Local News
Notice of Timely and Meaningful Consultation, Central Stickney School District 110 Private schools and parents representatives of private school students in Central Stickney School District 110 with disabilities are invited to attend a May 30, 2023 meeting at 9:00 a.m. at Charles J. Sahs School in the conference room. Please contact the superintendent, Julie Egan,…
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Comings & Goings
Rush anti-lynching bill passes House
Inspired by Emmett Till’s 1955 murder From staff reports A bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st) that would — for the first time in history — designate lynching as a federal hate crime passed the House of Representatives earlier this week by a 422-3 vote. The bill (H.R. 55) is called the…
Head in the stars, feet on the ground
‘Astro Joe’ brings astronomy to the people By Kelly White When Joseph Guzman was a child, he used to swipe his father’s binoculars and lie out in the backyard, exploring the urban skies with great fascination. The young boy did not know what he was observing, but he felt a strong attraction to the…
Don’t get sidelined by sports scams, BBB warns
By Better Business Bureau staff When shopping for a team jersey or other sports memorabilia, watch out for fakes. Scammers know that authentic game-used and/or autographed items can fetch big bucks – especially for items commemorating big games. When shopping online, it can be hard to trust that a seller or product is genuine. Follow…
St. Bede girls are volleyball champions
Members of the St. Bede School’s varsity girls volleyball team pose for a photo after their triumph last month as champions of the Scottsdale Park volleyball league. In a nine-team league, the Blue and White went 7-1 and prevailed in the championship match over St. Richard, 23-8 16-14. In recent years, St. Bede has been…
St. Rita tops Homewood-Flossmoor, vying for first sectional title
By Steve Millar Correspondent St. Rita’s Morez Johnson knows how deflating it is for an opponent when it plays strong defense and forces the Mustangs into a missed shot, only for Johnson to grab the rebound and score. “Those second-chance points hurt the other team a lot,” Johnson said after St. Rita defeated Homewood-Flossmoor in…
Snow brought out the best neighbors
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 I am not sure if we are officially done with the snow yet, or if it is just wishful thinking; but in either case I’d like to give a shout out and many thanks to my neighbors for…
Library has an offer you can’t refuse
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Here’s some good news for movie lovers. Monday night movies are back at West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd St. On March 14, The Godfather will be shown at 4:45 p.m. Call ahead at (312) 747-7381 to reserve your spot. It’s not…
Easter egg hunt coming to Archer Park
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 I would love to write something witty and cheerful, but I just can’t do it right now. Watching the news, the situation of the world, our nation, etc. is a heavy load for all of us. There…
Newman notes fund infusion for Metra
From staff reports U.S. Rep. Marie Newman (D-3rd) recently announced that she has helped secure a $513.6 million award of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad Corporation (Metra). The new funds are intended to help transit agencies around the country maintain service and keep workers on the payroll as…
International soccer tournament coming to Bridgeview
By Steve Metsch Thirty-two soccer teams from North, Central and South America will be at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview this summer, vying for their share of a $100,000 prize. Copa Mariachi Chicago will be played at the stadium June 4 and 5. The winning team will get $80,000, and the second-place team pockets $20,000, Copa…
Illinois News
Thousands of youths at risk of losing access to after-school programs
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Advocates for community-based after-school programs say as many as 40,000 youths statewide could lose access to tutoring services, recreation and other extracurricular activities this summer unless Illinois lawmakers approve an infusion of funds to keep them going. “The time is now for legislators to act to…
Lawsuit alleges sexual abuse was rampant in state-run juvenile detention centers
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Rampant sexual abuse occurred unchecked for decades at Illinois’ juvenile detention centers, a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 95 former detainees alleges, citing hundreds of incidents over more than two decades. The plaintiffs were boys between 12 and 17 years old when the alleged abuse occurred and…
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…