BLUE ISLAND
Hospital-transfer plan likely to be done by fall
The transfer of ownership of St. Francis Hospital & Health Center should be complete before the fall, officials said this week.
New York-based Falcon Investors agreed this month to buy the hospital from SSM Health Care and pump $38 million in improvements into the facility to transform it into a regional for-profit medical center.
SSM Health Care announced in April it would close the hospital at 12935 S. Gregory St. because it could no longer afford to operate due to unpaid bills from uninsured and underinsured patients.
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“We’re hoping by mid-August to have a complete transfer done,” Mayor Donald Peloquin said at this week’s City Council meeting.
Peloquin said representatives of the new hospital group are scheduled to present their plan to the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Board in July.
The state regulatory agency must approve the hospital transfer.
The new owners plan to rename the hospital NewSouth Medical Center.
— Carmen Greco Jr.
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HICKORY HILLS
Red-light cameras operating on 95th St.
Red-light cameras at 95th Street and Roberts Road have begun snapping photos of traffic violators.
The City Council voted 6-2 in March 2007 to allow cameras at the intersection, where more than 75,000 motorists travel each day.
The cameras were posted there several weeks ago, and a two-week grace period was in place to give drivers time to adjust. The grace period ended last week, Police Chief Alan Vodicka told the council last week.
“Based on police visual observations conducted,” Mayor Mike Howley said, “it looks like drivers are getting the message and are slowing down at this intersection.”
The cameras record east and west traffic on 95th, he said.
Fines will be $100 for motorists who drive past red lights. Also, right turns on red are illegal at the intersection.
— Jeff Borgardt
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HOMER GLEN
Village mulls removing street-blocking berm
The Village Board is considering removing a large landscape barrier from a subdivision at Oakwood Drive.
Earlier this month, the board’s Public Services and Safety Committee recommended removing the barrier and reprofiling the street with appropriate stop signs.
The berm now blocks the street so that about 220 homes on the east side and about 29 homes on the west side have only one public access. The homes on the east side only have access into the Old Oak subdivision from Golden Oak Drive at 143rd Street.
Mayor Jim Daley said the berm is a dangerous legal liability to the village, and if an emergency required the closing of Golden Oak, emergency vehicles could not get in or out of the subdivision.
“I don’t see anything but to remove it,” he said.
However, at least one village resident and a trustee disagreed with him.
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The Village Board will likely discuss the topic further at next month’s meeting before voting.
— Sheila Burt