I was born in Elgin, 10 minutes before my twin brother, Tim. He has since made up for his tardiness in height, towering over me today by about 1 and 1/2 feet. He and I are tied for the youngest in the family—though I like to consider myself a middle child—and have two older brothers. I grew up on one of the last standing farms in what is now the well-developed area of Prairie View. For those who do not know the town, it is a northwest suburb of Chicago sandwiched in the middle of Long Grove, Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire. I moved to Minnesota to attend Winona State University, which is situated right on the Mississippi River. During my time there, I left for six months to study abroad in Granada, Spain, where I traveled throughout the provinces and even ran with the bulls in Pamplona. I returned to Illinois in June 2007 after graduating with a B.A. in Mass Communications: Journalism and Spanish. I wrote for The Daily Chronicle in DeKalb until June 2010. There, I covered education for about two years, crime for nearly one and during my home stretch, delved into issues centered on the governments of DeKalb County and the City of Sycamore.
Lake View residents are speaking out against a new music festival that they say ruined part of their Fourth of July holiday weekends.
Residents and other stakeholders are invited to weigh in on a number of renderings for the future of Chicago's Lake Shore Drive.
A trampoline has been mysteriously making its way around Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, according to reports.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and CTA officials unveiled art Wednesday that will adorn the currently under construction 95th Street bus and rail stop.
State police are looking into a road rage incident in nearby Elk Grove, where a suspect was stabbed in the chest after pummeling a driver.
John T. Coli, Sr. used threats when extorting quarterly payments of $25,000 from a local company, according to the indictment.
A child on the city's Southwest Side was arrested Tuesday evening for having a gun.
What better way to honor a community staple's milestone than with tours that help residents and visitors appreciate local history?
Police are looking for the burglars to blame for at least a dozen recent catalytic converter thefts on the city's North Side.
Police are looking for a man who they say sexually abused a 9-year-old girl this week in a West Side neighborhood grocery store.
A shooter forced a man into a Pace van and killed him early Tuesday on Chicago's South Side.
A man was found dead in a North Lawndale building that had burst into flames Tuesday morning.
A 55-year-old man survived a stabbing on the South Side early Tuesday morning.
Chicago’s city office buildings are 66 percent LEED or Energy Star certified
The closure of a Chicago ramp that carries traffic from Lake Shore Drive could make for a messy commute this week.
A Palatine woman won big last month in an Illinois Lottery drawing in which her ticket matched all five winning numbers.
A Sunday police shooting of an armed man in Chicago's Belmont Cragin neighborhood remained under investigation Monday.
The union representing Chicago Transit Authority train operators announced Monday that its members have voted to strike.
Geneva residents and merchants are invited to attend a public information meeting highlighting the city's upcoming roadwork.
Fourth of July festivities are heading to Crystal Lake this weekend in the form of a parade and fireworks show.
