Local News

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Antoinette Briley

Woman sentenced in 2003 murders of newborn twins

From staff reports A 44-year-old woman, charged in the 2003 deaths of her newborn twins following an extensive cold case investigation by Cook County Sheriff’s Police, has been convicted of murder. On May 8, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced that Antoinette Briley pled guilty to murder at the Bridgeview Courthouse and was sentenced……

New I-PASS sticker tag. (Photo from Illinois Tollway website)

Tollway to hand out free transponder stickers in Justice

By Carol McGowan Earlier this year, the Illinois Tollway began phasing out the plastic I-Pass transponder and introduced a sticker tag that goes on your vehicle’s windshield. If you’re still using a transponder, or want to get a new sticker, the Village of Justice is the place to be on Saturday, June 8. Rather than……

Palos Heights wants to chop down this tree, remove the greenspace and pave it over. (Photo by Nuha Abdessalam)

Navajo Hills residents want to save threatened cul-de-sacs

By Nuha Abdessalam Navajo Hills greenspace islands could be getting the ax and residents are upset. Residents of the East and West Courts of Navajo Hills, aware of the historical significance of the greenspace, spoke up during the Palos Heights City Council meeting May 21. There are five cul-de-sacs in the Navajo Hills subdivision and……

regional ph summer concerts 2024

Summer concerts coming to Palos Heights

By Nuha Abdessalam At the May 21 City Council meeting, Ald. Jeff Key shared exciting news about some of the summer activities coming to Palos Heights in the coming months. Key said the Concerts in the Park, a series of family-friendly events featuring live music, food vendors, and fun activities for all ages, will kick……

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau speaks during the May 16 State of the Village Address. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Nerds and bullies among topics of Orland’s State of the Village

By Jeff Vorva The 2024 Orland Park State of the Village Address was held at the Orland Park Civic Center, but it could have been held on a playground with talk of nerds and bullies and cool kids. Mayor Keith Pekau spent the first half hour “ripping off the Band Aid” of some recent controversial……

Marist won the Marist Sectional and will play Payton on Friday, May 31 in the state quarterfinals. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Jones, advances to state quarterfinals

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent For the first time since 2019, Marist will play in the IHSA state finals. The RedHawks (36-2) beat Jones, 25-13, 25-13, for their 17th straight victory and a Marist Sectional championship on May 28 in Mount Greenwood. They will face Payton in the state quarterfinals at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 31……

Sandburg pitcher Ethan Highfill gets Marist's Aiden Cech to swing and miss on a pitch during a 7-3 Eagles' victory on May 23. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Baseball | Sandburg tops Marist to open playoffs, but falls to LW West in regional final

By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent For the second consecutive year, Sandburg’s season came to an end at the hands of Lincoln-Way West. The Eagles (21-12) fell to the Warriors, 6-1, in the Class 4A Sandburg Regional championship game on May 25. They had advanced to a second playoff game with a 7-3 comeback victory over Marist……

The Chicago Red Stars' Penelope Hocking had her streak of three games with a goal stopped in a 1-0 loss to Louisville on May 25 in Bridgeview. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Emma Sears scores match’s lone goal as Louisville blanks Red Stars

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are miles ahead of where they were last year. The team secured its 16th point on May 12. In 2023, it had to wait until July 7 to hit its 16th point during a season in which it finished in last place in the NWSL. Despite that,……

all sports 2

Sports Bits | St. Michael seventh-grader sets Illinois state record in 110-meter hurdles

By Jeff Vorva Correspondent • St. Michael School seventh-grader Tommy Walter set a grade-school state record en route to winning the Illinois Elementary School Association Class 2A 110-meter hurdles at the grade-school state meet held May 10-11 in East Peoria. Tommy set the Class 2A record in the event with a time of 16.31. •……

Water Polo Stock

Water Polo | Lions, Eagles, Macs, Crusaders and Mustangs earn All-State honors

All-State water polo Lyons girls water polo standout Maya Mladjan was named to the Illinois Water Polo organization’s All-State first team. The Lions’ Delaney Judkins and Isabella Recker, and Mother McAuley’s Becca Engquist earned second-team honors. Sandburg’s Claire Donnell made the third team and the Mighty Macs’ Andi Moriarity made the fourth team. In the……

Illinois News

Latino group sues to block new Illinois maps

Latino group sues to block new Illinois maps

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A second lawsuit has been filed in federal court in Illinois seeking to block the use of a redistricting plan that Democrats pushed through the General Assembly, this one by a group that represents Latin American communities. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF,……

Committee discusses state parks’ staffing issues, downstate tourism concerns

Committee discusses state parks’ staffing issues, downstate tourism concerns

By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As Illinois begins its official reopening and residents flock to state parks this summer, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources faces a severe staffing shortage, according to IDNR chief of staff Kristin DiCenso. “It’s very, very difficult to manage,” DiCenso said. “We get a lot of complaints……

Illinois to enter Phase 5, full reopening

Illinois to enter Phase 5, full reopening

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Starting Friday, Illinois will be in Phase 5 of the COVID-19 reopening plan, meaning businesses and organizations can resume normal activity, although some limited restrictions will remain in place. Under Phase 5 guidelines, capacity limits are being lifted for both indoor and outdoor activities while people who……

State task force considers redesigning, moving monument of MLK Jr.

State task force considers redesigning, moving monument of MLK Jr.

By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — Members of the state’s task force on statues and monuments discussed ways to relocate the statue of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and improve the statue’s image in the context of King’s legacy in Illinois. Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White testified Wednesday during……

GOP leaders sue over new district maps

GOP leaders sue over new district maps

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Republican leaders in the Illinois House and Senate filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging the constitutionality of the new legislative district maps that Gov. JB Pritzker signed into law June 4. Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie, of Hawthorn Woods, and House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, of Western……

CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill

CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill

By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers will be back in session next week to consider a sweeping energy overhaul bill and possibly other legislation. The Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It……

CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill

CAPITOL RECAP: Lawmakers will return to Springfield next week to hear energy bill

By Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Lawmakers will be back in session next week to consider a sweeping energy overhaul bill and possibly other legislation. The Senate is planning to come in Tuesday, June 15, and the House is planning to meet Wednesday, June 16. An announcement from Senate President Don Harmon’s office said, “It……

Former GOP rep. seeking back pay for himself, all other lawmakers in class action suit

Former GOP rep. seeking back pay for himself, all other lawmakers in class action suit

By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — A former state lawmaker is suing the state comptroller for salary increases he claims he was entitled to while serving in the Illinois General Assembly for 12 years, even though he voted against those raises as a lawmaker. Former Rep. Mike Fortner joins two other former state……

Inmate voting rights bill still on the table

Inmate voting rights bill still on the table

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers could take up a bill later this month that would restore voting rights to convicted offenders serving time in county jails or state or federal prisons, according to the bill’s House sponsor. Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, said the bill almost came up for a……

State Supreme Court pauses transition to new appellate districts

State Supreme Court pauses transition to new appellate districts

By SARAH MANSUR Capitol News Illinoissmansur@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois Supreme Court will delay its transition to implement new appellate court boundaries that were created by a recently approved judicial district map until further notice. “Appeals and other matters shall continue to be filed in the judicial districts as they existed on June 3, 2021,……