Original News, Features & Opinion on Chicago, Illinois and America
Bridgeview OKs budget Board also focuses on vacant properties By Steve Metsch The Bridgeview Village Board has approved a balanced budget for 2021. The board unanimously approved the $30.6 million budget at its meeting held at noon on Dec. 16. “The budget is done on time and balanced this year,” Mayor Steve Landek said. No…
Lyons passes balanced budget Like many villages, pandemic took a toll By Steve Metsch The village of Lyons faces a deficit after the pandemic hit revenues hard, but trustees have passed a balanced budget for 2021. And finance department officials think the village can weather the storm. The village will have a $240,000 deficit with…
High-tech Santa Jolly elf visited via Zoom with Lyons kids By Steve Metsch Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Lyons parks and recreation department was unable to have Santa visit in person with kids this year. Thanks to modern technology, all was not lost. Kids were able to visit with the jolly old elf on…
Garbage truck dazzles Trustees get look at Lyons’ new addition By Steve Metsch Lyons trustees got their first look at the village’s new garbage truck, painted a gleaming white with an illustration of Hoffman Tower on each side, before their recent meeting. The truck has room for 25 yards of garbage, Public Works Director Ryan…
Bridgeview adds defibrillators Grant eases financial burden of purchase By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is acquiring three defibrillators for use in ambulances. And thanks to grant money, the price tag is not too large, officials said. The price is $91,000, but $79,000 comes from federal grant, Fire Chief Michael Daly said. The village is out $12,000…
Guitars are silenced Stonegrove shuttered by “hostile economy” By Steve Metsch The jamming guitars and pounding drums have been silenced at Stonegrove Guitar, 821 W. Hillgrove Ave., in La Grange. The place where for the past 18 years kids and adults learned how to play guitar and drum closed its doors on Halloween, another victim…
New trash hauler in Bridgeview Officials: SBC Waste Solutions offered best deal By Steve Metsch The Bridgeview Village Board has approved a contract with a new scavenger company that will increase fees for homeowners by just 30 to 40 cents a year, officials said. The new scavenger company for the village is SBC Waste Solutions….
Who let the dogs in? Chicago Drive-In celebrates canines with movie night By Steve Metsch When you can’t give thumbs-up to a movie, do you wag a tail instead? There were plenty of tails wagging in the parking lot of Bridgeview’s SeatGeek Stadium the evening of Oct. 22. That’s when Chicago Drive-In, the outdoor movie…
Early voting in Lyons Village among many sites in Cook County By Steve Metsch Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty welcomed local, state and federal officials and candidates to the front steps of the village hall on Oct. 19 to promote early voting in Cook County. Monday marked the opening of early voting which runs through Nov….
Argo teachers, board at odds Teachers remotely argue their case during meeting By Steve Metsch Five teachers at Argo Community High School shared their dissatisfaction with ongoing contract talks during a recent meeting of the School District 217 board. The five addressed the board from remote locations via a video screen set up in Room…
Raising funds 0n-line Virus forces cancelation of UCP’s breakfast for 500 By Steve Metsch Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the annual fundraiser for the United Citizens Party led by Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty will not be held in-person this year. Usually held at The Drake Hotel Oak Brook on a Saturday in October, the breakfast…
Landlords’ beef with Summit Say $75 annual inspection fee per unit is too steep By Steve Metsch Nine months after it was approved and a few months after it was implemented, a new $75 annual safety inspection fee charged per rental unit was met with opposition by 10 or so landlords at the Summit Village…
Mustangs honor first responders Free lunch provided by longtime organization in Lyons By Steve Metsch McCook Police Lt. Steve Svetich and officer Carlo DiMundo were among the many first responders who enjoyed a free lunch Saturday courtesy the Lyons Mustangs Athletic Club. Svetich ate a cheeseburger. DiMundo enjoyed a bratwurst which he said was “delicious”…
Pohl leads Lyons golfers Shoots two-under as Lions roll to regional win By Steve Metsch Standing in a sand trap beside the 18th green at Harborside International’s Starboard course, Lyons Township senior Griffin Pohl knew he “had to get up and down.” If he did, he’d win the Class 3A boys golf regional. Pohl neatly…
Lyons girls tennis preview Mix of veterans and youth could be interesting By Steve Metsch With several key returning veterans and a couple surprising sophomores, it could be a very interesting season for the Lyons Township girls tennis team. “We’re missing two (players) from the sectional lineup,” Coach Dave Robare said after practice on Sept….
Postal workers not pleased Informational picket raises awareness of woes By Steve Metsch West Beverly resident Charline McGrath does not want the US Postal Service to stop being a reliable and dependable government entity. “We are highly dependent on our post office. My postal worker is great. She’s on time, all the time. If there’s…
COVID sidelines Naz tennis One girl tests positive; team quarantined By Steve Metsch One player on the Nazareth Academy girls tennis team has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the program to quarantine for two weeks. Contacted Thursday, Nazareth tennis coach Lisa Straface deferred comment to the high school’s principal, Therese Hawkins. Hawkins addressed the issue…
Nazareth standout to Rutgers DE Ryan Keeler relishes challenges facing him By Steve Metsch A key defensive player on Nazareth Academy’s football team is taking his talents to Rutgers University, hoping to help build that program to a level he enjoyed in high school. Ryan Keeler is slated to play defensive end for Rutgers. The…