Local News
Orland Park Library collecting candy wrappers
By Kelly White Candy has taken on a whole new life at one local library. The Orland Park Public Library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, is happy to announce the launch of its very first Trash or Treasure candy wrapper recycling campaign. The Trash or Treasure program helps reduce the waste that accumulates around…
Palos Heights Knights of Columbus donate to GiGi’s Playhouse
Grand Knight John Laskey and Past Grand Knight Brian Mellenthin of St. Theodore Guerin Knights of Columbus Council 14057 presented a check for $1,500 to GiGi’s Playhouse of Tinley Park, one of several donations to local groups resulting from the Knights of Columbus’ Fall Tootsie Roll Drive. One of the most recognizable activities of the…
Worth police join task force to combat auto thefts
By Joe Boyle An agreement has been reached between the villages of Worth and Thornton regarding participation in the Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force. Worth Police Chief Tim Denton said the approval of the memorandum to participate in the task force is necessary. “It’s no secret that there has been an increase in auto…
Softball | Oak Lawn’s Kasey Jackson fans 5 in loss to Shepard
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Oak Lawn entered its South Suburban Conference matchup with Shepard having won six of its last seven games. The Astros — even hotter with seven straight victories after beginning the season with three consecutive losses — cooled off the Spartans (8-5, 4-2 SSC) for a day, winning 3-0 behind a complete-game…
Softball | Shepard blanks Oak Lawn behind CG from Kailey Selvage, 2 RBI from Madison Scapardine
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Temperatures are not the only thing starting to warm up in the Southwest Suburbs. Shepard, which began the season with three consecutive losses, defeated Oak Lawn, 3-0, on April 15 to run its winning streak to seven games. Astros junior pitcher Kailey Selvage tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out 15 Spartans…
St. Laurence grad Brett Buzzelli hurling for Carroll
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Carroll University senior right-hander Brett Buzzelli has been named the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin’s Pitcher of the Week for April 8. Buzzelli was the winning pitcher in an 8-3 victory over visiting Elmhurst University in Game 1 of a CCIW doubleheader. The St. Laurence graduate tossed seven scoreless innings…
Fire II wins, draws
By Jef Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire FC II earned its first regulation victory of the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season in a 2-0 clean sheet against Crown Legacy April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Diego Konincks and captain David Poreba scored goals for the Fire. On April 14, the team had a 5-5 draw…
Red Stars sans Swanson fall to Angel City
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Playing without scoring star Mallory Swanson, who was nursing a hip injury, the Chicago Red Stars lost for the first time this season, dropping a 1-0 decision April 13 to Angel City in front of an announced crowd of 3,168 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Angel City (1-2-1) started the day…
Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC to play at Wrigley Field
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Chicago Red Stars forward Ally Schlegel loves Wrigley Field. “I adored Wrigley the second I went to my first Cubs game,” Schlegel said. “I fell in love with it thinking it was the perfect sporting experience with how they built it up down there.” She will go from a fan in…
Trinity Christian College names new hoops coaches
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Trinity Christian officials were busy on April 11 ushering in new eras for its basketball programs. Trolls Athletic Director Wendy Reid announced that Jordan Mast is taking over the men’s basketball program, while Jasmine Porter has been named women’s hoops coach. Mast comes to the school in Palos Heights after five…
Reavis baseball coach and Hall of Famer Don Erickson to retire after season
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A deal is a deal. Longtime Reavis baseball coach Don Erickson has said he would retire after his son, Sam, graduates from high school, so he can watch Sam play in college. Erickson doesn’t get to many of his son’s high school games because Sam plays at Downers Grove South. Sam…
Palos Park residents, mosque reps discuss noise issues at council meeting
By Jeff Vorva What could have been an explosive situation was actually quite civil. Some Palos Park residents were angry about loud activity and behavior of some members of the Palos Islamic Center the past two years and sounded off at the April 8 village council meeting. Fresh on their minds was noise late into…
Midlothian man arrested for Orland Park carjacking
From wire reports The Orland Park Police Department announced the arrest of a suspect in a vehicular hijacking that occurred on the evening of April 3. Shawn Flores, a 44-year-old Midlothian resident, faces charges following his apprehension on April 4. The incident began when a male victim was forcibly removed from his vehicle at gunpoint…
Blotter: Evergreen Park police issue scam alert
The Evergreen Park Police Department is warning the public of an ongoing scam where a caller claims to be an Evergreen Park Police Officer, and instructs the individual to send money in order to avoid criminal charges. In some versions of this scam, the offenders tell individuals they missed a court date related to a…
Palos South eighth-grade girls volleyballers go undefeated
From staff reports Palos South’s eighth-grade girls’ volleyball team finished first in the Southwest Interscholastic Conference (SWIC) on March 9, completing an undefeated season with a record of 19-0. This is the fifth straight year that Coach Marty Duggan has led the Cardinals to a first-place finish in the tournament, which was held this year…
Neighbors
Comings & Goings
New state task force aims to promote state’s Underground Railroad history
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Underground Railroad Task Force met for the first time Tuesday to begin devising a strategy for sharing, growing and celebrating the history of the Underground Railroad in Illinois. The task force was created last year under a bill sponsored by Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, and…
As recreational cannabis sales again hit record, Illinois AG calls for federal rescheduling
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com As Illinois’ recreational cannabis industry once again reported record sales for 2023, the state’s attorney general is calling on the federal government to reclassify the substance. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency classifies cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning the federal government believes it has “no currently accepted medical use…
Tracy Katz Muhl appointed to fill seat of resigned Rep. Jonathan Carroll
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsiillinois.com Tracy Katz Muhl, a Northbrook school board president and Northfield Township Democratic committeeperson, will fill former Democratic Rep. Jonathan Carroll’s 57th district seat. Carroll resigned earlier this month, saying in a written statement it was “in the best interest” of his family’s “physical and mental health.” Illinois law…
SCOTUS denies one appeal of assault weapons ban while another waits in the wings
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Supreme Court has denied one request to review the Illinois assault weapon ban, but many believe the court is more likely to take up another challenge to the law later this year. The high court turned down a request by Republican State Rep.…
State awards over $10 million to Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute
BY CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com A $10 million state grant will help complete an expansion of cancer treatment services in southern Illinois. The grant was awarded as part of the Rebuild Illinois infrastructure program to the Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute to complete an expansion of the Carterville facility. In addition, the facility was awarded…
Winter weather expected in much of Illinois this week
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com Much of Illinois is expecting its first major snowstorm of the season this week. The National Weather Service in Chicago on Monday issued a winter weather advisory for northeastern Illinois, including Chicago, and a winter weather warning for much of northwestern Illinois. Parts of central Illinois will also see some…
Illinois Supreme Court considers constitutional questions in 2019 murder case
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court this spring will decide whether law enforcement should have read a woman her Miranda rights during an investigation into her son’s death. Macon County mother Jessica Logan and her legal team hope to overturn her 2021 conviction in which a jury found her guilty of murdering…
State opens migrant shelter, Pritzker talks supplemental spending plan
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com The state opened another shelter for migrants in Chicago on Wednesday, its latest step in dealing with an influx of more than 30,000 asylum seekers sent to Illinois from states on the southern U.S. Border since summer 2022. The new shelter is slated to host about 220 migrants in a…
Illinois proposal calls for expanding vote-by-mail
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com URBANA – As the 2024 election season draws near, voters in Illinois will once again choose whether they want to cast their ballots in person or by mail. But one lawmaker is proposing a bill in the Illinois House that could make that decision a lot easier, making…
As online DMV services plagued by no-shows, secretary of state launches changes
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias launched an online appointment system in September for Illinois drivers needing to come to a driver’s services facility, ostensibly to reduce wait times. The “Skip-The-Line” program introduced upgrades to the secretary of state’s website as well as a shift in policy, requiring appointments to…