Local News
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…
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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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From staff reports The Stickney Village Board welcomed Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch to a recent board meeting for a special briefing on the state legislature’s local government priorities for the spring session. Speaking from his Capitol office in Springfield via Zoom, Welch talked about key issues impacting municipalities, emphasizing fiscal stability, infrastructure support,…
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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 A large trophy sat on a front table at last week’s Village of Stickney regular board meeting, along with a smaller trophy in the shape of a paw. Towards the end of the meeting, Stickney Police Chief James Sassetti explained that they were given to K9 Ali that past weekend. Ali and…
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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 Bob Bong The Cook County Board of Commissioners has approved $37 million for the reconstruction of the Central Avenue bridge over the Chicago Ship and Sanitary Canal in Stickney and Forest View. An additional $1.7 million was approved to replace sidewalk curb ramps along roadways throughout the county. The projects are designed to boost…
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By Carol McGowan Stickney trustees have given the green light to the creation of the Harlem and Pershing Tax Increment Financing District. The measure to create the new taxing district was approved at the June 6 Village Board meeting. The Harlem and Pershing TIF District includes the village’s two major commercial corridors, including the frontages…
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By Carol McGowan The Village of Stickney is contemplating creating what it is calling the Pershing and Harlem TIF District. Because of a larger than usual meeting crowd expected, the hearing and subsequent village board meeting were moved to the basement of St. Pius Church. Officials explained that a TIF district is a flexible financing…
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The Stickney Forest-View Lions Club will be holding their 71st annual Pancake and French Toast Breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 7, at Edison Elementary School, 4100 Scoville Ave., Stickney. The Pancake and French Toast Breakfast was the club’s original fundraising event and it continues to be one of their major sources…
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Spring cleanup day in Bridgeview set for Saturday
By Steve Metsch Any Bridgeview resident with clutter to clear will be busy Friday night, May 10. That’s when they will be putting all kinds of things on the parkway as the village prepares for its annual spring cleanup day set for Saturday, May 11. All items must be at the curb by 6 a.m.…
Family of man killed in McCook struggling with his absence
By Steve Metsch On what would have been his 37th birthday, the family of Morales Ricardo Lopez gathered at his grave in Evergreen Park Cemetery. Lopez, of Blue Island, was gunned down in McCook early Feb. 17, leaving behind a widow and three children. His family, other relatives and friends gathered at his grave on…
Southwest Symphony presents ‘American Song Book’
From staff reports Southwest Symphony Orchestra will perform “The American Song Book” this weekend at Trinity College in Palos Heights. The performance will feature Grammy nominated Helen Welch under the direction of David Crane at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Trinity Christian College’s Ozinga Auditorium. Welch will perform some of America’s best loved classics. The evening…
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…
Illinois News
Pritzker announces 6-year, $20.7 billion road, bridge improvement plan
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Wednesday the release of a six-year, $20.7 billion construction plan to improve roads and bridges throughout the state, an annual process which the Illinois Department of Transportation oversees to target infrastructure spending. The Highway Improvement Program, funded through the Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure…
Statue task force considers adding, removing state monuments
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A state House task force continued its discussion about reevaluating controversial statues and whether new monuments commemorating minorities should be added to the state Capitol grounds. The hearing Wednesday is the second meeting of the bipartisan Statue and Monument Review Task Force, which was formed by Speaker…
Reversing a dirty legacy: New rules aim to tighten regulations on forgotten byproduct of coal
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – After years of work by environmental activists to push action on the issue, the Illinois Pollution Control Board has issued findings and recommendations related to the regulation of coal ash storage – an action advocates call “the first of its kind” in the state. Coal ash,…
Senate panel endorses ‘media literacy’ mandate in schools
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – All high schools in Illinois would be required to offer instruction in how to understand and evaluate news and social media as part of their computer literacy courses under a bill that advanced out of a Senate committee Tuesday. Sen. Karina Villa, D-West Chicago, argued in the…
Regional superintendents look to address Illinois teacher shortage
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Following a February survey of school districts that illustrated a persistent teacher shortage in the state, the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools has released policy recommendations calling for better benefits and more lenient certification in an effort to reverse the trend. The IARSS, which serves…
CAPITOL RECAP: Pritzker gives new guidance on masks
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker issued a new executive order Monday that allows fully vaccinated residents to not wear masks inside and outdoors. The updated rules for mask wearing are nearly identical to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance, which was released Thursday. The CDC guidance permits…
Pritzker rescinds mask mandate for those fully vaccinated in accordance with federal guidance
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker issued a new executive order Monday that allows fully vaccinated residents to not wear masks inside and outdoors. The updated rules for mask wearing are nearly identical to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated guidance, which was released Thursday. The CDC…
Lawmakers gear up for ethics debate
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate is gearing up for a debate over a package of ethics reforms, possibly as early as this week, but it’s one that Republicans say doesn’t go far enough. Senate Bill 4, which moved out of the Senate Ethics Committee on April 21, is a…
Pritzker signs rental assistance bill, says he will ‘phase out’ eviction moratorium by August
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday the state will plan to “phase out” its moratorium on pandemic-related evictions by August and launched a new program to provide assistance to renters and homeowners financially impacted by COVID-19. The announcement regarding the planned end of the eviction moratorium came as…
Senate passes expansion of maternal care coverage
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed legislation Wednesday expanding maternal and postpartum care in Illinois, as well as changing existing statutes to be more inclusive of different gender identities. Senate Bill 967, sponsored by Elgin Democratic Sen. Cristina Castro, passed the Senate floor Wednesday on a 58-0 vote. It…