southtownstar.suntimes.com

Woman’s daughter, son-in-law killed in fire: ‘I believe my baby is gone’

Sat, 18 May 2013 02:09:06 -0500

Everlina Hill sat on nearby steps, crying and praying, as she waited for official word of what she correctly suspected in her heart: that her daughter and son-in-law died in an early morning fire in their Chicago Heights home.

Chicago Heights police blotter

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:30:01 -0500

CHICAGO HEIGHTS CAR BURGLARY: A car stereo and CD player were stolen May 10 from a car in the 1500 block of Schilling Avenue. CAR BURGLARY: A wallet was stolen May 11 or 12 from a car in the 100 block of Mildred Lane. THEFT: A Lynwood police officer told police that someone stole her wallet, which contained her police ID and $527, as she shopped May 13 at Food 4 Less, 1333 Western Ave. TRESPASSING: Edear Nava, 19, 277 W. 15th Place, Chicago Heights, was charged with criminal trespass after breaking a car window and tampering with the car’s …

Forest Trail hoops places at state

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:34:21 -0500

Forest Trail School’s seventh-grade boys basketball team took third place out of 400 teams in the Illinois Elementary Sports Association (IESA) championship tournament. The team finished the season with a 26-2 record. The seventh-grade team also was the South Suburban Junior High School Association Conference champion with a 12-1 record. Other titles for the year include the IESA Regional champions and the IESA Sectional champions. Team members include Joe Howard-Griffin, Tyrean Tims, Malik Ecford, Antron Washington, Marshon Baines, Vashawn Sims, Clifton Jimerson, Eric Allen, Nathaniel Reese and Omar Smith. The team coaches were Devlin Boatman and George Friel. Provided to …

Community Sports Calendar (East) for May 19, 2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:36:41 -0500

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.

PSC center goal: help businesses get tollway work

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:35:08 -0500

The Illinois Toll Highway Authority, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce announced plans to develop new programs and provide services to small businesses in the construction industry, including firms owned by minorities and women. The partnerships are designed to provide the assistance needed to participate in the tollway’s $12 billion capital program. Through an agreement with the ICCB, the tollway will commit $578,000 to establish a new Construction Business Development Center. The center will be led by Prairie State College in partnership with South Suburban College, Moraine Valley …

Crete Public Library hosts shredding event

Sun, 19 May 2013 02:34:30 -0500

The Crete Public Library Shredding Event was held in the library’s parking lot last month. Pro Shred Security, a document destruction company, set up a mobile shredding vehicle for patrons’ personal document shredding. The shredded paper was taken away for recycling. Staff report …

Vickroy: Guiding knight: Lab gets woman where she needs to go

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:13 -0500

Up concrete stairs, around giant flowerpots and through throngs of bustling commuters, Kathy Austin makes her way to work each morning. Though she is virtually blind, only able to distinguish contrasts of light and dark, she makes getting from her home in the leafy suburb of Homewood to her office on the 10th floor of a Loop high rise look easy, partly because she has Solomon to guide her, partly because she doesn’t let much stop her from pursuing her dreams. “Going blind is the only horrible thing that’s ever happened to me,” she says. “It’s just one of those …

Chicago Heights pita plant has major expansion

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:21:15 -0500

Holding a small crucifix in one hand and clutching a clump of basil dipped in holy water in the other, George Kaloudis walked Thursday alongside an array of ovens in a Chicago Heights pita bakery. The blessing of the hulking machine with holy water by Kaloudis, presiding priest at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, was part of a formal unveiling of a major expansion at Pita Pan Old World Bakery. Once the new production line begins operation in a couple of weeks, the company, which has been in Chicago Heights for seven years, will be able to turn …

Chicago Heights police blotter

Wed, 15 May 2013 21:02:01 -0500

CHICAGO HEIGHTS DUI CHARGE: Armando Ortiz, 30, 1314 Shields Ave., Chicago Heights, was charged with drunken driving after a May 4 stop at 16th Street and East End Avenue, police said. DOMESTIC BATTERY: Thomas Puckett, 51, 1314 Vincennes Ave., Chicago Heights, was charged with domestic battery after a May 4 incident at his home, police said. DUI ARREST: April Munoz, 19, 362 E. 25th St., Chicago Heights, was charged with drunken driving, no insurance and failure to wear a seat belt May 4 after a stop at Chicago Road and Main Street, police said. DUI CASE: Kathleen Williamson, 40, 10 …

Youth program at Prairie State draws 200

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:33:50 -0500

More than 200 youths attended the second annual Youth Impact Day sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women South Suburban Chicago Section recently at Prairie State College in Chicago Heights. The topic of this year’s conference was “Passing the Torch to Future Generations.” Greetings were given by Prairie State College President Eric Radtke, and Drema Lee Woldman, president of the South Suburban Section of the National Council of Negro Women. The participants attended workshops relevant to challenges they are facing. Turnitta Rayburn, of Matteson, chaired the event. For information about the South Suburban Section of the National Council of …

Academics (East) for May 12, 2013

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:33:31 -0500

Here is a look at what Southlanders from the SouthtownStar’s East region are accomplishing in school. News includes Lansing, South Holland, Country Club Hills, Homewood, Flossmoor, Park Forest, Crete, Olympia Fields, Harvey, Dolton, Calumet City, Chicago Heights and Richton Park.

Zion Lutheran competes at track tournament

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:55:10 -0500

Students from Zion Lutheran School in Beecher recently competed in the South Suburban Lutheran Athletic League Track Conference at Tinley Park High School. For two months, 21 athletes in third grade and higher practiced for two to three events for the competition. Track coaches included Zion athletic director Jordan Hopman and parents Gina Carra, Laura Mills and Ray Smith. Ten schools competed on a beautiful sunny day in events such as relay, individual runs and field. Seventh-grader Jake Mills took second place in Boys Class A discus with a throw of 86.7 feet and qualified for the state competition. Fourth …

South Suburban College names Harris Player of the Year

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:55:10 -0500

South Suburban College men’s basketball player Michael Harris (East Chicago Central High Scool) was named National Junior College Athletic Association Division II National Player of the Year. This is the first National Player of the Year during head coach John Pigatti’s tenure. It is also the first for the South Suburban College athletic department in recent history. Harris, a sophomore guard averaged 23.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 3.3 steals per game during the 2012-13 season. He was selected to play in the NJCAA National All-Star Game at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. This award puts the cap …

Marian Catholic carnival a chance to give back

Sun, 12 May 2013 02:33:21 -0500

Marian student council hosts annual children’s carnival

Chicago Heights police blotter

Thu, 09 May 2013 21:46:00 -0500

CHICAGO HEIGHTS DOMESTIC BATTERY: Jonathan Donaldson, 22, 1930 Adams St., Chicago, was charged with domestic battery after an April 27 incident at the Olympic Village apartments, police said. DUI CHARGE: Adam Alcantar, 31, 1318 Emerald Ave., Chicago Heights, was charged with drunken driving, speeding, driving on a revoked license and no insurance after an April 27 stop at 14th Street and Portland Avenue, police said. MEDICINE STOLEN: A Chicago Heights woman told police someone stole 30 Hydrocodone pills from her medicine cabinet April 28 in the 200 block of East 24th Street. DUI CASE: Terrence King, 35, 9021 S. Luecca, …

Vickroy: Pennies from an angel to help special-needs dancers

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:18:10 -0500

At face value, the penny is worth next to nothing. But for those who believe in the power of serendipity, the penny can be priceless. As her sister, Linda, lay dying in 2000, Cathy Epstein-Faxel and her mother wondered how they might honor the 29-year-old’s memory. Then a friend gave Epstein-Faxel a copy of the poem “Pennies From Heaven” by Charles Mashburn. The work is a reminder that loved ones who have passed often send messages of hope in the most unsuspecting ways. It was meant to be a comfort, to get her family through the difficult times ahead. Little …