Local News
LTHS beating victim remains hospitalized as details emerge
By Steve Metsch The Lyons Township High School student who suffered “major head trauma” in a fight outside the north campus three weeks ago remains hospitalized, a source said last week. The youth – whose name, age, town and year in school have not been released – was attacked by at least three other youths…
Klimek promoted to police chief in Countryside
By Steve Metsch That didn’t take long. Just two weeks after he was named acting police chief, Paul Klimek was officially named police chief by a unanimous vote of the Countryside City Council on May 24. Klimek, 42, had been with the department since 2004 and replaces Joe Ford, who retired earlier this month after…
Despite attacks, Pekau says he will run again in 2025
By Jeff Vorva Usually, when mayors get up and give their yearly status reports of their communities, there is a lot of happy-happy-joy-joy talk. Even some of the negatives get glossed over with optimism for change. But when Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau held the 2023 version of the State of the Village address on…
Adopt-A-Pot program brightens up Palos Heights
By Kelly White The Palos Heights Beautification Committee works hard to do just what its name entails, keep the city beautiful. To provide a spark of greenery and a pop of color outside of local businesses, parks and municipal buildings, the committee hosted an Adopt-A-Pot flower planting day on May 20 in the parking lot…
Despite concerns from Orland Hills mayor, Orland Park on board with new Fernway School
By Jeff Vorva Village of Orland Park officials are giving thumbs-up to a plan to build a new school on the property of existing Fernway Park Elementary School. Fernway is located at 16600 S. 88th Avenue and is a part of the Kirby School District 140 group of schools, but is the only one in…
Chicago Ridge cancels RidgeFest over safety concerns
By Dermot Connolly RidgeFest has been canceled this year—and may never be the same again—mainly due to violent disturbances at recent large gatherings in Tinley Park and elsewhere. At the last regular Chicago Ridge Village Board meeting on May 16, trustees were moving full-speed ahead with preparations for RidgeFest 2023, approving contracts for the entertainment…
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…
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…
Water study finds 12 leaks in McCook system
By Steve Metsch A water study that McCook’s village board approved in March is paying dividends just two months later. Mayor Terrance Carr said that a dozen leaks have been found in the city’s water system, which had been losing 5 million gallons each month. “We found 12. We fixed all 12 of them. We…
Orland Park welcomes Rainbow Cone
By Kelly White Rainbow Cone was welcomed in to the Orland Park community on Friday morning when a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the franchise’s newest location, 15711 Harlem Ave., Orland Park. The location is run by the duo, John Buonavolanto and Fernando Toscano. “There are a lot of South Siders right here…
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Comings & Goings
GOP calls out Pritzker for backtracking on independent maps
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Senate Republicans on Wednesday harshly criticized Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, accusing him of breaking a campaign pledge to support an independent commission to redraw congressional and legislative district maps. “What I want to say is, the gerrymandering train is on the tracks,” Senate Republican Leader Dan…
Officials provide vaccination update as doses administered top 9 million
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – Public health officials gave an update on the status of the state’s vaccination efforts Tuesday as the number of vaccines administered in Illinois topped 9 million. Speaking in a joint hearing of the House Human Services and Health Care committees Tuesday, Illinois Department of Public Health Director…
Pritzker signs health care reform measure backed by Black Caucus
By TIM KIRSININKAS & RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News [email protected]@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker declared health care “a right, not a privilege” Tuesday as he signed a massive reform bill backed by the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, the last of four policy pillars introduced as part of an anti-racism agenda last year. The “Illinois Health…
Trial date set for state senator charged with embezzlement
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — State Sen. Tom Cullerton, who was indicted in 2019 on charges of embezzlement, is set to go to trial in February next year, a federal judge said on Tuesday. Cullerton, a Democrat from Villa Park, is scheduled to be tried in the U.S. District Court in Chicago,…
Illinois to lose congressional seat based on 2020 census
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Census Bureau announced Monday Illinois will lose a seat in Congress based on the results of the 2020 census. Illinois will move from 18 to 17 seats in the U.S. House, an expected result after some advocates had warned that an undercount could lead to…
New state program aims for ‘one-on-one connections’ in communities to combat COVID-19
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new state program Monday that aims to increase vaccine access in low-income, vulnerable communities and to connect residents across the state to COVID-19 assistance programs for transportation, food, utilities or other resources. The COVID-19 Pandemic Health Navigator Program serves areas of the…
Illinois General Assembly passes hundreds of bills as session end approaches
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — The state Senate and House passed more than 750 bills between them last week, addressing isolated timeouts in schools, youth vaping, teaching Muslim history, the commemoration of Juneteenth and automatic voter registration in prisons, among other topics. Friday was the deadline for the General Assembly to pass…
CAPITOL RECAP: Revenue discussions progressing at Capitol
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Members of an Illinois Senate committee on Friday, April 23, sparred with officials from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration Friday in a hearing on tax changes proposed by the governor in an effort to balance the state’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year. In his budget proposal released in February,…
Bills creating liaisons for homeless college students, addressing dental care in schools advance
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate advanced several bills to the House Wednesday, including one establishing a housing insecurity liaison for homeless college students and another allowing routine dental care to be provided at schools. Senate Bill 190, sponsored by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs, would require higher education…
House passes bill to reclassify small-amount drug possession as misdemeanor
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News [email protected] SPRINGFIELD — A bill to lessen penalties for possessing and selling small amounts of drugs, including heroin and cocaine, narrowly passed out of the state House of Representatives Wednesday after a contentious debate. The discussion over House Bill 3447 provoked strong emotions on both sides of the aisle, passing…
