Felicia Dechter

Column: Two living legends to be honored Nov. 21 at museum fundraiser

November 12, 2019 at 4:02 a.m.

Longtime Oak Park resident Sherlynn Reid was having breakfast early one recent morning when she was pleasantly surprised by a phone call from Frank Lipo, executive director of the Oak...

Cemetery comes alive as actors play long-dead Oak Park characters

October 10, 2019 at 5:49 p.m.

On Oct. 20, the Forest Home Cemetery will come alive. Its residents---long dead and gone---will be resurrected for the day to tell the stories of their lives during the annual...

Column: Marathon means pushing past your limits, just like in life

September 27, 2019 at 11:06 p.m.

Elmwood Park resident Nicky Rompza-Braglia developed an avid passion for running during her pre-teen years. Her parents were going through a divorce at the time, and she was experiencing many...

Column: It’s so important to learn your options when buying a home

September 16, 2019 at 10:50 p.m.

I recently sold my mom's house to some very excited, first-time home buyers. It took me back to 1985, when I bought my first home. Would you believe I still...

Judy Klem is the new Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory executive director.

Column: Gardening keeps growing through fall, which makes a great time to plant

September 10, 2019 at 3:14 a.m.

Just when you thought you were finished gardening for the season, the Oak Park Conservatory is about to open its Fall Market, starting on Sept. 20. Conservatory volunteers also have...

Discover fascinating history on these local walking tours of Oak Park and River Forest

July 18, 2019 at 11:03 p.m.

Who knows why the 500 to 800 blocks of Elmwood and Gunderson in Oak Park were known as "Fertile Acres" in the 1950s to 1970s? It wasn't because of a...

Cupcakes aid the courageous in fighting cancer

July 10, 2019 at 9:36 p.m.

A few weeks ago, I went to a fest in Chicago and came across the colorful food truck Cupcakes for Courage. It caught my eye because not only did the...

Column: Frank Lloyd Wright Trust rolls out concept to add visitor, education center and boost Oak Park’s rich architectural history

June 20, 2019 at 8:39 p.m.

Oak Park soon could be getting another architectural gem to boast about once the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust builds a new, state-of-the-art Visitor and Education Center, which will connect to...

Column: Take a trip through historical Oak Park at Cheney Mansion event

June 6, 2019 at 9:47 p.m.

When Cheney Mansion manager Susan Crane was going through some of the circa-1913 mansion's cabinets and cupboards trying to match keys earlier this year, some personal effects of the historic...

Mobster Al Capone is seen at a Chicago football game in this file photo from Jan. 19, 1931.

Column: Oak Park resident’s research into Chicago and the Mafia on display during upcoming gangster tour

June 4, 2019 at 6:54 p.m.

Oak Park resident John Binder knows a thing or two about the family, and I don't mean his own. I'm talking about the mob, the outfit, aka organized crime —...

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