Remembering Ella French

Five years after her daughter’s death, Elizabeth French heals through helping police By Maureen Callahan On the night of August 7, 2021, Chicago Police Officer Ella French and two other officers conducted a routine traffic stop while on patrol in Englewood. Officer French and one of her partners that evening, Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., were…

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A Legend Etched in Landscape

Gertrude Kuh remains one of the most notable women in landscape design By Maureen Callahan | Photos courtesy of the Deimel Family Archives Outdoor landscaping is what makes a house a home. A century ago, the name Gertrude Kuh became well known, particularly on the North Shore. As one of the first women in her…

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A Tribute to Busy Bee Bakery

The Sweetheart of Downers Grove By Gary King In the heart of Downers Grove, just steps from the town’s bustling Main Street, there once stood a little bakery that was bigger than its ovens.  Busy Bee Bakery wasn’t simply a place to buy bread and pastries; it was a ritual, comfort, a daily joy, and…

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