicago finally made it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! This is epic! For so many years, the fans have clamored for this moment, me among then, and justifiably so. According to Billboard, Chicago was the leading U.S. singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 40 million units in the U.S., with 23 gold, 18 platinum and 8 multi-platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have had five No. 1 albums and 21 top-10 singles. The band is second only to The Beach Boys with …

  It’s been more than eight years since I began writing the Fra Noi Petals from Roseland column, but I haven’t been writing it by myself. Those who came before me such as Mario Avignone also write this column with me. You might well ask, “How do they do that?” The simple answer is through the words they left behind in their writings or in the projects they took part in that have benefited posterity. Unfortunately, I never received any of Mario Avignone’s files, records or copies of his columns, however I did receive copies of St. Anthony’s Broadcast, which …

  Already there is much speculation and rumor as to what changes are going to be forthcoming with the inauguration of the new president and with changes taking place in both the U.S. House of Representatives in Senate. One of the rumors being discussed is the possibility of changes to Medicaid, which is the main governmental program that provides long-term care for seniors who are nursing home. Remember, of the population in America that currently lives in a nursing home, 66 percent are funded by the Medicaid program. There is no other general entitlement program to fund long-term care. Spending …

  As the new year dawns, you may be considering purchasing your first home or even investing in a second property. If so, the biggest challenge you may face is coming up with the down payment. There are many different loan programs that offer different down payment options. The most common are the FHA loan program, which offers down payments as low as 3.5 percent, and the conventional program which many times requires 20 percent down. But don’t be daunted. For some, buying a home will cost less per month than renting, especially with today’s interest rates. And truth be …

    I am glad this is a free site, because if it weren’t, people would presume I am getting a “fee” for promoting their updates all the time! It is the countless volunteer hours that allow them to add millions of new records every month, and they have added one data file of particular importance to Chicagoans. In many columns, I have lamented the fact that the Chicago Archdiocesan cemetery data can only be used at the cemetery computer kiosk. The kiosk has some limitations. For example, there is no space bar, apostrophe, or dash on the screen keyboard, …

  Mortgage rates jumped by more than half a percent in the wake of the win by President-Elect Donald Trump. On the night of the election, as it became more and more apparent that Mr. Trump was going to win, the stock futures, an indicator of where the Dow Jones might open the next, was down 800 points, which indicated that rates would also drop. When the market opened the day after the election, the market started out flat and ended the day up over 250 points. This was almost a 1,100 swing relative to the projections. Mortgage and treasury …

When I start talking “octo” let me tell you I’m not talking about “octo-mom!” I’m talking about the wonderful and outstanding octo-genarians of Pullman Free School of Manual Training — more fondly known as Pullman Tech. The Pullman Tech Alumni Association held an All-Class Reunion Luncheon on Oct. 14 at Silver Lake Country Club in Orland Park. I was fortunate enough to be invited to give a short presentation on the current status of Pullman as many of the graduates hadn’t been back to Pullman in many years. Frank Rossi, our well-known South Side entertainer beyond compare, provided the musical …

  It has been said about theatrical reviewing that if the reporter writes about the directing, sets and whatnot, then the dramatic performances were probably not all that great. But I will say that the Chicago Lyric Opera 2016-17 staging of Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” is one of the very best directed and designed productions I have ever seen. At the same time, however, the performance on Tuesday evening, Nov. 1, was sung magnificently, thanks in great part to the Lyric’s wonderful Lucia, soprano Albina Shagimuratova. Solid conducting, choral and instrumental work all combined to make this performance most memorable. …