Local News
Both Richards High School and Oak Lawn Community High School Contest Play productions advanced to state finals March 24 and March 25 at Glenwood High School in Chatham after earning the title of Sectional Champions. OLCHS’ Mariana Salazar, Mariam Chuli, Melanie Cabrera, Jet Peleaz, Matthew Perry, Shawn Perry, Vasili Patrianakos, and Kathryn Fragapane were all…
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By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn officials spoke out in unison on Tuesday night, proclaiming their support for the village’s police department. Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) served as mayor pro tempore because Mayor Terry Vorderer was unable to attend the village board meeting. Olejniczak began the meeting by requesting a moment of silence in memory of…
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Latest project is a new Innovation Lab By Kelly White St. Germaine School has a new Innovation Lab thanks to the Germazing Ducks, a small, volunteer-based fundraising committee shaped and formed by parents, teachers, and staff members. The Innovation Lab at the school, 9735 S. Kolin Ave., Oak Lawn, is a remarkable feat built around…
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By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn Police Officer Patrick O’Donnell had plenty of supporters with him on the morning of March 1. O’Donnell, 32, arrived at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago surrounded by members of the Oak Lawn Police Department and family to face charges of two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of…
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By Kelly White Richards High School students worked together to bring comfort and warmth to pediatric patients during this chilly winter season. Under the supervision of Richards Activities Facilitator Deborah Swanson, 70 students met after school on January 31 at the high school, 10601 Central Avenue in Oak Lawn, to make fleece comfort blankets for pediatric cancer…
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By Kelly White Local area high schoolers were able to showcase their digital talents this past weekend. Harold L. Richards’ digital media program hosted its inaugural Student Film Festival on Saturday, Feb. 25, in the high school’s Performing Arts Center, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn. Students from Richards, as well as Barrington High School, Lemont…
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By Kelly White Searching for the perfect prom dress can be stressful, time consuming and expensive for high school students, as well as parents. Thanks to Oak Lawn Community High School’s annual dress re-sale, cleverly called, Cinderella’s Closet, on February 11, students were able to browse beautiful ball gowns all in one place at the…
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By Joe Boyle A police chase in Houston that occurred on Feb. 6 resulted in the arrest of the last suspect of an Oak Lawn home invasion that took place last year. Working with the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force, Houston police and Texas State Troopers located suspect Anthony Mitchell, 31, of Chicago, who is…
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Amos Alonzo Stagg High School automotive students took first place at the recent High School Automotive Technology Skills Competition, hosted by Moraine Valley Community College. Richards High School’s team finished second. The event included nine local high schools with nine students on each team. Participating schools included Sandburg, Andrew, Shepard, Oak Lawn, Reavis, Argo and…
Read More By Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee applauded the efforts of the village’s police force after they responded to incidents of crime during the past month. Trustee Ralph Soch (6th) thanked the efforts of the Oak Lawn police following the arrest of a third suspect last week in Texas who was linked to a home invasion…
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Pro Sports Report | Alex Morgan converts PK and Wave tops Red Stars in opener
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Two of the best scorers in the NWSL made great first impressions to begin the 2023 season. The Chicago Red Stars’ Mallory Swanson, coming off a scoring explosion in the SheBelieves Cup earlier in the year, scored a tying goal on a penalty kick in extra time in the first…
Area Sports Roundup | Morton College takes 5th in nation
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For three quarters, Janiah Jones’ stats were bland. The Richard Bland College guard had just two points. But she lit things up in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 of her team’s 18 points to help Bland stun Morton College, 69-63, in the quarterfinals of the National Junior College Athletic Association…
Track and Field | Oak Lawn’s Robert Wagner gets jump on season with highest leap at Top Times
By Tim Cronin Correspondent BLOOMINGTON — Robert Wagner, with a name straight out of Hollywood, starred in the high jump at the Illinois Top Times meet, held March 25 at Illinois Wesleyan University. The only thing missing for the Oak Lawn senior was a spotlight — and, from Wagner’s viewpoint — breaking his indoor personal…
College Notebook | Richards grad Abby Mallo swinging a hot stick for Billikens
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Welcome to Division I softball, Abby Mallo. Mallo, a Richards graduate playing at Saint Louis University, was chosen the Rookie of the Week by the Atlantic 10 Conference for the week ending March 19. Mallo, a freshman, hit safely in all four games that week, recording a .429 batting average, a…
Baseball | Brother Rice seeking spark after two-loss week
By Steve Millar Correspondent Brother Rice is missing some big pieces from the team that finished third in the state in Class 4A last season. Multi-sport superstar Jack Lausch graduated and moved on to play quarterback at Northwestern. Catching star Zion Rose, a potential high Major League Baseball draft pick this summer, transferred to IMG…
Buddy returns to Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital
Therapy pets have been proven to be an effective tool for lifting the spirits of hospital patients of all ages. Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital last week announced the return of the pet therapy program that had been on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Buddy, an Old English Sheep Dog, and his handler Marty Strubin…
Evergreen Park receives IDOT approval for Independence Day Parade
By Joe Boyle The Village of Evergreen Park has made it official by requesting the Illinois Department of Transportation to approve temporary street closings for the annual Independence Day Parade. The parade will be held Friday, June 30. The annual event will require the temporary closure of all lanes along 95th Street, from Pulaski Road…
Worth mayor looks forward to spring events
By Joe Boyle Spring arrived on Monday and Worth Mayor Mary Werner is looking forward to several activities that will be held in the southwest suburbs next month. Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that the annual Spring Arts, Crafts and Vendor Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3…
Worth Park District asks voters to support parks
Worth Park District officials will ask residents on April 4 if they are willing to pay a little more to support facilities. The district will ask voters to approve a 0.2000 percent tax rate increase. If approved, residents would pay about an additional $5 per month for every $100,000 of equalized assessed value of their…
OLCHS, Richards Contest Play advance to state finals
Both Richards High School and Oak Lawn Community High School Contest Play productions advanced to state finals March 24 and March 25 at Glenwood High School in Chatham after earning the title of Sectional Champions. OLCHS’ Mariana Salazar, Mariam Chuli, Melanie Cabrera, Jet Peleaz, Matthew Perry, Shawn Perry, Vasili Patrianakos, and Kathryn Fragapane were all…
Illinois News
Advocates call on regulators to reject natural gas rate increases
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Consumer advocates, environmentalists and Chicago residents gathered in front of the Chicago offices of Peoples Gas this week to call on the Illinois Commerce Commission to reject a proposed rate increase from the gas utility. Several advocacy groups, including the Citizens Utility Board, Blacks in Green…
Secretary of state backs proposal allowing noncitizens to receive standard driver’s licenses
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House advanced a measure last week that would allow noncitizen residents who are currently eligible for a “temporary visitor driver’s license” to instead obtain a “standard” driver’s license that can be used as identification. Lawmakers created the temporary visitor driver’s license, or TVDL, in…
Native American history, repatriation measures advance in Illinois House
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to increase recognition of indigenous history and culture, lawmakers are considering measures to repatriate Native American remains and teach Native American history in public schools. Last week, lawmakers approved both measures that seek to address past harms inflicted on the Native American community…
Indoor vaping, cat declawing could be banned under recently passed bills
By JERRY NOWICKI & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed 68 bills this week while the House had advanced 284 as of Friday morning with hundreds more to go before their adjournment for the week. It was the first in a two-week stretch of legislative deadlines for bills to…
Lawmakers approve kindergarten reform, plan to address childhood literacy
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Lawmakers are looking at several ways to improve learning outcomes and access for young students in Illinois. On Thursday, members of the House of Representatives approved a proposal that would require school boards in Illinois to provide full-day kindergarten starting with the 2027-2028 school year. The…
Former Madigan political director details push by speaker’s office for key ComEd bill
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – As was the case with many big legislative efforts in Springfield, former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s staff was deeply involved in negotiations over what would become the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2015 and 2016. FEJA had many backers in environmental circles and organized labor…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
House narrowly passes bill allowing all-gender bathrooms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Thursday that would allow businesses, universities and other building owners to designate multi-occupancy all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. The bill passed on a vote of 60-40, the bare minimum number of “yes” votes needed for passage…
Advocates push for tax credit aimed at increasing affordable housing
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers are considering bills that would create a new tax credit for affordable housing, referred to as the “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit.” The legislation, contained in the identical House Bill 2044 and Senate Bill 1737, would mirror a federal program administered by the Illinois Housing…