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
Measure to supply menstrual products in all school bathrooms passes House
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would require schools to provide free menstrual hygiene products in all bathrooms for grades 4 through 12 passed the Illinois House and will now be up for consideration in the Senate. House Bill 156, sponsored by Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, passed on a 68-43…
State auditor general’s campaign committee violated election law, court finds
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The campaign committee of former state Rep. Frank Mautino, who is now the Illinois auditor general, violated state law when it spent campaign funds on gas and car repairs for personal vehicles, the Illinois Supreme Court decided Thursday. But the court did not find Mautino’s committee violated…
New marijuana licensing bill heads to House floor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill aimed at allowing more people from distressed communities to get into the lucrative recreational marijuana business is on its way to the House floor as lawmakers head into the final days of the spring 2021 session. “The bill will correct a flawed license lottery system…
State Board of Education calls for in-person learning next school year
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday calling on all public schools to return to in-person learning during the upcoming school year. The resolution doesn’t institute any mandates or requirements for Illinois schools to follow, but shows unified support from ISBE for an…
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…