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Baseball | Chicago Christian kicks off Brandon Hickey era with win over Bremen

By Steve Millar Correspondent Brandon Hickey is optimistic about his first season as head coach of the Chicago Christian baseball team. The Knights struggled to an 11-18-1 record last year, when Hickey was an assistant. But he saw some things to be excited about. “We saw we had a lot of talent last year with…

Alex Knight, a Marist graduate now playing at Lake Forest College, was named to the All-Midwest Conference First Team. Knight’s average of 18.1 points per conference game led all players and he finished third in the conference in field goal percentage (52.6). Photo courtesy of Lake Forest College Athletics

College Notebook | Marist grad Alex Knight slaying buckets for Lake Forest

By Mike Walsh Correspondent Lake Forest College’s Alex Knight has been named to the All-Midwest Conference First Team in men’s basketball for the 2022-23 season. Knight, a 6-foot-1 sophomore guard who prepped at Marist, was the league’s leading scorer this season, averaging 18.1 points per conference game. He finished third in the MWC in field…

The Chicago Hounds' Julian Dominguez (11) battles for the ball against Utah earlier this season. Dominguez scored two tries in a 24-22 victory over Dallas on March 18. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Pro Sports Report | SeatGeek to host Major League Rugby championship; Hounds sniff out first win

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer SeatGeek Stadium, host of the expansion Chicago Hounds, will host this season’s Major League Rugby championship game. The game is scheduled to be played July 8 in Bridgeview. It will air nationally on FOX. “Moving the championship match to a predetermined venue has long been a goal of Major League…

Morton College's women's basketball team is playing in the NJCAA national tournament this week after celebrating its regional championship. Photo courtesy of Morton College

Area Sports Roundup | Nazareth grads Martinucci, Evans have unfinished business at NJCAA National Tourney

By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Martinucci family carries a lot of weight in the Berwyn-Cicero area. Tony Martinucci has coached boys basketball at Morton High School for 24 years, racking up five regional titles and a trio of conference crowns during his tenure. His daughter, Jovanna, is hoping to do something even more spectacular:…

An artist's rendering of the rooftop green space.

$15 million expansion for Stagg approved

From staff reports The Consolidated High School District 230 Board of Education last week approved a $15 million expansion at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills. The expansion will include much-needed classroom space, several science labs, offices and teacher workspace, as well as a rooftop environmental learning space. The project is expected to…

To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens, 7402 W. Lake Katherine Dr., Palos Heights, created a little Irish magic as volunteers and staff dyed its waterfall emerald green. (Photos by Kelly White)

Lake Katherine goes green again for St. Patrick’s Day

By Kelly White One of Lake Katherine Nature Center & Botanical Gardens’ most popular features is its large waterfall, which tumbles over four separate falls, travels a distance of over 300 feet and descends approximately 30 feet before joining the lake itself on the east side. With Irish festivities in full swing this St. Patrick’s…

Orland Township Supervisor and Scholarship Foundation President Paul O'Grady with 2022 scholarship recipient Elisa Shaheen. (Photo by Alexandria Shipyor)

Orland Township offers scholarships to high school seniors

Local students graduating high school in 2023 and heading to college are encouraged to apply for an Orland Township Scholarship Foundation award. This program, launched in 1998, has since awarded over 340 scholarships to township students totaling more than $280,000. The Orland Township Scholarship Foundation award scholarships based on a combination of the applicant’s leadership…

Shepard High School teacher Joe Lerner receives a pie-in-the-face at the Respect Week assembly. Lerner and other staff members volunteered to get hit with pastry to raise money for Special Olympics. (Supplied photo)

Shepard breaks record for Special Olympics fund raising

Mostly through the traditional Polar Plunge, this year Shepard High School broke its record for fund raising for Special Olympics. More students and staff — including nearly all administrators, band director Chris Pitlik, and choir director Roland Hatcher — participated than ever. This year also featured a new fundraising vehicle: A pie-in-the-face contest. Many Shepard…

Palos Park Commissioner Mike Wade had some strong words about the recent controversy from residents about Wu's House parking expansion. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Wade implores Palos Park residents to stop the infighting

By Jeff Vorva Palos Park Commissioner Mike Wade has not been on the council for a year yet and hasn’t said much over that time except to talk about the business at hand with building and public property matters. But Wade came up with a strong speech on Monday night regarding some of the controversy…

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Oak Lawn trustees back police, complain about threats from protesters

By Joe Boyle Oak Lawn officials spoke out in unison on Tuesday night, proclaiming their support for the village’s police department. Trustee Alex Olejniczak (2nd) served as mayor pro tempore because Mayor Terry Vorderer was unable to attend the village board meeting. Olejniczak began the meeting by requesting a moment of silence in memory of…

Palos Area Chamber of Commerce President Todd Probasco ( left) and Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz share a laugh before the Mayor's State of the City Address on Tuesday. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Straz emphasizes ‘quality of life’ in Palos Heights during annual presentation

By Jeff Vorva Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz used the phrase “quality of life” quite a bit Tuesday afternoon. The longtime mayor gave his annual State of the City Address sponsored by the Palos Area Chamber of Commerce at the Palos Heights Parks and Recreation Department and his theme was about the quality of life…

Century's Zedan Said (No. 52) starts to get mobbed by his teammates after he hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with four seconds left in the SWIC eighth-grade championship. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Area grade school teams win SWIC championships

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Century Junior High School’s eighth grade boys basketball team had a target on its back all season. After enjoying an unbeaten campaign as seventh-graders, the Wildcats were the team everyone wanted to beat this season. Not one of them one did. Zedan Said made sure of it. The 5-foot, 90-pound…

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College Notebook | Area grads Hynes, McCormick earn honors

By Mike Walsh Correspondent University of Chicago women’s basketball player Grace Hynes has been named to the 2022-23 University Athletic Association’s First Team. The Maroons senior guard, a Mother McAuley graduate, led Chicago to a 23-4 overall record through their first 27 games, and went 10-4 in the UAA, good enough for second place in…

Jim Ramazinski is the new Evergreen Park football coach. Photo courtesy of Evergreen Park Community High School.

Area Sports Roundup | EP football gets new coach; Morton women head back to nationals

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For the second time in two weeks, an area high school football team is getting a new head coach. Evergreen Park announced Jim Ramazinski has been named to the position. He will replace Jerry Verde. Ramazinski comes to the Mustangs with a wealth of coaching and teaching experience. He is…

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Pro Report | Sammy Malcolm leads Toronto to win over Hounds

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Sammy Malcolm. Chicago Hounds fans may remember that name for a long time. And not for a good reason. Malcolm was not just in the middle of things, he was the whole scoring show for Toronto as he tallied all Arrows points in a 27-26 victory over the Hounds on…

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House passes bill prohibiting book bans

House passes bill prohibiting book bans

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit libraries from banning books or other material because of partisan or doctrinal pressure, prompting strong opposition from Republicans who called it an assault on local control. House Bill 2789 is an initiative of Democratic Secretary of…

ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony

ComEd’s former top lawyer paints Madigan confidant as ‘double agent’ in testimony

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Being the longtime friend of longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan granted Mike McClain certain privileges not afforded to other lobbyists in Springfield, jurors heard Tuesday in a federal corruption trial that, in part, centers around the relationship between the two. McClain “had pretty free access”…

House sends 41 bills to Senate as Friday legislative deadline looms

House sends 41 bills to Senate as Friday legislative deadline looms

By Capitol News Illinois [email protected] The Illinois House passed 41 bills to the Senate Tuesday ahead of a scheduled Friday deadline. The measures, among others, included a ban on polystyrene food containers, bills focusing on gender inclusivity in state law and a requirement that expectant parents have a “duty” to split pregnancy-related costs, including for…

‘You’re a street fighter,’ Madigan confidant counseled former speaker: wiretapped call

‘You’re a street fighter,’ Madigan confidant counseled former speaker: wiretapped call

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Facing a perceived betrayal during a make-or-break election season in 2018, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan called the person he often sought counsel from: longtime friend and confidant Mike McClain. Several Democratic candidates running for the state Senate were using lines in their campaign ads…

Lawmakers advance measure to regulate ride-shares as ‘common carriers’

Lawmakers advance measure to regulate ride-shares as ‘common carriers’

By NIKA SCHOONOVER Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers are considering a bill that would treat ride-share companies such as Uber and Lyft as “common carriers,” opening them up to the same level of liability as other forms of public transportation. House Bill 2231 passed on the House floor this week with a 73-36…

Nuclear option: Illinois grapples with the future of nuclear power

Nuclear option: Illinois grapples with the future of nuclear power

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – A measure allowing the construction of new commercial nuclear power plants has bipartisan, bicameral support in the state legislature as the body considers its next steps in meeting carbon-free energy goals while maintaining grid reliability. Its advocates say the measure would open the door for the…

Wiretaps show Madigan, through McClain, forced ally out of legislature to protect himself

Wiretaps show Madigan, through McClain, forced ally out of legislature to protect himself

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – In fall 2018, longtime former State Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, received a phone call from Mike McClain, who had spent decades lobbying for electric utility Commonwealth Edison after 10 years in the General Assembly. McClain was delivering a message from House Speaker Michael Madigan, who was…

House panel debates ranked choice voting

House panel debates ranked choice voting

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are debating whether the state should join a growing list of jurisdictions in the United States that allow voters to pick more than one candidate for an office, ranking them in order of preference rather than choosing just one. Ranked choice voting, or as…

Madigan looms large in trial of ex-ComEd lobbyists, exec

Madigan looms large in trial of ex-ComEd lobbyists, exec

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan isn’t set to go on trial for racketeering and corruption charges until next summer, but his decades of power in Illinois government and politics loomed large Wednesday as opening arguments got underway in a related case. Madigan’s name was uttered…

Transit agencies look to the state to help make up projected $730 million budget gap

Transit agencies look to the state to help make up projected $730 million budget gap

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois [email protected] CHICAGO – Officials with the state’s largest transit agencies met with lawmakers on Tuesday to sound the alarm for what Regional Transportation Authority Executive Director Leanne Redden called a “looming operational crisis.” “By 2026, the region will face an annual budget deficit of nearly $730 million per year,”…