Latest news with #Hemmens
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- The Citizen
Metro urged to ditch outdated security solutions as cable theft cripples Fountains area
East residents and civic organisations are raising concerns over the metro's plans to allocate over R230-million in security guard contracts to protect assets. According to AfriForum, this is an outdated method that will drain public funds without effectively protecting assets. Ward 56 councillor Shaun Wilkinson, whose ward has been battling persistent power outages caused by cable theft, said the time has come for the metro to embrace smarter, more cost-effective solutions. He added that his residents are constantly affected by infrastructure vandalism and theft, yet the metro remains committed to deploying guards. 'Metro guards are often under-equipped and unable to stop organised criminal syndicates,' Wilkinson said. 'We need to move beyond symbolic security measures and embrace systems that provide real-time monitoring and faster responses.' Wilkinson said vandalism near the Unisa and Tuks perimeters has a ripple effect, disrupting water and electricity supply, research activities and even the academic reputation of institutions in Pretoria. He added that current guards, especially those deployed at tourist attractions and power stations, are ill-prepared for the scale of organised theft. 'Even if patrollers are stationed, they are not backed by high-visibility surveillance or rapid response teams. That makes them a deterrent in name only.' Groenkloof residents are currently contributing money out of their own pockets to buy and install cameras in the area. This comes after the area has faced back-to-back power outages due to cable theft. Resident Francois Geringer said it would be great if they could get the metro's help. 'The stolen cables cost more than installing cameras to safeguard the cables.' AfriForum has launched its own initiatives to protect vulnerable sites and argues that the metro's reliance on traditional guarding contracts is fiscally irresponsible and ineffective in curbing theft. The organisation's Greater Pretoria North district co-ordinator, Llewellynn Hemmens, said modern technology could achieve far more at a fraction of the cost. Hemmens said their organisation obtained quotations to secure three substations for under R100 000 using camera systems and smart monitoring tools. 'We are already installing cameras at the first substation as part of a community project, but despite letters and discussions, the metro has shown little co-operation.' According to Hemmens, AfriForum has offered assistance free of charge or at minimal cost, but their proposals were met with silence while the city pursued 'inflated' guarding contracts. 'This is a clear sign of poor management and a lack of political will,' he said. 'Taxpayers are footing the bill, but the infrastructure remains exposed.' AfriForum has urged the city to halt new guarding contracts, audit current infrastructure vulnerabilities, and collaborate with civil society on scalable, cost-efficient security solutions. 'The tools exist to turn this around, but the metro needs to act decisively and responsibly,' Hemmens said. The metro was approached for comment, but had not responded in time for printing. ALSO READ: Planned march today in Mamelodi Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Chicago Tribune
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Simpsons' voice actor Hank Azaria bringing Springsteen show to Elgin's Hemmens Center
Emmy Award-winning actor Hank Azaria, who voices Police Chief Wiggum, barkeep Mo Szylak and snobby nerd Comic Book Guy on 'The Simpsons,' is bringing his tribute to Bruce Springsteen to Elgin. 'Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band — A Springsteen Celebration' will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at The Hemmens Cultural Center. Tickets go on sale online this week. 'We're really excited about Hank coming to Elgin,' said Tony Lentino, cultural arts and special events programming manager for the Hemmens. 'The show should appeal to a large breadth of people who know him from his large body of work and to Springsteen fans. He has Springsteen's voice and mannerisms down pat.' In addition to his work on 'The Simpsons,' Azaria has appeared in numerous movies and television shows. Those include starring in the TV comedy 'Brockmire' and guest starring on 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,' 'Ray Donovan,' 'Friends' and 'Mad About You.' Movie credits include roles or voicework in 'The Birdcage,' 'Godzilla,' 'The Smurfs,' 'Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian' and 'Along Came Polly.' A big Springsteen fan, Azaria first put together a band to cover some Springsteen songs with him at his 60th birthday party. He became 'obsessed with singing as exactly like Bruce as he could. He practiced every day for about six months,' according to a news release about the act. 'I've never worked harder preparing for any role than I did in perfecting a singing vocal impression of Bruce,' Azaria said in the release. 'I think of it as a theatrical performance. I'm staying in character as Bruce even though I'm telling stories about myself. It's a performance piece, but I'm not a Bruce impersonator.' The band's first public performance was a sold out show on Aug. 1, 2024, at Le Poisson Rouge, a 700-seat venue in Lower Manhattan. The performance features Azaria channeling many familiar components of a Springsteen concert. However, while Springsteen is known for putting on marathon shows that can last three or four hours, Lentino said he was fairly sure Azaria's concert will be shorter. Lentino said as of Tuesday, the Elgin show was the only one booked in the Chicago area. Lentino said he and his staff had been eyeing Azaria's act for a while and initially though it might be better suited for one of the city's outdoor festivals. After watching online videos of his performances, however, led them to believe the show would be better suited to the 1,200-seat indoor venue, he said. Net proceeds from the show will benefit The Four Through Nine Foundation, which was founded by Azaria and is committed to social justice, education and recovery causes. 'I can't think of a better way to spend my time and use my passion for voices than playing these songs for a crowd that loves them and to lovingly pay tribute to Bruce, while raising money for folks who need it,' Azaria said in the release. For tickets and more information, go to
Chicago Tribune
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin's Hemmens planning full entertainment season with something for everyone, events planner says
Nine shows have been scheduled so far at The Hemmens Cultural Center as the 56-year-old Elgin venue moves into its full first season following the completion of its $14.4 million expansion and renovation. 'We're excited to be offering these shows, giving people another entertainment option for their weekends,' said Tony Lentino, cultural arts and special events programming manager for the city-owned center. Tickets for shows already booked will go on sale July 8, and Lentino said he's working on at least one more act to be added to the lineup. All of the events will be listed on the Hemmens' website, he said, and they're preparing a brochure to advertise the upcoming schedule. Lentino said his goal was to get a good mix of entertainment that will appeal to a wide variety of people, including shows that are familiar and family friendly. 'I try to put together a diverse list of potential acts that tick all of those boxes, and I bring that to our Hemmens team to discuss what they think would be within our technical capabilities and what we think would do well here while supporting our community,' he said. 'Tickets will range from $15 to $59, depending on the show, but we are always open to sponsors that want to help us lower ticket prices.' The Hemmens also will be offering discounts to those who purchase tickets to three shows in the season, and there will be group, child, senior and military discounts for most events. Lentino was hired by the city in July 2024, and put together a shortened season of shows that ran between March and May of this year. One of the challenges is the Chicago-area has a lot of theaters all competing to book performers coming through the area, Lentino said. 'The Chicago area has a lot of amazing venues,' he said. 'Acts can't play at all of them every year so we have to get creative and look at a lot of artists. This also means we need to stay on top of who is touring at the other venues in the area. In the end, it just means we're putting in the work to create a unique experience for our patrons.' Having a good staff is helping to rebuild The Hemmens' brand after its hiatus of not booking touring shows for many years, he said. 'Every artist I've worked with since I came here has told us how easy our staff makes putting on a show here,' he said. 'It's inspiring to watch everyone work together to execute a vision.' Here is upcoming Hemmens lineup as it currently stands: 'Juana and the Missing Mayan Book,' 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19: Puppeteer Chio Cabrera and her cast will present the story of Juana, a 9-year-old girl who journeys through Mexico to save the few remaining remnants of ancient Mayan society. Classic Albums Live: 'Rumours,' 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4: Led by Craig Martin, the tribute band will perform Fleetwood Mac's 1977 classic rock album, 'Rumours,' in its entirety. The Silhouettes: 'Love Happens,' 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17: This shadow dancing troupe has appeared on 'America's Got Talent' and is a resident act at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas. The Lovettes, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1: A Chicago-based trio pays tribute to the girl groups of the 1940s, '50s and '60s. Comedy Dance Chicago, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 24: The show combines sketch and physical comedy with music, dance and word play. Step Afrika! 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 27: This dance troupe blends traditional African styles with those from Black fraternities and sororities and contemporary forms in a show that also features storytelling, humor and audience participation. Style Thief Fashion, 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 24: Instagram influencer Erin Stroll shares stories and fashion tips during an interactive evening. The Greatest Piano Men, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 16: Four musicians pay tribute in song, stories and multimedia to piano legends that include Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Liberace and Billy Joel. Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, 4 p.m. Sunday, May 24: This act is a Grammy-winning, all-woman mariachi band led by trumpet player Cindy Shea.
The Citizen
16-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
Deep potholes fixed in Constantia Park and Wingate Park
Frustrated Constantia Park residents can breathe a sigh of relief after AfriForum repaired several dangerous potholes in the area that had gone unattended by the Tshwane metro for months. Resident Lizette Retief stated that the potholes began forming as early as December, growing larger over time and creating a hazard for drivers and public transportation. 'They came and fixed all the potholes in our area after we reported them for months with no response from the metro,' she said. 'We've got a bus service that goes through our area, and the holes got so big that buses had to swerve into oncoming traffic to avoid them.' Retief said some potholes were so deep they caused vehicle bumpers to scrape the ground when driven over. She added that there were especially bad ones near Castle Walk where they had to choose which pothole to hit because they couldn't avoid them all. 'Now they've been fixed by AfriForum, and it's much better.' The repairs have been welcomed by residents who say the smooth roads have brought immediate relief. 'I don't know who arranged it, but I was really impressed with AfriForum,' said Retief. According to AfriForum's district co-ordinator for Pretoria North, Llewellynn Hemmens, the repairs began on June 11. 'This project was driven by outreach from residents,' said Hemmens. 'We received at least 13 complaint reference numbers submitted to the metro without any feedback.' While AfriForum usually works under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the metro, Hemmens said this specific project was initiated independently due to the urgency. So far, the team has used about 650kg of tar (26 bags) at Wingate Park and expects to use another 26 bags to complete the job. 'We are still busy in that area and will probably use another 26 bags. 'The final number of potholes filled will be confirmed once the work is done.' Hemmens confirmed the potholes posed a major safety risk. 'Some were extremely deep and could cause serious damage to vehicles or even accidents.' At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here
Chicago Tribune
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Play about Gabby Giffords shooting to be staged at ECC; ‘512: The Selena Experience' to be presented at the Hemmens
Play about Gabby Giffords shooting to be staged at ECC Elgin Community College Theatre's production of 'That Day in Tucson,' a drama about the mass shooting that critically injured U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, will be staged this weekend and next at the SecondSpace Theatre at the ECC Arts Center. Written by Guillermo Reyes, the play tells the story of Daniel Hernandez Jr., the intern who helped save the Giffornd's life during a 2011 shooting in a grocery store parking lot in Tucson, according to a news release. The shooter killed six people that morning and severely injured 13 others, including Giffords. 'The play addresses a serious and painful event, and it brings the issue of gun violence to the forefront, something that remains deeply relevant today,' production director Susan Robinson said in the release. 'But it's also a story about hope, family, perseverance and what we can accomplish when we work together for a better world.' Performances are scheduled for at 7:30 p.m. April 25-26 and May 2-3 and 3 p.m. April 27 and May 3. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and free for ECC students. An American Sign Language interpreter will be at the May 3 show. For more information and tickets, go to 'Glass on the Cutting Edge' presentation at the Elgin library Author Don Quant will speak about 'Glass on the Cutting Edge' and the history of the cut glass industry at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Quant's program will put a special focus on Edward J. Koch, who started making cut glass in Chicago in 1899 and moved his factory to Elgin in 1911, according to the library's website. How Koch made his glass, where it was sold and how the people who operated the Elgin factory worked and lived will be discussed. There also will be examples of Koch cut glass. Quant's book on cut glass will be available for sale, the site post said. '512: The Selena Experience' will be presented Friday night at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. (512: The Selena Experience) '512: The Selena Experience' to be presented at the Hemmens '512: The Selena Experience,' a tribute to singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 25, at The Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin. The production has been has performed at venues across the United States, at a Chicago Bulls game and for U.S. Marine Corps members serving in Okinawa, Japan, according to the Hemmens website. The band will perform Selena's hits including 'Como La Flor,' 'Amor Prohibido,', 'Si Una Vez' and 'Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.' Tickets range from $35 to $54. They are available at the Hemmens box office, by phone at 847-931-5900 or online at Gifford Park Association holding neighborhood cleanup Saturday The Gifford Park Association is holding a neighborhood cleanup starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26, in the parking lot at St. Mary's Catholic School, 103 S. Gifford St., Elgin. Open to all volunteers, the city of Elgin will provide trash grabbers, trash bags and buckets, according to the association's website. Participants need to bring their own gloves. Organizers will divide up the neighborhood, allowing volunteers to work at their own pace. Refreshments will be served. Everyone who participates can enter a raffle for a magnolia tree. For more information, go to or email info@ PADS of Elgin holding Home Run 5K walk/run Saturday PADS of Elgin will hold its second annual Home Run 5K walk and run Saturday, April 26, starting in the parking lot of the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. Packet are to be picked up from 7 to 8 a.m. with walk/run starting at 8:30 a.m., organizers said. The race route is through Elgin's northeast side. Proceeds will assist PADS in its mission of assisting people and families who are in need of housing by offering shelter, services and professional guidance, according to the event's website. The entry fee is $50 for anyone over the age of 12 and $25 for those 12 and younger. For more information, go to
