Local News
By Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work within the…
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By Carol McGowan Chemicals leaking from a semi-trailer truck that was stopped on the right shoulder of Interstate 55 near LaGrange Road in Summit caused the expressway to be shut down in both directions for most of the day last Friday, and caused traffic headaches in the surrounding area. All lanes were closed from just…
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By Carol McGowan The Village of Hodgkins has a new member for their Civil Service Board. Resident Todd Haizlip was sworn in by Village Attorney, and Retired Judge Pat Rogers at the regular January Village Board meeting. The Civil Service Board presides over the hiring process and promotions of police officers. The board normally consists…
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From staff reports Hodgkins Police Chief Joseph Klotz presented awards to five police officers for exceptional commendations throughout the year at the December village board meeting. The five officers were Sgt. Natassia Miller, Officer Frank White, Officer Alan Garcia, Officer Desmond Handson, and Officer Ryan Johnson. In June, Miller and White were dispatched to a…
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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…
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By Steve Metsch There appears to be an end to one long-running construction project in Countryside, McCook and Hodgkins. But another project has once again been extended in Countryside. The good news for motorists who drive on East Avenue between 55th Street may be bidding farewell to orange construction barrels and closed lanes. Roadwork on…
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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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By Carol McGowan Nearly 100 business leaders gathered in the Larry Rice Room at Hodgkins Village Hall last week for the inaugural Business Appreciation Breakfast hosted by the village. Mayor Ernest Millsap, a panel of village officials, and department heads spoke April 18 about what their various departments, or areas they represented, had going on.…
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By Carol McGowan Home2Home has new warehouse as well as a new retail outlet in Hodgkins. The grand opening and ribbon cutting took place last month at 6119 East Avenue in Hodgkins. That’s the site of the Home2Home warehouse and the East Vintage Market. Home2Home began in 2016 as a service project for the Towne…
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By Bob Bong Voters in Hodgkins overwhelmingly approved the sale of $5.5 million in bonds to build a new library building in Tuesday’s referendum. Voters voted 3-1 in favor of the bond sale with 153 “yes” votes to only 75 “no” votes with the lone precinct in town reporting. Turnout was 25 percent. Results will…
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Man charged with child abduction in Stickney Township
From staff reports A Chicago man was charged last week with child abduction and luring of a minor after Cook County Sheriff’s Police detectives found he attempted to lure a minor into his vehicle, said Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. According to police, about 4:43 p.m. on Monday, April 22, officers responded to an…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Illinois News
State Senate advances bill to ban food additives linked to health problems
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Senate passed a bill Thursday that would ban four food additives that are found in common products including candy, soda and baked goods. Senate Bill 2637, known as the Illinois Food Safety Act, passed on a 37-15 bipartisan vote and will head to the House for…
State Senate advances bill to ban food additives linked to health problems
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Senate passed a bill Thursday that would ban four food additives that are found in common products including candy, soda and baked goods. Senate Bill 2637, known as the Illinois Food Safety Act, passed on a 37-15 bipartisan vote and will head to the House for…
INVESTIGATE MIDWEST: Farmers have clamored for the Right to Repair for years. It’s getting little traction in John Deere’s home state
By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest Originally published April 10, 2024 During the 2023 harvest season, one of Jake Lieb’s tractors quit working. A week later, his combine stopped working, too. Both were new — and he was locked out from making any repairs himself because of software restrictions embedded in the machines. Instead, a technician…
Education leaders seek added state funding to help districts accommodate influx of migrants
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The recent surge of international migrants arriving in Illinois has brought with it a host of new challenges for state and local officials. Those range from filling their most basic needs like emergency food, clothing and shelter, to more complex issues like lining them up with…
Capitol Briefs: Lawmakers, advocates again call for affordable housing tax credit
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com Housing advocates are renewing a push to fund a $20 million state affordable housing tax credit in the upcoming state budget. Supporters of the “Build Illinois Homes Tax Credit Act,” modeled after a federal tax credit program, claimed it would result in over 1,000 affordable housing units being…
Solar investments take center stage as questions loom on state’s renewable future
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com BOLINGBROOK – A manufacturer in the southwest suburbs of Chicago received $2.6 million from electric utility Commonwealth Edison this week as part of a state program for generating its own electricity using solar panels and storing it in one of the largest batteries in the country. But even…
Advocates renew push to tighten firearm laws aimed at protecting domestic violence victims
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for stricter gun laws rallied at the state Capitol Tuesday for a measure aimed at protecting domestic violence victims and two other criminal justice reforms. The bills are backed by organizations such as Moms Demand Action and One Aim Illinois among others. “These policies support…
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Capitol Briefs: Pritzker appoints first-ever Prisoner Review Board director; Chicago advances migrant funding
By JERRY NOWICKI & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Weeks after two high-profile resignations at the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed the first-ever executive director to help lead the beleaguered agency. To fill the newly created position, the governor tapped Jim Montgomery, who most recently served as director of…
INVESTIGATE MIDWEST: Farmers have clamored for the Right to Repair for years. It’s getting little traction in John Deere’s home state
By Jennifer Bamberg, Investigate Midwest, Investigate Midwest Originally published April 10, 2024 During the 2023 harvest season, one of Jake Lieb’s tractors quit working. A week later, his combine stopped working, too. Both were new — and he was locked out from making any repairs himself because of software restrictions embedded in the machines. Instead,…