🌱 Patch AM: Meet the Lake Zurich softball star heading to Colorado Mines

Coffee in hand, Lake Zurich? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Meet the Lake Zurich softball star heading to Colorado Mines
• How Lake Zurich firefighters helped contain a smoky senior complex blaze

Also on today's calendar: This week, holiday food events delivered to you from Bittersweet, Manny's Deli, Urbanbelly, & more! and 2 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 47 and low of 14 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Breezy and much colder, temps: high: 26, low: 23.
• Saturday: Partly sunny and breezy, with a high of 44 and low of 16 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Softball Adds Five Student-Athletes for 2027 (minesathletics.com) — A standout Lake Zurich High School softball player, Kohlman, has committed to Colorado School of Mines after earning team MVP honors in 2025 and All-North Suburban Conference recognition. The article highlights her strong hitting stats, club success, and academic achievements as she prepares to study engineering and continue her career in Golden, Colorado.
   

• Occupant transported to hospital after fire fills senior living building with heavy smoke in Vernon Hills (lakemchenryscanner.com) — Lake Zurich firefighters helped Vernon Hills crews contain a Monday night apartment fire at Brookdale Hawthorn Lakes that filled a senior living building with heavy smoke and left one unit uninhabitable. One resident was taken to the hospital for observation, but quick work by staff and multiple departments kept damage limited and prevented injuries to other tenants.
   

📸 Around Lake Zurich

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 Lake Zurich

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• This week, holiday food events delivered to you from Bittersweet, Manny's Deli, Urbanbelly, & more!
  3:00 pm

Saturday January 3

• Willow Hill Lights - Open nightly thru Jan 4
  Willow Hill Golf Course, 1350 Willow Rd, Northbrook
  5:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Tuesday December 23

• Winterhaus: Cellar Eve (both locations)
  Phase Three Brewing - Lake Zurich , 932 Donata Ct , Lake Zurich
  11:00 am

Wednesday December 24

• Ela Township Offices Closed in Observance of the Christmas Holiday: December 24 & 25, 2025
  Ela Township , 1155 E Route 22 , Lake Zurich

Tuesday December 30

• Inside Flow
  Mindful Movement Yoga , 48 S Old Rand Rd , Lake Zurich
  7:00 pm

📣 Lake Zurich 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

• GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING
  Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce , 444 S Rand Rd Ste 308 , Lake Zurich
  11:30 am
• Board of Trustees Meeting
  Vehe Barn , 23680 W Cuba Rd , Deer Park
  7:00 pm
• Committee of the Whole Meeting
  Deer Park, IL Calendar , 23570 W. Cuba Road , Deer Park
  7:30 pm

Sunday December 21

• Home for the Holidays
  Barrington's White House , 145 W Main St , Barrington
  1:00 pm
• Home for the Holidays: Nancie Tobison, BHS Alumni, & Friends
  Barrington's White House , 145 W Main St , Barrington
  3:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Ela Township Offices Closed in Observance of the Christmas Holiday: December 24 & 25, 2025
  Ela Township , 1155 E Route 22 , Lake Zurich
• Village Offices Closed
  Hawthorn Woods, IL Calendar Hawthorn Woods, IL 60047

Thursday December 25

• Village Office Closed
  Deer Park, IL Calendar , 23680 W. Cuba Road , Deer Park
  8:00 am

Tuesday December 30

• 12/30- Kildeer, IL - La Dolce Vita New Year's Eve
  Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant , 20423 N Rand Rd , Kildeer
  7:00 pm

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

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

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Improve your computer skills this January at the Round Lake Area Public Library!
  Registration is open for basic skills courses. Participants will explore computer basics, like identifying parts of a computer, logging on,… (Nextdoor )
• Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach is closed due to a crash.
  12:51PM on Dec 16: Rollins Road at East End Avenue in Round Lake Beach is closed due to a crash. (Nextdoor )

• Aramark Corp. posted a job opening for Culinary Specialist - Avantara Lake Zurich - Food in Lake Zurich. Apply here.
• Costco Wholesale Corporation posted a job opening for Service Deli Clerk in Lake Zurich. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Lake Zurich here.

🗞 Nearby News

Long Grove

• Drunken Driver Leaves Accident Scene: Lake County Sheriff's Blotter (patch.com)
• Gracey LePage sparks Crystal Lake South defense against Grayslake North (dailyherald.com)

Wauconda

• What are the 10 largest US lottery jackpots ever won? (shawlocal.com)
• Former Strauss Brands facility in Franklin bought by beverage canning company (biztimes.com)
• Girls Basketball 2025 Holiday Tournament Schedules (journal-topics.com)

Arlington Heights

Ok Lake Zurich! 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