Posts by Steve Metsch
13,000 Easter eggs make for ‘amazing’ hunt in Lyons
By Steve Metsch Having grown up in Lyons, Plainfield resident Jennifer Radosevich Mallen knew where to visit for a good Easter egg hunt. “My parents still live here,” she said. “My grandpa was the mayor of this town for years, William G. Smith. That’s why we always come back to this one because of what…
Read More‘Put me back in, Coach’ – McCarthy eager to return to law enforcement
By Steve Metsch Garry McCarthy compared the blockbuster news of his return to policing to that of an athlete itching to get back on the field. “Put me back in, Coach,” the former college athlete and Chicago Police Superintendent said Thursday morning. McCarthy, 62, is six years removed from working in law enforcement. He spoke…
Read MoreChicago’s former top cop McCarthy hired to lead Willow Springs police
By Steve Metsch Garry McCarthy, former superintendent of the Chicago Police Department, has been appointed interim police chief in Willow Springs. A news conference is set for 10 a.m. Thursday at the village hall to announce the move. McCarthy replaces James Ritz, who submitted his resignation as police chief to Village Administrator Ryan Grace on…
Read MoreBaker out as assistant superintendent in Lyons SD 103
By Steve Metsch Carol Baker is out as assistant superintendent of Lyons School District 103. Baker is still the principal of Washington Middle School and has a year left on her contract, Supt. Kris Rivera said. According to sources, however, Baker could also be out as principal of Washington. The School District 103 board of…
Read More400 motorists get free gas at Hickory Hill station as police chief pitches in
By Steve Metsch Shirley Jenkins wasn’t about to miss her chance to get $50 worth of gasoline for free, even it meant getting in line around 6 a.m. The Justice woman, 63, waited three hours to pump free gas into her SUV Thursday morning at Falcon Fuel in Hickory Hills. “I need the gas,” Jenkins…
Read MoreBuddy Bear Car Wash approved for Lyons
By Steve Metsch If all goes as planned, in early 2023 you will be able to visit the brand-new Buddy Bear Car Wash on Ogden Avenue in Lyons. The village board on March 15 voted 6-0 in favor of a unanimous zoning board of appeals recommendation that a special-use permit be approved for the car…
Read MoreSerbian Orthodox Church in Brookfield buys St. Hugh in Lyons
By Steve Metsch St. Hugh Roman Catholic Church in Lyons, closed by the Archdiocese of Chicago in June 2021, will again be a house of worship. St. Nikola Serbian Orthodox Church, based in Brookfield, purchased the property on March 10. Father Nemanja Tesic, 38, who leads the estimated 500-member congregation, hopes to have Christmas services…
Read MoreBridgeview buys new digital radio system for police
By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is spending $250,000 for a state-of-the-art radio system that Police Chief Ricardo Mancha said will be a vast improvement for the department. The village board at its March 2 meeting unanimously approved the purchase of 45 portable digital radios and accessories from Motorola Solutions. “Doing this is going to save us…
Read MoreLyons hits jackpot with gaming machine fee hike
By Steve Metsch The village of Lyons stands to benefit greatly from a new state law that allows non-home rule communities to charge higher annual fees for the gaming terminal licensing fee. The state previously had a cap of $25 on the fee, Mayor Christopher Getty said. That’s been boosted to $250. At its March…
Read MoreBridgeview, Burbank police ready for Polar Plunge
By Steve Metsch Bridgeview Police Officer Josh Brander and some of his colleagues can’t wait to go swimming Saturday. No, it’s not in the warm comfort of a YMCA swimming pool or a local hotel. This will happen outside. On March 5. In Northern Illinois. It’s not exactly swimming weather, which is why it’s called…
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