![CRRNH_VikingVBallChamps_110922 CRRNH_VikingVBallChamps_110922](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/CRRNH_VikingVBallChamps_110922-1024x683.jpeg)
Wildcats winning at St. Laurence
Seven of the 12 girls on St. Laurence High School’s volleyball team are from just one school: St. Daniel the Prophet. As the Vikings stormed through the IHSA playoffs, winning a regional and a sectional championship, the heart of the Black and Gold’s squad came from seven former Wildcats: seniors Fiona Burke, Alexis Navarro and CJ Blum; juniors Gabby Seyfarth and Bella Medina; and sophomores Natalie Martinez and Vianne Villa. – Supplied photo
Local News
![CRRNH_LopezTabaresParade_041322 Lopez (left) was proved popular with the crowd at last month’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Garfield Ridge, as he walked the route with political ally and 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares. --Supplied photo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CRRNH_LopezTabaresParade_041322-1024x700.jpg)
Lopez announces mayoral run
Spread the lovePro-police alderman has been popular locally By Tim Hadac He does not represent Clearing or Garfield Ridge, but Raymond A. Lopez wants to. The 15th Ward alderman and Democratic committeeman last week announced his candidacy for mayor. With a simple tweet (“Chicago, I’m in!”), Lopez on April 6 signaled his candidacy. At a…
![CERMAK Former Riverside-Brookfield star Ryan Cermak celebrates a grand slam against Western Illinois. Photo courtesy of Illinois State University](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CERMAK.jpg)
College report: Former Riverside-Brookfield star homers in four consecutive at-bats
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff writer Former Riverside-Brookfield baseball standout Ryan Cermak is a leadoff hitter who is belting the ball like a cleanup hitter. The Illinois State University centerfielder hit three straight homers — including grand slams in consecutive at-bats— and broke a school record with 10 RBIs in a 15-7 victory over…
![FIRE 9 ROCHESTER 15 Chicago Fire II player Chinoso Offor (left) and Rochester’s Lamar Batista make nice in front of an official after they were jostling and shoving for a few minutes during the teams’ 0-0 tie on Sunday in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/FIRE-9-ROCHESTER-15-1024x678.jpg)
Pro Soccer Report: Fire II gets a point, but still no goals after three games
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The new Chicago Fire II team is winless and scoreless through three games, but coach Ludovic Taillandier knows wins and losses are not the team’s main focus. The Fire II, which tied Rochester 0-0 April 10 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, is a mix of youth and Chicago…
![CRRNH_TomMooseHill_040622 Tom “Moose” Hill grew up in Clearing. --Photo courtesy of Ed Hill](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CRRNH_TomMooseHill_040622.jpg)
Get well soon, Moose
Spread the loveBy Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com If you grew up in (or anywhere near) Clearing, you’ve heard of the Hill family–or at least Hill Hardware, which was located at 6314 S. Central and was founded by George Hill in 1909. Well, a member of the storied…
![CRRNH_CRLLParade_040622 CRRNH_CRLLParade_040622](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CRRNH_CRLLParade_040622-1024x768.jpg)
Little Leaguers to parade
Spread the love Weeks after tulips and daffodils herald the arrival of spring, the earliest hints of summer start to appear. This year, that means the youthful exuberance of the Opening Day parade of Clear-Ridge Little League, tentatively scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday, April 23. The route is expected to run from the west parking…
![BSALogo BSALogo](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BSALogo.png)
Scouts seek help in feeding the hungry
Spread the loveBy Tim Hadac The Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 4439 and Boy Scout Troop 1439 of Two Holy Martyrs Parish are participating in the Pathway to Adventure Council 2022 Scouting for Food Drive on Saturday, April 9 in Clearing and Garfield Ridge. All are asked to help the Scouts feed the hungry by…
![GSWNH_QuinnAtCulvers_100121 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/GSWNH_QuinnAtCulvers_100121-1.png)
Dog park moving closer to reality
Spread the loveQuinn hoping for late 2022 opening at Wentworth By Tim Hadac Hopes that Clearing and Garfield Ridge dogs would have a park of their own in 2022 have faded slightly, but 13th Ward Ald. Marty Quinn is nonetheless pushing for an opening by year’s end at Wentworth Park. Quinn recently told the Clear-Ridge…
![MarieNewman2021 U.S. Rep. Marie Newman](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/MarieNewman2021-1024x1024.jpg)
More specialized ed resources, Newman says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports A bill that would create a grant program at the U.S. Department of Education to increase partnerships between school districts and colleges to train and certify various Specialized Instruction Support Personnel programs (SISPs) was introduced recently by U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-3rd) and others. The Growing, Recruiting, and Obtaining Workers…
![Pritzker urges child vaccination as changes to Health Care Right of Conscience Act emerge Pritzker urges child vaccination as changes to Health Care Right of Conscience Act emerge](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/img-Pritzker-10251-vxna3s-1024x614.png)
Funds flow again for local projects
Spread the loveWere briefly frozen after Madigan indictment By Tim Hadac Three public works projects affecting the Clearing and Grafield Ridge area appear to be back on track now that Governor JB Pritzker has given the green light to their state funding. Funding had been jeopardized briefly by a request from 10 state representatives (none…
Neighbors
![Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/scotus1-N8hYn7-1024x768.jpeg)
Advocates say SCOTUS ruling paves way for law ensuring abusers have guns confiscated
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com After the U.S. Supreme Court last week upheld a federal law that bars those under domestic violence-related restraining orders from owning guns, victim advocates say Illinois lawmakers should pass a measure to ensure firearms are actually confiscated in those situations. The legislation has been stalled for more than…
![Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240611-COGFA-SOTO1-AsGWYO-1024x682.jpeg)
Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…
![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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/20240429-BAILEY-PROFT1-yRwYCt-1024x624.jpeg)
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…
![State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’ State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/FLASHING-LIGHTS-SQUAD-POLICE-00971-ilpWzw-1024x682.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/TRACY-06741-bRYaAc-1024x682.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wetlands-Prairie-scaled1-3WD1bu-1024x683.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240618-PIC-Board-of-Elections1-1aDJ4Z-1024x658.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240614-PRITZKER-AA1-ViOzVJ-1024x682.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240614-COGFA-PRISONS-11-wddchv-1024x682.jpeg)
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](https://southwestregionalpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/240614-Logan-Prison-yard-signs-DoZFBM-1024x768.jpeg)
‘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…