Local News
City is anti-business, grocer’s son says
Columnist John Kass addresses UBAM members By Steve Metsch John Kass, whose father and relatives built a grocery business with hard work, knows about the pressures facing business owners in Chicago. The city is not doing enough to help small businesses, the former Chicago Tribune reporter and columnist recently told a gathering of Southwest Side…
Chill forced cancellation at park
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 Well unfortunately, the beautiful weather and thawing of the ice on the lagoon at Marquette Park did not extend into last weekend. Saturday was the day the first Go Run Marquette Park was scheduled. With the wind chill…
Wearing the green year round
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 Greetings to all! I hope everyone had a nice St. Patrick’s Day. I always wear green on St. Patrick’s Day. One year I forgot to wear green; but since my eyes are green, I technically am always wearing green. Wishing you a pot…
Charge 2 in ‘Christmas lights’ slaying
Claim men went on 4-hour crime spree By Tim Hadac Two men have been charged in the December beating death of a 49-year-old man hanging Christmas lights outside his Gage Park home. Moises Barrios, 23, of the 3100 block of South 54th Avenue, Cicero; and Pedro Mendiola, 21, of the 5000 block of West Byron Street, allegedly…
Police Reports
Shot in the head on her 12th birthday A girl was shot in the head and killed on her 12th birthday, as she sat in a vehicle in the 2300 block of West 72nd Street at 7:48 p.m. Tuesday, March 1. Nyzireya Moore was on her way home from a birthday party, according to published…
Greetings from your new columnist
By Laura Ortega Your correspondent in Greater Ashburn 4214 W. 82nd Place • (773) 627-6679 I’m excited to become the new correspondent for Greater Ashburn (covering the Wrightwood, Ashburn, Parkview and Scottsdale neighborhoods). Please allow me to introduce myself to you. I work full-time as a finance professional, specializing in state and local tax for…
Seven reasons this spring sports season could be special
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Things are a little quiet right now, but it’s the calm before the storm. Get ready for a monster sports spring in the area. The IHSA offers 13 spring sports and activities, including bass fishing. Area colleges will be busy, especially with baseball and softball. The Chicago Red Stars, who…
Area Sports Roundup: Top pick Ava Cook scores Red Stars’ lone goal in winless trip to Portland
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Mixing a blend of veterans and newcomers, the Chicago Red Stars lost two games and tied one while scoring just one goal during a three-game preseason series in Portland. New coach Chris Petrucelli watched his team open with a 0-0 deadlock with the U23 U.S. Women’s National Team on March…
College Report: Rice grad Rothstein enjoying coaching at Fontbonne
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer After hitting the floor time after time after time as a libero at Brother Rice and Fontbonne University, Zach Rothstein’s body is glad he is now a graduate assistant with the latter. The Evergreen Park native admits there is a time or two where he wouldn’t mind diving to make…
Geese enjoy thaw at Marquette Park
By Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 What a nice surprise the weather was last Saturday, wasn’t it? It was a perfect day to take a walk around the lagoon at Marquette Park. No ducks in sight yet, but several geese were content to brave…
On the hunt for cookbooks
By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 284-7394 It is finally here – Daylight Savings Time, starting this Sunday morning. We then have National Pi Day, and we will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this week. And just to mention a pint of Guinness has…
Walk, don’t run, to join this fun club
By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 At this time of year the weather is always up and down. It can be 60 degrees one day and snow the next. It’s always been that way. Winter doesn’t want to let go just yet, and spring is knocking at the door.…
Moraine Valley looking for local residents to host international students
Learn about another culture while welcoming an international student into your home. Moraine Valley Community College’s International Student Affairs Department has immediate needs for local residents to help integrate students into the U.S. and provide a safe place for them to stay through its Host Home Program. Hundreds of international students from countries such as…
RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation offers $10,000 scholarship
From staff reports The RoseMarie Lipinski Foundation is offering a $10,000 scholarship to a woman who is seeking to return to or start college, Foundation President William O. Lipinski announced this week. Lipinski said the scholarship, named after his late wife, is intended to help a mother with two children who are in elementary school…
New English literacy tutors ready to serve
Three new volunteer English Literacy tutors (Will Stith, Ann Wentz and Daniil Diadkov, posing with a cardboard cutout of Sister Joan Mary, O.P.) were recently added to the roster at the Aquinas Literacy Center, 1751 W. 35th St. They are expected to help address the need for English as a Second Language educators. Those interested…
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Illinois News
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…
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…