Posts by Steve Metsch
Youth charged with attempted first-degree murder in fight at Lyons Township High
By Steve Metsch A juvenile has been charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with a May 1 beating outside the north campus of Lyons Township High School that left one juvenile “injured severely,” La Grange Police said in a news release late Wednesday. The juvenile arrested on Wednesday was also charged with aggravated battery/great…
Read MoreCountryside Police Chief Joe Ford to retire in May
By Steve Metsch After 10 years as Countryside Police Chief and 40 years in law enforcement, Joe Ford has decided it’s time to retire. Ford, 62, said his last day as chief will be May 13. Mayor Sean McDermott announced Ford’s plan to step down during the April 12 meeting of the city council. “Forty…
Read MoreCountryside extends timeline to develop old city hall despite residents’ concerns
By Steve Metsch Six residents tried to fight city hall. They lost. After hearing their impassioned objections to a proposed development that includes a gas station for trucks, the Countryside City Council voted in favor of giving the developer a six-month extension to present his plans for the land where the city hall once stood.…
Read MoreBridgeview hires Novotny Engineering; finds new deal for insurance
By Steve Metsch The village of Bridgeview has a new engineering firm. At its meeting held on April 5, the village board unanimously approved hiring Novotny Engineering. Robinson Engineering formerly worked with Bridgeview. “Our specialty is municipal engineering. That’s all we focus on,” said Tom Brandstedt, vice president of Novotny. “The mayor reached out to…
Read MoreMcDermott and allies sweep in Countryside
By Steve Metsch In the end, it all came down to hard work, Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott said Tuesday night. “Hard work. Eight years of hard work,” he said when asked how his Countryside Leadership Party was able to post a clean sweep of six seats on Election Day. “The people recognized we have a…
Read MoreCrossman named to open seat on Lyons Township board
By Steve Metsch It turns out that Gary Crossman likes to stay busy. About a year after he retired from the public works department in Bridgeview – with traveling on his agenda – Crossman has agreed to become a trustee for the Township of Lyons. Crossman, 62, fills the vacancy created when former township trustee…
Read MoreNewest Andy’s Frozen Custard gets a warm welcome in La Grange Park
By Steve Metsch On a chilly gray winter day, about 200 people patiently waited outside in the cold to purchase $2 frozen custard sundaes. Why the fascination with a frozen concoction on a day better suited for hot chocolate? They simply love Andy’s Frozen Custard, the newest addition to La Grange Park’s business community. The…
Read MoreFormer mayor, full slate challenge current Countryside administration
By Steve Metsch Unlike many suburbs, voters in Countryside do have choices to make on Election Day. Three incumbent aldermen are being challenged. So are the mayor, treasurer and city clerk. The election is next Tuesday, April 4. Former mayor Bob Conrad, who served from 2007 to 2011, is taking on two-term mayor Sean McDermott.…
Read MoreWearing o’ the green: Countryside St. Paddy Parade colored a success
By Steve Metsch St. Patrick’s Day arrived 13 days early in Countryside, but nobody was complaining. The city’s seventh St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held on March 4 beneath cloudy and cool skies. Many attending wore green. That included Zeva, a Boston terrier owned by Melanie Blando, 33, of Burr Ridge. Zeva was in parade…
Read MoreMcCook hopes study stops loss of 5 million gallons of water monthly
By Steve Metsch The village of McCook hopes a study will determine where it is losing 5 million gallons of water monthly. The leak was determined when the village, which buys water from Chicago, didn’t sell as many gallons as were coming in, Mayor Terrance Carr said. “We sell roughly 170 million gallons of water…
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