Kennedy High School senior Emily Pruim shows the letter notifying her of her designation as a Mary Wheeler Scholar by the West Suburban Teachers Union Local 571. Mary Wheeler was a teacher at Proviso High School from 1924-65 and served as Local 571 president, as well as president of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. --Photo courtesy of Grace Pruim
Emily Pruim, a scholar with a bright future
Local News
Pro Sports Report | Knee injury could keep Swanson out of women’s World Cup
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer This was supposed to be a huge year for Mallory Swanson. The Chicago Red Stars and U.S. Women’s National team forward opened 2023 with six goals for the national team in friendlies ahead of this summer’s World Cup. She also figured to be a key player for the Red Stars……
College Notebook | Illinois State’s Salata named Pitcher of Week
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Illinois State baseball player Derek Salata was chosen a National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball News for the period ending March 27. In a 2-0 loss to Missouri Valley Conference foe Belmont on the road March 24, the fifth-year senior worked six innings, striking out 11 Bruins while walking……
Area Sports Roundup | Marist runners get season underway after coach’s death
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer After one of the worst possible offseasons, Marist’s boys track team is trying to get down to business. In December, boys track and cross country coach Jon Gordon died, leaving the team in shock and sadness. The RedHawks were scheduled to open the outdoor season on April 1 at home……
Papa Z, your goodness lives on
. . By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com As a young couple in their 30s, Steve Zalesny and his wife, Julie, bought a home in the west end of Garfield Ridge, near 57th and Neenah. That was back in the 1980s. Garfield Ridge is where they lived and……
‘Now they know’
. Johnson pokes nay-sayers, calls triumph historic By Tim Hadac In his victory speech Tuesday night in a ballroom at the Marriott Marquis on the Near South Side, Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson at times sounded like a humble public servant and at others like a self-styled national crusader for social justice. “You know, they said this……
Ordering open for triangle bricks
. Ongoing project honors military veterans By Tim Hadac Orders are now being taken for inscribed decorative bricks to honor local military veterans. The bricks will be added to those already installed at the triangle at 55th, Archer and Narragansett. The 4-by-8 inch bricks cost $30 each. For full details, visit bricksrus.com/donorsite/grcc. Sometimes called the……
Must boost railroad safety, García says
. From staff reports With railroad safety still in the headlines, U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th) this month joined 15 other Members of Congress in writing a letter to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg urging the Department to implement stronger rail safety standards, specifically mandating the use and maintenance of wayside detector systems.……
Thousands of jobs for teens this summer
. Mayor launches 2023 One Summer Chicago By Tim Hadac Summer employment and volunteer opportunities for as many as 20,000 young people await, via the 2023 One Summer Chicago initiative launched last week by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. The annual effort provides in-person job and life-skills training for city residents ages 14 to 24 from June……
Neighbors
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……
Would-be union of legislative staffers accuse Welch of undermining organizing effort
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Seven months after Democratic Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch advanced a measure that would allow legislative staff to unionize, members of his own staff on Tuesday blasted the speaker for allowing the bill to languish. The legislation has not seen any action since its passage……
As legislative session adjournment looms, a rush to regulate carbon capture industry
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A technology that some say is a key tool to address climate change and others say is a cash grab for heavy industry could face new regulations – if lawmakers can find the time before their scheduled adjournment this week. Carbon capture and sequestration technology is……
Nursing home industry unlikely to see much help from Springfield in tough budget year
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com It’s been four years since some of the worst scenes of COVID-19 played out in locked-down nursing homes during the early months of the pandemic. But while most of the world has moved on, the nursing home industry is still reeling from COVID, which exacerbated pre-existing challenges in……
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……