Voters approve bond sale for new Hodgkins Library building 

dvn hodgkins library logo

By Bob Bong  Voters in Hodgkins overwhelmingly approved the sale of $5.5 million in bonds to build a new library building in Tuesday’s referendum. Voters voted 3-1 in favor of the bond sale with 153 “yes” votes to only 75 “no” votes with the lone precinct in town reporting. Turnout was 25 percent. Results will…

Read More

Summit incumbent trustees swept from office

election day april 4 2023

Independents win 3 seats on village board By Bob Bong and Carol McGowan There will be a big change on the next Summit Village Board when three independent candidates take office in May. According to complete but unofficial results, Sonia Ponce, Aurora Rodriguez, and Lorena Manriquez easily beat the Village Party slate of Aleco Julius,…

Read More

Richards Leo Club bakes for Ronald McDonald House

reporter hlrLeoClub23rmhCookiesE1

Leo Club members from Richards High School spent part of their spring break baking for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Oak Lawn. RMH provides free accommodations for families of pediatric patients at Advocate Children’s Hospital. Faculty sponsor Karen Lavin brought students Maggie Macias, Aine Kelly and Molly McGinnis (the maximum allowed) to…

Read More

Oak Lawn Chamber honors Coloring Book Contest winners

reporter OL public safety photo 3 23

By Joe Boyle The Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce recognized a group of students whose works of arts make up the annual Fire and Public Safety Coloring Book. The chamber awarded local students for their artistic achievements during the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting on March 14. They recognized both the student artists whose illustrations…

Read More

Contest Play from Richards wins state drama championship

reporter hlrContestPlay23stateChampionsB

The Contest Play of “Macbeth” from Richards High School won first place last weekend at the Illinois High School Association competitive drama state finals. After years of finishing among the top productions, Richards won its first state crown in the category. Mike Badger, Jon Nebor, Lauren Davis, Claudia Baranowski, and Rick Keeley served as the…

Read More

Palos South basketball places 2nd in SWIC Conference, 1st in North Division

regional Palos South 2023 0313 basketball 2nd place

Palos South Middle School’s eighth-grade boys’ basketball team finished second in the post season Southwest Interscholastic Conference in March. The Cardinals completed the season with a 13-3 record and finished first in the North Division. During the championship game, the team lost 55-52 to undefeated Century Junior High following a last second 3-point shot. Student…

Read More

Lightning starts fire in Orland Park home’s attic

regional orland fire district

By Bob Bong A lightning strike Sunday afternoon caused a small fire in the attic of an Orland Park home in the 13200 block of Harvest Crossing in the Silo Ridge subdivision. Officials of the Orland Fire Protection District said the fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday when a storm rolled through the area. The…

Read More

Larger crowds returning to Hills Chamber Business Expo

reporter hills chamber2 2023 kruses krew photo 3 30

By Joe Boyle Phyllis Majka, president of the Hills Chamber of Commerce, said the organization’s annual Business and Community Expo is an opportunity for everyone to gather after a long winter. The irony was not lost on Majka and chamber members that while the calendar indicates spring, snow flurries were falling outside. “But we are doing quite well this…

Read More

Palos South friends, classmates miss Jake’s laughter

regional jake kaminski

By Bob Bong The halls at Palos South Middle School are not as loud as they used to be. That’s because Jake Kaminski isn’t around to make the other kids laugh. Jake died earlier this month in a skiing accident in Wisconsin. His family was trying to take advantage of the long Pulaski Day weekend…

Read More

Chicago Ridge cops to get body cameras

chicago ridge police logo

By Dermot Connolly The Chicago Ridge Police Department is moving ahead with plans to purchase body cameras for officers, something that has been under consideration for a few years. Police Chief Jim Jarolimek told the Village Board at its March 21 meeting that the police department received a quote that day from Motorola to supply…

Read More