Local News

reporter 3 26 24 biz expo 4 honey photo 3 28

Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo

By Bob Bong / March 27, 2024 /

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…

Read More
biz trinity christian college nursing school

Trinity, MVCC nursing schools schools receive state grants

By Bob Bong / March 22, 2024 /

By Bob Bong The Illinois Board of Higher Education has awarded nursing school grants to 12 institutions of higher education across the state, including two in the south suburbs, totaling $1.4 million. Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills received a grant of $38,316 to focus on improved math proficiency and preparedness of students to…

Read More
reporter 3 18 24 sonia anne khalil

Sonia Anne Khalil remains upbeat despite loss in 36th House

By Steve Metsch / March 20, 2024 /

By Steve Metsch Sonia Anne Khalil, who lost to Rick Ryan in the Democratic primary for the 36th House, was far from dejected Tuesday night. “It’s okay,” she said during a gathering at the Qamaria Yemeni coffee shop in Chicago Ridge. Khalil, 34, said she and her supporters “organized in four months and I thought…

Read More
reporter 3 12 24 rick ryan

Ryan moving on to face McGovern in 36th District

By Jeff Vorva / March 20, 2024 /

By Jeff Vorva Rick Ryan was asked to serve. He agreed to serve. All he has to do is convince enough people to allow him to serve. He is halfway there. He earned the Democratic nomination for state representative in the 36th District on March 19 by beating Sonia Anne Khalil in the primary. The…

Read More
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…

Read More
reporter 2 21 24 ruby the mascot visits mcdonalds

Palos Hills to start posting job openings

By Bob Bong / February 23, 2024 / Comments Off on Palos Hills to start posting job openings

By Nuha Abdessalam The Palos Hills Economic Development Department will start making job postings accessible for locals to scope out the job scene. Mayor Gerald Bennett and aldermen highlighted the city’s flourishing local business climate during the city council meeting on Feb. 15. Ald. Donna O’Connell said the city’s Economic Development Department will be able…

Read More
reporter 1 23 24 new 117 supt c droba

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…

Read More
regional 1 2 24 Eisenhower winner of pastry competition

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…

Read More
palos hills police logo

Man hangs self from Palos Hills ComEd tower

By Bob Bong / December 15, 2023 /

By Steve Metsch Palos Hills police confirmed Friday that a 40-year-old man commited suicide by hanging himself from a ComEd tower. The body of Caleb Palmbos, of Wheaton, was found around 7 a.m. Thursday, said a Palos Hills deputy chief who requested anonymity. “Suicide. It was confirmed by the medical examiner’s office this morning. By…

Read More
regional 10 26 charles richards obit

Veteran journalist Charles Richards, longtime owner of The Regional News, dies

By Bob Bong / October 26, 2023 /

By Bob Bong Charles Richards, a veteran community journalist whose family owned The Regional News from 1947 to 2014, passed away Thursday at his Palos Heights home. The Regional News was founded in 1941 and is the oldest business in Palos Heights. Its original coverage area was Palos Heights and Palos Park. Mr. Richards’ father,…

Read More
Sheri Cannataro, of Cannataro Farms, demonstrates the gear she wears to extract honey from a bee hive for visitors who stopped by to see her products at the Hills Chamber of Commerce Business and Community Expo Saturday at Conrady Junior High School in Hickory Hills. (Photos by Joe Boyle)

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…

Palos Park Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters speaks about zoning codes at the March 25 council meeting. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Palos Park to tweak outdated village zoning codes

By Jeff Vorva The village of Palos Park has no grand plan to change the village landscape. But officials want to modernize some of its zoning codes. “The village has not comprehensively updated its development regulations since 1960,” Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters said at the March 25 village council meeting. “Due to this, there are many…

Ridgeland sd122 logo

SD122 psychologist resigns over Islamophobic posts

By Nuha Abdessalam A psychologist for Ridgeland School District 122 has resigned after hundreds of parents demanded she be fired for social media posts that were pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian. District Supt. Joseph Matise announced at a schoolboard meeting last week that Dr. Laurie Hoke had resigned. “Dr. Hoke will no longer be working with students…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach for the…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice, football) and…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored their first…

Julia Bianchi heads back on defense shortly after delivering a first-half goal for the Chicago Red Stars on March 23 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for six consecutive…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept. 14 when…

Morton's Nariah Clay was named to the NCJAA Division II all-tournament team as the Panthers finished fifth in the nation. Photo courtesy of Morton College Department of Athletics

Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament. It…

Marist's Jack Meader (left) and Nathen Toth face each other during a block attempt against Downers Grove North in the semifinals of the Marist Invitational on March 23. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite

By Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament with a…

Illinois News

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

Capitol Briefs: Advocates push for guaranteed income, child care assistance

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear the case of actor Jussie Smollett, who was convicted for staging a hate crime against him in 2019 in a case that drew criticism for Cook County’s top prosecutor. Smollett made what turned out to be…

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

Illinois teacher shortage persists, survey finds

By PETER HANCOCK  Capitol News Illinois  phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com  SPRINGFIELD – Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact.  That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools,…

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

Bills in state Senate would further regulate battery storage and disposal

COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Two bills that would regulate battery disposal and storage are awaiting action from the full Illinois Senate after unanimous committee approval.   Senate Bill 3481, sponsored by Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, would require facilities that store electric vehicle batteries to register with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency…

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

Prisoner Review Board chair, member resign in wake of boy’s fatal stabbing by released inmate

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The longtime chair and a relatively new member of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board have resigned, Gov. JB Pritzker’s office announced Monday. The governor’s office announced the pair’s resignations within hours of each other nearly two weeks after Crosetti Brand was released from Stateville Correctional Center. Brand is…

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

Highest-ranking woman in state police history reflects on experience as force looks to diversify

By ALEX ABBEDUTO   Capitol News Illinois  abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com  The night before Rebecca Hooks started at the Illinois State Police Academy in 2002, she spoke on the phone with her father and her brother – both of whom worked in law enforcement.  Her father encouraged her, telling her she was strong and could get through the…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

After being rebuffed by regulators, utilities file slimmed-down spending plans

 By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State regulators are once again considering massive electric utility spending plans that would affect the state’s climate goals – and 5.4 million electric customers’ monthly bills – after rejecting previous versions late last year. The Illinois Commerce Commission forced the state’s two major electric utilities, Commonwealth…

Capitol Briefs: Insurance reforms advance as Pritzker announces California trip

Capitol Briefs: Insurance reforms advance as Pritzker announces California trip

By PETER HANCOCK, JENNIFER FULLER & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker’s proposal for sweeping reforms in the state’s health insurance industry passed out of a committee Thursday and will soon make its way to the full House for consideration. Pritzker first outlined the proposal in his State of the…