The Doings Hinsdale

Young musicians serve up good music

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:30:42 -0600

Diners come to Francesca’s Bellezza in downtown La Grange expecting a delicious Italian meal. On Fridays, they can expect a treat that appeals to their musical tastes, as well. Each Friday night the restaurant at 75 S. La Grange Road turns a portion of its dining room into a performance area and welcomes young musicians as the evening’s entertainment. The new tradition began in November with music by harpist Natalia Ogurkiewicz. Ogurkiewicz, a junior at Lyons Township High School, entertained diners with a variety of tunes. “They really liked it,” Ogurkiewicz said. Ogurkiewicz said she was looking for a job …

Northlake lawyer, Western Springs resident seeks judicial post

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 20:48:27 -0600

Terry Gallagher, Democratic candidate for judge in the 4th Judicial Subcircuit of Cook County, has been endorsed by all seven township committeemen in the subcircuit, Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2, and Cook County Sheriff’s Police FOP Lodge 4. He has been found “Qualified” by the Illinois State Bar Association Standing Committee on Judicial Evaluations and Chicago Bar Association, and “Recommended” by the Decalogue Society of Lawyers and the Women’s Bar Association. The judicial seat he is running for is the Riley vacancy in the subcircuit. Gallagher was born in Chicago in 1958,went to a Catholic grade school in Rogers Park, …

Woman killed when Metra train hits car in La Grange

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:30:00 -0600

A Chicago woman died Friday night after a Metra train collided with her car at a crossing near the La Grange Stone Avenue station. No passengers were on the train at the time.

Kirk moved to Chicago rehab center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0600

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke nearly three weeks ago, was transferred Friday to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Bail lowered for Hinsdale-area man charged with abusing student

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:16:00 -0600

Sandburg High School teacher Steven Reynolds had sexual contact with a 17-year-old student in his Hinsdale-area home while his wife was out of town, prosecutors said Friday as Reynolds sought to lower his bail.

CHMS eighth-grader wins District 181 spelling bee

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:10:09 -0600

Paul Cumberland was in familiar territory when the championship of the Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 Spelling Bee came down to himself and Nick Speziale Feb. 9 at Clarendon Hills Middle School. The two students were down the same road about a week earlier during a CHMS competition to represent that school in the District 181 Spelling Bee. Nick, a sixth-grader, finished on top in the CHMS competition, but Paul, an eighth-grader, took first place this time. “I was thinking about, ‘what if it happens again?’” Paul said after winning. “I actually was less nervous this time. When you get …

Snow makes its way back to the area Friday

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:02 -0600

Feeling a chill in the air? Snow will be back as soon as Friday when lake effect snow could hit the city and Northwest Indiana with six inches.

Girl, 11, struck by vehicle at First and Garfield

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:52:51 -0600

Today at about 3 p.m., an 11-year-old girl crossing the street at the intersection of First and Garfield in downtown Hinsdale was struck by a vehicle while walking within the crosswalk. The girl was walking with at least two other pedestrians when a vehicle turning from westbound First Street to southbound Garfield turned into the group. The driver of the vehicle reportedly did not see the pedestrians due to her vision obstructed by sunlight. The girl was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital for non-life threatening injuries and released. The 41-year-old driver of the vehicle, Teresa Urquhart, of Willowbrook, was driving …

Catholic cemeteries offer to bury 300 bodies stacked at morgue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:28:02 -0600

The Archdiocese of Chicago is offering to pay for up to 300 burials for the bodies being held at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Service News

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:54:01 -0600

Volunteers honored in Springfield Three west suburban men were among 16 volunteers honored in Springfield Jan. 28 for donating hundreds of hours of service to the Illinois Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve agency. The U.S. Department of Defense established the agency in 1972 to promote understanding and support among employers of the 1.3 million members of the National Guard and Reserve. The agency responds to questions and provides information regarding programs supporting civilian employers and their employees serving in the Guard and Reserve. Honored with the Gold Award for providing more than 500 hours of service in 2011 …

Police: Man faked own kidnapping to take $1,000 from family

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:35:39 -0600

A Willowbrook man who wanted to get money from his family staged his own kidnapping to demand $1,000 ransom, according to police who later arrested him.

Hinsdale trustees turn down funding request from Graue Mill residents

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:32 -0600

The village likely won’t apply for a $1.44 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Administration that would have been used to cover 75 percent of a $1.93 million project for flood control measures in the Graue Mill area. Hinsdale Village Board members said Tuesday they were not interested in the village contributing $61,000 toward the work. While no vote was taken, board members agreed they were not prepared to approve the request on such short notice. Such funding requests normally first must go to the village’s Environment and Public Services Committee, which makes recommendations to the Village Board. Graue …

So far, so good for new four-way stop in Hinsdale

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:57:51 -0600

The first week of having four-way stop signs at Garfield Avenue and First Street has gone by without any problems. Police Chief Brad Bloom said he has received positive feedback from residents who believe the intersection if safer with the four-way stop signs in place. Deputy Police Chief Mark Wodka said officers have observed good compliance by drivers in stopping at the intersection. Previously, traffic going both eastbound and westbound on First Street had stop signs at Garfield, while Garfield traffic had no stop signs going either northbound or southbound. However, after doing a traffic survey at the intersection, the …

Police say while gangs not a problem, they keep ears and eyes open

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:52:19 -0600

While local law enforcement officials said there is no evidence of gang activity in Hinsdale or Clarendon Hills, they continue to be proactive in keeping up with gang-related information from neighboring towns. “That’s the key, to stay proactive,” Hinsdale Police Chief Brad Bloom said. “By doing that, you’re likely to be able to head off any problems before they would happen.” The recently-released Chicago Crime Commission Gang Book has no information for Clarendon Hills, which the commission reports did not respond to its survey. But estimates that Hinsdale has 10 active gang members and one active gang, Original Crew. That …

Hinsdale man named president of high school

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:58:17 -0600

St. Rita of Cascia High School, 7740 S. Western Ave., Chicago, announced the promotion of several key leaders and the addition of a new position in order to further strengthen the leadership team of the school and enhance the experience of its students in the Augustinian tradition. Ernie Mrozek, 58, of Hinsdale, has been named the school’s president. He has been the board chairman and vice president at St. Rita. A 1971 St. Rita alumnus, Mrozek retired from a successful career with The ServiceMaster Company in 2008, having served as the Fortune 500 company’s chief financial officer and then as …

Teacher charged with sexually abusing student at Orland Park high school

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:17:38 -0600

Steven Reynolds of Hinsdale, a substitute teacher and freshman basketball coach at Sandburg High School in Orland Park, has been charged with sexually abusing a 17-year-old student.