Local News
COUNTRYSIDE Man arrested for waving gun at bar A Chicago man was arrested October 27 for allegedly threatening people with a gun at Time Out Sports Bar, 6025 S. LaGrange Road. Jose J. Mendoza, 45, of Chicago, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Aggravated assault, battery and disorderly conduct. Police…
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By Steve Metsch The proposed business development at the corner of 55th Street and East Avenue in Countryside is not progressing quickly. It’s not unusual when it comes to developments. Because of that, the owner requested a six-month extension for approval of the final plans. Also, not unusual. The Countryside City Council approved the extension…
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By Steve Metsch Moments before teeing off with three friends, Maria Garino, of Willowbrook, said she wasn’t surprised Flagg Creek Golf Course posted its best year ever in terms of revenue. “They have the best employees around. They have no ego. They come here, they do the job they’re asked to do and are perfectly…
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By Steve Metsch Countryside Park is getting environmentally friendly parking lots. The city council at its Sept. 28 meeting unanimously approved replaced paved lots at the south and north ends of the park with permeable pavers. The pavers are considered friendly to the environment because they allow rainwater to pass through rather than collect in…
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Weekend-long lane closures, including a detour of the ramp carrying the southbound Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to westbound 95th Street, are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Friday, October 21, for work to shift traffic on southbound I-294 between 87th Street/Roberts Road and 95th Street. Once the new traffic pattern is in place, southbound I-294 traffic will be in a counterflow…
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By Steve Metsch Youth baseball players in Countryside will have an improved ball field to play on in City Park next year. The city council at its Sept. 14 meeting unanimously approved paying Sportfields Inc., of Alsip, $29,800 to do the renovation work. Ald. Mark Benson (3rd) told the council the work “is long overdue…
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By Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has warmly welcomed 50 refugees from Venezuela who are seeking asylum in the United States, officials said at the latest city council meeting. “These are individuals going through the process,” Mayor Sean McDermott said. “They are legally in the United States and they are seeking asylum, which a…
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By Carol McGowan After lengthy delays, some lasting years, some property owners in Lyons Township are finally getting help from the Cook County Assessor’s Office in fixing faulty property tax bills. Property owners that the Desplaines Valley News had been in touch with were just looking for fairness in what they were supposed to be…
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By Bob Bong Local police will all be hanging out at coffee shops across the south and southwest suburbs on Friday to raise money for the Illinois Special Olympics. The event, which is again being called Cop on a Rooftop after it was rebranded last year as Coffee for Champions, will take place at more…
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Beginning Monday, night, a traffic shift is scheduled on the northbound Central Tri-State Tollway between the 83rd Street Toll Plaza and the Mile Long Bridge, including removal of the current counterflow configuration. Four lanes will remain open. Overnight August 15, on northbound I-294 between the 83rd Street Toll Plaza and the Mile Long Bridge overnight lane closures will be scheduled, with traffic reduced to a single lane…
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Police Reports for November 17
COUNTRYSIDE Man arrested for waving gun at bar A Chicago man was arrested October 27 for allegedly threatening people with a gun at Time Out Sports Bar, 6025 S. LaGrange Road. Jose J. Mendoza, 45, of Chicago, was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Aggravated assault, battery and disorderly conduct. Police…
Cook County Second Installment property tax bills are now online
Cook County’s Second Installment property tax bills have been posted at cookcountytreasurer.com, where bills can be viewed, downloaded and paid with no added surcharge. “My office has finally received the figures to print 1.8 million property tax bills,” said Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. “We have posted the bills online to accommodate homeowners impacted by…
Comings & Goings: Perfumania now open at Orland Square Mall
By Bob Bong Florida-based Perfumania has opened its second south suburban store at Orland Square Mall in Orland Park. The store opened in late September, held its grand opening last month, and was the fifth Perfumania store in Illinois. Other stores are in Chicago Ridge, North Riverside, Aurora, and Norridge. The chain was founded in…
Forest View honors those who served
By Carol McGowan The Village of Forest View welcomed veterans, their families, and the community for their annual Veterans Day ceremony to honor all who served. The annual ceremony took place on Veterans Day at 11 a.m. in front of village hall. Mayor Nancy Miller welcomed everyone and thanked the veterans that were there saying…
Lieb School honors veterans
George W. Lieb Elementary School in Bridgeview welcomed 10 area veterans who attended the Veterans Day Assembly on November 11. All of the veterans who attended were connected to either staff or students. The students sang songs and gave gifts of thanks for their service to the veterans. Supplied photos
SD230 post-pandemic scores buck national trend
By Jeff Vorva The pandemic may have helped to lower test scores in math and language areas throughout the nation, but Consolidated High School District 230 scores remained level. Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Katie McMillan reported to the board on Oct. 27 that a national report card had the district scores close to 2019…
Girl Scouts learn history lessons about Evergreen Park
By Joe Boyle Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke offered some local history to a group of girls who visited the council chambers. Girl Scout Troop 65101 attended the Evergreen Park Village Board meeting on Nov. 7 with Burke greeting members of the troop before the session began. The mayor invited the girls to sit at…
Illinois News
Curran eyes ‘balance’ as he prepares to lead Illinois Senate’s GOP minority
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Senate Minority Leader-elect John Curran will take over a caucus that’s more than doubled in size by the majority-party Democrats. His goal: “Bring balance to state government.” “Because we’re going to produce better results with that balance for working families throughout all Illinois communities,” Curran said…
CAPITOL RECAP: Statehouse Republicans choose new leadership
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Republicans chose new leadership for their caucuses in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday night, Nov. 15, while the two Democratic leaders have each announced they have the votes to maintain their positions. House Republicans elected Tony McCombie of Savanna and Senate Republicans chose John Curran of Downers Grove.…
With three session days left, SAFE-T Act changes could be forthcoming, ‘technical’ in nature
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Changes may yet come to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform before its Jan. 1 effective date, but some of its major proponents in the General Assembly said the results of the Nov. 8 general election have signified that the ship has sailed drastic amendments to…
McCombie to take reins of House GOP caucus
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Tony McCombie said Wednesday that her top priority when she becomes the next House minority leader will be to rebuild the GOP caucus following last week’s elections that were, for Republicans, a disappointment. “The top priority is to bring balance to the Republican Party,”…
GOP chooses new leadership in General Assembly as Dems retain control
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Republicans chose new leadership for their caucuses in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday night, while the two Democratic leaders have each announced they have the votes to maintain their positions. House Republicans elected Tony McCombie of Savanna and Senate Republicans chose John Curran of Downers…
Right to unionize amendment projected to pass
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois voters have approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing workers the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining. Estimates compiled by multiple media outlets projected Tuesday that the ballot measure had support on an estimated 53 percent of the total ballots cast in the election,…
Theis, sworn in as chief justice, says partisanship has no role on state Supreme Court
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Mary Jane Theis was sworn in as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court on Monday in a public ceremony, becoming the fourth woman to hold the gavel since the court was created in 1818. By next month, the Democrat will find herself presiding over a…
CAPITOL RECAP: Democrats maintain control in Illinois
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – As votes continued to be tallied this week, returns showed Illinois Democrats would hold every statewide elected office and maintain supermajorities in the General Assembly while extending their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court. After a fiery election night speech in which Gov. JB Pritzker excoriated the Republican Party…
Report Finds “code of silence” at mental health facility where staff abused and neglected patients
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois & MOLLY PARKER Lee Enterprises Midwest This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Lee Enterprises, along with Capitol News Illinois. Several employees at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center attempted to cover up a brutal assault on a patient, according to a new report…
Illinois Democrats maintain control of all levers of state government
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – As votes continued to be tallied Wednesday, returns showed Illinois Democrats would hold every statewide elected office and maintain supermajorities in the General Assembly while extending their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court. After a fiery election night speech in which Gov. JB Pritzker excoriated the…
