Local News
L-W Central tops Sandburg in regional title game
By Randy Whalen Correspondent Sandburg won 20 games for the first time in in six years, and entered the postseason seeking to add to its list of accomplishments by winning a regional championship on its home court. But Lincoln-Way Central made more plays in key situations and fought to a 55-47 double-overtime victory in the……
New Red Stars coach wants to bring ‘joy and positivity’
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer The Chicago Red Stars have found their new coach. The team announced February 18 that Chris Petrucelli will replace Rory Dames, who resigned a day after the 2021 NWSL championship game. Dames has since been the subject of national stories regarding his alleged abuse of players both on the Red……
Area Sports Roundup: Lyons and Sandburg lead contingent of area swimmers headed to state
By Jeff Vorva Staff writer Lyons, which won state titles in boys swimming in 2016 and 2017 and took second in 2018, is bringing a huge contingent of athletes to the IHSA state meet this weekend. Lyons is sending three relay teams and individual qualifiers in four events to the event, which will be held……
Girls Bowling: Shepard and Stagg finish strong at first state finals
By Randy Whalen Correspondent The new teams on the block proved they belonged. The Shepard and Stagg girls bowling teams both made it to the IHSA state finals for the first time in their programs’ histories this season, and put the icing on the proverbial cake by advancing to the tournament’s second day. The finals……
Four Mount Carmel wrestlers win titles; Sandburg’s Zimmer, Shepard’s Reed settle for 2nd
By Steve Millar Correspondent CHAMPAIGN — Heavyweight wrestling matches are often slow, defensive battles, but Mount Carmel senior Ryan Boersma decided early this season he did not want to compete that way anymore. “When I was young, a freshman and sophomore, I survived off defense,” Boersma said. “That doesn’t work in college so I had……
Orland Park arrests man as an armed habitual criminal
From staff reports A Chicago man was arrested in Orland Park last week after he was stopped and a handgun was found in his waistband. Police stopped a vehicle traveling northbound in the 16900 block of LaGrange Road about 10 p.m. on Monday, February 7. The vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation and the……
Orland Park police arrest federal parolee with weapon
From staff reports A Calumet City man was charged last week after he refused to leave a vehicle and a loaded handgun was found on the floorboard. Orland Park tactical officers were investigating a suspicious, unoccupied vehicle in the parking lot of 304 Orland Square Drive at 3:15 p.m. on Friday, February 11. During their……
More renovations planned for Worth golf course
By Joe Boyle Upgrades continue at Water’s Edge Golf Course in Worth with plans for an electronic message board to be erected on the property this year. An ordinance was approved for a license agreement with BRT Outdoor LLC concerning Water’s Edge Golf Course signage during the Worth Village Board meeting on Tuesday night. The……
Palos Heights to re-open discussion on video gaming
By Jeff Vorva Video gaming discussion is back in Palos Heights. The Palos Heights City Council’s License, Permits and Franchises Committee will hold a public hearing at 7 p.m. on March 7 at the Orchard Room of the Palos Heights Recreation Center. Members of the committee, headed up by Alderman Brent Lewandowski, will talk about……
Foxx and YouTube face Pekau’s wrath
By Jeff Vorva The Cook County State’s Attorney and YouTube have Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau hot under the collar. Pekau continues to be upset with Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx about felons who are free who are coming into his community with illegal weapons. And he is none too happy with YouTube taking……
Palos Park to allow Cog Hill to apply for video gaming
By Jeff Vorva At 8:25 p.m. Monday night the long-awaited decision was made on video gaming in Palos Park. After months of conversation and listening to businesses and the public, the village council voted 3-1 to allow the only Class G liquor license business in town – Cog Hill Golf and Country Club – to……
Girls Bowling: Shepard, Stagg both heading to first state finals
By Randy Whalen Correspondent The Stagg and Shepard girls bowling teams had coming into sectional weekend never advanced to the IHSA state finals. But with an opportunity to do that last week, both squads stepped up with great performances down the stretch and punched their tickets to the state finals. The Chargers and Astros finished……
Mt. Carmel tops Rice in big Blue battle
By Steve Millar Correspondent On a night when Mount Carmel honored one of its all-time best point guards — retiring the jersey of former Caravan and Illinois star Tracy Abrams at halftime — two of the Chicago Catholic League’s current top point guards staged an epic duel. Brother Rice junior Ahmed Henderson scored 31 points.……
Girl wrestlers make history as first IHSA state qualifiers
By Steve Millar Correspondent For Morton senior Karla Topete, Feb. 12 was a special day for a greater reason than just her winning a sectional wrestling championship. Topete and her teammates competed at the Andrew Sectional, one of four sectionals that marked the start of the IHSA’s first individual girls wrestling state series. For the……
High School Hockey: St. Rita drops two of three to Carmel, bows out of Kennedy Cup
By Steve Millar Correspondent St. Rita came out angry for Game 2 of its Kennedy Cup playoff quarterfinal series with Carmel. Two days earlier, the fifth-seeded Mustangs were run off the ice by the fourth-seeded Corsairs in a 5-0 loss in which they gave up three first-period goals and were never really in the game.……
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Comings & Goings
Lawmakers OK bill to require ‘faithful’ electors in 2024, loosen campaign finance rules
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD — As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Illinois appears likely to join most of the rest of the country in requiring that the state’s Electoral College votes go to the winner of the state’s popular election. The measure is part of a broad package of election-related legislation……
Once again working through the night, lawmakers finalize $53.1 billion budget
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com After a near-derailment and an all-nighter to wrap up the General Assembly’s spring session, supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House gave final legislative approval to the state budget as the sun rose Wednesday morning. Despite holding 78 seats in the chamber, it took Democrats three tries to reach……
A security camera caught an employee beating a patient. It took 11 days for anyone to take action.
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Capitol News Illinois. Cameras in the common areas of Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center were supposed to make the troubled southern Illinois facility safer for the approximately 200 people with developmental disabilities who live there. But……
Lawmakers move to pause – then further regulate – carbon dioxide pipeline development
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – After state regulators rebuffed several proposed carbon transport projects over the past year, lawmakers have moved to formally ban new projects until the federal government sets forth new safety rules. The technology is used to take carbon dioxide – a powerful greenhouse gas – and move……
Senate Democrats send $53.1B spending plan to House
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Two days after the General Assembly was scheduled to adjourn its spring session, Democrats in the Illinois Senate advanced a $53.1 billion budget to the House Sunday night, where leaders expect it to pass without changes. The fiscal year 2025 spending plan, which came together over a stretch……
Prairie Band Potawatomi land deal clears Senate, will head back to House
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is a step closer to acquiring a 1,500-acre state park in DeKalb County, much of which was once part of a reservation that was illegally seized from the tribe in the mid-19 th century. As the Senate worked through its last……
Budget negotiations will extend into next week as House leaves Springfield
By JERRY NOWICKI & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in the General Assembly will go at least three more days past their self-imposed adjournment deadline after failing to pass a budget bill Saturday, although the spending and revenue framework were made public for the first time. “The House and Senate are……
Maternal health, abortion protection measures advance as session nears end
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com In the final days of their spring legislative session, Democrats in the General Assembly advanced measures aimed at expanding and protecting aspects of maternal and women’s health care. If signed into law, the measures would expand insurance coverage of pregnancy and postpartum services, maintain abortion as a viable……
Health insurance changes targeting ‘utilization management,’ more will head to governor
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A package of health insurance reform measures that Gov. JB Pritzker called for at the beginning of the legislative session will soon be headed to his desk for his signature. The Illinois House gave final approval Saturday to a pair of bills that limit the ability……
Capitol Briefs: Republicans sue over law banning legislative candidate slating
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com One week after Gov. JB Pritzker signed an elections-related measure that his fellow Democrats quickly muscled through the General Assembly, Republicans sued over the new law, alleging the majority party is blocking ballot access to would-be legislative candidates. The law , passed early this month as the legislature’s……