THOMAS A. BEEMSTERBOER Thomas A. Beemsterboer, age 71, passed away January 1. Beloved husband of Judith A. Beemsterboer (nee Kuklovsky); loving father of Timothy J. (Erwan LeMoing), Michael D. and Stephen M; devoted brother of Mary Adduci, the late Paul (Alice) Beemsterboer and the late Agnes (the late Thomas) Cooke. Uncle to many nieces and…
Read More RICHARD B. BARAJAZ Richard B. Barajaz, age 75, of La Grange Park, passed away January 2. Army Veteran. Beloved husband of Lorelei Barajaz (nee Renn), for more than 53 years; loving father of Rick (Dina) Barajaz and Andrea (Brian) Gorski; grandfather of John, Brian, Zoe, and Alexandra; son of Gabino and the late Theresa Barajaz;…
Read More RICHARD BENEDICT BLAKE Richard Benedict Blake, age 75, of North Riverside formerly of Brookfield, passed away December 20. Navy Veteran. Beloved son of the late Richard Francis Blake and Helen Rose Blake (nee Bombeck); loving brother of Terence (Christine) Blake; uncle of William (Emily) Blake, Jacqueline Blake and Rebecca Blake. Visitation was held January 5…
Read More DOROTHY BUCHER Dorothy Bucher 101, of Palos Hills, passed away on December 27. She was the devoted daughter of the late Frank and Louise nee Koch Bucher; loving sister Loretta (the late Ernest) Gregory, and the late Lawrence (the late Lottie) Bucher and Louise Bucher; cherished aunt of six; great-aunt of four. Family and friends…
Read More FREDERICK PRICE BOULAIS Frederick Price Boulais, 97, formerly of Orland Park, passed away December 7. He was the husband of the late Phyllis M. Boulais and Leokadya Connelly Boulais; father of Frederick J. “Rick” (Carole) Boulais, Gail (Ray) Ekberg, and the late Kevin (Virginia) Boulais; grandfather of Paige (Adam) Jedrzejak, Brooke Boulais, Alannah Eckberg, Neve Eckberg, Phillip (Shannon) Boulais, Barbara…
Read More FRANK BRZECZEK Frank Brzeczek, 97, has passed away. He was the beloved husband of the late Cornelia nee Onderwater; loving father of Cornelia (the late Thomas J.) Dobbin, late Judith (Robert) Gale, Jacqueline (Kurt) Peterson, the late Frank Jr. (Mary), Thomas (Tina), Timothy (Rebecca), and Ronald (Janeen) Brzeczek; Grandfather of 19; Great Grandfather of 16;…
Read More DOROTHY BALCITIS Dorothy Balcitis (nee Krug), age 94, passed away October 26. Adored wife of the late Raymond L. Balcitis (Ret. Captain CPD); loving devoted mother to Rae (Richard) Lapinski (both Ret. CPD), the late Charles (Ret. CPD) (Sandra Bond), Sharon (Ret. CPD) and the late Jeffrey (Patricia) (both Ret. CPD); cherished grandmother to Bryan…
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From staff reports The Rev. Robert J. Roll, who once served as pastor at Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, as well as St. Maurice Parish, both in McKinley Park, died on Nov. 21. He was 71 years old. Father Roll was born on Jan. 14, 1951, in Chicago. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College…
Read More MAGDALENA ARTEAGA Magdalena Arteaga (nee Valerio), 64, of Chicago, passed away November 23. Beloved wife of Gerardo “Jerry” Arteaga; loving mother of Jacqueline (Juan) Guerrero, Jesus (Karen) Arteaga and Magaly Arteaga; dearest grandmother of Vincent Arteaga, Victoria G. Guerrero, Maritza N. and Gracie M. Arteaga; devoted daughter of Magdalena (nee Hernandez) and the late Salvador Valerio; dear…
Read More CAROL ANN ANDERSON Carol Ann Anderson (nee Janota), age 76, passed away October 15. Beloved wife of the late John Anderson; cherished daughter of the late Frances (nee Blitek) and the late Julian Janota; loving sister of Julian (Sandi) Janota, Francine (the late Sam, Sr) Covey, Maureen (Tom) Stewart and the late Frank Janota; dear…
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Fallen veterans remembered at Lyons ceremony
By Steve Metsch An event that happened 78 years ago is often on the mind of Richard Vachata, but especially on Memorial Day. In 1945, his cousin, Joe Horky, made the ultimate sacrifice. Horky, 21, died after a Japanese kamikaze pilot crashed his plane into his battleship in the Pacific, Vachata said. Horky, of Brookfield,…
Area Sports Roundup | State volleyball and lacrosse tournaments will have local flavor
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer When it comes to the postseason, there are rarely guarantees. There are, however, two guarantees this season when it comes to having teams in the IHSA state finals this weekend. Boys volleyball and girls lacrosse will each have an area representative at their respective state tournaments. In volleyball, Marist and…
Baseball and Softball Wrap | Brother Rice and Lyons win thrillers; Marist softball sets state HR record
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Exciting to the last pitch. Two area baseball regional championships were determined in nail biting fashion on May 27. At the Class 4A Whitney Young Regional, Brother Rice, which finished third the state in Class 4A in 2022, got a bases-loaded to squeak by Mount Carmel, 6-5, and continue its…
Pro Sports Report | Orlando outshoots Chicago 19-2, loses 1-0
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Orlando outshot the Chicago Red Stars 19-2, including a 6-2 disadvantage with shots on goal, during a May 27 visit to SeatGeek Stadium. That would normally be a recipe for disaster for the home team. But the Stars defense and goalie Alyssa Naeher withstood the barrage, and the team took…
Worth police hit the roof for Special Olympics Illinois
By Kelly White Worth’s Police Department takes pride in having close ties with the local community. For the 11th year, the department was happy to once again take part in Cop on a Rooftop to benefit Special Olympics Illinois. Police officers mingled with residents on Friday morning at Dunkin Donuts, 6707 W. 111th St.,…
Oak Lawn is using technology to fight crime
By Joe Boyle While there has been a recent increase in crime, Oak Lawn officials want to assure residents that these incidents are being addressed. Village Manager Tom Phelan made it clear during an Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday morning that they are working in tandem with the police to solve the recent wave…
Worth Memorial Day event recalls past conflicts, wars
By Joe Boyle Worth Mayor Mary Werner welcomed sunny skies on Sunday morning. However, Werner said she could not take credit for the 70-degree temperatures before the Memorial Day Observance at Veterans Memorial Park at the corner of 111th Street and Harlem Avenue. “We have had plenty of times where we had coats on,” Werner…
Couple, Countryside at odds over land sale
By Steve Metsch Albert and Rosemary Dostal want to sell their empty land in Countryside. But they are finding that a difficult task. The couple, which lives in the 9500 block of 56th Street, owns nine wooded acres south of 57th Street and west of La Grange Road. It’s been in the family for 50…
2 wounded in Bridgeview shooting
By Bob Bong Two men were wounded May 21 after two groups started arguing in the parking lot at Menards in Bridgeview. Police said the incident started at 8:05 p.m. with an argument between two groups in the parking lot at 9140 S. Harlem Ave. Police Chief Ricardo Mancha said police are trying to figure…
Summit School District 104 breaks ground on admin center, school improvements
By Carol McGowan Cook County School District 104 broke ground May 20 on three projects to be done this summer at three locations within the district. The first ceremony started at 8 a.m. at the future site of the District 104 Administrative Building, that will the built at 7509 W. 63rd Street in Summit, on…
Illinois News
Budget vote brings General Assembly’s 2023 spring session to a close
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The 2023 spring legislative session came to an end in the early hours of Saturday morning after the Illinois House gave its approval to a $50.6 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1. The 73-38 party-line vote came around 2:30 a.m.…
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…
Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House is planning to work until the early hours of Saturday morning to finalize a $50.6 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That announcement came early Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after Gov. JB Pritzker and the…
Senate Democrats send budget to House, teeing it up for early Saturday morning vote
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House is planning to work until the early hours of Saturday morning to finalize a $50.6 billion state spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. That announcement came early Thursday evening, more than 24 hours after Gov. JB Pritzker and the…
UPDATED: Optional all-gender bathrooms bill will head to governor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill that would allow businesses and public institutions to provide multi-occupant all-gender bathrooms if they choose to do so. House Bill 1286 would change current state law, under which single-occupancy bathrooms are automatically designated for all genders, but multi-occupancy…
Lawmakers OK bill to limit constitutional lawsuits to Cook, Sangamon County
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats who control the General Assembly muscled through a last-minute measure that will require any constitutional challenge to state laws to be filed in either Cook or Sangamon counties. The Illinois House on Thursday gave final passage to a set of amendments to…
Dems move to allow punitive damage awards in wrongful death lawsuits
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly this week pushed through a measure that would allow state courts to award punitive damages in wrongful death lawsuits – a departure from the status quo for more than a century in Illinois. Illinois is one of 16 states that does…
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] SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker and Democratic leaders announced Wednesday they’ve agreed to a framework for next year’s roughly $50 billion state spending plan, even as negotiations continued in the final stretch of lawmakers’ already-extended spring legislative session. Their announced agreement included…
State report: Catholic churches harbored hundreds more abusers than previously disclosed
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Catholic dioceses in Illinois failed to disclose hundreds of abusive clerics before the state opened what would become a yearslong investigation into sex abuse within the church, Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced Tuesday. Included in a scathing 700-page report published by Raoul’s office at the end…
UPDATED: Environmental bills seek to improve soil health, ban state use of polystyrene foam containers
By ANDREW ADAMS & NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] [email protected] Editor’s note: This story will be updated as the measures make their way through the legislature this week. SPRINGFIELD – Several pieces of environmental legislation are making their way through the Illinois General Assembly on what was scheduled to be the final week of…
