The Yes votes won in an Orland Park referendum regarding its structure of government. (Photo by Vote Yes Orland Park)
Orland Park residents vote to keep manager form of government
Local News
Red Stars Report: Red Stars upset but Mahomes was happy with KC win over Chicago
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Leading up to the Challenge Cup home opener against the Kansas City Current, the Chicago Red Stars were feeling pretty good. New coach Chris Petrucelli said every day was enjoyable. “They come out and have fun,” he said on March 24. “Everyone is smiling. I can’t think of anything that……
Area Sports Roundup: Brother Rice riding in style; Evergreen Park’s Lily Strand fans 27
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer For some games, Brother Rice arrives in style. On March 22, the Crusaders opened a few eyes when they arrived in Orland Park on a charter bus for a non-conference game against Sandburg. “We’ve had problems with the timing of getting a bus and sometimes 3:45 is the earliest we……
Boys Volleyball: Marist beats Lincoln-Way East in battle of national powers
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer High rankings do not mean a whole lot to Kellen O’Keefe. The Marist senior hitter was well aware the RedHawks were recently ranked 14th in the nation in a USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll in mid-March. But minutes after the RedHawks won their own 24-team tournament with a 21-25,……
Southwest Highway drainage work to begin April 4
From staff reports The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a project to improve drainage on Southwest Highway, from 131st Street, in Palos Park, to 135th Street, in Orland Park, will begin, weather permitting, Monday, April 4. The project is expected to be completed in June. The project involves constructing new drainage crossings and a storm water……
Harlem Avenue resurfacing from 62nd to 111th to resume April 4
From staff reports The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a resurfacing of Harlem Avenue, from 62nd Street, in Chicago and Summit, to 111th Street, in Worth, passing through Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Burbank, Chicago Ridge and Palos Hills, will resume, weather permitting, Monday, April 4. The $5 million project, which consists of resurfacing the six-mile stretch……
‘Squatters’ are removed from Oak Lawn neighborhood
Adult music fest to replace Fall on the Green By Joe Boyle While the effects of the pandemic are in decline, reports of “squatters” taking up residence in foreclosed homes in Oak Lawn has become an issue. However, the village has begun to fight back and are eliminating the presence of individuals residing illegally in……
St. Bernadette pastor thanks Evergreen Park for Ukrainian support
By Joe Boyle The pastor of St. Bernadette Parish in Evergreen Park is thankful for the support the community provided to give aid to the suffering refugees of Ukraine. Evergreen Park Mayor Kelly Burke said during the village board meeting Monday night that collections for the refugees who have fled or are still living in……
Standing with Ukraine
Ask for prayers, donations at local church service By Joe Boyle Many parishioners at Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Palos Park are dealing with the shock of seeing their native homeland attacked by Russia. But what they were asking for during a Saturday afternoon service at the church, 8410 W. 131st St., was something……
Parking concerns silence proposed music venue for Chicago Ridge
By Dermot Connolly Insufficient parking has led the Chicago Ridge Village Board to put a damper a prospective business owner’s proposal for a live music venue in the 10700 block of South Ridgeland Avenue. Damon Payton, a cousin of Walter Payton, came to the March 15 Village Board meeting seeking a business license to open……
Neighbors
Ban on ‘captive audience’ meetings, AI regulations among 466 bills to pass this session
By ALEX ABBEDUTO, COLE LONGCOR, & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com A bill banning what unions refer to as employer-sponsored “captive audience” meetings about religion and politics has cleared both chambers of the General Assembly. It was one of 466 measures to do so during the Illinois legislature’s recently concluded spring session, including measures……
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……
Lawmakers OK bill to require ‘faithful’ electors in 2024, loosen campaign finance rules
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Illinois appears likely to join most of the rest of the country in requiring that the state’s Electoral College votes go to the winner of the state’s popular election. The measure is part of a broad package of election-related legislation……
Once again working through the night, lawmakers finalize $53.1 billion budget
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com After a near-derailment and an all-nighter to wrap up the General Assembly’s spring session, supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House gave final legislative approval to the state budget as the sun rose Wednesday morning. Despite holding 78 seats in the chamber, it took Democrats three tries to reach……
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……
Lawmakers move to pause – then further regulate – carbon dioxide pipeline development
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – After state regulators rebuffed several proposed carbon transport projects over the past year, lawmakers have moved to formally ban new projects until the federal government sets forth new safety rules. The technology is used to take carbon dioxide – a powerful greenhouse gas – and move……
Senate Democrats send $53.1B spending plan to House
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Two days after the General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn its spring session, Democrats in the Illinois Senate advanced a $53.1 billion budget to the House Sunday night, where leaders expect it to pass without changes. The fiscal year 2025 spending plan, which came together over a stretch……
Prairie Band Potawatomi land deal clears Senate, will head back to House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a step closer to acquiring a 1,500-acre state park in DeKalb County, much of which was once part of a reservation that was illegally seized from the tribe in the mid-19 th century. As the Senate worked through its last……
Budget negotiations will extend into next week as House leaves Springfield
By JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly will go at least three more days past their self-imposed adjournment deadline after failing to pass a budget bill Saturday, although the spending and revenue framework were made public for the first time. “The House and Senate are……
Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final days of their spring legislative session, Democrats in the General Assembly advanced measures aimed at expanding and protecting aspects of maternal and women’s health care. If signed into law, the measures would expand insurance coverage of pregnancy and postpartum services, maintain abortion as a viable……