Local News
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 All for one and one for all was the theme of last week’s community meeting held at the Willow Springs Village Hall. Concerned residents, politicians from the village and surrounding communities joined in their opposition to any industrial development of a parcel of land in the village owned by the Lyons Township…
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By Carol McGowan Willow Springs resident Mike Smigielski last month received the Congressman Bill Lipinski All American Award. Smigielski, who is active in local Lions Clubs, was presented the award by Roberts Park Fire Protection District President Brian Bernardoni at the October 12 Willow Springs Village Board meeting. Bernardoni was asked to present the award…
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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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By Kelly White The 30th annual A River Thru History – The Des Plaines Valley Rendezvous returned again this year to Columbia Woods Forest Preserve in Willow Springs for a weekend filled with historic facts, recreation and fun. Taking place at the intersection of Archer Avenue and Willow Springs Road, the event focused on the…
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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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The 30th annual A River Thru History – The Des Plaines Valley Rendezvous, is returning to Columbia Woods Forest Preserve in Willow Springs, Saturday, September 9, and Sunday, September 10. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Public parking is at the UPS…
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By Bob Bong Police departments across the south suburbs are gearing up for another high-flying fundraiser for Special Olympics Illinois. Police will be hanging out at more than 325 Dunkin’ Donut coffee shops across Illinois starting at 5 a.m. Friday, May 19, for another edition of Cop on a Rooftop. They will be collecting donations…
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By Bob Bong A Willow Springs man who worked for the village was killed Friday night when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a car in Joliet. Tyler Gallo, 20, died in the crash, according to the Will County Coroner’s Office. In a news release, Joliet police said Gallo was heading north on Northeast…
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By Carol McGowan U.S. Rep. Sean Casten met with Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and other village officials and employees on February 15 as part of a tour he’s doing to get to meet mayors and people in the southwest suburban portion of the new 6th District. In a recent interview, Casten said he planned outings…
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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
Supreme Court won’t hear restaurant’s challenge to indoor dining ban
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court will not take up a case from a suburban restaurant challenging Gov. JB Pritzker’s indoor dining ban. FoxFire Tavern in Kane County asked the state’s highest court to hear their case in December after suing Pritzker over his ban in October. The…
Senate passes bill providing release path for terminally ill prisoners
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate advanced a bill Wednesday that would give the Prisoner Review Board additional authority to consider early release for prisoners who have petitioned for such action due to medical incapacity or terminal illness. House Bill 3665, sponsored in the Senate by Sen. John Connor, D-Lockport,…
Proposed Supreme Court remap evokes previous failed GOP attempt
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — If Democrats have their way, the state’s five Illinois Supreme Court districts could be redrawn this year for the first time in more than five decades. Democrats in the General Assembly released a new Illinois Supreme Court map Tuesday afternoon, to the surprise of legislative Republicans, who…
Bill creating mental illness, substance abuse housing recovery program passes
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed a bill Wednesday which would create a new housing program for individuals living with mental illness or substance use disorders. House Bill 449 creates the “Housing is Recovery Pilot Program Act,” a new program which would offer bridge rental subsidies to individuals at…
CAPITOL RECAP: Dems still mum on redistricting data during first map hearing
By Capitol News Illinois 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 maps late…
UPDATED: Redistricting hearings open as data sources remain murky
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…
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…