Townhouses and row homes, each costing around $750,000, will be built where the Willow Swim Club had been located for nearly eight decades. The former Willow Swim Club, 11300 W. 83rd Street, last saw swimmers in 2008. The site is at the northwest corner of German Church Road and Wolf Road. At the Dec. 12 […]
Category: DVN New News
Willow Springs mourns passing of Trustee Ernie Moon
Willow Springs Trustee Ernie Moon is being remembered as a good neighbor and someone who loved the village. Moon, 78. died Dec, 22 from complications after undergoing surgery Nov. 21 to remove a tumor from his liver. Purple and black bunting is draped in mourning at the entrance of the village hall, where the American […]
Reporter Kelly White: What I’ve learned in 2024 …
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a reporter for Southwest Regional Publishing, it’s that every place—whether it’s a school cafeteria, a riverbank in Des Plaines, or a nursing home dance floor—has a story worth telling. This year, my assignments have taken me to corners of communities where kindness, resilience, and history shine brightest. In […]
From cleaning company to police department for Maslanka
Nicholas Maslanka traded his cleaning company business for a chance to be a police officer. Maslanka, 26, said he wants to be a police officer “mostly to serve and protect.” “(I wanted) to do something that’s more fulfilling, something bigger than myself,” he said. He and wife Anna had owned the Dirty Birds Cleaning Service […]
Almanza joins McCook police, brings Chicago experience
Jovanny Almanza, 31, brings seven years of Chicago law enforcement experience to his new role in McCook. He was sworn in by Police Commissioner Dan Foy as the newest member of the village’s police department during a board meeting on Dec. 16. “Perfect. The best Christmas gift ever,” Almanza said after the ceremony. For the […]
Willow Springs School decorates village tree
The spirit of the holiday season was in full swing as the Student Council of Willow Springs School District 108 recently came together to decorate the Village Christmas Tree. This cherished tradition brought students, teachers, and community members alike into the festive fold, with laughter and excitement filling the air. One of the highlights of […]
From the battlefield to the home front: Jim Kruse’s mission to honor and support veterans
Jim Kruse dedicates his life to uplifting troops, veterans and his community Jim Kruse stands at the center of a bustling community hall, his hands steady as he folds a handwritten card into a care package. Around him, volunteers laugh and chat, but his focus never wavers. “This isn’t just about the packages,” he said. […]
Suspect’s co-worker describes chilling confession in Bridgeview killing
The man charged with killing a Bridgeview man in a murder-for-hire plot allegedly told a co-worker his plan the day before the murder. “He told me he was going to do it, and it needs to be done. I told him, ‘I don’t believe it. I think you’re full of (it).’ He said he was […]
Countryside bids farewell to longtime city engineer John Fitzgerald
Countryside Engineer John Fitzgeral has worked on many projects over 22 years with the city, but it took just a moment to name his most memorable. “The Brainard Avenue bike path. When we presented that to the public that lived along the corridor, (they) wanted to hang me and the mayor,” he said. The path […]
Oak Lawn man keeps Rudolph’s legacy glowing after 60 years
Sixty years ago, a stop-motion reindeer with a glowing red nose first appeared on television, sparking a holiday tradition that continues to warm hearts worldwide. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” premiered on Dec. 6, 1964, and has since become the longest-running Christmas special in history. Its themes of acceptance, resilience and celebrating differences resonate as deeply […]
