Local News
Naz’s Amelia Garcia wins Golden Apple teaching award
By Bob Bong Amelia Garcia, a teacher at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, was one of 10 teachers in Illinois to receive the 2022 Golden Apple award for Excellence in Teaching last week. Garcia, who teaches 10th- and 11th-grade English, was surprised with the award at a school assembly on May 4. “This is really…
Keyser promoted to police sergeant in Bridgeview
By Steve Metsch After 24 years working on the Bridgeview Police Department, Kenneth Keyser finally has the job he’s been waiting for. Keyser, 49, was promoted to sergeant at the May 4 meeting of the village board. He’ll be in charge of the midnight shift, starting at 10 p.m. and working until 6 a.m. But…
Pro Soccer Report: Cup runneth over — Red Stars v. Washington postponed because of exhibition tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer SeatGeek Stadium was empty the night of May 7. The NWSL game between Washington and the Chicago Red Stars that had been scheduled was postponed, and will be played at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 8. The reason? It wasn’t weather related. It was a cool but dry night. A decent…
College Report: Illini football names scholarship after former Orland top cop Tim McCarthy
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Many area residents know Tim McCarthy as the former longtime police chief of Orland Park. Those who know history know McCarthy was a U.S. Secret Service agent who took a bullet for President Ronald Reagan during John Hinckley Jr.’s assassination attempt in 1981. Not as well known is that McCarthy…
More road closures this week for Roberts Road, 87th Street
From staff reports Road closures with detours are scheduled for this week on Roberts Road and 87th Street to accommodate bridge beam removal for the Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) Project. In addition to overnight closures, this work will require a weekend-long closure of both local roads at their intersection under I-294. Delays are expected. On Roberts Road under I-294, up to two…
Area Sports Roundup: Lyons eyes back-to-back state gymnastics titles
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Time will tell if the Lyons boys gymnastics team can win its second straight IHSA state championship. But the Lions have taken a good first step in achieving that goal. Lyons won its own sectional May 5 with 149.3, nearly 10 points better than runner-up Naperville North. Senior Randy Yonan…
Baseball: Brother Rice closing in on Catholic League Blue crown
By Steve Millar Correspondent Hitting in the seventh spot in the Brother Rice lineup, senior outfielder Nick Daugherty knows he will usually have a shot to drive in a run or two when he steps to the plate. “It’s great,” Daugherty said “I think every time I come up to bat there’s a runner at…
Landek to retire from Illinois Senate
Porfirio will take his place on the ballot By Bob Bong In a move that had apparently been in the works for at least a month, Democratic state Sen. Steve Landek will not run for re-election in November. Lyons Township Trustee Mike Porfirio, a close ally of Landek since his days as his chief of staff in Springfield, is…
Fan Fest returns to Oak Lawn Library
By Kelly White Comic lovers of all ages joined forces this weekend and came together at Oak Lawn Public Library’s annual Fan Fest. The fest at the library, 9427 Raymond Ave., is a pop culture celebration and free comic book day. It provides an opportunity for the community to come to a local event without…
Huge turnout for meeting on Wolf Road widening in Indian Head Park
By Carol McGowan A crowd estimated at more than 150 packed Lyonsville Congregational Church in Indian Head Park last week to hear about plans to widen Wolf Road. The plans have been in the works since 2020 and call for Cook County to widen Wolf Road from 79th Street to Plainfield Road. Most of the…
More Wolf Road, Joliet Road overnight closures coming
Temporary, overnight lane closures are scheduled next week on Wolf Road and Joliet Road at the Tri-State Tollway to accommodate bridge beam removal for the reconstruction of the I-294 bridges over Joliet Road and Wolf Road in Indian Head Park. On Wolf Road, scheduled overnight lane closures will include intermittent full closures, each lasting 15…
Police investigate Palos Hills shooting
From staff reports Palos Hills police are investigating a shooting that occurred at 7:40 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4, in the 10700 block of Roberts Road. Police said they and paramedics of the North Palos Fire Protection District answered a call of a man shot. They found a man wh0 had suffered a gunshot wound…
Newman praised by Muslim group
U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-3rd) accepts a Courage Award from Oussama Jammal of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations at the group’s annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner. She was recently praised by local Muslim leaders for objecting to “the illegal demolition of homes and annexation of Palestinian land [by Israel]; supporting legislation defending the human rights…
Summit woman dies in Riverside car crash
By Bob Bong A Summit woman was killed and four other people were injured in a crash Saturday night in Riverside. Samantha Nieves, 23, died in the crash that occurred at about 8 p.m. April 30 near First Avenue and Waubansee Road, Riverside Director of Public Safety Matthew Buckley said in a release. Buckley said…
Alley paving, police vehicle approved by Lyons
By Steve Metsch The Lyons Village Board has unanimously approved paying Triggi Construction no more than $206,455 for an alley paving project on the east side of town. Mayor Christopher Getty said it’s for an alley the village had hoped to pave last year. “One of the alleys we were working to pave in 2021,…
Neighbors
Illinois News
Garman to retire from state Supreme Court, setting up appointment to replace her
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Republican Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman announced Monday that she will retire on July 7, marking the end of a long legal career that has included 48 years as a jurist. She would have been up for retention this year, but the timing of her…
DCFS director: ‘Stuck kids’ docket a problem years in the making
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Department of Children and Family Services Director Marc Smith has faced nine cases of contempt of court in recent weeks for failing to comply with a judge’s order to place the state’s most vulnerable children in an appropriate setting. In a recent interview with Capitol News…
ANALYSIS: Where does the GOP governor field stand on abortion?
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] Perhaps the biggest news affecting state government this week came not from Springfield but from Washington, D.C. That news was an unprecedented leak of a draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion that would overturn the landmark 1973 abortion rights decision Roe v. Wade. That case’s precedent protects access to…
UPDATED: Fitch, S&P announce Illinois credit ratings upgrades
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Fitch Ratings on Thursday raised the state of Illinois’ rating for general obligation bonds two notches, to BBB+, while S&P Global Ratings on Friday upgraded state bonds by one notch. That means all three major credit rating agencies have updated Illinois credit by two notches in…
Ceremony honors officers killed in the line duty
By GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – As rain steadily fell in Springfield Thursday morning, there was a somber feeling among the law enforcement officers and elected officials that gathered at the Illinois State Library to honor 11 fallen officers killed in the line of duty in 2021. “I have a heavy heart…
Audit finds IDPH failed to intervene in early days of LaSalle Veterans’ Home outbreak
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A new report from the state’s auditor general found more fault with the Illinois Department of Public Health in its response to a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at a state-run veterans home than was found by a previous watchdog report that investigated the matter. A November 2020…
Fitch raises Illinois credit rating two notches
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Fitch Ratings on Thursday raised the state of Illinois’ rating for general obligation bonds two notches, to BBB+, making it the second rating agency to do so in recent weeks and marking the fourth time the state has received a credit upgrade in the last year.…
