Local News
Summer calendar filling up quickly
. By Patti Tyznik Your correspondent in Clearing and Garfield Ridge (708) 496-0265 • ptyznik@gmail.com . Summer is rapidly approaching, and the neighborhood is geared up for lots of great summer fun and activities. The Midway Chamber of Commerce’s farmer’s market will be opening on Wednesdays at the end of May through September at Archer…
Legislation to acquire new police district facility on Southwest Side passes General Assembly
. Porfirio, Guerrero-Cuellar measure heads to Pritzker’s desk . From staff reports State Senator Mike Porfirio (D-11th) and State Rep. Angelica “Angie” Guerrero-Cuellar (D-22nd) recently passed legislation in the General Assembly to acquire a new police district facility representing their districts on the Southwest Side. The bill passed both chambers with veto-proof margins. The legislation…
Red Stars win at home again, Naeher hurt
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The NWSL released a fun fact that is pretty darn fun for Chicago Red Stars fans. This year’s version of the Red Stars opened the season 3-0-1, scoring 10 points in the first four road games. They were the fourth team in league history to do that. According to the league,…
UPDATE: Bedford Park man, girlfriend charged with plotting Bridgeview father’s murder
By Bob Bong A Bedford Park man and the victim’s girlfriend have been charged in the shooting death of Arturo Cantu last Wednesday. Bridgeview police arrested Anthony Calderon, 20, of the 7700 block of 65th Place, Friday night. He allegedly confessed to the murder and reportedly led police to the weapon used in the shooting…
Stickney celebrates Cinco de Mayo
By Carol McGowan The Village of Stickney didn’t disappoint this year with its annual Cinco de Mayo celebration. Village Trustee Leandra Torres, who is the Co-Chaiman of the Parks and Recreation Commission along with Trustee Jim Hrejsa, said it was a fun-filled day. “We had 774 people attend this year,” she said. “It was free…
Summit congratulates District 104 westlers
By Carol McGowan At their April 15 board meeting, Summit Mayor Sergio Rodriguez and village officials presented Certificates of Accomplishment to boy and girl wrestlers from Summit School District 104. Rodriguez read their accomplishments and called them up one-by-one to receive their certificates. They were given a standing ovation by those in attendance. The girls…
Auto mechanic Vern Woyner honored for 47 years working in Lyons
By Steve Metsch If you have lived in or near Lyons the past 47 years and needed your car repaired, there’s a good chance you know Vern Woyner. Woyner, 70, has been repairing vehicles in Lyons since 1977. His longevity of expert service has earned him the highest award presented by the village. At the…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Illinois News
Capitol Briefs: State Police report fewer deaths on Illinois highways in 2023
By JENNIFER FULLER Capitol News Illinois jfuller@capitolnewsillinois.com Fatal crashes on interstates and expressways in Illinois fell by 7 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and shootings were down more than 30 percent. Illinois State Police report the declines came at the same time troopers were beefing up their enforcement on the state’s transportation…
Back wages totaling more than $5 million owed to thousands of Illinois workers
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Department of Labor is currently holding more than $5 million in wages owed to more than 7,000 Illinois workers, and the department has launched a new website in an effort to return it. When an employee is underpaid for the work they do, the DOL’s Wage…
Staffing agencies not exempted from antitrust law, state Supreme Court rules
By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Staffing agencies – a fast-growing industry that employs nearly a million Illinoisans – are not exempt from the state’s antitrust law, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled late last week. The decision comes 3 ½ years after Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued a trio of staffing agencies, alleging they…
Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com An early childhood education program championed by Gov. JB Pritzker is ahead of schedule when it comes to increasing access to preschool in Illinois. The Smart Start program passed last May as part of the state’s operating budget, which allocated $250 million to expand early childhood education programs,…
Tracy Katz Muhl appointed to fill seat of resigned Rep. Jonathan Carroll
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsiillinois.com Tracy Katz Muhl, a Northbrook school board president and Northfield Township Democratic committeeperson, will fill former Democratic Rep. Jonathan Carroll’s 57th district seat. Carroll resigned earlier this month, saying in a written statement it was “in the best interest” of his family’s “physical and mental health.” Illinois law…
Smart Start preschool expansion ahead of schedule in first fiscal year
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com An early childhood education program championed by Gov. JB Pritzker is ahead of schedule when it comes to increasing access to preschool in Illinois. The Smart Start program passed last May as part of the state’s operating budget, which allocated $250 million to expand early childhood education programs,…
State Supreme Court upholds downstate police, firefighter pension consolidation
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld a 2019 law that consolidated nearly 650 municipal police and firefighter pension funds, rejecting arguments from pension fund members that their voting power was diluted unconstitutionally. The law, which Gov. JB Pritzker signed soon after it passed with…
Lawmakers introduce bill to create state prescription drug price oversight board
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com A new bill in the Illinois General Assembly would create a board of health care experts that would have the authority to set price limits on prescription medications. House Bill 4472 was introduced Wednesday by Rep. Nabeela Syed, D-Palatine, and Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria. Using a variety…
Pritzker announces milestones for preschool program, industry development
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com The state on Wednesday announced it inked another tax incentive deal aimed at boosting manufacturing while Gov. JB Pritzker said his plan to add more preschool seats in early childhood “deserts” is ahead of schedule. The deal was completed between Wieland Rolled Products North America under the…
Patchwork aid system and uncertain funding leave thousands of migrants in limbo
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – As Illinois faces sub-zero wind chills, thousands of recently arrived migrants are sleeping in precarious situations throughout Chicago and its suburbs – overcrowded shelters, police stations, former convenience stores, library basements and spare rooms in churches, to name a few. Many of these recent arrivals have…