MARGARET H. BERNAL Margaret H. Bernal (nee Thomas), age 98, of West Lawn, passed away February 2. U. S. Army Air Corp WWII Veteran. Beloved wife of the late Felix “Phil” Bernal; loving mother of Phillip (Marlene Alvino) Bernal, Roy Bernal, Mary Ann (William) Bernal Potter and the late Daniel Bernal; cherished grandmother and beloved…
Read More
KARIME BALDERAS Karime Balderas, age 22, of Chicago, Garfield Ridge community, passed away unexpectedly January 22. She was the cherished daughter of Daisy Balderas and Ramiro Cazares; loving sister of Alexis Balderas and David Cazares; adored aunt of Jaelynn; much loved granddaughter of Miguel and the late Francisca Martinez and Hermenlida and Santiago Cazares; beloved…
Read More
GENARO ANDRADE Genaro Andrade, 71, passed away January 2. Arrangements and visitation were held at Szykowny Funeral Home, 4901 S. Archer Ave., Chicago. Funeral Mass was held at Immaculate Conception Church, Chicago. Final resting place St Mary’s Cemetery, Evergreen Park. To leave any tributes, please visit funeral home website at www.SzykownyFuneralHomeIL.com. MYRNA J. BELFIORE Myrna…
Read More
THOMAS A. BEEMSTERBOER Thomas A. Beemsterboer, age 71, passed away January 1. Beloved husband of Judith A. Beemsterboer (nee Kuklovsky); loving father of Timothy J. (Erwan LeMoing), Michael D. and Stephen M; devoted brother of Mary Adduci, the late Paul (Alice) Beemsterboer and the late Agnes (the late Thomas) Cooke. Uncle to many nieces and…
Read More
RICHARD B. BARAJAZ Richard B. Barajaz, age 75, of La Grange Park, passed away January 2. Army Veteran. Beloved husband of Lorelei Barajaz (nee Renn), for more than 53 years; loving father of Rick (Dina) Barajaz and Andrea (Brian) Gorski; grandfather of John, Brian, Zoe, and Alexandra; son of Gabino and the late Theresa Barajaz;…
Read More
RICHARD BENEDICT BLAKE Richard Benedict Blake, age 75, of North Riverside formerly of Brookfield, passed away December 20. Navy Veteran. Beloved son of the late Richard Francis Blake and Helen Rose Blake (nee Bombeck); loving brother of Terence (Christine) Blake; uncle of William (Emily) Blake, Jacqueline Blake and Rebecca Blake. Visitation was held January 5…
Read More
DOROTHY BUCHER Dorothy Bucher 101, of Palos Hills, passed away on December 27. She was the devoted daughter of the late Frank and Louise nee Koch Bucher; loving sister Loretta (the late Ernest) Gregory, and the late Lawrence (the late Lottie) Bucher and Louise Bucher; cherished aunt of six; great-aunt of four. Family and friends…
Read More
FREDERICK PRICE BOULAIS Frederick Price Boulais, 97, formerly of Orland Park, passed away December 7. He was the husband of the late Phyllis M. Boulais and Leokadya Connelly Boulais; father of Frederick J. “Rick” (Carole) Boulais, Gail (Ray) Ekberg, and the late Kevin (Virginia) Boulais; grandfather of Paige (Adam) Jedrzejak, Brooke Boulais, Alannah Eckberg, Neve Eckberg, Phillip (Shannon) Boulais, Barbara…
Read More
FRANK BRZECZEK Frank Brzeczek, 97, has passed away. He was the beloved husband of the late Cornelia nee Onderwater; loving father of Cornelia (the late Thomas J.) Dobbin, late Judith (Robert) Gale, Jacqueline (Kurt) Peterson, the late Frank Jr. (Mary), Thomas (Tina), Timothy (Rebecca), and Ronald (Janeen) Brzeczek; Grandfather of 19; Great Grandfather of 16;…
Read More
DOROTHY BALCITIS Dorothy Balcitis (nee Krug), age 94, passed away October 26. Adored wife of the late Raymond L. Balcitis (Ret. Captain CPD); loving devoted mother to Rae (Richard) Lapinski (both Ret. CPD), the late Charles (Ret. CPD) (Sandra Bond), Sharon (Ret. CPD) and the late Jeffrey (Patricia) (both Ret. CPD); cherished grandmother to Bryan…
Read More
Mother Mac unveils new lights and scoreboard
By Kelly White Across the nation, women’s sports are on the rise in terms of viewership, enthusiasm, sponsorship and excitement. Mother McAuley is no stranger to the impact that women’s athletics has on the development of an individual, strengthening of a team and key skills and attributes developed along the way. South Side community partners…
Cicadas in the park in Palos Park
By Kelly White Cicadas are coming and the Village of Palos Park is ready. The village hosted its 31st annual Arbor Day Celebration on Sunday, May 5, themed, “The Wonder of Trees” at The Center in the Lodge, 12700 Southwest Highway, with featured speaker, Tricia Bethke of The Morton Arboretum who presented, “Cicadas in the…
Palos Heights SD 128 sees enrollment boom
By Kelly White Over the past few years, Palos Heights School District 128 has experienced an explosive growth among incoming students. There has been a significant increase particularly at Indian Hill Early Learning Center, 12800 S. Austin Ave. Chippewa Elementary School, 12425 S. Austin Ave; Navajo Elementary School, 12401 S. Oak Park Ave; and Independence…
Comings & Goings: Orange’s Pancake House now open in Palos Heights
By Kelly White Palos Heights is the home of a popular new breakfast café. Orange’s Pancake House, 11845 Southwest Highway, held a ribbon-cutting event on April 18. Owners, Elvia Briones, of Virgina, and Fernando Cruz, of Evergreen Park, said they were very excited to be in the heart of the Palos Heights community. “I dreamed…
Sisters make Chicago Lawn a world destination
. Kathy Headley Your correspondent in Chicago Lawn and Marquette Manor 6610 S. Francisco • (773) 776-7778 . Earlier this month was the Fifth Lithuanian Documentary Film Festival, with distinguished guests from Lithuania and other parts of the United States visiting the neighborhood. They held a photo session in the editorial office of the oldest…
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone, everyone
. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Yet another Mother’s Day is upon us. I wish everyone a happy day. By everyone I do mean everyone. There are a lot of dads who do it alone, along with important mother figures. For…
Mother’s Day is truly a day to be celebrated
. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Mother’s Day happens on Sunday, May 12. If this isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Motherhood means new life, new beginnings, new possibilities. Even if you won’t be seeing your mom, you can still celebrate. Sadly,…
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Nazareth for ninth straight win
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Marist ran its winning streak to nine game with a 25-16, 25-17 victory over East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Nazareth on May 2. The win streak is the RedHawks’ second longest streak of the season after their season-opening 12-match run. Eight of the nine matches during the current streak went two…
Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was no third-place…
Illinois News
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…
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…