Local News

BEDFORD PARK

Bedford Park named Municipal Leader of the Year 

By Jeff Vorva / October 19, 2023 / Comments Off on Bedford Park named Municipal Leader of the Year 

By Jeff Vorva  Bedford Park is having a huge year, and the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has taken notice. During the organization’s awards ceremony on Oct. 4 at the DoubleTree Alsip, the Village of Bedford Park was named the Municipal Leader of the Year. There are more than 60 municipalities encompassing the bureau.…

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26 hurt in Bedford Park tent collapse

By Bob Bong / September 22, 2023 /

From staff reports More than two dozen people at an event in Bedford Park last week were injured when the tent they were meeting in collapsed. Bedford Park Police said they responded to assist the Bedford Park Fire Department at 10:44 a.m. on Thursday, September 14, in the 5600 block of West 73rd Street with…

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AERO opens new facility in Burbank

By Bob Bong / September 22, 2023 /

By Bob Bong When Queen of Peace High School in Burbank announced it was closing in 2018, the good folks at AERO special education co-op saw a golden opportunity. They purchased the school’s 13-acre site at 7659 S. Linder Ave. in August 2019 for $3.2 million. The plan was to retrofit the high school for…

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News from Springfield: 12 school districts to receive an additional $6.2 million 

By Bob Bong / September 2, 2023 /

State Senator Mike Porfirio (D-11th) announced that 12 school districts across the area will receive over $6.2 million in additional funding to help address the financial challenges of recent years.  “Evidence-based funding supports educational opportunities that contribute to the long-term success of our students,” said Porfirio. “Through this funding formula, we can ensure that a…

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Sag Moraine Native Plant Community honors Bedford Park, Justice

By Carol Mcgowan / June 30, 2023 / Comments Off on Sag Moraine Native Plant Community honors Bedford Park, Justice

From staff reports  Sag Moraine Native Plant Community last week hosted its first Evening of Appreciation at the Bedford Park Community Center. At the June 15 event, individuals and municipalities were recognized for their efforts to improve the local ecosystem through the planting of native plants and providing education about the importance of restoring native…

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Summit School District 104 breaks ground on admin center, school improvements

By Carol Mcgowan / May 28, 2023 / Comments Off on Summit School District 104 breaks ground on admin center, school improvements

By Carol McGowan   Cook County School District 104 broke ground May 20 on three projects to be done this summer at three locations within the district. The first ceremony started at 8 a.m. at the future site of the District 104 Administrative Building, that will the built at 7509 W. 63rd Street in Summit, on…

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Argo school board abates another $1.7 million from 2022 tax levy

By Bob Bong / April 7, 2023 / Comments Off on Argo school board abates another $1.7 million from 2022 tax levy

In recent years, the Illinois State Board of Education has provided $50 million in property tax relief grants to eligible school districts through the Evidence-Based Funding model for Illinois schools. In January 2022, Argo Community High School District 217 was informed by the State Board of Education that the district was eligible to receive a…

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Argo poms finish 18th at state finals 

By Carol Mcgowan / February 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Argo poms finish 18th at state finals 

Argo’s varsity poms had a fantastic year and recently competed in the state competition. The team has worked hard this year, and Coach Dawn Palmer couldn’t be more proud. “We competed at various regional contests during December and January,” Palmer said. “On January 21,  we competed in the 2A Sectional Competition at Geneva High School.   There were…

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Argo teacher Kyle Stern awarded ISBE Award

By Carol Mcgowan / February 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Argo teacher Kyle Stern awarded ISBE Award

Argo Community High School District 217 announced that mathematics teacher Kyle Stern has received the Award of Meritorious Service in the Teacher category from the Illinois State Board of Education. Awards are presented in seven categories: classroom teachers, early career educators (teachers 1-4 years), school administrators, student support personnel, educational service personnel, community volunteers, and…

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Bedford Park Job Fair Flyer Final Draft

Looking for work? Check out this job fair Tuesday in Bedford Park

By Bob Bong / January 29, 2023 / Comments Off on Looking for work? Check out this job fair Tuesday in Bedford Park
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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…

Nazareth Academy Principal Therese Hawkins and football offensive coordinator Casey Moran pay close attention to the drafting of J.J. McCarthy at The Stadium Club. (Photos by Steve Metsch)

Nazareth Academy celebrates ‘special talent’ J.J. McCarthy in NFL Draft

By Steve Metsch Dennis Moran has no doubts that J.J. McCarthy – the former Nazareth Academy quarterback who is now with the Minnesota Vikings – will succeed in the National Football League. Moran was among about 60 or so Nazareth Academy fans, friends and coaches who gathered Thursday night at The Stadium Club in McCook…

Al Perez

Brother Rice names Al Perez next soccer coach

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent A few new coaches are dotting the area high school athletic scene. One of the more notable hires was Brother Rice bringing Al Perez aboard as the soccer coach. Perez led Chicago Public League power Washington to a Class 2A state championship in 2013, a fourth-place finish in 2015 and a…

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. …