Year in Review: Top 10 Stories from 2015 on Elmhurst Patch

Elmhurst, IL - As the year winds down, we are looking back at some of the Elmhurst Patch’s top stories of 2015.

These are the stories you’ve read, shared and talked about most over the past 12 months. Patch has had a great year, thanks to your loyal readership, news tips, suggestions and constructive feedback. We look forward to kicking off 2016 with even more inspiring, helpful and informative local stories.

Be sure to sign up for the Elmhurst Patch newsletter and like us on Facebook to continue following the latest in Elmhurst news in 2016. You can sign up for other Chicago-area Patch newsletters here.

Here’s a look at the 10 most read stories from 2015:

1. ‘Can’t Dance Guy’ Groom Proves Himself So Very Wrong at the Wedding
   Kyle and Nikki Kuchenbecker’s friends and family are probably still talking about how awesome this dance was at the couple’s March wedding. This story just goes to show any goal can be achieved with a little hard work.
2. Sandburg Student Who Won’t Get Out of Bed in the Morning Ticketed for Truancy
   This story of a boy who was ticketed for truancy sparked a heated debate in the comments section about parenting, sleep disorders and the role of schools and police in child rearing.
3. Update: Clerk Missing from Shell Gas Station Identified, Police Ask for Help
   A gas station clerk was originally presumed missing, but later she was found to have allegedly conspired with her boyfriend to stage an abduction and rob the gas station.
4. Job Applicant Texts Naked Selfies to Human Resources Manager: Cops
   It doesn’t get much more embarrassing than this tale of a hapless, shutter-happy job applicant who “accidentally” sent multiple nude photos to a human resources manager. If you think you’ve had a bad year, this guy’s was probably worse.
5. Photos: Flooding in Elmhurst, June 15 Storm
   Elmhurst Patch readers eagerly shared photos of their yards-turned-ponds after a storm rolled over the city in June. Pictures show children wading through high water, lake-like backyards and impassable roads. We asked Elmhurst residents to share, and they did not disappoint.
6. Skimming Devices Found on Gas Station Pumps in Elmhurst
   A tricky method of identity theft threatened a local gas station until the card-reading devices were discovered, and police handed them over to the Secret Service.
7. Gallery: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Henderson House on the Market for Less than $1M
   The Henderson House in Elmhurst was up for grabs for less than $1 million this year — a rare occurrence. For only $995,000, the Frank Lloyd Wright home offered three fireplaces, original leaded windows and a wine cellar.
8. Ex-Associate Pastor Sentenced to 10 Years for Sexual Assault of Teenage Girl
   A former associate pastor of the West Suburban Community Church in Elmhurst was sentenced to 10 years in prison for reportedly sexually assaulting a teenager while he was the girl’s youth minister and counselor.
9. More Fans Show Off Photos with the Cast of ‘Chicago Fire’ in Elmhurst
   Elmhurst residents once again enthusiastically answered our call for photos. The cast and crew of NBC’s “Chicago Fire” took over the Elmhurst quarry in April for filming, giving residents a chance to snap selfies with the stars.
10. Elmhurst Fire Department Extinguishes Two House Fires in 24 Hours
    Here’s your proof that Elmhurst firefighters work hard (as if you needed it). Crews extinguished two house fires in 24 hours in early October. No injuries were reported from one fire, and one minor injury resulted from the other blaze.

There you have it — 2015 in a nutshell. Thanks again for keeping up with your Patch! Have a happy holiday season and a wonderful New Year’s! - Morgan Searles, Elmhurst Patch editor.