Local News
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…
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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…
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By Carol McGowan The Bridgeview Community Center was filled with nearly 250 people on Sunday as the Bridgeview, Argo-Summit, and Justice Lions Clubs held Super Sunday. Sponsored by the Village of Bridgeview, and Bridgeview Mayor Steven M. Landek, Super Sunday brought out the biggest crowd for an enjoyable afternoon of celebration and fun. The annual…
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By Carol McGowan Justice has collection boxes in the lobby of village hall for American flags that have been retired or damaged as well as a box that can be used to dispose of outdated eyeglasses for the Justice Lions Club. At the last village board meeting, Village Clerk Dave Kroll said residents can drop…
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By Bob Bong Two suburban men were arrested Friday in connection with a shooting on January 14 in the 10200 block of South Harlem Avenue in Chicago Ridge. Sary Abushanab, 25, of the 8100 block of Marion Drive in Justice, and Mohammad Freihat, 23, of the 8100 block of South Braeburn in Orland Park, were…
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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 Carol McGowan Justice village officials spent a few minutes before their board meeting last week to celebrate the holiday season by lighting the village Christmas tree and other decorated trees in front of the village hall. Mayor Kris Wasowicz lit the tree and wished everyone a wonderful holiday season. After the tree lighting, the…
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From staff reports A total of 40 new trees were recently planted at Commissioners Park in Justice thanks to an Openlands TreePlanters Grant awarded to the Justice Park District. Over 50 people gathered on October 28 to participate in the tree planting event, including community members, volunteers, Openlands staff, Justice Park District staff and commissioners,…
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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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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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Hickory Hills police bid adieu and say welcome
By Nuha Abdessalam The Hickory Hills Police Department bid a fond farewell to Lieutenant Glenn Tienstra and welcomed new Officer Daniel Balzhiser. On a memorable Thursday evening, April 25, city hall was filled with the warmth of community family, friends, officers, and council members, all gathered to joyfully celebrate Officer Balzhiser and respectfully commemorate Lieutenant…
Mother Mac unveils new lights and scoreboard
By Kelly White Across the nation, women’s sports are on the rise in terms of viewership, enthusiasm, sponsorship and excitement. Mother McAuley is no stranger to the impact that women’s athletics has on the development of an individual, strengthening of a team and key skills and attributes developed along the way. South Side community partners…
Comings & Goings: Orange’s Pancake House now open in Palos Heights
By Kelly White Palos Heights is the home of a popular new breakfast café. Orange’s Pancake House, 11845 Southwest Highway, held a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. Owners, Elvia Briones, of Virgina, and Fernando Cruz, of Evergreen Park, said they were very excited to be in the heart of the Palos Heights community. “I dreamed…
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Nazareth for ninth straight win
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Marist ran its winning streak to nine game with a 25-16, 25-17 victory over East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Nazareth on May 2. The win streak is the RedHawks’ second longest streak of the season after their season-opening 12-match run. Eight of the nine matches during the current streak went two…
Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was no third-place…
St. Francis first baseman Nate Maliska earns conference POW honors
By Mike Walsh Correspondent The University of St. Francis sophomore first baseman Nate Maliska was chosen the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s Player of the Week in baseball for April 7. In helping the Saints to four wins that week, Maliska went 9-for-15 (.600) with eight RBI and seven runs scored. The St. Laurence graduate’s week…
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight wins in…
Illinois News
Redistricting hearings open amid partisan divides
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers opened their first public hearing Tuesday on a proposed set of new House and Senate district maps with Democrats and Republicans still at sharp odds over how the maps were drawn and whether or not they are fair. House and Senate Democrats unveiled the proposed…
Bill creating new marijuana dispensary licenses clears House
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinois rtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Legislation revamping the state’s system for awarding marijuana dispensary licenses passed the House on Tuesday. The measure is meant to address shortcomings in the 2019 Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, specifically in regard to a license lottery that was delayed by the pandemic, controversy and legal…
Dems release new Supreme Court district maps
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday released a new proposed Illinois Supreme Court district map, redrawing district lines to maximize Democrats’ chances of keeping a majority on the state’s highest court. Lines for the Illinois Supreme Court districts have not been redrawn since they were…
Abortion foes to challenge ‘culturally responsive’ teaching standards
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The leader of one of the state’s largest anti-abortion group told a legislative committee Tuesday that the group intend to file a legal challenge against the state’s new “culturally responsive teaching and leading standards.” Ralph Rivera, a lobbyist for Illinois Right to Life Action and the Pro-Family…
Bills decriminalizing HIV transmission, requiring media literacy education pass Senate
By SARAH MANSUR & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Senate on Tuesday passed measures decriminalizing the transmission of HIV and requiring public high schools to teach media literacy. Both measures have already passed the House and will need only a signature from Gov. JB Pritzker to become law. House Bill…
Senate advances bills to provide menstrual hygiene products at universities, homeless shelters
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed two bills Tuesday that would advise state universities and colleges, as well as homeless shelters, to provide menstrual hygiene products in their bathrooms at no cost to users. Both bill sponsors cited “period poverty,” or the issue of not being able to afford…
CAPITOL RECAP: Redistricting committees scheduled amid Friday night map release
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – House and Senate redistricting committees will hold a series of public hearings this week on a proposed new set of legislative maps that Democrats released late Friday, despite the fact that official census data won’t be available until later this year. The Democrats’ decision to release the maps after…
Senate Republicans call for Prisoner Review Board appointees to testify
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican senators on Monday raised concerns about four Prisoner Review Board members who have continued to serve for almost two years despite not being confirmed by the Senate Executive Appointments Committee, a constitutional requirement in the state. In a news conference in Springfield, Republican Sen. Steve McClure,…
Lawmakers could redraw Illinois Supreme Court district maps
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Drawing new district lines for state and federal elections is the main focus for lawmakers when they begin the redistricting process every 10 years. But Illinois Democrats, who control all three branches of government, have some incentive to redraw the boundaries for the five Illinois Supreme Court…
Democrats unveil legislative map proposal, GOP calls it ‘Gerrymandering 101’
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – House and Senate redistricting committees will hold a series of public hearings this week on a proposed new set of legislative maps that Democrats released late Friday, despite the fact that official census data won’t be available until later this year. The Democrats’ decision to release the…