Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz thanks residents from his community for getting through the toughest times of the pandemic at Tuesday’s meeting. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)
Return to normalcy, war and gas prices draw Palos Heights council’s interest
By Jeff Vorva
The Palos Heights City Council had plenty to do Tuesday night when it came to decisions and votes on city matters.
But it also took some time out to talk about world concerns.
On the day masks became optional indoors in Illinois – signifying a possible return to normal – the Russian/Ukraine war and high gas prices were discussed.
Mayor Bob Straz thanked the residents of Palos Heights for enduring the pandemic, which started in March 2020.
“It was hard for many people,” the mayor said. “It was hard on the residents and the shop owners, and I thank them for getting through this.
“I also want to take time to thank our employees during this time when we struggled and, in some cases, we were able to give services that people in our town have grown to enjoy.”
On the war, Straz encourages residents to donate to two Ukrainian churches nearby – Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Nativity BVM Ukrainian Catholic Church in Palos Park.
“They are looking for soft goods, whether it be bandages or diapers or wipes or things like that,” he said. “They will send it all to Ukraine.”
The war is also causing gas prices to skyrocket and that concerns the council, which would like to see state officials get the word out to national decision makers.
“It’s getting out of hand,” Alderman Michael McGrogan said. “Maybe they are not getting the message in Washington, D.C., how critical this is and how it’s going to impact everybody who has a car or needs heating or any other type of power source. It’s ridiculous.”
McGrogan showed concern for younger people who are in college and wondered how they would afford to drive to school.
Alderman Jack Clifford suggested that the politicians in Washington consider rolling back tax rates to pre-1990 levels to help people out.
Gaming hearing is Monday
A public hearing and discussion on video gaming takes place at 7 p.m. Monday at the Orchard Room of the Palos Heights Recreation Center, 6601 W. 127th St.
Alderman Brent Lewandowski said there is consideration for allowing businesses with liquor licenses and the golf course the option for hosting video gaming with restrictions on advertising.
Since this has been a hotly contested issue in the past, council members want to take the temperature of the community at this meeting.
Local News
Summit approves deal with CEDA for water assistance
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Help may be on the way for some Summit residents that have trouble paying their water bills. The Summit Village Board recently approved an ordinance authorizing an agreement by, and between the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County. It’s a vendor agreement for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance…
Willow Springs hires Grace as village administrator
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Citing his experience in Lyons, Willow Springs Mayor Melissa Neddermeyer said Ryan Grace was the best of five finalists interviewed for the job of village administrator. Grace, 38, had been public works director in Lyons the past four years, working on a wide range of village issues and events in…
Body of missing Forest View woman found
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The search for 20-year-old Charisma Ehresman of Forest View is over. The body of the young woman was found Friday evening in her vehicle in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood, on the city’s west side, which borders Oak Park. The car had apparently been there for several days. The Cook County…
Heritage Middle School cheer team takes first
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Congratulations are in order for the Heritage Middle School Cheer Team. The team competed for the first time on Saturday, January 15, at Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont and took first place. It was a huge accomplishment for the team and Summit School District 104 is very proud of…
Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg bowls ’em over at state; Marist cheerleaders win sectional
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Is there a state trophy coming for the Sandburg boys bowling team in the future? With this unpredictable sport, that’s hard to predict. But after a fourth-place finish in the IHSA state tournament, held Jan. 28-29 at St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon, the needle is pointing up. The…
Intense dance performance nets Evergreen Park sixth place at state finals
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Actual competitive dancing returned to the state level this year and Evergreen Park’s dancers couldn’t be happier. The Mustangs are on the rise, and the team enjoyed its highest state finish by placing sixth in Class 1A in the IHSA state meet held Jan. 28-29 at Grossinger Motors…
Lyons rally falls short against unbeaten Glenbard West
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Correspondent The third time was not the charm. Lyons, which had lost games by 37 and 32 points to Glenbard West earlier this season, headed into their third matchup of the season hoping to break through against the unbeaten Hilltoppers. With a frenzied, near-capacity home crowd behind them, the Lions…
GOP needs this centrist with common sense
Spread the loveBy Ray Hanania Four years ago, Sean Morrison barely won re-election over an unknown Democrat, by only 1,377 votes of 121,767 votes cast. I supported Morrison, believing his promise to be a “commonsense centrist” who would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Liz Gorman, and not join the radical far right. Gorman,…
Not your grandfather’s petition drive
Spread the loveBy Rich Miller I’ve been fascinated by election petition-gathering season this year because of the adjusted primary schedule, the crazy Omicron variant, and the prevailing fear of crime, not to mention the awful weather. Petition season was always during the fall. But because the primary was moved to June 28, petition circulators now…
Cool customers: Chicago Christian snaps losing streak with tight win over Shepard
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Chicago Christian’s players acted cool after the game. No yelling. No jumping around. No histrionics. It was a subdued celebration after a 44-40 road victory over Shepard on Jan. 26 in the Battle of Palos Heights. The Knights acted like they had been there before, even though the…
Neighbors
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…
Advocates underscore need for statewide reentry programs
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois legislators this week approved a bill to restructure an oversight board in charge of distributing state money to courts that provide prison alternatives, while other criminal justice measures introduced throughout the session remain stalled. House Bill 4409 would change the makeup of the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight…
Ban on wildlife killing contests ‘unlikely’ to clear state Senate this session
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com A measure that would prohibit contests that award cash or prizes for killing certain wildlife is unlikely to clear the Senate after narrowly passing the House last week, according to its Senate sponsor. House Bill 2900 would ban the practice of holding wildlife contests that reward participants with…
A security camera caught an employee beating a patient. It took 11 days for anyone to take action.
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois. Cameras in the common areas of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center were supposed to make the troubled southern Illinois facility safer for the approximately 200 people with developmental disabilities who live there. But…
Potawatomi land transfer advances in Illinois House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would help the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation expand their newly established reservation in DeKalb County advanced out of a state House committee Tuesday, despite concerns about the tribe’s long-term plans for the property. House Bill 4718 would authorize the state to hand over…