Evita Griskenas competes during the Pan American Games Santiago 2023 on Nov. 2, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo for TeamUSA by Joe Kusumoto)

Evita Griskenas competes during the Pan American Games Santiago 2023 on Nov. 2, 2023 in Santiago, Chile. (Photo for TeamUSA by Joe Kusumoto)

Evita heading to the Olympics … again 

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By Jeff Vorva
Evita Griskenas, of Orland Park, will compete in her second Olympics, representing the United States in rhythmic gymnastics in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
Griskenas, a Sandburg graduate, qualified for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo and finished 12th in the qualifying round in the individual all-around. She will be the only rhythmic gymnast to compete for the United States.

Local News

More than 20 area marching bands took part in the 44th annual  Stagg Marching Jamboree. (Supplied photo)

Stagg High Welcomes 3,500 for Marching Band Competition

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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…

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Football | Libertyville downs Richards for second year in row

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Spread the loveLibertyville 48, Richards 15 Libertyville beat Richards in Week 2 for the second straight season, this time 48-15, to drop the Bulldogs to 1-1. Jaiden Henry scored on a 20-yard reception and Myles Mitchell tallied on a 2-yard TD run for Richards. The Bulldogs travel to Eisnehower this week for both teams’ South…

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Football | Nazareth’s Logan Malachuk completes nine passes — six of them for TDs — in romp

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Spread the loveNazareth 42, Kenwood 15 Nazareth senior quarterback Logan Malachuk threw for 275 yards and six touchdown passes as the Roadrunners (2-0) trounced Kenwood, 42-15, in a non-conference matchup in LaGrange Park. Malachuk, who has been under center the past two seasons as nazareth won back-to-back state championships, did that damage despite completing only…

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Football | Flutman and Boersma connect for four scores as Chicago Christian tops Elmwood Park

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Spread the loveCaden Boersma returned a punt for a touchdown and caught four scoring passes from Christian Flutman as Chicago Christian defeated Elmwood Park, 49-16, on Sept. 6 in Palos Heights. Kenny Jager had a rushing TD for the Knights (2-0), who were up 49-0 at halftime. Chicago Christian plays at Wheaton Academy this week.

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Football | Jake Ritter shines and Marist is great late in win over Brother Rice

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Spread the loveIt’s a new era at Marist under first-year head coach Mike Fitzgerald and his staff. But the more things change, the more they stay the same; at least when it comes to the recent history of the program’s annual neighborhood matchup with Brother Rice. RedHawks running back John McAuliffe’s second touchdown of the…

Northern Illinois players celebrate on the field at Notre Dame Stadium after the Huskies' 16-14 victory over the Fighting Irish on Sept. 7. Photo courtesy of NIU Football

Northern Illinois likely wrecks Notre Dame’s season

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Spread the loveThe Northern Illinois football team pulled off the biggest win in school history and the biggest stunner of the 2024 college football season thus far with a 16-14 win over 5th-ranked Notre Dame on Sept. 7 in South Bend. Three former area players are on the Huskies’ roster. Former Shepard star Roy Williams,…

Curtis Randle El (left) and Orland Park Fire Chief Michael Schofield present Steve McMichael with a shirt on Sept. 5 at the former Bears great’s Homer Glen home. Photo provided

National Football Players Father’s Association honors Hall of Famer Steve McMichael

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Spread the loveThe Chicago Bears honored former defensive tackle and newly inducted Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve McMichael during the team’s home opener on Sept. 8 at Soldier Field. Three days earlier, McMichael he was honored by the National Football Players Fathers Association. The new vice president of that group is Orland Park Fire…

St Laurence's Natalie Martinez gets ready to serve in front of a cheering section on Sept. 4 against Marian Catholic. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Girls Volleyball | St. Laurence strong on and off the court

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Spread the loveThe St. Laurence girls volleyball players are competitive on and off the court. On the court, the Vikings made it to Class 3A Supersectional play the past two seasons before ending those campaigns with losses to Joliet Catholic in 2022 and St. Ignatius in 2023. They are off to a big start this…

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Red Stars honor Olympians, then fall to Orlando

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Spread the loveThe Chicago Red Stars honored their four Olympians before the team’s Sept. 8 match with Orlando, but when went out and dropped a 1-0 decision to the first-place Pride in an NWSL game in front of an announced crowd of 7,291 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Olympic gold medalists Mallory Swanson and Alyssa…

The Fire's Andrew Gutman (right) scored his first Fire goal in his 100th MLS game. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Playoffs in doubt for Fire after loss to D.C.

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Spread the loveEven playing in its former digs at SeatGeek Stadium couldn’t help the Chicago Fire. The Fire, playing for their MLS playoff life, took another step backward in a 2-1 loss to D.C. United in front of an announced crowd of 16,426 on Sept. 7 in Bridgeview. The Fire’s regular home is Soldier Field,…

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Coroner’s affidavit shows as many as 800 human remains could have been misidentified

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

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

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

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

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

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…

Federal judge rejects Illinois’ bid to end court oversight of disability programs

Federal judge rejects Illinois’ bid to end court oversight of disability programs

By MOLLY PARKER & BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois mparker@capitolnewsillinois.com bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com A federal judge on Friday denied Illinois’ request to end court oversight of its disability services. Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, agreed with legal advocates who argued that the state still hasn’t met its…

Coroner’s affidavit shows as many as 800 human remains could have been misidentified

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…

State law banning concealed carry on public transit ruled unconstitutional

State law banning concealed carry on public transit ruled unconstitutional

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com A federal judge in Rockford has declared a state law banning concealed firearms on public transit systems unconstitutional – at least as it applies to four individuals who challenged it in court. But the law remains in effect for everyone else as the parties in the case consider…

Capitol Briefs: Secretary of state enlists high schoolers to encourage organ donation

Capitol Briefs: Secretary of state enlists high schoolers to encourage organ donation

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – The secretary of state’s office is launching a new program to enlist Illinois high schoolers to promote organ donation. The organ and tissue donation registry, a voluntary database administered by the secretary of state, catalogs peoples’ wishes regarding organ donation after death. On Tuesday, Secretary of…