Local News
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It took a near perfect game — and a close play at the plate — to eliminate St. Laurence from its historic season. St. Laurence pitcher Sarah Klonowski and St. Ignatius hurler Ellie Giles were throwing zeroes through five innings in the Class 3A Rosemont Supersectional at the Parkway Bank…
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Taking sides in mayoral race
. Clearing, Garfield Ridge endorsements start to emerge By Tim Hadac While neither Paul Vallas nor Brandon Johnson has campaigned to any significant degree in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, their supporters—including several here in the neighborhood–are starting to go public. The latest endorsement to be snagged occurred last Friday, when U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García…
Lots coming up at library
. By Patti Tyznik Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • [email protected] The last time I was quick to announce that spring had sprung, I was met with snow and high winds! I’m cautiously optimistic that by the time this goes to print, we’ll be enjoying sunnier days and anxiously awaiting for the…
College Notebook | Marist grad Alex Knight slaying buckets for Lake Forest
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Lake Forest College’s Alex Knight has been named to the All-Midwest Conference First Team in men’s basketball for the 2022-23 season. Knight, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard who prepped at Marist, was the league’s leading scorer this season, averaging 18.1 points per conference game. He finished third in the MWC in field…
Pro Sports Report | SeatGeek to host Major League Rugby championship; Hounds sniff out first win
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer SeatGeek Stadium, host of the expansion Chicago Hounds, will host this season’s Major League Rugby championship game. The game is scheduled to be played July 8 in Bridgeview. It will air nationally on FOX. “Moving the championship match to a predetermined venue has long been a goal of Major League…
Area Sports Roundup | Nazareth grads Martinucci, Evans have unfinished business at NJCAA National Tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Martinucci family carries a lot of weight in the Berwyn-Cicero area. Tony Martinucci has coached boys basketball at Morton High School for 24 years, racking up five regional titles and a trio of conference crowns during his tenure. His daughter, Jovanna, is hoping to do something even more spectacular:…
‘He’s our brother’
. Clearing, Garfield Ridge mourn Officer Vásquez Lasso By Tim Hadac Chicago Police Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso didn’t live in Clearing or Garfield Ridge—he lived east of the airport, in West Lawn—but he and his family were essentially adopted by as many as 700 men, women and children here earlier this month. “Even though…
He died protecting others
. . By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • [email protected] Like most in Clearing and Garfield Ridge, I was stunned and saddened by news of the death of Officer Andrés Mauricio Vásquez Lasso. Perhaps it’s because I have relatives who are CPD. Perhaps it’s because as a wife, I empathize…
Hale students fight hunger with food drive
By Dermot Connolly Students at Hale Elementary School in Clearing collected thousands of items in a food drive that became a community event when the United Business Association of Midway coordinated the delivery of the goods to local food pantries. Seventh and eighth graders in the student leadership team organized the food drive for the…
Illinois News
Indoor vaping, cat declawing could be banned under recently passed bills
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed 68 bills this week while the House had advanced 284 as of Friday morning with hundreds more to go before their adjournment for the week. It was the first in a two-week stretch of legislative deadlines for bills to…
Lawmakers approve kindergarten reform, plan to address childhood literacy
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Lawmakers are looking at several ways to improve learning outcomes and access for young students in Illinois. On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives approved a proposal that would require school boards in Illinois to provide full-day kindergarten starting with the 2027-2028 school year. The…
Former Madigan political director details push by speaker’s office for key ComEd bill
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – As was the case with many big legislative efforts in Springfield, former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s staff was deeply involved in negotiations over what would become the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2015 and 2016. FEJA had many backers in environmental circles and organized labor…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
Advocates push for tax credit aimed at increasing affordable housing
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers are considering bills that would create a new tax credit for affordable housing, referred to as the “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit.” The legislation, contained in the identical House Bill 2044 and Senate Bill 1737, would mirror a federal program administered by the Illinois Housing…
Utility’s indicted CEO considered Madigan when hiring, witness says
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – In April 2017, a top staffer in then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office was looking to leave his job after a combined nearly 18 years working for the speaker’s office and as his political director. Will Cousineau applied for a high-level job with electric utility Commonwealth…
House passes bill prohibiting book bans
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit libraries from banning books or other material because of partisan or doctrinal pressure, prompting strong opposition from Republicans who called it an assault on local control. House Bill 2789 is an initiative of Democratic Secretary of…
ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Being the longtime friend of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan granted Mike McClain certain privileges not afforded to other lobbyists in Springfield, jurors heard Tuesday in a federal corruption trial that, in part, centers around the relationship between the two. McClain “had pretty free access”…