The Clear-Ridge Little League is scheduled to start its games in April, but signup is occurring now. --File photo
Here’s a sure sign of spring
Local News
St. Rita tops Homewood-Flossmoor, vying for first sectional title
By Steve Millar Correspondent St. Rita’s Morez Johnson knows how deflating it is for an opponent when it plays strong defense and forces the Mustangs into a missed shot, only for Johnson to grab the rebound and score. “Those second-chance points hurt the other team a lot,” Johnson said after St. Rita defeated Homewood-Flossmoor in……
Catholic school kids unmasked
Parent reactions mixed By Tim Hadac Reports of local Catholic school children rejoicing over the lifting of mask mandates were widespread this week, while their parents reacted with a mix of opinions. “I’ve seen kids jubilant over this—some so much so that they appeared to be crying tears of joy,” said Garfield Ridge resident Sarah……
How about giving small businesses a break?
By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Today I begin this column with an opinion. All through the pandemic, our elected officials have made moves to provide economic relief to people hit hard by the harsh realities of life since March 2020. Employers were given “payroll protection” funds that……
Students in triple figures
Boys and girls across Clearing and Garfield Ridge recently celebrated the 100th day of the 2021-22 school year, including Maria DiSanto and Isabella Rodriguez, kindergarteners at St. Daniel the Prophet School. Parents interested in enrolling their sons and daughters at the school for the 2022-23 academic year are encouraged to call (773) 586-1225. –Supplied photo…
Newman notes fund infusion for Metra
From staff reports U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-3rd) recently announced that she has helped secure a $513.6 million award of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra). The new funds are intended to help transit agencies around the country maintain service and keep workers on the payroll as……
Naz invites all to webinar on parenting
From staff reports Nazareth Academy invites the community to attend a Zoom webinar featuring nationally noted speaker Dr. Michele Borba at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 8. How to Help the Pandemic Generation Thrive Now and Later is designed to will show parents and teachers how to instill “teachable character traits to produce resilient kids with……
Hoop dreams end for St. Laurence girls
The dreams of basketball playoff glory ended for St. Laurence High School girls late last month, as the Black and Gold were upset at home by a scrappy De La Salle team. The fifth-seeded Meteors started out cold and trailed 14-2 to the third-seeded Vikings after the first quarter, and were behind 23-15 at halftime.……
International soccer tournament coming to Bridgeview
By Steve Metsch Thirty-two soccer teams from North, Central and South America will be at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview this summer, vying for their share of a $100,000 prize. Copa Mariachi Chicago will be played at the stadium June 4 and 5. The winning team will get $80,000, and the second-place team pockets $20,000, Copa……
Boys Basketball: R-B, Lyons and De La Salle among seven area regional champs
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer St. Rita, Mt. Carmel, De La Salle, Curie, Lyons, Riverside-Brookfield and Nazareth survived the boys basketball regional wars last week and advanced to this week’s sectional action. Marist and St. Laurence were both a shot away from possibly joining them. Marist, the 10th seed in the Class 4A Thornwood Sectional,……
Neighbors
Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships
By ALEX ABBEDUTO & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ. The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he……
House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com After Illinois received another failing grade from a national advocacy group, state House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at further protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. Shared Hope International, an advocacy organization that works to prevent sex trafficking, said in its 2023 Illinois report card that……
Hundreds of bills pass, including changes to state’s biometric data privacy law
By HANNAH MEISEL COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABEDDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers passed more than 200 bills this week ahead of their scheduled May 24 adjournment. Many of the measures will soon head to Gov. JB Pritzker, including a bill that changes how damages accrue under Illinois’ first-in-the-nation biometric data privacy law.……
Pritzker pledges to expand access to mental health care in Illinois
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In the middle of Mental Health Awareness Month, Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton hosted a panel in Springfield this week at which he pledged to expand the state’s behavioral health services. With several dozen services providers from around the state in attendance, Pritzker……
With 1 week left in session, Pritzker admin says all revenue options remain on the table
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com While the governor’s office instructed its agency directors to prepare for $800 million in potential budget cuts last week, all facets of his plan to raise $1.1 billion in revenue to avoid those cuts remain under consideration. Read more: ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to……
Illinois launches summer food assistance program
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state is launching a new program to provide food assistance during the summer for families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. Gov. JB Pritzker joined other state officials and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thursday to announce that Illinois will……
Lawmakers consider tax break for news publishers, state-sponsored journalism scholarships
By ALEX ABBEDUTO & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A new measure being debated in the Illinois General Assembly would create a tax credit for certain news publishers based on the number of reporters they employ. The proposal from Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, is part of a package of policies that he……
House gives OK to new state agency focused on early childhood programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House gave final passage Thursday to a bill establishing a new cabinet-level state agency whose mission will be to provide a kind of one-stop shop for services focusing on early childhood development and education. By the time it’s fully operational in 2026, the new……
As vacated Centralia funeral home prepares for new tenant, owner makes a startling find
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com In the basement of a Centralia funeral home in a dark hallway off the embalming room, tucked inside a nook behind two steel plates and a door, a visitor found three disembodied, neatly wrapped human legs, two of them marked with names and dated to the 1960s. The……
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……