Historian writing book about Hegewisch

Next time I ride the South Shore from my Hegewisch neighborhood to downtown Chicago, I will take a closer look at the Van Buren Street station.

Walk this way to nature events

Life starts to move outdoors this time of year and many local nature-themed events this weekend can help keep you busy.

Charities receive golden touch

It’s always exciting to open a real letter. It’s even better when you recognize the handwriting on the envelope and feel instantly happy, like I did a few weeks ago when I found a letter in my mailbox from my old friend Ray Scahill.

Undiscovered Lafayette: Family friendly destinations in Boilermaker country

Even if you don’t know what a Boilermaker is, there is plenty to enjoy in the hometown of Purdue University.

Prepare for all 'Taste' has to offer

It’s the first day of May and it finally feels like summer, that great time of year when our minds drift to warm weather and daydreams about all the fun in store in the next few months.

Visit to state capital a worthwhile trip

“We are now traveling at a speed of 100 miles per hour,” the conductor announced as our Amtrak train sailed toward Springfield, Ill.

Appreciation well done at LARC dinner

Frank Sinatra sang in the background as chatter, laughter and good vibes filled the room at LARC's annual appreciation dinner Friday night.

All aboard the Springfield express

Indiana and Illinois seem to have an ongoing feud over which state can claim Abraham Lincoln.

Healthy U: An educational event like no other

Healthy U is in session and ready to teach new lessons in healthy living.

Fairy gardens let kids showcase creativity

Fairy dust mixed with dirt and imagination can create a special haven where kids can cultivate their green thumbs.

Museum Passports make summer fun affordable

I have already started crafting my summer bucket list and it includes some day trips to local Chicago hot spots like Brookfield Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry.

Bribery gets you everywhere with Easter Bunny

There’s a secret to getting a great photo of your kid with the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus and Mickey Mouse. I just haven’t figured it out yet.

Flu bug can hop away any time now

Our household had its first confirmed case of the flu last week and I was the sufferer, or the culprit depending on how you look at it.

Local ballerinas take their show on the road

Studying ballet in Texas this summer won't be the first shared experience for lifelong friends Alexa Patrick and Liv Rivich.

Marian students showcase runway style

Parents, students and staff at Marian Catholic came together last weekend to stun guests at their Evening of Excellence Senior Showcase.

Mall memories tie together community

By now I’m sure you have read or heard that Sears in River Oaks Center is scheduled to close in June. Last week I wrote a column that mentioned Siam Marina restaurant pulling out of its River Oaks location to move to Tinley Park.

Weight loss medications can help in the eating struggle

On the obstacle course of weight loss, many people get caught in the same spot again and again. Members of the medical community can help when trying to navigate the way to healthier living.

Finding rays of sunshine in chilly hometown

My family just returned home from beautiful Florida, and I am proud to say that I can now add taking a 1-year-old on a plane to my mommy experiences.

Valentine’s Day haters, lovers will enjoy these events

As a devoted fan of Valentine’s Day, I’ve faced my share of Valentine haters. I can’t imagine not loving a day devoted to hearts and the color pink and candy. That’s like not loving puppies or rainbows, but to each his own.

The American Heart Association's 2013 Initiatives

The American Heart Association has big plans to continue educating and helping the public in 2013.

Atrial Fibrilation common across age groups

Properly managing atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia, can help save a patient’s life. There are many local and online resources for those who are diagnosed with this disease, which affects more than two million people in the United States.

Visit a theater near you

Watching segments of the Screen Actors Guild award show got me to thinking about local drama and how lucky we are to have so much of it.

Challenger Center inspires love of space exploration

Challenger Learning Center students explore outer space while still on Earth but thanks to that experience, many start setting their sights to the stars.

Birthday boy will always be my baby

When my son was a newborn, it didn’t take much to make me cry. One day it was a commercial for baby laundry detergent that said, “You have a child forever, but a baby for just one year.” Until that moment, I hadn’t realize the term “baby” had an expiration date.

Open up little one's world at library

Baby books are painful to read out loud when you’re a writer. The stories lack cohesion, the wording is awkward and don’t even get me started on the lack of punctuation.

Fitness tips for new moms

Regular exercise after pregnancy can promote weight loss, improve cardiovascular fitness, boost mom's energy and mood and relieve stress.

Make 2013 a year of kind acts

Welcome to 2013. Here are my grand plans for the year.

Cooking class teaches kids kitchen basics

You probably won't hear the word "gross" from kids who attend the Southlake YMCA's no-bake cooking class.

Overflowing with good food, good hearts

It’s always uplifting to learn that one of your favorite businesses also invests its energy into its community.

Santa comes to Hegewisch

The Knights of Columbus General Pulaski Council in Hegewisch hosted a breakfast with Santa on Dec. 16.

Healthy eating for people on the go

Eating healthy doesn't have to be difficult. Local businesses make it easier to choose better eating habits, and interest in their life changing programs continues to grow.

Love of your life changes over time

Christmas is the season of love, and I have loved sharing it with my 11-month-old son. He’s at the age where he’s dazzled by Christmas lights, screams at the sight of Santa, and uses his teeth to rip open his Christmas presents before I can even finish wrapping them.

Holidays buzzing with activities

A few weeks ago my co-worker called me in a panic. “Jen! How do we turn off the Christmas music?” Our regularly programmed radio station had begun its nonstop Christmas-a-thon and my co-workers just weren’t ready. I explained how to turn off the station, but secretly I couldn’t wait until ne…

Museum of Science and Industry's Christmas Around the World fun for all ages

Visitors to Christmas Around the World will stroll through 50 trees decorated by local ethnic communities, enjoy intermittent falling "snow" and see performances on the Holiday Stage.

Dyer family seeking toys for patients at Children's Hospital in Chicago

DYER | A Dyer family has organized a toy drive to benefit the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. New toys can be dropped off by Dec. 14 at Dessert Menu, 1950 Hart St. in Dyer.

Lots of chances to catch Christmas spirit

If you’re on the lookout for Santa Claus, I have the inside scoop on some of the places he might pop up this weekend.

Reminder of what friends are for

When we went to high school dances, the DJs would always play “That’s what friends are for” toward the end of the night.

Black Friday offers chance to do good

I love a good coupon, but I’m not sure I can handle much more of the sale ads and fliers flooding my mailbox, newspaper and email box. It’s nerve-wracking to think I might miss something good. I’m thankful Black Friday only comes once a year and that it will be over in a few days.

Fireplace maintenance prevents safety risks

Before lighting up your fireplace this winter, experts recommend having it inspected for potential safety hazards.

Newspaper from ‘50s offers glimpse of Hegewisch's past

In Hegewisch in 1959, 16 rolls of toilet paper cost $1 at Aniol’s Hardware and Paints on Baltimore Avenue. Leaders of the Hegewisch Little League worried that the program would have to fold due to lack of umpires, and the Hegewisch Chamber of Commerce met to form a plan to stop the extension…

Be Prepared: Keep winter at bay by properly winterizing now

Properly winterizing your home and yard now can help avoid problems when temperatures drop. Mice nesting under air conditioner covers, higher energy bills and frozen water pipes are just some of the issues that can creep up this winter. Avoid these problems and more in the new year with advi…

Son brings back fun side of Halloween

Dear Son,

Pot hole teaches lesson in patience

For as long as I can remember, the street in front of our house had a giant divot in it. Any time a car would drive over it, you’d hear a bounce and if a truck went by, the house would shake. At some point this summer, a neighbor reported the issue to the city of Chicago.* I thought it would…

Enjoy weekend close to home or on the road

If you haven’t made plans for Saturday yet, check out some of the fun events going on in my neighborhood and beyond.

Start the holidays right with LARC

The latest newsletter from LARC showed up in our mailbox this week so I thought I would share some of the organization’s latest news. With the holidays coming up quickly now, it’s good to make room on the calendar for some time to give back.

The bottom line: A new look at an old diaper solution

As a mom, you deal with a lot of poop. Cloth diapers conjure images of extra work and yes, lots more of the brown stuff.

The bottom line: A new look at an old diaper solution

The cotton diapers I recently tried were colorful, easy to use and wash, soft and — more important to me — chemical and perfume free.

Beecher animal shelter offers Halloween fun

A year ago today, I wrote a letter to my then unborn child. We had recently learned he was a boy, but he still had no name so I called him “Little Baby.”

Events offer scares of all sizes

As we head into October, it seems like a good time to talk about ghost stories. The first ones I remember were told by our elementary school librarian.