Top 20 Most-Read Western Springs Stories In 2025

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL – A story about home invasions in a local neighborhood drew the most interest from Western Springs Patch readers in 2025.

Check out what made this year's list of top stories, ranked by pageviews:

1. Western Springs Home Invasions Detailed (July 28): A Western Springs woman was in her home office when she heard a loud banging in the kitchen. Investigating, she saw a man, later identified as 36-year-old William O'Brien of Willow Springs, trying to break into a window, police said.

2. Gun Fired During Western Springs Dinner Party: Cops (Oct. 20): A drunk Western Springs man attacked a woman and fired a gun during a dinner party at his house, police said.

3. Western Springs To See Anti-Trump Human Chain (May 9): Progressive organizations are planning to form a 30-mile "human chain of solidarity" that includes Ogden Avenue in Western Springs.

4. Death Threats To Western Springs Restaurant: Cops (July 9): An Elmhurst man is accused of threatening to kill employees of a Western Springs restaurant, calling the place as many as 200 times, police said.

5. Man Who Died In Western Springs Crash Identified (Dec. 1): A Western Springs man was identified as the pedestrian who died after a crash. He had a long career in the media.

6. 1 Arrested In Lyons Township High Fight (March 27): A Lyons Township High School student was arrested after a fight at South Campus, Western Springs police said.

7. $22K Per Western Springs House For This Project (Oct. 29): Western Springs is continuing its program to replace lead service lines to homes. The village is addressing 42 such lines this year. That costs $932,000, which works out to about $22,000 per home.

8. Jury Duty Scam Targets Western Springs Residents (Sept. 3): Western Springs police said they have received several reports of scammers targeting residents about supposed jury duty.

9. Crashes Started In Western Springs: Cops (April 28): La Grange police released more information about a crash that resulted in the deaths of a Hinsdale couple. The driver's first crash was in Western Springs.

10. Big Menu Set For Western Springs Restaurant (Sept. 9): A new Mexican restaurant coming to town takes pride in its large menu, a representative told village officials.

11. Woman Arrested At Western Springs Restaurant: Cops (Jan. 7): A Chicago Ridge woman was arrested at a Western Springs restaurant for refusing to pay her bill, police said.

12. 'Unintended Consequences' In Western Springs: Official (Dec. 2): This year's violation of the zoning code was a bit of a rerun for the Western Springs Little League.

13. Houses To Replace Western Springs Church: Records (Jan. 7): First United Methodist Church of Western Springs, which merged with its Hinsdale counterpart last year, is set to be replaced by three houses, according to village records.

14. Western Springs Exodus To Another Town's Pool (July 7): The Hinsdale Community Pool is seeing a big increase in membership sales, thanks to two towns in particular.

15. Western Springs Incident Draws Police (Aug. 6): Western Springs is helping La Grange police with an investigation stemming from an incident in the area of Mariano's grocery store, 4700 Gilbert Ave., according to a Western Springs news release.

16. Western Springs Restaurant Spending Jumps: Consultant (Jan. 15): Customers' spending at downtown Western Springs restaurants rose nearly 20 percent from 2022 to 2023, a consultant told village officials.

17. 'Not Ideal': Western Springs Official Questions Developer's Delay (Nov. 12): A Western Springs trustee questioned why the construction of a townhome complex may not start until next summer.

18. Wires Altered In Western Springs Restaurant Burglary: Police (July 21): Two men broke into a Western Springs restaurant through a back door and stole an ATM, police said.

19. Western Springs Restaurant Worker Arrested In Road Rage Incident: Cops (Sept. 2): A man accused of pointing a gun at another driver continued to his workplace in Western Springs, where officers found him, police said.

20. Western Springs Man Charged With DUI In Westmont: Cops (Feb. 24): A Western Springs man was arrested on a drunken-driving charge in Westmont, police said.