Local News
By Nuha Abdessalam As Ramadan was drawing to a close for Muslims worldwide, District 122’s Superintendent Joseph Matise, Oak Lawn Community High School’s Muslim Students Association club, and the district’s Parents Committee came together to create history. They hosted the first-ever Iftar dinner at Simmons Middle School on April 8, a significant event that hopes……
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By Nuha Abdessalam A psychologist for Ridgeland School District 122 has resigned after hundreds of parents demanded she be fired for social media posts that were pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian. District Supt. Joseph Matise announced at a schoolboard meeting last week that Dr. Laurie Hoke had resigned. “Dr. Hoke will no longer be working with students……
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By Nuha Abdessalam A petition demanding the firing of a school psychologist at Ridgeland School District 122 for posting Islamophobic social media messages has gathered more than 1,400 signatures. The petition on change.org is “calling for the removal of the schoo psychologist Laurie Hoke for sharing posts and comments that are explicitly racist, Islamophobic, hateful,……
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North Palos School District 117 has announced that Christine Droba will become the next North Palos School District 117 Superintendent of Schools beginning July 1, 2024. The Board of Education selected Droba to fill this position following Dr. Jeannie Stachowiak’s retirement at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Stachowiak will be retiring after 21……
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By Joe Boyle An additional parking lot and an athletic fieldhouse has been approved for Oak Lawn Community High School. Joseph McCurdy, assistant superintendent for Oak Lawn Community High School District 229, gave a brief slide presentation detailing some of the plans for the parking lot and an athletic fieldhouse during the Oak Lawn Village Board meeting Tuesday morning. The Zoning……
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From staff reports Flexible, open-minded and adaptable are three qualities the new principal and assistant principal at Glen Oaks School cite as ingredients for continuing to build a culture of fun and success with both students and staff. Farah Daoud, who spent last year as assistant principal at the Hickory Hills’ school, was named principal……
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Seven new staff members have joined the team at Evergreen Park Community High School for the 2023-2024 school year. The newest Mustang educators were welcomed to campus earlier this month for a round table discussion and tour of the building. Martin Chappetto is the newest member of the EPCHS Counseling Department. He comes to Evergreen……
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By Jeff Vorva District 230 Supt. Robert Nolting gave a shout out to the seniors on the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee. The committee is made of students from all three high schools – Sandburg, Stagg and Andrew – who serve their time meeting with Nolting and other district officials to talk about concerns from the student……
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More than 200 Consolidated High School District 230 students from Amos Alonzo Stagg, Carl Sandburg and Victor J. Andrew High Schools recently received recognition for earning either a Seal of Biliteracy or a State Commendation Award. The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given in recognition of students who have attained proficiency in English and……
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By Dermot Connolly Stagg High School administrators, teachers and students all lifted ceremonial shovels at a June 2 groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of a two-year $15.5 million expansion project that will add 11 new classrooms, four science labs and much more at the Palos Hills school. The build-out at the District 230 school at 8015……
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Oak Lawn Chamber to sponsor Restaurant Week
By Bob Bong More than a dozen restaurants have signed up to take part in the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce’s inaugural Restaurant Week in June. “This is a new endeavor for us,” said Anne Fritz, chamber executive director. “This will be our unofficial kick off to summer.” Fritz said the chamber’s marketing committee came……
One-in-a-million blue-eyed cicada found in Orland Park
By Jeff Vorva Kelly Simkins is an aspiring musician and someday she just might hit the stage and perform a Frank Sinatra song. Meanwhile, the Crestwood resident is partnering with another “Ol Blue Eyes” for a little fame. So, start spreading the news… Simkins, who owns Merlin’s Rockin’ Pet Show, was in Orland Park looking……
Woman sentenced in 2003 murders of newborn twins
From staff reports A 44-year-old woman, charged in the 2003 deaths of her newborn twins following an extensive cold case investigation by Cook County Sheriff’s Police, has been convicted of murder. On May 8, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced that Antoinette Briley pled guilty to murder at the Bridgeview Courthouse and was sentenced……
Tollway to hand out free transponder stickers in Justice
By Carol McGowan Earlier this year, the Illinois Tollway began phasing out the plastic I-Pass transponder and introduced a sticker tag that goes on your vehicle’s windshield. If you’re still using a transponder, or want to get a new sticker, the Village of Justice is the place to be on Saturday, June 8. Rather than……
Oak Lawn Library draws a crowd with Fan Fest
By Kelly White Comic book lovers gathered together in one common space earlier this month. Oak Lawn Public Library hosted its eighth annual Fan Fest, an all-ages celebration of pop culture, on May 11 at the library, 9427 S. Raymond Avenue. “It’s wonderful to see the community come together in celebration of shared interests,” Elaina……
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Jones, advances to state quarterfinals
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent For the first time since 2019, Marist will play in the IHSA state finals. The RedHawks (36-2) beat Jones, 25-13, 25-13, for their 17th straight victory and a Marist Sectional championship on May 28 in Mount Greenwood. They will face Payton in the state quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 31……
Baseball | Sandburg tops Marist to open playoffs, but falls to LW West in regional final
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent For the second consecutive year, Sandburg’s season came to an end at the hands of Lincoln-Way West. The Eagles (21-12) fell to the Warriors, 6-1, in the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game on May 25. They had advanced to a second playoff game with a 7-3 comeback victory over Marist……
Emma Sears scores match’s lone goal as Louisville blanks Red Stars
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are miles ahead of where they were last year. The team secured its 16th point on May 12. In 2023, it had to wait until July 7 to hit its 16th point during a season in which it finished in last place in the NWSL. Despite that,……
Sports Bits | St. Michael seventh-grader sets Illinois state record in 110-meter hurdles
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent • St. Michael School seventh-grader Tommy Walter set a grade-school state record en route to winning the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A 110-meter hurdles at the grade-school state meet held May 10-11 in East Peoria. Tommy set the Class 2A record in the event with a time of 16.31. •……
Water Polo | Lions, Eagles, Macs, Crusaders and Mustangs earn All-State honors
All-State water polo Lyons girls water polo standout Maya Mladjan was named to the Illinois Water Polo organization’s All-State first team. The Lions’ Delaney Judkins and Isabella Recker, and Mother McAuley’s Becca Engquist earned second-team honors. Sandburg’s Claire Donnell made the third team and the Mighty Macs’ Andi Moriarity made the fourth team. In the……
Illinois News
House OKs remote voting on bills to pass budget amendment
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinois smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House changed its rules Wednesday to allow lawmakers to cast votes on legislation remotely, giving them enough votes to pass a change to the budget bill and other measures. Shortly after this rule change, House Democrats approved the amendment to the budget that resulted……
FOID bill strengthening enforcement for revoked cards will head to Pritzker
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House on Wednesday passed a Firearm Owner Identification card law change that would strengthen law enforcement’s ability to retrieve guns from those with suspended or revoked FOID cards and allow for voluntary fingerprinting to expedite renewals. Renewals FOID card applicants would not be……
Energy working group negotiations to continue through weekend as new bill surfaces
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The latest draft of an energy regulatory overhaul bill that has been in negotiations for months was unveiled late Thursday ahead of lawmakers’ planned return to the Capitol to vote on it next week. While the bill as it stands provides $694 million in subsidies to nuclear……
Latino group sues to block new Illinois maps
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A second lawsuit has been filed in federal court in Illinois seeking to block the use of a redistricting plan that Democrats pushed through the General Assembly, this one by a group that represents Latin American communities. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF,……
Committee discusses state parks’ staffing issues, downstate tourism concerns
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As Illinois begins its official reopening and residents flock to state parks this summer, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources faces a severe staffing shortage, according to IDNR chief of staff Kristin DiCenso. “It’s very, very difficult to manage,” DiCenso said. “We get a lot of complaints……
Illinois to enter Phase 5, full reopening
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Starting Friday, Illinois will be in Phase 5 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, meaning businesses and organizations can resume normal activity, although some limited restrictions will remain in place. Under Phase 5 guidelines, capacity limits are being lifted for both indoor and outdoor activities while people who……
State task force considers redesigning, moving monument of MLK Jr.
By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Members of the state’s task force on statues and monuments discussed ways to relocate the statue of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and improve the statue’s image in the context of King’s legacy in Illinois. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White testified Wednesday during……
GOP leaders sue over new district maps
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican leaders in the Illinois House and Senate filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging the constitutionality of the new legislative district maps that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law June 4. Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods, and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western……
CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers will be back in session next week to consider a sweeping energy overhaul bill and possibly other legislation. The Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It……
CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill
By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers will be back in session next week to consider a sweeping energy overhaul bill and possibly other legislation. The Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It……