Kennedy students win big scholarship
Kennedy High School graduating seniors John Strus (left) and Douglas DaSilva have won the Wentcher Scholarship this spring. The scholarship is worth $40,000 (spread out over four years). The Wentcher Foundation identifies students nearing graduation from Chicago Public Schools who exemplify academic excellence, high character and demonstrate financial need. This fall, Strus will be attending Illinois Institute of Technology, and DaSilva will begin studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. DaSilva is an alumnus of Hale Elementary School, while Strus went to Byrne School. –Supplied photo
Local News
Boys Basketball: St. Rita picking up speed after slow start to season
Spread the loveBy Steve Millar Correspondent Morez Johnson is committed to Illinois, where he will one day compete against Michigan State coach Tom Izzo in the Big Ten. The junior forward from St. Rita was happy to see Izzo in attendance last week to watch a dominant performance by the Mustangs in a 70-41 win…
College Notebook: NIU’s Francesca Bertucci named MAC Defensive POY
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent The 2022 season is likely one that will not be soon forgotten by Northern Illinois women’s volleyball player Francesca Bertucci. Not only did the sophomore libero/defensive specialist win four Mid-American Conference’s West Division Defensive Player of the Week, she also was lauded as the MAC’s Defensive Player of the…
Area Hoops Wrap: IHSA releases basketball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Most of the holiday basketball tournaments have not even started, but the IHSA has already released its 2023 postseason assignments. For some area schools, the placements into some sectionals are not exactly gifts from Santa. Area teams Reavis, Brother Rice, Hubbard, Marist, St. Rita, Oak Lawn, Sandburg, Shepard…
Area Sports Roundup: Mother McAuley’s Gigi Navarette voted best player in the U.S.
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer It was Navar in doubt. Mother McAuley senior Gigi Navarrete easily won a public vote conducted by Scorebook Live for best high school girls volleyball player in the country. Of 30,761 votes cast, 16,197 (53%) were for the Mighty Macs libero. Coming in a distant second was Ava…
Small salesman, big results
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com I saw a cute photo the other day and had to share. In the picture, Victor Duque Jr., a preschooler at Our Lady of the Snows School, was accepting a five-pound World’s Finest chocolate bar from OLS Principal Christina Avis.…
‘A good man, among the very best’
Spread the loveDoherty earns MCC’s Firefighter of the Year Award By Tim Hadac Many people who deserve awards are modest, sometimes to the point of being surprised and even a bit befuddled when they receive an accolade. Mike Doherty is one of them. The longtime Garfield Ridge resident recalled the day earlier this month when…
A red Christmas so far
Spread the love Those dreaming of snowflakes and snowmen in the early part of December were disappointed. But the lack of snow only caused Santa Claus to switch from a sleigh to a vintage fire truck. For two days earlier this month, Santa Claus and volunteers from the Garfield Ridge Neighborhood Watch rolled up and…
Challenging minds, changing lives
Spread the loveGebel named MCC’s Teacher of the Year By Tim Hadac Speak with parents of students at Byrne Elementary School about Robert Gebel, and you’ll hear their insights into the character of the man recently named the Midway Chamber of Commerce’s 2022 Teacher of the Year. “His passion for teaching and helping his students…
Gratitude is not just on Thanksgiving
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Thanksgiving 2022 has come and gone, but in this special season of the year, it’s a good time to reflect on the blessings we’ve received and return the favor, so to speak. So please make time to slow down a…
Biz leaders back to serve seniors
Spread the loveOffering home safety help By Tim Hadac For the second time this year, three leading businesses serving Clearing and Garfield Ridge are stepping up to serve the community’s elderly residents. All Exterior Contractors, Mike Riordan State Farm Agency and First Rate Realty—all members of the Midway Chamber of Commerce—are teaming up to offer safety inspections of…
Neighbors
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…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…