Local News
By Jason Maholy Sports Editor Shepard coach John Rone would have preferred his Astros not dug themselves a hole by starting 0-4, but being faced with having to win their five remaining games to be playoff-eligible may have had some unintended benefits. Rone does not think having their backs against the wall helped the Astros…
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By Jason Maholy Sports Editor One down, four to go. Entering Week 5 winless, Shepard was faced with having to run the table to have any hope of qualifying for the IHSA playoffs for a sixth consecutive season. Five wins will most likely get the Astros into the postseason, given their strength of schedule, but…
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By Jason Maholy Sports Editor Chicago Christian picked up where they left off in the spring — scoring points, playing tough defense and winning, opening the season with a 50-8 pounding of Noble/Hansberry in Paolos Heights. Luke Jelderks and Luke Edgar both ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter to help stake the Knights…
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KNIGHTS AT A GLANCE CONFERENCE: Metro Suburban Red HEAD COACH: Tom O’Connor 2019 RECORD: 6-4 2021 SPRING RECORD: 5-1 2021 FALL OUTLOOK: The Knights lost a lot of talent from last spring’s league co-championship squad, including four all-conference linemen. Coach Nick Cook left the school for a job in Ohio and Tom O’Connor takes over…
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Worth Mayor Mary Werner would like to share a cup of coffee with residents. During the Worth Village Board meeting on Tuesday, Werner said a new initiative has been introduced called “Coffee with the Mayor,” which she plans to hold on the first Saturday of each month. The first session is scheduled from 9 to…
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The Make-A-Wish Foundation teamed up with the riders from Toys for Tots to hold a birthday parade on Sunday, March 21, for Ibriham Zaid, 7, of Worth. The parade left from Worthwoods Elementary School at 110th Street and Oketo in Worth and ended at the Worth Boat Launch, 7425 W. 115th St. The Cook County…
Read More By Joe Boyle Expectations were not as high for this year’s Worth Polar Plunge as village officials and residents have had to learn to deal with the obstacles presented by COVID-19. The Worth Police Department organizes the event along with volunteers to benefit Special Olympics and Special Children’s Charities programs. Participants would usually jump in…
Read MoreThe Make-A-Wish Foundation teamed up with the riders from Toys for Tots to hold a birthday parade on Sunday, March 21, for Ibriham Zaid, 7, of Worth. The parade left from Worthwoods Elementary School at 110th Street and Oketo in Worth and ended at the Worth Boat Launch, 7425 W. 115th St. The Cook County…
Read MoreBy Joe Boyle Expectations were not as high for this year’s Worth Polar Plunge as village officials and residents have had to learn to deal with the obstacles presented by COVID-19. The Worth Police Department organizes the event along with volunteers to benefit Special Olympics and Special Children’s Charities programs. Participants would usually jump in…
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You say you want a resolution? Orland Park has more than a few
By Jeff Vorva At first, William Healy had some doubts. But thanks to “Mad” Anthony Wayne, he believes he and his peers are doing the right thing. The Orland Park Village Board of Trustees has seemingly been drawing up resolutions every meeting, be it to protest the state’s mandates on masking, other COVID-related issues and,…
Overnight closures for Roberts Road and 87th Street
Overnight road closures on Roberts Road and 87th Street with posted detours are scheduled to begin this weekend to accommodate mainline bridge removal work for the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project. The overnight closures of the local roads are necessary to safely accommodate the removal of the I-294 mainline bridge deck and beams over Roberts Road and 87th Street.…
High School Football: Jake Maziarka runs for 4 TDs in Sandburg’s win over Stagg
By Jason Maholy Sports Editor During the week heading into Sandburg’s matchup with Stagg, Eagles coach Troy McAllister’s message to his players was to not take the winless Chargers for granted. The Eagles were coming off the program’s most significant victory since at least 2015, a 30-27 triumph over powerful Lincoln-Way East in a game…
High School Football: JCA beats Rice in battle of top-rated teams
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice quarterback Jack Lausch has put up some impressive running and passing numbers in both wins and losses this year. The Crusaders, who were ranked No. 1 in the state by the sportswriters in the Associated Press poll heading into Friday’s action, had a 49-46 setback to Class 8A No.…
College Football: Olivet tops Saint Xavier in offensive showdown
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The number 13 was not lucky the second time. For the second time in as many home games, St. Xavier University faced the 13th-ranked team in the nation in NAIA play according to the coaches polls. While they stunned 13th-ranked St. Francis, Indiana, 38-0, on Sept. 25, the 18th-ranked Cougars had…
Pro Soccer Report: House wins first game at home; Milazzo scores first pro goal
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent It was a weekend of firsts when it came to the area’s professional soccer teams. The Chicago House won its historic first home game Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview with a 1-0 triumph over San Diego 1904 FC. Sunday night, Orland Park’s Tatumn Milazzo, a defender who doesn’t get many…
Midnight Terror is bigger, better, uglier and scarier
By Jeff Vorva Justin Cerniuk, of Oak Lawn, is 31 but his philosophy is the same at it was when he was 10 years old and started a horror show in his front yard. “I’ve always had the same goals since I was 10 and that’s to have fun with a group of friends building…
Zelda’s Kitchen Witches bring new hope to women in need
By Kelly White For years, the Crisis Center of South Suburbia has been helping women in need. “By the time a victim of domestic violence finds the courage to leave and come to our emergency shelter, they are barely hanging on,” Sarah Tygart, Director of Victim Services at the Crisis Center for South Suburbia, said.…
SD230 joins discussion on special needs field in Orland
By Jeff Vorva The Village of Orland Park is not the only government body exploring the possibility of erecting a special-needs baseball/softball field in the village. Consolidated High School District 230 Assistant Supt. for Business Services John Lavelle brought up the possibility of tag-teaming with Orland School District 135 to provide a field for special-need…
Orland Park says village shortchanged by feds in rescue plan allocation
By Jeff Vorva Orland Park village trustees and Mayor Keith Pekau are now taking issue with the federal government. After months of taking umbrage with county and state government bodies for various reasons, Pekau and Co. are fed up with the Feds for being allocated $5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act when similar…
Illinois News
Report: Nursing homes in crisis with staff shortages
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A new report released Wednesday says staffing shortages at nursing homes in Illinois have reached crisis proportions and that people of color are most at risk of suffering the consequences. That’s because those individuals are more likely to live in understaffed facilities or in “ward” rooms…
Springfield transportation hub to relieve rail congestion
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A railway improvement project intended to greatly improve traffic congestion between St. Louis and Chicago reached a milestone Tuesday as work began on a multimodal transportation hub in the capital city. Gov. JB Pritzker was joined at a groundbreaking ceremony by U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and…
CAPITOL RECAP: Congressional redistricting hearings begin
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – The process of redrawing congressional district maps in Illinois got off to a slow start Thursday when only one person showed up to testify at the first legislative public hearing, which was held in Chicago. Ryan Tolley, policy director for the advocacy group CHANGE Illinois, urged the House Redistricting…
Task force considers changes to qualified immunity for Illinois law enforcement officers
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A new state task force continued discussions Thursday as to what changes could be made to the way state law approaches qualified immunity for law enforcement officers. Qualified immunity is a court doctrine granting protection for law enforcement officers and other government officials from certain civil…
Only one testifies at first congressional redistricting hearing
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The process of redrawing congressional district maps in Illinois got off to a slow start Thursday when only one person showed up to testify at the first legislative public hearing, which was held in Chicago. Ryan Tolley, policy director for the advocacy group CHANGE Illinois, urged…
Plaintiffs: New legislative maps dilute Latino vote
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Plaintiffs in two lawsuits challenging the state’s legislative redistricting plan have filed new complaints in federal court charging that the district maps that lawmakers approved in August dilute Latino voting power and thus violate the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Mexican…
Officials outline progress in Cairo river port development
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed river port development in the southern Illinois town of Cairo is drawing much attention and interest from companies that believe it could open up greater access to international markets, officials behind the project said Tuesday. The Alexander-Cairo Port District project has been on the…
Report details disparities faced by aging LGBTQ Illinoisans
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Many aging LGBTQ Illinoisans face barriers to health care and financial security and fear discrimination in senior communities, according to a combined report from senior and LGBTQ advocacy groups released Tuesday. The Disrupting Disparities: Challenges and Solutions for 50+ LGBTQ Illinoisans report by the senior advocacy…
Law enforcement steps up efforts to fight online child exploitation
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – State Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined local and federal prosecutors Monday to announce new efforts to combat a rise in online child exploitation in Illinois. The efforts include greater outreach and education for parents and teachers, and a new mobile computer forensics unit that will…
Pritzker order aims to end subminimum wage for disabled people in state contracts
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order Monday that would prevent companies contracting with the state from paying disabled workers at less than the minimum wage. Pritzker took the action in what he said was a broader effort to try to push federal lawmakers to change…
