passed away at his residence Tuesday after a valiant battle with Stage 4 multi-focal glioblastoma brain cancer There is now a void in their hearts that will never be filled with whom he celebrated 41 years of marriage; his daughters of Robinson Township and Nicole (James) Itle of Portage; his cherished grandchildren: Lauren June Stanley Connor Joseph Stanley and Madalynn Jo Itle; siblings: Carol; Joseph and wife Michael Calandra; Roger; and Jayne and husband Andrew Speizman; and aunts and uncles: Florence (McClure) and Thomas Mack Phillip “Cheech” and Norma Cicero and Patricia Walkovich Rick also enjoyed the blessings of numerous nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews: Ryan Cicero Michele (Rob) Smith and Joshua (Jill) Cicero Rebecca Dzombak and Nikolas Midttun and Jesse (Anna) Dzombak Joseph and June (McClure) Cicero; father-in-law and mother-in-law Jack and Adeline (Walkovich) Penrod; and many beloved aunts uncles and cousins who filled his youth with fond memories and happy times Rick was a 1977 graduate of Penn Cambria High School and a 1989 graduate of Saint Francis University He was employed by UPS and enjoyed his route throughout Hollidaysburg He enjoyed working as an usher with the Altoona Curve He was also employed by Cambria County as the jury van driver and was affectionately known as the “Van Man.” He was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church and was a life member of the Saint Pietro de Roma Italian Club (Cresson) and the Bavarian Aid Society (Altoona) He enjoyed golfing and bowling with his friends listening to classic rock and enjoying time with his family and his pups Tamara Hoffman for enabling us to care for Rick at home Online condolences can be made at serenkoclaarfuneralhome.com Copyright © 2025 Central Pennsylvania Newspapers LLC | https://www.altoonamirror.com | 301 Cayuga Ave. Manchester Valley (Md.) and Darien (Conn.) retain the top two spots and two newcomers join the latest USA Lacrosse Public High School Girls’ National Top 25 Cicero-North Syracuse (N.Y.) makes its debut in the rankings at No The Northstars have a pair of one-goal wins and their only loss came at the hands of Wellesley (Mass.) One of that Wellesley team’s three losses was to Coronado (Calif.) which has kept its perfect record through 16 games to move up three spots to No Coronado is one of only three unbeatens in the Top 25 along with Manchester Valley and Nyack (N.Y.) The other new team to the Top 25 is Conestoga (Pa.) a perennially strong program that started its season slowly The defending 3A state champions picked up an overtime win over West Chester Henderson (Pa.) Stoga is scheduled to face another perennial power Radnor won last year's matchup for the Central League title and Stoga came back to win the district title and then the state championship over Radnor West Islip (N.Y.) also made a big move up to No Since losing two of their first three games — to highly ranked Bayport-Blue Point (N.Y.) and Sayville (N.Y.) — the Lions have won nine straight including a win over Smithtown West (N.Y.) Summit (N.J.) and Moorestown (N.J.) flipped spots in the Top 10 after Moorestown suffered its first loss to Oak Knoll (N.J.) San Ramon Valley (Calif.) used a huge win over St 2 spot and three new teams entered the regional rankings Grant (Ore.) has lost just once this year and comes in at No San Marcos (Calif.) rode an overtime win over previously ranked Torrey Pines (Calif.) to move into the No And Issaquah (Wash.) owns wins over Bainbridge Island (Wash.) and Eastlake (Wash.) to surge to the final spot in the rankings 5 Ponte Vedra (Fla.) lost a heartbreaking one-goal game to Bartram Trail (Fla.) in the playoffs to end its season Prior Lake (Minn.) made a big move in the Midwest up to No The USA Lacrosse Public High School Girls' National Top 25 and Regional Top 10 lists can also be found here in our rankings hub with each team's previous ranking denoted in parenthesis Compiled by USA Lacrosse writers with input from coaches around the country these rankings will be updated weekly on Thursdays Also considered (alphabetical order): Anderson (Texas) USA Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt charitable organization 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Grady College and our alumni Get details on upcoming events happening at Grady Cicero Independiente journalists have been named the recipients of the Rollin M “Pete” McCommons Award for Distinguished Community Journalism The award recognizes the group for their investigative series “The Air We Breathe: Environmental concerns in the majority Latinix town of Cicero Illinois,” that they reported on in collaboration with MuckRock established by Grady Thrasher and Kathy Prescott to honor Pete McCommons publisher and editor of Flagpole Magazine in Athens annually recognizes impactful coverage on issues that affect a community.  Cicero Independiente is a newsroom guided by what community members want to see and learn more about residents have complained of a number of different environmental concerns including bad air quality and toxic smells Cicero Independiente started exploring these concerns with our photojournalism fellowship cohort but it wasn’t until March 2023 that they began investigating these long-ignored concerns The newsroom was honored for its powerful investigative series “The Air We Breathe,” which highlighted concerns about industrial pollution in Cicero This investigative series has inspired local residents to get involved in advocacy efforts including demanding more transparency from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency about their work to address air quality and hold polluters accountable Reporting has been shared at environmental coalition meetings and public meetings with elected officials and has become an organizing demand to local activists “This is a really big deal for us,” said Irene Romulo development and community engagement director we knew we wanted to meet the information needs of our community and strengthen people’s sense of belonging in our town we’ve been able to celebrate the resilience of the people who live here share life-saving resources and show how investing in community-driven investigations can have a huge impact.” April Alonso chair of the McCommons Award Committee and an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism shares “Their work stands as an outstanding example of journalism that not only reports the news but also drives meaningful impact The Cicero Independiente team’s attention to detail and community-centered reporting combined with their thoughtful and strategic multimedia (and multilingual) storytelling exemplifies their commitment to serving and informing the public.” ‘The Air We Breathe’ embodies the reporting that the McCommons Award was created to honor From using citizens to monitor air quality to filing dozens of Freedom of Information requests this inspiring newsroom laid bare the inescapable fact that a local polluter was making life intolerable for thousands of residents.” “Pete” McCommons Award for Distinguished Community Journalism sponsored by the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication goes to small- or niche-market media outlets that have produced single or packaged stories on issues affecting their community and can offer how these stories may have impacted their community These media outlets can create bonds with its citizens This year’s McCommons Award honors reporting conducted in the calendar year 2023. Likewise, next year’s award will recognize reporting conducted in the calendar year 2024. Awards are spaced out so that direct community impact can be evaluated. Nominations are now open for the 2024 award, and can be submitted on the McCommons Award for Distinguished Community Journalism webpage Former Marcy Corrections Officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in case involving the death of an inmate in December 2024 James Meyers said three people were hospitalized following a fire Cicero Estates apartments on Tuesday afternoon Meyers said they were hospitalized for smoke inhalation He described their injuries as minor and non-life-threatening Emergency crews responded to a fire at Cicero Estates on Pardee Road in Cicero Heavy black smoke could be seen billowing out of the complex from afar The roof of the building sustained damage in the fire Cicero Assistant Fire Chief Jon Barrett said firewalls in the complex helped stop the spread of the flames but the section that did catch fire is expected to be deemed a total loss and will need to be torn down Fire crews used a ladder and aimed hoses downward onto the building to fight the fire The American Red Cross is assisting people who were displaced The cause of the fire is under investigation — The New York State Department of Transportation is alerting drivers to an upcoming lane closure The Department of Transportation said Interstate 81 Northbound will be reduced to one lane between the on-ramp to I-81 Northbound from East Taft Road to Exit 29S (481 South/DeWitt) in the Towns of Salina and Cicero from 6 a.m The lane closure is for the installation of overhead signs as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project All construction is weather-dependent and subject to change pictured here competing against Liverpool earlier in the season four draw controls and two forced turnovers in Cicero-North Syracuse's win over South Jefferson on Saturday.dennis nett | dnett@syracuse.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kevin L. Smith | ksmith@syracuse.comThe Cicero-North Syracuse and South Jefferson girls lacrosse squads are coming off 2024 campaigns in which they both made appearances in state championship games the teams met for a matchup on the Spartans’ turf the Northstars won 10-7 over South Jefferson and South Jefferson — a Class D state finalist — have met during the regular season frequently “It’s always a good game between the two teams,” C-NS coach Stephanie Prentice said “It’s good prep for teams during the season We both have close similarities in how we play.” The victory for C-NS on Saturday also turned out to be South Jefferson’s first loss of the season “We played a really tough game,” Prentice said “The girls kept it together and followed the game plan.” The Northstars (10-1) face West Genesee — a Class B state finalist last season — on Thursday at 7 p.m but we’ll have a good mindset going into it,” Prentice said “We’ll do our best and follow our game plan.” South Jefferson (7-1) takes on Watertown at 7 p.m Contact Kevin L. Smith anytime: Email | X | Bluesky | Threads Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Suburban Chicagoland Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else The Cicero Police Department announces an arrest in connection with the 2016 murder of Julio Servin officers responded to a report of shots fired near 5539 W officers discovered 22-year-old Julio Servin lying in the roadway with multiple gunshot wounds to the upper body 19-year-old Victor Martinez of Cicero was identified as the suspect Martinez fled to Mexico shortly after the incident Detectives worked closely with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office – Felony Review Unit and obtained an arrest warrant for first-degree murder Victor Martinez was taken into custody by the U.S Marshals Service upon his arrival at Midway International Airport Custody was later transferred to Detectives of the Cicero Police Department the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two counts of first-degree murder against Victor Martinez The Cicero Police Department thanks all law enforcement partners The Cicero Police Department wishes to remind the public that the reported charges do not constitute proof of the defendant’s guilt A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty and is entitled to a fair trial in which the government bears the burden of establishing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt You must be logged in to post a comment Enter Your Email to Subscribe to Ray Hanania’s Columns Copyright © 2022 Suburban Chicagoland & Urban Strategies Group Town President Larry Dominick announced on Wednesday that Cicero has received a $96 million federal grant to help the community address flooding challenges caused by regional issues The Federal Grant was announced by officials of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at a press conference on Wednesday intended to provide disaster relief to states and several communities Dominick said the Federal funds are a direct result of the Town’s more than a year-long effort to force the government to recognize the need to address and support anti-flood measures The West suburban region was hit hard by heavy rains in July 2023 causing flooding in nearly every community including in the Town of Cicero Rainfall of more than 8 inches set records for the region and impacted nearly 7,000 residents who reported rain-related damage to their properties in a program organized by Dominick to strengthen the Town’s demand for Federal and State money to support anti-flooding measures “We fought long and hard to convince the Federal government and the State of Illinois to provide the money we need to counter these regional flooding challenges that impact our residents and businesses,” Dominick said Wednesday “The flooding we saw in July 2023 set records for rainfall and impacted many communities in the West suburbs secure initial funding to help thousands of residents and make a case that we believe has led to this significant anti-flood Federal Grant award the residents and all of our regional elected officials came together to ensure that our needs were not forgotten.” The press conference was welcomed by town officials including Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias Collector Fran Reitz and Trustees Victor Garcia It was held in the Austin neighborhood on Chicago’s West Side HUD officials detailed the allocation of nearly $12 billion in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to address emergencies that took place in communities across the nation including in the Town of Cicero The $96 million awarded to the Town of Cicero is one of the largest grant awards given to a municipality in the $12 billion disbursement Cook County and mainly to 24 state governments “I believe that by coming together the way we did we made a strong case to the Federal Government that they needed to step up to the plate and not put the burden of addressing the region’s flooding problems on local property owners,” Dominick said “This was an issue that demanded national attention I feel we did our best to ensure our voices were heard loud and clear in Washington D.C.” Cicero took many additional actions to address flooding concerns Dominick organized a Town-wide damage-assessment campaign to help every resident document their flood damage in order to strengthen the Town’s case to justify Federal support the Town of Cicero helped nearly 7,000 residents complete damage assessment forms which were provided to the state and to the Federal Government Dominick and the Town of Cicero board allocated more than $1.1 million from existing revenues Dominick also earmarked $21 million from its “American Rescue Plan” Act (ARP) funding for water Funding has been used to expand the Town’s Green Alley program which creates an alley base that absorbs excessive rainwater Dominick proposed state legislation to create the “West Cook Flood Prevention District” which would work to ensure the efficient drainage of stormwater and sewer water to prevent future flooding in Cicero Dominick also hosted several public hearings that included state and regional officials including the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) and the Town worked with support agencies from the Red Cross to “Team Rubicon” which provided volunteers who helped repair major damage to dozens of town homes Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Bernadette "Cookie" Cicero (nee Salome) she was the daughter of the late Amin and Florence (nee Donio) Salome Bernadette found joy in her career as a hairdresser often prioritizing the needs of others before her own Bernadette lived for her son and her grandchildren and took immense pride in being a Mom Mom Bernadette was the beloved wife of Tom Cicero; loving mother of Tommy Cicero (Liz); caring grandmother of Dylan Services are private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Brandywine Valley SPCA, https://bvspca.org/ This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Every day Community Service Officers (CSOs) in the Town of Cicero provide valuable public service and law enforcement related duties on non-emergency calls Members unanimously approved the new five-year contract that recognizes the work these officers provide to their community “The Union took negotiations very seriously and the results speak for themselves,” said Dolores D’Angelo “These are the best raises we’ve seen and make the job worth keeping.” Cicero CSOs will receive nearly $8 in wage increases over the course of the new contract as well as an increase in pay for working out of classification the daughter of Joseph and Stefana (Gebbia) Caronna Eilena graduated from Rockford West High School She married Charles Cicero on September 23 Eilena was employed in the office of Contour Hosiery prior to becoming a homemaker after marriage Eilena enjoyed taking care of her home and her dogs Her dogs were a great and unexpected joy in her life for a blessed 67 years before losing him on March 22 Gina (Mike) and Jennifer (Dana); numerous great-nieces and great nephews; her God daughter Lucia (Mark) and her special friend Nilie (Gary) Joseph and Grace Cicero and Sally Cicero; her nephew The family would like to thank her caregiver for the many years of care and companionship that she provided to Eilena a special thank you to all the wonderful staff at Alpine Fireside Health Center and OSF Hospice for their exceptional care over the past year Private burial in Calvary Catholic Cemetery Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home and Crematory Share online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text the daughter of Thomas and Martha Elliot McCarthy Cindy had her own phlebotomist business for many years and later she was the bartender at Mo Mo’s Eastland AC She was always there to help someone in need She was a member of the Niles Eagles and Eastland AC and was a loyal Pittsburgh Steelers fan of Niles and Anthony (Nikki) Cicero of Niles; a brother Thomas McCarthy of Hubbard; five grandchildren She was preceded in death by her parents and two sisters Arrangements were entrusted to the Holloway-Williams Funeral Home and Cremation Service Visit www.hollowaywilliamsfuneralhome.com to view this obituary and send condolences to the Cicero family | https://www.tribtoday.com | 240 Franklin Street SE This budget document was prepared with two major objectives in mind to provide citizens and others interested in the Town’s finances complete and understandable information regarding the budget The second is to develop an annual fiscal plan that will assist Town leaders in making better decisions and enhance financial accountability The budget was available for public review upon request at the Town’s Finance Department the budget document describes all funds subject to budgeting in the fund structure overview section all summaries of all major revenues and expenditures are provided in summary tables the summary section includes information showing the projected changes in fund balances for all budgeted funds 30): Op-ed writer Esteban Rodriguez is entitled to his opinion Cicero President Larry Dominick and the town of Cicero have taken a strong stand defending the rights of all residents Cicero adopted the “Safe Space Resolution,” which declares the town will never consider citizenship status when providing services or protections or in dealing with any issue We treat documented and undocumented residents in Cicero the same The town of Cicero continually strives to ensure the well-being of all residents Cicero serves as a safe space for all residents regardless of citizenship or residency status In addition to strict enforcement of the Illinois Trust Act, Cicero’s policy includes: Cicero is committed to carrying out all of the above policies established by its Safe Space Resolution and will do so except as otherwise required by state or federal law Rodriguez’s op-ed was written with full knowledge of the town’s long-standing policies and is a blatant attempt to deceive readers For more information on the on the Safe Space Resolution CLICK THIS LINK una amenaza inminente” (30 de enero): el columnista Esteban Rodríguez tiene derecho a su opinión y el gobierno municipal han tomado una postura firme en la defensa de los derechos de todos los residentes incluyendo a los residentes indocumentados Cicero adoptó la “Resolución de Espacio Seguro” que declara que el municipio nunca tomará en cuenta el estatus migratorio al brindar servicios los residentes documentados e indocumentados reciben el mismo trato El municipio de Cicero trabaja constantemente para garantizar el bienestar de todos sus residentes sin importar su estatus migratorio o de residencia Además de hacer cumplir estrictamente la Ley de Confianza de Illinois (Illinois Trust Act) la política de Cicero incluye lo siguiente: Cicero está comprometido a cumplir con todas estas políticas establecidas en su Resolución de Espacio Seguro y lo hará salvo cuando la ley estatal o federal indique lo contrario La columna de Rodríguez fue escrita con pleno conocimiento de las políticas de Cicero y es un intento descarado de engañar a los lectores Cicero Rodriguez Cua was born on August 14 Philippines to Sintam Cua and Valeria Rodriguez Philippines for his undergraduate and law degrees He also obtained his MBA from Temple University Rosita Sia Lee at the University Santo Tomas where she graduated to become a medical doctor Mass will be held at 10:30 am on Friday February 21 Visitation will be from 9:00 am until the time of service at the church IL – Officials and residents of the Town of Cicero expressed their gratitude to President Larry Dominick at Tuesday’s board meeting for securing one of the largest Federal Grants awarded to a municipality to address rainwater flood concerns Cicero was the only suburban community along with five major cities including Chicago The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released more than $12 billion to help 24 states dozens of counties and the Town of Cicero address flood concerns The $96 million check awarded to Cicero was presented to Cicero Board members at its regular board meeting Executive Director of Cicero’s Department of Housing which worked with all Cicero Departments and thousands of Cicero homeowners to address flooding issues during the record-setting rainfall that caused regional flooding in a dozen Chicagoland communities in July 2023 said the award was “a direct result” of President Dominick’s efforts to ensure Federal Officials recognized the seriousness of the Town’s response to help its residents (View more photos at Facebook.com/TownofCicero.) “President Dominick immediately dispatched town employees to begin canvassing areas working and talking with residents to hear them out We immediately opened the Cicero Community Center to assist residents in filling out Damage Assessment Forms,” Tomschin said during the public meeting Tuesday “And pressure was placed on both Cook County and the State of Illinois officials to declare Cicero a disaster area the State did declare Cicero and Cook County disaster areas President Biden declared us a disaster area as well.” Tomschin said the award is as much a reflection of the need to address record-setting rainwater flooding but just as importantly the effort President Dominick led to ensure that Cicero’s flood problems received the attention and support of County State and Federal agencies resulting in this award “President Dominick had dispatched town employees to work alongside FEMA opened up the Community Center to have FEMA work with residents here at the Town of Cicero and at Morton College We had public hearings where residents were able to come to voice their frustrations to tell the stories of what happened during the flood of July of 2023,” Tomschin said citing the public hearing Cicero hosted at Morton College that brought dozens of officials together to recognize the challenges Cicero and its residents faced “The phone call I received from HUD is that the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is confident in the leadership of both President Dominick and the leadership of the Department of Housing here in Cicero to administer these funds appropriately and quickly.” Tomschin said President Dominick and Town officials will develop an “Action Plan” to present to HUD on how the money will be used to help the 7,000 Cicero residents who reported flood damage through the Town’s extensive flood response in July 2023 The Award to Cicero is significant because no other suburban community in Illinois received a similar direct Federal grant award “I can say that this is absolutely amazing for Cicero to receive this money,” said Cicero Collector Fran Reitz “And there were 48 areas that received funding and Cicero was one of them nationwide The only other recipients from Illinois was the City of Chicago this is absolutely amazing and it’s going to be so much needed to help with the mitigation of the flooding that happens in Cicero is hitting the ground running working with HUD.” Reitz praised Tomschin’s role in helping the Town secure the award and all of the Town’s departments and employees who worked hard to respond to the unprecedented and record-setting rainwater flooding that occurred in July 2023 Assessor Emilio “Emo” Cundari said the funding will go along way to help Cicero’s families prepare for future record-setting rainwater flood disasters it’s a very large amount and we can do so many great things with it We’re really looking forward to seeing what we can do with HUD’s guidance and follow their direction on how we can spend the funds and what we can direct them to I know everyone’s really excited about it,” Cundari said after the presentation “This is really going to make some really big changes for our flood mitigation efforts in town in comparison to what we need regionally as far as funding I know everyone’s really excited about it.” “The new Cicero actually is the new improved Cicero because we always want to make it better than it is but now he’s just moved the benchmark up a little bit to make it another challenging assignment,” Porod said proudly “Easy assignments can be done by many people but challenging assignments take a lot of good people to work together in The Town of Cicero has a lot of employees that bring a lot of good old fashioned neighborhood ideas with them to try to make the town a better place to live.” “And certainly with this $96 million grant that we received And people will begin to see those improvements as time goes on because there’s going to be a lot of work being done in the town to improve that water system.” “The $96 million means a lot for our town This is the first time we ever receive a lot of money A lot of money that is going to be for our community and that’s going to be in our sewer system and the infrastructure of the system of the town in order for us to prevent the flooding that has been going on I am looking forward to do something with this money in order for us to be more accountable for our community.” La Junta de Cicero y los residentes aplauden al Presidente Dominick por la subvención de $96 millones contra inundaciones El Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD por sus siglas en inglés) otorgó más de $12 mil millones para ayudar a 24 estados cinco ciudades importantes de Estados Unidos decenas de condados y a la Ciudad de Cicero a enfrentar los problemas de inundaciones El cheque de $96 millones otorgado a Cicero fue presentado a los miembros de la Junta de Cicero durante su reunión regular Director Ejecutivo del Departamento de Vivienda de Cicero quien trabajó con todos los departamentos de Cicero y con miles de propietarios de viviendas en Cicero para abordar los problemas de inundaciones durante las lluvias récord que causaron inundaciones regionales en una docena de comunidades del área de Chicagoland en julio de 2023 afirmó que el premio fue “un resultado directo” de los esfuerzos del Presidente Dominick para garantizar que los funcionarios federales reconocieran la gravedad de la respuesta de la ciudad para ayudar a sus residents “El Presidente Dominick inmediatamente envió a empleados de la ciudad a recorrer las áreas evaluar los daños y trabajar en comunicación directa con los residentes para escucharlos De inmediato abrimos el Centro Comunitario de Cicero para asistir a los residentes en el llenado de formularios de evaluación de daños,” dijo Tomschin durante la reunión pública del martes El presidente Dominick envió a empleados municipales a trabajar junto con FEMA abrió el Centro Comunitario para que FEMA pudiera trabajar con los residentes aquí en el municipio de Cicero y en Morton College Tuvimos audiencias públicas donde los residentes pudieron expresar sus frustraciones y contar las historias de lo que ocurrió durante la inundación de julio de 2023” citando la audiencia pública que Cicero organizó en Morton College y que reunió a docenas de funcionarios para reconocer los desafíos que Cicero y sus residentes enfrentaron “La llamada telefónica que recibí de HUD es que el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos confía en el liderazgo tanto del presidente Dominick como en el liderazgo del Departamento de Vivienda aquí en Cicero para administrar estos fondos de manera adecuada y rápida” Tomschin comentó que el presidente Dominick y los funcionarios municipales desarrollarán un “Plan de Acción” para presentar a HUD sobre cómo se utilizará el dinero para ayudar a los 7,000 residentes de Cicero que reportaron daños por inundación a través de la amplia respuesta del municipio a las inundaciones en julio de 2023 El premio otorgado a Cicero es significativo porque ninguna otra comunidad suburbana en Illinois recibió un subsidio federal directo similar “Puedo decir que esto es absolutamente increíble para Cicero recibir este dinero” “Y hubo 48 áreas que recibieron financiamiento y Cicero fue una de ellas a nivel nacional Los únicos otros beneficiarios de Illinois fueron la Ciudad de Chicago esto es absolutamente increíble y será muy necesario para ayudar con la mitigación de las inundaciones que ocurren en Cicero ya está trabajando con HUD para poner esto en marcha” Reitz elogió el papel de Tomschin en ayudar al municipio a asegurar el premio así como a todos los departamentos y empleados municipales que trabajaron arduamente para responder a las inundaciones sin precedentes y récord de lluvias que ocurrieron en julio de 2023 El asesor Emilio “Emo” Cundari dijo que el financiamiento será de gran ayuda para que las familias de Cicero se preparen ante futuros desastres de inundaciones récord por lluvias es una cantidad muy grande y podemos hacer muchas cosas grandiosas con ella Realmente estamos ansiosos por ver qué podemos hacer con la guía de HUD y seguir sus directrices sobre cómo podemos gastar los fondos y hacia dónde dirigirlos Sé que todos están muy emocionados al respecto” comentó Cundari después de la presentación El fideicomisario Bob Porod dijo que el premio récord del subsidio para inundaciones refleja cómo el municipio ha cambiado significativamente a lo largo de los años asegurándose de que los residentes reciban los máximos beneficios para atender sus necesidades “El nuevo Cicero en realidad es el Cicero mejorado porque siempre queremos hacerlo mejor de lo que es pero ahora solo ha elevado un poco más ese punto de referencia para convertirlo en una tarea más desafiante” “Las tareas fáciles pueden ser realizadas por muchas personas pero las tareas desafiantes requieren de muchas buenas personas trabajando juntas El municipio de Cicero tiene muchos empleados que traen muchas buenas ideas tradicionales de barrio con ellos para tratar de hacer del municipio un mejor lugar para vivir” Porod agregó: “Y ciertamente con este subsidio de $96 millones que recibimos Y la gente comenzará a ver esas mejoras con el tiempo porque se va a realizar mucho trabajo en el municipio para mejorar ese sistema de agua” La fiduciaria Blanca Vargas agregó: “Los 96 millones de dólares significan mucho para nuestro pueblo Es la primera vez que recibimos una cantidad tan grande de dinero Mucho dinero que será para nuestra comunidad y que se destinará a nuestro sistema de alcantarillado y la infraestructura del sistema del pueblo para prevenir las inundaciones que han estado ocurriendo Estoy emocionada por hacer algo con este dinero para que podamos ser más responsables con nuestra comunidad.” Commonwealth Media ServicesHARRISBURG — In a letter announcing he would resign as Pennsylvania’s consumer advocate Patrick Cicero claimed he was the victim of a “public campaign led by various investor-owned utilities to seek my removal.” had asked him to reapply for the job he’d held for three years or resign “The utilities’ actions, and your decision to open the position cannot be separated,” he wrote said he asked all employees in positions under his discretion to reapply and apolitical Consumer Advocate is a priority for my administration in order to protect the interests of all consumers.” Pennsylvania’s consumer advocate serves residential customers — such as homeowners and renters — of water The office was created in the 1970s in response to criticism that powerful companies had more say in state utility policy than consumers A review of Cicero's tenure shows he engaged in much of the work of his predecessors: representing consumers when utility companies wanted to raise rates But he made a particular enemy of powerful private companies that increasingly target struggling municipal water and sewer systems for acquisition One industry publication claimed the industry had pressed both Sunday and his Democratic opponent to replace Cicero who was described as a “significant regulatory obstacle.” His departure mirrors one during the office’s founding years served a short term marked by clashes with utilities and left as a new administration began Widoff told a reporter that the office “should be abolished” if its independence could not be assured struck a similar tone in his resignation letter “I remain steadfast in my belief in the importance of an independent Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) that aggressively pursues the interests of Pennsylvania utility consumers without fear of reprisal,” he wrote The Office of Consumer Advocate is intended to serve the interests of consumers in a nonpartisan way but its leader must win the support of the elected attorney general and the state Senate — an inherently political process whose office declined to comment for this story is not under any mandated timeline to pick Cicero’s replacement But the outgoing consumer advocate’s allies already fear what the circumstances of his resignation will mean for his successor “You need to have someone with courage and independence,” said Andrew Place who previously served on the commission that regulates thousands of Pennsylvania utilities Place worries the next consumer advocate will start “looking over their shoulder” to avoid a messy reconfirmation fight in the GOP-controlled state Senate rather than sticking up for consumers “It raises the hair on the back of my neck,” he added the state consumer advocate is charged with representing the “interests of consumers.” “Prior to creation of offices like ours around the country the utilities were always well represented,” said Sonny Popowsky who was consumer advocate from 1990 to 2012 The advocate’s work of representing consumers happens within a courtroom-like atmosphere under the jurisdiction of the Public Utility Commission (PUC) That agency regulates more than 9,000 utilities in Pennsylvania that provide electric or transportation services — nearly all of which are privately owned companies Before these utilities can take major actions like merging The commission also ensures utilities provide safe service This work can span mediating bill disputes and investigating explosions as well as overseeing multimillion-dollar business transactions PUC officials known as administrative law judges oversee debates among utilities utilities and their customers may reach a settlement or a judge may issue a recommendation Popowsky said utility law is particularly complex The cases are voluminous — sometimes the stack of paper for a single case can be measured in feet — and heavily technical Hiring the professional experts needed to dispute a utility’s claim is expensive individuals and smaller business owners wouldn’t be on a level playing field with utilities when many states created consumer advocacy offices was in the grips of an energy crisis that drove up utility prices the push to create an office to speak for residential consumers faced opposition from utility companies and their allies Commissions like the PUC already existed to oversee the industry a bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed to make the consumer advocate a reality “It’s 50 years too late,” one reader wrote to the Philadelphia Daily News in response to the law Commonwealth Media ServicesAttorney General Dave Sunday speaks after taking the oath of office in Harrisburg on Jan. 21, 2025.Widoff, the attorney who became Pennsylvania’s first consumer advocate, was appointed by Gov. Milton Shapp, a pro-consumer Democrat who often tapped aggressive advocates to challenge other industries, such as insurers Widoff won some early victories to reduce rate hikes and vocally opposed the status quo arguing that the PUC had been “spoon-fed by the utilities.” Philadelphia Electric Company even tried to block his office from sending out news releases during a contentious fight over a rate hike He was in office during the partial nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island the plant’s owners pitched increasing their electricity rates to cover the cost of the incident Widoff filed to oppose the increase but was told to back off by the attorney general — an appointee of newly elected Republican Gov Widoff told the Associated Press that any stance taken by the consumer advocate “does not reflect the policy positions of any other governmental organization,” arguing that it “should reflect the position and the interests of consumers.” After Widoff’s 1979 departure, the power to appoint the consumer advocate shifted from the governor to the attorney general, and the office went on to have relatively little turnover — just a handful of other people have served in the role besides Cicero Popowsky, who said Cicero did a “fine job,” recalled clashing with an attorney general over caller ID in a 2012 Inquirer interview His position of letting consumers opt out eventually won He told the outlet he had survived so long by not being political are really not Republican or Democratic issues." Cicero was appointed by then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro in December 2021 after leading the Pennsylvania Utility Law Project, a legal aid group. He received bipartisan support from the GOP-controlled state Senate, winning approval 45-5 in June 2022 Since then, Cicero has been active. He fought more requests by utilities to raise rates than his recent predecessors and testified for more expansive state utility protections He has also loudly opposed attempts to privatize public water systems private companies have bought at least 20 local water and sewer authorities in Pennsylvania The companies argue they offer more resources to repair aging systems than can be delivered by cash-strapped municipalities improving water quality and environmental outcomes Cicero’s office says those benefits are outweighed by the rate hikes faced by affected communities. He testified before the Democratic-controlled state House asking for reforms to a 2016 law that kicked off the acquisition rush Cicero has also challenged individual sales of municipal water systems in court, winning a major case in 2023 that has the potential to raise the bar for when municipalities can sell a system has since appealed to the state Supreme Court His actions didn’t escape the notice of water companies Two of the biggest — American Water and Aqua — are based near Philadelphia and have historically been a powerful lobby in Harrisburg Last year, during the race for attorney general between Sunday and Democrat Eugene DePasquale, industry publication Northcoast Research began reporting that private water companies were “leaning on both PA Attorney General candidates” to replace Cicero. Sunday’s election, Northcoast wrote, would almost ensure the move — a detail first reported by WESA Northcoast wrote that Cicero had been “shaking up what has long been a highly favorable Pennsylvania regulatory environment for water utilities by holding out on settlement agreements appealing PUC decisions to Commonwealth Court and generally being the most strident representation utility consumers have had in PA for decades.” That reputation was top of mind for consumer advocacy groups and a handful of Democratic state lawmakers when Cicero sent Sunday his resignation letter and the news that Sunday was forcing him to reapply for his post sparked a wave of condemnation from officials skeptical of utilities’ power and particularly of increased water privatization In a statement, state Sen. John Kane (D. Delaware) said Cicero has been “responsible for exposing the true business practices of these companies: a continued and deliberate strategy to drive up profits at the expense of ratepayers.” “It doesn’t surprise me that investor owned utilities have been wanting a change,” he added Asked about the outgoing consumer advocate’s resignation Shapiro — the now-governor who appointed Cicero when he was attorney general — said he appreciated Cicero’s work “Sunday has the right to surround himself with the people who he thinks will best serve him as he’s serving the people of the commonwealth.” We grant elected officials extraordinary power when we give them our vote which means we must demand extraordinary accountability once they are in office That’s why Spotlight PA’s reporting is more important than ever with no political agenda or opinion pieces allowing us to prioritize investigative and public-service journalism that gets results If you’re looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in these uncertain times I can’t think of a better investment than Spotlight PA’s truthful trusted reporting for Pennsylvania — journalism that gets real results Your tax-deductible support of any amount will ensure our vital work can continue Sign up for PA Post to understand what's happening across PA - in less than five minutes a day © 2025 Spotlight PA. This site is powered by Netlify The Town of Cicero Department of Housing is pleased to announce the following Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) and invites applications for eligible activities under the following programs: Funding being made available through this NOFA will be from the Federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and the Federal Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program More information about these programs can be found at https://thetownofcicero.com/departments/housing-department/ Public Service Activities                   Housing-Related Activities              Public Facility Improvements Street Outreach                                Homeless Prevention                        Emergency Shelter Rapid Rehousing                              HMIS                                                 Administration (7.5%) All activities must benefit residents within the jurisdiction of the grantee Applications for funding will be accepted at 1634 S Laramie Ave  or by email at amarquez@thetownofcicero.com until April 7 Early Voting is in progress at the Town of Cicero Community Center Voters should enter via the Laramie Ave parking lot side (34th and Laramie) for early voting due to the construction La votación anticipada está en curso en el Centro Comunitario de la Ciudad de Cicero Los votantes deben entrar por el lado del estacionamiento de Laramie Ave (en 34th y Laramie) para la votación anticipada debido a la construcción RAILERS SIGN FORWARD ALEC CICERO TO ECHL CONTRACT Cicero played four seasons at Holy Cross in Worcester WORCESTER, Mass. – The Worcester Railers Hockey Club (@RailersHC), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) and Head Coach & General Manager Nick Tuzzolino announced today that forward Alec Cicero has been signed to an ECHL contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 season comes to Worcester following the conclusion of his five-year collegiate career In his graduate season at Canisius College 181lb forward skated in 34 games for the Golden Griffins Cicero played at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester for four years from 2020-2024 NY native got into 103 games across two seasons for the Buffalo Jr Sabres in the Ontario Junior Hockey League from 2018-20 508 Club Memberships are now on sale for the 2025-26 season! Get access to games this season, exclusive events and additional benefits by calling the Railers front office at 508-365-1750 or by visiting RailersHC.com Sign up for our email newsletter to be the first to know about news and upcoming games a hyper realistic roleplay application for upskilling workforces Cicero facilitates immersive roleplay using lifelike personas and real-time feedback in scenarios so realistic it helps trainees to master the unexpected things that happen in real-life interactions with customers and other business contacts The need for innovative learning and development programs has never been more urgent as technology is disrupting the regular course of business and workplace interactions the gap in employee soft skills costs the U.S Cicero helps employees develop skills and enhances job performance by unlocking the power of roleplay "The increasing demand for immersive training solutions highlights the importance of platforms that blend AI and extended reality (XR) to address critical workforce skill gaps Roleplay solutions that can enhance human skills are fundamental making them essential for workforce transformation and future-readiness," said Gina Smith Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) is among the first to deploy Cicero to upskill its teams in sales enablement and surgical education “The Cicero application is a significant leap forward in surgical training technology,” said Colleen Tully Learning Technology Innovation at Medtronic “Cicero’s XR-enabled roleplays will revolutionize our sales enablement surgical education and other medical training We're excited about Cicero helping us improve healthcare delivery." “CGS companies help clients thrive in dynamic competitive environments by ensuring excellence in the execution of their business fundamentals,” said Phil Friedman Cicero reflects our long-held commitment to developing technologies that solve the most urgent opportunities like upskilling employees for the future of work.” Cicero empowers leaders to prepare their teams for any challenge — whether it's boosting sales team leaders and L&D professionals can easily create tailored roleplay simulations that mimic real life business situations This can span helping sales reps tasked with selling pharmaceuticals to skeptical physicians to training flight attendants in maintaining calm and etiquette with unruly passengers fully customizable scenarios to upskill employees using hyper-realistic XR-powered workplace settings that can be used across any number of industries Custom simulations can be created in minutes by setting the scene and selecting personas modeled on the five common personality traits: extroversion "Traditional workplace training is often generic and lacking in the real-world context employees need to succeed," said Doug Stephen businesses can immerse their teams in dynamic unscripted roleplay simulations for a limitless number of real-world circumstances The engagement and feedback created with Cicero drives measurable performance improvements and ROI What normally took teams weeks to develop can now be produced in minutes." 1 Source: World Economic Forum Francis Charles “Frank” Cicero was one of three boys but he knew he was destined to be a girl dad Right around the time he and his wife got engaged he predicted he’d be a father to three girls but Cicero was right — and he embraced every bit of it Cicero would wake up his daughters in the morning by sprinkling some water on their faces — a “papal blessing.” He’d help them with their school projects as co-owner of Globe Poster Printing in Baltimore the girls would make him paint their nails before bed planned frequent vacations and shared endless stories with his grandchildren He passed down decades of family recipes — meatballs spaghetti sauce and cookies that would make his Italian ancestors proud The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one. They are comforting memories for his loved ones now that he’s gone a vibrant man who designed hundreds of eye-catching posters advertising concerts political campaigns and other events during his time at Globe Cicero was a natural prankster and loved to poke fun at his brothers shared a room with him and probably got the worst of it Frank had a “game” as a kid where he’d let Bob hit him once and then he had to hit him back five times Frank Cicero was a smart kid who had many friends He graduated from Towson Catholic High School in 1962 and he earned a psychology degree from the University of Baltimore drawn to help other people and give others the chance to experience the happy childhood he had and it only took a couple of months before he asked her out They had their first date at The Milton Inn and bonded over their shared family values and love of social work Frank Cicero had been considering leaving social work Though the company was originally known for advertising carnivals and burlesque shows it became famous for colorful posters showcasing Motown The posters featured the likes of James Brown in addition to manning the front desk and coordinating directly with clients talking to the customers and then keeping track of the orders and making sure they got out,” Bob Cicero said Frank Cicero was a stickler about the wood type the blocks of letters in different fonts used in printing in the style of the R&B artists the company often promoted and he’d play the part of a bad student named Billy He’d give all the wrong answers or do something he wasn’t supposed to do and the girls laughed as they decided the consequences Frank Cicero was a passionate Baltimore historian and a longtime member of the Baltimore Streetcar Museum going to movies with his wife and boating at the family shore home in Pasadena He had a heart attack in his 40s and soon after developed kidney disease Bob Cicero donated a kidney to him; in 2018 because he liked to be active,” his wife said “he really did maintain a positive attitude and I think that really helped to get him through.” The family joked that if he hadn’t met Debbie he was very active in his local Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) He found comfort and solace in his religion He was as active as he could be through the years He worked at Globe Poster Printing until it closed in 2010 when the family donated its printing materials to the Maryland Institute College of Art Some of Cicero’s posters have been featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Museum of African American History and Culture he spent much of his time with his grandchildren His and Debbie’s first grandchild was born on their wedding anniversary — the best present they could think of “Frank would love to tell stories and make up stories Debbie Cicero is thinking back on those days often now She misses sharing little moments with him — ”the joys and sorrows of everyday life,” she said He was a well-balanced person who was loyal to his family and friends you had a friend for life — even if you didn’t want one He navigated life with strong convictions and a kind spirit If there were a soundtrack to his brother’s life it would be Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”: He faced it all and did it his way Cayla Harris cayla.harris@thebaltimorebanner.com Cayla Harris is the obituary writer for The Baltimore Banner Texas covering state politics for the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News Welcome to The Banner's subscriber-only commenting community. 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If the problem persists, please contact customer service at 443-843-0043 or customercare@thebaltimorebanner.com 2025A pedestrian was killed in a crash Wednesday on Roosevelt Road in Cicero Traffic is being diverted in the area.CICERO (WLS) -- A pedestrian was killed in a crash Wednesday in the west suburbs The crash happened in the 5800 block of Roosevelt Road in Cicero An adult pedestrian was hit by a truck and was pronounced dead Traffic was being diverted in the area at Austin and Central Avenues No further information was immediately available NPR's Morning Edition takes listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi-faceted stories and commentaries that inform Morning Edition is the most listened-to news radio program in the country An investor research firm described Cicero as a “thorn in the side of investor-owned water utilities.” His last day is Jan Pennsylvania's appointed Consumer Advocate (left) 1-14-25 Cicero Resignation Letter by WHYY News Digital on Scribd ratepayers saw the recent court ruling as a rebuke against rising water and sewer bills Aqua and a township in Chester County are seeking corrective action The investor publication speculated Sunday’s win would likely mean a move to a “more moderate” Consumer Advocate “We view this as an indicator of the water industry’s strong political influence in Pennsylvania which is a key factor that has enabled the state to consistently rank among the most attractive states for water utilities to do business,” Northcoast Research wrote The letter of support for Cicero includes signatures by the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association which represents more than 700 municipal authorities statewide the publicly owned Chester Water Authority Community Legal Services and several housing Cicero said the “utilities’ actions” and Sunday’s decision to open the position to other candidates “cannot be separated.” they challenge the integrity and independence of the office and erode the public trust in the impartiality of the regulatory process and signal a concerning shift where public accountability and consumer protection are subordinate to corporate interests,” Cicero wrote Sunday’s statement did not directly address these allegations but said his administration will prioritize “having a capable unbiased and apolitical” Consumer Advocate to protect the interests of consumers especially the most vulnerable among us,” Sunday said “I look forward to an open and transparent process that includes feedback from all interested parties and individuals.” A spokesperson for Sunday’s transition team declined to answer questions about whether utilities had asked Sunday to replace Cicero Several utilities are represented on Sunday’s transition committee Aqua Pennsylvania and parent company Essential Utilities; David Fisfis general counsel and vice president of energy policy at Duquesne Light Company; and Carolina DiGiorgio vice president of government and external relations at PECO Sunday is also inviting consumer advocacy organizations to join the transition committee and seeking feedback on what to look for in the next Consumer Advocate Aqua America declined to comment on Cicero’s resignation as well as on Kralle’s participation in Sunday’s transition committee American Water said it was not involved in the process “Pennsylvania American Water is committed to transparency and maintaining the trust of our customers and stakeholders,” spokesperson Gary Lobaugh said in an email “Pennsylvania American Water has not been involved in any efforts to influence the selection or retention of the Consumer Advocate Our focus remains on providing reliable and high-quality service to our customers and we respect the independent processes that govern the appointment of the Consumer Advocate.” Energy company PECO also said it has not attempted to influence Dave Sunday “PECO has not been involved in any effort to influence the AG’s choice for Consumer Advocate,” spokesperson Candice Womer said in an email “We appreciate the working relationship that we have with the Advocate and his staff and commend him for his dedicated service to the residents of the Commonwealth.” Duquesne Light did not immediately respond to a request for comment Acquisitions of aging municipal water supplies by investor-owned utilities are increasing across the United States and in Pennsylvania as some municipalities struggle to upgrade infrastructure to meet new drinking water standards But purchases of municipal systems by companies often come with a higher cost to consumers — something Cicero has not been quiet about which allow companies to factor in the potential future value of a utility when purchasing it pay above the price and essentially recover the cost of inflated acquisition prices through rate increases A Cornell University study of the 500 largest community water systems in the U.S found that Pennsylvania has some of the highest utility bills following privatization Investor-owned utilities often argue privatization is necessary to “save” struggling municipal-owned systems Though Cicero does not oppose privatization when necessary he has argued Pennsylvania’s fair market value law allows companies to purchase “perfectly viable” systems for the sake of making more money “We are not anti-privatization, and we are not against well-thought-out consolidation and regionalization,” he said during a 2023 state House committee hearing on legislation aiming to amend the state’s fair market value laws “What we oppose is privatization for its own sake — and privatization and consolidation at any cost or regardless of the cost to consumers.” On a number of occasions, Cicero has pointed to dramatically increasing water and wastewater costs in Pennsylvania. In fact, fair market value laws have cost consumers more than $85 million more each year than they would have paid without the law Cicero’s Office of Consumer Advocate has settled several privatization cases before the PUC essentially agreeing to allow them to go forward But he has thrown a wrench in at least two In 2023, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court sided with Cicero and reversed the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s approval of Aqua Pennsylvania’s purchase of East Whiteland Township’s sewer system for nearly $55 million Cicero argued the PUC failed to prove the acquisition would provide a public benefit and that it would raise wastewater costs for thousands of ratepayers Critics of Act 12 say since its adoption in 2016 for-profit water companies have lured municipalities into massive deals at the expense of the ratepayer PA’s Consumer Advocate routinely gets involved in cases where electric and gas utilities seek to raise rates or charges urging the Public Utility Commission to deny any increases that companies can’t justify as just and reasonable The Pennsylvania Office of the Consumer Advocate was created by the General Assembly in 1976 The Consumer Advocate that leads the office is appointed by the attorney general and confirmed by the state Senate It’s not common for the position to turn over when a new attorney general takes office In the nearly five decades since its creation only seven people have held the role including Cicero left the position months after a new attorney general took office The next five confirmed or acting Consumer Advocates all left the office during the middle or toward the end of an attorney general’s term Sonny Popowsky was the longest-serving Consumer Advocate in Pennsylvania The appointment and confirmation process is inherently political it’s important for the office to remain relatively independent from politics so the Consumer Advocate is free to act purely in the interest of consumers “The Consumer Advocate represents the consumers of Pennsylvania — obviously not the utilities,” he said Healthy debate between utilities and Consumer Advocates has historically been applauded a political science professor at Michigan State University and former director of the Institute of Public Utilities It’s meant to be about fact-finding and deliberation there is a tension between the utility’s position and other parties and advocates that’s supposed to be a healthy tension and it’s supposed to support the process,” said Beecher who has been vocal about her opposition to fair market value laws Beecher added that though Consumer Advocates and the regulatory process should be removed from politics some issues such as privatization can become partisan She added that because governors and attorneys general have a right to make appointments it’s sometimes difficult to take politics out of the process there are a number of examples of incoming governors and attorneys general who have not sought new people for appointed positions She pointed to the example of Sonny Popowski The Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association which represents more than 700 publicly owned and operated water and wastewater authorities statewide said it hopes Cicero’s successor will continue to fight for ratepayers’ best interests “We are very sorry to see him go,” said Senior Director of Government Relations Jennie Shade that person needs to follow the mission of that office — and should be just as effective as any other Consumer Advocate.” Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include a comment from PECO Never miss a moment with the WHYY Listen App and dive into podcasts from both local and national sources WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. 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Preserving Our Water: How we use our Delaware Watershed The project is funded by The William Penn Foundation The legal fight centered around whether Delaware lawmakers could ignore a governor’s request to withdraw nominations not yet Senate confirmed Facing the rising prospect of privatization the remaining public water officials in Philadelphia’s suburbs take pride in holding out and keeping water bills low of Environmental Protection is asking for funding from the state’s next fiscal budget for new water testing equipment Sophia Schmidt covers the environment for WHYY's PlanPhilly Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY 1 / 25Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.comCicero-North Syracuse vs Brighton girls lacrosse Cicero-North Syracuse vs Brighton girls lacrosse at Cicero-North Syracuse High School Friday TAKE NOTICE: total compensation information for each Town of Cicero (the “Town”) employee with a total compensation package that exceeds $75,000 per year is available for public inspection by any interested party in the Office of the Town Clerk is open to the public Mondays through Thursdays from 8 A.M The Office of the Town Clerk may also be reached by calling (708) 656-3600 The man who died in a Cicero house explosion last month is believed to have caused the blast the Cicero Police Department announced Saturday evening.  The Cook County medical examiner’s office and Cicero police identified the man as Anthony Avila-Puebla His remains were discovered in the debris after officers responded to the explosion around 4:52 p.m. Feb 15 in the 2200 block of Central Avenue detectives discovered that Avila-Puebla had a relationship with a family member living at the home where the explosion occurred While that family member attended a wedding surveillance footage shows Avila-Puebla parking his vehicle a half a block from the home removing a five-gallon jug and entering the building Video then shows him leaving the building with the now-empty jug and returning to his vehicle He was captured on video two more times removing multiple jugs from his vehicle and entering the building The explosion occurred soon after his last entrance and video does not show Avila-Puebla leaving After a “thorough investigation,” police determined that Avila-Puebla was responsible for the explosion and police said they’re still investigating.  A total of 11 units and families were affected A neighboring building also was damaged by fire and there was minor damage to a third adjacent building Tom Davis and Eleni Vrettos learned their home had exploded while they were supposed to be celebrating the happiest day of their lives — their wedding. Vrettos told the Tribune days after the explosion that she lost her beloved cats She also said the home — and the photos and memories inside — helped her remember her father, who died in 2022 and was known as the “chef of the house.” A GoFundMe for the couple had raised more than $56,000 as of Saturday evening.  “We don’t know what comes next but we do know we have each other,” Vrettos said at the time “People are supportive and we’re appreciative of anyone who has reached out.” ©2025 Chicago Tribune. Visit chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. New Cicero TV: https://vimeopro.com/user26267638/new-cicero-tv/video/1070477605 The Town of Cicero has been awarded a significant $96,004,000 grant from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) marking a major milestone in the town’s efforts to address persistent flooding issues and enhance community infrastructure The direct allocation from HUD is an exceptional circumstance as such grants typically go to Cook County requiring municipalities like Cicero to apply for funding through the county due to Cicero’s successful management of community development block grants in the past HUD has entrusted the town with a direct allocation confirmed that the funds have been secured through HUD’s Integrated Disbursement and Information System (IDIS) ensuring their availability for the town’s use “This is a life-changing opportunity,” Tomschin stated “We are grateful for these funds and will ensure they are used to the best extent possible to prevent future flooding.” In preparation for utilizing the funds effectively President Larry Dominick established a Stormwater Advisory Committee that meets monthly to discuss potential uses the town has sought input from residents through online surveys Feedback from these meetings has consistently highlighted the need for flood prevention measures have experienced property damage due to severe storms Among the proposed solutions are underground stormwater detention systems to alleviate pressure on sewers and flood control installations for individual homes “We’re looking at expanding our Green Alley program which allows for water to be stored in the ground instead of overwhelming the sewer system,” Tomschin explained the scope of necessary improvements is vast.” The grant implementation follows a structured process which began with the award announcement in January involves developing an action plan that outlines how the funds will be used this deadline has been extended to July 15 due to federal regulatory updates The plan will include a public hearing to gather community feedback before submission to the town board and HUD for final approval the second phase will focus on developing formal policies and procedures for fund distribution including guidelines for reimbursement programs and project bidding processes The town has a six-year window to utilize the funds effectively “We’re going to be busy for quite a while,” said Tomschin “But we are committed to ensuring that these funds are used in ways that bring the greatest benefit to the community.” President Dominick and the town board recognize the frustration of residents who have endured repeated flood damage over the years They have actively advocated for state and federal support to address these persistent challenges “The goal is to create lasting solutions so we don’t have to keep revisiting this issue,” Tomschin emphasized “These funds will not only help individuals but improve the town’s overall infrastructure to benefit everyone.” Cicero officials remain dedicated to transparency and community engagement ensuring that this unprecedented investment leads to a safer and more resilient town for all residents Cicero obtiene una subvención de $96 millones de HUD para combatir inundaciones y mejorar la infraestructura El Municipio de Cicero ha sido beneficiado con una significativa subvención de $96,004,000 del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos (HUD) marcando un hito importante en los esfuerzos del municipio por abordar los problemas persistentes de inundaciones y mejorar la infraestructura comunitaria Esta asignación directa de HUD es una circunstancia excepcional ya que este tipo de subvenciones generalmente se otorgan al Condado de Cook lo que obliga a municipios como Cicero a solicitar fondos a través del condado debido a la exitosa gestión de Cicero en la administración de subvenciones para el desarrollo comunitario en el pasado HUD ha confiado en el municipio para otorgarle una asignación directa confirmó que los fondos han sido asegurados a través del Sistema Integrado de Desembolsos e Información (IDIS) de HUD garantizando su disponibilidad para el uso del municipio “Esta es una oportunidad que cambiará vidas” “Estamos agradecidos por estos fondos y nos aseguraremos de utilizarlos de la mejor manera posible para prevenir futuras inundaciones.” Para garantizar un uso eficaz de los fondos el Presidente Larry Dominick estableció un Comité Asesor de Aguas Pluviales que se reúne mensualmente para discutir posibles usos el municipio ha buscado la opinión de los residentes a través de encuestas en línea agencias de servicios sociales y directores de departamentos Los comentarios de estas reuniones han resaltado constantemente la necesidad de medidas para la prevención de inundaciones han sufrido daños en sus propiedades debido a tormentas severas Entre las soluciones propuestas se encuentran sistemas subterráneos de retención de aguas pluviales para aliviar la presión sobre las alcantarillas y la instalación de medidas de control de inundaciones en viviendas individuales “Estamos considerando expandir nuestro programa de Callejones Verdes que permite que el agua se almacene en el suelo en lugar de sobrecargar el sistema de alcantarillado” la magnitud de las mejoras necesarias es enorme.” La implementación de la subvención sigue un proceso estructurado que comenzó con el anuncio de la adjudicación en enero implica la elaboración de un plan de acción que detalle cómo se utilizarán los fondos Inicialmente programado para ser presentado el 15 de abril este plazo se ha extendido hasta el 15 de julio debido a actualizaciones regulatorias federales El plan incluirá una audiencia pública para recopilar comentarios de la comunidad antes de su presentación ante la junta municipal y HUD para su aprobación final la segunda fase se centrará en desarrollar políticas y procedimientos formales para la distribución de los fondos incluyendo lineamientos para programas de reembolso y procesos de licitación de proyectos Una vez que estas políticas sean aprobadas Cicero podrá comenzar a contratar consultores El municipio tiene un período de seis años para utilizar los fondos de manera efectiva “Pero estamos comprometidos a garantizar que estos fondos se usen de manera que brinden el mayor beneficio a la comunidad.” El Presidente Dominick y la junta municipal reconocen la frustración de los residentes que han sufrido daños por inundaciones repetidamente a lo largo de los años Han abogado activamente por el apoyo estatal y federal para abordar estos desafíos persistentes “El objetivo es crear soluciones duraderas para que no tengamos que seguir enfrentando este problema” “Estos fondos no solo ayudarán a los individuos sino que mejorarán la infraestructura del municipio en beneficio de todos.” los funcionarios de Cicero se mantienen comprometidos con la transparencia y la participación comunitaria asegurando que esta inversión sin precedentes contribuya a un municipio más seguro y resiliente para todos sus residentes — A driver was hurt after their dump truck overturned on I-81 Northbound in the area of Exit 30 in Cicero Wednesday afternoon New York State Police said the 1999 Kenworth dump truck's front driver's side tire failed It then struck a concrete barrier and rolled over across the median and came to rest in the southbound lanes State Police said the driver was taken to Upstate Medical Center for their injuries The extent of their injuries was not released Police noted that debris was scattered on the roadway and that the New York State Department of Transportation was requested for cleanup South Bay Road in Cicero will be closed to all southbound traffic from East Pine Grove Road to the bridge over I-81 The northbound lane on South Bay Road will remain open to traffic The closure of the southbound portion of South Bay Road is to allow for the demolition of the South Bay Road Bridge over I-81 there will be space to construct "a new longer bridge" as part of the I-81 viaduct project Sunset Avenue on-ramp closing during commuter hours Drivers should follow a detour that sends traffic north on South Bay Road to south on Thompson Road they should proceed east on Circle Drive to South Bay Road a temporary traffic signal is being installed at the northbound and southbound approaches of the South Bay Road bridge Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions The town of Cicero receives Federal Community Development Block Grant Funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and this year will also be receiving $96 million in CDBG-DR funds to address flooding in the town In compliance with its Citizenship Participation Plan the town is in the consultation phase of the CDBG-DR Action Plan We want the public to have a voice in how CDBG-DR funds are invested Please assist us by taking this survey by May 1, 2025! Your voice is important! Visit This Survey today Drivers in Cicero should expect I-81 to be reduced to two lanes from March until November according to the state Department of Transportation drivers have three lanes to use on each side of the highway between the interchange with Interstate 481 and the Taft Road/North Syracuse exit (28) There will be a new traffic pattern to watch: One southbound lane will cross over to the northbound lane with a concrete barrier in between The zone is necessary to allow construction crews to demolish the Church Street bridge over I-81 southbound The work is part of the $2.25 billion project to tear down the I-81 overpass in Syracuse the state is building up I-481 to handle more traffic when the elevated highway is removed >>>See all work expected this year on the I-81 project. Contact Michelle Breidenbach | mbreidenbach@syracuse.com | 315-470-3186 The video attached above shows camera footage facing inside the police vehicle To see footage from the outward-facing dashcam (WISH) — Newly released dashcam footage shows the moments before and after a Cicero police captain crashed his car while driving drunk on Christmas night – and tried to cover it up with the help of family members Capt. Edwin Hodson was formally charged on Jan 16 with operating a vehicle while intoxicated He was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident It was unclear if he would return to the position anytime soon His wife, Lora Hodson, and father-in-law Charles S. Johnston, also face charges affiliated with the coverup Dashcam footage shared with News 8 by the Cicero Police Department provides a view of both inside and outside Ed Hodson’s police vehicle in the time surrounding the crash The 40-minute-long videos open with the police captain behind the wheel of his marked SUV He is seen swerving in his lane and driving erratically She is heard opening the door and asking what happened What’d you hit?” Lora Hodson responds she’s heard saying “If the cops end up here The audio also captured Lora Hodson calling her father asking for him and his wife Denise to com and get them “I figured you shouldn’t be drinking and driving.” The pair are then heard arguing for several minutes with Lora Hodson demanding her husband get out of the driver’s seat she offers to say she was driving the vehicle to alleviate some of the blame The recordings catch Lora Hodson asking her father to make her husband get out of the driver’s seat Denise Johnston is seen pulling up to the crash just as Ed Hodson exits the police SUV and walks away Denise Johnston then drives alongside Ed Hodson as he walks away eventually picking him up and driving away a few minutes later While Ed Hodson and Denise Johnston leave the scene Lora Hodson is heard inside the police SUV speaking to someone over the phone She explains how Ed Hodson’s police car is broken and asks about what towing services she should reach out to She remains outside the vehicle for the remainder of the videos witnesses are recorded approaching the SUV Lora Hodson is heard early on telling two of them that they were OK and she had called her parents to come get them Cicero police did not make contact with Ed Hodson until three hours after the crash Madison County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Andrew Hanna was selected as the special prosecutor for the case He spoke with News 8 after charges were filed and said “with great power comes great responsibility.” “I have all the respect in the world for law enforcement our community but with great power comes great responsibility and I think that law enforcement are held to an even higher standard because those are who we entrust in our communities to enforce our laws,” Hanna said The Hodsons and Charles Johnston face the following charges: Below is additional camera footage showing the outside of the vehicle Traffic is being diverted in the area.CICERO (WLS) -- A woman has been identified as the pedestrian killed in a crash in the west suburbs The crash happened in the 5800 block of Roosevelt Road in Cicero on Wednesday A pedestrian was hit by a truck and was pronounced dead the victim was identified as Blanca Marquez A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the 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deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser Thomas Boyle is joined by members of the Fields family Friday as he announces the extradition from Mexico of Daniel Flores and murder charges against him A man who fought extradition from Mexico for two years has been charged in a 1995 Cicero double homicide Cicero police announced at a news conference Friday afternoon one day before the 30th anniversary of the fatal shootings was arrested in February 2023 in Guanajuato and charged with two counts of first-degree murder Wednesday and was ordered held awaiting trial “For the past 30 years our detectives have been working diligently on this case,” said Cicero Police Supt “Their hard work has brought much-needed closure to the Fields family.” Thomas Boyle speaks to reporters about the arrest of Daniel Flores who was wanted in the 1995 slaying of brothers Michael and John Fields Flores allegedly shot brothers John Fields and Michael Fields was an active-duty Marine at the time of his death deputy superintendent of investigations with the Cicero Police Department said Flores knew the Fields brothers because they lived in the same neighborhood and they’d gotten into previous altercations The case was reopened in 2013 after police say a key witness came forward where Flores fled shortly after the shootings A warrant for Flores’ arrest was issued in March 2016 “We had a hard time finding her because she was in Mexico with him,” Diaz said of the witness Family members of slain Michael and John Fields hug Cicero police officers Friday after a news conference about the arrest of Daniel Flores who has been wanted by police since the 1995 slaying of Michael and John Several members of the Fields family stood with police during the news conference hopefully this brings some closure to the family.” Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale An explosion leveled a Cicero house Saturday night Cicero Fire Chief Jeff Penzkofer said investigators suspect a gas leak caused the explosion around 5 p.m The entire front of the building was blown out, and some of the bricks landed all the way across the street. At least two neighboring buildings also were damaged in the blast, CBS Chicago reported.  so it's indicating of a gas explosion," Penzkofer said The residents weren't home when the explosion occurred taking pictures at the end of the ceremony I hadn't looked at my phone or anything," said Pauline Vrettos Officials said four of the families displaced are from the corner building in the 5600 block of West 22nd Place The main entrance and some of the doors to the units were broken.  Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976 Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post — It was a fiery night inside the Cicero Town Hall as Cicero neighbors wanted to get the attention of the town councilors about the ongoing harassment allegations against Town Supervisor Michael Aregano People who came in support of Cicero Town Supervisor Michael Aregano were calling for due process and to let the investigation come to a conclusion The town councilors said they counted on the support for Aregano as they feel it is deflecting from the bigger problem at hand They are calling for Aregano to work from home as the investigation into his workplace conduct is done Councilors on the Cicero board say the town supervisor is blaming them for running a smear campaign against him over the allegations of harassment Councilor Mike Becallo insists that these are narratives of deflection by the town supervisor “Allegations come in against the supervisor and instead of addressing those allegations the supervisor decides to go after the town board members.” said he firmly denies the allegations and claims the accuser has not participated in the investigative process yet prompting Aregano to ask for the investigation to begin Councilor Ashley Hogan responded to Aregano with you already decided that you were going to continue coming into the office every day.” Hogan asked Aregano if coming into the office affects the integrity of the investigation supporters of Aregano shouted at the town councilors saying he is doing his job by coming to work every day and not working from home throughout this investigative process But Hogan feels it is affecting that investigative process Aregano once again called for an investigation to begin and wants the town board to stay out of the process “This has nothing to do with the town board Karp (a town councilor) who is having these conversations behind the scenes?” The town board says they will continue to be transparent about this investigation at future town board meetings by bringing updates to the community One thing both sides could agree upon is wanting this investigation figured out soon for the best interests of the neighbors in Cicero — The New York State Department of Transportation is alerting drivers of a long-term lane closure in the Town of Cicero The NYS Department of Transportation said I-81 Southbound will be reduced to two lanes of traffic with one southbound lane being crossed over to the northbound lanes between south of the I-81/Interstate 481 Interchange and Exit 28 (Taft Road/North Syracuse) and is expected to last until late November The lane reduction and crossover are needed to facilitate the demolition of the Chruch Street Bridge over I-81 Southbound as part of the I-81 Viaduct Project