Local News

reporter 4 16 24 Hickory Hills Andre Showers with fiance Destiny pinning him

Hickory Hills adds new police officer

By Bob Bong / April 18, 2024 /

By Nuha Abdessalam Hickory Hills Police Chief Jason Bray welcomed Andre Showers as the city’s newest police officer during last week’s city council meeting. Aldermen and the community at the April 11 meeting helped celebrate the induction of the Showers, 21. He’s an Army veteran and a 2023 Cook County Correctional Camp graduate at Moraine…

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Moraine Valley Speech and Debate Team headed to nationals to defend title

By Bob Bong / April 10, 2024 /

When the Moraine Valley Community College Speech and Debate Team heads to the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in Reno, Nevada, for nine days this month, they’ll have a target on their back as incoming consecutive champions. But they’re ready. “Last year’s team was amazing. Everyone was on their A game. This year is a…

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Green Hills Public Library hosts Eid Clothing Drive

By Kelly White / March 28, 2024 / Comments Off on Green Hills Public Library hosts Eid Clothing Drive

By Kelly White The Islamic calendar has two major holidays each year: Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan and celebrates an entire month of fasting, and Eid al-Adha, the festival of the sacrifice that occurs during the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage season. It takes place two lunar months after Ramadan. Each Eid…

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Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo

By Bob Bong / March 27, 2024 / Comments Off on Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo

By Joe Boyle Spring has arrived but winter continues to leave its calling card. However, that did not prevent the Hills Chamber of Commerce from holding its 10th annual Business and Community Expo Saturday at Conrady Junior High School in Hickory Hills. While the temperatures were frigid and windy outside, the spirit inside the school…

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STAGG AND 230

Stagg runs away with ISBE awards

By Jeff Vorva / March 6, 2024 / Comments Off on Stagg runs away with ISBE awards

By Jeff Vorva Stagg High School cleaned house in winning several Those Who Excel awards from the Illinois State Board of Education. The Charger Team Space at Stagg won an ISBE team award for meritorious service. Team members are Nicole Leibfried, Tricia Biel, Pat Wright, Jacob Randulich, Eric Elget, Ayaa Al Kurdi, Matt Seibt, Mary…

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Flock Safety camera on pole

Hickory Hills considers buying license-plate readers

By Bob Bong / March 1, 2024 /

By Nuha Abdesallam Hickory Hills city officials are considering acquiring license plate reading cameras after a presentation by police at last week’s city council meeting. Flock Safety cameras are already in use by over 150 agencies in Illinois, helping to restrict crime by providing data about where and when vehicles have been tagged on its…

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SD117 names Droba as new superintendent

By Bob Bong / January 25, 2024 / Comments Off on SD117 names Droba as new superintendent

North Palos School District 117 has announced that Christine Droba will become the next North Palos School District 117 Superintendent of Schools beginning July 1, 2024. The Board of Education selected Droba to fill this position following Dr. Jeannie Stachowiak’s retirement at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Stachowiak will be retiring after 21…

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Teen beaten by Oak Lawn police charged in Orland robbery

By Bob Bong / January 24, 2024 /

By Bob Bong A Bridgeview teen who was beaten by Oak Lawn police after he fled from a traffic stop in 2022 has been charged with robbing a man at a fitness center in Orland Park in December. Orland police said Hadi Abuatelah, 19, was one of three teens who assaulted the victim on December…

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reporter 1 17 24 2024 Board of Review Assessment

Worth Township property tax review workshop

By Bob Bong / January 17, 2024 / Comments Off on Worth Township property tax review workshop

Worth Township Assessor Shaun Murphy, Worth Township Supervisor Patricia Joan Murphy, and Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas will be hosting an in-person Board of Review Workshop on Monday, January 29, from 5-7 p.m. at Worth Township Hall, located at 11601 S. Pulaski Road in Alsip. The workshop is free.  Analysts will be on hand…

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Moraine Valley hosts high school Pastry Decorating Competition

By Bob Bong / January 4, 2024 / Comments Off on Moraine Valley hosts high school Pastry Decorating Competition

Nine high schools were represented at Moraine Valley Community College for the annual High School Pastry Decorating Competition in late October. Teams of students from Eisenhower, Shepard, Richards, Reavis, Oak Lawn, Andrew, Argo, Stagg and Sandburg high schools participated in the competition in the Culinary Arts kitchen on the college campus. Every fall, Moraine Valley…

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Andre Showers’ fiancée Destiny pins the police badge on his uniform at last week’s Hickory Hills City Council meeting. (Photos by Nuha Abdessalam)

Hickory Hills adds new police officer

By Nuha Abdessalam Hickory Hills Police Chief Jason Bray welcomed Andre Showers as the city’s newest police officer during last week’s city council meeting. Aldermen and the community at the April 11 meeting helped celebrate the induction of the Showers, 21. He’s an Army veteran and a 2023 Cook County Correctional Camp graduate at Moraine…

Marist High School, 4200 W. 115th St., Chicago, hosted its second annual Celebration of Culture Night on March 14. (Supplied photo)

Marist celebrates cultural diversity

By Kelly White Marist High School appreciates the wide array of culture that walks its campus hallways on a daily basis. In order to celebrate, the high school, 4200 W. 115th St., Chicago, hosted its second annual Celebration of Culture on March 14. During the free event, students, faculty and staff represented their different cultures…

reporter worth police car

Worth police join task force to combat auto thefts

By Joe Boyle An agreement has been reached between the villages of Worth and Thornton regarding participation in the Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force. Worth Police Chief Tim Denton said the approval of the memorandum to participate in the task force is necessary. “It’s no secret that there has been an increase in auto…

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

New state task force aims to promote state’s Underground Railroad history

New state task force aims to promote state’s Underground Railroad history

By ALEX ABBEDUTO   Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  The Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force met for the first time Tuesday to begin devising a strategy for sharing, growing and celebrating the history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois.  The task force was created last year under a bill sponsored by Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, and…

As recreational cannabis sales again hit record, Illinois AG calls for federal rescheduling

As recreational cannabis sales again hit record, Illinois AG calls for federal rescheduling

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com As Illinois’ recreational cannabis industry once again reported record sales for 2023, the state’s attorney general is calling on the federal government to reclassify the substance.  The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning the federal government believes it has “no currently accepted medical use…

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…

SCOTUS denies one appeal of assault weapons ban while another waits in the wings

SCOTUS denies one appeal of assault weapons ban while another waits in the wings

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Supreme Court has denied one request to review the Illinois assault weapon ban, but many believe the court is more likely to take up another challenge to the law later this year. The high court turned down a request by Republican State Rep.…

State awards over $10 million to Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute

State awards over $10 million to Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute

BY CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com A $10 million state grant will help complete an expansion of cancer treatment services in southern Illinois. The grant was awarded as part of the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure program to the Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute to complete an expansion of the Carterville facility. In addition, the facility was awarded…

Winter weather expected in much of Illinois this week

Winter weather expected in much of Illinois this week

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com Much of Illinois is expecting its first major snowstorm of the season this week. The National Weather Service in Chicago on Monday issued a winter weather advisory for northeastern Illinois, including Chicago, and a winter weather warning for much of northwestern Illinois. Parts of central Illinois will also see some…

Illinois Supreme Court considers constitutional questions in 2019 murder case

Illinois Supreme Court considers constitutional questions in 2019 murder case

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court this spring will decide whether law enforcement should have read a woman her Miranda rights during an investigation into her son’s death. Macon County mother Jessica Logan and her legal team hope to overturn her 2021 conviction in which a jury found her guilty of murdering…

State opens migrant shelter, Pritzker talks supplemental spending plan

State opens migrant shelter, Pritzker talks supplemental spending plan

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com The state opened another shelter for migrants in Chicago on Wednesday, its latest step in dealing with an influx of more than 30,000 asylum seekers sent to Illinois from states on the southern U.S. Border since summer 2022. The new shelter is slated to host about 220 migrants in a…

Illinois proposal calls for expanding vote-by-mail

Illinois proposal calls for expanding vote-by-mail

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com URBANA – As the 2024 election season draws near, voters in Illinois will once again choose whether they want to cast their ballots in person or by mail. But one lawmaker is proposing a bill in the Illinois House that could make that decision a lot easier, making…

As online DMV services plagued by no-shows, secretary of state launches changes

As online DMV services plagued by no-shows, secretary of state launches changes

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com  Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched an online appointment system in September for Illinois drivers needing to come to a driver’s services facility, ostensibly to reduce wait times.  The “Skip-The-Line” program introduced upgrades to the secretary of state’s website as well as a shift in policy, requiring appointments to…