Contagious Kindness | School Reopenings | Cops On Alert

Let's get you all caught up on the news making headlines in today's Top Southland Stories.

New Lenox Boy, 8, Raises More Than $2K For Special Cause

Lucas Johnson's entry into the world was off to a rocky start. When he was just 4 months old, Lucas underwent surgery for craniosynostosis, a birth defect in which the bones in a baby's skull join together too early, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lincoln-Way D210 Schools Start Year With Remote Learning

Students at Lincoln-Way Community High School District 210's three schools will start the new year with remote learning, according to a message posted Monday on the district's website.

"With the recent spike in COVID-19 cases causing staffing shortages across the district, we have made the difficult decision to transition to remote learning through Friday, January 7th," the message by Superintendent Scott Tingley read. "This decision is only a temporary disruption to in-person learning."

District 230 Students' First Day Pushed Back For Teacher Planning

District No. 230 officials elected to push students' first day back to school after winter break to the Jan. 7 instead of Jan. 6 after a surge in COVID-19 cases across the south suburbs.

According to a social media post from the district representing Stagg, Sandburg and Andrew high schools, administration also wanted to allow teachers and staff an extra day before students returned to the building in order to give teachers additional time to plan how to wrap up the final few days of the first semester.

Oak Lawn District 123 Students Prepare For In-Person Return

Students in Oak Lawn-Hometown District 123 will return to the classroom Thursday for continued in-person learning despite a recent jump in positive cases of the coronavirus around Cook County and the rest of the country.

While the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention recently said that quarantine and isolation times for people testing positive for COVID-19 can now be reduced, District 123 Superintendent Paul Enderle wrote in a letter to parents on Monday that the district will hold firm on the guidelines it has used throughout the school year.

Cops Have 'Not Ruled Out' Connection Between 2 Shootings: Police

Police are still investigating two shootings which took place within one night in Oak Forest last week and have not ruled out the possibility both cases could be connected, a spokeswoman for the department told Patch.

On Wednesday night, two people were shot and injured at around 7 p.m. while driving in the 16800 block of Cicero Avenue. Officials said both people have since been released from the hospital but told police they were shot by someone in a dark-colored SUV.

Chicago Man Charged With Murder In Shooting Of Evergreen Park Man

A 24-year-old Chicago man has been charged with the killing of his stepfather in a deadly shooting that took place in Evergreen Park on Friday, police announced on Monday.

Brandon K. Kizer, who lives in the 8100 block of West Loomis Avenue, was charged on Sunday with the killing of Anthony Young, 52, police said in a news release.

Suspect In Bank Robbery Implied He Had Gun, Left In Purple Car

A BMO Harris Bank was robbed Monday morning in Homewood by a man who police said handed the teller a note demanding money and implied he had a gun.

Officers were called to the bank at 17600 Halsted Street at around 10:45 a.m. By the time they arrived, a bank teller told officials the man had already left after demanding an unknown amount of money and fleeing in a purple car.

More Than Half Of Silver Cross ICU Beds Filled By COVID Patients

Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox reported Tuesday that 44 percent of the total beds at the hospital were occupied by COVID-19 patients as the recent surge in cases continues to rise.

According to the hospital's daily dashboard, posted on its website, there were 137 patients with confirmed COVID-19-related illness in the hospital's care as of Tuesday; two more patients were listed as awaiting COVID-19 test results.

U.S. Rep. Rush Will 'Answer Higher Calling', Won't Seek 16th Term

Saying he has a higher calling that he feels compelled to answer, U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush announced on Tuesday that he will not seek a 16th term in Congress.

Rush, the Democrat who served Chicago's South Side and south suburbs in Washington since 1993, made the announcement at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, which was the site of Emmett Till's funeral in 1955. Published reports broke Monday night that the long-time politician would not be seeking to return to Washington once his current term comes to an end.