Local News
By Bob Bong Two would-be carjackers picked on the wrong victim Wednesday afternoon in Oak Lawn. Two men armed with handguns attempted to carjack an unsuspecting victim about 3:30 p.m. in the 6500 block of West 89th Place, Oak Lawn police said in a release. The victim was able to gain access to a weapon…
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By Bob Bong A Chicago man has been charged with burglary in connection with a ruse theft at Reilly’s Daughter on December 19. Ronald Browning, 74, of the 7700 block of South Yates Avenue in Chicago, has been charged with burglary and one count of felony theft after he was apprehended thanks to a collaborative…
Read More By Bob Bong Oak Lawn police say a fatal shooting outside of Advocate Christ Medical Center early Saturday morning stemmed from an earlier double homicide near 87th and Green streets. Marques Rose, 36, of the 8100 block of South Winchester in Chicago, has been charged with one count of first-degree murder for the shooting death…
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By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn Village Manager Tom Phelan said the finances of homeowners need to be addressed while paying off pension deficits. Phelan said during the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting on November 22 that making budget adjustments for next year has to keep residents in mind due to rising inflation. “We may be…
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By Joe Boyle Damage took place sometime over the weekend to the Christmas tree lights that were put up at Veterans Memorial Park in Worth. Bob O’Shaughnessy, supervisor of the Worth Park District, said they noticed that the Christmas tree lights were cut by an individual or individuals. O’Shaughnessy and employees noticed the damage after…
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Cannabis possession Joseph S. Johanek, 22, of, Oak Lawn, was charged with possession of cannabis following a traffic stop at 10:53 p.m. Nov. 9, in the 10100 block of Ridgeland Avenue. Police said they detected a strong odor of cannabis and found a cannabis blunt and three grams of the drug being illegally transported in…
Read More DUI Tyrese M. Smith. 28, of Evergreen Park, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol following a traffic stop at 4:13 a.m. Nov. 9, in the 7000 block of west 95th Street. Police reported following his speeding vehicle, with sirens on, as he drove west from the 5300 block of 95th Street. Police…
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By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn officials are concerned about drivers who are refusing to slow down and are ignoring stop signs. “The number one complaint I have gotten over the years is the flow of traffic and speeding,” said Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) at the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting on Nov. 8. “People want…
Read More Oak Lawn police said a woman crossing 95th Street was killed Tuesday afternoon when she was hit by a minivan and pinned under the vehicle. Police said in a statement that the woman, who was not identified pending notification to her family, was in the 4400 block of West 95th Street about 3:20 p.m. when…
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The FBI believes the same masked robber hit a bank in Oak Lawn last week after robbing a bank in Chicago a week earlier. The FBI said a masked robber hit the U.S. Bank branch at 9401 S. Cicero Avenue at 11:17 a.m. on October 26. Employees told police the man implied he had a…
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Tri-State lane closures start Monday as area ramps prepare to reopen
Overnight lane closures are scheduled next week to shift traffic on Interstate 55 and on the northbound Tri-State Tollway (Interstate 294) between Willow Springs Road and Plainfield Road and reopen the ramp connecting northbound I-294 to southbound I-55 and Wolf Road. On Monday, February 6, beginning at 9 p.m. and continuing until 5 a.m. on…
Comings & Goings: Orland Area Chamber installs new officers
Ramzi Hassan of Edwards Realty Company was installed last week as president of the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce. The 2023 board of directors was also installed and annual membership awards were handed out during ceremonies last Thursday at the Crystal Tree Country Club. Installation duties were performed by Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau.…
Oak Lawn studio wants to be haven for artists
By Joe Boyle An acorn may be the symbol that inspires the Oak Lawn community to unleash its artistic talents. The first official session of the Acorn to Oak Studios will be presented from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5, in the north wing of the Pilgrim Faith Church campus, 9411 S. 51st Avenue,…
EPCHS names Matthew Dugan next principal
From staff reports Evergreen Park Community High School has hired Matthew Dugan as its next principal. Dugan’s appointment was made official during the January 24 meeting of the Evergreen Park Community High School Board of Education. Dugan will become principal on July 1, upon the retirement of current Principal Bill Sanderson. “I am thrilled and…
Lyons Township school board rejects sale of 70-acre parcel in Willow Springs
By Steve Metsch The sale of 70 acres in Willow Springs to a developer who wants to build an industrial park has been rejected by the Lyons Township High School District 204 board, but the door remains wide open to a sale. The board voted unanimously Jan. 23 to reject bids of $46.5 million from…
Venezuelan asylum seeking families enjoy a night out at Flying High in Countryside
By Carol McGowan Twenty-three adults and 30 children of Venezuelan families seeking asylum enjoyed a fun night out on January 14 courtesy of Flying High in Countryside. The event was a collaboration between St. Cletus Church in LaGrange, and Flying High, at 5400 East Avenue in Countryside. Flying High opened their gym doors over 30…
Georgis Catering owner vows to rebuild after fire
By Bob Bong Georgis Catering owner Buz Georgis is maintaining an upbeat outlook despite the destruction of his business in an early-morning fire Friday at 63rd Place and Central Avenue in Chicago’s Clearing neighborhood. “It’s been a pretty crazy week,” he said Monday. “But we are moving forward and we plan on being somewhere. We…
BEDS Plus Soup & Bread event to raise money to assist the homeless
By Steve Metsch One way to warm up on a cold winter’s day is with a bowl of soup. And on Sunday, soup lovers can sample 20 different soups and also get the warm feeling received by helping a local charitable organization. BEDS Plus, which helps the homeless through the southwest suburbs, is bringing back…
Sandburg/MVCC dual courses could save plenty of money
By Jeff Vorva The price of college tuition keeps going up and shows no sign of ever going down. Thus, District 230 Board Member Dave O’Connor is urging Sandburg parents with college-bound students to take a long look at the school’s dual credit program with Moraine Valley. “We get students here who will leave here…
Cubework to turn Orland Park Sears site into Coworking Mall
By Bob Bong That vast empty space at Orland Square Mall that was once the home of retail giant Sears may be getting new life. California-based Cubework has purchased the former Sears property at Orland Square Mall and is marketing the former mall anchor store as a Coworking Mall. The 16-acre purchase includes about 100,000…
Illinois News
Illinois’ biometric privacy law strengthened by latest high court ruling
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – People who’ve been subject to fingerprinting, face or retinal scans as either employees or customers of Illinois companies have five years to file lawsuits if they believe the business violated a stringent state privacy law, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled this week. It’s the latest in…
Pritzker seeks more info on AP African American Studies course
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker this week asked the College Board for more information about its reasoning for changing the final framework of a new Advanced Placement course in African American studies after it had been criticized by Florida’s Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. “Although we are pleased to…
Report pushes for greater focus on teacher recruitment and retention amid shortages
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois schools are still grappling with a teacher shortage that seems to only be getting worse, a recent survey by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools shows. This mirrors the state’s own data, which shows Illinois’ teacher shortage is at the highest level in…
Illinois’ COVID-19 disaster proclamation to end in May
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol news Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Exactly 38 months after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, Illinois will no longer be under a disaster proclamation as of May 11, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Tuesday. That’s the same day President Joe Biden will end the national public health emergency, which…
CAPITOL RECAP: Gun lawsuit restraining order remains in place
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD — A temporary restraining order that partially blocks Illinois’ new assault weapons ban from being enforced will remain in place after a divided state appellate court panel’s ruling Tuesday. The restraining order was issued Jan. 20 by Effingham County Circuit Judge Joshua Morrison, but it applies only to the 800…
Appellate court upholds restraining order on assault weapons ban
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A temporary restraining order that partially blocks Illinois’ new assault weapons ban from being enforced will remain in place after a divided state appellate court panel’s ruling Tuesday. The restraining order was issued Jan. 20 by Effingham County Circuit Judge Joshua Morrison, but it applies only…
Tony Sanders to become state superintendent of education
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education announced Tuesday that Elgin-based School District U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders will become the next state superintendent of education. Sanders, 53, will succeed Carmen Ayala, who announced in November that she would retire effective Jan. 31. ISBE said Sanders will take…
Amid ‘unprecedented’ prolonged revenue boom, state finds budget breathing room
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Sustained higher-than-predicted state tax revenues have in recent months given lawmakers a level of budgeting flexibility that is, at least in modern times, without precedent in a state with a reputation for perilous finances. For the current fiscal year and the one before it, that’s led…
‘Omnibus’ health care bill passed amid criticisms
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A law recently signed by Gov. JB Pritzker will extend the deadline for the state to transfer criminal defendants deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial from jail to a mental hospital. That same bill, House Bill 240, also gives nursing homes in Illinois two more years…
Veteran Statehouse reporter Hannah Meisel joins Capitol News Illinois reporting team
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS [email protected] Longtime Statehouse reporter Hannah Meisel has joined the Capitol News Illinois team as a full-time state government and politics reporter. She’s had a number of assignments covering the Statehouse and Illinois government since the 2014 legislative session, most recently serving as Statehouse editor for NPR Illinois from 2020 until after…
