Local News
Chicago Hounds host Dawg Town Block Party, MLR Championship on Saturday
By Bob Bong The Chicago Hounds rugby team organization will host a day of festivities featuring a “Dawg Town Block Party” on Saturday, July 8, at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. DJ Diesel, who is also known as former basketball star Shaquille O’Neal, and American Celtic band Dropkick Murphys are set to perform at the 2023 MLR Championship…
The Feed Store mural is a tribute to 75 years in Summit
By Carol McGowan If you drive south on Harlem Avenue from Interstate 55 in Summit, you’ll likely notice something new at The Feed Store, 5408 S. Harlem Avenue. The business is celebrating its 75th anniversary, and, as a tribute to their many years in business, there’s a mural on the north wall that harkens back…
Gannon motors past Ford for Liberty run victory; Stanko, 17, is women’s winner again
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer And the race was on … During the final stretch of the Orland Park Veterans Liberty Run, two competitors were side by side. But Patrick Gannon passed and beat Owen Ford to win the overall title of the 2-mile race, held July 3 in Centennial Park in Orland Park. Krysta…
College Notebook | Abby Mallo mashes way into Billikens record book
By Mike Walsh Correspondent The transition from high school softball to college went quite smoothly for Abby Mallo this season. The starting third baseman as a freshman for Saint Louis University, Mallo was named to the 2023 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team, claiming a place on the NFCA’s Third Team. Mallo is…
Area Sports Roundup | Rice grad McGinnis returns to Crusaders; Max Strus cashes in
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Brandon McGinnis’ first season as a high school boys volleyball head coach ended at his alma mater, Brother Rice. St. Rita, which McGinnis coached at the time, dropped a 25-16, 25-8 sectional semifinal match to the Crusaders on May 27. His second season will find him back at Rice, where…
Pro Sports Report | Red Stars open July with win over Wave
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer July figures to be a better month for the Chicago Red Stars than June, right? In June, the Red Stars were 1-4-0 and outscored 15-5 in NWSL and Challenge Cup play. They finished the month last in both the league and Challenge Cup Group C standings. After a road loss…
Lyons Fest offers five nights of music over holiday weekend
By Steve Metsch Lyons Fest proved so popular last year, the village has decided to add a day and night. This year’s Lyons Fest will be spread over five days and nights at Veterans Park, 4100 S. Lawndale Ave., just south of Ogden Avenue. The event kicks off on Friday, June 30, and runs through…
Area Sports Roundup | Brother Rice’s Van Assen, Chicago Christian’s Sedakis lauded after huge seasons
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The high school baseball and softball seasons closed up shop earlier in the month, but there are a few leftovers that have jumped out. Brother Rice senior pitcher Cole Van Assen was named to the Collegiate Baseball/Diamond Sports High School All-American team. Van Assen was 10-4 with a 1.79 ERA…
Neighbors
Comings & Goings
Illinois News
House GOP advances 2 human trafficking victim protection bills as others remain in limbo
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com After Illinois received another failing grade from a national advocacy group, state House Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at further protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators of human trafficking. Shared Hope International, an advocacy organization that works to prevent sex trafficking, said in its 2023 Illinois report card that…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…