Sunnybrook district OKs contract with new superintendent

LANSING | The Sunnybrook Elementary District 171 School Board gave its approval Wednesday to a three-year contract for a new superintendent.

Lansing reduces landlord requirements

LANSING | The Village Board gave its approval Tuesday to a measure that reduces the frequency by which landlords must have their rental properties inspected by village officials.

Dolton village president wants to change Dorchester Senior Center management

DOLTON | Village President Riley Rogers said Tuesday he has attorneys looking for ways to get out of the contract the village has with a company that manages the Dorchester Senior Center.

Village backs 2 percent employee pay hikes, recommends property tax break

SOUTH HOLLAND | The Village Board approved to a pay hike of 2 percent Monday for all its employees while also recommending that the Cook County Board grant a significant property tax break to a local business that wishes to expand.

D168 officials pleased with large payment from Illinois government

SAUK VILLAGE | It’s not uncommon for school district officials to be upset with Illinois state government, which often falls behind on the general state aid payments for their overall funding.

Williams attributes Lynwood success to working together

LYNWOOD | The Village Board transitioned from old to new Tuesday with little change, and Village President Eugene Williams said he thinks that benefits local residents.

Quinn uses commencement speech to tout ammunition magazine restrictions

SOUTH HOLLAND | Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn used graduation ceremonies Sunday at South Suburban College to urge support for a proposal that would ban the sale or delivery of ammunition magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds at a time.

Longtime Lynwood official retires with DUI death case still pending

LYNWOOD | Roy Valle is no longer a government official.

Labor leaders looking to ensure ‘Massacre’ tribute continues for years to come

CHICAGO | It has been nearly 76 years since Memorial Day 1937, when Chicago police officers attacked steel workers picketing outside the now-shuttered Republic Steel plant, killing 10 and injuring hundreds of others.

State grants to benefit parks in Cal City, Crete

CALUMET CITY | An Illinois Department of Natural Resources program is providing $15.3 million to benefit public parks across the state, including facilities in Calumet City and Crete.

Peaceful transition for Sauk Village board

SAUK VILLAGE | For a municipal government that spent the bulk of the past four years engaged in political infighting, Tuesday was a welcome relief.

Alumni to give longtime Memorial band director retirement concert

LANSING | When Gayle Robey-Herrbach first saw the 1995 film “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” she saw parallels between the namesake character played by actor Richard Dreyfuss and David Allie, the band director from her days at Memorial Junior High School.

State rejects racial harassment complaint filed by former Sauk Village administrator

SAUK VILLAGE | The Illinois Department of Human Rights informed village officials this week it is denying a complaint filed by a former village administrator, who is black, alleging racially motivated harassment.

Lynwood dismisses veteran police officer

LYNWOOD | A seven-year Police Department veteran whose squad car was taken by a criminal suspect during a police chase has lost his job.

D.205 removes School Board attorney

CHICAGO | A Cook County judge will hold a hearing next month to determine if the School Board president of Thornton Township High School District 205 ought to be removed from his post because of a 28-year-old felony conviction on his record.

Cop in squad car theft had suspensions, reprimands

LYNWOOD | A police officer facing possible dismissal for an incident in which his squad car was stolen had his professional record scrutinized Monday.

Attorney for Lynwood cop facing dismissal says officer should have pay resumed

LYNWOOD | Attorneys for a police officer who faces dismissal because his squad car was stolen and wrecked by a criminal suspect say the village’s Fire and Police Board violated the law by keeping the officer on unpaid leave since mid-March.

D.215 considering smartphone app, ads on its website

CALUMET CITY | School Board officials for the Thornton Fractional high schools are considering whether to create a new application that would allow use of smartphones to access information about District 215.

New Blue Island alderman has Cal City ties

BLUE ISLAND | For Kevin T. Donahue, getting elected to a City Council position was really just a matter of staying within the family’s line of work, even if he’s not working for the same government entity.

Cal City shares sales tax revenue with Sam’s Club developer

CALUMET CITY | The City Council last week approved payment of just over $250,000 to the developer who got a Sam’s Club warehouse store to locate in the River Oaks West shopping center.

Lansing residents to see 11 percent drop in electricity rate

LANSING | Village officials have an agreement with a Norwalk, Conn.-based company to provide electricity to local residents at a rate 11 percent less than what Commonwealth Edison would charge.

Council approves consultant for Alderman Jones

CALUMET CITY | The City Council gave its approval Thursday to a $6,500 payment for a consulting firm that will advise 3rd Ward Alderman Thaddeus Jones on the special events he sponsors throughout the year.

County Board backs requiring landlords to accept Section 8 vouchers

CHICAGO | The Cook County Board approved a resolution Wednesday requiring landlords to accept vouchers meant to help low-income people pay their rent, despite the concerns of an area commissioner who fears it will lead to an overload of poorer people living in the suburbs near the Illinois/I…

Village officials OK deal to bring Super Walmart to Lansing

LANSING | Village officials gave final approval Tuesday to a series of ordinance changes, resolutions and agreements to allow Walmart to turn a former Sam’s Club into one of its superstores.

Lansing swears in new village officials

LANSING | Bailey Abbott may only be 7, but she’s an old pro when it comes to political inaugurals.

Critics still seek D.205 board chief's ouster

SOUTH HOLLAND Kenneth Williams, Thornton Township High School District 205 board president, took an oath Tuesday to serve a four-year term to which he was elected last month, but not until after his most outspoken critics voiced their opposition to him.

South Holland seats 'new' officials who strongly resemble the old

SOUTH HOLLAND | Don De Graff took an oath of office Monday for a four-year term as village president that will, if he completes it, ensure he will have been the head of municipal government here for two full decades.

Casino would be 'economic engine' for Cal City, mayor says

CALUMET CITY | If Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush were to have her way, she and her colleagues on the City Council would “brainstorm” in coming years to resolve the problems caused by increasing numbers of home foreclosures.

Chief Judge Evans swears in friend’s son, other Calumet City officials

CALUMET CITY | For 7th Ward Alderman Antoine Collins, Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans is a long-time family friend, as Evans and Collins’ father met many decades ago at a Chicago South Side barbershop.

French exchange students get 'American' experience at T.F. North

CALUMET CITY | If there is one thing that Pierre Gasnier would like to take back with him to his native France from his two weeks at Thornton Fractional North High School, it is the classroom demeanor.

Cal City man pleads not guilty in fatal shooting of Hammond teen

MARKHAM | Attorneys for a 20-year-old man facing criminal charges in connection with the shooting death of a Hammond teenager entered a not guilty plea Thursday on his behalf.

Mount Carmel, Bloom high school educators win honor

Two science teachers at local high schools are among this year's 10 recipients of the Golden Apple award given annually to reward excellence in teaching.

T.F. South student first in D.215 to win Gates Scholarship

CALUMET CITY | Jacob Reed is among the hundreds of graduating seniors of Thornton Fractional South High School in Lansing whose plans include college.

D.215 transitions to new school board

CALUMET CITY | The School Board for Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 took on the new members who were chosen in last month’s municipal elections.

Alderman says White Sox interested in working with area youth baseball programs

CALUMET CITY | Thaddeus Jones, the alderman who often has access to tickets for Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs baseball games to distribute to area residents, said he was told the White Sox are interested in visiting Calumet City this summer to work with youth baseball programs.

Cal City official splits conference payment in attempt at 'transparency'

CALUMET CITY | The City Council gave its approval for payments totaling $2,500 to allow 7th Ward Alderman Antoine Collins to attend a conference being held in Washington, D.C.

Cal City’s Election Day tensions haven’t withered away

CALUMET CITY | Fourth Ward Alderman Brian Wilson tried to depart the City Council on a high note last week, yet his disappointment about having his mayoral aspirations die without getting an Election Day vote managed to creep to the surface.

Gilmore pitches citizen police cadet program

CALUMET CITY | Police Chief Edward L. Gilmore said he wants to create a new program that would give selected young people first-hand experience in what a police officer does.

Film screening offers students glimpse of history of race relations

CALUMET CITY | Freshman students from Thornton Fractional North High School received a lesson in the history of race relations via an unlikely source Thursday morning: the movie theater.

Assisted living complex offers preview to community

LANSING | With a long-awaited opening on the horizon, a new assisted living complex opened its doors Wednesday to community members interested in the senior housing.

Striking Thorn Creek Basin workers to return Friday

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | A two-month picket by Teamsters members of the Thorn Creek Basin Sanitary District will come to an end this week.

Judge gives D.205's Williams two weeks to explain why he should remain in office

CHICAGO | A Cook County judge on Tuesday gave attorneys for Thornton Township High School District 205 board President Kenneth Williams two weeks to explain why he should remain in his elected post despite a 28-year-old felony conviction for forgery.

Environmental activists get preview of possible future park

CHICAGO | More than two dozen people, including bird watchers and environmental activists, got a close-up look Monday of Lake Calumet, a preview of what could someday be a public attraction of the Southeast Side.

New commissioner to learn his way around Cook County building

CHICAGO | One of newly appointed Cook County Commissioner Stanley Moore’s first actions this week was a motion to approve a road repair project pending before the County Board’s Roads and Bridges committee.

Legislators working to extend GSU’s alternative certification program

UNIVERSITY PARK | State legislators from the south suburbs are working this spring to approve a bill that would ensure an alternative teacher certification program at Governors State University.

County to pay Lynwood for $47K more for Joe Orr Road extension project

CHICAGO | Cook County government will pay Lynwood about $47,000 as reimbursement for engineering studies related to the multiyear extension of Joe Orr Road east toward the Illinois/Indiana border.

Cook board rejects effort to resurrect landfill restrictions

CHICAGO | The Cook County Board on Wednesday rejected an effort by one of its members to institute a ban on landfill operations anywhere in the county.

Cook County to accept HUD funds to bolster development around rail transit lines

CHICAGO | Cook County government will receive at least $30 million in federal funds to create a loan guarantee program meant to bolster the possibility of real estate development in areas near existing rail transit lines.

Officials hope electricity aggregation starts showing benefits by summer

LANSING | Village officials said Tuesday they hope residents will start seeing lower utility bills by this summer as a result of their vote last week in favor of electricity aggregation.