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

Viking girls are golden
The St. Laurence High School cheerleaders (aka the Golden Girls) won first place in their division at the Spartan Showdown at Marian Catholic High School late last month. Clearing and Garfield Ridge girls played a key role in the team’s success. Those girls (and their grade schools) are: Lauren Weyer (St. Jane de Chantal), Asia…

Warn of burglars in Garfield Ridge
From staff reports A cluster of residential burglaries in Garfield Ridge has prompted police to issue a warning to the community. Crime scenes include: 5200 block of South Normandy on Jan. 1. 5600 block of South Mobile on Jan. 7. 5300 block of South Mason on Jan. 10. 6000 block of West 60th Street on Jan.…

Bust accused shooter in Clearing
By Tim Hadac Chicago Police and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force visited Clearing late last month to apprehend a man wanted in connection with a West Side shooting. Shaheer Muhammad, 24 of the 3800 block of West Grenshaw, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at a home in the 6000 block of South…

College Notebook: Ex-Spartan Sprycha balling with Bearcats
By Mike Walsh Correspondent The fall of 2022 was successful both in the classroom and on the football field for Jordan Sprycha. In the classroom, the Oak Lawn graduate was one of eight McKendree University chosen to the 2022 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team. CSC Academic All-District Award nominees must be a starter or…

Hoops Wrap: Ahmad Henderson’s late-game heroics lift Rice over Marist
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer There is no rule that says Ahmad Henderson needs to sink a game-winning basket at least once a season. If there was such a rule, the Brother Rice senior would follow it to perfection. Henderson worked his closing-seconds magic in one of the area’s hottest rivalries in a 49-48 victory…

Area Sports Roundup: Evergreen Park dancers make history with first sectional crown
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Evergreen Park was the only team from the area to place in the state’s top 12 in competitive dancing last season. The Mustangs, who finished a program-best sixth in the state in Class 1A in 2021, are seeking an even better showing this year. Evergreen Park made history by winning…

LaGrange man charged in Summit phone store robbery
From staff reports A LaGrange man has been charged with the robbery last week of the T-Mobile store at 5640 S. Harlem Ave. in Summit. Michael Lang Anderson, 26, was arrested in LaGrange after he was found hiding under some stairs, police said. Police said he robbed the store on January 10. Community activist Raul…

Major League Rugby coming to SeatGeek Stadium
Chicago Hounds expansion team to play games at Bridgeview facility By Bob Bong A new professional sports team will be playing its matches at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview next month. The Chicago Hounds, an expansion team for Major League Rugby, will be calling Bridgeview home when they begin their inaugural season in February. “We’re honored…

Rev. Parker unveils new Emmett Till book in Summit
By Carol McGowan Nearly 150 people showed up to give support to Summit’s Reverend Wheeler Parker Jr. last week on the day his much-awaited book was released. The book, officially released on January 10, is called “A Few Days Full of Trouble,” and is described as “revelations on the journey to justice for my cousin…

Hoops Wrap: Morton women go wild from long-range in win over McHenry
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer That Morton College’s women’s basketball team drilled 22 3-pointers in a 111-44 victory over McHenry County might seem amazing. What is more amazing is that it was the second time this season the Panthers had that many treys in game. After the win over McHenry in the Skyway Conference battle…
Illinois News

‘Omnibus’ health care bill passed amid criticisms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A law recently signed by Gov. JB Pritzker will extend the deadline for the state to transfer criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial from jail to a mental hospital. That same bill, House Bill 240, also gives nursing homes in Illinois two more years…

Veteran Statehouse reporter Hannah Meisel joins Capitol News Illinois reporting team
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS [email protected] Longtime Statehouse reporter Hannah Meisel has joined the Capitol News Illinois team as a full-time state government and politics reporter. She’s had a number of assignments covering the Statehouse and Illinois government since the 2014 legislative session, most recently serving as Statehouse editor for NPR Illinois from 2020 until after…

Replacing Illinois institution as secretary of state, Giannoulias makes modernization push
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – For newly sworn-in Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, customer service is the central mission as he assumes the state’s second-largest constitutional office, replacing the man who had held it for nearly a quarter century. “Modernization and bringing new technology is going to be at the forefront…

UPDATED: State preparing further defense of assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Monday filed a petition asking an appellate court to vacate a temporary restraining order that was issued late Friday afternoon blocking enforcement of the state’s recently-passed assault weapons ban. Raoul’s office filed the petition in the 5th District Appellate Court in…

State preparing further defense of assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative leaders said they were disappointed but not surprised by a judge’s decision late Friday putting a temporary and limited halt to enforcement of the state’s recently-passed assault weapons ban. Effingham County Judge Joshua Morrison issued the temporary restraining order late Friday…

Rifle Association files federal suit against assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Rifle Association has joined forces with other gun rights advocates in filing a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s new ban on the sale and manufacture of semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. It’s the latest legal challenge to the law, which went into effect…

DCFS, director face lawsuit filed on behalf of jailed wards
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services on Thursday was named in a federal class-action lawsuit on behalf of children in state care who have been held in juvenile detention centers after a judge ordered their release. Cook County Public Guardian Charles Golbert is a…

At World Economic Forum, Pritzker plays role of Illinois’ ‘best chief marketing officer’
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – After his second-term inauguration amid a frenzied “lame duck” legislative session last week, Gov. JB Pritzker took the global stage this week at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The governor and high-ranking members of his staff joined a bipartisan delegation of U.S.…

Watchdog seeks harsher penalties in wake of abuse at Choate
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. The watchdog for the Illinois Department of Human Services is seeking harsher penalties against health care workers who obstruct abuse and neglect investigations. IDHS…

Rifle Association files federal suit against assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Rifle Association has joined forces with other gun rights advocates in filing a federal lawsuit challenging the state’s new ban on the sale and manufacture of semiautomatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. It’s the latest legal challenge to the law, which went into effect…