Local News
Crusaders raise funds on Archer
Still basking in the afterglow of their season-opening 27-14 triumph over Roosevelt, members of the Kennedy High School football team stand at Archer and Normandy and encourage motorists to eat at McDonald’s last week. The restaurant donated a portion of sales over a three-hour period to the team. Between sales revenue and tips from supporters,…
Pigskin Wrap: St. Rita trips up Rice
Mt. Carmel, Argo, Evergreen Park and Lyons improve to 2-0 By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Longtime rivals St. Rita and Brother Rice had not played each other since the Chicago Catholic League merged with the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Brother Rice is in the league’s Blue Division while St. Rita is in the Green, and…
‘Jobs, jobs, jobs’ in gear-making
Daley College cuts ribbon on machining center By Steve Metsch Glancing around the new American Gear Manufacturers Association National Center in partnership with Daley College, Michael McKernin said “if I could hire six guys right now, I’d hire them.” Such is the need for well-trained people in the machining and manufacturing industry, he said. That…
A good woman in ‘the storm of her life’
By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com If you attended Kennedy High School in the early 1980s (especially if you were class of ’85), you may recall Christina Sarelli as a classmate from the Crusaders volleyball team or from the Drama Club. Her sister, Angelina (Sarelli) Malone, describes Chis…
Little student, big welcome
St. Symphorosa School must seem huge to a 4-year-old on her first day of school last week, but the warm welcome she and others received from preschool teacher Pauline Baisa and others made the day less daunting. The school at 6135 S. Austin is accepting last-minute registrations for the 2022-23 academic year and offers tuition…
St. Faustina sets new RCIA session
From staff reports St. Faustina Kowalska Parish will begin its fall RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) sessions on Sunday, Sept. 25 at the church, 5252 S. Austin. RCIA is the Catholic Church’s way of initiating new members. It is a learning and loving process in which conversion of heart brings one to Jesus Christ,…
A family of readers
Members of the Pindozzo family are all smiles after the successful conclusion of the seven-week Summer Learning Challenge at the Garfield Ridge Branch Library. The City of Stories initiative challenged both adults and children to read and participate in storytelling activities. Some 325 children participated from the Garfield Ridge Branch. Citywide, thousands participated. – Supplied…
Pro Soccer Report: NWSL approves free agency, says players can negotiate with other teams during season
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Things are getting serious in the NWSL. Free agency is now a thing and, in its first day, controversy abounded. And it affects the Chicago Red Stars. On Friday, the NWSL released a list of 26 players who are eligible for free agency. That included Red Stars veterans Yuki Nagasato…
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Illinois News
As Medicaid redeterminations restart, about 73% of state’s recipients remain enrolled
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com About 73 percent of Illinois’ Medicaid recipients remain on the rolls after the first redetermination cycle following the COVID-19 pandemic, while approximately 660,000 recipients have been disenrolled. Speaking at a news conference in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker celebrated the fact that 2.6 million Illinoisans remained on the rolls…
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…
For Many Illinoisans in Flood-Prone Areas, Buyouts Are the Only Way Out
By Laura Stewart, Illinois Answers Project April 23, 2024 DIETERICH, Ill. – Every day, Berdeena Leturno checks her email for an update on when the state of Illinois will finally pay her $80,000. It’s been over two months since she signed the paperwork to sell her flood-damaged home as part of a buyout program, and…
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…
Stateville may close as early as September under Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Stateville Correctional Center could close as early as September under a plan laid out by Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on Friday. Top officials with the Illinois Department of Corrections testified in front of a key panel of state lawmakers. The 12 members on the General Assembly’s…
Labor-backed bill banning ‘captive audience’ meetings awaits House action
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With two weeks left before the General Assembly’s spring session is set to adjourn, negotiations continue on a labor union-backed initiative that would allow Illinoisans to skip religious and political work meetings without reprimand. Dubbed the “Worker Freedom of Speech Act,” Senate Bill 3649 advanced out…
House gives OK to new state agency focused on early childhood programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House gave final passage Thursday to a bill establishing a new cabinet-level state agency whose mission will be to provide a kind of one-stop shop for services focusing on early childhood development and education. By the time it’s fully operational in 2026, the new…
ANALYSIS: ‘Significant enough’ opposition to Pritzker’s revenue plan leads to call for cuts
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com When Gov. JB Pritzker proposed his budget for the upcoming fiscal year in February, he sought authority from lawmakers to raise more than $1 billion in revenue through various changes to the state tax code. Among other things, he sought to raise $526 million through extending an expiring…
State officials offer last goodbye to former Thompson Center as renovations begin
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO — State officials kicked off the private renovation of the building which once served as the state government’s Chicago headquarters. The James R. Thompson Center, as it was known under state ownership, was sold in 2022 to a development firm that is renovating the building for its…
Public officials seek greater oversight of prescription drug middlemen
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com As state lawmakers hold hearings targeting the role of pharmacy benefit managers – an influential arm in how the health insurance industry prices prescription drugs – multiple state agencies are considering how to better regulate the industry. Often referred to as pharmaceutical “middlemen,” PBMs act as third-party intermediaries…