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

Perhaps you’ve seen the photo of Ridgway Burns on his bike, pulling a small book trailer, on the cover of the Hinsdale Public Library’s fall 2020 newsletter, “Beyond Books.” Burns is wearing his helmet and — thanks to... — Updated 9/16/2020

Wow, is it really true that September bursts on the scene next week? No doubt many of us are still trying to keep up with day, let alone the month. And with every new month means a fresh set of obscure holiday observances in our... — Updated 8/26/2020

Was that a cough? A sniffle? Did it take place in a classroom? Or a school hallway? Then that student — and her siblings — must be sent home to quarantine until a COVID-19 test comes back negative or a doctor makes an... — Updated 8/19/2020

Less than 24 hours after the Illinois High School Association had released its plans for high school sports during the 2020-21 school year, people already were complaining. The plan certainly is not ideal. Instead of a school year... — Updated 8/5/2020

Parents of school-age children have been riding the “What will fall look like?” bus for months now. Most likely boarded hopeful they’d be let off at the “Back in class with safety measures” stop. Crossing from spring... — Updated 7/29/2020

Summer Brew & Q — canceled. Taco Tuesday — postponed. Independence Day celebration — canceled. The messages stamped in red in the online summer brochure indicate which programs are not taking place this summer. No pool member... — Updated 7/22/2020

If you’ve ever wanted to be a masked superhero, the time has come! Most of us, of course, have been donning our facial coverings faithfully since April. It was a strange and somewhat annoying measure to adopt initially. But we... — Updated 7/15/2020

“Bueller? Bueller?” The Zoom public hearing about a potential moratorium on the demolition of historic homes reminded us a little of the film classic “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” as Hinsdale Plan Commission Chairman Steve... — Updated 7/8/2020

The parades won’t be marching past nor fireworks bursting overhead for most of us Saturday. The Fourth of July is next in the unyielding procession of “This is not our normal (fill in the blank)” occasions. Backyard... — Updated 7/1/2020

Like everything else since mid-March, the summer reading program at the Hinsdale Public Library looks a little different than it did last year. The program, which began earlier this month and continues through July 31, offers a... — Updated 6/24/2020

Happy 110th Dads! That’s the ripe old age Father’s Day turns this year if the occasion’s birth is traced to June 19, 1910, when the state of Washington was the first to mark it. Partying for Pop lagged behind its maternal... — Updated 6/17/2020

We’ve heard residents say all manner of things at board meetings. So when a district resident was precluded from making public comment at a Dec. 12 meeting in Hinsdale High School District 86, we were surprised. When two more... — Updated 6/10/2020

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We are all hurting. And we often are unable to comfort one another, as we focus on... — Updated 6/3/2020

Historic Preservation Month typically comes and goes without controversy. Past commemorations have included coloring contests for kids and the presentation of awards from the Hinsdale Historic Preservation Commission. We’ve... — Updated 5/27/2020

In Flanders Fields In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky, The larks, still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the dead; short days ago... — Updated 5/20/2020

Beep, beep, beep. Let’s back up a bit. Despite the media hype that might suggest otherwise, Hinsdale will not offer outdoor dining on its downtown streets in the near future. Village officials are not planning to violate Gov. JB... — Updated 5/13/2020

Perhaps you had planned to participate in the villagewide clean-up of parks on April 24 to commemorate Earth Day. Or you might have had other activities scheduled to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22. Now, with... — Updated 4/15/2020

Most of us have never appreciated the rich diversity of our society as much as we do now, eager for more scenery options after weeks holed up at home. The Autism Society of America this April also wants to Celebrate Differences,... — Updated 4/8/2020

“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.” — John Wesley Is this ever a time to do good. Normally we would ext... — Updated 4/1/2020

Maybe you were planning to spend spring break soaking in the rays on a Florida beach, touring the historical sites of a favorite European city or relaxing in a remote mountain cabin. Instead, you’re here, stuck in Hinsdale. For... — Updated 3/25/2020

Last Wednesday a writer from Crain’s Chicago Business compared the coronavirus to Sept. 11. “Just as 9/11 changed us and how we live, this was the day it truly became clear that coronavirus will do the same here,” Greg Hinz... — Updated 3/18/2020

A teardown wave is once again causing consternation in the village of Hinsdale. A generation ago, it was the scourge of new McMansions dwarfing neighboring older homes and altering the community’s landscape. Today, in an era... — Updated 3/11/2020

“From the first settlers who came to our shores, from the first American Indian families who befriended them, men and women have worked together to build this nation. Too often the women were unsung and sometimes their... — Updated 3/4/2020

Leap Day! That quadrennial quirk of our time-marking system — rendering the shortest month a little less short and making winter seem a LOT longer — is upon us. But we shouldn’t complain about more days on the calendar.... — Updated 2/26/2020

Don’t state the obvious. We’ve all heard that advice before — and it’s especially relevant for those of us who work in journalism. And yet we’ve violated this rule countless times as we try — repeatedly — to convince... — Updated 2/19/2020