Local News
Two of the best in Illinois
Cristin Moreno, a senior at Hancock College Prep, and Nadia Cabral, a junior at Kennedy High School, proved themselves to be two of the best cross-country runners in the state. Both girls qualified for the IHSA Class 2A Cross-Country Championship, held earlier this month at Detweiller Park in Peoria. In the 5K race, Moreno ran…
SD 218 paves way for future at College and Career Fair
By Kelly White Community High School District 218 is preparing young minds for bright futures. The district hosted a college a College and Career Fair on October 25 at the District Administration Center, 10701 S. Kilpatrick in Oak Lawn. “Attending the college fair is an eye-opening experience where you can uncover your true potential, connect…
Worth officials are ringing in the holidays
By Joe Boyle With the arrival of Thanksgiving, Worth officials are preparing for the rest of the holiday season. Mayor Mary Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that the Worth Lions Club will open the Christmas tree lot on Friday, Nov. 24, at 116th and Harlem Avenue The tree lot will…
Worth Township toy drive underway
Worth Township Youth Commission is now accepting donations of new toys and new clothing for the Township’s Christmas Care Program. The program provides families who are struggling financially with a little extra help filling stockings for their children up to age 14. Toys and other gifts can be dropped off during regular business hours, Monday…
St. Joe’s closing for good
. Once was the largest Catholic parish in the area . By Tim Hadac More than a century of service to Roman Catholics in the westernmost section of Garfield Ridge, as well as suburban Summit, comes to an end this month as the lights go out for good at St. Joseph Church, 7240 W. 57th…
Orland Park uses home-rule to avoid state law on paid leave
By Jeff Vorva The Village of Orland Park has decided not to follow a state mandate requiring paid leave for most workers in Illinois. The village board on Nov. 20 approved a lengthy ordinance that basically says it will opt out of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act that takes effect on January 1.…
Santa Claus is coming on a fire truck
. By Alexis Bocanegra Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (773) 949-1509 • grcl.alex23@gmail.com . In less than two weeks the Christmas countdown begins. So what does that mean? Santa Claus is coming to town! For many of us, the preparation and anticipation start the day after Halloween. When the weather starts to get…
Shots fired at Orland Park home
Orland Park police responded last week to a call of shots fired at a home in the 17500 block of Coronado Drive. Police said they received the call about 10:40 p.m. on November 15. Upon arrival, officers discovered that an unknown vehicle approached a residence and fired multiple rounds from a handgun into the residence…
Play It Smart With Holiday Eating
Food Safety A Must During Any Gathering Eating is a huge part of any holiday celebration or get-together. But if you’re not careful with preparation and treatment of your special feast, your party could go from festive to misery before you even get the decorations packed away and the tree taken down. Food poisoning cases…
Orland Park community service officer injured directing traffic
An Orland Park Police Department community service officer was struck by a vehicle directing traffic Thursday night at Ashburn Baptist Church, 15401 Wolf Road, as parishioners were leaving a gospel music concert. As one of the community service officers attempted to stop traffic that was moving southbound on Wolf Road, the lead vehicle failed to…
Hundreds march against migrant plans
. Rip Johnson, Ramirez over tent encampment . By Tim Hadac Hundreds of Brighton Park residents—most either immigrants or children of immigrants—took to the streets last week to rip Mayor Brandon Johnson, as well as 12th Ward Ald. Julia Ramirez, over plans to erect a tent encampment for as many as 2,000 migrants on a…
Salute to those who served
. Three members of a rifle team fire a salute skyward to honor all military veterans. The salute was part of a Veterans Day program held Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Rhine VFW Post 2729. – Greater Southwest News-Herald photo by Cosmo Hadac
CHA’s LeClaire Courts will be rebuilt, developer vows
. Long-delayed project may break ground in 2024 . By Tim Hadac Four years after officials announced the coming rebirth of the LeClaire Courts CHA housing projects—and two years after construction was supposed to begin–no shovel has even touched dirt. “I know you’ve heard this before [in past public meetings], but we are making tremendous…
Kennedy grid star is all-city
. In Kennedy High School’s first year in the Chicago Public Schools’ newly-revived flag football league, junior Andrea Íñiguez earned all-city honors. A wide receiver on offense and a safety on defense, she finished with one touchdown reception, two interceptions and 10 flag pulls (tackles) for the Crusaders. She is a 2021 graduate…
Introducing a new neighborhood correspondent
. By Alexis Bocanegra Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (773) 949-1509 • grcl.alex23@gmail.com , (Editor’s note: this week we are most pleased to welcome a new, monthly correspondent to the Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound. We’ve asked her to introduce herself with a few paragraphs. Our other monthly correspondent, Patti Tyznik, is taking this…
Comings & Goings: McCord Gallery Holiday Shoppe opens tonight
By Bob Bong As the Christmas shopping season gets closer, McCord Gallery readies its annual Holiday Shoppe. The holiday spirit will be flowing when McCord holds the grand opening of its annual Holiday Shoppe tonight, Friday, November 17, from 6-8 p.m. The gallery is filled with hand-crafted artisan gifts for family, friends or yourself. On…
Blueberry Hill Cafe continues breakfast, lunch tradition in Oak Lawn
By Joe Boyle Breakfast and lunch are ready for customers who want to be served at the new Blueberry Hill Cafe that has opened in Oak Lawn. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on the morning of Nov. 1 as local officials, members of the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce, and owners were on hand for the event.…
Tavern on La Grange to pay Countryside $14,350 in fines
By Steve Metsch The company that owns Tavern on La Grange have agreed to a settlement with the City of Countryside that will cost them thousands of dollars. The $14,350 covers unpaid fines and building code violations. A deal hammered out during a Nov. 1 hearing resulted in the fines being cut in half. One…
Willow Spring’s Mike Smigielski wins Lipinski All American Award
By Carol McGowan Willow Springs resident Mike Smigielski last month received the Congressman Bill Lipinski All American Award. Smigielski, who is active in local Lions Clubs, was presented the award by Roberts Park Fire Protection District President Brian Bernardoni at the October 12 Willow Springs Village Board meeting. Bernardoni was asked to present the award…
Summit Masons and village to hold winter coat drive
Argo-Summit Lodge 1133 Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, in cooperation with the Village of Summit, is holding a Winter Coat Drive. Now through December 15, Masons are collecting new or gently used coats, hats, and gloves, for those in need. They welcome and would deeply appreciate your donations as their goal is for it to…
Illinois News
State health plan declares racism a public health crisis
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders. The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan,…
For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com State regulators allowed a Carlinville funeral director to operate for months despite a complaint filed by a local coroner who found a decomposing body in his funeral home and alleged the care of the remains was “unacceptable and criminal in nature.” While trying to assist a local family…
Dolly Parton Imagination Library officially launches statewide in Illinois
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the official launch of the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program founded…
What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Gun owners face a Jan. 1 deadline to register their assault weapons with the state under Illinois’ assault weapons law. But between lawsuits and ongoing policymaking, the exact guns, accessories and ammunition covered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act remain unclear to many gun rights advocates, who point…
Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Capitol News Illinois Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about the 2023 petition filing deadline for Illinois’ 2024 primary election. Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that automobile insurance policies must cover people against uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents, even if the person covered by the policy is not in a vehicle at the time of the accident. The case involved a 14-year-old Chicago boy, Cristopher…
State high court finds medical personnel exemption to biometric information privacy law
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the state’s strongest-in-the-nation biometric information privacy law does have an exemption: health care workers who use fingerprints or similar scans to access things like medication, materials or patient health information. In a unanimous opinion, the justices ruled against a pair of…
Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that people may obtain records about their own Firearm Owners Identification cards, but they may not use the state’s Freedom of Information Act to do so. In a 7-0 ruling, the court said the Illinois State Police acted properly when…
Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A group of temporary staffing agencies and their trade associations are asking a federal court to block enforcement of a new state law that governs how day laborers and temp workers are managed and paid. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Chicago, challenges several changes…
Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Monday was supposed to have been the first day in the weeklong federal corruption trial of former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann, who allegedly misused more than $200,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. A pull-down projector screen in the Springfield courtroom of U.S. District Judge…