Lansing D.158 to issue $10M in bonds for school upgrades

LANSING | The Lansing Elementary District 158 School Board is proceeding with plans to sell $10 million in working cash bonds to pay for improvements to district buildings.

D.158 extends superintendent contract

LANSING | The Lansing Elementary District 158 Board of Education approved a new contract for Superintendent Cecilia Heiberger last week by a 6-1 vote.

Park Board approves contract for E.C. golf course work

EAST CHICAGO | The Park Board has approved a $114,649 contract for ServiScape, LLC to perform lawn and course maintenance at the city-owned MacArthur Golf Course this season.

Glenwood fire rating upgraded

GLENWOOD | The village's fire rating has been upgraded from a Class 5 to a Class 4 level.

New deputy chief, chaplain appointed to Glenwood Fire Department

GLENWOOD | A standing-room-only crowd filled the Glenwoodie Golf Club clubhouse Tuesday to witness three police officers become sergeants and the appointments of a new deputy fire chief and the village's first Fire Department chaplain.

Calumet City D.155 School Board takes oath

CALUMET CITY | The Calumet City Elementary District 155 School Board seated its new members on Monday, based on results from the April 9 election.

Lansing school wins award for its breakfast program

LANSING | The Lester Crawl Primary Center is one of just 12 schools in the state that recently received an Illinois School Breakfast Challenge Award.

Like a good neighbor, Lansing is there

LANSING | Parade entries lined up down Wentworth Avenue from Ridge Road to 178th Street on Saturday afternoon for the 46th annual Good Neighbor Day Parade.

Lansing D.158 hires Sunnybrook business manager

LANSING | The Lansing Elementary District 158 School Board last month approved the employment of Mark Crotty as business manager, effective July 1.

New Lansing D.158 board seated

LANSING | The Lansing Elementary District 158 School Board welcomed one new member and said goodbye to another Wednesday.

Lansing invites community to 'Three-Hour Tour'

LANSING | The 46th installment of Lansing's Good Neighbor Day Parade will commence at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Glenwood woman competing for Miss Illinois title

GLENWOOD | A Glenwood woman will compete for the title of Miss Illinois in June.

Police: Be on the lookout for air conditioner thefts

EAST CHICAGO | A string of air conditioner thefts that occurred in the city in late March and early this month does not represent a new trend, according to East Chicago Police Chief Mark Becker.

D.155 eighth-graders to visit Six Flags

CALUMET CITY | It appears it could be so-long Springfield and hello Six Flags next month for eighth-graders at Wentworth Junior High School.

Glenwood trustees to consider two liquor license applications on May 21

GLENWOOD | Two liquor license applications that failed to win approval earlier this month will be reconsidered at the May 21 Village Board meeting.

Bridge work interrupts Indiana Harbor dredging in East Chicago

EAST CHICAGO | The Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal dredging project has been temporarily suspended because of maintenance work being performed on the Dickey Road Bridge.

D. 158 eyes $10M bond sale

LANSING | Busted boilers are just one reason the Lansing Elementary District 158 Board of Education is expected to vote on the sale of $10 million in bonds at its May 15 meeting.

Glenwood police alert residents to flasher

GLENWOOD | The Glenwood Police Department has issued a community alert in response to four reports of indecent exposure that occurred between April 9 and 12.

East Chicago fire chief wins right to appoint deputy

EAST CHICAGO | Fire Chief Emiliano Perez will get his wish to appoint his own deputy chief following the City Council's approval of an ordinance on Monday.

Sauk Village seeks $5.3M loan to improve water quality

SAUK VILLAGE | Village officials want to enter into an agreement with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to obtain a low interest $5.3 million loan for improvements to the village's two water treatment plants.

South Holland plans to make no-cash bid on four acres of property

SOUTH HOLLAND | The Village Board voted unanimously on Monday to authorize Cook County to make a no-cash bid on the village's behalf in hopes of acquiring about four acres of property at 16861 Vincennes Ave.

Write-in candidate challenges Glenwood village president

GLENWOOD | Village President Kerry Durkin will face a challenge from write-in candidate Adam Winston when voters go to the polls April 9.

East Chicago fire chief makes pitch for deputy

EAST CHICAGO | Fire Chief Emiliano Perez recently told the City Council he hopes an ordinance creating a deputy fire chief wins final approval.

4 vie for 3 Glenwood trustee seats

GLENWOOD | Four residents will compete for three, four-year seats in the April 9 election for village trustee.

Gary mayor, fire chief thank Glenwood for used firetruck

GLENWOOD | Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson crossed the state border this week to personally thank the village of Glenwood for its recent donation of a 32-year-old surplus firetruck to the city.

D.158 adopts conduct policy for its School Board members

LANSING | In response to a grievance filed by the Lansing Education Association, the Lansing Elementary School District 158 School Board on Wednesday unanimously approved a board conduct resolution.

T.F. South hosts candidates forum

LANSING | An estimated crowd of 200 filled the commons area of Thornton Fractional South High School last night as the school's Parent Teacher Student Association hosted a candidates forum for those running for positions within the village in the April 9 election.

Lansing school celebrates renovations, expansion

LANSING | The shiny new gymnasium at Reavis Elementary School was packed Thursday for a ribbon cutting ceremony that officially unveiled the first of two phases of a renovation and expansion project at the school that serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

East Chicago Council members sponsor Crime Watch meeting

EAST CHICAGO | East Chicago Council members Christine Vasquez, 4th District, and Rosendo Cuevaso, 5th District, have scheduled a Neighborhood Crime Watch meeting for 5:30 p.m. tonight at the East Chicago Public Library, 2401 E. Columbus Drive.

E.C. thanks neighboring communities for help battling blaze

EAST CHICAGO | While no cause has yet been determined for a fire Saturday that destroyed a string of businesses in the 500 block of West Chicago Avenue, the City Council on Monday expressed appreciation for fire departments from nearby communities that provided assistance.

Chicago Heights Park District to receive two surplus squad cars

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Two surplus city police vehicles will be donated to the Chicago Heights Park District, the City Council decided.

Glenwood donates firetruck to Gary Fire Department

GLENWOOD | As an act of interstate goodwill, the village has donated a surplus firetruck to the city of Gary.

Chicago Heights envisions retail center at former Dodge car dealership

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | In hopes of welcoming a major retailing establishment to the northeast corner of Lincoln Highway and Western Avenue, the City Council on Monday began seeking proposals for the purchase and development of 6 acres of city-owned property at 20937 Western Ave.

D.155 board to vote on calendar algined with T.F. North

CALUMET CITY | The Calumet City Elementary District 155 School Board will vote March 21 whether to adopt a calendar for the 2013-2014 school year that would coordinate major holidays with Thornton Fractional North High School.

Chicago Heights council OKs liquor license at gas station convenience store

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | The City Council approved an ordinance on Monday that created a 16th packaged goods license in the city so that liquor can be sold out of the convenience store of the Mobil gas station at 431 W. 14th St.

Consultant to provide economic development work for Chicago Heights

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | In order to help fill the void created by last week's retirement of former Economic Development Director Joe Kudra, the City Council on Monday approved an amended agreement with JPH Inc. for consulting services to be provided to the economic development department.

Three families move into Habitat homes in Lansing

LANSING | Three new families were welcomed to the village last week as the Chicago South Suburbs chapter of Habitat For Humanity held a dedication ceremony at the Patti Leach Youth Center to celebrate the completion of three rehabbed homes.

Thornwood grad is Miss Illinois pageant contestant

SOUTH HOLLAND | Entrepreneur, pageant contestant and college student are just three of the many ways to describe busy 2010 Thornwood High School graduate Brittany Middlebrooks.

Thornton OKs water rate hike

THORNTON | The Village Board on Tuesday unanimously approved a water rate increase that homeowners will notice when they receive their March water bills.

Thornton purchases five lots eyed for downtown development

THORNTON | Five lots commonly referred to as 100 N. Williams St. are expected to become property of the village following the Village Board's approval on Tuesday of an agreement to acquire the land.

Illiana Derby Dames looking for a few good women

LYNWOOD | Before she started skating with a roller derby league in Michigan, Ruth Armstrong never considered herself athletic.

Most Lansing elementary schools pass safety inspection

LANSING | Superintendent Cecilia Heiberger told the Lansing Elementary District 158 School Board on Wednesday that she was pleased with the results of a Life Safety inspection of district schools conducted by a regional office on behalf of the State Board of Education on Jan. 8 and 9.

Brookwood school trustee balks at paying for new carpeting

GLENWOOD | The issue of whether to put new carpeting in an old school dominated much of the discussion at Monday's Brookwood Elementary District 167 School Board meeting.

Candidate in Glenwood upset with electoral process

GLENWOOD | Village President Kerry Durkin's name will be the only one listed as a candidate for village president on the upcoming ballot, and at least one person is not happy about that.

D.155 reading specialist retires

CALUMET CITY | The Calumet City Elementary School District 155 School Board last week saluted Pat Phillips on her recent retirement.

Glenwood Academy president returns to lead school once again

GLENWOOD | Having left in 2008 as president and CEO of the Glenwood Academy, a job he held since 1996, John Irwin was living a nice, retired life in Michigan.

Chicago Heights set to implement electrical aggregation program

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | The City Council recently approved a consulting agreement that could lead to significant savings on residents' electric bills.

Chicago Heights offers lower taxes for pharmaceutical company, body shop

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | The City Council on Monday approved an economic development incentive application that, if approved by Cook County, is expected to lead to a major expansion of the Pfizer/Alpharma facility at 400 State St.