RONALD WALTER ALTPETER Ronald Walter Altpeter, age 79, of Fort Myers, FL, formerly of Argo, passed away May 5. Ron is preceded in death by his parents Walter and Martha (Ficht) Altpeter and brothers Dennis and Tommy. Ron leaves his loving memory with his survivors, beloved wife of 51 years, Patricia; daughter, Lisa Beth Grace;…
Read MoreRAYMOND CARDENAS Raymond “Ray” Cardenas, 86, of Worth, passed away at home on May 23. He was an Army veteran. He was the beloved husband of the late Dora (née Aguilar) Cardenas and youngest son, David Cardenas. Cherished father of Albert (Jacqueline) Cardenas, Belinda (Robert) (née Cardenas) Gonzalez, Raymond “Steve” (Carin) Cardenas and the late…
Read MoreMICHAEL J. BARAN Michael J. Baran, age 37, passed suddenly May 4. Cherished son of Krystyna (nee Wieczorek) and the late Ireneusz “Eric” Baran; beloved brother of Kathy Baran, Christopher Baran and the late Mark Baran; dearest nephew of Ciocia Gienia. Dear cousin and friend to many. Visitation was held May 15. Funeral was held…
Read MoreHELEN R. ACCETTURO Helen R. Accetturo (nee Budzak), 84, passed away May 8, at Symphony in Lincoln Park Nursing Home. Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Irene and Jacob Budzak. She was the dearly beloved wife of the late Michael V. Accetturo. Cherished mother of Sister Mary Rose Accetturo, SFCC, Steven (Kim) Accetturo,…
Read MoreMELINDA “MELO” BARAJAS Melinda “Melo” Barajas, age 27, passed away unexpectedly April 20. Daughter of the late Pablo Barajas Jr. and Melinda L. Chavez; dear granddaughter to Phyllis (late Pablo Sr.) Barajas and Linda (late Richard) Skerrett; loving sister to Erik and Mariana, fond aunt, cousin, niece and a great friend to many. Visitation was…
Read More. Family, friends remember columnist Joan Hadac From staff reports Those who knew Joan (Heelan) Hadac never seemed surprised that she landed in jobs where she helped people. It was simply her nature, her kind and giving heart, they’d say. A lifelong Southwest Side resident, Mrs. Hadac died at home in hospice care on May…
Read MoreMSGR. MICHAEL J. ADAMS Msgr. Michael J. Adams, pastor emeritus of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish on 64th Street in Chicago, passed away April 23. He was 90 years old. Adams was born on April 9, 1933, in Chicago. He attended St. Catherine of Genoa School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of…
Read MoreLOTIA J. ANDRASEK Lotia J. Andrasek (nee Walczak), age 100. Beloved wife of the late Leonard Andrasek; loving mother of Timothy K. (Diane) Andrasek; dear grandmother of Kevin (Tina) and Danielle N. (Julie) Andrasek-Kickham; proud great grandmother “G.G.” of Mia, Macy, Charles and Simon; dear sister of the late Casey, the late Bernice, the late…
Read MoreROY ABELDANO Roy Abeldano, age 66, passed away April 3. Roy is survived by his only daughter Sonia; her mother Gloria; 5 grandkids Joshua, Julian, Jaida, Jayla and Jayleen; his mother Maria Abeldano; his brothers and sister Roberto (Maria), Mariselda (Jesus) Hector and Elisabeth; nephews and nieces. His Tios Alfonso Pedro Rolando Ramiro and Tias…
Read MoreJEANNETTE T. BARCZAK Jeannette T. Barczak, age 70, of La Grange Park, passed away April 2. Loving mother of Elizabeth Schmidt and Bill (Jeanine) Schmidt; grandmother of Olivia Schmidt and Mila Schmidt; sister of Annette (Jim) Coughlin, Mia (Michael) Klingele and Tony Barczak; aunt of Jackie (Chris) Rowe, Ryan Coughlin, Shannon (Jason) Plummer, Tony (Jill)…
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Comings & Goings: Jason’s Deli closes in Oak Lawn
By Bob Bong Jason’s Deli, which had been open in Oak Lawn for more than 10 years, closed its doors for the last time on May 31. According to employees, the Beaumont, Texas-based restaurant at 6260 W. 95th St. closed because the lease was up and the company decided not to renew. Messages to the…

Stagg breaks ground on $15M school expansion
By Dermot Connolly Stagg High School administrators, teachers and students all lifted ceremonial shovels at a June 2 groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of a two-year $15.5 million expansion project that will add 11 new classrooms, four science labs and much more at the Palos Hills school. The build-out at the District 230 school at 8015…

Special Ed students, seniors race for friendship
By Kelly White While cars revved their engines at the Indy 500 this past weekend, residents at Grace Point Place in Oak Lawn were able to join in on the excitement. Grace Point Place, an Anthem Memory Care community located at 5701 W. 101st St., celebrated the Indy 500 on May 25 with a remote-control car race against…

Orland Park police station to be named after former chief Tim McCarthy
By Jeff Vorva Sometime in the near future, Tim McCarthy will be driving by or visiting his old home at the Orland Park police station and he will notice something new. His name. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees voted to name the station the Tim McCarthy Police Headquarters at its June 5…

23 EPCHS students achieve perfect attendance
Twenty-three Evergreen Park Community High School students were recognized by Principal Bill Sanderson at a breakfast in the school cafeteria on May 19 for having achieved perfect attendance for the 2022-2023 school year. Perfect attendance is truly an accomplishment, and we commend the following students and their parents for their focus on coming to school…

Chicago man charged in Palos Heights motor vehicle thefts
From staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with possession of stolen motor vehicles after Oak Lawn police found him allegedly driving a van stolen in Palos Heights. Police said they responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot of Good Shepherd Church at 7800 McCarthy Road about noon…

Palos 118 foundation donates $30,000 for new classroom displays
The Palos 118 Educational Foundation recently made a $30,000 donation to Palos School District 118 for classroom equipment upgrades. The donation will be used for the purchase and installation of new 70-inch interactive displays in all of the district’s third-grade elementary classrooms. “Our hope is that the new displays can be delivered and installed over…

Family-run Bobalicious pops up on Harlem with community focus
By Isabella Schreck Families can bond and kids can have fun at Bobalicious in Palos Heights, according to co-owner Gustavo Godinez. The cafe, which opened in late November at 12250 S. Harlem Ave., offers dozens of teas, smoothie and other drink combinations. It sells boba toppings and features free popcorn, cotton candy, foosball, air hockey…

Moraine Valley to host summer Movie in the Moonlight series
Moraine Valley Community College is hosting its popular Movie in the Moonlight series this summer. The college will show three movies on a 16-foot inflatable screen at the Gateway, between Buildings F and M, on campus, 9000 W. College Parkway, Palos Hills. Admission is free. The first movie is the Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots” on…

Shepard JROTC closes year with awards ceremony
The U.S. Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Shepard High School concluded its academic year recently with an awards ceremony honoring cadets who distinguished themselves. Many national organizations presented awards to students for scholastic excellence, JROTC leadership and involvement, conduct, and military bearing. Students named the top cadets in their academic class…
Illinois News

On the witness stand, ex-legislator finally acknowledges he wore wire for FBI
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Former state Sen. Terry Link, a nearly 24-year veteran of the Illinois Capitol, publicly acknowledged for the first time this week that he’d worn a wire to secretly record a fellow lawmaker in 2019. Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, has spent years denying news media reports…

Pritzker puts final stamp on $50.4 billion state spending plan
By ANDREW ADAMS & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker signed the state’s operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year on Wednesday, marking the first spending plan of his second term as governor. The $50.4 billion spending plan anticipates about $50.6 billion in revenues for the fiscal year that begins…

New law limits venue for constitutional lawsuits to Sangamon, Cook counties
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – People who file lawsuits in state courts challenging the constitutionality of a state law, administrative rule or executive order will now have to file those cases in either Sangamon or Cook counties. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday signed House Bill 3062, which applies only to cases…

As trial begins, politically connected businessman claims feds set him up to bribe legislator
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Nearly four years after his name first surfaced in connection with a bribe arrangement between two sitting lawmakers, politically connected businessman James Weiss is finally having his day in court. Weiss, who is married to former state Rep. Toni Berrios, D-Chicago – the daughter of longtime…

Pritzker set to consider signing more than 500 bills in the next three months
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers passed 566 bills through both chambers of the General Assembly in the recently concluded legislative session – all but one of them in May. It sets the table for an approximate three-month bill-signing season for Gov. JB Pritzker. That’s because the state’s constitution gives…

Capitol Cast: End of Session Review
Capitol News Illinois · End of Session Review The Capitol News Illinois team breaks down the highlights of the just-completed 2023 spring session.

Cannabis regulatory reform bill fails to advance in spring legislative session
By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – A proposed cannabis reform bill won’t get further consideration until at least the General Assembly’s fall veto session after stakeholders failed to come to an agreement during the spring session’s final stretch. Rep. La Shawn Ford, a Chicago Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, told Capitol News…

Top Democrats announce budget ‘deal,’ but details are scant as last-minute negotiations continue
By JERRY NOWICKI, HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] UPDATE: The budget was filed as a 3,409-page amendment to Senate Bill 250 late Wednesday evening. This story has been updated to reflect the latest developments as of Wednesday night. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed…

Legislature approves bill to tighten restrictions on red-light camera industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Lawmakers in Springfield have unanimously approved a measure that would place new restrictions on the red-light and speed camera industry’s involvement in state and local elections and government. House Bill 3903 would ban automatic traffic enforcement companies or their officers from donating to candidates for public…

State board of education looking for new providers in preschool ‘deserts’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Even though Gov. JB Pritzker has yet to sign the budget bill lawmakers just passed, the Illinois State Board of Education is seeking applicants for some of the new money contained in that bill. ISBE is looking for new providers to offer preschool programs in areas…