Local News
By Joe Boyle Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke said activities marking this year’s Labor Day holiday were impressive and memorable. “I want to thank everybody for the wonderful concert and fireworks show we had on Labor Day,” said Burke during the Evergreen Park Village Board meeting on Sept. 6. “It was a huge success. It…
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By Joe Boyle The request by the Worth Park District for financial assistance was granted by village officials but not without some specific concerns being addressed first. Trustee Brad Urban believed that the initial request for $30,000 through intergovernmental sharing of American Rescue Plan Act funds to make up for deficits caused by COVID-19 was a…
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By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn residents came out in force to offer support for the village’s police department after a well-publicized arrest of a teen following a traffic stop last month. Residents jammed the Oak Lawn Village Hall for the board meeting Tuesday morning to provide testimony in support of officers after the arrest of…
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From staff reports Daniel Calandriello, the Democratic nominee for the Cook County Board 17th District, announced a “Biking the 17th District” event from Elk Grove Village to Orland Park on Sunday to raise awareness of the Cook County Forest Preserve. Calandriello, of Orland Park, plans to bike several trails located within the Cook County Forest…
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By Kelly White Palos Hills officials are always looking for ways to form bonds between the city and the community. Doing just that, the city held its sixth annual National Night Out event on Tuesday at Town Square Park, 8455 W. 103rd Street. “The city of Palos Hills is again proud to sponsor our annual…
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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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By Steve Metsch In a race between two men with village board experience, Dan Calandriello defeated Lou Gale in the Democratic primary Tuesday for 17th District Commissioner on the Cook County Board. According to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office with 211 of 217 precincts reporting, Calandriello received 10,467 votes (54 percent) to…
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By Jeff Vorva The preliminaries are over in the newly aligned 6th Congressional District. Now it’s time for the main event. Pekau vs. Casten. After Tuesday’s primary election, Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park, had a huge lead over five opponents on the Republican side and is ready to take on Democratic survivor Sean…
Read More By Jeff Vorva In what is one of the nastiest races around, Sean Morrison and Liz Gorman are duking it out for a commissioners’ spot on the Cook County Board. Gorman had the job in the 17th District from 2002-2015 but gave it up to work in the private sector. Morrison took over and had…
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By Joe Boyle The owner of a new tavern in Worth said his business will not tolerate any misconduct that plagued the previous lounge where two men were shot and killed. The incident took place in the early morning hours of Jan. 10 at the former Crossing Bar and Grill, 6959 W. 111th St. Another man was injured in…
Read More Evergreen Park mayor praises Labor Day celebration
By Joe Boyle Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke said activities marking this year’s Labor Day holiday were impressive and memorable. “I want to thank everybody for the wonderful concert and fireworks show we had on Labor Day,” said Burke during the Evergreen Park Village Board meeting on Sept. 6. “It was a huge success. It…
Arrenello’s Pizza celebrates 50 years
By Bob Bong Fifty years ago, Rich Matokar had to choose between buying a house or opening a business. He chose to quit his job at U.S. Steel South Works and open Arrenello’s Pizza in Glenwood and the rest, as they say, is history. “I did it on a whim,” he said. “A friend was…
Palos Park to offer online payment system for residents
By Jeff Vorva Palos Park Commissioner G. Darryl Reed introduced a resolution upgrading an enterprise resource planning system at Monday’s village council meeting. He said the last upgrade came in 2013 and the system is outdated. “We want the dinosaurs out of here and make room for the Jetsons,” he said. So, the council is…
Orland trustee back on call after horrific accident
By Jeff Vorva Orland Park Trustee Joni Radaszewski phoned it in on Sept. 6. And the rest of her teammates on the board couldn’t be happier. Radaszewski was seriously injured during an accident in Homer Glen on June 21 which killed her parents, Adrian Spaargaren and Kathleen Repsis, who were passengers in the car. The…
Dog rescue sponsors adoptions at Palos Heights Library
By Kelly White Traveling Tails Dog Rescue has one mission – to find dogs forever homes. The organization is non-profit volunteer-based dog rescue addressed in Palos Heights that is dedicated to being an active voice for abandoned, abused and neglected dogs. It was founded in January 2019 by Shepard High School teacher and Palos Heights…
Shepard cadets pay homage to fallen heroes
By Kelly White Shepard High School students took time to remember fallen heroes during a 9-11 Remembrance Ceremony last week. For the seventh year in a row, the U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps held the ceremony at the school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, on September 9. The school has been…
Palos Park’s annual Autumn in the Park kicks off today
Schedule Friday, September 16, 2022 6:00 pm – Grounds Open 6:00 to 10:30 pm – Food Vendors, Beer, Wine and Spirits 7:30 to 10:30 pm – Musical Entertainment –Hairbangers Ball – Main Stage 11:00 pm – Grounds Close Saturday, September 17, 2022 11:00 am – Parade Begins 11:30 am – Grounds Open Noon to 12:30 pm…
Two new police sergeants added in Worth
By Joe Boyle Two new sergeants have been added to the Worth Police Department with enthusiastic community approval. “You will notice that the room is crowded more than usual tonight,” said Mayor Mary Werner during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night. “We are excited to add two new sergeants to the department.” Michael Cozzi,…
Orland Park board calls SAFE-T Act ‘massive threat’ to residents
By Jeff Vorva It’s called the Safe-T Act. And, to hear the members of the Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees talk about it, there is nothing very safe about it and it’s something they feel that people in this state should be very worried about, come New Year’s Day 2023. “I cannot even…
Football: Richards holds off Ike to break into win column
By Jason Maholy Sports Editor It was a bit of an ugly win in a rarely pretty game, but Richards made enough plays to defeat Eisenhower and break into got into the win column via a 25-20 victory in the South Suburban Red opener for both teams. Bulldogs senior running back Michael Maura ran for…
Illinois News
In visit to Illinois, VP Harris rallies voters around abortion rights
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Vice President Kamala Harris came to Chicago Friday to rally voters who support abortion rights and urge them to turn out in the upcoming midterm elections. Speaking at a roundtable discussion on reproductive rights at the University of Illinois Chicago, Harris said the recent U.S. Supreme…
What happens when cash bail ends?
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Beginning Jan. 1, 2023, cash bail will be abolished in Illinois. The measure that will eliminate it has been on the books since early 2021, giving the justice system two years to plan for the major overhaul of the state’s pretrial detention system. It’s also given…
National Guard to assist migrant welcoming effort as Pritzker declares disaster
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday that Illinois will continue to welcome migrants bused here from Texas as he blasted that state’s governor for relocating them to other cities without sharing information or providing resources. Pritzker said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and his agencies have been providing…
At a remote mental health facility, a culture of cruelty persists despite decades of warnings
By MOLLY PARKER Lee Enterprises Midwest BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois and Lee Enterprises. Over a year ago, the security chief at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in southern Illinois sent an email to the head of the state…
Chief Justice Anne Burke to retire from Illinois Supreme Court in November
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Anne M. Burke announced Monday she will retire from the bench effective Nov. 30. She has served on the state’s high court since 2006 and has been chief justice since 2019. “The decision to retire was not an easy one,” Burke,…
Tax rebate checks begin going out this week
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday that Illinois taxpayers will soon start receiving rebates of their income and property taxes, either in the mail or by direct bank deposits. Speaking at a news conference in Chicago where he was flanked by other state officials and Democratic leaders…
Ahead of amendment vote, union membership grows in Illinois
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – As voters in Illinois prepare to decide on a state constitutional amendment that would guarantee workers the right to organize, a new study shows union membership in the state grew last year for the first time in four years. The study also showed, however, that the…
Ahead of amendment vote, union membership grows in Illinois
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – As voters in Illinois prepare to decide on a state constitutional amendment that would guarantee workers the right to organize, a new study shows union membership in the state grew last year for the first time in four years. The study also showed, however, that the…
CAPITOL RECAP: Gun rights group suing Highland Park
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – A gun rights group is challenging the city of Highland Park’s ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like the ones used in a mass shooting there on July 4. The National Association for Gun Rights, based in Loveland, Colorado, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal district court in…
Gun rights group sues Highland Park
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A gun rights group is challenging the city of Highland Park’s ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines like the ones used in a mass shooting there on July 4. The National Association for Gun Rights, based in Loveland, Colorado, filed the lawsuit Wednesday in federal…
