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.
A man who suffered permanent injuries in a DeKalb car crash filed a lawsuit against the driver who police say caused the accident.
Buffalo Grove officers will be looking for drunken drivers this coming weekend.
Elgin officials say financial assistance is available to qualifying local homeowners.
City officials are coordinating a 2017 grant program aimed at restoring local homes' architectural and historic integrity.
Local schoolchildren recently spent a morning with local law enforcement officials.
A grand opening celebration for Casey's General Store this weekend will feature free eats, prizes and giveaways.
Federal investigators are looking for the crook behind a Tuesday bank robbery.
Police say a Huntley man provided a fatal narcotics mix to a Lake in the Hills 26-year-old who was found dead in his home last year.
A bomb squad was called Tuesday to a local day camp. During the school year, the camp serves as a daycare facility.
Meteorologists say a brutal storm that's sweeping through the Western U.S. isn't letting up any time soon.
Police say that an armed and dangerous man wanted in the shooting death of an Arizona schoolteacher likely came to Beaverton.
The entire remodel project is scheduled to continue through May 2017, but initial closures are in effect this week.
Though witnesses described the child as "ice cold," the coroner ruled that his death was not due to exposure.
Inclement weather has, again, spurred the closure of Portland schools. A scheduled Jan. 18 late start in the district is no longer planned.
Icy roads, freezing rain and potential flooding are spurring school closures in the area.
District officials initially delayed the school day's start on Tuesday, but made the call this morning to cancel them, instead.
A weather alert has been issued by West Linn-Wilsonville School District officials.
Cancellations also affect before and after school activities.
Cancellations also affect all daytime and evening activities.
Cancellations also affect extended day care and may impact afternoon activities.
