Issues
‘Side Thing’ Now a Main Thing
By Jeff Vorva Timothy Christian graduate Samantha Drye took soccer and basketball seriously. Those were the sports she spent a lot of time and energy working on, playing with various club and travel teams. The three-sport athlete also played tennis for the Trojans, and she called it “a side thing.” But now, it’s her main…
Read MoreWish Granted
Reaching out a second time helps Schroder make it to Harvard By Jeff Vorva First, Grant Schroder was denied. But then things changed. The Downers Grove North track and cross country star is heading to Harvard in the fall. However, the process of getting there was not easy. After the high school cross country season,…
Read MoreMission Accomplished
After scouring the Midwest, Molinari finds her school By Jeff Vorva Ashley Molinari went on a fact-finding mission all over the Midwest to find a perfect college/soccer fit for her. Some of the stops the Downers Grove South defender made were Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana, Nebraska, and Illinois, among others. These weren’t just get-to-see-the-campus meetings. These…
Read MoreMenus with a Mission
At one of Dave Sloan’s restaurants, every meal means more By Anna Hughes Every morning, Elmhurst native Dave Sloan wakes up with the same goal: to make other people happy. To him, that’s the essence of the restaurant industry—where he’s spent the past 15 years building a name and a mission. “I found my passion…
Read MoreA Taste of Home
Hinsdale resident gives more than just the gift of good food By Anna Hughes Fresh, natural food: That’s what Andy Koziarski noticed was missing from American grocery shelves. When he first immigrated to the United States from Poland in 1994, the Hinsdale resident was surprised to see that the ingredient lists on packaged foods were…
Read MoreLife Under the Golden Arches
JJC Family Restaurants owns and operates 19 area McDonald’s locations By Maureen Callahan “One in eight Americans have worked at McDonald’s. You might see the golden arches and think, ‘big, global corporation,’ but it’s us behind it,” said West suburban businessman, John Carnagio. “All across the world, these [individual McDonald’s restaurants] are family businesses.” You…
Read MoreHinsdale’s Healing Home
Wellness House has supported cancer wellness and holistic healing for 35 years By Anna Hughes For the last 15 years, Elaine Adams has been volunteering at Wellness House in Hinsdale. On Wednesdays, she works the front desk. On Mondays and Thursdays, she helps women experiencing hair loss from cancer treatment find the right wig. Each…
Read More13 Going on 30
In its rookie year, Butler Business Professionals Club earns national title By Anna Hughes At the start of the 2024-25 school year, math teacher Ken Shum introduced Business Professionals of America (BPA) to Butler Junior High in Oak Brook. Inspired by his own experience with the organization as a student at Hinsdale Central High School,…
Read MoreCreating Community Connections
The Elmhurst Neighbors & Newcomers Club has helped build bonds for over 75 years By Valerie Hardy When Betsy Laakko moved to Elmhurst from St. Louis in 2020, she was eager to meet new people. Relocating during the pandemic made this challenging, but Laakko got creative. “I reached out virtually to anyone I could find…
Read MoreA New Look
Oak Brook Beautification Initiative Underway Images Courtesy of The Village of Oak Brook The Village of Oak Brook has launched an exciting beautification initiative to revitalize key public spaces and enhance the community’s appeal for residents, visitors, and businesses. With the last major beautification effort taking place over a decade ago, the Village Board of…
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