Local News
By Kelly White If you asked first-grader Jimmy Gushurst his favorite subject, he will tell you, simply, math. However, Jimmy’s determination in the field led him to take home first place for his grade level at Palos Heights School District 128 in the 2024 South Cook Math Bowl. “Math is fun,” Jimmy, 6, of Palos…
Read More
From staff reports Palos School District 118 took home several awards at the 2024 South Cook Math Bowl that was held at Prairie State College in May. On day one of the event, Palos 118’s 5th/6th grade team took first place, with Brian Kaufmann placing fifth and Rhiannon Chen placing second in the sixth-grade individual competition.…
Read More
By Kelly White Sascha Rubens has left quite the imprint on her former high school. Rubens become one of eight students in Illinois to receive a Choose to Include scholarship from Special Olympics of Illinois. This is awarded to students that demonstrate commitment to building an inclusive environment within their school and community. “I am…
Read More
By Kelly White Palos School District 128 honored the life of one of its beloved educators with a Memorial Service. The service at Independence Jr. High School, 6610 W. Highland Dr., Palos Heights, May 24 honored the legacy of longtime art teacher, Mike Maholland, of Hickory Hills, who passed away on February 18. “Mike Maholland…
Read More
By Nuha Abdessalam Navajo Hills greenspace islands could be getting the ax and residents are upset. Residents of the East and West Courts of Navajo Hills, aware of the historical significance of the greenspace, spoke up during the Palos Heights City Council meeting May 21. There are five cul-de-sacs in the Navajo Hills subdivision and…
Read More
By Nuha Abdessalam At the May 21 City Council meeting, Ald. Jeff Key shared exciting news about some of the summer activities coming to Palos Heights in the coming months. Key said the Concerts in the Park, a series of family-friendly events featuring live music, food vendors, and fun activities for all ages, will kick…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
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…
Read More
By Kelly White Over the past few years, Palos Heights School District 128 has experienced an explosive growth among incoming students. There has been a significant increase particularly at Indian Hill Early Learning Center, 12800 S. Austin Ave. Chippewa Elementary School, 12425 S. Austin Ave; Navajo Elementary School, 12401 S. Oak Park Ave; and Independence…
Read More
Corey Wolf ‘living the dream’ as new Shepard hoops coach
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent For Corey Wolf, obtaining the ultimate high school basketball prize started in the summer of 2007. Wolf was playing for a Richards team that had showed much promise, having gone 26-3 and winning a regional title the previous season. Then-Bulldogs coach John Chappetto let his players know when summer league play…
Staab header helps Red Stars forge draw with KC
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Heading into the weekend, only Kansas City and Orlando were unbeaten among NWSL teams. The teams were tied atop the league standings, with each sporting 8-0-4 records. They now share another common denominator: Both have forged draws with the Red Stars. Red Stars defender Sam Stabb’s header in the 90th minute…
Red Stars unhappy with Riot Fest conflict
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Among the bands that will headline the newly minted Riot Fest music festival are Chicago-area natives Fall Out Boy. The annual concert featuring an eclectic mix of musical acts will be held in Bridgeview Sept. 20-22 — and boy, oh boy, there is a lot of fallout from the Chicago Red…
It’s about time | Illinois high school hoops gets 35-second shot clock beginning with 2026-27 season
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Count Sandburg sophomore Daniel Morakinyo as someone who can’t wait for the 2026-2027 basketball season. The rising guard/forward will be a senior that year, and he will embrace the IHSA’s implementation of a 35-second shot clock for varsity boys and girls basketball. “It’s a good feature,” Morakinyo said after a game…
Volunteers from Brother Rice, St. Rita and St. Laurence help indigent on their final journey
By Nuha Abdessalam Father Larry Sullivan, a director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago and pastor of Christ the King Parish, joined County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and spoke words of love, respect, and God at the 35th annual committal service at Mount Olivet Cemetery. The service on June 6 at 1:30 p.m.…
Riot Fest abandons Chicago park for SeatGeek Stadium
By Bob Bong Last year, Lyrical Lemonade moved its Summer Smash hip-hop music festival from Chicago’s Douglass Park to Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium. Thousands of fans poured into the stadium at 7100 S. Harlem Ave. over the course of three days and, by most accounts, enjoyed the experience. Summer Smash returned to SeatGeek this weekend for…
Comings & Goings: Orland Park Summerfest returns this weekend
By Bob Bong Back for a second go round this weekend is the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce’s Summerfest. The event combines a carnival, live music, an array of dining options and a car show, at the 153rd Street Metra Station location in Orland Park and will run from Friday, June 14, through Sunday,…
Softball | Marist will play for state title for fourth straight season
By Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist returned to the state title game for the fourth straight season with a 7-1 victory over Mundelein in the semifinals, held June 7 at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria. The Mustangs (36-2) were making their first appearance at state since 1996. “We have a core group of returners,” Marist coach…
Record crowd sees Bay FC top Red Stars at Wrigley Field
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Historic Wrigley Field hosted its first professional women’s sporting event in 80 years when the Chicago Red Stars hosted Bay FC on June 8. An NWSL-record announced crowd of 35,038 came out on a cool, rainy evening on the North Side and saw the expansion team from the San Francisco Bay…
Softball | St. Charles North rides big inning over Marist for Class 4A state title
By Randy Whalen Correspondent The final game was in doubt until the late innings but, in the end, Marist came up short in its bid for a second consecutive state championship. St. Charles North (25-6) broke open a tied game by scoring five times with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, eventually capturing…
Illinois News
Lawmakers set to consider $42.3 billion budget
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers are poised to vote Monday night on a proposed $42.3 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that Democrats say would fully fund K-12 education and the state’s pension obligations while also paying down a sizeable portion of the state’s debt. Lawmakers have been…
Senate Republicans still pushing for review of Prisoner Review Board appointments
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Senate Republicans attempted to bypass the Senate Executive Appointments Committee Monday after its chairwoman did not call several Prisoner Review Board appointees for confirmation hearings. The Senate voted unanimously on the floor to waive posting requirements for the appointees, through motions brought forward by Republicans. But Sen.…
Elections omnibus bill would postpone 2022 primary to June
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers are considering a massive omnibus bill that would push back the date of the 2022 primary elections amid other major changes to the state’s election code. It was filed Sunday night, and the General Assembly could move it through committees and floor votes in both chambers…
Limited in-state college betting bill unveiled on session’s final day
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A gambling omnibus bill that would allow Illinois bettors to wager on in-state college sports teams on a two-year trial basis has been filed in the General Assembly on the final scheduled day of the legislative session. Anybody wishing to make such a bet in Illinois, however,…
House advances bill to lower small trailer license fees to $36
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House passed a bill that would lower small trailer license fees from $118 to $36, which lawmakers said on the House floor Sunday could remedy an issue that has resulted in an uproar of complaints from their constituents. In 2019, lawmakers raised the fee for…
Senate passes bills creating affordable housing incentives, expanding telehealth services
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate passed an omnibus bill Sunday aimed at creating additional affordable housing units in the state. House Bill 2621 aims to create monetary incentives including a COVID-19 Affordable Housing Grant program to provide funding to support affordable housing in areas “disproportionately impacted” by COVID-19. The…
General Assembly action: Seclusion and restraint ban will go to governor
By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOISnews@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill to phase out the use of isolated timeouts and prone physical restraint in public schools will soon be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker. The Illinois House on Sunday voted unanimously to concur in changes the Senate made to House Bill 219, which include putting a virtual halt…
House sends controversial FOID card bill to Senate
By TIM KIRSININKAS Capitol News Illinoistkirsininkas@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House narrowly passed a bill Saturday that would require gun owners to submit fingerprints when applying for or renewing a Firearm Owner Identification card. Representatives debated for over an hour and a half regarding House Bill 1091, otherwise known as the “Fix the FOID Act.”…
College athletes could profit from likeness under bill passed by Illinois House
By GRACE BARBIC Capitol News Illinoisgbarbic@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – College athletes in Illinois would be able to independently profit from their image or likeness under a bill passed by the Illinois House Saturday. It’s the latest development in a decades-old debate regarding policies overseen by the NCAA, which is the governing body of most intercollegiate athletics.…
Illinois House passes bipartisan ban on deceptive interrogation of minors
By RAYMON TRONCOSO Capitol News Illinoisrtroncoso@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House unanimously passed a bipartisan juvenile justice reform Saturday that outlaws the use of deceptive interrogation techniques on minors. The measure, contained in amendments to Senate Bill 2122, makes confessions by minors in custody inadmissible if they were obtained by “a law enforcement officer or…