Shepard High School students (from left) Aidan Reilly (Bass 1), Carson Steele (Bass 1), Alejandro Gutierrez (Tenor 1) and Ellie Davidson (Soprano 2) earned selection to the ILMEA district festival on November 19. (Supplied photo)

Shepard High School students (from left) Aidan Reilly (Bass 1), Carson Steele (Bass 1), Alejandro Gutierrez (Tenor 1) and Ellie Davidson (Soprano 2) earned selection to the ILMEA district festival on November 19. (Supplied photo)

Shepard students chosen for ILMEA district festival

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Shepard High School choir students Aidan Reilly (Bass 1), Carson Steele (Bass 1), Alejandro Gutierrez (Tenor 1) and Ellie Davidson (Soprano 2) and band student Gabriella Scalzo last weekend earned selection to the Illinois Music Education Association District 1 Choir.

“These students started working on their all-district auditions at the start of the school year, and were selected out of a very competitive pool of auditions,” said Shepard choral director Roland Hatcher.

“Our district, District 1, is the largest and one of the most competitive districts in the state.  It includes the entire city of Chicago, and suburbs as far south as Joliet/Lockport, and as far west as Downers Grove/Elmhurst,” he explained.

These students will represent Shepard at the ILMEA District 1 Festival on Saturday, November 19, at Elmhurst University, and may also be selected to participate in All State Choir.

Local News

 Sophia King, 11, of Chicago Ridge, had fun at Chicago Ridge Park District’s Solarbration on Saturday afternoon. (Photos by Kelly White)

Solarbration: Chicago Ridge celebrates fun in the sun

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Spread the loveBy Kelly White The sun is shining and after a long winter, Chicago Ridge residents ready for it. In honor of National Solar Appreciation Day, the Chicago Ridge Park District offered residents the opportunity to come out and celebrate with a Solarbration, the free event was held outside of Freedom Activity Center, 6252…

An example of the Hometown Heroes banner was on display at the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday morning. The banners will appear throughout the village in designated areas honoring current and former U.S. veterans from Oak Lawn. (Photo by Joe Boyle)

Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax

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Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…

Mayor Bob Straz presents Lois Duran with a certificate honoring her years of volunteer service in Palos Heights. Next to Lois is her son Gary. (Photo by Nuha Abdessalam)

Palos Heights recognizes volunteers

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Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights handed out awards last week recognizing the services provided by volunteers through the years. The proclamations, which were read aloud during the city council meeting April 16, were a testament to the city’s volunteers and were handed out as part of Volunteer Recognition Week. Volunteers were cited for…

Richards’ A.J. Plawecki leaps into setting the ball during a match against Brother Rice at the Crusaders’ Smack Attack tournament held April 19-20. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success

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Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…

Chippewa Elementary School second-grader, Nicholas Bass, 8, of Palos Heights, proudly showed off his artwork at the 15th annual Arts Extravaganza. (Photos by Kelly White)

SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza

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Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau and the village board are making it tougher for businesses to get gaming licenses. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Gaming licenses to be tougher to get in Orland Park

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of…

Palos Park Commissioner G. Darryl Reed talks about the 2024-25 budget at the April 22 council meeting. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Palos Park passes $16 million budget

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The Palos Park Village Council approved the 2024-25 budget, which totals a little more than $16.3 million at the April 22 village council meeting. According to village documents, it represented an increase of a shade over $603,000 from last year. The village is expecting $13.4 million in revenue and $1.86…

Firefighters inspect the Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Dr., after extinguishing a fire that was inside the wall of the building and not readily seen. (Photo courtesy of the Orland Fire Protection District)

Fire damages Al Bahaar Restaurant in Orland Park

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Spread the loveFrom staff reports  Orland Fire Protection District firefighters responded to a fire Monday evening at the Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Dr. At first, restaurant owners suspected the fire alarm was triggered by a malfunction, but as firefighters inspected the restaurant to reset the fire alarm, they detected a burning smell. “What…

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Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound April 24, 2024

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Orland Park bans ‘gas station heroin’

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Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Products with what some people call “gas station heroin” will not be allowed to be sold in Orland Park. At the April 15 meeting, the village board voted 6-0 (with trustee Michael Milani absent) to prohibit kratom novel synthetic and psychoactive drug businesses to be sold in the village. “If…

Neighbors

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Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility

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By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …

Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’

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Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts

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Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online

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Prairie Band Potawatomi becomes 1st federally recognized tribe in Illinois

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Remembering Lee Milner

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Capitol Briefs: Expansion of postpartum coverage, ban on kangaroos among hundreds of measures to pass House

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Pritzker says state ‘obviously’ needs to change 2010 law that shrunk pension benefits

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By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com With a month-and-a-half left in the General Assembly’s spring session, Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is readying its proposal to address Illinois’ chronically underfunded pension system. But the governor this week also acknowledged in the strongest terms yet that any plans to finally get the state on track toward…