Local News
SD122 parents demand answers on school psychologist’s status
By Nuha Abdessalam A petition demanding the firing of a school psychologist at Ridgeland School District 122 for posting Islamophobic social media messages has gathered more than 1,400 signatures. The petition on change.org is “calling for the removal of the schoo psychologist Laurie Hoke for sharing posts and comments that are explicitly racist, Islamophobic, hateful,…
Volunteers raise $18,000 at Worth FOP Polar Plunge
By Joe Boyle The temperatures were hovering near 50 degrees, but Worth Mayor Mary Werner said it was still going to be a challenge. “They took the temperature of the water and it was 46 degrees. That is still cold,” the mayor said. The eighth annual Worth Fraternal Order of Police Polar Plunge was held…
Shepard takes plunge for Special Olympics Illinois
By Kelly White Shepard High School has been diving into great things once again this academic year. The high school, 13049 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, honored Special Olympics Illinois with a unique school-based Polar Plunge that took place right on campus on March 7. “This is one of my favorite days of the year.…
Gill, Dewar face off in 35th District Dem primary
By Dermot Connolly Two residents of Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood are running in the Democratic primary for the 35th District seat in the Illinois House, which stretches from the South Side of Chicago to Orland Park. Mary Gill, a lifelong district resident, was appointed last March to succeed Fran Hurley, who resigned to take a…
Cake recipe wins Pass Health Foods vegan contest
By Kelly White One local health food store has encouraged residents to bring out the best in their culinary abilities. Pass Health Foods, 7228 W. College Dr., Palos Heights, hosted a Gluten Free Baking Contest on March 9. “This is the first time we have held this friendly competition,” Carolyn Johnson, co-owner of Pass Health…
Palos SD 118 asking voters to allow shifting of tax dollars
By Nuha Abdessalam Palos District 118 is seeking voter approval on Tuesday to move money from one fund to another to pay for unfunded state mandates. Supt. Anthony M. Scarsella addressed citizens and Palos Heights aldermen during the city council meeting on March 5 and explained what the district wants to do. He said unfunded…
Spoto takes title as Orland Township’s Senior Idol
By Kelly White Beautiful voices rang out through the Orland community this past week. Held on March 7, Orland Township’s Senior American Idol was an annual event that brings together talented seniors to showcase their musical abilities. Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady and the Board of Trustees invited seniors out for exciting evening filled with…
Palos Park wants to keep grocery tax
By Jeff Vorva Palos Park officials want to keep their grocery tax. Recently, Gov. JB Pritzker said he was planning on getting rid of the state’s 1% grocery tax. The axing of tax, which goes to municipalities, would allow shoppers to save a small amount of money – a dollar for every $100 spent. But…
Shepard, O’Hara and Friends collect purses
Shepard High School staff members joined graduate Catherine O’Hara this month in collecting purses to donate to victims of domestic violence. Shepard staff members donated more than 100 purses to the campaign, an annual effort at O’Hara and Friends salon at 70th Avenue and 127th Street in Palos Heights. The purses, all in prime condition,…
Ryan and Khalil looking for Democratic nod for Burke’s former seat
By Jeff Vorva Kelly Burke would love to hand the ball off to fellow Evergreen Park resident Rick Ryan for her 36th District state representative seat. Palos Hills’ Sonia Khalil would love to intercept those plans. Ryan and Khalil are battling it out for the spot that Burke held since 2011. They are on the…
High School Baseball | Oak Lawn tops Crete-Monee in season-opener
High school baseball season got underway March 11, and Oak Lawn started the season with a 12-5 victory over Crete-Monee at Ozinga Field in Crestwood. For the Spartans, senior Brett Gatch had two hits including a home run while driving in four runs. Senior Kyle Bader had two triples and three RBI, and senior Charlie…
Boys Basketball | DePaul Prep holds off Mount Carmel for Class 3A title
By Xavier Sanchez Correspondent Competing for and winning state championships are not new for Mount Carmel. Except in basketball. The Caravan football and wrestling teams have already won state titles this school year — the second consecutive championship for the former and the second in three seasons for the latter — but the basketball program’s…
Chicagoland Christian Conference teams meet in 1A third-place game
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Catholic League made headlines when Blue powers Mount Carmel and DePaul met in the boys basketball IHSA Class 3A state championship game. But the first-year Chicagoland Christian Conference also had a banner season. The league, which features local program Chicago Christian, had two teams in the Class 1A final…
St. Laurence names Roshawn Russell new boys hoops coach
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent St. Laurence announced on March 8 that Roshawn Russell will replace Byron Burt as the Vikings boys basketball coach. Russell was Burt’s assistant this season, in which the Vikings won the Chicago Catholic League White and a Class 3A regional title. Russell previously coached at St. Rita and owned a 72-42…
Sandburg grad Kendall Coyne Schofield lends voice to ‘Inside Out’ sequel
By Jeff Vorva Correspondent Lewis Black. Amy Poehler. Paula Poundstone. Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. And Kendall Coyne Schofield? Yes, Schofield — known for her international hockey prowess — joins those celebrities and others in Disney/Pixar’s film “Inside Out 2,” which will be released in theaters June 14. In a news release, the…
Neighbors
Comings & Goings
After 9 months, state data begins to detail new pretrial detention system
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Nine months after cash bail ended in Illinois, the state is taking its first steps in publishing the data that crafters of the bail reform law saw as essential to judging its effectiveness. The data shows that judges in the 75 counties served by the Illinois Supreme Court’s…
ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS: Pritzker keeps economic development at forefront in exclusive interview
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com With fiscal year 2025 slated to begin Monday, Gov. JB Pritzker continues to tout available state tax incentives and promote Illinois as a site for business development. On the season finale of “Illinois Lawmakers” this week, Pritzker pointed to a pair of developments in East Alton and Normal…
Pritzker calls SCOTUS emergency abortion ruling ‘small respite’ as state protections await his signature
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Abortion remains legal as an emergency medical procedure in Idaho, for now, after a Thursday U.S. Supreme Court ruling, while a bill that would cement those protections in Illinois law awaits Gov. JB Pritzker’s signature. The 6-3 decision saw the three liberal justices concur with the order. Three…
‘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…
SCOTUS ruling could upend federal corruption cases for Madigan, allies
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday narrowed the scope of a federal bribery law prosecutors have relied on in their cases against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and several of his allies convicted of bribing him. A jury last spring found those allies – former lobbyists and…
Quantum technology companies set for big tax incentives under new law
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Gov. JB Pritzker on Wednesday gave final approval to a plan to bolster the state’s tech industry, including an incentives package – backed by $500 million in the state budget – aimed at making Illinois the nation’s leader in quantum computing. The package also expands tax…
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…
Illinois’ ban on ‘bump stocks’ remains in place despite U.S. Supreme Court decision
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – An Illinois law banning the sale and use of “bump stocks” and other devices that increase the firing power of semiautomatic weapons remains in place, at least for now, despite a U.S. Supreme Court decision Friday striking down a federal ban on such items. “Illinois law…
Another Choate Mental Health Center employee indicted for abuse of resident
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com Another caregiver at Choate Mental Health and Developmental Center in Anna is facing charges for abusing a patient. A grand jury indicted Joseph A. Clark, 24, of Grand Chain, on a felony charge of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor charge of battery. Clark pinned a Choate resident to…
State highway shootings decline as critics sue over ‘dragnet surveillance’
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinois State Police say an automated license plate reader program has helped the agency identify witnesses or suspects in 82 percent of highway shooting cases this year, including all eight that resulted in a death. But as the state looks to further expand its network of more than…
