Stories for you
Accepted! Despite competitive college admissions, triplets admitted at UofM
Despite the increasingly competitive college admissions process, local triplets all admitted at University of Michigan BY VALERIE HARDY The landscape of the college admissions process has changed significantly over the past few decades, becoming increasingly competitive as more and more students apply to attend institutions of higher education. In fact, according to Forbes, in the…
Splash from the past: 70 years in the community.
A reflection of the Downers Grove Swim and Racquet Club as it celebrates By Marty Blader In 1954, the first Burger King opened in Miami building the foundation for one of America’s most beloved fast-food chains. This same year, on the opposite coast, the towers of the Sleeping Beauty Castle were being built to soon…
A Full Plate: Bales Metal Surface Solutions celebrates four and a half decades
By Maureen Callahan We kind of live in an episode of How It’s Made,” jokes Stacey Bales, President of Bales Metal Surface Solutions, when she describes her family business. The Downers Grove based metal finishing company has been a fixture in the Belmont Avenue industrial corridor since Stacey’s father, Steve Bales, started it in 1978,…
Labriola Restaurant An Elevated Dining Experience
By Hinsdale Magazine Group Staff| Photo by Laura Meyers In an exciting move that promises to elevate the culinary scene, Rich Labriola, the visionary behind Labriola Café and LaBarra, is merging his eateries to create a new, enhanced Labriola experience. Facing an expiring lease on his Labriola Bakery Café, located next to his LaBarra Ristorante…
Danny Mucciolo completed a rare feat: running all six World Marathon Majors
By Valerie Hardy For Danny Mucciolo, becoming a marathon runner happened by accident. He literally took a couple wrong turns. Mucciolo, a seven-year Downers Grove resident, formerly lived in Arizona. One day he went running and lost track of his whereabouts. Upon regaining his sense of direction and finding his way home, he realized he…
Plans to improve livability, mobility, design, sustainability for future of Downers Grove
By Valerie Hardy I Photos courtesy of the Village of Downers Grove If Downers Grove had a crystal ball, it would be Guiding DG, a series of plans for the future of the community. Guiding DG has four distinct but interrelated subcomponents: a comprehensive plan, mobility plan, sustainability plan, and streetscape plan. Most of the…
The Best of Chicago, for Chicago
Meet Julie Maddox, creator of NBC’s “Chicago Today” By Cynthia Maquet Lifestyle, fashion, food, health, and beauty are just a few of the trending topics that are covered every weekday morning on NBC’s Chicago Today. The show, which first premiered in September of 2019, will begin its sixth season of entertainment this fall with the…
Next Level: Local area student-athletes continue athletic pursuits
Congratulations to the local student-athletes from the Class of 2024 who will continue their academic and athletic pursuits at the Division 1 collegiate level. It is a remarkable testament to their dedication, discipline, and hard work. Their achievements serve as an inspiration to the community, and we wish you continued success in all your future…
Preparing for Princeton: DGN’s Stanton has cousin to thank for hoops success
By Jeff Vorva A little tough-love type of bullying between cousins helped kickstart Jack Stanton’s career. The Downers Grove North grad, who is heading to Princeton to study and play basketball, remembers how his athletic career all got started. His cousin, Hugh Lang, roughly introduced Stanton to the sport. Lang is two years older than…
Serenades of the Summer
Concert series make their return for another music-filled summer By Mia Jones Sweet summertime calls for ample entertainment opportunities and good live music. Luckily, residents of all different communities are welcome to enjoy the variety of live music this summer. Classics like Hinsdale’s Uniquely Thursdays will continue at Burlington Park with more music and food…
Charitable Giving: DuPage County’s predicted wealth transfer has huge implications
By Dave McGowan The 2020 Illinois Transfer of Wealth Study reveals an astonishing trend: DuPage County residents are transferring more wealth than ever before, and this unique moment won’t last forever. We’re now in the final five years before we reach the peak at the end of 2028. Back in 2005, only 6% of DuPage…
Draft Day OK for J.J.
Naz star ready to start NFL career with Vikings By Jeff Vorva While many members of Nazareth Nation gathered in the Stadium in McCook for a J.J. McCarthy watch party on the night of the NFL Draft, they were nervous and anxiously awaiting to find out where their hero would go and to what team.…
A Fair to Remember
It’s 70 years for DuPage County Fairground’s signature celebration By Maureen Callahan For more than a century and a half, the DuPage County Fair has drawn tens of thousands of Illinois residents for old-fashioned family fun. July 25-28th marks the 70th anniversary of the event being hosted at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. The…
The Perfect Taste of Summer
A hot summer day, time by the pool or beach, or an evening at home means you need something to sip on. Try out one of these drink recipes for the summertime. By Mia Jones The Salty Dog Cocktail A zesty and refreshing summer drink Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces of gin or vodka 3 ounces…
A Page Out of History: Downers Grove’s Baseball History
BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN I PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOWNERS GROVE MUSEUM Baseball. It’s the American game. Not only is it the country’s earliest seriously organized sport (there were cricket leagues before it), but, as Civil War and baseball historian Bruce Allardice points out, the game helped heal a fractured country after a war. The Downers Grove…
Nazareth Academy Roadrunners return with hopes of defending their repeat state titles
By Anna Hughes It takes a lot to make a great baseball player: determination, grit, talent, and commitment. The Nazareth Academy varsity team has lots of those. They’re the back-to-back IHSA 3A state champions (2022 and 2023). With two trophies in just two years, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Led to victory by…
Summer is right around the corner, and we’ve rounded up the best events of the summer including live music, fresh food, and family fun.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Paramount Theatre April 24-June 16 paramountaurora.com Enjoy an evening at one of Chicagoland’s most highly esteemed theatres for their production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. This Tony and Grammy-award-winning show tells the true story of King’s rise to fame, starting from her days dreaming of stardom in Brooklyn. Set…
A Downers Grove North alumna who has appeared twice on Jeopardy! Who is Erin Portman?
By Maureen Callahan l Photos courtesy of Jeopardy! Downers Grove North alumna and Plainfield High School teacher Erin Portman has a lot of curiosity about life. Portman knows at least a little about a lot of topics. She recently put her acquired knowledge to good use, playing a game that focuses on inklings of vast…
A local 24-year-old’s expertise in typewriters led to a thriving business and book
By Valerie Hardy Lucas Dul is a self-described simple person with a passion for complex machinery – specifically typewriters. Dul’s interest in typewriters may come as a surprise, however, given that he is only 24 years old. Though a digital native, Dul loves “all things analog.” The lifelong Downers Grove resident first became aware of…
Top Shelf: Pasta Pappone makes for a delicious dinnertime… anytime
By Valerie Hardy Though neither is Italian, Jon and Mary Beth Mulholland created a lucrative pasta business lauded for its products’ authenticity, efficiency, and – most importantly – taste. The Naperville couple headquartered their gourmet-flavored pasta business in Downers Grove, but over the past few years, the brand has made a name for itself nationwide.…
Ben’s Memorial Mile helps raise mental health awareness while remembering Ben Silver
By Maureen Callahan I Photos courtesy of Ben’s Memorial Mile May marks the 75th anniversary of Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a time to consider the importance of mental health in our daily lives. Tragically, each year, thousands of people commit suicide while battling mental illness. Every summer, Downers Grove pauses to remember Downers Grove…
Fostering Love: Two local families offer foster children a safe place to belong
By Maureen Callahan The second Sunday in May is the day we honor Mom. Hers is the first love we know in this world. There’s a special group of moms also recognized this month – foster moms. May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. Hinsdale Magazine Group takes its hat off to the foster moms…
Lauren Lakeberg blends a love of photography, nature, and disc golf to create a niche business
By Valerie Hardy Lauren Lakeberg’s first word was “light” – fitting, given that she grew up to become a professional photographer. “Photography has been with me my whole life,” she said. Lakeberg got her first camera from her mother, and said once she took it apart and understood how it worked “from the inside out,”…
Anchor on Main Street: Remembering Mochel’s Hardware
By Maureen Callahan Sometimes, a community business becomes like a town’s anchor. For 111 years, that place was Mochel’s Hardware on Main St. Charles Mochel and business partner Levi Mertz initially opened the store as Mertz & Mochel in 1884. The pair quickly earned the trust of customers in need of hardware for home repairs…
Dr. Karen Wolowick & Dr. Susan Mitchell
This summer, Susan Mitchell, MD, is joining forces with Karen Wolowick, DO, to begin a new journey for Wolowick Women’s Health. Although the practice’s name will change, its focus on personalized healthcare for modern women will remain steadfast. Welcome, Dr. Mitchell, to Downers Grove. Tell us why you started your own practice in partnership with…
Dr. Michael Halkias – Naper Grove Vision Care
Tell us about yourself. I grew up here in the Western suburbs, and I have been an owner of Naper Grove Vision Care since 2008. Currently, I live in Hinsdale with my wife, Jessica, and three children. What is the formula for your success? Above all else…attitude. In my work life, success requires persistence, discipline,…
Beaming on the Beam: Three DG gymnasts finish in the top 10 in the state balance beam event
By Jeff Vorva | Photos courtesy of Downer Grove South Genevieve Herion became just the second gymnast in Downers Grove South history to win a state championship. And to do that, she had to edge out one of her teammates for the honor. The Downers Grove co-op team, based at South and nicknamed the Trostangs,…
Three local authors work themselves into three interesting and diverse book genres
By Maureen Callahan Kelly K. James – Downers Grove Ever wondered if you pushed the envelope too far at work? Worried you might get fired for saying what you think or for disagreeing with your boss? Not long ago, Downers Grove writer Kelly K. James found herself in the same position. Her upcoming memoir, The…
The Thrill of the Dill: The unexpected rise of Pickleball
By Cynthia Maquet For the third year in a row, Pickleball has earned the title of the fastest-growing sport in the nation. Is the pickleball phenomenon all that it’s cracked up to be? The rapid growth and increase in popularity seems to point in the direction of “YES.” But let’s get to know a little…
Center Stage: Dan Aykroyd at Oakbrook Center’s Wonderverse
By Larry Atseff There is absolutely no substitute for talent. And there is no substitute for being a genuinely nice guy. That is Dan Aykroyd in a nutshell. His oeuvre as a comedian, actor, writer and director speaks for itself. Think about all the laughs you have had watching him on Saturday Night Live and…
DuPage Pads
At this year’s Taste of Hope event in late February, DuPagePads once again proved the power of a community that believes everyone deserves a safe place to sleep and a way to journey back to a home of their own. The organization continues to break records, raising more than $340,000 this year. Funds will be…
Guiding DG Kick-Off Celebration
The Village of Downers Grove hosted a Kick-Off Celebration to launch the process of creating the Guiding DG Plans in early April. The free and family-friendly celebration featured interactive activities for all ages and interests. Guiding DG is a combined planning effort that includes the Comprehensive Plan, the Bike and Pedestrian Plan, the Environmental Sustainability…
