Illinois News
Local News
Streetscape to Start in Peotone
By Karen Haave A $3.5 million beautification project slated for Peotone’s downtown historic district is underway, culminating four years of planning, revisions, talks, and meetings. It was scheduled to begin on April 11 but was postponed due to rain. Village officials hosted an open house earlier this month to present details of the improvement plan…
Budget, Property Lines, and Safety Topics at Village Meeting
By Stephanie Irvine At the Village of Manhattan’s bimonthly meeting on April 2, the board held a public hearing for its Fiscal Year 2024-2025 budget, attended to new business, and held an executive session. The village’s budget has been a topic of discussion as the board worked through changes at previous meetings. A presentation was…
Crete’s Winter Coat Drive Unnecessary After All
By Karen Haave A winter-wear drive to help migrants, who might have been dropped off in Crete, turned out to be unnecessary, after all. The humanitarian effort, spearheaded by Police Chief Scott Pieritz, inspired Crete residents to donate hundreds of coats, hats, gloves, and blankets. But unlike other suburban towns, the village never experienced the…
Outdoor Lighting Might Not be a Problem in Monee Anymore
By Karen Haave Outdoor flood light displays won’t become a nuisance to Monee residents any time soon thanks to a village ordinance approved by the board of trustees last week. The ordinance is an amendment to Title 11, Chapter 7, Section 1 of the village code for outdoor lighting. Village Attorney Lawrence Gryczewski told the…
VEDETTE SPORTS REPORT
By Jeff Vorva Ahmad Henderson had a huge freshman year playing basketball at Niagara University but is coming home to the Chicago area. The Crete native and Brother Rice graduate is transferring to the University of Illinois-Chicago and announced his decision shortly after the Flames named Rob Ehsan as its new head coach last week.…
Peotone Police Blotter: March 29-April 3
March 29: An accident occurred at Drecksler and Tucker Roads, with no reported injuries. The police responded to the scene and completed a report for a property damage accident. The involved parties were able to drive their vehicles away from the scene. April 1: Peotone Police responded to a call for a report of theft…
Crete’s Officer Hunt Retires
By Karen Haave The Village of Crete bid farewell to a veteran police officer with a luncheon marking his retirement on March 21. After acknowledging accolades from his colleagues, Officer Richard Hunt conducted his final 10-42 (End of Tour of Duty). “Officer Richard Hunt began his law enforcement career in 1977 as a part-time police…
Building Committee Creates Historical Overlay District
By Andrea Arens The Peotone Building Committee, consisting of Trustees Gary Hudson, Todd Sandberg, and Nick Strba, agreed to create an “Old Town Historical Overlay” District at their meeting on March 25. The purpose of creating the overlay district is to lay guidelines for a quality of appearance and to insure improvements of exteriors look…
Building Committee Declines to Hire Additional Employees
By Andrea Arens Village Administrator Aimee Ingalls along with Building and Zoning Administrator Henry Walters thought the Building Department, otherwise known as the Community Development Department, could use another employee. Walters was hired last year just before elections essentially to be the go-to for the Building and Zoning Department. While he lacked a lot of…
Behold, Beecher Police Station Will Be Built
By Jeff Vorva The earth will be moved, and a new police station will be built. The Beecher Village Board on March 25 approved several bid packages and, combined with a bid package that was approved at the March 11 meeting, the new digs are going to cost approximately $4.5 million. “Ground will start to…
Pritzker’s Grocery Tax Elimination Has Crete President Displeased
By Karen Haave Crete Village President Michael Einhorn is not happy with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to eliminate the state’s tax on groceries. Einhorn made his feelings known during the March 25 village board meeting, expressing his opposition to State Rep. Anthony DeLuca (D-80th House District). He estimated the loss of the 1 percent…
Two Dead After Another Crash at 50 and County Line
The Kankakee County Coroner’s Office and Illinois State Police Troop 5 released a press release on March 28 that they are investigating a double fatality accident. The accident occurred on March 28, 2024, at 12:48 p.m., at the intersection of 12000 North Road and Illinois Rt. 50 just north of Manteno. Preliminary investigation demonstrates that…
Vedette Sports Report
By Jeff Vorva A former talented team will rub shoulders with a current talented team. Beecher’s 2007 softball team is a part of the 2024 Beecher Hall of Fame class and will be honored May 11 before a home softball game against Lemont. The 2007 squad won the Illinois High School Association Class 2A State…