Local News
By Bob Bong Chicago’s iconic Original Rainbow Cone has been evolving over the past few years. First, it joined forces with the folks at Buono Beef and expanded its presence from its original location in Beverly to offer cones at Buono Beef locations and a few stand-alone stores as well as food trucks. Last year,……
Read MoreOrland Township and Supervisor Paul O’Grady are hosting a senior health fair to provide free health services and information to senior citizens on Tuesday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until noon at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. The Senior Health Fair is an excellent opportunity for seniors to receive free……
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva Crossroads did not hit a roadblock. Despite not wanting to bring more apartments to the village, the Orland Park Village Board approved plans for the Crossroads of Orland Park at its May 6 Committee of the whole and regular meetings and it will indeed feature 132 apartments. The Crossroads project, located on……
Read MoreBy Kelly White The damp weather from overnight rain did not deter more than 100 people on Sunday morning from getting some exercise. The 14th annual District 1A Helen Keller 5k Fun Run/Walk proudly took place along at Harold L. Richard’s High School, 10601 Central Ave., Oak Lawn. “This is a really great event,” Oak……
Read MoreFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at First Secure……
Read MoreBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of six. “By……
Read MoreFrom staff reports Orland Fire Protection District firefighters responded to a fire Monday evening at the Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Dr. At first, restaurant owners suspected the fire alarm was triggered by a malfunction, but as firefighters inspected the restaurant to reset the fire alarm, they detected a burning smell. “What we found……
Read MoreBy Kelly White Candy has taken on a whole new life at one local library. The Orland Park Public Library, 14921 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, is happy to announce the launch of its very first Trash or Treasure candy wrapper recycling campaign. The Trash or Treasure program helps reduce the waste that accumulates around……
Read MoreFrom wire reports The Orland Park Police Department announced the arrest of a suspect in a vehicular hijacking that occurred on the evening of April 3. Shawn Flores, a 44-year-old Midlothian resident, faces charges following his apprehension on April 4. The incident began when a male victim was forcibly removed from his vehicle at gunpoint……
Read MoreThe Evergreen Park Police Department is warning the public of an ongoing scam where a caller claims to be an Evergreen Park Police Officer, and instructs the individual to send money in order to avoid criminal charges. In some versions of this scam, the offenders tell individuals they missed a court date related to a……
Read MoreUPDATE: Bedford Park man, girlfriend charged with plotting Bridgeview father’s murder
By Bob Bong A Bedford Park man and the victim’s girlfriend have been charged in the shooting death of Arturo Cantu last Wednesday. Bridgeview police arrested Anthony Calderon, 20, of the 7700 block of 65th Place, Friday night. He allegedly confessed to the murder and reportedly led police to the weapon used in the shooting……
Rainbow Cone adds 4 new flavors
By Bob Bong Chicago’s iconic Original Rainbow Cone has been evolving over the past few years. First, it joined forces with the folks at Buono Beef and expanded its presence from its original location in Beverly to offer cones at Buono Beef locations and a few stand-alone stores as well as food trucks. Last year,……
Park Lawn opens day program in Palos Heights
By Kelly White Promoting inclusion and individuality, Park Lawn provides services that promote choice and access to community living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The mission behind the organization focuses on encouraging people with disabilities to discover their passion, to take pride in their accomplishments, to live more independently and to continue to……
Palos Park finance director heading to Westmont
By Jeff Vorva Palos Park was in good hands with Altic. Finance director/treasurer Allen Altic is leaving the village later this month to take a similar position in Westmont, just a few miles from his home in Downers Grove. Altic was an assistant finance director in Bloomingdale from 2012 to 2020, when he was hired……
Orland Township hosting free senior health fair
Orland Township and Supervisor Paul O’Grady are hosting a senior health fair to provide free health services and information to senior citizens on Tuesday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until noon at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. The Senior Health Fair is an excellent opportunity for seniors to receive free……
District 128 teacher joins Golden Apple Accelerator Program
By Kelly White A Palos Heights School District 128 educator was selected to be a part of the Golden Apple Accelerator Program. Also, a District 128 alum, Moira Touhy, a paraprofessional at Independence Junior High School, 6610 W. Highland Dr., Palos Heights, will be participating in the 15-month online program specifically geared toward obtaining a……
Crossroads plans approved in Orland Park despite adding apartments
By Jeff Vorva Crossroads did not hit a roadblock. Despite not wanting to bring more apartments to the village, the Orland Park Village Board approved plans for the Crossroads of Orland Park at its May 6 Committee of the whole and regular meetings and it will indeed feature 132 apartments. The Crossroads project, located 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……
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……
Cicadas in the park in Palos Park
By Kelly White Cicadas are coming and the Village of Palos Park is ready. The village hosted its 31st annual Arbor Day Celebration on Sunday, May 5, themed, “The Wonder of Trees” at The Center in the Lodge, 12700 Southwest Highway, with featured speaker, Tricia Bethke of The Morton Arboretum who presented, “Cicadas in the……
Illinois News
Tensions grow between city, state and federal government over influx of migrants
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Tensions rose again this week between Gov. JB Pritzker’s office and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson over how to handle the tens of thousands of people who have arrived in the state since August 2022 via buses or planes sent from Texas. The most recent back-and-forth between……
Panel of experts suggest legislative measures to reverse journalism decline
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com A bipartisan task force of legislators and journalism industry leaders has filed a report to the General Assembly detailing the decline of local journalism in Illinois and exploring ways the legislature can help revive it. The Local Journalism Task Force, created in January 2022, found that about……
Capitol Briefs: State money to address food deserts; unemployment at 4.2%; tax season opens
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS news@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois’ Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the application window is open for $3.5 million in funding to help local grocery stores provide fresh foods in areas with limited availability. The money is a part of an equipment upgrade program in Illinois’ Grocery Initiative – a $20 million program……
State education board to seek $653M increase in upcoming budget year
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education endorsed a budget request Wednesday that includes a $653 million increase in funding for PreK-12 public schools. It’s a request that lawmakers may find hard to accommodate in a year when the state faces a projected $891 million budget deficit.……
Capitol Briefs: State reports COVID-19 outbreak at veterans home, gets mixed review for tobacco policies
By JENNIFER FULLER & COLE LONGCOR news@capitolnewsillinois.com Health experts warn respiratory illnesses are still circulating, even as numbers trend down after a brief post-holiday surge. Outbreaks of COVID-19, Flu, and RSV have been reported in state facilities in the Bellwood, Champaign, Marion, Metro East, Peoria, Rockford and West Chicago regions in January. Those numbers are……
Back wages totaling more than $5 million owed to thousands of Illinois workers
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Department of Labor is currently holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 Illinois workers, and the department has launched a new website in an effort to return it. When an employee is underpaid for the work they do, the DOL’s Wage……
Capitol Briefs: Lawmakers look to ban food additives; state announces DCFS investment
By COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com A bill in the Illinois General Assembly would ban five food additives in the state by 2027. Senate Bill 2637, sponsored by Chicago Democrat Willie Preston, would ban companies from using certain products in food, including brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red Dye……
Pritzker touts climate investments despite renewables lagging state goals
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Boston-based Nexamp, a major player in the solar energy industry, is joining the growing list of renewable technology companies that have expanded or relocated to Illinois in recent months. On Monday, Nexamp announced its intention to spend $2 billion in Illinois, including building a second headquarters……
Capitol Briefs: State Police report fewer deaths on Illinois highways in 2023
By JENNIFER FULLER Capitol News Illinois jfuller@capitolnewsillinois.com Fatal crashes on interstates and expressways in Illinois fell by 7 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and shootings were down more than 30 percent. Illinois State Police report the declines came at the same time troopers were beefing up their enforcement on the state’s transportation……
Back wages totaling more than $5 million owed to thousands of Illinois workers
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Department of Labor is currently holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 Illinois workers, and the department has launched a new website in an effort to return it. When an employee is underpaid for the work they do, the DOL’s Wage……