Local News
By Steve Metsch The race for Republican Committeeperson in Lyons Township is between the current office holder and a mayor eager to replace her. Incumbent Katie Justak, who is in her first election, was appointed to the position in December by Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison(17th), chairman of the Cook County Republican party. Her challenger…
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From staff reports Lyons Mayor Chris Getty and McCook Mayor Terry Carr have organized the planting of 172 trees along 47th Street, which is the border of the two towns. After successfully lobbying the State of Illinois to renovate a two-mile section of 47th Street from Harlem Avenue to Custer Avenue through their villages in 2021,…
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By Steve Metsch The Lyons Village Board has unanimously approved paying Triggi Construction no more than $206,455 for an alley paving project on the east side of town. Mayor Christopher Getty said it’s for an alley the village had hoped to pave last year. “One of the alleys we were working to pave in 2021,…
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By Jeff Vorva Oak Lawn and Stagg took seconds in the first. The inaugural Illinois High School Association eSports State Tournament took place Saturday at Bloomington High School and area gamers had a chance to play in the historic event. Oak Lawn and Stagg both had second-place finishers in the tournament and Stagg added a…
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By Steve Metsch Ryan Horne loves working with numbers and helping people. So, it’s no surprise he considers his new job the perfect fit. Horne, 52, of Glenview, started work as Lyons’ new finance director on April 18. The next day found him attending meetings of the village board and its finance committee. Horne formerly…
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By Steve Metsch Having grown up in Lyons, Plainfield resident Jennifer Radosevich Mallen knew where to visit for a good Easter egg hunt. “My parents still live here,” she said. “My grandpa was the mayor of this town for years, William G. Smith. That’s why we always come back to this one because of what…
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By Bob Bong The older of two brothers who admitted they buried their mother and sister in the back yard of their home in Lyons was charged Thursday with concealing a death. Michael Lelko, 47, was charged with two counts of concealment of a death, which is a felony. Police said it was the first…
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By Steve Millar Correspondent After winning the opening set and taking a big lead in the second one, it seemed like Reavis was set to cruise to a victory over previously unbeaten Nazareth. When the Roadrunners stormed back to force a third set, though, the Rams had to bear down. “We just had to forget…
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By Steve Metsch Carol Baker is out as assistant superintendent of Lyons School District 103. Baker is still the principal of Washington Middle School and has a year left on her contract, Supt. Kris Rivera said. According to sources, however, Baker could also be out as principal of Washington. The School District 103 board of…
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By Steve Metsch If all goes as planned, in early 2023 you will be able to visit the brand-new Buddy Bear Car Wash on Ogden Avenue in Lyons. The village board on March 15 voted 6-0 in favor of a unanimous zoning board of appeals recommendation that a special-use permit be approved for the car…
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CAMPAIGN 2022: Carr, Justak square off to be GOP leader in Lyons Township
By Steve Metsch The race for Republican Committeeperson in Lyons Township is between the current office holder and a mayor eager to replace her. Incumbent Katie Justak, who is in her first election, was appointed to the position in December by Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison(17th), chairman of the Cook County Republican party. Her challenger…
Orland Park Library announces 5 free concerts for the summer
From staff reports Orland Park Public Library announced this week that five free concerts will be performed for residents at the library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave. Three concerts are for families and two are intended for an adult audience. “The library has a long tradition of offering concerts during the summer on the weekends,” said…
Feds indict Summit police chief, building inspector
Indictment says they shared a bribe over liquor license for the Mars Bar A federal grand jury this week indicted Summit Police Chief John Kosmowski and building inspector Bill Mundy with sharing a bribe from a business owner in 2017 to facilitate the transfer of a liquor license for the Mars Bar. The indictment returned…
Orland Park to add 7 names during Memorial Day ceremony
The Orland Park community is invited to join the village this Memorial Day in remembrance of those who have given their lives for our country. The ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 30, at the village’s memorial, Ara Pace – Place of Peace, located outside of Village Hall at 14700 S.…
Girls Soccer: De La Salle tops Bremen for program’s first regional title
By Steve Millar Correspondent De La Salle coach Carlos Nunez has seen his teams come up a bit short in the postseason repeatedly over the years. The Meteors had never won a regional championship in girls soccer. Until this year, that is. “I’ve been in every single one that we’ve lost in,” Nunez said. “We’ve…
Pro soccer report: Pugh tallies twice return in Red Stars’ win over Orlando
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mallory Pugh gave a sample of what could be a big 2022 season when she scored four goals in the exhibition Challenge Cup series. But the Red Stars scoring threat missed the first two games of the NWSL season with an injury, and the team split decisions against Louisville and…
Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg takes 2nd at Bajenski tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Sandburg baseball team has had more downs than ups this season. But the Eagles finished the regular season on a strong note with a run to second place at the Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament, which wrapped up May 21 at Ozinga Field in Crestwood. To get to the…
Illinois News
Former lawmaker sentenced in bribery scheme
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Former state Rep. Luis Arroyo was sentenced this week to nearly five years in prison for his role in a bribery scheme involving a state senator and one of Arroyo’s private lobbying clients who sought favorable legislation for the sweepstakes gambling industry. Arroyo, 67, is a…
Republican governor candidates on the issues
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Abortion, January 6, Donald Trump, Critical Race Theory and whether Joe Biden is rightfully the president of the United States were the basis of questions asked to a field of six Republican candidates for Illinois governor Tuesday. A pair of debates took place on two stages…
CAPITOL RECAP: Republican candidates debate
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – The six Republican candidates for Illinois governor faced off Tuesday night in Chicago, albeit on two separate debate stages, hours after a shooting at a Texas elementary school that dominated a large portion of the debates. A scheduling conflict between two TV networks – WGN and NBC 5 –…
ANALYSIS: Illinois’ official U.S. census numbers have not changed
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker said Tuesday that he is asking President Joe Biden and the federal government to increase Illinois’ share of federal funding to reflect the results of a recent Census Bureau study showing the state was very likely undercounted in the 2020 census. The news…
GOP debate: Candidates address rising crime, Texas school shooting
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The six Republican candidates for Illinois governor faced off Tuesday night in Chicago, albeit on two separate debate stages, hours after a shooting at a Texas elementary school that dominated a large portion of the debates. A scheduling conflict between two TV networks – WGN and…
GOP Floor Leader Batinick ready to ‘pass the baton’
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Republican Floor Leader Mark Batinick, a self-described “policy guy,” came to Springfield with the goal of pushing good policy. A father of five who resides in Plainfield with his wife, Batinick said after eight years in the General Assembly, it was either time to…
Longtime lawmaker reflects on time in General Assembly, calls it ‘honor of lifetime’
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – House Majority Leader Greg Harris, the number two Democrat in the Illinois House of Representatives, never imagined landing the role of state representative – or that he would leave office feeling that he has been successful at it. The first openly LGTBQ leader in Illinois History,…
11th contempt citation filed against DCFS director
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – On Thursday afternoon, a Cook County judge found Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith in contempt of court for the 11th time for violating court orders to move children to proper placements. The 11-year-old girl at the center of the case has…
Criminal case against senior staff at state-run hospital dismissed
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The official misconduct case against a Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center senior staff member was dismissed on Thursday. Union County State’s Attorney Tyler Tripp dropped the charges, related to a cover-up of abuse at the state-run facility, against Choate’s quality assurance manager Gary Goins. The…
ANALYSIS: Fuel retailers sue over ‘compelled speech’ at the gas pump
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] “As of July 1, 2022, the State of Illinois has suspended the inflation adjustment to the motor fuel tax through December 31, 2022. The price on this pump should reflect the suspension of the tax increase.” Those two sentences may be coming to a gas pump near you…
