Pat Lenhoff

Column: The reaction to the racist incident at Buffalo Wild Wings in Naperville is encouraging. To prevent the next one, society needs to keep the conversation going.

November 6, 2019 at 5:54 p.m.

Wow. That was my first reaction to the recent news about a group of diners at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Naperville who were directed to change tables because a...

In this file photo, Santa Claus leads the countdown of the lighting of Libertyville's Christmas tree at Cook Park in the village.

Column: The holiday season is upon us. Enjoy it while it lasts.

October 30, 2019 at 7:45 p.m.

Buh-bye, Halloween. Adios, all things autumn. When the last trick-or-treaters ring the doorbell, the clock has expired on fall, including all its color, scent and vibe. This year, the colors...

Column: Multicultural celebrations only add to the Halloween festivities

October 24, 2019 at 6:19 p.m.

I love the anticipation leading up to Halloween. I love everything from choosing costumes for the kids to finding just the right treats to hand out and ensuring they're yummy...

Columnist Pat Lenhoff fears the legalization of marijuana in Illinois may be happening too quickly.

Column: Legalization of marijuana has many ramifications and suburbs are running out of time to address them

October 18, 2019 at 5:45 p.m.

The off-campus apartment was jammed to the walls — literally. Music blasted and a stupid, off-color chant that seemed so hip at the time was reverberating throughout the three-story building....

Column: Readers take the wheel on everything from Yahoo frustrations to weather forecasts

October 11, 2019 at 9:37 p.m.

OK, readers, your turn! Let's begin with letters about my earlier columns documenting my problems with Yahoo, as those columns continue to garner emails from readers with similar experiences. It's...

Columnist Pat Lenhoff wonders whether school holiday parties should be relegated to the past.

Column: Are school holiday parties becoming a thing of the past? Should they?

October 6, 2019 at 5:19 a.m.

A recent editorial discussing the decision by an Evanston elementary school to discontinue their Halloween party had me wondering whether school holiday parties are becoming a thing of the past....

Artwork provided by the Illinois Secretary of State's office shows the new Illinois St. Louis Cardinals license plate.

Column: St. Louis Cardinals license plates in Illinois? What’s next? Green Bay Packers plates!?

September 25, 2019 at 7:00 p.m.

Hello, gorgeous! October — the best month of the year — is in all its' glory, including color, scent and vibe. It's the yang to May's yin — two months...

Felicity Huffman arrives at federal court with her husband William H. Macy for sentencing in a nationwide college admissions bribery scandal on Sept. 13, 2019, in Boston.

Column: The college admissions scandal is back in the news. But has it already tarnished the reputation of higher education?

September 17, 2019 at 9:49 p.m.

As I woke up on a recent morning in a pleasant haze, a sudden horrifying thought caused quite the cold-water-wake-up call. It was 50 years ago this month that I...

Column: Vanilla pudding is good, but it makes for bad retail aesthetic. Why is individuality in stores disappearing?

September 11, 2019 at 3:16 p.m.

Carly Simon would be singing her song, "Anticipation," through my car speakers every time I would park my car at the Vernon Hills Pier 1 store, causing my adrenaline to...

In this 2018 file photo, a member of the grounds crew pushes off rain water on a tarp covering the grass at Soldier Field before the start of a game between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings.

Column: Meteorologists’ dire (and inaccurate) forecasts ruined my Chicago Bears tailgate experience

September 4, 2019 at 8:53 p.m.

Those of us who have been around long enough probably are more aware of today's frantic pace than, say, millennials. Millennials have grown up with instant gratification in communication, news,...

All Stories