Norridge Harwood-Heights News

Pride of Lincoln Park Zoo, Adelor the lion euthanized

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:16:01 -0600

One of the most popular animals at Lincoln Park Zoo, an 18-year-old male African lion, was euthanized Wednesday because of deteriorating health.

Students guide visitors through a night at the ‘Museum’ at Northridge Prep

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:54:40 -0600

Students at Northridge Preparatory School in Niles brought history to life as they guided guests through their exhibits at the Northridge Museum last month. The second museum held at Northridge included exhibits featuring various events and concepts pertaining to World War I, the Egyptian Era, Celtic history and more. Many of the youngsters made audio-visual presentations, built complex miniature models, created life-size models and made poster boards. Dressed in white lab coats, two students introduced themselves as “doctors” and began to educate visitors about chemical warfare and the varied types of hazardous gases used in war. Another group of children …

Voterama in Congress, week ending Feb. 10, 2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:20:02 -0600

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to bar members of Congress and their staff from using inside legislative information in personal stock trading. Members empowered presidents to veto discretionary-spending items providing that both houses of Congress then vote to approve of the rescissions. Members also required new rules for figuring the budgetary impact of federal loan programs. Senators, meanwhile, approved a federal aviation budget, and they advanced a bill to authorize federal road, bridge, transit and highway-safety programs through Sept. 30, 2013.

Snow, warmer temperatures expected this week

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:56:20 -0600

The bitter cold temperatures that hit the Chicago area over the weekend are expected to give way to snow Monday and then milder weather by the end of the week. Temperatures are expected to climb to 35 degrees on Monday, when there is an 80 percent chance of snow after 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service’s website. About two inches of accumulation is possible by Tuesday morning. While the temperature is expected to climb from a weekend low of 10 degrees Saturday morning, wind gusts as high as 20 miles per will remain Monday afternoon, the weather service …

Kirk moved to Chicago rehab center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0600

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke nearly three weeks ago, was transferred Friday to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

New signs call on motorists to hang up in school zones

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:06:00 -0600

A ban on cell-phone use in school zones has been a state law for more than two years now, but it apparently hasn’t convinced all drivers to hang up. With the belief that motorists may just need additional, visual reminders, the Park Ridge Police Department has commissioned “no cell phone” signs for school zones across the city. The Park Ridge Public Works Department recently affixed the white signs with red lettering to school-zone speed signs within the immediate areas of all public and private schools. “People on their phones are so distracted,” said Park Ridge Police Officer Laura Kappler. “They …

Snow makes its way back to the area Friday

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:02 -0600

Feeling a chill in the air? Snow will be back as soon as Friday when lake effect snow could hit the city and Northwest Indiana with six inches.

Maine South students mark last day of Chinese New Year celebration

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:16:20 -0600

Chinese-language classes at Maine South High School in Park Ridge celebrated the 15th day of the Chinese New Year with a tea ceremony and entertainment Feb. 6. The 15th day of the new year is also called the Lantern Festival, marking the final day of new-year celebrations. On the day, colorful lanterns are hung and lit to commemorate the festival. Maine South’s Chinese Club and Asian Club taught students how to make traditional lanterns while Yi Liu, cultural-events coordinator of Shen Yun Show Chicago, shared the significance of the lantern festival. Students also enjoyed a Chinese breakfast and music by …

Catholic cemeteries offer to bury 300 bodies stacked at morgue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:28:02 -0600

The Archdiocese of Chicago is offering to pay for up to 300 burials for the bodies being held at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Special Gifts program combines therapy, performance art

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:30 -0600

Dorothy met Captain Hook in an original tale created by the children in the creative drama program of Special Gifts Theater. In four months, children age 7 to 9 with special needs, learned how to create characters, write lines, sing and act on stage in the creative drama class. The result was “The Wizard of Neverland,” performed by eight children with special needs and their eight peer buddies, in the auditorium at Crow Island School Saturday morning. The class for children who have cognitive, physical or social disabilities, started in October. The class met for an hour to an hour …

Maine South Hawkettes finish 4th in national high kick contest

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:37 -0600

The Maine South High School Hawkettes captured a fourth-place finish at the Universal Dance Association’s 2012 National Dance Team Championship held the past weekend in Orlando, Fla. The Varsity Hawkettes placed fourth out of 16 in the Varsity High Kick category. The Hawkettes placed 18th in the Large Varsity Jazz competition. Members of the Varsity Hawkettes include: Danielle Austriaco, Heather Besler, Elizabeth Black, Kailee Breslin, Lauren Campbell, Kristie Daniels, Alex Ferro, Kayla Forsythe, Maeve Gallagher, Casey Gibbons, Kelly Gibbons, Maggie Holbrook, Katie Karrasch, Danielle Kirincich, Chase Krug, Caroline LaPelusa, Michelle Larocca, Megan Milito, Hayley Miller, Catherine Otis Jenny Parrino, Meg …

Third Maine South student has chicken pox

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:04:14 -0600

Two more students at Maine South High School in Park Ridge have contracted chicken pox, the school announced this week. Maine South was advised Feb. 6 by the Cook County Department of Public Health that two students had recently been diagnosed with varicella, more commonly known as chicken pox. The grade levels of the students were not indicated. On Jan. 23, Maine South officials were also informed that a student had been diagnosed with chicken pox. A vaccine to prevent chicken pox is available, with the first dose received around a child’s first birthday and a second dose given when …

Emergency exercise set for Maine South

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:42:02 -0600

Maine South High School and city of Park Ridge public service personnel will conduct an “Active Shooter Exercise” the morning of Feb. 14 at the high school. The drill’s purpose is to gauge how Maine South and Park Ridge emergency personnel would respond to reports of an active shooter inside the school. The exercise, which will start soon after first-period classes begin at 7:45 a.m., will consist of police responding to reports of shots fired; of school personnel implementing the school’s “hard lockdown” procedures to keep students and staff inside their classrooms; and of police moving through the building to …

Sen. Kirk upgraded to ‘good’ condition, watched Super Bowl

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:20:34 -0600

Sen. Mark Kirk’s condition has been upgraded from “fair” to “good.” Doctors hope to be able to re-attach the 8-inch-by-4-inch section of his skull that had to be removed after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago. Then the Highland Park Republican can begin physical therapy. “Sen. Kirk is making good progress in his recovery,” said Richard Fessler, his neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “He is visiting with family and even watched the Super Bowl last night. He has been upgraded to good condition, and we anticipate he will be able to start the rehabilitation phase soon.” Fessler has said …

Gov. Quinn signs bill to allow speed cameras near schools, parks

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:28:29 -0600

Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday ended months of deliberation and signed into law a measure allowing Chicago to install speed-enforcement cameras near schools and parks.

Voterama in Congress for the week ending Feb. 3, 2012

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:46:04 -0600

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted on matters related to the 2010 Health Law, Medicaid cost controls, the federal aviation budget and pay freezes for members of Congress and federal civil servants. Senators, in turn, voted on matters including lawmakers’ insider trading and congressional term limits.