Local News
The Palos Park Police Cadet program is in holiday season mode and the program’s annual Holiday Food Drive is well underway. Cadets are looking for donations of non-perishable foods such as canned goods or boxed goods. The cadets will accept donations at the Palos Park Police Department, 8999 W. 123rd Street. Collections will continue through…
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By Jeff Vorva There were awards aplenty on Monday night in Palos Park. Police Commissioner Dan Polk handed out several awards at Monday night’s village council meeting at the Kaptur Administrative Center. Commander Chris Hughes and Sergeant Diana Campbell earned recognition for reviewing and revising the Palos Park Police Department’s policies under the Lexipol system.…
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By Randy Whalen Correspondent When Sandburg strode into Lockport for a dual meet in September, some Eagles swimmers noticed something on Porters’ pool record board. The record for the 200-yard medley relay was 1:49.16, set by Lockport’s Lindsey Merk, Oliwia Wolek, Emily Johnson and Kayley Uy during a 2017 sectional. Eagles coach Donna Driscoll told her 200…
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By Jeff Vorva Sean Morrison will go back to work on the Cook County Board of Commissioners and continue to work with just one Republican ally. And he’s not happy about that. Morrison was hoping that perhaps a handful of Republicans could knock off some Democrats Tuesday night and give a little more balance to…
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By Steve Metsch Whether his career ends tomorrow, next year or in 10 years, Michael Massey is definitely enjoying Major League Baseball. He’s the local kid done good, living the dream. He’s a major league baseball player, starting at second base for the Kansas City Royals. Massey, 24, grew up in Palos Park where he played Little…
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By Steve Millar Correspondent Sandburg’s girls volleyball team faced off with Lincoln-Way Central twice in the regular season. Both were hard-fought three-set matches, but the Knights beat the Eagles both times. Still, senior outside hitter Claire Hildebrand was optimistic heading into the teams’ third meeting in Thursday’s Class 4A Rich Township Regional championship game. “I…
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By Steve Metsch Correspondent Despite scoring four touchdowns to help Argo to its biggest win in seven seasons, Davonte Evans did not fly home after the game. “He’s riding the bus. He’s not flying” Argonauts interim coach Jason Korkosz said. “He is Superman, though. “He does it all. He puts the team on his back…
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By Jeff Vorva Palos Park police officers will be required by the state to wear body cameras starting Jan. 1, 2025, but what happens in the coming weeks is of great interest to Police Chief Joe Miller and Police Commissioner Dan Polk. There is an obvious cost in providing these cameras to the cops but…
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Last month, more than 100 high schools and thousands of male student athletes competed in a soccer tournament, sponsored by Body Armour. While the players competed on the field, they worked together off the field to collect and donate thousands of name-brand clothing items to a not-for-profit organization. Twenty-five of the players, representing the thousands…
Read More By Randy Whalen Correspondent Caleb Negley’s goal was to advance to the second day of the Class 3A IHSA boys state golf tournament. The Sandburg junior did better than that. Negley shot his best round of the season with a one-under par 71 on the tourney’s final day Oct. 8 at Den at Fox Creek…
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Palos Park Police Cadet food drive underway
The Palos Park Police Cadet program is in holiday season mode and the program’s annual Holiday Food Drive is well underway. Cadets are looking for donations of non-perishable foods such as canned goods or boxed goods. The cadets will accept donations at the Palos Park Police Department, 8999 W. 123rd Street. Collections will continue through…
Orland Township to hold Bingo with Santa
Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, don’t think twice about attending Orland Township’s Bingo with Santa! Children and their families are invited to join Santa Claus and Supervisor Paul O’Grady with the Board of Trustees in celebrating the most wonderful time of the year with pizza and a fun game of Holiday Bingo, just for…
Comings & Goings: Pizza Castle now open in Hickory Hills
By Bob Bong After almost five decades of serving pizzas from a small storefront in Chicago’s Gage Park neighborhood, Pizza Castle co-owner Richard Jensen had an opportunity to move into a bigger space and he jumped at the chance. So, Jensen packed up the family business and made the move a few miles south to…
Ring-tailed Lemurs at Brookfield Zoo enjoy 9th annual Thanksgiving feast
The annual tradition of Brookfield Zoo’s ring-tailed lemurs receiving an early Thanksgiving feast took place today, November 23. Now, in its ninth year, the animal care staff prepared the meal for the primates that featured all the trimmings laid out on a fall-themed table setting. This year, the menu for the lemurs—15-year-old Moses and 12-year-old…
Palos Lions trees have arrived and are ready for sale
By Jeff Vorva For more than three decades, the Palos Lions Club has been selling Christmas trees Close to 600 trees arrived at the lot on Harlem Avenue near 127th Street on Saturday. The only difference this year is that unlike in past years, there are no monster-sized trees available. “We can’t get the bigger…
After congressional loss, Pekau ready to keep Orland Park a ‘fantastic town’
By Jeff Vorva In Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau’s first board meeting since his loss to Sean Casten for a congressional seat, he expressed disappointment with the loss but said he was happy he is still running the village. At Monday’s meeting, Pekau said he was not happy with the way the elections turned out…
Our Lady of the Ridge, St. Linus to host Mass of Healing on November 23
Our Lady of the Ridge-St. Linus Parish will host a Mass of Healing for Those Suffering from Addiction at the St. Linus Church worship site on Wednesday, Nov. 23, at 7 p.m. The Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, also known as Blackout Wednesday, can be one of the biggest binge drinking nights of the year. Father…
Strong second half lifts Mount Carmel over St. Rita for trip to 7A title game
By Steve Millar Correspondent After the Mount Carmel offense was shut out in the first half by St. Rita in the teams’ IHSA Class 7A semifinal, Caravan coach Jordan Lynch remained confident his offense would get going on a cold, windy night. “It was just a matter of time,” Lynch said. “Penalties were killing us,…
Area Sports Report: Nazareth finishes run to Class 5A state title game
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth has played in five state championship football games. But the Roadrunners never took a road this bumpy to get there. After opening the season 1-3 and at one point being 2-4, they had to run the table just to make it to the playoffs. Mission accomplished. They beat Leo,…
Boys and Men’s 2022-2023 Hoops Preview
HIGH SCHOOLS BROTHER RICE The Crusaders finished 24-7 last season and fell 60-49 to Bloom in a Class 4A regional championship game. While almost every key player — aside from forward Jayden Watson, who transferred to Bloom — will be back from last year’s team, there will be a new coach leading the way. Conte Stamas,…
Illinois News
Flagpole removed from Old State Capitol
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – People walking through downtown Springfield on Monday morning looked up to an unusual sight – a helicopter hovering over the Old State Capitol, dropping a rope and lifting away the flagpole that sat atop the bronze-colored dome. “We took off the flagpole of at the Old…
Welch, poised for another term as speaker, reflects on growing House majority
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, who recently announced he has the support for another term as House speaker, says he looks forward to governing with an even larger supermajority than he had during his first two years. “Expanding our caucus was definitely a priority of…
Curran eyes ‘balance’ as he prepares to lead Illinois Senate’s GOP minority
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Senate Minority Leader-elect John Curran will take over a caucus that’s more than doubled in size by the majority-party Democrats. His goal: “Bring balance to state government.” “Because we’re going to produce better results with that balance for working families throughout all Illinois communities,” Curran said…
CAPITOL RECAP: Statehouse Republicans choose new leadership
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Republicans chose new leadership for their caucuses in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday night, Nov. 15, while the two Democratic leaders have each announced they have the votes to maintain their positions. House Republicans elected Tony McCombie of Savanna and Senate Republicans chose John Curran of Downers Grove.…
With three session days left, SAFE-T Act changes could be forthcoming, ‘technical’ in nature
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Changes may yet come to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform before its Jan. 1 effective date, but some of its major proponents in the General Assembly said the results of the Nov. 8 general election have signified that the ship has sailed drastic amendments to…
McCombie to take reins of House GOP caucus
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Tony McCombie said Wednesday that her top priority when she becomes the next House minority leader will be to rebuild the GOP caucus following last week’s elections that were, for Republicans, a disappointment. “The top priority is to bring balance to the Republican Party,”…
GOP chooses new leadership in General Assembly as Dems retain control
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Republicans chose new leadership for their caucuses in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday night, while the two Democratic leaders have each announced they have the votes to maintain their positions. House Republicans elected Tony McCombie of Savanna and Senate Republicans chose John Curran of Downers…
Right to unionize amendment projected to pass
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois voters have approved a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing workers the right to organize and engage in collective bargaining. Estimates compiled by multiple media outlets projected Tuesday that the ballot measure had support on an estimated 53 percent of the total ballots cast in the election,…
Theis, sworn in as chief justice, says partisanship has no role on state Supreme Court
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Mary Jane Theis was sworn in as chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court on Monday in a public ceremony, becoming the fourth woman to hold the gavel since the court was created in 1818. By next month, the Democrat will find herself presiding over a…
CAPITOL RECAP: Democrats maintain control in Illinois
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – As votes continued to be tallied this week, returns showed Illinois Democrats would hold every statewide elected office and maintain supermajorities in the General Assembly while extending their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court. After a fiery election night speech in which Gov. JB Pritzker excoriated the Republican Party…
