Local News

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Spoto takes title as Orland Township’s Senior Idol

By Kelly White / March 13, 2024 /

By Kelly White Beautiful voices rang out through the Orland community this past week. Held on March 7, Orland Township’s Senior American Idol was an annual event that brings together talented seniors to showcase their musical abilities. Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the Board of Trustees invited seniors out for exciting evening filled with…

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JOB FAIR

Inaugural Southwest Job Fair draws 500

By Jeff Vorva / January 19, 2024 / Comments Off on Inaugural Southwest Job Fair draws 500

By Jeff Vorva Sean Morrison had some meetings to tend to, so he wasn’t at the first Southwest Job Fair when it opened at 11 a.m. But once he arrived at the Orland Park Civic Center on January 11, the Cook County commissioner from Palos Park liked what he saw. Activity. Plenty of activity. “I…

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Worth Township toy drive underway

By Bob Bong / November 24, 2023 / Comments Off on Worth Township toy drive underway

Worth Township Youth Commission is now accepting donations of new toys and new clothing for the Township’s Christmas Care Program. The program provides families who are struggling financially with a little extra help filling stockings for their children up to age 14.  Toys and other gifts can be dropped off during regular business hours, Monday…

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Orland Township to hold COVID booster clinic

By Bob Bong / October 4, 2023 / Comments Off on Orland Township to hold COVID booster clinic

Orland Township will be holding a COVID-19 Pfizer Booster Clinic on Wednesday, Oct. 11. Anyone planning on attending any of the clinics should wear a short-sleeved shirt and arrive in good health. At the clinic, a team of healthcare professionals from Jewel-Osco Pharmacy will administer the COVID-19 booster vaccine to help protect against the virus.…

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Orland Township celebrates pets at Pet-Palooza

By Kelly White / September 21, 2023 /

By Kelly White Orland Township knows how to celebrate its pets. The township hosted its 11th annual Pet-Palooza on Saturday, September 16, on the Orland Township grounds, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. The free event was sponsored by Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the township’s board of trustees. “As a pet owner myself, I understand…

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Orland Township gets kids ready with Back-to-School Health Fair

By Kelly White / July 21, 2023 / Comments Off on Orland Township gets kids ready with Back-to-School Health Fair

By Kelly White Orland Township helped to get students in the community ready to get back to school by holding its annual Back-To-School Health Fair. Presented by Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the Orland Township Board of Trustees, the free health fair was held on Saturday, July 15, at the township, 14807 S. Ravinia…

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Orland Township hosts summer picnic for youths 

By Kelly White / July 16, 2023 /

By Kelly White  Orland Township is keeping youths busy this summer.  The Township, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave. in Orland Park, hosted a Summer Picnic for students entering the sixth- through the 12th-grade on June 22.  “A summer picnic is a great way to revive the Orland Township Youth Commission,” Paul O’Grady, Orland Township Supervisor, said.…

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Orland Township to hold fourth annual Souper Bowl Challenge

By Bob Bong / February 2, 2023 / Comments Off on Orland Township to hold fourth annual Souper Bowl Challenge

Warm up for the Super Bowl LVII by joining Orland Township at the fourth annual Souper Bowl Challenge! Guests will have the opportunity to sample a variety of soups before casting their votes for their favorite, all while helping build the futures of local youth by supporting the Orland Township Scholarship Foundation and local soup…

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Morrison knocks off former ally for 17th District GOP nomination

By Jeff Vorva / June 29, 2022 / Comments Off on Morrison knocks off former ally for 17th District GOP nomination

By Jeff Vorva In the first head-to-head election battle between the two people who have owned the Cook County 17th District seat for the past 20 years, Sean Morrison beat out former ally Liz Gorman for the Republican nomination Tuesday. Orland Park’s Gorman had the job as 17th District commissioner from 2002-2015 but gave it…

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Mother McAuley junior Abbey Williams delivers a pitch during last week’s 18-1 loss to Benet. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Mother McAuley seeks to right ship

From Staff Reports The 2024 season is off to an uneven and somewhat rocky start for Mother McAuley. The Mighty Macs opened the spring with consecutive losses — 9-3 to Oak Forest on March 11 and 18-1 to Benet on March 13 — before getting off the schneid with an 18-1 win over Stagg on…

Evergreen Park senior Nolan Sexton (right) will play in the Illinois Hoop Prospect Senior All-Star Games at Joliet Junior College. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Basketball | Players from Evergreen Park and Brother Rice to ball at prospect showcase

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Five players from the area have been invited to play on the South Suburban Team at the Illinois Hoop Prospect Senior All-Star Games scheduled to be played March 24 at Joliet Junior College. Brother Rice’s Zavier Fitch and Ty Wooten join Evergreen Park’s Nolan Sexton, Marist’s Darshan Thomas and Stagg’s Connor…

George Shimko, who coached the Queen of Peace girls basketball program and its de facto successor St. Laurence, has been named head coach of the Mustangs girls basketball program. Supplied photo

Girls Basketball | George Shimko takes reins for Mustangs

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent One longtime area basketball coach will succeed another at Evergreen Park. George Shimko, who brought success to the girls basketball programs at Queen of Peace and St. Laurence, has been named the new girls hoops coach at Evergreen Park. He will succeed Bruce Scaduto, who retired after 27 years with the…

Harold Blackmon (right) is welcomed to De La Salle by Meteors athletic director Tom White. Photo courtesy of De La Salle

De La Salle tabs Harold Blackmon as next football coach

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A pair of familiar coaches from the area have landed in new spots. Harold Blackmon, who has been head football coach at St. Laurence and Oak Lawn, has been named coach at De La Salle. George Shimko, a former girls basketball coach at Queen of Peace and St. Laurence, will serve…

SEATGEEK

Red Stars, rugby will highlight big weekend at SeatGeek

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Things will get busy in Bridgeview this weekend. The Chicago Fire II will host its season opener against Toronto FC II at 6 p.m. Friday, March 22 at SeatGeek Stadium. The following day, the Chicago Red Stars make their 2024 home debut against Seattle at 3 p.m. Rugby invades the stadium…

Chicago Red Stars players celebrate a goal against Utah in the season-opener for both teams on March 16. The Red Stars won, 2-0. Photo courtesy of Chicago Red Stars

Red Stars Report | Cooks provide recipe for success in Red Stars’ win over Utah

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Lorne Donaldson era is already Cook-ing. The new Chicago Red Stars coach enjoyed a victory in his debut with a 2-0 triumph over Utah in the NWSL season-opener for both teams on March 16 at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. The game was the first in franchise history for…

Angelo Luna

College Sports Wrap | Morton College OF Angelo Luna slugs two grand slams in one day

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Area college baseball sluggers had a grand time on March 16. Former St. Laurence standout Angelo Luna, a sophomore outfielder at Morton College, hit two grand slams and drove in 10 runs over two games as the Panthers beat Highland, 7-3 and 18-5, in a doubleheader at home. Luna has crushed…

Sergio Lemley (top), who won three state championships at Mount Carmel, finished in fourth place at the Big Ten tournament during his freshman season. Photo courtesy of University of Michigan Athletics

College Notebook | Ex-Mount Carmel wrestler Sergio Lemley takes fourth in Big Ten

By Mike Walsh Correspondent One reason the Michigan wrestling team has been successful this season is freshman Sergio Lemley. At the Big Ten tournament, Lemley won three of his five matches to finish fourth at 141 pounds. The Wolverines placed second with 123.5 points behind conference champion Penn State (170.5). In the consolation semifinals, Lemley,…

Sandburg sophomore Zoe Trunk high-fives teammate Grace Torgerson (12) after the former scored a run during the Eagles’ 9-1 win over Richards to open the 2024 season. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Sandburg tops Richards, Crete-Monee to begin rebound season

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent With a blank slate, unblemished record and all goals still theoretically intact, beginning of the season for any sports team offers — if nothing else — hope. Teams are looking to start fresh and either rebound from a season that failed to meet expectations, or build on the success from and…

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SD122 parents demand answers on school psychologist’s status

By Nuha Abdessalam A petition demanding the firing of a school psychologist at Ridgeland School District 122 for posting Islamophobic social media messages has gathered more than 1,400 signatures. The petition on change.org is “calling for the removal of the schoo psychologist Laurie Hoke for sharing posts and comments that are explicitly racist, Islamophobic, hateful,…

Illinois News

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

Capitol Briefs: Pritzker executive order creates advisory council for affordable sickle cell treatment

Capitol Briefs: Pritzker executive order creates advisory council for affordable sickle cell treatment

DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday signed an order to create an advisory council to examine how Illinois’ Medicaid program can help cover costs of emerging gene therapies that effectively treat sickle cell disease and other rare disorders. About 5,000 Illinoisans live with sickle cell disease, a gene defect most…

Illinois high court asked to review law limiting venue in constitutional challenges

Illinois high court asked to review law limiting venue in constitutional challenges

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court is being asked to decide on the constitutionality of a new state law that says constitutional challenges to state laws and actions can only be filed in Cook or Sangamon counties. Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s office on Monday filed an appeal directly…

Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race

Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race

By HANNAH MEISEL DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The race for one of the seven Illinois Supreme Court seats pits an appointed incumbent against a second-time candidate as the two Democrats vie for their party’s nomination next week. Because no Republican has filed to run for the Cook County-based seat, it’s…

Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals

Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s revenue and budget directors took questions from a legislative panel Thursday on his proposals to generate another $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year through various tax changes.  Pritzker’s proposed spending plan anticipates $52.9 billion in revenue, with new funds raised by increasing…

Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race

Diversity, judicial appointments at issue in 1st District Supreme Court race

By HANNAH MEISEL DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The race for one of the seven Illinois Supreme Court seats pits an appointed incumbent against a second-time candidate as the two Democrats vie for their party’s nomination next week. Because no Republican has filed to run for the Cook County-based seat, it’s…

Bailey vs. Bost congressional race among GOP primaries to watch

Bailey vs. Bost congressional race among GOP primaries to watch

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The March 19 primaries in Illinois may seem anticlimactic to those who are only interested in presidential politics. Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican former President Donald Trump sewed up their nominations a full week before polls even opened in the Prairie State. But further down…

Candidate Q&A: Cunningham, Reyes make pitch for Supreme Court seat

Candidate Q&A: Cunningham, Reyes make pitch for Supreme Court seat

Compiled by Capitol News Illinois There’s one contested primary for an Illinois Supreme Court seat on the March 19 ballot, with appointed incumbent Justice Joy Cunningham facing challenger and 1st District Appellate Court Justice Jesse Reyes.  The 1st District race is for one of three Cook County seats and one of seven spots on the…

Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals

Pritzker agency heads questioned on $1.1 billion revenue proposals

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s revenue and budget directors took questions from a legislative panel Thursday on his proposals to generate another $1.1 billion in the upcoming fiscal year through various tax changes.  Pritzker’s proposed spending plan anticipates $52.9 billion in revenue, with new funds raised by increasing…

House panel opens hearings on Pritzker’s health insurance reforms

House panel opens hearings on Pritzker’s health insurance reforms

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A panel of Illinois lawmakers began hearing testimony Wednesday on Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposals for sweeping changes in the state’s health insurance industry.  The changes, which Pritzker first unveiled in his State of the State address in February, would limit the ability of companies to deny…