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Joliet Catholic forced overtime on the final play of regulation its Sept. 20 game against Marist, then won it in double overtime. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Joliet Catholic forces tie on final play of regulation, beats Marist in 2 OT

There were a lot of bowed heads in Marist’s post-game huddle after its Week 4 loss to Joliet Catholic. A few of them were shaking, trying to comprehend a stunning reversal of fortune. A few of them, unbowed, were looking skyward — perhaps for the answer to how the RedHawks could surrender a 10-point fourth-quarter…

Sandburg running back Luke Basiorka readies himself for contact while running the ball during a game against Lincoln-Way West on Sept. 20. Photo by Jason Maholy

Sandburg scores early, ‘D’ hangs tough to top Lincoln-Way West for third straight victory

Sandburg junior running back Luke Basiorka took the handoff off the right side and saw a lot of green in front of him. He burst through the hole and past a confused defensive back, and 89 yards later he was in the end zone celebrating with his teammates as the Eagles stretched their lead over…

Nazareth running back Edward McClain Jr. fights through a tackle for a first down during the Roadrunners’ 33-0 win over IC Catholic on Sept. 20. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Nazareth bounces back from first loss of season with shutout of IC Catholic

Nazareth has gotten off to slow starts each of the past two seasons, but in both years went on to win IHSA Class 5A state championships. Roadrunners coach Tim Racki challenged his Roadrunners to start the year strong by winning games earlier in the year. “Making history for being one of the worst teams in…

Trustee Cynthia Nelson Katsenes, shown at a past Orland Park board meeting, questioned "attacks on the TIF" during a public hearing. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Public mum in three Orland Park public TIF hearings

There were no tiffs over TIFs. The Village of Orland Park Board of Trustees hosted three public hearings for the downtown Main Street Triangle project without a peep from the public. The Sept. 3 hearings dealt with an amended Tax Increment Financing, a proposed TIF and the plans for the proposed business district. All three…

Orland Park Trustee William Healy apologized for comments he made about unions during a village board meeting. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Orland Park Trustee Healy apologizes after ripping unions

Less than 24 hours after criticizing unions, Orland Park Trustee William Healy issued a public apology. During the Sept. 4 village board meeting, Healy used his time during the board comments section to talk about Labor Day and veered off into controversial territory. “I hope everyone had a nice Labor Day — I always considered…

Mason Santiago

College Football | Saint Xavier triumphs after traumatic week

The Saint Xavier football team capped off a horrific week with a huge victory. Mason Santiago, a Cougars sophomore linebacker, was one of two men who died Sept. 15 in an early-morning crash on Interstate 80 in Tinley Park. Dealing with the grief of the loss of Santiago, a New Lenox resident and Providence graduate,…

St Laurence players celebrate winning the Spartan Classic on Sept. 21 in Oak Lawn. Photo by Jeff Vorva

St. Laurence makes history with title at Spartan Classic

Maeve McNamara was so excited. She couldn’t wait to shout it out to the world. “We made history!” she yelled. The St. Laurence senior opposite hitters and her teammates were pumped up after winning the Spartan Classic on Sept. 21 by beating Lincoln-Way West 25-23, 25-14 in Oak Lawn. The Vikings have won regional and…

Stagg's Sarah Younis returns an interception against Sandburg on Sept. 19 in Palos Hills. Photo by Jeff Vorva

A whole new ballgame | Area well-represented in inaugural girls flag football season

The inaugural Illinois High School Association girls flag football season is in full swing and is providing a new avenue for female athletes across the state. With flag football becoming an Olympic sport in 2028, there is speculation its popularity will soar over the next several years. Girls flag football has drawn enough interest from…

Richards running back Myles MItchell breaks into the open field during the Bulldogs 68-12 win over Oak Lawn on Sept. 20. Photo by Vince Olejniczak

Richards runs for 478 yards in win over rival Oak Lawn

Both the present and the future of Richards’ offensive backfield were on full display in Week 4 as neighborhood rival Oak Lawn came across town. The Bulldogs ran for 478 yards and five touchdowns in a 68-12 victory over the Spartans in a South Suburban Red matchup Sept. 20 at Gary Korhonen Field.  Senior Myles…

Logo-St Laurence

Collin Bagley’s boot lifts St. Laurence over Carmel

St. Laurence senior kicker Collin Bagley doesn’t lack confidence, according to Vikings coach Adam Nissen.  Nor should he, if he continues performing as he did in St. Laurence’s 17-14 win over Carmel in Week 4. Bagley drilled a game-winning 29-yard field goal for the Vikings (4-0, 1-0) with 31 seconds to play in the CCL/ESCC…

Illinois News

Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan

Jury deadlocks, mistrial declared in case of ex-AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A federal judge on Thursday declared a mistrial after a jury deadlocked in their deliberations over whether former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza bribed longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan via a no-work contract for the speaker’s political ally. After nearly 15 hours of deliberation…

High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search

High court: Smell of burnt cannabis is not cause for warrantless vehicle search

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Law enforcement officers in Illinois cannot rely on the smell of burnt cannabis alone to justify searching a vehicle without a warrant, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. The decision was unanimous, though Justice Lisa Holder White did not take part in it. Writing for the court,…

State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban

State wraps up case in challenge to assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A federal judge invoked images from the 1917 race riots in East St. Louis, Illinois, on Thursday at the end of a trial in a case challenging the constitutionality of the state’s ban on assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines. Judge Steven McGlynn, who has…

Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’

Gun expert says assault weapons ban ‘describes the most popular firearms I’m involved with’

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – A firearms expert testified Wednesday that the weapons restricted under Illinois’ assault weapons ban include many of the most common firearms that American consumers use for self-defense. Steven Randall Watt, a combat veteran and retired law enforcement officer who now owns a private firearms…

Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury

Case of former AT&T boss accused of bribing Madigan heads to jury

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – On Valentine’s Day in 2017, then-AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza got some good news: After years of trying to push for legislation in Springfield that would save the company hundreds of millions of dollars annually, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan had agreed to a…

State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction

State Supreme Court hears arguments in Jussie Smollett’s effort to overturn conviction

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in actor Jussie Smollett’s appeal to overturn his conviction on disorderly conduct charges for falsifying a hate crime. Smollett, who was an actor on the TV show “Empire,” was improperly charged with the same crime twice, his legal team…

Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban

Testimony continues in 2nd Amendment challenge to Illinois’ assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – An engineer who spent decades designing weapons for one of the world’s leading gun manufacturers testified Tuesday that the assault-style weapons now banned in Illinois are intended only for civilian use and cannot be easily converted into military-grade firearms. James Ronkainen, a former engineer…

Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties

Contractor’s unsecured databases exposed sensitive voter data in over a dozen Illinois counties

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Around 4.6 million records associated with Illinoisans in over a dozen counties – including voting records, registrations and death certificates – were temporarily available on the open internet, according to a security researcher who identified the vulnerability in July. The documents were available through an unsecured cloud storage…

Prosecutors rest case against former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan

Prosecutors rest case against former AT&T Illinois boss accused of bribing Madigan

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – After years of pushing in Springfield, AT&T Illinois’ executive team was thrilled when the Illinois General Assembly in 2017 passed legislation that would get the company out from under expensive obligations to maintain its aging copper landline wires in Illinois. “Game over. We win,” AT&T Illinois…

Trial begins in challenge to assault weapons ban

Trial begins in challenge to assault weapons ban

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com EAST ST. LOUIS – The owner of a gun store testified Monday that Illinois’ ban on the sale of assault-style weapons and large capacity magazines has had a significant impact on his business and prevented his customers from buying items they would normally use for self-defense, hunting, target…