The air was crisp and somber Sunday morning as hundreds of runners and walkers gathered in Palos Heights. They came together to honor the memory of Illinois State Trooper Clay Carns, a 35-year-old husband and father of two who was tragically struck and killed by a vehicle on Dec. 23 while clearing accident debris near […]
Category: Regional New News
Posted inRegional Business
Comings & Goings: Quality Plus merges with Oak Lawn location
Quality Plus Photo Design Center closed its longtime home in Palos Heights last week. New owner Zibi Podraza, who purchased the business when founders Mike and Judi Weber retired over the summer, decided to merge the business with his photography shop in Oak Lawn. Podraza said he decided to merge the Palos Heights location with […]
Posted inRegional New News
2024 was a year of highs and lows
Last year saw more than its share of highs and lows. The year had barely started when tragedy struck when a man was killed in an apartment fire in Hickory Hills on Jan. 2. A second man was badly injured and several families were displaced by the fire in a three-story apartment building near the […]
Posted inRegional Top News
State minimum wage to hit $15 per hour in new year
While we may not want fries with that, we do know the person asking the question at local fast food restaurants will be earning more money in 2025. The minimum wage in Illinois will increase from $14 to $15 per hour on Jan. 1. Also, employees who receive tips are seeing their minimum wage increase […]
Posted inRegional Top News
Kismet owner honors tradition but is open to new ideas
In his first year as the owner of Kismet in Orland Park, Daniel Canter said he prides himself on a fresh-never-frozen goal when running his restaurant – and the Shepard High School graduate has kept that consistent. The 47-year-old restaurant’s bratwurst, Italian sausage and beef now come fresh from Chicago Ridge butcher Jack & Pat’s […]
Posted inTop News
Reporter Kelly White: What I’ve learned in 2024 …
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a reporter for Southwest Regional Publishing, it’s that every place—whether it’s a school cafeteria, a riverbank in Des Plaines, or a nursing home dance floor—has a story worth telling. This year, my assignments have taken me to corners of communities where kindness, resilience, and history shine brightest. In […]
Posted inBusiness
Grooving into retirement: Teacher spins new life with record shop
Independent record shop Long Live Vinyl brings music lovers together with retro vibes and timeless grooves. In the 1960s, the record player wasn’t just a device—it was a lifestyle accessory as essential as shag carpeting and avocado-colored appliances. Nestled in the corner of countless living rooms, these spinning musical oracles brought rock, soul, and psychedelic […]
Posted inSchools
Trinity Christian College marks 65th anniversary with events and $125,000 scholarship fundraiser
Trinity Christian College recently celebrated its 65th anniversary, reflecting on decades of faith, education, and community impact. The milestone was marked by a series of events on campus, culminating in the inauguration of the college’s ninth president, Rev. Dr. Aaron J. Kuecker. Founded in 1959 with a mission to provide Christ-centered higher education, Trinity, located […]
Posted inPalos Park
Palos Park tree lighting brings community together for holiday cheer
Beneath the glittering lights of Palos Park, a cherished tradition brought warmth and wonder to the community. Families gathered under a canopy of twinkling stars and vibrant holiday lights to witness the annual tree lighting ceremony, a moment that ignited the spirit of Christmas. The towering evergreen lit up with countless shimmering bulbs, and the […]
Posted inChicago - Garfield Ridge
Orland Park retirement home’s 87-year-old dancing queen becomes viral sensation
Shirley Hair, 87, leapt from her wheelchair to dance with a Michael Jackson tribute artist at a Halloween party, becoming a viral sensation.
