Local News

new rainbow cone flavors

Rainbow Cone adds 4 new flavors

By Bob Bong Chicago’s iconic Original Rainbow Cone has been evolving over the past few years. First, it joined forces with the folks at Buono Beef and expanded its presence from its original location in Beverly to offer cones at Buono Beef locations and a few stand-alone stores as well as food trucks. Last year,……

Palos Heights Mayor Bob Straz welcomes Park Lawn to the community. (Photos by Kelly White)

Park Lawn opens day program in Palos Heights

By Kelly White Promoting inclusion and individuality, Park Lawn provides services that promote choice and access to community living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The mission behind the organization focuses on encouraging people with disabilities to discover their passion, to take pride in their accomplishments, to live more independently and to continue to……

Gary's wife, Claire Sievers, his son, Brian Sievers, and daughter-in-law, Jenna Venezia, were in attendance to accept the honor on his behalf. (Supplied photo)

EPCHS adds Emmy-winning actor Gary Sievers to Hall of Fame

Evergreen Park Community High School has added a name to its list of Hall of Famers. Gary Sievers, a 1968 EPCHS graduate who became well-known for his acting, public speaking, work in radio and television, community service, civic leadership and teaching, was posthumously inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame during the Honors Night ceremony……

reporter worth welcome sign

Worth vehicle sticker applications ‘lost’ in the mail

By Joe Boyle Worth Village Clerk Bonnie Price said that even though application forms for village vehicle stickers were sent out to the post office last month residents were still waiting to receive those applications. “We have been doing this for 15 years,” Price said during the Worth Village Board meeting May 7. “This has never……

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It’s ‘Play ball!’ for Midway Baseball & Softball

. If smiles were home runs, the boys and girls of the Midway Baseball & Softball Association were clearly the champions of West Lawn last Saturday, as they paraded through the streets of the community before beginning their 2024 season. – Photos by Steve Neuhaus   To view this page you will need to log…

Surveillance footage shows the takeover of 59th and Western just after 3 a.m. Sunday, May 5. Guillermo Caballero’s black Honda Accord  is at the right of the circle. --Supplied photo

Hunt killer in ‘drifting’ slaying

. Police seek witnesses, video of 59/Western .  By Tim Hadac Police are appealing to the public to help find those responsible for the slaying of a 20-year-old West Englewood man during a takeover of the intersection at 59th and Western at 3:21 a.m. Sunday, May 5. The victim–identified as Guillermo “Memito” Caballero Jr., of……

Briley

Mom gets 20 years in babies’ murder

. Stuffed her newborn twin boys in an alley garbage cart . By Tim Hadac The books closed this month on a double murder that shocked and sickened many in the Garfield Ridge area more than 20 years ago. Antoinette Briley, 44, pled guilty on May 7 to murdering her twin baby boys 21 years……

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Ladies lead the way to stylish Kentucky Derby fun

As a tip of the cap–so to speak–to the Kentucky Derby, acclaimed chef Gloria Hafer (second from right) visited the Garfield Ridge Satellite Senior Center last week to cook a burgoo (a thick stew traditionally popular in the South). For an added bit of fun, the center had a derby contest. Among the very best……

SVDPbundlebag

Seek donations for charity at Two Holy Martyrs

. By Tim Hadac The Society of St. Vincent de Paul chapter at Two Holy Martyrs Parish will host a bundle weekend on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. Volunteers will staff two trailers at the St. Rene Goupil Church parking lot, 64th and New England, from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 7……

Allen Altic is moving on from Palos Park to Westmont to become that community's finance director. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Palos Park finance director heading to Westmont

By Jeff Vorva Palos Park was in good hands with Altic. Finance director/treasurer Allen Altic is leaving the village later this month to take a similar position in Westmont, just a few miles from his home in Downers Grove. Altic was an assistant finance director in Bloomingdale from 2012 to 2020, when he was hired……

United Healthcare speaks with an Orland Township resident at the 2023 Senior Health Fair. (Supplied photo)

Orland Township hosting free senior health fair

Orland Township and Supervisor Paul O’Grady are hosting a senior health fair to provide free health services and information to senior citizens on Tuesday, May 21, from 9 a.m. until noon at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park. The Senior Health Fair is an excellent opportunity for seniors to receive free……

Palos Heights School District 128 paraprofessional, Moira Touhy, was selected to be a part of the Golden Apple Accelerator Program. She is pictured (right) alongside Independence Junior High sixth-grader, Isaac Ceja. (Supplied photo)

District 128 teacher joins Golden Apple Accelerator Program

By Kelly White A Palos Heights School District 128 educator was selected to be a part of the Golden Apple Accelerator Program. Also, a District 128 alum, Moira Touhy, a paraprofessional at Independence Junior High School, 6610 W. Highland Dr., Palos Heights, will be participating in the 15-month online program specifically geared toward obtaining a……

Orland Park's Assistant Director of Development Carrie Haberstich gives the village board an overview of the Crossroads project. (Photo by Jeff Vorva)

Crossroads plans approved in Orland Park despite adding apartments

By Jeff Vorva Crossroads did not hit a roadblock. Despite not wanting to bring more apartments to the village, the Orland Park Village Board approved plans for the Crossroads of Orland Park at its May 6 Committee of the whole and regular meetings and it will indeed feature 132 apartments. The Crossroads project, located on……

An open house on May 11 at the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant in Cicero gave participants a chance to see the circular settling tanks where millions of gallons of filtered water ends up each day--the last step before release into the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. --Greater Southwest News-Herald photo by Dermot Connolly

‘Anything that gets flushed’

. MWRD shows how it treats wastewater .  By Dermot Connolly What better activity for a sunny spring day than touring the world’s largest wastewater treatment plant—which many people did during the open house held Saturday at the MWRD’s Stickney Water Reclamation Plant in Cicero. To celebrate Chicago Water Week, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District……

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Giannoulias urges REAL ID signup

Flanked by TSA Illinois Federal Security Director Jim Spriggs (left), Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is launching his office’s “Get Real Illinois” campaign to encourage Illinoisans to obtain a REAL ID. The campaign will raise awareness about the May 7, 2025 deadline and encourage residents to apply early to avoid problems at airports and……

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Charge Garfield Ridge man with March murder

. From staff reports . A 29-year-old Garfield Ridge man was charged with murder in connection with a slaying that occurred back in March. Alberto Rosas, of the 5200 block of South Central, was apprehended May 7 in the 6800 block of West Archer. Police said Rosas shot and killed 27-year-old Gustavo Suarez at about……

Abdelnasser Rashid

Rashid calls college demonstrators ‘student heroes’

. Rips Israel over “apartheid’ and ‘genocide’ .  From staff reports The crisis in Palestine is taking a terrifying turn as the Israeli military is preparing to invade Rafah where more than one million Palestinians have been forced to after their homes in northern Gaza were destroyed, State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid (D-21st) said in an……

Bringing the Titanic back to life was the Worth Public Library on April 15 with a program called, The Haunted Titanic, with local historian Bob Trzeciak. (Photo by Kelly White)

Titanic memories haunt Worth Library

By Kelly White This year marks the 112th anniversary of the Titanic’s fateful ship crossing. Bringing the ship back to life was the Worth Public Library on April 15 with a program called, The Haunted Titanic, with local historian Bob Trzeciak, who walked patrons through the history, the lasting impact, and why it has remained……

Bridgeview Trustee Gary Lewis urges residents to get rid of clutter on the May 11 spring cleanup day. (Photo by Steve Metsch)

Spring cleanup day in Bridgeview set for Saturday

By Steve Metsch Any Bridgeview resident with clutter to clear will be busy Friday night, May 10. That’s when they will be putting all kinds of things on the parkway as the village prepares for its annual spring cleanup day set for Saturday, May 11. All items must be at the curb by 6 a.m.……

Sisto Brito

Family of man killed in McCook struggling with his absence

By Steve Metsch On what would have been his 37th birthday, the family of Morales Ricardo Lopez gathered at his grave in Evergreen Park Cemetery. Lopez, of Blue Island, was gunned down in McCook early Feb. 17, leaving behind a widow and three children. His family, other relatives and friends gathered at his grave on……

Illinois News

Farm Bureau opposes nutrient loss bill as negotiations continue

Farm Bureau opposes nutrient loss bill as negotiations continue

By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill meant to stem nutrient pollution resulting from farm runoff has met opposition from a formidable foe – the Illinois Farm Bureau – as negotiations on a final package continue. Nutrient loss is one of the most serious pollution threats in the country, creating a……

UPDATED: IDPH Director Ezike to step down March 14

UPDATED: IDPH Director Ezike to step down March 14

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike will resign on March 14 after three years leading the agency and two years navigating a deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 32,000 Illinoisans.  Ezike, who was appointed IDPH director in 2019, became a widely recognized public figure in the……

IDPH Director Ezike to step down March 14

IDPH Director Ezike to step down March 14

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike will resign on March 14 after three years leading the agency and two years navigating a deadly pandemic that has claimed the lives of more than 32,000 Illinoisans.  Ezike, who was appointed IDPH director in 2019, became……

Backlog of 3,759 criminal appeals cases has been resolved, state appellate defender says

Backlog of 3,759 criminal appeals cases has been resolved, state appellate defender says

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A backlog of cases before the Illinois Office of the State Appellate Defender that the agency’s leader once described as a “crisis in the criminal justice system” has largely been resolved, State Appellate Defender James Chadd told a state Senate committee Tuesday. Chadd told a Senate……

CAPITOL RECAP: State issues new mask guidelines after Supreme Court denies appeal

CAPITOL RECAP: State issues new mask guidelines after Supreme Court denies appeal

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – Facial coverings are now optional in most public places in Illinois, including schools, after Gov. JB Pritzker issued new guidance Monday to comply with new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Under a new executive order issued by Pritzker on Monday, masks are no longer required in……

Mask mandates come down in schools, most public places

Mask mandates come down in schools, most public places

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Facial coverings are now optional in most public places in Illinois, including schools, after Gov. JB Pritzker announced Friday that he would update guidance to comply with new U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Those developments came as the Illinois Supreme Court declined to……

CAPITOL RECAP: State revenues up in current fiscal year

CAPITOL RECAP: State revenues up in current fiscal year

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – A House revenue committee on Thursday heard projections of an Illinois economy that is steadily moving back toward a level of pre-pandemic normalcy, which means revenue spikes realized due to temporary changes in consumer spending habits and federal stimulus packages are expected to subside.  Illinois Department of Revenue Director……

State revenues $4.6 billion higher for current fiscal year than initially projected

State revenues $4.6 billion higher for current fiscal year than initially projected

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A House revenue committee on Thursday heard projections of an Illinois economy that is steadily moving back toward a level of pre-pandemic normalcy, which means revenue spikes realized due to temporary changes in consumer spending habits and federal stimulus packages are expected to subside.  Illinois Department……

Lawmakers unveil bills aimed at addressing teacher shortage

Lawmakers unveil bills aimed at addressing teacher shortage

GRACE KINNICUTT Capitol News Illinois gkinnicutt@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Senate Democrats outlined legislation during a Thursday news conference that aims to address the ongoing teacher shortage throughout the state. The bills would extend the number of days retired and substitute teachers would be able to teach in a school year, waive substitute teaching licensing fees,……

CAPITOL RECAP: Mask mandate appeal heads to high court

CAPITOL RECAP: Mask mandate appeal heads to high court

By CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court is being asked to review the state’s mask mandate and other COVID-19 mitigation orders for K-12 schools on an expedited schedule. Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a petition for appeal Tuesday, along with a motion for an emergency stay of a Sangamon County judge’s order……

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