Little Leaguers to parade
Weeks after tulips and daffodils herald the arrival of spring, the earliest hints of summer start to appear. This year, that means the youthful exuberance of the Opening Day parade of Clear-Ridge Little League, tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23. The route is expected to run from the west parking lot of Kennedy High School, near 57th and Narragansett, south to Hale Park. – Supplied photo
Local News
Challenging minds, changing lives
Spread the loveGebel named MCC’s Teacher of the Year By Tim Hadac Speak with parents of students at Byrne Elementary School about Robert Gebel, and you’ll hear their insights into the character of the man recently named the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. “His passion for teaching and helping his students…
Gratitude is not just on Thanksgiving
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Thanksgiving 2022 has come and gone, but in this special season of the year, it’s a good time to reflect on the blessings we’ve received and return the favor, so to speak. So please make time to slow down a…
Biz leaders back to serve seniors
Spread the loveOffering home safety help By Tim Hadac For the second time this year, three leading businesses serving Clearing and Garfield Ridge are stepping up to serve the community’s elderly residents. All Exterior Contractors, Mike Riordan State Farm Agency and First Rate Realty—all members of the Midway Chamber of Commerce—are teaming up to offer safety inspections of…
Santa stops by St. Symphorosa
Spread the love Santa Claus himself was a guest of honor at an open house held earlier this month at St. Symphorosa School. In addition to meeting the Jolly Old Elf, boys and girls at the event made Christmas ornaments and enjoyed holiday-themed treats. Parents of prospective students toured the school. Parents who missed the…
Boys Hoops: St. Rita hands Brother Rice first loss
Spread the loveBy Steve Millar Correspondent St. Rita came into this season with plenty of hype, boasting a stacked roster led by the top three junior recruits in the state. Three early losses may have left some people questioning whether the Mustangs are legit, but junior forward Morez Johnson said he and his teammates are…
Crime fighter to lead Garfield Ridge Civic
Spread the loveHuff is interim president By Tim Hadac A civic leader with a familiar name is the new interim president of the Garfield Ridge Civic League. Jason Huff, best known in recent years as president of the Scottsdale Neighborhood Watch, is filling a vacancy created by the sudden death of GRCL President Richard Techman.…
Pappas criticizes ‘inequities’ in tax system
Spread the loveFrom staff reports As property tax bills land in Cook County mailboxes over the coming days, businesses and homeowners will likely find higher bills with some gentrifying Latino neighborhoods in Chicago seeing increases of nearly 46%, according to an analysis of 1.8 million tax bills, conducting by the office of Cook County Treasurer…
Kaegi touts new tax tool
Spread the loveFrom staff reports More than $180 billion in property taxes collected from every property in Cook County – from Ford Heights to Chicago to Winnetka – can now be analyzed with software code created by the Cook County Assessor’s Office. The Property Tax Simulator, or PTAXSIM, is a software code package implemented in…
Dems amend SAFE-T Act to address cash bail
Spread the loveSW Side voters rip GOP for ‘fear mongering’ By Jerry Nowicki Capitol News Illinois and Tim Hadac Lawmakers last week passed a long-awaited amendment to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform’s provisions that will eliminate cash bail when the calendar hits 2023. The measure expands the list of crimes for which a judge…
Neighbors
State Senate advances bill to ban food additives linked to health problems
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Senate passed a bill Thursday that would ban four food additives that are found in common products including candy, soda and baked goods. Senate Bill 2637, known as the Illinois Food Safety Act, passed on a 37-15 bipartisan vote and will head to the House for…
INVESTIGATE MIDWEST: Farmers have clamored for the Right to Repair for years. It’s getting little traction in John Deere’s home state
By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest Originally published April 10, 2024 During the 2023 harvest season, one of Jake Lieb’s tractors quit working. A week later, his combine stopped working, too. Both were new — and he was locked out from making any repairs himself because of software restrictions embedded in the machines. Instead, a technician…
Education leaders seek added state funding to help districts accommodate influx of migrants
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The recent surge of international migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Those range from filling their most basic needs like emergency food, clothing and shelter, to more complex issues like lining them up with…
Capitol Briefs: Lawmakers, advocates again call for affordable housing tax credit
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com Housing advocates are renewing a push to fund a $20 million state affordable housing tax credit in the upcoming state budget. Supporters of the “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit Act,” modeled after a federal tax credit program, claimed it would result in over 1,000 affordable housing units being…
Solar investments take center stage as questions loom on state’s renewable future
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com BOLINGBROOK – A manufacturer in the southwest suburbs of Chicago received $2.6 million from electric utility Commonwealth Edison this week as part of a state program for generating its own electricity using solar panels and storing it in one of the largest batteries in the country. But even…
Advocates renew push to tighten firearm laws aimed at protecting domestic violence victims
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for stricter gun laws rallied at the state Capitol Tuesday for a measure aimed at protecting domestic violence victims and two other criminal justice reforms. The bills are backed by organizations such as Moms Demand Action and One Aim Illinois among others. “These policies support…
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Capitol Briefs: Pritzker appoints first-ever Prisoner Review Board director; Chicago advances migrant funding
By JERRY NOWICKI & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Weeks after two high-profile resignations at the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed the first-ever executive director to help lead the beleaguered agency. To fill the newly created position, the governor tapped Jim Montgomery, who most recently served as director of…
INVESTIGATE MIDWEST: Farmers have clamored for the Right to Repair for years. It’s getting little traction in John Deere’s home state
By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest, Investigate Midwest Originally published April 10, 2024 During the 2023 harvest season, one of Jake Lieb’s tractors quit working. A week later, his combine stopped working, too. Both were new — and he was locked out from making any repairs himself because of software restrictions embedded in the machines. Instead,…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…