Local News
Body of missing Forest View woman found
By Carol McGowan The search for 20-year-old Charisma Ehresman of Forest View is over. The body of the young woman was found Friday evening in her vehicle in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood, on the city’s west side, which borders Oak Park. The car had apparently been there for several days. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s…
Heritage Middle School cheer team takes first
By Carol McGowan Congratulations are in order for the Heritage Middle School Cheer Team. The team competed for the first time on Saturday, January 15, at Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont and took first place. It was a huge accomplishment for the team and Summit School District 104 is very proud of them. Coach…
Trying to see the sunny side of life
By Joan Hadac Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • joan.hadac@gmail.com Hi everyone. I hope you’re doing well. Coming up is one of my favorite months, and it’s not for the reason you think. Yes, Valentine’s Day is special, but I like the fact that I see more sun, more daylight and know…
Newman backs Starbucks unionization
U.S. Rep Marie Newman (D-3rd) recently stood with those who support unionization of Starbucks workers, outside its shop in nearby La Grange. She called unionization “the moral, correct and right thing to do.” Workers are attempting to organize under the banner of Chicago and Midwest Joint Board, Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International…
Clearing carjacker/kidnapper still at large
Senior citizen forced into her own car, loses $1,200 By Tim Hadac More than three weeks after an elderly woman was carjacked and kidnapped in Clearing, police have not made an arrest in the case. The crime occurred at about 4 p.m. on New Year’s Day. A 75-year-old Clearing woman was clearing snow off her…
Lyons man is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro
By Steve Metsch While you’re reading this story, Lyons resident Stephan Alheim will be busy climbing the tallest mountain in Africa. Alheim is one of 10 adventurers who this week are climbing to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, which is 19,341 feet tall. They started climbing Jan. 23 and are expected to reach the top…
Willow Springs expected to hire Lyons official as village administrator
By Steve Metsch Ryan Grace, public works director in Lyons for the past four years, is expected to be hired as the Willow Springs village administrator tonight. The village board is expected to approve his hiring during its 7 p.m. meeting. Grace, 38, said he was offered the job by Willow Springs Mayor Melissa N.…
Chicago Ridge librarian knocks off ‘Jeopardy’ champion
By Kelly White Rhone Talsma grew up watching “Jeopardy!” – the classic game show with a twist where the answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. On Wednesday, Talsma knocked off 40-day champion Amy Schneider and won almost $30,000 in the process of becoming the new champion. Locally, the show airs Monday…
Funds flow to Back of the Yards
Four groups get grants; millions more available By Tim Hadac Four organizations in Back of the Yards—three businesses and a non-profit—are among 31 awarded more than $14.4 million in small business grants being allocated through the Chicago Recovery Plan. They are: Diaz Group Office Space, 5100 S. Damen, $250,000. El Nuevo Guadalajara, 4350 S. Ashland,…
Offer reward in grandma’s slaying
Was shot on 71st Street By Tim Hadac A $15,500 reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot and killed a 49-year-old grandmother in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood. Tamiko L. Talbert Fleming, of south suburban Dolton, was in the driver’s seat of her vehicle at 71st and Artesian…
A sweet salesgirl
Alessandra Valentina Paredes, a Daisy Scout with Girl Scout Troop 20637 (sponsored by St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish), shows a sweet smile as she begins her first-ever time selling Girl Scout Cookies. The daughter of West Lawn residents Jose Antonio and Lorena Paredes, Alessandra, age 5, joined the Daisies just four months ago. This year,…
Midway is new for Frontier
Low-fare airline coming in April By Tim Hadac Low-fare passenger airline options are set to increase at Midway International Airport this spring, with the arrival of Frontier Airlines. The expansion of air travel options was announced at a press conference last week at the airport. With 10 new nonstop routes taking off starting this April.…
Rush rips USDA over plight of black farmers
‘House is on fire,’ congressman says From staff reports U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st) recently questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack about what Rush called “the dire prognosis of black farmers in the U.S. and the steps USDA is taking to help minority farmers.” “As you well know, our nation’s black farmers…
Many crimes down in Orland, but weapons arrests concerning
By Jeff Vorva Orland Park Police Chief Joseph Mitchell had mostly good news when revealing the village’s 2021 crime statistics. But one glaring area that has him bothered is the number of unlawful use of a weapon arrests that have been shooting up. Mitchell and Mayor Keith Pekau attribute it to felons from other towns…
Former GOP allies to battle for county board race
Gorman wants to reclaim seat from Morrison By Bob Bong A battle royale is brewing in the race for the Republican nomination for Cook County Board’s 17th District. The 17th District is one of only two county board seats held by Republicans and it has only ever had a Republican commissioner dating back to Herb…
Palos Park inches closer to gaming solution
By Jeff Vorva Signs are pointing to the fact there probably will be limited video gaming in Palos Park. Mayor John Mahoney and the village council rejiggered a few things with an ordinance and some of the village codes and the end result is that Monday they asked village attorneys to look into the changes…
Barron ready to pitch in as new SD218 superintendent
By Jeff Vorva Tommy John surgery and an auto accident helped derail Josh Barron’s dreams of becoming a major league baseball player. So, he embarked on a different career path, teaching and coaching, and that evolved into his becoming a school administrator. He has worked his way up to the top spot as he was…
Tabares backs West Lawn Branch Library
Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares (left) recently toured the renovated West Lawn Branch Library, 4020 W. 63rd St.,, with new branch manager Mina Duarte. Details about the renovation’s may be found in the West Lawn column in the January 28 Greater Southwest News-Herald. –Supplied photo
Chuy backs Starbucks unionization
U.S. Rep Jesús “Chuy” García (D-4th), white mask, recently stood with those who support unionization of Starbucks workers, outside a shop in the city. Workers are attempting to organize under the banner of Chicago and Midwest Joint Board, Workers United, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union. –Supplied photo
Illinois News
Lawmakers pass on oversight vote for Pritzker’s prison closure, rebuild plan
By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For the last two decades, each time a governor has moved to close a large state-run facility like a prison or mental health center, a legislative oversight panel has voted on the plan. That changed on Friday – at least for now –…
‘We don’t really know what we’re voting on,’ top Dem says of Pritzker’s prison plan
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com LINCOLN – On the eve of a scheduled vote to advise Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration on plans to close and rebuild a pair of dilapidated state prisons, hundreds filed into a junior high school gymnasium Thursday evening clad in matching green T-shirts. Printed on the shirts was a…
Illinois child tax credit: who gets it, how much is it?
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final hours of their spring legislative session, Illinois lawmakers approved a tax credit of up to about $300 for families with young children. The credit is available to Illinoisans with children under age 12 who qualify for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC. Although…
Members of House speaker’s staff sue over ongoing unionization conflict
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Members of a would-be union representing staffers in House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office filed suit against their boss on Friday, asking a Cook County judge to force recognition of the union. The Illinois Legislative Staff Association, which formed in the fall of 2022, claims Welch’s…
Elections board urged to dismiss complaint that Bailey illegally coordinated in 2022 campaign
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A hearing officer is recommending the Illinois State Board of Elections dismiss a complaint that alleged conservative radio host and political operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated with former Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey during his 2022 campaign for governor. Proft, a one-time gubernatorial candidate himself, is behind an…
Communities, commission push Pritzker admin for more prison plan details
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com Jimmy Soto spent more than 42 years wrongfully imprisoned in Illinois Department of Corrections facilities. In 2020, he was moved to the “F-House” at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, a condemned unit, not because he was being punished, but because it was where the facility was housing individuals…
Judge blocks law that would have banned newly slated candidates from ballot
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com A Sangamon County judge on Wednesday blocked the Illinois State Board of Elections from enforcing a new law that would have prevented certain General Assembly candidates who didn’t run in the March primary from getting on the November ballot. The move doesn’t void the bill in its entirety,…
“No Schoolers”: How Illinois’ hands-off approach to homeschooling leaves children at risk
By BETH HUNDSDORFER & MOLLY PARKER CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS investigations@capitolnewsillinois.com This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois. It was on L.J.’s 11th birthday, in December 2022, that child welfare workers finally took him away. They arrived at his central Illinois home to investigate an abuse allegation and decided…
Brushing off concerns of overspending, Pritzker signs $53.1 billion state budget
By ANDREW ADAMS JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday signed the state’s $53.1 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, the largest in state history. The signing caps months of work – and tension – among top Democratic leaders in Springfield and within the…
Stalled bills: ‘Dignity in Pay Act,’ Prisoner Review Board changes fail to move
By ALEX ABBEDUTO, COLE LONGCOR & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com A bill eliminating the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities failed to pass the General Assembly ahead of its May adjournment, although sponsors say they hope to pass it when lawmakers return in the fall. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938…