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Local News

dvn countryside new top cop 2023

Klimek promoted to police chief in Countryside

By Steve Metsch / June 1, 2023 /

By Steve Metsch That didn’t take long. Just two weeks after he was named acting police chief, Paul Klimek was officially named police chief by a unanimous vote of the Countryside City Council on May 24. Klimek, 42, had been with the department since 2004 and replaces Joe Ford, who retired earlier this month after…

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Couple, Countryside at odds over land sale

By Steve Metsch / May 28, 2023 /

By Steve Metsch Albert and Rosemary Dostal want to sell their empty land in Countryside. But they are finding that a difficult task. The couple, which lives in the 9500 block of 56th Street, owns nine wooded acres south of 57th Street and west of La Grange Road. It’s been in the family for 50…

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dvn mccook water leaks 2023

Water study finds 12 leaks in McCook system

By Steve Metsch / May 26, 2023 /

By Steve Metsch A water study that McCook’s village board approved in March is paying dividends just two months later. Mayor Terrance Carr said that a dozen leaks have been found in the city’s water system, which had been losing 5 million gallons each month. “We found 12. We fixed all 12 of them. We…

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A familiar face takes the reins in Indian Head Park

By Steve Metsch / May 18, 2023 / Comments Off on A familiar face takes the reins in Indian Head Park

By Steve Metsch A new chapter in the history of Indian Head Park began at last week’s village board meeting. Amy Jo Wittenberg – who served two terms as a village trustee – was sworn in as the new mayor. Wittenberg, 59, who works in marketing for a printing company, lost re-election as a trustee…

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Baste becomes first Arab American on Bridgeview Village Board

By Steve Metsch / May 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Baste becomes first Arab American on Bridgeview Village Board

By Steve Metsch In the newly decorated board room at the Bridgeview Village Hall, in front a standing room only crowd of family and friends, Kalid Baste became part of history. He was sworn in as the first Arab American to serve as a village trustee in Bridgeview. Baste was given the oath of office…

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New Summit Trustees

New Summit trustees take their seats

By Carol Mcgowan / May 12, 2023 / Comments Off on New Summit trustees take their seats

By Carol McGowan Three new trustees were sworn-in at last week’s Village of Summit board meeting. Lorena Manriquez, Sonia Ponce, and Aurora Rodriguez took the oath of office at the beginning of the meeting, then took their seats in the board room with other village officials. Judge Iris Chavira did the honor of swearing them…

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Stickney mulls creating TIF district

By Carol Mcgowan / May 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Stickney mulls creating TIF district

By Carol McGowan The Village of Stickney is contemplating creating what it is calling the Pershing and Harlem TIF District. Because of a larger than usual meeting crowd expected, the hearing and subsequent village board meeting were moved to the basement of St. Pius Church. Officials explained that a TIF district is a flexible financing…

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dvn countryside job back 5 11

Fired by Countryside for refusing vaccine, woman wants her job back

By Steve Metsch / May 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Fired by Countryside for refusing vaccine, woman wants her job back

By Steve Metsch A woman who lost her job with the Countryside Police Department in November 2021 – because she refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine – now wants it back. After the Countryside City Council meeting of April 26, Julia Torres said she should be rehired because of a recent ruling which has Chicago…

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Mayor looking at chief

Hodgkins hosts inaugural business appreciation breakfast

By Carol Mcgowan / April 27, 2023 / Comments Off on Hodgkins hosts inaugural business appreciation breakfast

By Carol McGowan Nearly 100 business leaders gathered in the Larry Rice Room at Hodgkins Village Hall last week for the inaugural Business Appreciation Breakfast hosted by the village. Mayor Ernest Millsap, a panel of village officials, and department heads spoke April 18 about what their various departments, or areas they represented, had going on.…

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dvn Joe Ford

Countryside Police Chief Joe Ford to retire in May

By Steve Metsch / April 27, 2023 / Comments Off on Countryside Police Chief Joe Ford to retire in May

By Steve Metsch After 10 years as Countryside Police Chief and 40 years in law enforcement, Joe Ford has decided it’s time to retire. Ford, 62, said his last day as chief will be May 13. Mayor Sean McDermott announced Ford’s plan to step down during the April 12 meeting of the city council. “Forty…

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A Lyons Township High School student suffered severe injuries after a May 1 beating near this exit. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

LTHS beating victim remains hospitalized as details emerge

By Steve Metsch The Lyons Township High School student who suffered “major head trauma” in a fight outside the north campus three weeks ago remains hospitalized, a source said last week. The youth – whose name, age, town and year in school have not been released – was attacked by at least three other youths…

Paul Klimek shakes hands with Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott after he was sworn in as police chief during the May 24 city council meeting. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

Klimek promoted to police chief in Countryside

By Steve Metsch That didn’t take long. Just two weeks after he was named acting police chief, Paul Klimek was officially named police chief by a unanimous vote of the Countryside City Council on May 24. Klimek, 42, had been with the department since 2004 and replaces Joe Ford, who retired earlier this month after…

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau scowls while listening to an audio recording of an attacking robocall during the State of the Village address on May 24. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Despite attacks, Pekau says he will run again in 2025

By Jeff Vorva Usually, when mayors get up and give their yearly status reports of their communities, there is a lot of happy-happy-joy-joy talk. Even some of the negatives get glossed over with optimism for change. But when Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau held the 2023 version of the State of the Village address on…

The Palos Heights Beautification Committee hosted an Adopt-A-Pot flower planting day on May 20 in the parking lot of the Palos Heights Swimming Pool, 7607 W. College Drive. (Photos by Denise Hyker)

Adopt-A-Pot program brightens up Palos Heights

By Kelly White The Palos Heights Beautification Committee works hard to do just what its name entails, keep the city beautiful. To provide a spark of greenery and a pop of color outside of local businesses, parks and municipal buildings, the committee hosted an Adopt-A-Pot flower planting day on May 20 in the parking lot…

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau is in favor of building a new school on the Fernway Elementary School property in his town. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Despite concerns from Orland Hills mayor, Orland Park on board with new Fernway School

By Jeff Vorva Village of Orland Park officials are giving thumbs-up to a plan to build a new school on the property of existing Fernway Park Elementary School. Fernway is located at 16600 S. 88th Avenue and is a part of the Kirby School District 140 group of schools, but is the only one in…

reporter ridgefest cancelled 2023

Chicago Ridge cancels RidgeFest over safety concerns

By Dermot Connolly RidgeFest has been canceled this year—and may never be the same again—mainly due to violent disturbances at recent large gatherings in Tinley Park and elsewhere. At the last regular Chicago Ridge Village Board meeting on May 16, trustees were moving full-speed ahead with preparations for RidgeFest 2023, approving contracts for the entertainment…

Marine Staff Sgt. Eduardo Figueroa salutes the fallen as members of American Legion Post 699 look on Monday. (Photos by Steve Metsch)

Fallen veterans remembered at Lyons ceremony

By Steve Metsch An event that happened 78 years ago is often on the mind of Richard Vachata, but especially on Memorial Day. In 1945, his cousin, Joe Horky, made the ultimate sacrifice. Horky, 21, died after a Japanese kamikaze pilot crashed his plane into his battleship in the Pacific, Vachata said. Horky, of Brookfield,…

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Illinois News

Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue

Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue

By JERRY NOWICKI, HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] UPDATE: The budget was filed as a 3,409-page amendment to Senate Bill 250 late Wednesday evening. This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments as of Wednesday night. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed…

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…

State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’

State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to sign the budget bill lawmakers just passed, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking applicants for some of the new money contained in that bill. ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas…

Pritzker touts new budget’s higher education spending

Pritzker touts new budget’s higher education spending

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker began a tour of the state to tout the new state budget that lawmakers passed last week, stopping at two university campuses Wednesday to highlight the spending plan’s increased funding for higher education. “With this new budget, we’re making it possible for nearly…

Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session

Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed cannabis reform bill won’t get further consideration until at least the General Assembly’s fall veto session after stakeholders failed to come to an agreement during the spring session’s final stretch. Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, told Capitol News…

Native American history, ride-share regulation measures clear General Assembly

Native American history, ride-share regulation measures clear General Assembly

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though it became clear this week that the General Assembly’s spring legislative session would go longer than scheduled as lawmakers finalize a budget, several measures cleared the legislature by its original Friday adjournment date. Those include a requirement that schools teach a unit of Native…

Lawmakers approve measure giving utilities control over new downstate transmission lines

Lawmakers approve measure giving utilities control over new downstate transmission lines

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — In the final hours of their spring session last week, lawmakers approved a controversial measure that would give existing power companies in downstate Illinois, notably Ameren Illinois, the first crack at installing new transmission lines. The measure applies to companies that already own or operate electric…

Budget vote brings General Assembly’s 2023 spring session to a close

Budget vote brings General Assembly’s 2023 spring session to a close

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave its approval to a $50.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. The 73-38 party-line vote came around 2:30 a.m.…

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…

Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote

Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House is planning to work until the early hours of Saturday morning to finalize a $50.6 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That announcement came early Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after Gov. JB Pritzker and the…

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