Calling All Dukes

Alums Diane and David Armstrong rethink the structure of York High School reunions By Maureen Callahan A lot happens in high school. The four years that transpire between middle school and college, or the start of your adult life, are significant. Friends from that period of life are the ones who get to see you…

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From One Fire Truck to 8,000 Calls

Downers Grove Fire Department evolves to protect a growing community By Julia Mazurek  |  Photos courtesy of Downers Grove Fire Department Tucked inside the Downers Grove Museum sits a piece of local history: Engine 1, the fire department’s first motorized truck.  The 1920 pumper engine manufactured by the White Motor Company is a symbol of…

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TWA Flight 529: Local Memories of a National Tragedy

The first of September marks 65 years since the night that shook the Western Suburbs By Maureen Callahan Milestones – even tragic ones -are worth commemorating. September 1st – just a few days ago – marked the 65th anniversary of the deadliest plane crash in American commercial aviation history, up to that date. TWA Flight…

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Forty & Flourishing

Community Adult Day Center celebrates four decades of compassionate care and connection for local seniors By Valerie Hardy One-third of older adults have Alzheimer’s Disease or another type of dementia by the end of their lives. Living with dementia is often challenging for individuals and their families. Thankfully, local compassionate care options are available, including…

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One Hundred Years of Planting Progress

Now celebrating its centennial year, Elmhurst Garden Club keeps our town beautiful By Maureen Callahan While Elmhurst lives up to its “Tree Town” nickname, this suburb is also known for its beautiful gardens. Many green spaces in town are initiated and carefully maintained by our very own Elmhurst Garden Club (EGC). Now 170 members strong,…

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A Turn for the Better

Checking in with Alexander Brown and family By Maureen Callahan Last September, we highlighted the family of Matt and Christy Brown, whose son Alexander, now seven years old, has been fighting childhood cancer for the past three years. A recent check-in found Alexander’s progress on the upswing. The Browns continue to make a difference through…

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Little Streets, Big Lessons

A Visit to Safety Town in Elmhurst   By Julia Mazurek | Photos courtesy of Elmhurst Park District On a summer morning in Elmhurst, a group of preschoolers carefully pedal their tricycles toward a four-way stop. Their tiny helmets bob as they pause, look both ways, and continue through the intersection. The streets may be…

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Laying the Foundation

Local nonprofit turns plastic into purpose BY ANNA HUGHES | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BOTTLES2BRICKS At the intersection of creativity and change, Bottles2Bricks is redefining what it means to make a difference. The Bottles2Bricks mission is straightforward but bold: empower people and safeguard the planet by transforming plastic waste into innovative structures that uplift communities across…

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History in the (Re)Making

FoundersFest celebrates the early days of Downers Grove BY VALERIE HARDY  Downers Grove returns to its roots during the annual FoundersFest celebration. Commemorating the village’s opening chapter and featuring its founding fathers and mothers, the weeklong series of events is a time-honored tradition for residents and merchants each spring. The 2026 FoundersFest will open on…

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Elmhurst Art Museum’s Robert McCormick House

Mies van der Rohe’s eternal Modernism BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN Have you ever wondered about the house adjacent to the Elmhurst Art Museum? It used to be a private residence here in town and is one of only three in the United States designed by German immigrant Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. Mies van der Rohe…

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