Author: Valerie Hardy
Author
Happier for the Holidays
Tried and true tips to help you maintain or reclaim peace and joy during the most wonderful – but often stressful – time of the year BY VALERIE HARDY... Read more.
Keep the Wreath Red
A light reminder to decorate safely this season By Valerie Hardy Many local fire departments are giving the green light to keeping the red lights lit on their wreaths... Read more.
End of an Era
Three radio towers in Downers Grove were recently demolished after nearly a century of service By Valerie Hardy It was a dramatic sign-off to Downers Grove’s historic... Read more.
Music to Our Ears
The harmonious history and ongoing offerings of the Downers Grove Music Club By Valerie Hardy For nearly a century, the Downers Grove Music Club (DGMC) has been... Read more.
It Takes a Village
For support and connection in the early parenting years, look no further than the Elmhurst Area Moms group By Valerie Hardy | Photos courtesy of Elmhurst Area... Read more.
Creating Community Connections
The Elmhurst Neighbors & Newcomers Club has helped build bonds for over 75 years By Valerie Hardy When Betsy Laakko moved to Elmhurst from St. Louis in 2020,... Read more.
A Man with Great Taste
Going back to the table with former Chicago Tribune restaurant critic Phil Vettel By Valerie Hardy Photography by Victor Hilitski For over three decades, Phil Vettel... Read more.
Paws for a Cause
DuPage Paws for People’s therapy dog teams support students with vision and hearing loss By Valerie Hardy A dog may be a man’s best friend, but it can also... Read more.
Citizen’s Police Academy
The Elmhurst Police Department provides residents a behind-the-scenes look at local law enforcement BY VALERIE HARDY | PHOTOS BY MADELINE CRAIG This spring in Elmhurst,... Read more.
Dr. Rachael Mahmood finishes her term as Illinois Teacher of the Year
BY VALERIE HARDY Dr. Rachael Mahmood grew up in Downers Grove with parents who were both physicians at Good Samaritan Hospital. “Being the child of two doctors,... Read more.