Local News

Say man killed little sister with ‘ghost gun’
Chicago Lawn slaying called an accident By Tim Hadac A 15-year-old Chicago Lawn girl was shot in the head and killed by her 20-year-old brother as he reportedly assembled a ghost gun in the family’s third-floor apartment in the 2400 block of West Marquette Road. Shaniya Daniels was struck in the forehead by a bullet…

Charge man with murder in birthday party shooting
Guest of honor shot in the head By Tim Hadac A 28-year-old man has been charged with murder and aggravated battery in connection with a double shooting at a backyard party in Back of the Yards. Jorge Espana, who police said lives in the 3500 block of West 73rd Street, allegedly shot and killed 37-year-old…

Ploggers coming to West Elsdon
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Are you ready to go plogging? Yes, plogging is a combination of jogging and picking up garbage. If you live in the area of 54th and Avers, next Saturday, Aug. 13, bring a garbage bag, gloves and/or…

These folks know their lawns
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Have you driven or walked around our neighborhood lately? I have seen so many beautiful flowers and shrubbery. Residents have certainly been busy planting and landscaping, mowing and weeding. There are some lovely gardens and green lawns. West Lawners seem to know a thing…

Back to School sales tax holiday kicks in on Friday
With the start of a new school year fast approaching, state Rep. Fran Hurley is encouraging parents to take advantage of a state sales tax decrease on school supplies, clothing, shoes and other items over a 10-day period from Aug. 5 through Aug. 14. “Back-to-school shopping can sometimes be a real hit on a parent’s…

Area Sports Roundup: Costa and Busker named top athletes at Trinity; St. Rita’s Talty to kick for Tide
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Former Richards volleyball standout Alex Costa led the NAIA with 508 kills and 613.5 points last season. Not a bad season for the Trinity Christian College sophomore. It gets even better. Last week, Costa was named TCC’s Male Athlete of the Year. The Oak Lawn native also had top numbers…

Pro Soccer Report: San Diego rookie Shaw, 17, scores lone goal in 1-0 win over Red Stars
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The pregame attention went to 32-year-old Alyssa Mautz. The postgame attention – and surely a lot more attention to come – went to 17-year-old Jaedyn Shaw. Mautz announced that last Saturday’s game against the San Diego Wave would be her final last for the Chicago Red Stars. She has accepted…

Moore shows concern for constituents
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 Last Thursday, 17th Ward Ald. David Moore met with some of his constituents that will no longer be a part of the 17th Ward due to the city remapping. The meeting took place at the Marquette Park fieldhouse.…

Bobby Frasor steps down as coach at Brother Rice
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The wins. The mosh pits. The jokes. These are just a few of the things that will be missed by Bobby Frasor, who stepped down last week as the basketball coach at Brother Rice and is leaving the world of hoops. Frasor was a star player for the Crusaders who…

Citizens, cops fighting crime
‘National Night Out’ events set for next week By Joan Hadac Hundreds and perhaps more than a thousand Southwest Side men, women and children are expected to take a public stand against crime at the Chicago Lawn (8th) Police District’s annual National Night Out Against Crime celebration, set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2 at…

City expands access to police exam
Daley College one of seven testing sites By Tim Hadac As police retirements and resignations continue to greatly outpace recruits graduating from the police academy, the Lightfoot Administration has announced expanded access to the police exam. In-person police officer entry exams are set for all City Colleges locations on select dates this month. Men and…

Street looked like a flea market
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 Well hello, August, on Monday. We are enjoying the hot, sultry dog days of summer. The Peck School play lot is complete. For now, it appears to be open to all the neighborhood children. From what I…

Need to get that feeling of unity again
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 On this day (July 29) in 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which then formed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I recently watched a TV special about the Apollo 11 moon landing…

Catalyst Maria students learning life skills
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 Earlier this month, if you happened to drive by Catalyst Maria School, 6727 S. California, you noticed something fun going on outside. A group of 52 youth leaders, aged 10 to 14, who are students at Catalyst Maria,…

Comings & Goings: Macy’s to open 2 new stores in Evergreen Park
By Bob Bong Macy’s has announced it will be opening its first dual Market by Macy’s and Macy’s Backstage stores at the Evergreen Plaza, located at 9700 S. Western Ave. Both stores will offer unique shopping experiences with Market by Macy’s offering customers the latest fashion trends and Macy’s Backstage appealing to those on the…
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Illinois News

UPDATED: Pritzker has ‘mild symptoms’ after positive COVID-19 test, receives anti-viral treatment
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating at home, his office announced Tuesday, three days after he spoke at a gathering of Democrats in Tampa, Florida. Pritzker’s press office said he is experiencing mild symptoms and has received the anti-viral medication Paxlovid,…

Pritzker tests positive for COVID-19, receives anti-viral treatment
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker has tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating at home, his office announced Tuesday, three days after he spoke at a gathering of Democrats in Tampa, Florida. Pritzker’s press office said he is experiencing mild symptoms and has received the anti-viral medication Paxlovid,…

State Police broaden use of ‘clear and present danger’ reports
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Police announced Monday they will start using a broader definition of what constitutes a “clear and present danger” when reviewing a person’s Firearm Owners Identification card. That’s a factor ISP considers when deciding whether to grant someone a FOID card or to revoke…

CAPITOL RECAP: Pritzker calls for federal action on guns, supports assault weapons ban
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – In the wake of a July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured, Gov. JB Pritzker is calling for a ban at both the state and national levels on military-style assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. The governor made those calls on…

Planned Parenthood announces Illinois-Wisconsin partnership in Waukegan
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Planned Parenthood affiliates in Illinois and Wisconsin said Thursday they have formed a partnership to expand services at an abortion clinic in Waukegan to help serve residents of Wisconsin, where abortion services are now banned. That announcement came three weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned…

DCFS yet to release timeline of involvement after death of southern Illinois 3-year-old
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – I’Kera Hill, 3, died of malnutrition and dehydration at a Carbondale hospital on June 22, 2022, according to the child endangerment charges filed in Jackson County against her parents, Isaac Hill and Katrina Simelton Hill. Her obituary stated that I’Kera died after a bout with COVID-19,…

Pritzker announces new IDPH pick, further scales back COVID-19 orders
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will soon have a new Department of Public Health director and its first electric vehicles coordinator after Gov. JB Pritzker announced those appointments in recent days. Dr. Sameer Vohra, a Springfield pediatrician, will still need approval from the state Senate to become the permanent replacement…