Newcomer Crawford ousts veteran lawmaker Mary Flowers

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By Bob Bong Mary Flowers, the longest serving black lawmaker in the General Assembly, was sent packing Tuesday night after running afoul of House Speaker Chris Welch. Flowers, 72, was defeated by Michael Crawford in the 31st House District Democratic Primary. Flowers, who was first elected in 1984, received 753 votes in suburban precincts while…

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Casten romps over primary foes in 6th Congressional race

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By Bob Bong Three-term Congressman Sean Casten easily defeated two challengers in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in the 6th Congressional District. “First and foremost, thank you,” he said. “Thank you to the voters who have entrusted me once again with their vote. Thank you to the volunteers who knocked on doors, made phone calls, and helped…

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Evergreen Park commends officer for pursuing hit-and-run suspect

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By Joe Boyle An Evergreen Park police officer is being commended for “outstanding performance of duty” for the arrest of a man who left the scene of a traffic incident. Officer Robert Bavone was recognized during the Evergreen Park Village Board meeting on Monday night. While on duty, he witnessed a traffic crash with injuries…

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Sonia Anne Khalil remains upbeat despite loss in 36th House

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By Steve Metsch Sonia Anne Khalil, who lost to Rick Ryan in the Democratic primary for the 36th House, was far from dejected Tuesday night. “It’s okay,” she said during a gathering at the Qamaria Yemeni coffee shop in Chicago Ridge. Khalil, 34, said she and her supporters “organized in four months and I thought…

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Ryan moving on to face McGovern in 36th District

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By Jeff Vorva Rick Ryan was asked to serve. He agreed to serve. All he has to do is convince enough people to allow him to serve. He is halfway there. He earned the Democratic nomination for state representative in the 36th District on March 19 by beating Sonia Anne Khalil in the primary. The…

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Off-duty Oak Lawn cop shot five times

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By Bob Bong An off-duty Oak Lawn police sergeant was shot five times Monday afternoon during an argument at a trucking business in the 10800 block of South Central Avenue where he was working security. Police said an employee arrived at MN89 trucking about noon on Monday and got into an argument with other employees…

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SD122 parents demand answers on school psychologist’s status

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By Nuha Abdessalam A petition demanding the firing of a school psychologist at Ridgeland School District 122 for posting Islamophobic social media messages has gathered more than 1,400 signatures. The petition on change.org is “calling for the removal of the schoo psychologist Laurie Hoke for sharing posts and comments that are explicitly racist, Islamophobic, hateful,…

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Volunteers raise $18,000 at Worth FOP Polar Plunge

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By Joe Boyle The temperatures were hovering near 50 degrees, but Worth Mayor Mary Werner said it was still going to be a challenge. “They took the temperature of the water and it was 46 degrees. That is still cold,” the mayor said. The eighth annual Worth Fraternal Order of Police Polar Plunge was held…

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Shepard takes plunge for Special Olympics Illinois

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By Kelly White Shepard High School has been diving into great things once again this academic year. The high school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, honored Special Olympics Illinois with a unique school-based Polar Plunge that took place right on campus on March 7. “This is one of my favorite days of the year.…

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Gill, Dewar face off in 35th District Dem primary

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By Dermot Connolly Two residents of Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood are running in the Democratic primary for the 35th District seat in the Illinois House, which stretches from the South Side of Chicago to Orland Park. Mary Gill, a lifelong district resident, was appointed last March to succeed Fran Hurley, who resigned to take a…

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