Was it a chance encounter or a miracle moment? On a recent Thursday night, when my husband, daughter and I all enjoyed a glass of wine outside Tuscan Market & Wine Shop, a woman walked by, who stopped when she recognized us. Her name was Kelly O'Connor and we had...

Kayla Joyner was ecstatic to land a principal role in Xanadu, now playing at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. After all, she is the youngest cast member -- she will be a senior at Wheeling High School -- and this is her first appearance on...

Let the countdown begin! After years of fundraising and educating the community, the founding partners of Gerry's Cafe opened its doors Wednesday to its major donors, and the joy was contagious. "We're over the moon excited. It has surpassed every expectation, just to...

Officer Treston Schoeny typically works afternoon shifts with the Arlington Heights Police Department and as one of his ancillary jobs he works in forensics services. During last year's National Night Out event at North School Park, he was demonstrating some of the...

Jack Mahoney says the last 24 hours have been a blur. The former all-star at Saint Viator High School, who just finished his junior year pitching for the South Carolina Gamecocks, was drafted early in the third round of the MLB draft. From there, his phone started to...

Scott Ostrander of Mount Prospect is a prolific composer, having created works for brass quintets, string ensembles, piano and concert bands. One of the first marches he composed, Maverick March, premiered last year in his home town of Fort Wayne, IN, when the Fort...

Dave Rogowski was on his way to earning a master's degree in public policy at the University of Denver, when he threw caution to the wind and asked the hockey team if they needed any help. Yes, this Lake Villa native had grown up playing with the Highland Park Falcons...

As the youngest of six children growing up in Arlington Heights, Annie Aiello was described by her parents and siblings as the "musical one." She grew up around music and loved to sing and produce shows for family members and friends. But it wasn't until her parents...

The Arlington Heights Community Concert Band has played in the area for more than 40 years, but this year its 70 members hold a rare distinction: They are opening up the outdoor concert season in Arlington Heights, performing one day before the Sounds of Summer takes...

Lindsay Pazerunas eagerly watered vegetable plants in the Living and Giving Garden, located behind the Prince of Peace United Methodist Church in Elk Grove Village. But what she really wanted to see were the herbs, which she listed off: rosemary, thyme and basil. Her...