Local News
By Jeff Vorva The Wintrust Sports Complex has not even held its grand opening yet in Bedford Park, but it’s already bringing ESPN to town in July. The facility’s general manager, Wade Walsh, said the American Cornhole League will host its Final Chase at the new site and ESPN will be broadcasting the finals on…
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By Carol McGowan For the first time in a long time, the Justice Park District Board of Commissioners has a full complement of five commissioners. Under past regimes, it was common for the five-person board to consist of only three or four commissioners despite state law that requires any vacancies to be filled within 90…
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New ‘smart’ water meters on the way By Carol McGowan The Justice Village Board made two appointments at last week’s meeting and announced new water meters are coming. Jason Horn was appointed electrical inspector, and Edward A. Shilka was appointed framing inspector for the period to end May 15, 2022. Both appointments were unanimous. Clerk…
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By Carol McGowan There’s a new face at the Village Hall in Forest View, as Michael Dropka has recently been named the village administrator. While he may be a new face there, he is no stranger to working in local government, or to the area. “Forest View appealed to me because it’s an area that…
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By Carol McGowan Summit is making this year’s National Night Out bigger than ever. It will take place on Tuesday, August 3, from 5-8 p.m. in the Big Pavilion at Summit Park. The event didn’t take place last year because of the pandemic, but this year village officials are expecting a crowd. In 2019, it…
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Online services are also available for property owners From staff reports The Cook County Assessor’s Office has announced the resumption of in-person visits by the public to its downtown and branch offices, in accordance with Cook County’s reopening plan on Monday, June 14. All in-person visits are by appointment only and will require a mask, physical…
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From staff reports Property owners for the first time can find out what portion of local government debt falls on them, thanks to a new, groundbreaking online tool created by Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. “Most reports identify government debt as an amount per person,” Pappas said. “My latest study takes a more targeted approach…
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By Carol McGowan It was a packed house, in fact, standing room only, May 13 in the Willow Springs Village Hall. Melissa N. Neddermeyer was about to be sworn in as the first ever female village president. Along with her, Trustees Tom Arra, Michael C. Kennedy, and Rick Mika would also take the oath of…
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By Carol McGowan Lyons Village President Christopher Getty was given the oath of office as mayor for the fourth time Tuesday evening, May 18. Three members of the village board and the village clerk were also sworn in after a landslide re-election victory in April. Cook County Circuit Court Judge John T. Gallagher swore in…
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Bedford Park’s Wintrust Sports Complex is a ‘one-stop’ monster
By Jeff Vorva The Wintrust Sports Complex has not even held its grand opening yet in Bedford Park, but it’s already bringing ESPN to town in July. The facility’s general manager, Wade Walsh, said the American Cornhole League will host its Final Chase at the new site and ESPN will be broadcasting the finals on…
Rev. Edward Stockus dies, pastor emeritus at St. Hugh Parish, served Oak Lawn parishes
Rev. Edward S. Stockus, pastor emeritus of St. Hugh Parish in Lyons, passed away Saturday, Oct. 9. He was 90 years old. Fr. Stockus was born on Jan. 21, 1931, in Chicago. He attended St. Rita High School, the University of Illinois, University of Dayton, the Illinois Institute of Technology and Loyola University and pursued…
Argo celebrates Homecoming, names West Gym for Helen Mallis
By Carol McGowan It was a chilly morning last Saturday, but the spirit at Argo Community High School was as warm as ever for its homecoming parade and dedication of West Gym. The parade kicked off from Summit Park at 9 a.m., with over two dozen participants. Marchers reached the school on 63rd street just…
High School Football: Oak Lawn routs Argo to keep playoff hopes alive
By Jason Maholy Sports Editor Through one half, a pivotal Week 8 matchup between Oak Lawn and Argo had the appearance of one that might be tight until the very end. The Spartans had a different idea, opening up a commanding lead by the end of three quarters and putting the game away with a…
Lyons Township Assessor Barb Weyrick to retire after 35 years
By Carol McGowan After decades of public service, Lyons Township Assessor Barbara M. Weyrick will retire at the end of the month. Weyrick has had quite a career and climb since starting as an office manager for the Township of Lyons in 1984. She ran for assessor in 1985 and lost, then came back in…
Pro Soccer Report: Red Stars battling for home playoff match
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars played their final regular-season game at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday night with a 2-1 victory over Kansas City in a National Women’s Soccer League game. Is there a chance they will be back in Bridgeview for a postseason match? Even though the top four teams in the…
Roberts Park Fire Protection District donates blankets to homeless shelter
The Roberts Park Fire Department recently donated more than 200 new individually packaged blankets to the Providence of God homeless shelter in Chicago. Chief Jeff Ketchen and members of the RPFD worked with Isaac Bucio, a Chicago firefighter who volunteers at the shelter.
Illinois News
Illinois Supreme Court strikes down Cook County tax on guns
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that a Cook County tax on gun purchases is unconstitutional, but it left the door open for a more tailored tax that specifically goes toward mitigating gun violence and its effects. The Cook County gun tax, which took effect in…
Public speaks out on proposed congressional maps
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Members of the public got their first chance to speak directly to state lawmakers Wednesday about a proposed set of new congressional district maps, and most of those who did were critical of the plan. Democrats in the General Assembly released a proposed new map Friday…
Heavy workload expected next week as lawmakers cancel Thursday session
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The legislative action was light during the General Assembly’s first week of fall session, and lawmakers in both chambers left town a day early after leadership canceled the Thursday session. That means bigger items, such as a vote on congressional maps and potential changes to the…
Federal court throws out June legislative maps, declines to send issue to bipartisan commission
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A three-judge federal court panel in Chicago ruled Tuesday that the legislative redistricting plan that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law in June – before official 2020 U.S. Census numbers were available – was unconstitutional because the population variances among districts violated the “one-person, one-vote” doctrine.…
State ramping up vaccine booster campaign
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday urged eligible Illinoisans to get a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot and called on skilled nursing facilities to make booster shots available to patients and staff by Thanksgiving. Currently anyone who received the Pfizer vaccine and is over 65 years of age…
State worker vaccine deadline extended to Oct. 26 for first dose
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday that his administration has reached agreement with multiple trade unions requiring certain state workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but it is extending the deadline for workers to get their first shot to Oct. 26 while negotiations continue with the state’s…
Lawmakers returning to Springfield to consider congressional remap, more
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois’ first congressional remap draft is out but changes could be in store as lawmakers return to Springfield Tuesday for the first of their final two weeks of scheduled session in 2022. It’s customary for lawmakers to meet each fall to consider overriding or accepting any…
CAPITOL RECAP: New congressional maps unveiled ahead of veto session
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday, just days before lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the start of their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 19. All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census. The proposed new…
UPDATED: New congressional maps unveiled ahead of fall veto session
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly released a proposed set of new congressional district maps Friday, just days before lawmakers return to the Statehouse for the start of their fall veto session, which begins Oct. 19. All states redraw their congressional districts following each decennial census.…
Tax summaries show Pritzkers made $5 million last year – not including family trusts
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s campaign released summary documents of his 2020 tax returns Friday, which showed the first family reporting $5.14 million in adjusted gross income, all from taxable interest and dividends. The campaign released seven pages summarizing the governor’s and first lady MK Pritzker’s returns, which…
