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
State takes action against academy that serves children with disabilities
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Officials from multiple state agencies said Friday that they are cutting ties with a residential school that serves children in state care with mental and developmental disabilities after an independent review documented reports of mistreatment of youth at the facility. Northern Illinois Academy, in Aurora, is an…
Former LaSalle home administrators misled Pritzker administration, officials claim
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Top officials from Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration claimed Thursday that they were misled by leadership at the state Department of Veterans’ Affairs regarding a deadly COVID-19 outbreak at the state-run LaSalle Veterans’ Home. Deputy Gov. Sol Flores and Illinois Department of Public Health Director Ngozi Ezike…
CAPITOL RECAP: State revenue picture improves by hundreds of millions
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Illinois budget officials said Thursday that revenues are flowing into state coffers at a faster pace than previously estimated, meaning lawmakers will have more money to work with as they try to finalize a new budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The Governor’s Office of Management…
House advances firearm restraining order expansion
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House on Wednesday passed a bill that would expand the scope of the Firearms Restraining Order Act and spread awareness of the law in law enforcement and the general public. Skokie Democratic Rep. Denyse Stoneback, a freshman legislator, introduced House Bill 1092 last month in…
State’s revenue picture improves as economy recovers
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois budget officials said Thursday that revenues are flowing into state coffers at a faster pace than previously estimated, meaning lawmakers will have more money to work with as they try to finalize a new budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The Governor’s Office…
Lawmakers consider lowering trailer license fee
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 2019, the fee for licensing a small trailer in Illinois jumped from $18 to $118. Lawmakers are now looking for a solution to lower that fee without causing major drops in infrastructure funding. The $100 fee increase was included in Gov. JB Pritzker’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois…
COVID-19 Update: ‘Bridge’ phase to begin Friday as state seeks to incentivize vaccination
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News IllinoisJnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The state is opening vaccinations to Illinoisans age 12-15, and a major theme park operator is offering 50,000 free admission tickets in an effort to encourage vaccination in that age group. That news came as the governor’s office confirmed the state will enter the “bridge” phase of…
CAPITOL RECAP: State leaders plan to talk to Treasury about stimulus spending
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – State officials said Wednesday, May 12, they would petition the U.S. Treasury to use federal stimulus funding to repay borrowing from the Federal Reserve that was undertaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The state borrowed $3.2 billion from the Federal Reserve during the pandemic, plus another $400 million borrowed from…
Pritzker’s energy proposal gets first legislative hearing
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – As Illinois lawmakers continue to push for the passage of an energy overhaul this spring, the Illinois House Energy and Environment Committee discussed the latest proposal to enter the discussion – Gov. JB Pritzker’s Consumers and Climate First Act. House Bill 4074, sponsored by Rep. Kam Buckner,…
State launches $6 million tourism campaign aimed at boosting post-pandemic travel
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker announced a new $6 million tourism advertising campaign Wednesday aimed at attracting visitors to the state and sparking economic activity following the COVID-19 pandemic. The multimedia campaign, featured around the theme “Time for Me to Drive,” showcases various destinations in all parts of the…