Local News

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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…

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Comings & Goings: McCord Gallery Holiday Shoppe opens tonight

By Bob Bong / November 17, 2023 / Comments Off on Comings & Goings: McCord Gallery Holiday Shoppe opens tonight

By Bob Bong As the Christmas shopping season gets closer, McCord Gallery readies its annual Holiday Shoppe. The holiday spirit will be flowing when McCord holds the grand opening of its annual Holiday Shoppe tonight, Friday, November 17, from 6-8 p.m. The gallery is filled with hand-crafted artisan gifts for family, friends or yourself. On…

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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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Indian Head Park calls their first National Night Out a Success

By Carol Mcgowan / August 13, 2023 /

By Carol McGowan  The Village of Indian Head Park jumped on the bandwagon last week with others in the area to take part in National Night Out 2023. National Night Out, also known as America’s Night Out Against Crime, takes place on the first Tuesday in August. It’s an annual nationwide event that’s meant to…

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Local National Night Out events to celebrate first responders, promote community

By Bob Bong / July 28, 2023 / Comments Off on Local National Night Out events to celebrate first responders, promote community

By Isabella Schreck Many residents will be able to meet their local police officers and police canines, while enjoying food and fun activities at local National Night Out Against Crime events coming up on Tuesday, Aug. 1. The national event, which has occurred every year on the first Tuesday of August for the past four…

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A familiar face takes the reins in Indian Head Park

By Steve Metsch / May 18, 2023 / Comments Off on A familiar face takes the reins in Indian Head Park

By Steve Metsch  A new chapter in the history of Indian Head Park began at last week’s village board meeting. Amy Jo Wittenberg – who served two terms as a village trustee – was sworn in as the new mayor. Wittenberg, 59, who works in marketing for a printing company, lost re-election as a trustee…

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Tri-State Tollway lane closures Friday night over I-55

By Bob Bong / December 9, 2022 / Comments Off on Tri-State Tollway lane closures Friday night over I-55

Overnight lane closures are scheduled this weekend for concrete work on the northbound Tri-State Tollway (I-294) over I-55. Traffic delays are expected. Beginning at 8 p.m. on tonight, December 9, and continuing until noon on Saturday, December 10, traffic on northbound I-294 between 75th Street and Joliet Road, traffic will be reduced to a single lane.…

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Westbound Tri-State Tollway ramp to 95th Street closes Friday night

By Bob Bong / October 21, 2022 / Comments Off on Westbound Tri-State Tollway ramp to 95th Street closes Friday night

Weekend-long lane closures, including a detour of the ramp carrying the southbound Central Tri-State Tollway (I-294) to westbound 95th Street, are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Friday, October 21, for work to shift traffic on southbound I-294 between 87th Street/Roberts Road and 95th Street. Once the new traffic pattern is in place, southbound I-294 traffic will be in a counterflow…

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Indian Head Park woman sentenced to 14 days in jail for role in Capitol riot

By Bob Bong / October 13, 2022 / Comments Off on Indian Head Park woman sentenced to 14 days in jail for role in Capitol riot

By Bob Bong An Indian Head Park woman will spend two weeks in federal jail for her part in the January 6 invasion of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Leticia Ferreira, 33, a Brazilian national, was sentenced last week by a federal judge in Washington to 14 days in jail, three years of supervised release,…

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Pigskin Roundup: 23-skidoo — Stagg losing streak is history after season-opening win over Reavis

By Jeff Vorva / August 29, 2022 / Comments Off on Pigskin Roundup: 23-skidoo — Stagg losing streak is history after season-opening win over Reavis

By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The boss got it right. Before the Consolidated High School District 230 Board of Education Meeting on Aug. 25, Stagg Principal Eric Olsen talked to a news reporter about the coming football season. Olsen said the Chargers would soon snap their 23-game losing streak dating back to Week 2 of…

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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…

The “no dogs allowed” signs will soon be removed from two parks in Countryside. Dogs must be on leashes and owners must clean up after their pets. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks

By Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the parks. While…

Illinois News

Former GOP lawmaker’s trial again delayed amid last-minute hospitalization

Former GOP lawmaker’s trial again delayed amid last-minute hospitalization

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Instead of laying out his defense in his long-awaited federal corruption trial on Monday morning, former State Sen. Sam McCann was hospitalized in Missouri after a weekend of feeling unwell, according to his wife and a standby attorney. McCann had been granted an extension of his…

Former GOP lawmaker’s trial again delayed amid last-minute hospitalization

Former GOP lawmaker’s trial again delayed amid last-minute hospitalization

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Instead of laying out his defense in his long-awaited federal corruption trial on Monday morning, former State Sen. Sam McCann was hospitalized in Missouri after a weekend of feeling unwell, according to his wife and a standby attorney. McCann had been granted an extension of his…

Capitol Briefs: State gets ‘average’ lung cancer grade, announces opioid settlements, manufacturing grants

Capitol Briefs: State gets ‘average’ lung cancer grade, announces opioid settlements, manufacturing grants

By COLE LONGCOR & JENNIFER FULLER Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The American Lung Association’s 2023 “State of Lung Cancer” report shows Illinois has “a lot of work to do” to ensure individuals at high risk for lung cancer are properly screened and treated. The report graded Illinois as “average” in nearly all categories such as…

Capitol Briefs: Sparta facility inks trapshooting contest extension; IDPH encourages heart health

Capitol Briefs: Sparta facility inks trapshooting contest extension; IDPH encourages heart health

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com  The Amateur Trapshooting Association has signed a multi-year contract with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, keeping its Grand American competition in Sparta until at least 2036. The Grand American brings thousands of competitors to the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Randolph County and pumps tens of millions of…

Group challenging Trump’s ballot access in Cook County court hopes for quick decision

Group challenging Trump’s ballot access in Cook County court hopes for quick decision

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A national voting rights organization is asking a Cook County judge to overturn a ruling from the Illinois State Board of Elections and block former President Donald Trump from being listed on the March 19 Republican primary ballot. Lawyers for the group Free Speech for People…

Copays take effect for immigrant health programs as cost estimates continue to decline

Copays take effect for immigrant health programs as cost estimates continue to decline

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Cost estimates for a pair of state-funded health care programs serving certain low-income noncitizens have declined by tens of millions of dollars in recent months as the state rolled out new copay and co-insurance requirements this week. The Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Health Benefits for Immigrant…

Democratic leaders poised to revisit Biometric Information Privacy Act after court rulings

Democratic leaders poised to revisit Biometric Information Privacy Act after court rulings

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Nearly a year ago, the Illinois Supreme Court asked the General Assembly to clarify a 15-year-old law that’s led to hundreds of lawsuits and several high-dollar settlements with companies alleged to have illegally collected Illinoisans’ biometric data.  Now, Democratic leaders in the legislature appear ready to revive talks…

Capitol Briefs: State announces parks funding; comptroller warns of tax scams; State Police unveil building plan

Capitol Briefs: State announces parks funding; comptroller warns of tax scams; State Police unveil building plan

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com  The state announced 111 parks and recreation projects throughout Illinois will receive a portion of $55 million in state funding this year.  The Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant program administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments to help…

Chicago org to receive federal funding to help launch regional water sustainability industry

Chicago org to receive federal funding to help launch regional water sustainability industry

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com  A Chicago organization focused on drinking water sustainability will receive a $15 million federal grant over the next two years for a project aimed at jumpstarting a regional clean water industry.  The U.S. National Science Foundation awarded the grant to Current Innovation NFP, a nonprofit “innovation hub” whose…

Board of Elections allows Trump's name to stay on ballot

Board of Elections allows Trump’s name to stay on ballot

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Former President Donald Trump’s name will remain on the Illinois Republican primary ballot, at least for the time being. The Illinois State Board of Elections voted 8-0 on Tuesday to dismiss an objection to his candidacy based on the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. That clause bars…