Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau directs some of the state champion Pioneer cheerleaders during Monday night's board meeting. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Orland Park denies vape shop license to open in mall
By Jeff Vorva
Windy City Vape will not be allowed to sell its wares at the Orland Square Mall.
The village board voted 6-0, with Trustee Sean Kampas absent, Monday to deny increasing the numbers of Class B tobacco licenses from 10 to 11, which would have allowed Rubber Ducky LLC’s Windy City Vape to sell vape and vaping accessories out of a kiosk at the mall.
“This is not where we want this new facility to be,” Trustee Brian Riordan said. “It’s a family-friendly place with young adults. I bring my daughters there.”
“It does pose another burden on the police department,” added Trustee Cynthia Nelson Katsenes.
Zoning objections
The board passed a resolution objecting to the zoning actions requested for the property at 9920 W. 187th Street in Mokena for a truck repair facility.
Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau said that even though this is a Mokena issue, the area in which the property is located is close enough to Orland Park to cause issues with too many trucks on the road.
“This is becoming a common theme,” he said. “Will Country wants to change an R1-zoned property (residential) to I2 (industrial) and when you go by that property, there are hundreds of trucks parked there and going in and out of there.
“Mokena is supporting us on this, and I hope this time that Will County listens to our objections. Will County is not there taking care of those roads and Will County is not there doing any enforcement whatsoever. Quite frankly, the places look awful. There are plenty of other places for them to go to.”
Strategic plan starts up
The board and staff will put their heads together for a strategic plan for the coming years.
The vision statement said the village will address transparent, open and honest government, customer service, fiscal responsibility, teamwork and excellence.
Pekau will be working with public works and engineering. Trustee William Healy will work with finance. Katsenes will work with the police. Trustee Michael Milani will work with IT. Kampas will work with developmental services. Riordan will work with recreation. Trustee Joni Radaszewski will work with human resources and communication.
Something to cheer about
The Orland Park Pioneers earned community pride awards for cheerleading.
The lightweight, junior varsity and varsity teams were lauded for winning Illinois Cheerleading Association state titles in DeKalb in December.
Local News
Comings & Goings: Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon closes
Spread the loveGreat Lakes Beer and Bourbon abruptly closed its doors earlier this month in Palos Park after being open since last summer. The pub at 12900 S. LaGrange Road in Palos Park closed September 3 with little warning. The business posted a farewell message on its Facebook page: “To all our loyal customers over…
Property values soar 31% in Lake Township
Spread the loveCook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has announced the initial reassessments for residential and commercial properties in Lake Township, marking an important update for property owners. On August 29, Kaegi revealed a 31% increase in the total assessed value, driven by the changing real estate market over the past three years. With reassessments happening…
Sisters of St. Casimir join forces with Immaculate Heart of Mary
Spread the loveAs they have every year, the Sisters of St. Casimir prepared to celebrate the anniversary of their founding at the end of August. But this would be much different than in past years when Summerfests adorned the sprawling grounds of the Motherhouse on Marquette Road. Just as those fests were important to the…
Remembering 9/11: Shepard High’s JROTC Cadets Walk in Honor of Fallen
Spread the loveShepard High School students took time last week to remember fallen heroes during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony. On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 11, Shepard High School JROTC students and staff members met on the school’s football field at 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, to honor the fallen heroes of the 9/11…
Stagg High Welcomes 3,500 for Marching Band Competition
Spread the loveMarching bands came together last weekend to share their love of music. Stagg High School, 8015 W. 111th St., Palos Hills, welcomed more than 20 marching bands from around the area at its annual March Band Jamboree on September 7. The Jamboree began with the national anthem performed by area middle schoolers from…
McCook Fire Hydrants Get Date With Sandblaster, New Paint Job
Spread the loveMcCook residents will soon see crews sandblasting and repainting fire hydrants around the village Mayor Terrance Carr, after the village board meeting on Tuesday night Sept. 3, confirmed that testing has been completed on the fire hydrants village-wide. “We’re in the final steps. The flow testing was done. Everything turned out good. The…
Obituaries September 12, 2024
Spread the lovePETER DUTKANYCH Peter Dutkanych, 78, of Palos Hills, has passed away. He was the beloved husband of Karen (nee Klotz); loving stepfather of Chris Kawa; loving grandfather of Tiffani and Michael; dearest brother of Carol O’Neal; the late Gene and Rich Dutkanych. He was a longtime member of Teamsters Local 710. Funeral services…
Protesters rip Oak Lawn over lack of accountability in man’s death a year ago
Spread the loveThe Oak Lawn Fall Music Festival received great reviews but the village board also listened to heated comments regarding a local man who was struck and killed by a motorist a year ago. Fadia Muhamad, the mother of Murod Kurdi, who was struck and killed by a passing motorist in 2023 in the…
Joan Crawford and Bette Davis visit the Worth Public Library
Spread the loveThe enmity between Joan Crawford and Bette Davis created one of the most famous celebrity feuds of all time. Why did they hate each other so much? Well, it’s a long story, but to share it was actress, Jillann Gabrielle, who portrayed both roles at the Worth Public Library, 6917 W. 111th St.,…
Neighbors
In bribery trial, AT&T lobbyists detail contentious meeting with Madigan ally
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – On an afternoon in late April 2017, recently retired state Rep. Eddie Acevedo was called to a meeting in the state Capitol in Springfield. The 20-year veteran lawmaker had joined his sons’ lobbying firm and was looking for work. Meeting with a trio of lobbyists for…
A year after end of cash bail, early research shows impact less than many hoped or feared
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – One year after Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate the use of cash bail, the impact on the state’s criminal justice system appears to have been far less dramatic than people on either side of the debate had predicted. That, at least,…
ADM carbon sequestration project violated Safe Drinking Water Act, per EPA
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com DECATUR – Agribusiness giant ADM violated federal regulations, a federal permit and the Safe Drinking Water Act earlier this year when a monitoring well at their carbon sequestration site in Decatur leaked liquified carbon dioxide into “unauthorized zones,” according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In an August…
On witness stand, former AT&T lobbyist describes how Madigan ally got $22,500 contract
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – The day before Thanksgiving in 2016, then-AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza read some news that frustrated him. It seemed that energy giant Exelon, the parent company of Chicago-based electric utility Commonwealth Edison, was going to get a big assist from Springfield that would prevent it…
Coroner’s affidavit shows as many as 800 human remains could have been misidentified
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com As many as 800 families across the country who patronized a Carlinville funeral home may never know if the remains on their mantles belong to their loved ones, according to an affidavit signed by Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon. The affidavit was filed in a lawsuit pending against…
Calculated bribe or ‘kiss up’ to Madigan? Corruption trial kicks off for former AT&T boss
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – As the federal corruption trial of former AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza formally kicked off on Wednesday, prosecutors and defense attorneys painted two very different pictures of a political hire the telecom giant made in 2017. La Schiazza is accused of bribing former Illinois House…
Supreme Court hears cases pertaining to detention under the SAFE-T Act
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a pair of cases that test the authority of local courts to hold criminal suspects behind bars while they await trial. The cases come almost one year to the day after the court allowed a new law abolishing…
Supreme Court hears cases pertaining to detention under the SAFE-T Act
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a pair of cases that test the authority of local courts to hold criminal suspects behind bars while they await trial. The cases come almost one year to the day after the court allowed a new law abolishing…
Jury selection begins in trial of former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday in the trial of former AT&T Illinois president Paul La Schiazza, who federal prosecutors allege bribed once-powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for favorable legislation in Springfield. It’s the last in a series of related trials that…
East St. Louis forum to tackle persistent childhood poverty
By MOLLY PARKER Capitol News Illinois mparker@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois has the potential to eradicate childhood poverty, but it will require a concentrated, sustained effort in partnership with families and disadvantaged communities, says Tasha Green Cruzat, president of Children’s Advocates for Change, a Chicago-based nonprofit focused on childhood wellbeing. This hope drives the focus of the policy…