Olivia Stevens

Olivia Stevens is a reporter for the Daily Southtown. She was previously an intern for the Tribune‘s politics desk, responsible for covering the Illinois state legislature. She is a 2023 University of Minnesota graduate and interned for Minnesota Public Radio and the Salem Statesman Journal in Oregon before moving to Chicago.

Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge said he hopes the planned Heroes Park in the downtown triangle will host concerts at a bandshell along with other seasonal events. (Edwards Realty Company)

Expanded University of Chicago Medical Center, performing arts center to anchor revised Orland Park downtown

June 14, 2026 at 5:10 a.m.

Orland Park's proposal includes adding a musculoskeletal center to the existing University of Chicago Medical Center campus.

A family walks Friday through wreckage of an apartment building on 83rd and Robert streets in Hickory Hills. They said their mother lives on the street and they were helping her evacuate to their house. (Addison Wright/Daily Southtown)

Storm blows roof off Hickory Hills apartment, downs trees and knocks out power in south and southwest suburbs

June 12, 2026 at 5:03 p.m.

South and southwest suburban officials are scrambling to keep up with damage after rounds of severe weather Wednesday and Thursday.

Calumet City aldermen listen Tuesday as Finance Director John Kasperek presents a plan for the city to pay an $8 million backlog in bills. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

‘Wasteful spending cannot do this to a budget’: Calumet City seeks $8 million loan to pay backlog of bills

June 10, 2026 at 2:22 p.m.

Mayor Thaddeus Jones said with the bond's help, Calumet City will not need to cut costs further, after laying off 46 people in May.

Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge, right, discussed early planning of a Polish American cultural center with representatives from the Polish Highlanders Alliance of North America during an event May 29. (Village of Orland Park)

Orland Park seeks to host new Polish Highlanders Alliance cultural center

June 8, 2026 at 3:13 p.m.

The Polish Highlanders Alliance is considering bringing a cultural center near Interstate 80 and La Grange Road in Orland Park.

Manuel Flores, president and CEO of business loan provider SomerCor, shakes hands with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle Friday during the Southland Development Authority's Achieve summit. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Southland Development Authority event works to boost south suburban development

June 5, 2026 at 4:20 p.m.

The Southland Development Authority's Achieve Summit at the Wind Creek Casino provides connections for economic development.

A bright blue and acrylic cellphone locker containing 30 individual locked boxes in classroom 213 at Bremen High School on June 4, 2026, in Midlothian. Every classroom in the school has a cellphone locker and requires that students lock their phones during class time. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Video, texting and noises among south suburban concerns on school cellphone ban

June 8, 2026 at 10:42 a.m.

Students, teachers and parents in Bremen District 228 and Orland District 230 share support and concern on state cellphone ban.

People board a mobile mental and maternal health clinic Wednesday at the Link and Option Center's future triage center in Hazel Crest. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Link and Option Center mobile clinic to provide mental, maternal healthcare in south suburbs

June 3, 2026 at 3:15 p.m.

The Link and Option Center raised $600,000 to launch the mobile clinic and is asking for help to raise an additional $900,000.

Trinity Christian College community members leave Ozinga Chapel on the Palos Heights school's campus after a legacy celebration May 7, 2026. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Chicago Christian Schools announces plan to purchase Trinity Christian College campus

June 3, 2026 at 3:22 p.m.

Chicago Christian Schools said it has an investment effort to buy the 60-acre Trinity Christian College campus in Palos Heights.

Mechanical seed collection in Orland Park, next to a 5-acre parcel in Orland Hills the Forest Preserves of Cook County is proposing to purchase. (Forest Preserves of Cook County)

Cook County Forest Preserves looks to purchase and restore 5-acre parcel in Orland Hills

June 2, 2026 at 3:19 p.m.

A 5-acre strip on 167th Street in Orland Hills may be bought by the Forest Preserves of Cook County to manage invasive plant species.

The Centennial Park Aquatic Center closed to visitors May 30 after two E. coli cases were linked to the public pool. (Olivia Stevens/Daily Southtown)

Centennial Park Pool in Orland Park closes due to E. coli cases

June 1, 2026 at 4:27 p.m.

Centennial Park Aquatic Center in Orland Park was set to reopen Tuesday, after closing Saturday due to two cases of E. coli.

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