Local News
Emily Pruim, a scholar with a bright future
By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Spring is the season when, among other things, we celebrate the young people of Clearing and Garfield Ridge, their achievements and their future plans. It’s a wonderful and refreshing part of my duties to report this kind of good news. This week,…
Newman praised by Muslim group
U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-3rd) accepts a Courage Award from Oussama Jammal of the U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations at the group’s annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner. She was recently praised by local Muslim leaders for objecting to “the illegal demolition of homes and annexation of Palestinian land [by Israel]; supporting legislation defending the human rights…
Medicare, history programs coming to Clearing Library
From staff reports Two programs occurring at the Clearing Branch Library, 6423 W. 63rd Place, have been announced by branch manager Ron Bitunjac. Those with questions about Medicare are encouraged to visit the library at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14 or Saturday, May 28. Staff from MA3 Financial will offer what they call Medicare 101…
MWRD honors IUOE Local 150
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Mariyana Spyropoulos recently presented International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 President and Business Manager Jim Sweeney and Local 150 Business Agent Marty Durkan with a resolution hon- oring the IUOE on their 125th anniversary. “MWRD values the partnerships with our Labor Organizations. We are grateful for the dedication of…
It’s ‘Batter up!’ for Clear Ridge kids
With the pandemic fading, boys and girls from Clear Ridge Little League paraded down Narragansett last week as part of Opening Day festivities that culminated in games at Hale Park. Regular-season games are scheduled for the next two months, followed by playoffs. – Photos by Julie Marano/Clear Ridge Little League
Area Sports Roundup: Brother Rice learning from lull
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer No one thought Brother Rice’s juggernaut, nationally ranked baseball team was going to go undefeated, even though they looked unbeatable through the first 17 games this season. High school baseball in Illinois relies on deep pitching depth, and with the IHSA instituting pitch counts in recent years an attempt to…
Pro Soccer Report: Red Stars catch lightning in season-opening win over Louisville
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The Chicago Red Stars had not won a season-opener since 2015, and the prospects for beginning the 2022 campaign with a ‘W’ were not at their most promising. The Stars had never beaten their Game 1 opponent, Racing Louisville, a franchise that was an expansion team in 2021. Tierna Davidson,…
College Report: Moraine Valley celebrates 45 years of athletics in Finn fashion
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Moraine Valley Community College celebrated its 45th year of offering athletics on April 30. Bill Finn has seen nearly all of them. Finn, the Cyclones’ athletic director, has spent 41 years at the college as a coach and administrator. The school opened up the Health, Fitness and Recreation Center for…
Lions Club offers eyeglass vouchers
Will be at Archer Heights Library By Tim Hadac People of limited means who need eyeglasses but have trouble affording them are encouraged to be at the Archer Heights Branch Library, 5055 S. Archer, from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 4–where a Lions Club International volunteer will be handing out vouchers worth $200 for…
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Illinois News
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…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
Immigrant advocates tout new report showing benefits of state-funded health plans
By PETER HANCOCK and JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Immigrant rights advocates on Friday continued to push for one of their top budget priorities: full funding for state-run health care programs that benefit noncitizens, regardless of their immigration status. Those programs offer health coverage for low-income individuals who would otherwise qualify for…