Joan Hadac
Can’t we just fast-forward to spring?
Local News
College Notebook | Benedictine infielder Doubek earns Player of Week
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Ryan Doubek of Benedictine University has been named the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference’s Baseball Position Player of the Week for the week ending April 30. Doubek, a senior infielder, hit .522 (12-of-23) while batting leadoff as Benedictine went 4-1 during the timeframe. The Marist graduate scored six runs, doubled twice, stole……
Baseball | Nick Bestrick fires one-hitter as Sandburg tops Mount Carmel
By Steve Millar Correspondent Some extra sleep did Nick Bestrick quite well. With Sandburg’s game against Mount Carmel postponed on May 12 because of rain, the Eagles had an unconventional two-site, two-opponent doubleheader — going to Plainfield East for a regularly scheduled game the morning of May 13 before coming home to host the Caravan……
Casten is special guest at Special Olympics event at Richards
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Special Olympics Illinois held various competitions throughout the state last week and the Region E Unified event at Richards High School on May 4 had a special guest. District 6 Congressman Sean Casten made the trip to Oak Lawn to greet some of the athletes, watch them in action and……
College Notebook | Concordia Chicago goalie McGee named to lacrosse all-conference team
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Ryan McGee is one of four Concordia University Chicago women’s lacrosse athletes to be chosen to the 2023 All-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Team. McGee, a goalie who prepped at Nazareth, was one of two Cougars named to the All-NACC First Team. For McGee, this marks her third consecutive All-NACC First Team……
Baseball and Softball Wrap | St. Rita coach Nee honored with HOF nod
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer John Nee looks back with fondness at his early baseball days, when he was a big-time slugger playing with his friends for West Lawn’s baseball team. “Neighborhood baseball was all it could be,” Nee said. “Everybody played for their neighborhood team, and we have some really good teams at West……
Area Sports Roundup | St. Rita hoops coach resigns for job at St. Laurence
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The spinning carousal continues for the St. Rita basketball program. By the time the 2023-24 campaign rolls around, the talented team that picked up national attention last season will look a whole lot different — and it’s not just about players transferring. Roshawn Russell, who coached the Mustangs the past……
A ‘kind and giving heart’
. Family, friends remember columnist Joan Hadac From staff reports Those who knew Joan (Heelan) Hadac never seemed surprised that she landed in jobs where she helped people. It was simply her nature, her kind and giving heart, they’d say. A lifelong Southwest Side resident, Mrs. Hadac died at home in hospice care on May……
Baseball | St. Laurence senior Luke Geary embraces role in ‘pen
By Steve Millar Correspondent Many pitchers would prefer the certainty and routine of knowing when they were going to take the mound. St. Laurence’s Luke Geary, though, enjoys always being on-call. The senior is thriving in a bullpen role. “I really like it,” Geary said. “The starters have one day a week where they have……
Neighbors
Senate Democrats send $53.1B spending plan to House
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Two days after the General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn its spring session, Democrats in the Illinois Senate advanced a $53.1 billion budget to the House Sunday night, where leaders expect it to pass without changes. The fiscal year 2025 spending plan, which came together over a stretch……
Prairie Band Potawatomi land deal clears Senate, will head back to House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a step closer to acquiring a 1,500-acre state park in DeKalb County, much of which was once part of a reservation that was illegally seized from the tribe in the mid-19 th century. As the Senate worked through its last……
Budget negotiations will extend into next week as House leaves Springfield
By JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly will go at least three more days past their self-imposed adjournment deadline after failing to pass a budget bill Saturday, although the spending and revenue framework were made public for the first time. “The House and Senate are……
Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final days of their spring legislative session, Democrats in the General Assembly advanced measures aimed at expanding and protecting aspects of maternal and women’s health care. If signed into law, the measures would expand insurance coverage of pregnancy and postpartum services, maintain abortion as a viable……
Health insurance changes targeting ‘utilization management,’ more will head to governor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A package of health insurance reform measures that Gov. JB Pritzker called for at the beginning of the legislative session will soon be headed to his desk for his signature. The Illinois House gave final approval Saturday to a pair of bills that limit the ability……
Capitol Briefs: Republicans sue over law banning legislative candidate slating
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com One week after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an elections-related measure that his fellow Democrats quickly muscled through the General Assembly, Republicans sued over the new law, alleging the majority party is blocking ballot access to would-be legislative candidates. The law , passed early this month as the legislature’s……
Illinois Supreme Court considers expectation of privacy in hospitals
By DILPREET RAJU & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – While Cortez Turner was in a hospital room being treated for a gunshot wound to his leg in 2016, police took his clothes. Now, the Illinois Supreme Court is weighing whether that action violated Turner’s expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment. The……
Capitol Briefs: Measure targets ‘legacy’ admission at public universities
By DILPREET RAJU, COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois lawmakers missed a self-imposed Friday deadline for passing a budget, but they had approved more than 250 bills this week as of Friday afternoon. Amid the flurry of legislation was a measure prohibiting state universities from admitting students based on familial and……
Illinois could be 19th state to phase out subminimum wage for disabled workers
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com After years of negotiations and continued opposition from service providers, Illinois appears poised to prohibit employers from using a federal exemption that allows them to pay individuals with disabilities less than the minimum wage. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established minimum wage law, but created……
Capitol Briefs: Measure blocks interstate probes of abortion services
By PETER HANCOCK & COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Authorities in Illinois would not be allowed to aid another state’s investigation of people coming to Illinois to seek abortions or other reproductive health care under a bill that cleared the General Assembly Thursday. House Bill 5239, which needs only a signature from……