Skating upon a star

The Franklin Park Ice Arena, located at 9711 Waveland Ave, hosted its 38th annual ice show last weekend. The show “Skate Upon a Star,” featured a Disney theme and included performances set to music from Disney movies and TV shows. There were over 18 different …

East Leyden graduates 410

Nancy Zuniga says her most memorable teacher during her four years at East Leyden High School was English teacher Sojna Kosanovic. “She was so warm and understanding,” Zuniga said. “She sat down and worked hard until (we) understood the subject.” Zuniga particularly remembers one lesson. …

1.5 million people to use Midway, O’Hare this holiday weekend

About 1.5 million people are expected to pass through Chicago’s two airports this Memorial Day weekend, city aviation officials say.

Norridge has one of first cases of 2012 West Nile reported in Chicago area

The West Nile virus has been detected in birds and mosquitoes in the Chicago area for the first time this year, the state announced Tuesday. State workers collected a dead crow May 16 and mosquitoes May 17 from Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Lemont, Lisle, Norridge, Westmont …

Franklin Park firm accused of consumer fraud

The Cook County state’s attorney’s office says a Franklin Park board-up and home repair service and its owners collected payments from people whose homes had been damaged but failed to make any repairs.

Study says Chicago traffic congestion actually got better

Drivers in the Chicago area were stuck in traffic an average of 36 hours in 2011, 12 fewer than the 48 wasted in traffic in 2010, according to INRIX, a company that studies traffic patterns.

Franklin Park wins $1 million EPA grant

Franklin Park’s new police station has been awarded a grant for $985,000 by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Mayor Barrett Pedersen and Police Chief Michael Witz announced. The grant will help to provide storm water management improvements at the facility and to help reduce pollution …

East Leyden valedictorian follows sister’s footsteps

In the Sacksteder family of Franklin Park, valedictorian appears to be a family tradition. Lauren Sacksteder was valedictorian for the 2007 graduating class at East Leyden High School. Her sister, Jennifer, will be this year’s highest achieving member of the East Leyden class. “What helps …

Commuter lots nearly empty on Monday

On a normal Monday, the Metra commuter lot in downtown Franklin Park is full with perhaps a latecomer or two driving in circles and hoping for a miracle. Not so on this Monday morning. With the NATO summit in Chicago, many commuters opted to stay …

Rally-goers endorse ‘Robin Hood tax’

NATO protesters this week invoked a legend with hopes of effecting economic parity. Calling it the Robin Hood tax, marchers at the National Nurses United rally in downtown Chicago on Friday want the federal government to enact a tax on the transfer of financial instruments …

Voterama in Congress, week ending May 18, 2012

House

Violence Against Women Act: Voting 222 for and 205 against, the House on May 16 approved a Republican bill (HR 4970) to renew the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through fiscal 2016 on a budget of $680 million annually. The bill was disputed mainly …

‘Specialist’ disrupts NATO rally

His posture suggested a soldier in a war zone. As he prepared to board a Green Line train in Oak Park to go down to the National Nurses United G8 protest at Daley Plaza Friday morning, he stood out from the other Oak Park natives …

Two charged in River Forest robbery

A Chicago man and woman have been charged with aggravated robbery of a River Forest 7-Eleven convenience store. At 1:20 a.m. May 17, police responded to the 7-Eleven store at Division and Harlem regarding an armed robbery that was in progress. Kirby Wise, 38 of …

Retired Oak Park  cop stops El robbery

Clemet Harbour was known as a no-nonsense cop during his 32 years on the Oak Park police force. Friday morning, during a violent robbery attempt on another passenger on the Green Line elevated train, the 62-year-old showed he’s still got it. As the train slowed …

iPhones in hand, first NATO rally goers broadcast live

“The revolution will not be televised,” spoken word artist Gil Scott-Heron famously said back in 1970. As novelist S. E. Hinton would later write, “That was then. This is now.” The 2012 NATO/G8 protests, while not a revolution, are most definitely being televised. And in …