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Shots fired at man in Palos Hills phone store

By Bob Bong / April 12, 2023 / Comments Off on Shots fired at man in Palos Hills phone store

Palos Hills police said shots were fire Saturday afternoon at the Elite Mobile store at 7233 W. 103rd Street. Police said they received a call at 1:55 p.m. of a disturbance at the store, which is in a shopping center across the street from Pete’s Fresh Market in Bridgeview. Police said a man entered the……

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Larger crowds returning to Hills Chamber Business Expo

By Bob Bong / March 31, 2023 /

By Joe Boyle Phyllis Majka, president of the Hills Chamber of Commerce, said the organization’s annual Business and Community Expo is an opportunity for everyone to gather after a long winter. The irony was not lost on Majka and chamber members that while the calendar indicates spring, snow flurries were falling outside. “But we are doing quite well this……

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Palos South friends, classmates miss Jake’s laughter

By Bob Bong / March 30, 2023 / Comments Off on Palos South friends, classmates miss Jake’s laughter

By Bob Bong The halls at Palos South Middle School are not as loud as they used to be. That’s because Jake Kaminski isn’t around to make the other kids laugh. Jake died earlier this month in a skiing accident in Wisconsin. His family was trying to take advantage of the long Pulaski Day weekend……

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At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

By Bob Bong / March 24, 2023 / Comments Off on At Stagg, bald is beautiful for St. Baldrick’s Foundation

By Dermot Connolly Students and staff at Stagg and Sandburg high schools raised thousands of dollars for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation on St. Patrick’s Day, with many going all out and getting their heads shaved. Leah Ellis, a counselor at Stagg, has been coordinating the Palos Hills school’s participation in the annual fundraiser for the……

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$15 million expansion for Stagg approved

By Bob Bong / March 17, 2023 /

From staff reports  The Consolidated High School District 230 Board of Education last week approved a $15 million expansion at Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos Hills. The expansion will include much-needed classroom space, several science labs, offices and teacher workspace, as well as a rooftop environmental learning space. The project is expected to……

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Price tag for Stagg expansion grows to $15 million

By Jeff Vorva / March 11, 2023 /

By Jeff Vorva The Stagg High School expansion project has a heftier price tag than originally thought. Consolidated High School District 230 officials were bracing for the project to cost roughly $12.5 million. At the Feb. 23 board meeting at Andrew High School, Assistant Superintendent of Business Services John Lavelle told the board that now……

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Stagg auto students take first in skills competition; Richards team finishes second 

By Bob Bong / February 18, 2023 / Comments Off on Stagg auto students take first in skills competition; Richards team finishes second 

Amos Alonzo Stagg High School automotive students took first place at the recent High School Automotive Technology Skills Competition, hosted by Moraine Valley Community College. Richards High School’s team finished second.  The event included nine local high schools with nine students on each team. Participating schools included Sandburg, Andrew, Shepard, Oak Lawn, Reavis, Argo and……

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Moraine Valley names two board members to fill vacancies 

By Bob Bong / February 11, 2023 / Comments Off on Moraine Valley names two board members to fill vacancies 

The Moraine Valley Community College Board of Trustees has selected two district residents to fill vacancies left by board members who resigned last month. Jaclyn O’Day, of Palos Park, was sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 24, and Tiffany Robinson, of Robbins, was sworn in on Tuesday, Jan. 31. O’Day has over 15 years of experience……

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Sen. Hastings secures $250,000 state grant for Together We Cope after fire

By Steve Metsch / February 10, 2023 / Comments Off on Sen. Hastings secures $250,000 state grant for Together We Cope after fire

By Steve Metsch  After a fire just before Thanksgiving shut down Together We Cope – a longtime southwest suburban charitable organization – state Sen. Mike Hastings (D-19th) knew he had to help.  Hastings said he was moved to help because of the important role the organization plays by helping needy families in the region.  Hastings……

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District 128 schools are going to the dogs and the kids love it

By Kelly White / January 27, 2023 / Comments Off on District 128 schools are going to the dogs and the kids love it

By Kelly White Pet therapy has also been shown to improve energy levels, self-esteem, social skills, verbal communication and mood, as well as decrease depression. Palos Heights School District 128 made the decision to bring pet therapy into the classroom to help both its students and staff reap these benefits while enjoying the company of……

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Boys Volleyball | Sandburg seeks 26th regional title

By Randy Whalen Correspondent Coming off the worst season in program history in 2023, Sandburg was not going to settle for anything less than better results this year. Past the midway point of this season, however, the Eagles had a record of 11-8. But they closed the regular season strong, winning 11 of their last……

Reavis players celebrate after the Rams clinched the South Suburban Red title with a 3-0 win over Oak Lawn. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Baseball | Red-hot Reavis looks to make noise in postseason

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Reavis is determined to send their head coach Don Erickson into retirement on a high note and will head into the postseason red hot and as South Suburban Red champions. The Rams defeated Oak Lawn 3-0 for the second straight day on May 15 to clinch the conference title. They followed……

Richards alum Sebastian Castro is ranked by NFL Draft Live among the top 10 college cornerbacks heading into the 2024 NCAA football season. Photo courtesy of University of Iowa Athletics

Sports Bits | Rice boats at Carlyle Lake, Hawkeye DB and Do It Stevie’s Way

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Noteworthy sports briefs from May 12-19 • Brother Rice’s No. 1 boat of Joe Hall and Joe Judeh took 31st in the state bass fishing tournament, which wrapped up on May 18 at Carlyle Lake. The Crusaders had a two-day haul of 7 pounds, 12 ounces.  The Crusaders’ No. 2 boat……

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Nothing NU at SeatGeek

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent There was speculation that because of the renovations being done at Ryan Field, Northwestern would schedule a few football games at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview this fall. The Wildcats announced their schedule and no home games are listed at SeatGeek, but the situation is still fluid. They are opting to use……

SXU softball players celebrate a victory over Bellevue. SXU photo

College Softball | Close losses at nationals end Saint Xavier’s season

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier softball team played three nailbiters in the opening round of the NAIA Tournament. But the end result was a 1-2 record to eliminate the Cougars from advancing. SXU (28-14) opened the tournament by nipping Bellevue (Nebraska), 5-4, in Sioux City, Iowa on May 13. Alexus Reese hit a……

Red Stars goalie Alyssa Naeher was with the team but did not play at Gotham on May 19.  IMAGN photo

Red Stars’ Naeher misses loss to Gotham

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The world’s best kept secret is still a mystery. The Chicago Red Stars are not releasing information to the public about the severity of a thigh injury or the status of world-class goalie Alyssa Naeher. What is known is that she did not play in a 2-1 loss to NWSL defending……

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Shepard’s Kyla Motley cruises to two medals at girls state track finals

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Shepard junior Kyla Motley medaled in two events in the Class 3A girls state track and field meet, the finals for which were held May 18 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Motley finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 18 feet, 4 inches. She finished sixth in……

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Boys Tennis | Lyons’ Jack McLane and Mason Mazzone win sectional doubles title

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The area produced a handful of boys tennis state qualifiers, but only one entry is headed to state as a sectional champion. At the Class 2A Lyons Sectional, the Lions’ Jack McLane and Mason Mazzone were doubles champs. The state meet opens May 23 at various sites in the north and……

The Lyons boys water polo team celebrates its state championship on May 18 in Lincolnshire.  Photo courtesy of Lyons Township High School

Water Polo | Lyons boys win third state title; girls finish 3rd

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The best matchup of the IHSA boys water polo state tournament was arguably in the quarterfinals. That battle between Lyons and New Trier could have been considered the real state championship match. But no matter what, the Lions are state champions. Heading into the postseason, Lyons had just three losses, and……

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Lyons water polo teams splash to state

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Both of Lyons water polo team qualified for the state quarterfinals. Lyons’ girls water polo team won its own sectional by beating Mother McAuley, 13-9, in the title game on May 11. The Lions will face York in the state quarterfinals on May 17 at Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire. This……

Illinois News

Budget negotiations will extend into next week as House leaves Springfield

Budget negotiations will extend into next week as House leaves Springfield

By JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly will go at least three more days past their self-imposed adjournment deadline after failing to pass a budget bill Saturday, although the spending and revenue framework were made public for the first time. “The House and Senate are……

Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end

Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end

By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final days of their spring legislative session, Democrats in the General Assembly advanced measures aimed at expanding and protecting aspects of maternal and women’s health care. If signed into law, the measures would expand insurance coverage of pregnancy and postpartum services, maintain abortion as a viable……

Health insurance changes targeting ‘utilization management,’ more will head to governor

Health insurance changes targeting ‘utilization management,’ more will head to governor

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A package of health insurance reform measures that Gov. JB Pritzker called for at the beginning of the legislative session will soon be headed to his desk for his signature. The Illinois House gave final approval Saturday to a pair of bills that limit the ability……

Capitol Briefs: Republicans sue over law banning legislative candidate slating

Capitol Briefs: Republicans sue over law banning legislative candidate slating

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com One week after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an elections-related measure that his fellow Democrats quickly muscled through the General Assembly, Republicans sued over the new law, alleging the majority party is blocking ballot access to would-be legislative candidates. The law , passed early this month as the legislature’s……

Illinois Supreme Court considers expectation of privacy in hospitals

Illinois Supreme Court considers expectation of privacy in hospitals

By DILPREET RAJU  & ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – While Cortez Turner was in a hospital room being treated for a gunshot wound to his leg in 2016, police took his clothes. Now, the Illinois Supreme Court is weighing whether that action violated Turner’s expectation of privacy under the Fourth Amendment. The……

Capitol Briefs: Measure targets ‘legacy’ admission at public universities

Capitol Briefs: Measure targets ‘legacy’ admission at public universities

By DILPREET RAJU, COLE LONGCOR & ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois lawmakers missed a self-imposed Friday deadline for passing a budget, but they had approved more than 250 bills this week as of Friday afternoon. Amid the flurry of legislation was a measure prohibiting state universities from admitting students based on familial and……

Illinois could be 19th state to phase out subminimum wage for disabled workers

Illinois could be 19th state to phase out subminimum wage for disabled workers

By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com After years of negotiations and continued opposition from service providers, Illinois appears poised to prohibit employers from using a federal exemption that allows them to pay individuals with disabilities less than the minimum wage. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 established minimum wage law, but created……

Capitol Briefs: Measure blocks interstate probes of abortion services

Capitol Briefs: Measure blocks interstate probes of abortion services

By PETER HANCOCK & COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Authorities in Illinois would not be allowed to aid another state’s investigation of people coming to Illinois to seek abortions or other reproductive health care under a bill that cleared the General Assembly Thursday. House Bill 5239, which needs only a signature from……

Advocates underscore need for statewide reentry programs

Advocates underscore need for statewide reentry programs

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois legislators this week approved a bill to restructure an oversight board in charge of distributing state money to courts that provide prison alternatives, while other criminal justice measures introduced throughout the session remain stalled. House Bill 4409 would change the makeup of the Adult Redeploy Illinois Oversight……

Ban on wildlife killing contests ‘unlikely’ to clear state Senate this session

Ban on wildlife killing contests ‘unlikely’ to clear state Senate this session

By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com A measure that would prohibit contests that award cash or prizes for killing certain wildlife is unlikely to clear the Senate after narrowly passing the House last week, according to its Senate sponsor.  House Bill 2900 would ban the practice of holding wildlife contests that reward participants with……