Week in Review: State Government News, Goodbye to Winter Sports

Does anyone else feel like the week went by extremely fast? Well, as many of us gazed out of the window hoping to see some subtle sign of spring, the Village of Evergreen Park was hopping with news.

Last week we started off with in the Weekly Business Spotlight. Colleen Kant tells us how Tom and Kristin Ollenburger used their expertise to keep Kristin's family business going for the past 17 years.

“When we graduated college, we came back to Chicago and at that point it was something that was such an interest (to us),” Kristin said. “Tom got involved as a carpenter and I used my business background. Dad didn’t have sons, so when it got close to the time he was retiring, we decided it was something we could do together and be very good at.”

Last week, Amanda Edwards gave us a peek into New York Times' Best Selling Author and romance novelist Eloisa James' awe-inspiring life during her 

In sports, Tom Ritter told us how Boys basketball team closed out the season. He wrote, "turned into a game of streaks." Evergreen Park lost to Joliet Catholic 63-52. In , Ritter reported, player Marcus Kemp looked nearly unstoppable in the Mustangs' regional game against Joliet Catholic, but he and his teammates didn't like the way things turned out. Later in the week, in a 76-55 sweep, according to sports reporter Chris Vavra. He reported in the next day analysis that , Rice ended their playoff crusade in a 63-46 loss. Stan White reported the next day that the " that ended the season.

Also in sports, David Noell reported that Evergreen Park's indoor triathlon was an " Eighty-one Evergreen Park triathlon participants raised money for SERVE during Sunday's workout.

In government news, Nicolette Chambers told us how the The Evergreen Park Chamber of Commerce held a , giving residents a chance to voice their opinions about issues affecting the state. Chambers said Burke addressed the state budget, and a few bills she was working on, including Burke's recent vote on gun laws. Burke was the only state representative to vote against several pro-gun bills. Later in the week, we learned that House Bill 1886 will not leave committee. Orland Park Patch editor Ben Feldheim and Lemont Patch editor Amanda Luevano tell how the bill that would dissolve and reform nearly all school districts in the state in a committee hearing last Thursday, according to legislative staff.

On Friday, we reported that the Illinois General Assembly is considering lifting the smoking ban on select businesses with two bills under discussion. Out of the 19 businesses in Evergreen Park that currently have liquor licenses, at least three of them are bars that gain a substantial amount of their revenue from liquor sales. They could possibly be eligible to apply for a smoking license under the new revisions. Click to read what two of those businesses had to say about the bills.

Last week, we launched our , with candidate bios and the , with any new information about the April 5, 2011 municipal races.

Speaking of government, how informed are you on yours? Last week, Evergreen Park Patch reported on the that were held in Joliet. Led by former ABC 7 political reporter and BGA Executive Director Andy Shaw, the training teaches average joes how to monitor local government, access public information and what to do with that information once they have it.

Congratulations to the latest Patch Whiz Kids, The Jr. Jordans Special Olympics basketball "B" team, featuring Scott Curtiss, Anthony Tabascio, Brandon Brown, Adam Zieger, Kevin Ehmen, Josh Carroll, Mohamed Mouchmoucie, Ryan McGrath-Barnett, Luke Lenoci and John Wulff. These champs are part of the Oak Lawn Park District's Special Olympics basketball program that draws kids from all over the Southland. The Jr. Jordans had an undefeated basketball season, losing their only game by just one point. Why are they so awesome? They are going for the gold in the Special Olympics March 11-12.

We had much more news, events and announcements happen this week, so feel free to peruse the site. Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.