Jessi Virtusio

Jessi Virtusio is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.

The Lincolnwood Fire Department responded June 11, 2025 to the 6500 block of Drake Avenue, in Lincolnwood, after a subcontractor struck a natural gas main line and caused a leak. (Pioneer Press file)

Residential block in Lincolnwood evacuated after crew strikes natural gas main, causes a leak

June 24, 2025 at 12:29 p.m.

Residents of a Drake Avenue block in Lincolnwood were evacuated from their homes for hours earlier this month, after a subcontractor hit a natural gas line while digging and caused...

Niles Police Department Officer Jesse Bloomberg and his canine partner, an all-black German Shepherd named Frank, graduated from special training June 6, 2025 and are both part of the department's canine unit. (Courtesy/Niles Police Department)

Frank, a German Shepherd and recent police dog training grad, joins the Niles police K9 team

June 17, 2025 at 9:22 a.m.

After beginning the TOPS Police K9 Training Program at TOPS Kennel in Grayslake on April 14, Niles police Officer Jesse Bloomberg and his canine partner, an all-black German Shepherd named...

Nathan Graham and his band perform April 4 at Thornton Distilling Company’s Cooper’s Hall in Thornton as part of the Trail Mix concert series. The concert inspired the transformation of the Trail Mix Acoustic Concert Series to what is now the Trail Mix Roots Music Series, which kicks off with an outdoor show June 13 in Homewood. (Trail Mix Productions)

Homewood’s Trail Mix rebrands as Roots Music Series starting with ‘gritty banjo’ act

June 10, 2025 at 2:18 p.m.

Trail Mix Roots Music Series begins its outdoor season June 13 with The Lowest Pair, from Washington, at Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve.

The American Legion Post 134 in Morton Grove is celebrating its centennial in 2025. (Brian O'Mahoney/for Pioneer Press)

Morton Grove American Legion Post 134 celebrates centennial

June 11, 2025 at 10:18 a.m.

American Legion Morton Grove Post 134 recently celebrated a century of serving military veterans and their families with an anniversary party. Post 134 Commander Andy Haszlakiewicz told Pioneer Press the...

People enter St. Paul of the Cross Catholic church in Park Ridge
shortly before 8:30 a.m. Mass on May 13, 2025. Worshippers and church leaders here and across the region join the world in praising the election of Pope Leo XIV. (Karie Angell Luc/for Pioneer Press)

Area parishes relishing new Pope Leo XIV who has local roots, but his ‘message is going to be universal’

May 13, 2025 at 1:39 p.m.

The elevation of Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Prevost to pope earlier this month has been a point of pride for Chicagoland parishes, including in the north suburbs of Morton Grove, Park...

Pete Townshend performs with The Who in 2006 at the United Center in Chicago. The Homewood Arts Council is celebrating Townshend's 80th birthday with a tribute concert featuring notable area musicians May 10 at Homewood Izaak Walton Preserve. (Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune)

Homewood Arts Council bringing rock veterans together for birthday tribute to The Who’s Pete Townshend

May 8, 2025 at 9:17 a.m.

The nonprofit Homewood Arts Council bringing rock veterans together for birthday tribute to Pete Townshend of The Who.

South Holland Master Chorale presented A Mass for Troubled Times May 19, 2024, at All Souls Catholic Parish in Lansing. The 2023-24 season concert included Joseph Haydn’s “Mass for Troubled Times,” which is also known as the Nelson Mass. (Larry Mickow)

South Holland Master Chorale singers to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York

April 29, 2025 at 11:53 a.m.

Singers from South Holland Master Chorale will perform at Carnegie Hall in New York after season closes with St. John concert.

A memorial was held April 8, 2025 at the Niles Police Department in Niles to mark the 20th anniversary of the line-of-duty death of Niles police Officer Steven Zourkas. He was killed April 8, 2005 when his squad car crashed while enroute to a service call. (Courtesy Niles Police Department)

Niles Police Department remembers Officer Zourkas’ 2005 line of duty death and ‘enduring impact’

April 15, 2025 at 3:56 p.m.

Twenty years – to the day – after a Niles police officer died in the line of duty responding to a call, the Niles Police Department held a special memorial...

Ron Harrigan, of Crete, was the first band director when Southland College Prep Charter High School opened in 2010 in Richton Park, while also teaching at Huth Middle School in Matteson. (Ron Harrigan)

Ron Harrigan named Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra’s first music educator of the year

April 6, 2025 at 12:58 p.m.

Soaring Strings concert at Olympia Fields Country Club will honor Southland College Prep director of bands Ron Harrigan.

Lauren Rapisand got 58% of the vote, unofficially, in the April 1, 2025 Consolidated Election in the race for Park Ridge 6th Ward alderperson. The vote total is unofficial until certified by the Cook County clerk's office.

Lauren Rapisand readies to take over as Park Ridge 6th Ward leader, wants to ‘give back to the community’

April 3, 2025 at 11:38 a.m.

Park Ridge Alderperson Richard “Rick” Biagi had decided not to seek reelection to be 6th Ward leader, creating a contest to replace him where, according to unofficial vote totals from...

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