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Prospective foster parents receive advice, support
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly Prospective foster parents can meet agency representatives and young adults who have gone through the system during a Foster Care Recruitment Picnic being held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20, at the Thatcher Woods Pavilion in River Forest. Eight social service agencies that make up the Chicagoland Foster…
When every day was Thanksgiving
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor, Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708) 496-0265 • tim@hadac.com Adapted from something I wrote in November 2015. Those who know me in the real world, as opposed to in newspapers or social media, know that I am an extremely private man. I typically do not talk about…
Chicago Hounds will host Dawg Town Block Party in Bridgeview
Spread the loveShaquille O’Neal will perform at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview this summer. DJ Diesel, who is also known as former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, and American Celtic band Dropkick Murphys are set to perform at the 2023 MLR Championship Final at SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem Ave., on Saturday, July 8. The Chicago Hounds…
Postseason Roundup | Lyons boys gymnasts add to state trophy collection
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Another year, another trophy. The Lyons boys gymnastics team finished second at the IHSA state meet, held May 13 at Palatine High School. This is the Lions seventh state trophy in program history. They placed first in 2021, took second in 2017, and finished third in 2002, 2014,…
Pro Sports Report | Another Klopas era begins in Bridgeview
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The third Frank Klopas era opened with a bang in Bridgeview. Klopas was promoted May 8 after the Chicago Fire axed Ezra Hendrickson and the next night the team beat St. Louis, 2-1, in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in front of…
Baseball and Softball Wrap | Saint Xavier baseball and softball headed to national tourneys
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Saint Xavier baseball team began the season in early February by losing its first five games. The Cougars, however, finished the regular season 5-0 and are heading to the national tournament. Saint Xavier roller-coastered through the regular season and dug themselves a hole in the double-elimination Chicagoland…
College Notebook | Benedictine infielder Doubek earns Player of Week
Spread the loveBy 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…
Baseball | Nick Bestrick fires one-hitter as Sandburg tops Mount Carmel
Spread the loveBy 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…
Casten is special guest at Special Olympics event at Richards
Spread the loveBy 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…
Neighbors
Thousands of youths at risk of losing access to after-school programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. “The time is now for legislators to act to…
Lawsuit alleges sexual abuse was rampant in state-run juvenile detention centers
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Rampant sexual abuse occurred unchecked for decades at Illinois’ juvenile detention centers, a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 95 former detainees alleges, citing hundreds of incidents over more than two decades. The plaintiffs were boys between 12 and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred and…
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…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…