The Hinsdalean - Community journalism the way it was meant to be

"Why do you print names in police beat?" a resident asked us recently, being of the opinion - as you might guess - that we should not. My initial reaction was to blurt out... — Updated 7/8/2020

Holidays always trigger a lot of memories, and Independence Day is no exception. One of my favorite Fourth of July holidays is quite possibly one of yours as well. In 2013 the... — Updated 7/1/2020

o her teen years, I fear she will increasingly fall victim to the opinions of others. Younger kids do a pretty good job of allowing each other to express their own individuality. Bu... — Updated 6/24/2020

The construction paper hearts on the barricades outside First Street restaurants flutter in the breeze. They carry messages of activism - "No justice, no peace" - and list the... — Updated 6/17/2020

He was a fixture in Chicago journalism. His death was the second story on the 10 o’clock NBC news Tuesday night. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot tweeted about his loss. But to many... — Updated 6/10/2020

Writing is a strange profession - especially when what you write is likely to be tossed in the recycling bin within 24-72 hours of its publication. And yet, writing is something... — Updated 6/3/2020

I’m not very skilled at saying no. I have such a hard time, in fact, that one of my friends/co-workers suggested a simple remedy if I find myself unable to respond in the... — Updated 5/27/2020

I don't remember much about my high school or college graduation - and neither does former President Barack Obama. He said as much in his Saturday night speech during the "Graduate... — Updated 5/20/2020

Schools have been closed since March 13. Quarantine has been in effect since March 21. We've adjusted our celebrations of birthdays, anniversaries, Passover, Easter and Mother's Day... — Updated 5/13/2020

The list of canceled events at times overwhelms me with sadness. When the state lockdown began on my birthday, it wasn't too difficult to shrug it off. "We'll celebrate later," we... — Updated 5/6/2020

First responders. Docs. Nurses. Grocery store workers. Food delivery drivers. They've all been thanked - in press conferences, TV commercials and Facebook posts. They all deserve... — Updated 4/29/2020

Do you have a running list of COVID-19 questions? About things you can’t remember, like when the first case was reported? Or things you don’t know at all, like what the... — Updated 4/23/2020

Grocery shopping before a holiday always causes me a bit of angst as I try to find the perfect time when everything on my list will be on the shelves and the fewest number of... — Updated 4/15/2020

The role reversal that's taken place at my house over the last few weeks has left me a little unsettled. It's also brought me great joy. As I head out for work each morning, I... — Updated 4/8/2020

Despite my attempts to keep a positive attitude as we shelter in place, I'm not doing as well as I'd like. My husband's cousin was hospitalized Monday with COVID-19. She is on an... — Updated 4/1/2020

This past week has been a week of firsts - for me and so many others. Ainsley had her first experience with e-learning and Dan had his first experience as her te... — Updated 3/25/2020

My dog is exhausted. It's one of the unexpected side effects of the "social distancing" we're all doing. Dogs are experiencing, as one Facebook post called it, unprecedented levels... — Updated 3/18/2020

We all have those songs that transport us back to a particular moment in time. Play Michael Jackson's "The Way You Make Me Feel" and I'm on the dance floor at the Hippodrome in... — Updated 3/4/2020

Chocolate. Alcohol. Social media. Did you give up any of these for Lent? I've always found Lent to be an interesting time of deprivation bookended by indulgences (paczki on Fat... — Updated 2/26/2020

I've discovered words of wisdom in unexpectedly places recently and thought I'd share. In response to my favorite closing question in an interview - "Anything else?" - Penn Jillette... — Updated 2/19/2020

Ainsley was excited about a book she brought home from school the other day - "Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History" by Vashti Harrison. She said she recognized the cover, as... — Updated 2/12/2020

Everyone seems to be able to agree on one thing about Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show. It was sexy. So sexy, in fact, that my 11-year-old covered her head at one point with a... — Updated 2/5/2020

Four short weeks from tomorrow is opening night for “Hinsdopoloy,” the 2020 Community Revue. I’ve been part of the revue cast for 16 years now. For those of you who aren’t... — Updated 1/29/2020

Alternative universes. They were the subject of a recent podcast from This American Life - "Gardens of Branching Paths." I enjoyed hearing the stories of a Jew imagining parallel... — Updated 1/23/2020