🌱 How a midday Walgreens trip turned deadly at a Hillside intersection

Cheers Hillside! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How a midday Walgreens trip turned deadly at a Hillside intersection
• Why Hillside’s House Speaker says school choice isn’t “even close”

Also on today's calendar: Stuff Your Stocking Christmas Drive-Thru and 4 more events.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Windy with periods of rain, with a high of 49 and low of 15 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Breezy and much colder, temps: high: 28, low: 25.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy and breezy, with a high of 45 and low of 19 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Hillside crash spills into Walgreens parking lot, killing pedestrian and injuring several others (suntimes.com) — A serious crash at Butterfield and Laverne in Hillside sent a car careening into the Walgreens parking lot at Butterfield and Wolf, killing a man in his 70s and injuring several others. Multiple victims, including two police officers, were taken to area hospitals, and police have closed a one-block radius around the intersection during the investigation.
   

• IL House Speaker: ‘not even close' to school choice legislation (washingtonexaminer.com) — Hillside’s own state representative, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, says school choice legislation doesn’t yet have enough Democratic support to get a vote in Springfield. He’s open to calling a bill if 60 Democrats sign on, while local Catholic schools like Leo High highlight how expanded scholarships could transform access for families.
   

📸 Around Hillside

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Hillside

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Stuff Your Stocking Christmas Drive-Thru
  586 N Michigan St, Elmhurst
  6:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 20

• The Flavor Lab Academy
  Total Capacity Training and Development Center , 37 N Hillside Ave , Hillside
  10:00 am
• Sew w/Me Academy
  Total Capacity Training and Development Center , 37 N Hillside Ave , Hillside
  12:00 pm

Sunday December 21

• Winter Begins
  Village of Bellwood , 3200 Washington Blvd , Bellwood

Thursday December 25

• Christmas Day
  Village of Bellwood , 3200 Washington Blvd , Bellwood

Friday December 26

• Kwanzaa Begins
  Village of Bellwood , 3200 Washington Blvd , Bellwood

Tuesday December 30

• Summer Nights in Hillside
  Hillside Commons , 4950 Washington St , Hillside
  5:30 pm

📣 Hillside Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• Early Orchestra
  Oak Elem School Hinsdale, IL 60521
  7:45 am
• Late Start for Students
  Komarek School District , 8940 W 24th Street , North Riverside
  8:00 am
• Business Roundtable - December 18, 2025
  The Drake Oak Brook, Autograph Collection Hotel , 2301 York Rd , Oak Brook
  9:30 am
• Business Roundtable
  The Drake Oak Brook, Autograph Collection Hotel , 2301 York Rd , Oak Brook
  9:30 am
• Toddler Storytime
  Hinsdale Public Library - Community Meeting Room
  9:30 am
• Family Storytime
  Bellwood Public Library , 600 Bohland Ave , Bellwood
  10:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Hillside PatchAM possible:

• I AM THAI Cuisine — (331) 225-0587
  "Truly authentic Thai Cuisine prepared daily by Chef Nina"
• Crazy Bins
  New Bin Outlet Store in Downers Grove!

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• A fire at the rear of a two-story apartment building at 6049 S. Sawyer in Chicago has caused heavy damage, but no injuries were reported.
  6:53AM on Dec 17: Chicago Fire Department responds to a still and box alarm fire on the second floor of a two-story courtyard building at 6049 S… (Nextdoor )

• Molly Maid of Oak Park and the Midwestern Suburbs posted a job opening for Ayuda para Lipieza / Limpieza de casas / Limpiadoras / Maid / House Cleaning in Hillside. Apply here.
• McDonald's posted a job opening for Shift Manager in Hillside. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Hillside here.

🗞 Nearby News

Broadview

• Chicago groups vow resistance as Border Patrol chief, agents return to area (fox32chicago.com)
• A Chicago theater parodies the "Real Housewives" with North Pole brides (wbez.org)
• Trump's Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy Once Defended Congress' Power of the Purse. Now He Defies It. (thefulcrum.us)

Elmhurst

• Elmhurst Bears Cheer Program Crowned National Champions (patch.com)
• Elmhurst School Trucks Used For Personal Commutes, District Suspects (patch.com)

Brookfield

Ok Hillside! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

• Help us grow by suggesting local news sources.
• Shape this newsletter with your feedback.
• List items for sale or services offered

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook