Longtime Neuqua Valley baseball coach to hold one final benefit
For 13 years straight, Neuqua Valley High School's one and only varsity baseball coach led a fundraiser that, in all, raised over $500,000 — more than half of which went to nonprofits for children,...
View ArticleColumn: Diet for life, not just in January
Foods that can be rated 'delicious' really depend on the context. If you had a been adrift on a raft for several days and a plastic box containing the remains of a child's lunch floated by, you might...
View ArticleLetters to the editor: Hultgren let us down, D204 wastes time and money
Hultgren let us down Linda Raska's recent letter to the editor was right on. The primary resposibility of public officials should be to serve their constituents, not to support some ideological or...
View ArticleDecent: Golden Globes gone political was a disappointment
I'm going to let you in on a little secret. At last week's Golden Globes ceremony, some people were presented with awards for their services to acting and TV and film production. TV reporters kept the...
View ArticleManker: Perfect storm - no school, fresh snow and a day made for sledding
Rare is the convergence of a day off school, a 5-inch snowfall, and adequate time and inclination to take advantage of it all. That's exactly what many Naperville families got this past Monday. Out of...
View ArticleDecent: Ordinary worker gives extraordinary service
From heroes to villains, royalty to presidents, you can read about just about anyone in the press. Journalists are always hungry to highlight the noteworthy. The more famous, or better still infamous,...
View ArticleKeaton: Xilin center a blessing to Asian community, Naperville
When our daughter was ready to start kindergarten, we had to do the kind of shuffling that many double-employed couples do, figuring out child care options and how to get her to and from school (too...
View ArticleDecent: Naperville weather's loco, and all you can do is accept it
The other day, I had a call from my son-in-law's dad back in England in advance of their upcoming visit. "So, what's the weather like where you are?" he said. "Had much snow?" "Some," I told him. "But...
View ArticleWounded warrior fund for Sugar Grove veteran exceeds $25K goal
Less than two weeks after a column ran about a local veteran losing some of his disability benefits, an online fundraiser set up to help his family has already exceeded its $25,000 goal. And I'm not...
View ArticleManker: Flotsam and jetsam from the mind of Rob Manker
Random Robservations piling up at the bottom of the notebook … •Have you seen the Facebook posts and other ads for the new Black Rock Bar and Grill soon to open on 75th Street in the building that...
View ArticleDecent: Ice and cold turn miracle door into freezing pain
The very first time Grumpy and I set foot in America was on our honeymoon, almost 37 years ago. We stayed with an old wartime boyfriend of my mother's (don't ask) in Los Angeles. We had a wonderful...
View ArticleKeaton: A little perspective can mean new outlooks and life-changing...
The other morning, my 12-year-old daughter asked me one of those not-so-confounding questions: "Mom, do you ever have those days when, even though things might not have been going so great lately —...
View ArticleDecent: No lack of romance in Naperville ... except at Grumpy's house
You would think for someone who suggested getting married on Valentine's Day, Grumpy would be Mr. Romantic. I should have known what I was getting myself into when he declared: "Who knew everything...
View ArticleGuest column: Family secret spurs Naperville woman's two-year hunt for...
In one day, what I thought was true about my family changed dramatically. My dad and I were sharing lunch at a local Panera when he said something that opened the door to an unbelievable discovery....
View ArticleManker: Snow brings out the best and the worst of humanity - especially online
Nine consecutive days of measurable snowfall offers a large enough sample to prove at least one basic human quality to be true — as the snow piles in our driveways and sidewalks, it brings out the...
View ArticleDecent: No need to head to South Korea - Naperville has its own winter Olympics
Welcome to the XXIII Winter Olympics coming to you live from Naperville . We're standing here up to our knees in snow outside the municipal building where the opening ceremony will begin as soon as...
View ArticleMy brother was shot to death by a stranger: Guest columnist weighs in after...
Thirty-three years ago, my amazingly awesome brother, Kevin, was shot to death in double murder/suicide. The perpetrator was a man who made the decision to kill anyone he saw with his ex-girlfriend....
View ArticleDecent: Indian store a fabulous way to add a little spice to Naperville
There's a new Indian grocery store in town, and I couldn't resist going inside for a peek. As soon as I walked into Patel Brothers, I instantly felt at home — and it's not because I'm Indian nor, in...
View ArticleManker: If 'pedal pubs' get you going, consider these novel ideas for new...
With the calendar now reading March, thoughts turn back to the prospect of outdoor activities and the warmth in which to enjoy them. Parks and playgrounds, ball fields and beer gardens soon will leap...
View ArticleDecent: Joining the grandparents' club is everything I was told it would be,...
I have many favorite places I like to visit in Chicago; the Bean, Michigan Avenue and the top of the John Hancock building or whatever it's called this week. But my very favorite place is the arrivals...
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