Capitol News
Illinois General Assembly passes hundreds of bills as session end approaches
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The state Senate and House passed more than 750 bills between them last week, addressing isolated timeouts in schools, youth vaping, teaching Muslim history, the commemoration of Juneteenth and automatic voter registration in prisons, among other topics. Friday was the deadline for the General Assembly to pass…
CAPITOL RECAP: Revenue discussions progressing at Capitol
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Members of an Illinois Senate committee on Friday, April 23, sparred with officials from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration Friday in a hearing on tax changes proposed by the governor in an effort to balance the state’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year. In his budget proposal released in February,…
Bills creating liaisons for homeless college students, addressing dental care in schools advance
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate advanced several bills to the House Wednesday, including one establishing a housing insecurity liaison for homeless college students and another allowing routine dental care to be provided at schools. Senate Bill 190, sponsored by Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Western Springs, would require higher education…
House passes bill to reclassify small-amount drug possession as misdemeanor
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A bill to lessen penalties for possessing and selling small amounts of drugs, including heroin and cocaine, narrowly passed out of the state House of Representatives Wednesday after a contentious debate. The discussion over House Bill 3447 provoked strong emotions on both sides of the aisle, passing…
CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers begin review of state monuments
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – A House committee tasked with reviewing statues and monuments on state property held its first meeting Wednesday, April 21, hearing from historians and state government associations on what steps are being in other states and what frameworks can be established to guide the review process. Rep. Tim Butler, a…
Bill allowing name changes for convicted individuals passes House
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill allowing a person who must register with a state agency due to a criminal conviction to change their name under specific circumstances passed the Illinois House on Thursday with bipartisan support. House Bill 2542, introduced by state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago, amends several state statutes…
House passes leadership term limits, source of income protections for renters
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House advanced several bills Thursday, including one which would implement term limits on leadership positions in the General Assembly and another that would create additional protections for tenants’ sources of income. House Bill 642, introduced by Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, would bar any individual…
Lawmakers question Exelon audit
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of a state Senate committee sharply criticized a recent audit of Exelon’s nuclear power plant operations that suggested ratepayers may need to subsidize two of those plants by as much as $350 million over the next five years. Gov. JB Pritzker’s office and the Illinois Environmental…
Illinois House OKs bill to license professional midwives
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The certified professional midwife profession in Illinois moved one step closer to becoming an officially licensed occupation on Thursday with the passage of House Bill 3401. HB 3401 creates the Licensed Certified Professional Midwife Practice Act, which would license individuals who perform out-of-hospital births and have…
Springfield Republican calls out Democrats for placing bill ‘on review’
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Republican Rep. Tim Butler on Thursday accused the new Democratic leadership in the state House of Representatives of preserving practices from previous leadership which Republicans say unfairly benefits the majority party. “So, what the speaker said back in January about this place being different and running…
House passes bill reducing barriers to telehealth
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill Friday which would make COVID-19-related expansions to telehealth services permanent through state statute. House Bill 3498, introduced by Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park, aims to reduce barriers in access to virtual and telehealth services and would bring standards for virtual care…
Lawmakers, Pritzker administration spar over projected fiscal year revenues
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of an Illinois Senate committee sparred with officials from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration Friday in a hearing on tax changes proposed by the governor in an effort to balance the state’s budget for the 2022 fiscal year. The Senate Revenue and Appropriations committees held the joint…
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Local News
Autumn fun right around the corner
There’s a bite in the air and Halloween decorations are on sale everywhere! Time for football and bonfires and curling up with a good book. The days may be getting shorter but there’s still plenty to do. It’s going to be a busy month around the neighborhood this fall so keep a look out…
Ridge Funeral Home Hosts Appreciation Cookout to Honor First Responders
In honor of local heroes, Ridge Funeral Home took time to honor those who dedicate their time and lives to helping others. The funeral home, 6620 W. Archer Avenue, Chicago, hosted a First Responders Appreciation Cookout on September 7 as a thank you to local police officers and firefighters, and all first responders, for their…
Comings & Goings: Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon closes
Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon abruptly closed its doors earlier this month in Palos Park after being open since last summer. The pub at 12900 S. LaGrange Road in Palos Park closed September 3 with little warning. The business posted a farewell message on its Facebook page: “To all our loyal customers over the last…
Property values soar 31% in Lake Township
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi has announced the initial reassessments for residential and commercial properties in Lake Township, marking an important update for property owners. On August 29, Kaegi revealed a 31% increase in the total assessed value, driven by the changing real estate market over the past three years. With reassessments happening every three…
Sisters of St. Casimir join forces with Immaculate Heart of Mary
As they have every year, the Sisters of St. Casimir prepared to celebrate the anniversary of their founding at the end of August. But this would be much different than in past years when Summerfests adorned the sprawling grounds of the Motherhouse on Marquette Road. Just as those fests were important to the neighborhood so,…
New mural brightens 67th Street viaduct
The viaduct at 67th Street and Central Park Avenue now has beautiful new murals. The murals cover all four corners of the intersection with dazzling displays of nature themes. There are colorful birds, flowers, butterflies, a very large caterpillar and a white rabbit reminiscent of “Alice in Wonderland.” The works of art, which were made with special outdoor paint,…
Remembering 9/11: Shepard High’s JROTC Cadets Walk in Honor of Fallen
Shepard High School students took time last week to remember fallen heroes during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony. On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 11, Shepard High School JROTC students and staff members met on the school’s football field at 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, to honor the fallen heroes of the 9/11 tragedy. “9/11…
Stagg High Welcomes 3,500 for Marching Band Competition
Marching 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 Palos South…
McCook Fire Hydrants Get Date With Sandblaster, New Paint Job
McCook residents will soon see crews sandblasting and repainting fire hydrants around the village Mayor Terrance Carr, after the village board meeting on Tuesday night Sept. 3, confirmed that testing has been completed on the fire hydrants village-wide. “We’re in the final steps. The flow testing was done. Everything turned out good. The leak testing…
Protesters rip Oak Lawn over lack of accountability in man’s death a year ago
The Oak Lawn Fall Music Festival received great reviews but the village board also listened to heated comments regarding a local man who was struck and killed by a motorist a year ago. Fadia Muhamad, the mother of Murod Kurdi, who was struck and killed by a passing motorist in 2023 in the 9100 block…
