Interior Secretary Haaland tours site of Emmett Till Memorial

Secretary Haaland at Till Center

By Carol McGowan Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, visited Summit last Friday to get a first-hand look at the site of the future Mamie Till Mobley and Emmett Till Memorial at Argo High School. Haaland then met with community leaders and had lunch with Emmett’s cousin, the Rev. Wheeler Parker, at the Emmett Till…

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Hodgkins dedicates honorary Paul G. Struve Way

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By Carol McGowan Hodgkins village officials gathered last week with friends and family of Paul Struve to dedicate Wenz Avenue in honor of the late trustee who passed away earlier this year. The dedication ceremony took place October 10 at the corner of Wenz and Lyons Street before the village board’s monthly meeting. Struve was…

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Summit School District 104 may drop 5th-grade center

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By Carol McGowan Summit School District 104 is considering dropping Wharton School as a fifth-grade learning center only and returning the elementary schools in the district to kindergarten to fifth grade. Heritage Middle School would remain the campus for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students. Using Wharton as a fifth-grade only learning center was adopted in…

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BEDS Plus eyes December opening for new Summit facility

dvn beds plus outside

By Carol McGowan If you’ve seen work being done at the former CEDA building in Summit, and are wondering what’s going on, it’s a new BEDS Plus facility that will be open by the end of the year. The building at 7666 W. 63rd Street is a $3.1 million public-private investment in long-term solutions for…

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Justice passes resolution to repeal SAFE-T Act

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By Carol McGowan Justice last week became the latest community to adopt a resolution urging state lawmakers to repeal or amend the controversial SAFE-T Act. The resolution was approved unanimously with Trustee Gabriel Lopez absent. The act was passed by the General Assembly in 2021 and it’s no cash bail provision is due to go…

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Hodgkins Mayor Cummings retires after 43 years

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Former police chief Millsap takes reins By Carol McGowan Noel B. Cummings has retired after serving as mayor of Hodgkins for 43 years. He is believed to be the longest serving mayor in Illinois. Former Hodgkins Police Chief, Ernest Millsap, was sworn in as mayor at a village board meeting last Wednesday evening. Village Attorney…

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McCarthy named permanent police chief in Willow Springs

WS Mccarthy permanant chief

By Carol McGowan Former Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy was sworn in last week as the new permanent police chief in Willow Springs. McCarthy, who has been serving as acting police chief since April, was sworn in by Bob Sprinkle, longtime resident and chairman of the Willow Springs Police Commission. He served as Chicago’s top…

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Justice raises $5,000 for holiday baskets

justice sign

By Carol McGowan Justice Trustee Jeff Allen said the village raised almost $5 ,000 at the annual car show in August, which will go towards the annual holiday baskets and gift cards program for less fortunate residents. Allen said the car show brought in just over $4,919. Otherwise, it was business as usual at the…

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