Melinda Moore

Melinda Moore is a freelance writer for the Chicago Tribune.

Becky Cavanagh, of Clarendon Hills, rings the bell to open the markets at the Chicago Board of Trade while gathered with fellow Special Olympics Illinois participants and officials earlier this month. Cavanagh is this year's ambassador for the Chicago Ducky Derby, which raises money for Special Olympics Illinois. (Joe Cavanagh)

Lucky duck: Clarendon Hills athlete Becky Cavanagh to pick winners at Chicago Ducky Derby

July 21, 2026 at 11:32 a.m.

Becky Cavanagh who has competed in Special Olympics Illinois for 13 years, is this year's ambassador for the Chicago Ducky Derby.

Volunteers with Triton College’s Retires and Senior Volunteer Program collected more than 10,000 plastic bags that they wove into sleep mats with a carrying strap and small pillow, which were given this month to Housing Forward’s Anderson Emergency Shelter in Oak Park. (Triton College)

Community news: College volunteers create sleep spaces for Oak Park shelter

July 17, 2026 at 5:10 p.m.

College volunteers create sleep spaces for Oak Park shelter Volunteers with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, or RSVP, at Triton College in River Grove spent more than 1,000 hours...

Navy JROTC Lt. Nora Silva-Rio, center, a student at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, accepts an award recently from representatives of the Swallow Cliff chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. (Swallow Cliff Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution)

Around the Southland: Swallow Cliff NSDAR lauds patriotic students, Pike House fundraiser, more

July 15, 2026 at 3:50 p.m.

News from around the Southland includes items from Oak Lawn, Palos Heights, Blue Island, Will County, Beverly, Marist High School, more.

League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area celebrated Juneteenth by registering voters and offering information about elections. From left are Diane Scott, Ramon Lacey of Laced Up Athletics and Bernadette Johnson-Banks. (League of Women Voters of the La Grange Area)

Community news: League of Women Voters marks Juneteenth with registration drive

July 13, 2026 at 12:02 p.m.

News from the community includes items from La Grange, Franklin Park, Triton College, Western Springs and more.

Isabella Taylor, a graduate of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School in Chicago, received a 2026 Paul Simon Democracy Prize. She’s been learning a lot as she works to turn her proposal into a reality. (Mireya Zepeda)

Mother McAuley grad earns Paul Simon prize for voter education website plan

July 9, 2026 at 2:42 p.m.

Isabella Taylor's plan to create a YouTube channel to inform young voters about candidates and issues earned a Paul Simon Institute prize.

Visitors admire a bicycle that has been turned into a planter in a yard on South Wood Street in 2021 during the Beverly Area Planning Association Garden Walk. This year's garden walk is July 12. (Susan DeGrane/Daily Southtown)

Around the Southland: Gardens of Beverly, Morgan Park and Midlothian on display July 12

July 8, 2026 at 3:54 p.m.

News from around the Southland includes items from Beverly, Morgan Park, Oak Lawn, Glenwood, Palos Park, Midlothian, Palos Heights and more.

Acoustic artist Dan Maguire, folk singer-songwriter Mark Dvorak and the duo Lone Canary will perform July 10 at First United Methodist Church of La Grange. (Dan Maguire)

Community news: Award winning live music in La Grange, free ice pops in Franklin Park

July 6, 2026 at 3:39 p.m.

News from the community includes items from La Grange, Franklin Park, Hinsdale, La Grange Park, Western Springs and more.

Emergency room nurse Amanda Capuano, who leads the Geriatric Emergency Department Initiative program at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital in Palos Heights, holds a “go bag” the hospital gives senior patients. The bags contain information critical to their care, especially if they are unable to reply to questions. (Melinda Moore/Daily Southtown)

With one of nation’s ‘largest pools of geriatric patients,’ Palos Hospital focuses on emergency room elder care

July 2, 2026 at 1:29 p.m.

A program to improve emergency care for older adults at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital received Geriatric Emergency Department accreditation.

Chicago-based artist Negwest White will discuss his process and demonstrate a traditional Plains Indian Grass Dance July 11 at the Orland Park Public LIbrary as part of his exhibit Here & Now: An Urban Native Voice acrylic painting exhibit featured all month at the library. (Negwest White)

Around the Southland: Native American artist visits Orland Park library, Oak Lawn artists compete

July 2, 2026 at 10:38 a.m.

News from around the Southland includes items from Orland Park, Oak Lawn, Tinley Park, Will County, Crete, Worth, Park Forest and more.

The Darien Garden Club recently dedicated a new National Gardens Club Inc. Blue Star Marker at the Darien Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2836 peace memorial garden at Darien Community Park. (Darien Garden Club)

Community news: New Blue Star Marker dedicated in Darien, pickleball planned in Elmwood Park

June 26, 2026 at 2:59 p.m.

News from the community includes items from Darien, Berwyn, Elmwood Park, Franklin Park, Oak Park, Oak Brook, and more.

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