Marya Yates students semifinalists in Fatherhood Essay Contest

Three students from Marya Yates Elementary School in Matteson were selected as semifinalists in the 2013 Illinois Fatherhood Initiative/Chicago White Sox Illinois Fatherhood Essay Contest.

The theme of this year’s essay was “What My Father Means to Me.”

Kindergartener Cymbre Robinson, fourth-grader Darion Jeffries and …

Shnay: A congregation reborn, a pioneer passes

Sometimes it seems as if we pass our lives in a chaotic series of coincidental events — as if we were part of a gigantic pinball game, with uncounted metal balls bouncing off life’s bumpers and caroming off each other’s thoughts and memories. So these …

Mohawk Intermediate Center hosts Career Day

Several Southlanders participated in Mohawk Intermediate Center’s Career Day in Park Forest.

Featured speakers included Ron Bean, a professor at Governors State University in University Park, who talked about the skills he needs to be an effective professor.

Park Forest Fire Department Lt. Phillip Myers …

Community Sports Calendar (East) for June 16, 2013

Here is a look at sporting events in the SouthtownStar’s East region, which includes Beecher, Chicago Heights, Country Club Hills, Crete, Flossmoor, Glenwood, Homewood, Matteson, Monee, Olympia Fields, Park Forest, Richton Park, Steger, and University Park.

Matteson, Park Forest police blotter

MATTESON

SCOOTER THEFT: A motorized scooter was stolen May 28 from outside an apartment in the 4000 block of Lindenwood Drive.

DUI ARREST: Kory Begley, 37, 7925 S. Green St., Chicago, was charged with drunken driving, no insurance and driving on a suspended license after …

Open house to benefit Thorn Creek Nature Center

The Thorn Creek Nature Center, 247 Monee Road, Park Forest, will hold an open house benefit, Visions and Voices, featuring local artist Marikay Peter Witlock and musicians Patricia Caldwell and Jerry Santoni from 1 to 4 p.m. June 23. Guests can meet Witlock, who was …

Huth Middle School hosts history fair

“Investigating History” was the theme for Huth Middle School’s recent history fair.

Award-winning journalist to speak at GSU graduation

Governors State University will award bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees to about 1,500 graduates at its June 8 morning and afternoon commencement ceremonies at the Tinley Park Convention Center. GSU is awarding an honorary doctorate to Maria Hinojosa, an award-winning journalist. She will speak at …

Griffin, Jones to address GSU graduates

Graduating Governors State University students Michael Griffin, of Carpentersville, and Shaniqua Jones, of Harvey, were selected to give commencement addresses during June 8 ceremonies at the Tinley Park Convention Center. Griffin will speak at the 10 a.m. ceremony and Jones will speak at the 5 …

Shnay: Bird watching a great way to enjoy nature

The bird feeders in our back yard need to be replenished daily. It’s been that way for the last two months or so, as even the first frosty days of spring did not deter those winged wonders from scavenging for food. Recently, two red-and-gray male …

Career Day at Forest Trail Middle School

Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163’s Forest Trail Middle School in Park Forest welcomed 40 businesspeople to the school for its annual Career Day.

People from the fields of law, medicine, the arts, military, finance and sports visited classrooms to discuss their careers and the …

Matteson, Park Forest police blotter

MATTESON

THEFT: A 13-year-old Matteson boy told police someone stole his iPhone May 13 after he left it on the ground during track practice at Huth Middle School, 3718 W. 213th Place.

THEFT: An iPad was stolen May 15 from a customer at Burlington Coat …

Southland College Prep student makes Broadway debut

Morgan Brown, 16, a Southland College Prep Charter High School junior from Matteson, recently performed on Broadway in the national finals of the Fifth Annual August Wilson Monologue competition at the August Wilson Theatre in New York. Students from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New …

Rich South students prepare more than good food

Rich South culinary arts students take a cross-curricular approach to food

Campus (East) for May 26, 2013

Here is a look at what Southlanders from SouthtownStar’s East region are accomplishing in college. News includes Beecher, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Crete, Homewood, Flossmoor, Lansing, Richton Park, Park Forest and South Holland.

Park Forest library joins museum’s science program

Park Forest library partners with Museum of Science and Industry to excite young scientists