Local News

stickney health district logo

Stickney Public Health confirms measles case in Bedford Park

By Bob Bong / April 12, 2024 / Comments Off on Stickney Public Health confirms measles case in Bedford Park

From staff reports The Stickney Public Health District has confirmed that a person with measles related to the ongoing situation in the City of Chicago was at the Walmart Supercenter at 7050 S. Cicero Ave. in Bedford Park on Friday, March 22, roughly between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. Anybody who was at…

Read More
Elkhatib with students

Argo High School holds Iftar Dinner for community

By Carol Mcgowan / March 28, 2024 / Comments Off on Argo High School holds Iftar Dinner for community

By Carol McGowan More than 100 people gathered at Argo Community High School last week for a now annual Ramadan Iftar dinner organized by Argo teacher Nadia Elkhatib. Elkhatib was happy with the turnout for those coming Thursday night to break bread with the school’s Muslim students and their families. “I will continue to do…

Read More
2022 primary election 1321269 1x

Retired Chicago cop Vasquez takes on incumbent Rep. Rashid in 21st District

By Steve Metsch / March 15, 2024 / Comments Off on Retired Chicago cop Vasquez takes on incumbent Rep. Rashid in 21st District

By Steve Metsch A one-term state representative and a retired Chicago police officer will square off in the March 19 Democratic primary for the 21st House District. Incumbent Abdelnasser Rashid, 34, of Bridgeview, is challenged by Vidal Vasquez, 62, of Chicago’s Garfield Ridge community. This isn’t Vasquez’ first foray into politics. He ran an unsuccessful…

Read More
Trustee AR packing wound

Stop the Bleed lessons taught at Argo, Summit Library

By Carol Mcgowan / February 18, 2024 / Comments Off on Stop the Bleed lessons taught at Argo, Summit Library

By Carol McGowan  Argo High School’s Student Resource Officers, Michael Snee and Wagner Antoine, have not only been busy with making sure the Summit school is safe, but have been training staff in how to Stop the Bleed. Snee has been with the Summit Police Department for approximately seven years, and at Argo High School…

Read More
biz southern belle closing bedford park e1706997060598

Bedford Park buys Southern Belle restaurant

By Bob Bong / February 3, 2024 / Comments Off on Bedford Park buys Southern Belle restaurant

By Bob Bong Southern Belle’s restaurant in Bedford Park closed for the last time last Sunday after more than two decades at 6737 S. Archer Ave. The village has a contract to purchase the site for $2.5 million. Closing is expected in the first quarter. Bedford Park Mayor Dave Brady said a plan to move…

Read More
dvn 1 8 24 Raul Perez

Suspect in Bedford Park shooting charged in Oak Lawn, Worth robberies 

By Bob Bong / January 11, 2024 / Comments Off on Suspect in Bedford Park shooting charged in Oak Lawn, Worth robberies 

By Bob Bong  The man charged with shooting a Bedford Park police officer in November has been indicted for two gas station robberies in October in Oak Lawn and Worth. Oak Lawn police last week said Raul Perez, 24, of Blue Island, was indicted by a Cook County Grand Jury on December 18 for the…

Read More
dvn rashid swearing in locally

Campaign 2024: Rashid to seek re-election in 21st District 

By Bob Bong / December 15, 2023 / Comments Off on Campaign 2024: Rashid to seek re-election in 21st District 

By Bob Bong  The holiday season also marks the beginning of the 2024 election cycle in Illinois as candidates in the March 19 primary have already filed their petitions to run. The 2022 primary was moved to June, but next year’s primary is moving back to its traditional third Tuesday in March date. The biggest…

Read More
bedford park police badge

2 men charged in shooting of Bedford Park cop 

By Bob Bong / December 8, 2023 / Comments Off on 2 men charged in shooting of Bedford Park cop 

By Bob Bong  A Blue Island man was charged last week with attempted murder in the shooting of a Bedford Park police officer in the early morning hours of November 26. Raul Perez, 24, of Blue Island, was charged with one count of attempted first degree murder of a police officer, one count of attempted…

Read More
bedford park police badge

Bedford Park officer shot Sunday morning

By Bob Bong / November 26, 2023 / Comments Off on Bedford Park officer shot Sunday morning

By Bob Bong A Bedford Park police officer was in stable condition Sunday after he was shot while investigating a stolen car near the Speedway station at 6800 S. Archer Avenue. Police were responding to reports of a nearby car crash about 3:40 a.m. Police said a car reported stolen in a carjacking in Chicago…

Read More
dvn 10 19 brady groundbreaking1

Comings & Goings: Wyndham breaks ground on new Bedford Park hotel 

By Bob Bong / October 19, 2023 / Comments Off on Comings & Goings: Wyndham breaks ground on new Bedford Park hotel 

By Bob Bong Development in Bedford Park is in high gear and a new hotel broke ground earlier this month adjacent to the Wintrust Sports Complex on 65th Street, which opened in 2021. The importance was not lost on Bedford Park Mayor David Brady who, moments after his shovel dug into dirt on October 6, rattled…

Read More
Newly installed 2024-26 board members of the 3rd District General Federation of Women's Clubs lined up for a photo following a ceremony held April 27 at Fox's Restaurant in Orland Park. With outgoing president Heather Linehan (from left) they are Vice President Sandy Christofanelli, President Rose Zubik of the Palos Heights Woman's Club, Secretary Sue Peterson – a palos Park Woman's Club member, Treasurer Judy Wagner, and Parliamentary Advisor Debbie Bach. (Photos by Dermot Connolly)

Rose Zubik, Woman’s Club veteran, installed as 3rd District president

Rose Zubik, of Palos Heights, the new president of the 3rd District General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Illinois, lights a candle during the installation ceremony held April 27 at Fox’s Restaurant in Orland Park. Heather Linehan, the outgoing president, is beside her.By Dermot Connolly A longtime member of the Palos Heights Woman’s Club is now president…

reporter chicago ridge police logo

Shots fired in Chicago Ridge Commons parking lot

From staff reports Shots were fired Wednesday night in the parking lot at Chicago Ridge Commons mall. Police said they received reports of the shooting about 9:45 p.m. No injuries were reported. Multiple witnesses told police four men were walking through the parking lot from the XSport Fitness area. They approached two vehicles and separated…

Cicada-shutterstock-2024

Billions of cicadas get ready to raise a racket

By Kelly White If you haven’t heard the buzz yet, you will soon. With 2024 marking a big year for periodical cicadas in Illinois, billions of the red-eyed buggers will soon be making an appearance. Periodical cicada broods XIII and XIX will be emerging throughout much of the state at the same time. Although exact…

Chicago Christian’s Holland Winthrop eyes a high fastball during an at-bat last week. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Softball | Jocelyn Hovanec scores two runs, Ks 12 in Chicago Christian win

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Chicago Christian  is working to find its footing in the inaugural season of the Chicagoland Christian Conference. The Knights entered this week 6-8 overall and 4-6 in the CCC, putting them in fifth place with just two conference games to play among their final seven regular-season contests. The Knights have had…

Chicago Christian players celebrate after a point during a match agsint St. Edward. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Volleyball | Chicago Christian finishes April strong, takes second at Ridgewood Invitational

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent A busy and largely successful final seven days of April saw Chicago Christian briefly climb back to the .500 mark after a tough first month of the season. The Knights (11-12, 4-4 Chicagoland Christian Conference) have won seven of their past 10 matches, all of which were played over a seven-day…

Marist middle hitter Jack Meador attacks against Glenbard West  in the championship match at the Lincoln-Way East Invitational on April 27 in Frankfort. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Boys Volleyball | Marist hands Glenbard West first loss of season

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Marist was scary good in the first set. The RedHawks won it 25-12. Even by Marist standards, that’s pretty impressive. Complete dominance. What’s even more stunning is that it came against the second-ranked team in the nation. The RedHawks, who came into the match ranked sixth in the country in the…

Red Stars forward Mallory Swanson (left) looks for a pass from Penelope Hocking on April 27. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Sophia Smith’s brace sinks Red Stars

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Home has not been that sweet lately for the Chicago Red Stars. The team lost its second straight game at SeatGeek Stadium with a 2-0 setback to Portland in front of an announced crowd of 4,443 on April 27. Portland star Sophia Smith scored in the 10th and 26th minutes, then…

Illinois News

Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions

Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions

By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot.  It’s a move that caused minority party…

After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination

After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…

Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air

Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air

Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor.  “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated

By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…

Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans

Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans

By PETER HANCOCK  and JERRY NOWICKI  Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…

As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away

As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois.  The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…

Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations

Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness.  The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…

Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?

Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?

by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again.  The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…

Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge

Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge

By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers.  The Bears…

Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility

Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …