Local News
Today is National Nougat Day. White nougat is made with beaten egg whites and honey. Brown nougat is egg whites, which makes it firmer and sometimes crunchy. Viennese or German nougat contains chocolate and nut praline. Modern candy makers use sucrose and corn syrup aerated with a whipping agent like hydrolyzed soy protein or gelatin…
Read MoreWear red today in honor of St. Joseph and have a Happy St. Joseph’s Day. Pope Francis declared Dec. 8, 2020 to Dec. 8, 2021 as the Year of St. Joseph. It marks the 150th anniversary of Blessed Pope Pius IX’s declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. I baked Irish/Polish soda…
Read MoreBy Ray Hanania April 24, 2020 There have been a couple of times I went out to work at one of my offices because of the coronavirus; but over the past three weeks, I’ve spent most of my time working out of my home. Sounds like a “vacation,” but it’s not. In fact, many media…
Read MoreFrom Staff Reports A vehicle crashed into the Southwest Regional Publishing offices Thursday afternoon, causing substantial damage to the newsroom but resulting in no injuries.Ê Ê Ê Southwest Regional Publishing produces The Regional News and The Reporter, weekly suburban papers that are sister publications to the Southwest News-Herald. The Toyota Highlander SUV plowed in reverse…
Read MoreI am trying to decide what to be for Halloween. Maybe Uncle Fester because of my bald head. Mark your calendars! The TV show Chicago Fire used our Fire Museum of Greater Chicago, 5218 S. Western, in an episode that will air on Nov 7. I am definitely watching. The museum holds a free open…
Read MoreNext week is Fire Prevention Week. Remember to change the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Some people do it when we change our clocks. Just do it. October also is National Pizza Month. Some say that soldiers returning to the U.S. from Italy after World War II brought the concept of pizza…
Read MoreAs he carefully stepped along the gravel shoulder of Archer Avenue on Monday morning near the iconic Willowbrook Ballroom, Greg Sikorsky had a sad look on his face. “It’s a shame,” the Countryside man said. ÒIt’s been an institution for so long, and then to have it burn down.” On Friday, fire swept through the…
Read MoreThe next open house at the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago, 5218 S. Western, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The museum was started to preserve the history of the Chicago Fire Department and its neighboring communities. They will have a few other rigs from their collection out…
Read MoreA deadly house fire that appears to be arsonÑand possibly gang relatedÑhas shaken a number of Garfield Ridge residents, as the normally peaceful neighborhood reacted to the second fatal incident in as many weeks. Two people were killed Saturday morning in the blaze, as a 100-year-old, single-family frame house at 5209 S. Lorel burned quickly.…
Read MoreKindergarten students and teachers from Bridgeview School, 7800 S. Thomas Ave., recently went on a field trip to the Oak Lawn Children’s Museum. The kids took part in a variety of activities, including the youngster above who was a firefighter for a day.
Read MoreLifestyle
Comings & Goings

Summer weather means ice cream
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 And just like that, it’s summer in Chicago! At least for the week of May 9. That means ice cream for our family. We started with black walnut during that hot week. The old-fashioned flavors are the…

Seeking answer to loose dog dilemma
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Happy May 20, dear readers. Today is National Rescue Dog Day. We are to recognize all the benefits of rescuing a dog and allowing it to adopt you into their lovable life. There are certainly a lot of dogs in our neighborhood that need rescuing. Every…

Getting kids off their computers
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 In case you were wondering, the gas company project over here on Francisco is moving along. I must say the contractors seem to be wasting no time and have been as respectful as possible. But alas, it is…

Cubs Charities hits a homer for Gage Park
By Joan Hadac Greater Southwest News-Herald Columnist at Large Greetings, Gage Parkers! I’m pleased to be pinch hitting again, as the search continues for the next columnist for this neighborhood. It’s fun for me to report on Gage Park, the neighborhood where I lived for the first 26 years of my life. There’s always something…

‘You knew this would happen’
Neighbors angry, but not surprised by shooting By Tim Hadac What a number of Southwest Siders living along the Pulaski corridor have been warning about appears to have occurred. A 22-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and buttocks as he stood with a group of people in a parking lot at 7050…

Cubs come through for Gage Park
Leaders of the Gage Park Baseball & Softball Association, along with Chicago Park District officials, are all smiles as they celebrate the coming renovation of their diamonds, courtesy of a grant from Cubs Charities. Details in today’s Gage Park column. –Supplied photo

Health care expansion planned for Brighton Park
Esperanza secures $4.2 million for 47th/California From staff reports Esperanza Health Centers is one of 26 finalists to receive more than $33.5 million in grant funding from the city’s Recovery Plan Community Development grant program. The award of $4.2 million will enable Esperanza to break ground on a long-awaited expansion of its current Brighton Park…

Forgive Ukraine’s debts, Chuy says
Bill passes House, issue heads to Senate From staff reports Legislation designed to bring debt relief to Ukraine—a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th)—was passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives. The measure instructs U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to use their voice and vote to pursue comprehensive relief…

Midway bouncing back
UBAM hears update from airport chief By Dermot Connolly Midway International Airport is bouncing back from the pandemic, and the $333 million Midway Modernization program is nearing completion, Chicago Department of Aviation officials told local business leaders last week. Elizabeth Granados-Perez, managing deputy commissioner of Midway, and Alex Leon, deputy commissioner in charge of design…

Grand reopening Friday for Bedford Park Walmart
Bedford Park residents can get a first look at the newly remodeled Walmart Supercenter at 7050 S. Cicero Ave., on Friday, May 20. The store will celebrate its ReGrand Opening with activities for the community beginning at 9 a.m. Along with a disc jockey who will play hit tunes, community residents are invited to enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks…
Illinois News

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…

CAPITOL RECAP: Survey: Illinois undercounted in 2020 census
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – The Census Bureau released new survey data Thursday, May 19, suggesting the population of Illinois may have been undercounted by nearly 2 percent in the 2020 headcount. That was one of the findings of the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey, or PES, something the bureau does after each decennial census…

Census Bureau: Illinois may have been undercounted in 2020 census
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Census Bureau released new survey data Thursday suggesting the population of Illinois may have been undercounted by nearly 2 percent in the 2020 headcount. That was one of the findings of the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey, or PES, something the bureau does after each decennial…

Illinois rejoins federal Title X family planning program
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois has resumed participation in the federal Title X family planning program after refusing to take part for the past three years in protest over a Trump administration policy regarding abortion services. Gov. JB Pritzker announced this week that the state has been awarded $5.4 million…

Pritzker signs bill requiring serialization of unfinished ‘ghost guns’
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFILED – Owners of firearms that do not have serial numbers – referred to as ghost guns – will have 180 days to take them to a federal firearm dealer to have them serialized or they will risk being charged with a misdemeanor. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the…

What’s in the SAFE-T Act? A look at the 2021 criminal justice reform and how it has evolved
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Amid a campaign season in which every constitutional office and seat in the Illinois General Assembly will be up for vote, rising crime and a landmark criminal justice reform passed in 2021 have become dominant topics for Republicans trying to loosen Democrats’ hold on state government.…

Cost of Statehouse renovation higher than estimated but within state’s budget
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The cost of renovating the north wing of the Illinois Statehouse will be more expensive than officials initially estimated. Only one bid came in for the project, which is about to get underway. CORE Construction Services of Illinois Inc. priced the job at $243.5 million, well…