Local News

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Stickney Public Health confirms measles case in Bedford Park

By Bob Bong / April 12, 2024 /

From staff reports The Stickney Public Health District has confirmed that a person with measles related to the ongoing situation in the City of Chicago was at the Walmart Supercenter at 7050 S. Cicero Ave. in Bedford Park on Friday, March 22, roughly between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. Anybody who was at…

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Argo High School holds Iftar Dinner for community

By Carol Mcgowan / March 28, 2024 / Comments Off on Argo High School holds Iftar Dinner for community

By Carol McGowan More than 100 people gathered at Argo Community High School last week for a now annual Ramadan Iftar dinner organized by Argo teacher Nadia Elkhatib. Elkhatib was happy with the turnout for those coming Thursday night to break bread with the school’s Muslim students and their families. “I will continue to do…

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Retired Chicago cop Vasquez takes on incumbent Rep. Rashid in 21st District

By Steve Metsch / March 15, 2024 / Comments Off on Retired Chicago cop Vasquez takes on incumbent Rep. Rashid in 21st District

By Steve Metsch A one-term state representative and a retired Chicago police officer will square off in the March 19 Democratic primary for the 21st House District. Incumbent Abdelnasser Rashid, 34, of Bridgeview, is challenged by Vidal Vasquez, 62, of Chicago’s Garfield Ridge community. This isn’t Vasquez’ first foray into politics. He ran an unsuccessful…

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Stop the Bleed lessons taught at Argo, Summit Library

By Carol Mcgowan / February 18, 2024 / Comments Off on Stop the Bleed lessons taught at Argo, Summit Library

By Carol McGowan  Argo High School’s Student Resource Officers, Michael Snee and Wagner Antoine, have not only been busy with making sure the Summit school is safe, but have been training staff in how to Stop the Bleed. Snee has been with the Summit Police Department for approximately seven years, and at Argo High School…

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Bedford Park buys Southern Belle restaurant

By Bob Bong / February 3, 2024 / Comments Off on Bedford Park buys Southern Belle restaurant

By Bob Bong Southern Belle’s restaurant in Bedford Park closed for the last time last Sunday after more than two decades at 6737 S. Archer Ave. The village has a contract to purchase the site for $2.5 million. Closing is expected in the first quarter. Bedford Park Mayor Dave Brady said a plan to move…

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Suspect in Bedford Park shooting charged in Oak Lawn, Worth robberies 

By Bob Bong / January 11, 2024 / Comments Off on Suspect in Bedford Park shooting charged in Oak Lawn, Worth robberies 

By Bob Bong  The man charged with shooting a Bedford Park police officer in November has been indicted for two gas station robberies in October in Oak Lawn and Worth. Oak Lawn police last week said Raul Perez, 24, of Blue Island, was indicted by a Cook County Grand Jury on December 18 for the…

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Campaign 2024: Rashid to seek re-election in 21st District 

By Bob Bong / December 15, 2023 / Comments Off on Campaign 2024: Rashid to seek re-election in 21st District 

By Bob Bong  The holiday season also marks the beginning of the 2024 election cycle in Illinois as candidates in the March 19 primary have already filed their petitions to run. The 2022 primary was moved to June, but next year’s primary is moving back to its traditional third Tuesday in March date. The biggest…

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2 men charged in shooting of Bedford Park cop 

By Bob Bong / December 8, 2023 / Comments Off on 2 men charged in shooting of Bedford Park cop 

By Bob Bong  A Blue Island man was charged last week with attempted murder in the shooting of a Bedford Park police officer in the early morning hours of November 26. Raul Perez, 24, of Blue Island, was charged with one count of attempted first degree murder of a police officer, one count of attempted…

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Bedford Park officer shot Sunday morning

By Bob Bong / November 26, 2023 / Comments Off on Bedford Park officer shot Sunday morning

By Bob Bong A Bedford Park police officer was in stable condition Sunday after he was shot while investigating a stolen car near the Speedway station at 6800 S. Archer Avenue. Police were responding to reports of a nearby car crash about 3:40 a.m. Police said a car reported stolen in a carjacking in Chicago…

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Comings & Goings: Wyndham breaks ground on new Bedford Park hotel 

By Bob Bong / October 19, 2023 / Comments Off on Comings & Goings: Wyndham breaks ground on new Bedford Park hotel 

By Bob Bong Development in Bedford Park is in high gear and a new hotel broke ground earlier this month adjacent to the Wintrust Sports Complex on 65th Street, which opened in 2021. The importance was not lost on Bedford Park Mayor David Brady who, moments after his shovel dug into dirt on October 6, rattled…

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Oak Lawn coach Shawn Neubauer and Teagan Kryzstof survey the field during the Spartans’ 3-0 loss to Shepard on April 15. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind a complete-game…

Shepard junior Kailey Selvage struck out 15 batters while allowing two hits and walking one in the Astros’ 3-0 win over Oak Lawn on April 15 in Palos Heights. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Shepard blanks Oak Lawn behind CG from Kailey Selvage, 2 RBI from Madison Scapardine

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Temperatures are not the only thing starting to warm up in the Southwest Suburbs. Shepard, which began the season with three consecutive losses, defeated Oak Lawn, 3-0, on April 15 to run its winning streak to seven games. Astros junior pitcher Kailey Selvage tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out 15 Spartans…

Brett Buzzelli, a St. Laurence graduate who pitches at Carroll University in Wisconsin, was named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Pitcher of the Week for April 8. Photo courtesy of Carroll University

St. Laurence grad Brett Buzzelli hurling for Carroll

By Mike Walsh Correspondent Carroll University senior right-hander Brett Buzzelli has been named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Pitcher of the Week for April 8. Buzzelli was the winning pitcher in an 8-3 victory over visiting Elmhurst University in Game 1 of a CCIW doubleheader. The St. Laurence graduate tossed seven scoreless innings…

Fire II wins, draws

By Jef Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire FC II earned its first regulation victory of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season in a 2-0 clean sheet against Crown Legacy April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Diego Konincks and captain David Poreba scored goals for the Fire. On April 14, the team had a 5-5 draw…

Red Stars sans Swanson fall to Angel City

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Playing without scoring star Mallory Swanson, who was nursing a hip injury, the Chicago Red Stars lost for the first time this season, dropping a 1-0 decision April 13 to Angel City in front of an announced crowd of 3,168 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Angel City (1-2-1) started the day…

The Chicago Red Stars' Ally Schlegel said she is looking forward to playing at Wrigley Field when the team hosts Seattle there in June. IMAGN photo

Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC to play at Wrigley Field

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Chicago Red Stars forward Ally Schlegel loves Wrigley Field. “I adored Wrigley the second I went to my first Cubs game,” Schlegel said. “I fell in love with it thinking it was the perfect sporting experience with how they built it up down there.” She will go from a fan in…

New Trinity Christian men's basketball coach Jordan Mast led Antelope Valley to the NAIA Tournament this season. Photo courtesy of Trinity Christian College Department of Athletics

Trinity Christian College names new hoops coaches

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Trinity Christian officials were busy on April 11 ushering in new eras for its basketball programs. Trolls Athletic Director Wendy Reid announced that Jordan Mast is taking over the men’s basketball program, while Jasmine Porter has been named women’s hoops coach. Mast comes to the school in Palos Heights after five…

Illinois News

Capitol Briefs: State Police report fewer deaths on Illinois highways in 2023

Capitol Briefs: State Police report fewer deaths on Illinois highways in 2023

By JENNIFER FULLER Capitol News Illinois jfuller@capitolnewsillinois.com  Fatal crashes on interstates and expressways in Illinois fell by 7 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and shootings were down more than 30 percent. Illinois State Police report the declines came at the same time troopers were beefing up their enforcement on the state’s transportation…

Back wages totaling more than $5 million owed to thousands of Illinois workers

Back wages totaling more than $5 million owed to thousands of Illinois workers

By ALEX ABBEDUTO  Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  The U.S. Department of Labor is currently holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 Illinois workers, and the department has launched a new website in an effort to return it. When an employee is underpaid for the work they do, the DOL’s Wage…

Staffing agencies not exempted from antitrust law, state Supreme Court rules

Staffing agencies not exempted from antitrust law, state Supreme Court rules

By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Staffing agencies – a fast-growing industry that employs nearly a million Illinoisans – are not exempt from the state’s antitrust law, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled late last week. The decision comes 3 ½ years after Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued a trio of staffing agencies, alleging they…

Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year

Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com An early childhood education program championed by Gov. JB Pritzker is ahead of schedule when it comes to increasing access to preschool in Illinois.  The Smart Start program passed last May as part of the state’s operating budget, which allocated $250 million to expand early childhood education programs,…

Tracy Katz Muhl appointed to fill seat of resigned Rep. Jonathan Carroll

Tracy Katz Muhl appointed to fill seat of resigned Rep. Jonathan Carroll

By ALEX ABBEDUTO  Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsiillinois.com Tracy Katz Muhl, a Northbrook school board president and Northfield Township Democratic committeeperson, will fill former Democratic Rep. Jonathan Carroll’s 57th district seat. Carroll resigned earlier this month, saying in a written statement it was “in the best interest” of his family’s “physical and mental health.” Illinois law…

Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year

Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com An early childhood education program championed by Gov. JB Pritzker is ahead of schedule when it comes to increasing access to preschool in Illinois.  The Smart Start program passed last May as part of the state’s operating budget, which allocated $250 million to expand early childhood education programs,…

State Supreme Court upholds downstate police, firefighter pension consolidation

State Supreme Court upholds downstate police, firefighter pension consolidation

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld a 2019 law that consolidated nearly 650 municipal police and firefighter pension funds, rejecting arguments from pension fund members that their voting power was diluted unconstitutionally. The law, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed soon after it passed with…

Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board

Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board

By ALEX ABBEDUTO   Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  A new bill in the Illinois General Assembly would create a board of health care experts that would have the authority to set price limits on prescription medications.  House Bill 4472 was introduced Wednesday by Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, and Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria. Using a variety…

Pritzker announces milestones for preschool program, industry development

Pritzker announces milestones for preschool program, industry development

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The state on Wednesday announced it inked another tax incentive deal aimed at boosting manufacturing while Gov. JB Pritzker said his plan to add more preschool seats in early childhood “deserts” is ahead of schedule.    The deal was completed between Wieland Rolled Products North America under the…

Patchwork aid system and uncertain funding leave thousands of migrants in limbo

Patchwork aid system and uncertain funding leave thousands of migrants in limbo

By ANDREW ADAMS  Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – As Illinois faces sub-zero wind chills, thousands of recently arrived migrants are sleeping in precarious situations throughout Chicago and its suburbs – overcrowded shelters, police stations, former convenience stores, library basements and spare rooms in churches, to name a few.  Many of these recent arrivals have…