Local News
Two elderly men killed in Brighton Park Two elderly men were shot and killed in an apartment building in the 4400 block of South Campbell at about 1:40 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7. Police said Juan Alvarado, 80, was found in a hallway with gunshot wounds to his chest and head. He was transported to Mount…
Read More By Tim Hadac Police issued a community alert last week regarding two armed robberies that occurred last month in Garfield Ridge, in the parking lot of the Chase Bank branch at 5687 S. Archer. One crime occurred at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15. The other was at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 29. The bandits were described as black…
Read More From staff reports A cluster of burglaries in Chicago Lawn has prompted police to issue a community alert. Some of the places burglarized were businesses, while others were garages behind people’s homes. Crime scenes include: 6300 block of South Kedzie on Sept. 26. 5900 block of South Kedzie on Sept. 28. 6400 block of South…
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Woman shot, killed in West Elsdon An 18-year-old woman was shot and killed as she sat in a vehicle parked in the 5400 block of South Avers at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 25. Melica De La Garza was shot multiple times in the torso as she sat in a vehicle. The gunman fled the…
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Caught in crossfire, shot in the face A 47-year-old woman was shot in the face as she drove a vehicle in the 3500 block of South Kedzie at about 12:25 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 28. Police said the woman was not the intended target and was caught in the crossfire of occupants in two other vehicles,…
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From staff reports The seizure of counterfeit U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Federal Bureau of Investigations badges late last month raises the possibility that others may be circulating and used by criminals—possibly to swindle and rob immigrants in the Chicago area and elsewhere. Twice in August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Chicago…
Read More Man shot to death on Western A 20-year-old man was shot and killed as he and another 20-year-old man sat in a vehicle in the 5800 block of South Western at 3:52 p.m. Saturday, July 24. The man, identified by authorities as West Lawn resident Juan Mana, was shot in the back. He was transported…
Read More From staff reports A cluster of robberies in the Chicago Lawn (8th) Police District that occurred Monday, July 5 has prompted authorities to issue a community alert. Crime scenes include: 6000 block of West 53rd Street at 6 p.m. 5800 block of South Moody Avenue at 6:15 p.m. 3200 block of West 82nd Street at…
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From staff reports An 18-year-old Evergreen Park man was charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with a March shooting in the Gage Park neighborhood. Christopher Solis-Govea, of the 2600 block of West 90th Place, was arrested by Chicago Police and the multi-jurisdiction Fugitive Apprehension Unit at his home on Tuesday, July 20. Police said Solis-Govea…
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Victim mum on shooting details A 27-year-old man was shot in the right leg as he stood outside in the 5100 block of South Whipple at 8:19 p.m. Sunday, June 27. The victim was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. Police investigating the crime said the victim was uncooperative.…
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Comings & Goings
High School Football: Rice tops Marist as both powers eye playoffs
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The buzz and postgame emotions from Brother Rice’s 40-21 victory over Marist on Friday was abbreviated. Because the heralded game was played on the final regular season weekend of the year, these area and state powers and bitter rivals quickly turned their attention to the playoff pairings announcements, which came less…
Last home game a winner for Red Stars
By Alison Moran What a way to end a season at home. It was a perfect night for a cool game of soccer, with temperatures in the upper 50s and no rain dampening the field. In front of 4,488 of the Red Stars’ faithful at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, the Chicago Red Stars defeated KC…
Check your smoke detector batteries
By Karen Sala Your correspondent in Gage Park (773) 471-1429 • [email protected] It’s October. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors. I woke up to the unpleasant chirping of one of my smoke alarms the other morning at about 4 a.m. Thankfully I had a 9-volt battery, so I was able to change it and go…
Día celebrations coming this month
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is celebrated especially by people of Mexican heritage. It is a joyful celebration, rather than mourning. Family and friends pay respects to those who have died. Traditions include building altars…
Room to grow at new dollar store
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 I finally went to the new Dollar Tree at 8444 S. Pulaski. It is a very big store and parking lot. It has the usual fun and useful dollar store items. Everything is still $1. There are lots of empty shelves and room for…
Unique collection in need of a caring home
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 As you may remember, shortly before the pandemic began, St. Rita of Cascia Parish invited Myra Kathryn Richardson to showcase some exhibits from her Mary Eve Thorsen Museum collection in the parish hall. Items from the Dick and…
A ‘businessman with a heart’
Colleagues pay tribute to Jim Vondrak By Joan Hadac In a business world frequently competitive to the point of being harsh and even cruel, James C. “Jim” Vondrak stood out as a businessman with a heart. The scion of a Southwest Side newspaper family, Mr. Vondrak owned and operated a chain of community newspapers led…
She bleeds blue
Officer Maureen O’Neill retires after 38 years By Tim Hadac If things appear a little unglued in the commander’s office at the Chicago Lawn (8th) District Police Station, it’s because Officer Maureen O’Neill recently retired after serving in the district for 38 years, 7 months and 1 day. “It’s fair to say that in some…
Purple for a purpose
Taking a momentary break from tying purple ribbons around trees and fenceposts at West Lawn Park last Saturday are CPD Officers Sarai Trevino, Maria DeLaTorre, Raymond Tracy and Jose Supulveda, and Shari Grassmuck and Nancy Arroyo. The group made the park go purple in observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. DVAM has been a national…
Scouts march in Houby Parade
Members of Boy Scout Troop 1441, sponsored by St. Mary Star of the Sea Holy Name Society, participated in the annual Houby (Czech word for mushroom) Parade, held in suburban Cicero earlier this month. Scouts enjoyed food vendors, live music, games and a carnival. Any boys ages 11 to 17 from any school interested…
Illinois News
CAPITOL RECAP: New congressional map draft unveiled
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Democratic leaders in the General Assembly released a second draft of proposed congressional district maps over the weekend as they prepare to head into the final three days of their fall veto session. Like the first set of maps that were released Oct. 15, the latest draft would create…
Pritzker urges child vaccination as changes to Health Care Right of Conscience Act emerge
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – An amendment to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act that allows an employer to fire a worker for noncompliance with COVID-19 vaccine or test requirements surfaced Monday ahead of the final three scheduled days of legislative action this year. That bill language was introduced in…
Democrats unveil 2nd draft of congressional maps
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democratic leaders in the General Assembly released a second draft of proposed congressional district maps over the weekend as they prepare to head into the final three days of their fall veto session. Like the first set of maps that were released Oct. 15, the latest…
CAPITOL RECAP: Major action expected in veto session’s second week
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS 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 Health Care Right…
Pritzker mandates vaccine for day care professionals
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced an executive order Friday that will add day care personnel to the list of professions that must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. The governor’s office said it expects the order to affect 55,000 individuals in the state,…
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…
