Local News

Bob Yonker accepts a plaque in recognition of his work as part of Summits Neighborhood Watch program at the Oct. 17 2024 meeting

Bob Yonker Steps Down as Secretary of Summit Neighborhood Watch

By Carol Mcgowan / October 28, 2024 /

After more than 15 years of dedicated service, Robert “Bob” Yonker has stepped down as secretary of Summit’s Neighborhood Watch program. During an Oct. 17 meeting, Neighborhood Watch President Tula Beene, Summit Police Chief Mel Ortiz, Summit Fire Chief Anthony Anderson, Trustee Aurora Rodriguez, and Public Relations Assistant Chris Crisanti honored Yonker with an award…

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dvn 10 28 24 election 2024

Will La Grange approve $13.86 million for park renovations? Voters to decide

By Steve Metsch / October 28, 2024 /

If a recent poll is any indication, the Park District of La Grange stands a good chance of seeing a $13.86 million referendum win approval on Election Day Nov. 5. Voters will cast “yes” or “no” votes on the following ballot referendum: “Shall the Park District of LaGrange, Cook County, Illinois, improve and equip parks and…

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dvn 10 28 24 stickney halloween killer klowns

Stickney Halloween Fun and Pumpkin Patch Draws Record Crowd

By Carol Mcgowan / October 26, 2024 /

Stickney Mayor Jeff Walik and members of the village parks and recreation committee hosted the annual Halloween Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 19. About 1,000 people attended the festivities at 43rd and Ridgeland, marking an increase from years past, officials said. The event featured a haunted hayride and a pumpkin patch exclusively for Stickney kids under…

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Forest View Trustee David Liska

Forest View Trustee David Liska to run for mayor

By Carol Mcgowan / October 26, 2024 /

Forest View Trustee David Liska has announced he will be running for mayor in the April 2025 election. Liska is currently in his fourth year as a current trustee. He had previously held a seat on the board in the late 1980s and early 1990s. When his original term ended, Liska said he chose not…

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McCook to get new ambulance in 2026

By Steve Metsch / October 21, 2024 / Comments Off on McCook to get new ambulance in 2026

In a few years, the village of McCook will have two practically new ambulances. The village board unanimously approved a purchase agreement on Oct. 7 with MacQueen Equipment LLC, to buy a new ambulance. The price is yet to be determined. “This ambulance won’t be here until 2026. At that time, we’ll pay for it.…

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dvn 10 14 24 bedford park sky groundbreaking

Chicago Sky, Bedford Park break ground on $38 million practice facility

By Carol Mcgowan / October 14, 2024 / Comments Off on Chicago Sky, Bedford Park break ground on $38 million practice facility

It was a groundbreaking event on Oct. 9, as more than 200 people gathered at the future site of Phase 2 of the Wintrust Sports Complex at 65th Street and Central Avenue in Bedford Park. The Chicago Sky, in partnership with the Village of Bedford Park, broke ground on a new $38 million state-of-the-art practice…

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dvn 10 14 24 township repair cafe

Final repair cafe of the year Oct. 19 for Lyons Township

By Steve Metsch / October 14, 2024 / Comments Off on Final repair cafe of the year Oct. 19 for Lyons Township

The Township of Lyons will host its final repair café of the year from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19, at the township hall, 6404 Joliet Road. You can bring a wide range of household items in for repairs free of charge, Township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg said during the township board meeting Oct.…

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Stickney Township at Forest View 10 8 24 meeting

Forest View loses 2 officials in sudden resignations, mayor ‘saddened’

By Carol Mcgowan / October 14, 2024 / Comments Off on Forest View loses 2 officials in sudden resignations, mayor ‘saddened’

On Oct. 8, the Forest View village board meeting took a surprising turn when two key officials resigned during a portion of the meeting that was closed to the public. Forest View Administrator Michael Dropka submitted his resignation to trustees who met behind closed doors to discuss an “employee personnel matter,” according to the meeting…

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dvn 10 13 24 Vulcan settlement2

Vulcan pays McCook $1.5 million to settle dumping lawsuit

By Steve Metsch / October 13, 2024 / Comments Off on Vulcan pays McCook $1.5 million to settle dumping lawsuit

Charging a company $4 for each truckload of clean debris dumped into a former quarry may not sound like much, but when you do the math, as McCook Mayor Terrance Carr said last Monday night, those truckloads add up. “It’s nothing, but when you’ve got thousands of trucks and years of dumping, it can add…

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chicago bears logo

Cheerio! Lyons bars can open at 7 a.m. Sunday for early Bears game

By Steve Metsch / October 12, 2024 / Comments Off on Cheerio! Lyons bars can open at 7 a.m. Sunday for early Bears game

By mayoral decree, Bears fans can start drinking earlier Sunday at bars in Lyons. The Bears play Jacksonville in London and the kickoff will be at 8:30 a.m. Chicago time Sunday. Usually, Lyons bars can’t open until 10 a.m. on Sunday. But they will be allowed to open and start serving at 7 a.m. With…

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Students and staff at Argo Community High School are mourning the death of Jaydin Bahena, a 16-year-old junior who was killed in an act of violence over the weekend. (Photo posted on GoFundMe.)

Community grieves after 16-year-old Argo High student fatally shot

Students and staff at Argo Community High School are mourning the death of Jaydin Bahena, a 16-year-old junior who was killed in an act of violence over the weekend. Bahena, remembered for his vibrant personality and kind heart, was fatally shot in Summit on Nov. 1, leaving the school and community grieving his sudden loss.…

Fate Richey (from left), Kendra Scott Foundation, Nuray Kavustuk, Lyle School Principal, Rea Culafi, Lyle School Librarian,
Allan Woodrow, children’s author,
Sierra Nelson, Kendra Scott Foundation, Katie Morlan, Kendra Scott Foundation, Crystal Skoczylas, Indian Springs District 109 Superintendent,
Dr. Christine Baldwin, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Kelly Hernandez, Lyle Instructional Support Services. (Photos by Carol McGowan)

Lyle School Library Wins Prestigious Kendra Scott Award

Lyle School in Bridgeview received a transformative boost on Oct. 30, with a $2,000 gift certificate from First Book to enhance its collection of multicultural and diverse books, and an additional $1,000 for literacy enrichment from the Kendra Scott Foundation. The initiative, part of the Little Yellow Library program, aims to support Title 1 schools…

football-stock

IHSA football playoff scoreboard

With records and seedings in parentheses Note: Classes 8A and 7A are seeded 1-32. All other classes are seeded as two 1-16 brackets. First round Class 8A Glenbard East 49, Curie 0 Stevenson 31, Sandburg 14 Marist 42, Glenbrook South 14 Lyons 38, Joliet West 0 Class 7A Fenwick 12, Brother Rice 7 Quincy 49,…

Red Star Mallory Swanson (9) moves the ball against Kansas City on Nov 3 at SeatGeek Stadium. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Area sports roundup: Red Stars fall to eighth seed, will face Orlando

The Chicago Red Stars are heading into the NWSL playoffs with a three-game losing streak and will face the regular season’s best team. The eighth-seeded Red Stars visit top-seeded Orlando at 7 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals. The Red Stars had a 1-1 draw at Orland on March 29 and lost 1-0 in Bridgeview on…

One of the robbers holds an assault rifle during the July 13, 2023,  robbery of the Jawahir Jewelry  store in Bridgeview. (Photos courtesy of FBI)

Bridgeview jewelry heist suspects still at large, FBI offers $15,000 reward

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the FBI are seeking the public’s help in apprehending masked men involved in four jewelry store robberies across three states, including two incidents in Bridgeview. Last week, the FBI released surveillance footage from the robberies in Bridgeview and Dearborn, Michigan. A reward of up to $15,000 is being offered…

Mother McAuley girls volleyball coach Jen DeJarld has helped keep the Mighty Macs' regional championship alive at 44 straight. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Postseason roundup: McAuley wins 44th straight volleyball regional

The streak is up to 44. Mother McAuley won another regional championship in girls volleyball on Oct. 31 and that brings its total up to 44 straight regional or district championships after a 25-12, 25-14 victory over Stagg to win the Class 4A Stagg Regional in Palos Hills. Excluding the 2020 COVID-19 season, the Mighty…

mount carmel logo

Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel cruise in Class 7A opener

Before a Class 7A opener in Machesney Park on Nov. 1, Mount Carmel and Harlem had never played each other. The Huskies are likely fine with not seeing the Caravan again anytime soon, as the Caravan rolled to a 56-14 victory. Playing only in the first half, Mount Carmel quarterback Jack Elliott completed 11 of…

Illinois News

Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan

Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A federal judge on Thursday declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked in their deliberations over whether former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza bribed longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via a no-work contract for the speaker’s political ally. After nearly 15 hours of deliberation…

High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search

High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Law enforcement officers in Illinois cannot rely on the smell of burnt cannabis alone to justify searching a vehicle without a warrant, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The decision was unanimous, though Justice Lisa Holder White did not take part in it. Writing for the court,…

State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban

State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. Judge Steven McGlynn, who has…

Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’

Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A firearms expert testified Wednesday that the weapons restricted under Illinois’ assault weapons ban include many of the most common firearms that American consumers use for self-defense. Steven Randall Watt, a combat veteran and retired law enforcement officer who now owns a private firearms…

Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury

Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – On Valentine’s Day in 2017, then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza got some good news: After years of trying to push for legislation in Springfield that would save the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan had agreed to a…

State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction

State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in actor Jussie Smollett’s appeal to overturn his conviction on disorderly conduct charges for falsifying a hate crime. Smollett, who was an actor on the TV show “Empire,” was improperly charged with the same crime twice, his legal team…

Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban

Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – An engineer who spent decades designing weapons for one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers testified Tuesday that the assault-style weapons now banned in Illinois are intended only for civilian use and cannot be easily converted into military-grade firearms. James Ronkainen, a former engineer…

Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties

Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Around 4.6 million records associated with Illinoisans in over a dozen counties – including voting records, registrations and death certificates – were temporarily available on the open internet, according to a security researcher who identified the vulnerability in July. The documents were available through an unsecured cloud storage…

Prosecutors rest case against former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan

Prosecutors rest case against former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – After years of pushing in Springfield, AT&T Illinois’ executive team was thrilled when the Illinois General Assembly in 2017 passed legislation that would get the company out from under expensive obligations to maintain its aging copper landline wires in Illinois. “Game over. We win,” AT&T Illinois…

Trial begins in challenge to assault weapons ban

Trial begins in challenge to assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – The owner of a gun store testified Monday that Illinois’ ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and large capacity magazines has had a significant impact on his business and prevented his customers from buying items they would normally use for self-defense, hunting, target…