Local News
PALOS PARK Rescheduled: An Evening with Michelle Zauner (Virtual) Join us for an evening with musician and author Michelle Zauner as she discusses her music career and her beloved bestselling memoir, “Crying in H Mart.” Music critic and producer Jessica Hopper joins her in conversation from 7-8 p.m. Monday, May 30. Register online through the calendar. Morse Code Bracelet…
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From staff reports Orland Township will host its Summer Job Fair on Tuesday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Orland Township Activity Center, 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue, Orland Park. The fair is open to all members of the public, and attendance is highly encouraged. Nearly 30 companies will be attending, representing…
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By Jeff Vorva Video gaming is out. The bushes and fence will stay up. The Palos Heights City Council meeting on Tuesday clocked in at roughly 40 minutes but it was eventful as two hot issues were addressed. Alderman Brent Lewandowski, the head of the License, Permits and Franchises Committee, said his committee is not…
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By Jeff Vorva A funny thing happened at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Arrowhead Lake on Friday. It didn’t rain. The ceremony was originally set for May 3, but it was raining like crazy in the morning and postponed. A year Reclamation ago, when there was a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off this flood control project…
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By Jeff Vorva The musical group Blood, Sweat & Tears had a monster hit in the 1960s titled “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” After the Village of Orland Park announced its 2022 concert series at Centennial Park West, there were some residents who were not very happy. The aforementioned Blood Sweat & Tears headlines…
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By Jeff Vorva In-person programs started back at the Palos Heights Public Library this month. Library director Jesse Blazek spoke at the May 3 city council meeting to give an update after Alderman Don Bylut questioned the lack of in-person programs at a council meeting in April. “Our plan was to have in-person programming in…
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By Jeff Vorva It’s almost like Oliver Hardy turning to Stan Laurel and saying, “Well, here’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into,” in the old movie comedies. Whenever progress on the Orland Park Main Street Triangle is made, Mayor Keith Pekau can’t resist taking shots at previous village boards for what he says is…
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By Jeff Vorva Discussion. Debate. Disagreement. But no decision. A longtime issue that has bounced around like a ping pong ball between four committees saw the light of day at the Palos Heights City Council on Tuesday when Alderman Heather Begley (3rd Ward) presented a motion to approve removal of a split-rail fence and 16…
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By Jeff Vorva There was a heavy police presence at Monday’s Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees meeting, but it had nothing to do with controversy over a hot-button issue, which usually brings the men and women in blue to meetings. No, this gathering of cops both young and old were to witness the…
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By Jeff Vorva Orland Park resident Scott Kaspar took the you-can’t-fire-me-because-I-quit approach to fending off being removed from two committees and said he was protecting those committees from politics. Orland Park’s village board tabled a motion to have Kaspar booted off the Police Pension Fund and Ethics committees for comments that they said he made…
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Finals Week Puppy Break at the Oak Lawn Library
By Kelly White Spirit, an 8-year-old Border Collie mix, loves being around people. So much so, that she paid a visit to the Oak Lawn Public Library to help students study for finals. That’s right, a dog in a library; and, she wasn’t the only one. The Oak Lawn Public Library, 9427 Raymond Ave., hosted…
Palos South Middle School students recognized for Say Something Week Campaign
From staff reports Students in the Palos South Middle School Save Promise Club have been recognized by the non-profit organization Sandy Hook Promise for their efforts to create a more inclusive school environment. The students were recently named one of the winners of the 2022 Say Something Week Award for their week-long campaign in March…
Library Briefs
PALOS PARK Rescheduled: An Evening with Michelle Zauner (Virtual) Join us for an evening with musician and author Michelle Zauner as she discusses her music career and her beloved bestselling memoir, “Crying in H Mart.” Music critic and producer Jessica Hopper joins her in conversation from 7-8 p.m. Monday, May 30. Register online through the calendar. Morse Code Bracelet…
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…
Coffee with a Cop in Palos Park
Palos Park police are again asking residents to join them for a cup of joe at “Coffee With A Cop” at the Plush Horse, 12301 S. 86th Avenue. On May 12, residents were encouraged to bring their public safety concerns and stop by for a cup of coffee and to chat with officers Kevin Green…
Orland Township to host summer job fair June 7
From staff reports Orland Township will host its Summer Job Fair on Tuesday, June 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Orland Township Activity Center, 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue, Orland Park. The fair is open to all members of the public, and attendance is highly encouraged. Nearly 30 companies will be attending, representing…
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…
