Gina Grillo

Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.

9947 Scott Johnson and Bryce Johnson, 5 years old, celebrate the first bite of the morning for Pierce Johnson, 7 years old, all from Park Ridge during Saturday’s Gone Fishing Derby, held this year on June 27 at Maine Park Ponds, a 25-year tradition in Park Ridge — an event that organizers say is woven into the history of the Wildwood Nature Center. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Park Ridge continues more than 25-year tradition with Gone Fishing Derby on June 27

June 30, 2026 at 11:58 a.m.

Under a hazy summer sky, families gathered Saturday morning, along the shoreline and on the pier, as the quiet splash of lines baited with wax worms and night crawlers dipped...

Annette Dezelen of Lake Forest admires the creations of Milwaukee-based artist Christine Plicha, whose art has evolved into a practice that includes digitally scanning her original nature-based oil paintings onto fabric to create silk scarves and garden flags. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Lake Bluff’s 26-year tradition, Artists on the Bluff Summer Arts Festival showed artists vision

June 22, 2026 at 5:15 p.m.

Matt and Katie Frekko of Lake Forest attended Artists on the Bluff Saturday and say it has become something of a social community gathering for them.

Crossing the finish line, during the second annual Walking for Avenues, at Maine South High School in Park Ridge on Saturday, a fundraising walk hosted by Avenues to Independence, a nonprofit serving adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Walking for Avenues draws hundreds in Park Ridge to celebrate independence and raise money

June 16, 2026 at 5:59 a.m.

Hundreds gathered Saturday for a community celebration of independence and to participate in the second annual Walking for Avenues, at Maine South High School in Park Ridge.

Live singing performances by members of the Kiki Queens Chicago drag cabaret troupe, donating 100 percent of performance proceeds to LGBTQ+ community organizations. Kiki Queens and supporters have raised more than $200,000 for local nonprofits, with additional music by DJ Gloria entertainment during the third annual Pride in Park Ridge Community Celebration on June 5. at Hodges Park. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Third annual Pride in Park Ridge Community Celebration on June 5 draws hundreds of attendees

June 9, 2026 at 12:29 p.m.

Of the hundreds who attended Pride in the Park on Friday in uptown Park Ridge, many have grown up here and say they never thought they’d see a Pride Celebration...

Along with National Cemetery Administration staff, representatives from the Libertyville VFW Post 8741 (pictured here), Bugles Across America, Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Community Pageants, and National Women Veterans United, also took part in the 7th annual Fort Sheridan National Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony, in Lake Forest on Sunday. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Annual Fort Sheridan National Cemetery Memorial Day ceremony remembers those who made ultimate sacrifice

May 25, 2026 at 2:38 p.m.

The morning rain cleared, revealing a blue sky on Sunday, May 24, for the 7th annual Fort Sheridan National Cemetery Memorial Day Ceremony in Lake Forest.

Sean Loughran, 9th Infantry Division Reenactor with Joe Pinter, Luke Pinter, 8, Noelle Pinter, 9, and Hannah Pinter, 4, all from Park Ridge, during the 3rd annual Living History: Military History Exhibit, hosted by the Park Ridge Historical Society on May 16. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Park Ridge History Center holds annual Living Military display for Armed Forces Day

May 18, 2026 at 3:45 p.m.

While World War II memorabilia for some of us can end up in a cardboard box gathering dust on a shelf in the basement, at the Park Ridge History Center...

Sharing the gastronomic delights of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region is part of the family legacy of Highwood residents and first cousins, Mada Ugolini Hitchmough and Ruthie Amidei – fulfilling a long-time dream with the opening of Pelago Café, at 325 Waukegan Avenue in Highwood, May 14, 2026. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Highwood’s new restaurant, Pelago Cafe, to feature cuisine inspired by Emilia-Romagna

May 11, 2026 at 5:19 p.m.

Sharing the gastronomic delights of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region runs through the blood, and the family legacy of Highwood residents and first cousins, Ruthie Amidei and Mada Ugolini Hitchmough.

Linden Hong, 6 years old, of Wilmette, takes part in the Cook County Department of Resources Management’s tree climbing activity during Sunday’s 4th annual Earth-A-Palooza, a free eco-friendly festival at Linne Woods in Morton Grove. (Gina Grillo/ for the Pioneer Press)

Morton Grove sees fourth annual Earth A Palooza in Linne Woods for area residents

April 27, 2026 at 3:50 p.m.

Amidst an array of national Earth Day celebrations, in Morton Grove, area residents gathered Sunday to celebrate not just the ways we can help our planet, but the ways the...

Hundreds of protesters gathered on Touhy Avenue between Summit and Prospect in Park Ridge for Saturday’s No Kings rally. The rally was followed by a mile-long march down Prospect Avenue through the center of town. (Gina Grillo/ For the Pioneer Press)

Hundreds in Park Ridge participate in No Kings protest Saturday

March 30, 2026 at 4:46 p.m.

As Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A. blared from a distant car radio, hundreds of protesters gathered on Touhy Avenue between Summit and Prospect in Park Ridge for Saturday’s No...

Eliza Rauh, 6 years old, and Ayla Rauh, 8 years old, from Highland Park,

take part in Saturday’s Up Up and Away, a hands-on kite building and kite flying adventure hosted by the Park District of Highland Park at Rosewood Beach, one of many public programs offering area families a connection to nature. (Gina Grillo/ For the Pioneer Press)

Families take part in kite building and flying at Highland Park’s Rosewood Beach

March 23, 2026 at 3:02 p.m.

Saturday’s spring temperatures beckoned area families outdoors to Rosewood Beach to take part in a kite-flying adventure.

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