Bob Chiarito

In this 2013 photo, the Smedinghoff family, Mary Beth (mother), from left, Joan (sister), Regina (sister) and Thomas (father), enter St. Luke Church for the funeral of Anne Smedinghoff.

River Forest couple whose daughter was killed in Afghanistan watch current events with uncertainty

August 24, 2021 at 11:04 p.m.

As the world watches the Taliban take control of Afghanistan days after the United States ended its 20-year war, a River Forest couple whose diplomat daughter was killed there has...

Evie Stavropoulos, left, and Julia Jebson, 5, sell lemonade on Tuesday in Edison Park. The 5-year-old teamed up with neighborhood family friends to raise $6,000 for Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, CPDMemorial.org, in honor of Ella French, a Chicago police officer who was fatally shot Aug. 7. The effort was in Edison Park, but drew supporters from Park Ridge and Niles.

Kids team up for lemonade stand that raises $6,000 in honor of slain Officer Ella French

August 24, 2021 at 5:06 a.m.

When Eleni and Evie Stavropoulos asked 5-year-old Julia Jebson to put together a lemonade stand Tuesday afternoon, she agreed under the condition that the money raised be donated to the...

East Leyden High School. (Brian O'Mahoney/Pioneer Press)

Leyden students say they’re pumped for start of in-person school year

August 16, 2021 at 5:14 a.m.

The 3,500 students in Leyden High School District 212 returned to in-person class Thursday and many said they were happy to be back in school despite having to keep wearing...

Dominican University president Glena Temple takes reins, plans to be hands-on

August 16, 2021 at 4:41 p.m.

Incoming students moving into dorms at Dominican University before classes begin may get some help lugging boxes and furniture from an unlikely source this year — the new university president....

Oak Parkers and the family of 15-year-old Melissa K. Rendon attend a vigil for her in the Oak Park alley where her boy was found Aug. 7. The vigil was held exactly one week later, on Saturday Aug. 14.

Crowd attends vigil honoring 15-year-old Chicago girl found dead in Oak Park: ‘Melissa should still be here’

August 16, 2021 at 8:30 p.m.

Dozens of Oak Parkers joined the family of Melissa Kaylanna Rendon early Saturday morning, one week after the 15-year-old Chicago girl was found dead in an Oak Park alley behind...

The body of a 15-year-old girl was found in this Oak Park alley of the 200 block of Taylor Street Aug. 7. Two people have been charged in the case, one with criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual abuse and concealment of a death, and the other with child pornography and concealment of a death.

Girl, 15, found dead in Oak Park alley had been drugged, raped, prosecutors say; 2 charged with sex crimes

August 12, 2021 at 11:54 a.m.

A 15-year-old girl who was found dead in an Oak Park alley Saturday had been drugged and raped before her body was discarded hours later, prosecutors said Wednesday. Two suspects...

Maine Township High School District 207's new offices are located at 1177 S. Dee Road in Park Ridge, adjacent to the Maine South campus.

Vaccination rates vary from 83% in Des Plaines to 43% in Harwood Heights, leaving school district to cope

August 11, 2021 at 5:14 p.m.

With the start of school just days away, Maine Township High School District 207 faces a seemingly hard task — ensuring the safety of 6,400 students who come from eight...

The Norwood Park Township office is located at 7833 W. Lawrence Avenue in Norridge.

Norwood Park Township has never had a website; officials say they’re working on it

August 10, 2021 at 11:35 a.m.

Norwood Park Township officials are working on launching the township's first-ever website, a move that was in the works for years, officials said, but got put on the back burner...

WWII reenactor James Tarbet shows Nancy Zelasko a book during the Chicago Combined Veterans Museum's reenactment event in Berkley Ill. Saturday, August 7, 2021. (James C. Svehla-Pioneer Press)

Cannons and muskets fire, helicopter lands as military reenactors tell of war

August 10, 2021 at 4:33 p.m.

Families and history buffs were transported back through four centuries Saturday at "When Duty Calls," a military reenactment organized by the River Grove-based Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum. The event, which...

In this photo from last year, Notre Dame College Prep's president, Shay Boyle, wore his mask. Boyle said the school got through in-person classes all last year while wearing masks.

Niles school made it through entire year of in-person classes while wearing masks, president says

August 6, 2021 at 7:48 p.m.

While some parents may be upset, and others relieved, that Gov. JB Pritzker issued a statewide mask-wearing mandate in schools for the upcoming school year, the president of one school...

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