Elections

Final House primary totals delayed until April

The Democratic nominee for state representative in the 7th District will not be named until at least April 3, according to county officials. Fifteen votes currently separate Rory Hoskins from Emanuel “Chris” Welch in the too-close-to-call Democratic primary. There was no candidate in the Republican …

Welch, Hoskins wait for final vote count in 7th District House primary

The top two vote recipients in the Democratic primary for 7th District state representative are taking a wait-and-see approach before declaring victory or admitting defeat. Although Emanuel “Chris” Welch is considered the winner in the preliminary tally of votes for the Democratic party’s candidate in …

Final House primary totals delayed until April

The Democratic nominee for state representative in the 7th District will not be named until at least April 3, according to county officials. Fifteen votes currently separate Rory Hoskins from Emanuel “Chris” Welch in the too-close-to-call Democratic primary. There was no candidate in the Republican …

Welch leads by 15 votes

Emanuel “Chris” Welch is leading Rory Hoskins in 7th District state rep. race, according to unofficial vote totals. With all 87 precincts reporting, Welch has 39 percent; Hoskins has 38.87 percent; Beyonca Johnson has 13.68 percent and Princess C. Dempsey has 8.45 percent. But both …

Results show light election day turnout in Cook County

Representatives of Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office said voter turnout Tuesday was “very light” and there were no major voting problems during the day.

Welch votes to hire boss’s son-in-law

Emanuel “Chris” Welch helped to hire his boss’s son-in-law as principal of Proviso East High School. Tony Valente, hired by Proviso High School District 209 in May 2011, is the son-in-law of Manny Sanchez, a founding partner of the law firm Sanchez, Hoffman Daniels, Forest …

Newspaper wins appeal for Welch 2002 police report

Hillside Police Department must turn over a 2002 police report describing the arrest of Emanuel “Chris” Welch for domestic battery, the Illinois attorney general ordered Friday. Forest Leaves has been seeking the report since January, but Hillside police refused a Freedom of Information Act request, …

GOP leader endorses Democrat in primary

Democrat Emanuel “Chris” Welch got an unusual endorsement last week for his state representative bid: It came from a Republican. Illinois State Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano, R-77th, of Elmwood Park, isn’t just any Republican. Besides being Republican State Central 5th District committeeman, Saviano is also …

Welch’s priorities: jobs, education, crime

Emanuel “Chris” Welch has set his sights on 7th District state representative seat after several years in local politics. Welch, 41, of Hillside was elected as a member of Proviso School District 209 board in 2001. He has held the position as board president since …

Johnson wants return of quality of life

Beyonca Johnson may be a newcomer to politics, but is no stranger to the 7th District. Johnson, 31, said she wants to help bring back the quality of life she remembers growing up in the district. “That’s why people are mad,” she said. “They are …

Dempsey targets wasteful spending

Princess Dempsey said wasteful spending and mismanagement have been going on far too long in the 7th District and she believes she’s the right person to clean it up. Her priorities, if elected, would be tax relief, education and bringing businesses back to the district. …

Social issues important to Hoskins

With his family serving as motivation, Rory Hoskins of Forest Park said he is running for state representative to make a difference. He has been a commissioner on the Forest Park Village Board since 2007, and is studying to become a lawyer. He is president …