Alderman Michael McGrogan was not happy with Republic Services’ garbage pickup services and wanted more future discussion but the Palos Heights city council voted 5-3 to renew five-year contract with the Crestwood-based company Tuesday night. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Alderman Michael McGrogan was not happy with Republic Services’ garbage pickup services and wanted more future discussion but the Palos Heights city council voted 5-3 to renew five-year contract with the Crestwood-based company Tuesday night. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Palos Heights renews garbage contract after debate

Spread the love

By Jeff Vorva

Things got a little chippy Tuesday night when it came to renewing garbage and chipper services in Palos Heights.

After some debate, the Palos Heights City Council voted 5-3 to renew a five-year contract with Crestwood-based Republic Services.

Aldermen Michael McGrogan, Jerry McGovern and Jack Clifford voted “no.”

The current five-year deal expires Aug. 31 and McGrogan had a few issues with the company and wanted to express his concerns at a future Finance Committee meeting.

“I have about a half a dozen items,” McGrogan said. “I also think this should be broken into two contracts. One, because the city benefits in some ways, which could be a separate contract. Second, the residents can be a second part of that contract.”

McGrogan added Republic did a “crappy job on their service” after a storm in the winter. Mayor Bob Straz said that was a one-time event and Alderman Don Bylut added that despite that one event, the company has been easy and cooperative to work with.

After a little arguing, the council voted 6-2 not to have the item go to the Finance Committee and 5-3 to renew the contract.

Rec and roll

Alderman Jeffrey Key, the head of the Recreation Committee, said that the city’s 5K Chocolate Chase will take place at 9 a.m. April 16 at the Recreation Center, 6601 W. 127th St.

He added that the Farmer’s Market will begin May 11. The market takes place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Wednesday at the Municipal Parking Lot, 12217 S. Harlem Ave.

Key said the Recreation Department is looking for a Pace driver and applicants do not need a special license because it is a large van and not a bus or truck. Anyone interested in applying should call 708-361-1807.

Parade is coming

The council approved a special event permit for the Palos Baseball Association and Palos Power Girls Softball organizations to hold their Opening Day parade from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. May 30 on a designated route from Palmer Park to Memorial Park.

The council also approved to waive parade fees of $1,501.15 for the two organizations.

Local News

Anna Marassa is the only girls volleyball coach in De La Salle history. Photo courtesy of De La Salle

Hall of Fame volleyball coach Anna Marassa coach calls it a career

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Hall of Fame volleyball coach Anna Marassa is retiring. Marassa is the only girls volleyball coach in De La Salle’s history as she headed up the program in 2002 and racked up 538 victories, 10 regional championships and four sectional titles. She is also the boys coach and wraps…

Shepard's Kyla Motley (left) and Rajae Stevenson at the Lyons Sectional. Photo courtesy of Shepard High School

Girls Track | Shepard’s Kyla Motley wins three titles at Lyons Sectional

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Shepard junior track star Kyla Motley was a sectional champion in three events for the second year in a row. Motley won the 100 high hurdles with a time of 15.31, the long jump with an 18-2.5 effort, and the triple jump with a 36-9 at the Class 3A Lyons…

Stagg tennis players and twins Nick and Seamus Keough finished third at No. 3 singles at the SouthWest Suburban Red meet. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Tennis | Stagg takes third at final SWSC Red tourney

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Saturday blue skies cleared the way for the final SouthWest Suburban Conference boys tennis matches as Stagg hosted Andrew, Lincoln-Way Central, and Lincoln-Way West at Moraine Valley Community College. The Chargers started the season losing five of their first games but finished the regular season 10-10-1. They finished third…

Anthony Calderon

UPDATE: Bedford Park man, girlfriend charged with plotting Bridgeview father’s murder

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Bob Bong A Bedford Park man and the victim’s girlfriend have been charged in the shooting death of Arturo Cantu last Wednesday. Bridgeview police arrested Anthony Calderon, 20, of the 7700 block of 65th Place, Friday night. He allegedly confessed to the murder and reportedly led police to the weapon used in…

new rainbow cone flavors

Rainbow Cone adds 4 new flavors

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Chicago’s iconic Original Rainbow Cone has been evolving over the past few years. First, it joined forces with the folks at Buono Beef and expanded its presence from its original location in Beverly to offer cones at Buono Beef locations and a few stand-alone stores as well as food trucks.…

Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz welcomes Park Lawn to the community. (Photos by Kelly White)

Park Lawn opens day program in Palos Heights

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White Promoting inclusion and individuality, Park Lawn provides services that promote choice and access to community living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The mission behind the organization focuses on encouraging people with disabilities to discover their passion, to take pride in their accomplishments, to live more independently and to…

Allen Altic is moving on from Palos Park to Westmont to become that community's finance director. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Palos Park finance director heading to Westmont

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Palos Park was in good hands with Altic. Finance director/treasurer Allen Altic is leaving the village later this month to take a similar position in Westmont, just a few miles from his home in Downers Grove. Altic was an assistant finance director in Bloomingdale from 2012 to 2020, when he…

United Healthcare speaks with an Orland Township resident at the 2023 Senior Health Fair. (Supplied photo)

Orland Township hosting free senior health fair

Spread the love

Spread the loveOrland Township and Supervisor Paul O’Grady are hosting a senior health fair to provide free health services and information to senior citizens on Tuesday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until noon at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. The Senior Health Fair is an excellent opportunity for seniors to…

Palos Heights School District 128 paraprofessional, Moira Touhy, was selected to be a part of the Golden Apple Accelerator Program. She is pictured (right) alongside Independence Junior High sixth-grader, Isaac Ceja. (Supplied photo)

District 128 teacher joins Golden Apple Accelerator Program

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Kelly White A Palos Heights School District 128 educator was selected to be a part of the Golden Apple Accelerator Program. Also, a District 128 alum, Moira Touhy, a paraprofessional at Independence Junior High School, 6610 W. Highland Dr., Palos Heights, will be participating in the 15-month online program specifically geared toward…

Orland Park's Assistant Director of Development Carrie Haberstich gives the village board an overview of the Crossroads project. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Crossroads plans approved in Orland Park despite adding apartments

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Crossroads did not hit a roadblock. Despite not wanting to bring more apartments to the village, the Orland Park Village Board approved plans for the Crossroads of Orland Park at its May 6 Committee of the whole and regular meetings and it will indeed feature 132 apartments. The Crossroads project,…

Neighbors

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death.  But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

Just weeks before Republican National Convention, Illinois GOP chair announces resignation

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Halfway through the 2024 election cycle and just a few weeks away from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Illinois GOP Chair Don Tracy on Wednesday announced his resignation as head of the state Republican Party. Tracy, who’d held the job since February 2021, explained his resignation in…

As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails

As Illinois session ends, lawmakers’ attempt to reinstate wetland protections fails

by JENNIFER BAMBERG Investigate Midwest jennifer.bamberg@investigatemidwest.org In 2006, 19-year-old Jessica Whinston inherited 20 acres of land that her grandparents once farmed in Quincy, Illinois. The land had sat dormant since the 1980s and was overgrown, but Whinston and her husband Bradley worked to turn it into a productive farm. The couple were eventually able to…

Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law

Elections board dismisses illegal campaign coordination complaint, declines to clarify law

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – State elections officials on Tuesday indicated they were unlikely to step in to clarify what constitutes illegal campaign coordination after voting to dismiss a complaint alleging such coordination in the 2022 campaign for governor. At their monthly meeting in Chicago, Illinois State Board of Elections members…

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For the last two decades, each time a governor has moved to close a large state-run facility like a prison or mental health center, a legislative oversight panel has voted on the plan. That changed on Friday – at least for now –…

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com LINCOLN – On the eve of a scheduled vote to advise Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on plans to close and rebuild a pair of dilapidated state prisons, hundreds filed into a junior high school gymnasium Thursday evening clad in matching green T-shirts. Printed on the shirts was a…

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children.  The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of a would-be union representing staffers in House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office filed suit against their boss on Friday, asking a Cook County judge to force recognition of the union. The Illinois Legislative Staff Association, which formed in the fall of 2022, claims Welch’s…

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor. Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an…