Orland Park trustee Joni Radaszewski's in-person return to the Orland Park board meeting Monday night was welcomed warmly by her colleagues. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)
Rainbow Cone coming to Orland Park
Trustee Radaszewski’s return highlights cheery meeting
By Jeff Vorva
Rainbow Cone is coming to Orland Park.
So is Steinhafel’s Furniture. And Silver Cross Hospital wants to being in a medical office building.
Oh, and Trustee Joni Radaszewski returned for her first in-person meeting since suffering injuries in a horrific accident in July that took the lives of her parents.
For the most part, Monday’s Orland Park Village Board meeting was jovial with laughs and jokes and good cheer. The meeting was held in the training room of the Orland Park Police Department because the meeting room at Village Hall is being renovated.
Mayor Keith Pekau remarked that Radaszewski’s presence helped lighten the seriousness of recent meetings and other trustees took turns welcoming her back.
The mood was also light because of the new businesses coming to town.
The board agreed to allow Rainbow Cone a special use permit for a drive-thru at 15711 Harlem Ave., the former site of Baker’s Square.
According to a document from Rainbow Cone to the village, it wants to open “by early 2023.” It also plans on an outdoor patio with a branded canopy.
The Original Rainbow Cone started in Chicago 96 years ago and there are also locations in Lombard, on Navy Pier, Darien, Lakemoor and Skokie.
“I lived two blocks away from the one on Western [in Chicago] for 10 years and this is fantastic that you are coming to Orland Park,” Trustee Brian Riordan told Rainbow Cone officials during the meeting. “My kids are going to be very excited. I’m very happy you are coming.”
The board also agreed to an inducement agreement for the Wisconsin-based Steinhafels Inc. to move into the 203 Orland Park Place site that housed Bed Bath and Beyond.
No action was taken Monday, but Pekau said at the next board meeting they will discuss Silver Cross’s desire to bring in a medical office building at 171st Street and LaGrange Road.
Losing Toys R Us, Babies R Us, Carson’s and Sears and other stores in recent years and COVID-19 making life hard on businesses plus skyrocketing inflation have taken its toll on the village. Pekau is happy with the uptick in businesses coming to Orland Park, which could also include a PGA Tour Superstore.
“This speaks volumes to what a great community this is,” the mayor said. “I grew up here and I’m biased a little bit but it’s a wonderful community and I think we’re an example for other communities in the state and in the country on how to be run and how to have a vibrant community even when surrounded by a fair amount of turmoil.”
1 Comment
Local News
Star student earns college scholarship
Spread the love St. Laurence High School senior Priscilla Bonilla stands with her family, minutes after learning she has earned a four-year academic scholarship to the University of St. Francis. In college, she plans to study theology and secondary education, with a hope to return to St. Laurence one day as a teacher. A West…
Worth Park District asks voters to support parks
Spread the loveWorth 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…
OLCHS, Richards Contest Play advance to state finals
Spread the loveBoth 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…
Yarbrough and O’Grady join elected officials to recruit Election Day workers
Spread the loveFacing a critical shortage of election poll workers, Cook County Clerk Karen A. Yarbrough on Tuesday joined Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and Maywood Library Board Director Erica Sanchez to ask suburban residents to heed the call, help their local community, and get paid to volunteer as poll workers for the upcoming April…
At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly Students and staff at Stagg and Sandburg high schools raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on St. Patrick’s Day, with many going all out and getting their heads shaved. Leah Ellis, a counselor at Stagg, has been coordinating the Palos Hills school’s participation in the annual fundraiser…
Sterling Estates woman charged in death of 19-month-old son
Spread the loveA woman from unincorporated Sterling Estates in Justice was charged with first-degree murder and child endangerment stemming from an incident involving her 19-month-old son that started in October, Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday. On Oct. 17, Sheriff’s Police responded to a residence in the 800 block of Victory Lane in unincorporated Sterling…
Centennial Park West band shell project ready to roll
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva A project that has been 20 years in the making finally is good to go. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted Monday, March 20, to give a green light to the Centennial Park West project. The revamped park will have a permanent stage to host three major…
Taking sides in mayoral race
Spread the love. Clearing, Garfield Ridge endorsements start to emerge By Tim Hadac While neither Paul Vallas nor Brandon Johnson has campaigned to any significant degree in Clearing or Garfield Ridge, their supporters—including several here in the neighborhood–are starting to go public. The latest endorsement to be snagged occurred last Friday, when U.S. Rep. Jesús…
Casten still learning the lay of the land in the south suburbs
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Sean Casten is getting to know his new mayors. Casten, the Democratic Congressman of the revamped 6th District, has been spending a lot of time meeting 40 mayors in recent weeks after he was sworn into office in January. Casten beat out Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau in the November…
Court’s in session for Palos Park mayoral candidates
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Yes, they are lawyers. And they know how to give a closing argument. Longtime Palos Park Commissioner Nicole Milovich-Walters and Ronette Leal McCarthy are a pair of lawyers seeking the job as mayor to take over for John Mahoney, also a lawyer, who is retiring and did not seek a…
Neighbors
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…
Utility’s indicted CEO considered Madigan when hiring, witness says
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – In April 2017, a top staffer in then-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office was looking to leave his job after a combined nearly 18 years working for the speaker’s office and as his political director. Will Cousineau applied for a high-level job with electric utility Commonwealth…
House passes bill prohibiting book bans
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit libraries from banning books or other material because of partisan or doctrinal pressure, prompting strong opposition from Republicans who called it an assault on local control. House Bill 2789 is an initiative of Democratic Secretary of…
ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Being the longtime friend of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan granted Mike McClain certain privileges not afforded to other lobbyists in Springfield, jurors heard Tuesday in a federal corruption trial that, in part, centers around the relationship between the two. McClain “had pretty free access”…
I think Jason’s deli, would be a great addition to Orland Park! Everyone loves Jason’s deli, they have such good food, and a wide variety to choose from!