Local News
Midnight Terror serves up a different kind of spirits at Christmas Fear
By Bob Bong The Halloween fans at Midnight Terror in Oak Lawn have decided to extend the haunted house season into the holidays with their eighth annual Christmas Fear weekend in December. Savage Santas, eerie elves, and sinister snowmen will be running amok and showing off their own kind of Christmas spirit at the haunted…
Mount Carmel beats Downers Grove North for 15th state title
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mount Carmel’s plan was to open and close the season in Normal. They wanted to open the 2023 campaign by beating then-nationally ranked East St. Louis in a neutral-site game at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University, then return 13 weeks later and a win a state championship. Mission accomplished…
Cold Turkey Trotting | Young runners heat up Orland Park race held in freezing temps
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The temperature may have been freezing, but the winners were not complaining. The 35th Orland Park Turkey Trot, held per tradition on Thanksgiving, started in 30-degree weather. And the young champs embraced it. Jack Krusinski, 16, of Palos Heights, won the 2.5 mile event with a time of 14:01.04. The…
Area Sports Roundup | Cougars get revenge on Marian, earn date with top seed
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The Saint Xavier defense made sure to get some revenge for a couple of losses in recent years to Marian University. The Cougars racked up 10 sacks, 15 tackles for losses, three forced fumbles and two interceptions in a 31-21 victory over Marian in the second round of the NAIA…
Girls Hoops | St. Laurence stages huge comeback to win Beecher Tourney
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer This is not the way to start a championship game. But it’s a pretty good way to finish it. St. Laurence fell behind Rich Township, 19-0, in the Beecher Fall Classic final on Nov. 22. While it could have been easy for rookie coach Claire Austin and her troops to…
Property assessments released for Worth Township
Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi last week released the initial assessments of residential and commercial properties in Worth Township. “I strongly encourage property owners to review their reassessment notice to ensure their property characteristics and market value reflect their home,” said Kaegi. “It is important to understand that assessments in Cook County reflect market value…
SD 218 paves way for future at College and Career Fair
By Kelly White Community High School District 218 is preparing young minds for bright futures. The district hosted a college a College and Career Fair on October 25 at the District Administration Center, 10701 S. Kilpatrick in Oak Lawn. “Attending the college fair is an eye-opening experience where you can uncover your true potential, connect…
St. Laurence falls to Rochester, takes second in Class 4A
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer As a four-year varsity player at St. Laurence, Corey Taubr experienced three losing seasons before the Vikings made a stunning postseason run this year. They made it to the IHSA Class 4A final, where they lost 59-38 to Rochester on Nov. 24 at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois…
Nazareth tops Joliet Catholic for historic title win
By Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Nazareth football coach Tim Racki was bummed out. The Roadrunners had completed an historic season by defeating Joliet Catholic for the IHSA Class 5A championship, becoming the first team in IHSA history to enter the playoffs 4-5 and win a state title. They are also the first team to win…
St. Rita bests Kenwood for Prep Bowl title
By Mike Walsh Correspondent Nine is just fine as far as St. Rita is concerned. On Nov. 24 at Lane Stadium, the Mustangs defeated Kenwood 21-7 to win the 93rd Prep Bowl, the annual matchup between the Chicago Catholic League and Chicago Public League champions. The win gave St. Rita (8-5) its ninth Prep Bowl…
Worth officials are ringing in the holidays
By Joe Boyle With the arrival of Thanksgiving, Worth officials are preparing for the rest of the holiday season. Mayor Mary Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that the Worth Lions Club will open the Christmas tree lot on Friday, Nov. 24, at 116th and Harlem Avenue The tree lot will…
Worth Township toy drive underway
Worth Township Youth Commission is now accepting donations of new toys and new clothing for the Township’s Christmas Care Program. The program provides families who are struggling financially with a little extra help filling stockings for their children up to age 14. Toys and other gifts can be dropped off during regular business hours, Monday…
Orland Park uses home-rule to avoid state law on paid leave
By Jeff Vorva The Village of Orland Park has decided not to follow a state mandate requiring paid leave for most workers in Illinois. The village board on Nov. 20 approved a lengthy ordinance that basically says it will opt out of the Paid Leave for All Workers Act that takes effect on January 1.…
St. Rita beats Marist behind trio of Maxson TDs, will battle Kenwood in Prep Bowl
By Mike Walsh Correspondent St. Rita advanced to the Prep Bowl with a 24-14 win over Marist behind 168 receiving yards and three touchdowns from Jimmie Maxson III. The Mustangs will face Kenwood at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 at Lane Stadium for the Prep Bowl championship. Maxson tallied on passes of 13, 23 and…
Mt. Carmel blasts Batavia, will face DG North for 7A championship
By Mike Walsh Correspondent It’s fitting that Mount Carmel will end its season in the same venue it began in late August. By virtue of a 64-26 dismantling of Batavia in an IHSA Class 7A semifinal on Nov. 18 in Chicago, the Caravan (12-1) advanced to the 20th state championship game in their history. Mount…
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State health plan declares racism a public health crisis
By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com A new state health report pinpoints racism as a public health crisis while also noting Illinois needs to improve in the areas of maternal and infant health, mental health and substance use disorders. The broad goals are laid out in a draft of the State Health Improvement Plan,…
For at least 6 months, state failed to act on Carlinville funeral director that mishandled remains
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com State regulators allowed a Carlinville funeral director to operate for months despite a complaint filed by a local coroner who found a decomposing body in his funeral home and alleged the care of the remains was “unacceptable and criminal in nature.” While trying to assist a local family…
Dolly Parton Imagination Library officially launches statewide in Illinois
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois families with infants and toddlers now have access to free children’s books that can be sent directly to their home, regardless of their income. Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday announced the official launch of the state’s partnership with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a program founded…
What to know about Illinois’ assault weapons ban
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Gun owners face a Jan. 1 deadline to register their assault weapons with the state under Illinois’ assault weapons law. But between lawsuits and ongoing policymaking, the exact guns, accessories and ammunition covered under the Protect Illinois Communities Act remain unclear to many gun rights advocates, who point…
Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Capitol News Illinois Broadcast Director Jennifer Fuller talks with Editor-in-Chief Jerry Nowicki about the 2023 petition filing deadline for Illinois’ 2024 primary election. Capitol News Illinois · Capitol Cast: Filing Day for 2024 primary brings frigid temps and election themes to Springfield
Supreme Court rules teen bicyclist is covered by father’s auto insurance policy
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that automobile insurance policies must cover people against uninsured motorists and hit-and-run accidents, even if the person covered by the policy is not in a vehicle at the time of the accident. The case involved a 14-year-old Chicago boy, Cristopher…
State high court finds medical personnel exemption to biometric information privacy law
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the state’s strongest-in-the-nation biometric information privacy law does have an exemption: health care workers who use fingerprints or similar scans to access things like medication, materials or patient health information. In a unanimous opinion, the justices ruled against a pair of…
Illinois Supreme Court: FOID records exempt from public disclosure
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Supreme Court ruled Thursday that people may obtain records about their own Firearm Owners Identification cards, but they may not use the state’s Freedom of Information Act to do so. In a 7-0 ruling, the court said the Illinois State Police acted properly when…
Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A group of temporary staffing agencies and their trade associations are asking a federal court to block enforcement of a new state law that governs how day laborers and temp workers are managed and paid. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Chicago, challenges several changes…
Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Monday was supposed to have been the first day in the weeklong federal corruption trial of former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann, who allegedly misused more than $200,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. A pull-down projector screen in the Springfield courtroom of U.S. District Judge…