A Heart Warming Story

A local teen with a congenital heart condition is surprised with a VIP Bears Experience By Valerie Hardy  O’Neill Middle School eighth-grader Jonah Davis was born with only half a functioning heart, but he is a wholehearted football fan. However, Jonah cannot play football or other contact sports because of his critical congenital heart condition:…

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2025 Wedding Trends

Although any wedding should be unique to the happy couple, trends often sneak their way into the celebration. We’ve rounded up a list of some  wedding trends to be on the lookout for during the 2025 wedding season. By Anna Hughes Elongated Diamonds For the past few years, oval diamonds have been the leading pick…

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Raising Awareness:World Diabetes Day celebrated in November

By Maureen Callahan According to the International Diabetes Federation, approximately 537 million adults worldwide are afflicted with diabetes. November is the time of year when we pause to recognize this disease, with World Diabetes Day on November 14. Although it’s not a day to celebrate, it is a time to raise awareness of the condition…

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When the Person in the Mirror is No Longer You

Claudine was 49 when she started working in the public eye as a community service officer. Years of sun exposure, gravity, diet, and various other factors started to show in her appearance. One day, she glanced into her squad car mirror and realized that the person she saw on the outside no longer reflected who…

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A Fighting Illini

Local UIUC freshman discusses cancer battle in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month By Anna Hughes Adrian Lam was weeks away from starting his freshman year at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He was a healthy, active 18-year-old boy from the western suburbs both excited and nervous to take the next step in his life.…

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The Greatest Gift: Organ donation saves lives daily

Organ donation saves lives daily, as Amy Kilner and John Hickey know first hand BY VALERIE HARDY March holds National Awkward Moments Day and April National Read a Road Map Day. Fittingly, March is National Umbrella Month (and, less fittingly, National Noodle Month). Poetry and Car Care Awareness are both nationally recognized in April. Some…

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Peak Performance: Alex Pancoe reaches new heights for a cause

By Anna Hughes Meet Alex Pancoe: husband, father, philanthropist, and adventurer. Pancoe, a Highland Park native, is not one to shy away from a challenge. He’s scaled all seven summits, faced near-death experiences, braved inhumane temperatures, and more, all while raising money and awareness for Lurie Children’s Hospital, where he was treated at only 18…

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Ring in a happy and healthy New Year

Top ten habits to start the year off right By Cynthia Maquet 1 Movement Take the short walks, take the stairs, march in place – whatever you have to do – MOVE. Movement is the KEY to success. Ten minutes every hour adds up! It keeps your metabolism awake, which in turn gives you the…

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