New rules open field for Stevenson grad speeech

Leslie Luna and Jessica Ma will each give speeches at the 2012 Stevenson High School commencement, the first time students have done so under new speaker selection procedures. Stevenson’s graduation speech have changed this school year, giving a wider range of students the opportunity to …

1.5 million people to use Midway, O’Hare this holiday weekend

About 1.5 million people are expected to pass through Chicago’s two airports this Memorial Day weekend, city aviation officials say.

Lake Zurich fifth-graders get taste of middle schoool

Knowing the transition from elementary to middle school can be met with some apprehension by students, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 offers students an opportunity to get acquainted with their future middle schools before their fifth grade year ends. Lake Zurich Middle School …

Lake Zurich salon robbed

A man armed with a knife robbed a local tanning salon of an undisclosed amount of money Monday afternoon. At 3:26 p.m. Monday, Lake Zurich police responded to Ultimate Exposure Tanning Salon, 267 S. Rand Road, in response to a 911 call about the robbery. …

Study says Chicago traffic congestion actually got better

Drivers in the Chicago area were stuck in traffic an average of 36 hours in 2011, 12 fewer than the 48 wasted in traffic in 2010, according to INRIX, a company that studies traffic patterns.

About 55 percent of Ela residents see hike

Knowing she has a fixed income and dwindling investments, Roswitha Hammack used last year’s tax bill to try and plan for this year. Even with her planning, the Hawthorn Woods resident was shocked when she opened her most recent bill. “My tax bill went up …

Voterama in Congress, week ending May 18, 2012

House

Violence Against Women Act: Voting 222 for and 205 against, the House on May 16 approved a Republican bill (HR 4970) to renew the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through fiscal 2016 on a budget of $680 million annually. The bill was disputed mainly …

Suburbs on alert, but so far little impact from NATO

This weekend’s NATO Summit in downtown Chicago may seem worlds away from the suburbs, but authorities throughout the region are preparing for any problems that could spill out of the city. So far, though, police departments haven’t reported any problems like the rallies that have taken place this week in the city. And many suburban hotel managers said their rooms are mainly booked to tourists and wedding parties and even factory workers — and not protesters.

Lake Zurich selects First Energy

Lake Zurich has selected First Energy as its new electricity supplier. Several municipalities worked with Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative (NIMEC) to go out for bid. After reviewing the bids, Lake Zurich selected First Energy for a two-year agreement at a rate of 4.75 cents …

Suit: Let disabled athletes go to IHSA state meet

The Illinois High School Association girls state track and field meet will be held this weekend ­— and Fenwick’s Mary Kate Callahan won’t be taking part. But a lawsuit to be filed Wednesday by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in federal court aims to make it possible for student-athletes with disabilities, like Callahan who is paralyzed from the waist down, to compete in future IHSA state meets.

Police blotter for May 14

The following incidents were listed among the official reports of the Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods and Kildeer police departments. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Only a court of law can make that determination. Lake Zurich WARRANT ARREST …

For guys, it’s still more ‘schleppy’ than preppy

Jim Foster didn’t know what kind of pants he had on. But he knew how much he paid for them: $1. Foster lives in Glencoe, which Bundle.com says is the second-most fashionable town in America. In terms of spending dough for duds, Foster is not doing his part.

Kite Fly combines with event

Pat Winkelman was beaming at the Barrington Area Kid Fest Saturday morning as over 300 kids and parents came out to Citizens Park to play outside despite the initially damp weather. As Co-Founder of Barrington and Lake Zurich areas’ Leave No Child Inside initiative and …

Voterama in Congress, week ending May 11, 2012

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted on matters relating to defense spending, lobbyists’ federal pensions, funding of two federal departments, voter ID laws and funding for the Export-Import Bank. Senators failed to end GOP blockage of a bill preventing interest rates on student loans from doubling, to 6.8 percent, on July 1.

Self defense club has a hold at Stevenson

Self Defense Intramural Club may be the only opportunity for students to be introduced and even encouraged to put their teacher into a martial-arts style submission hold.

“Look at how happy he is right now,” Stevenson High School world history teacher Josh Flood said regarding …