Opinion
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Letter - Join Rotary Run Sunday and support local charities
Come one, come all to the 2023 Rotary Run Charity Classic this coming Sunday, Oct. 1, 2023. The motto of Rotary is very simple, “Service Above Self.” That is the reason I joined the Rotary Club of Hinsdale just a few short... — Updated 9/27/2023
Time to empty my prefrontal cortex
Ahh ... that's better. The good old prefrontal cortex. Where would we be without it? Pretty much brain dead; that's where we'd be. The prefrontal cortex is the region of the brain... — Updated 9/27/2023
120 pages not enough for 150 years of history
Whew! When we sent the 120-page special section commemorating the village's 150th anniversary to our printer Tuesday morning, I felt a sigh of relief. The section has consumed a... — Updated 9/27/2023
Resignation highlights continued disorder in D86
Before the April election, we hoped the addition of some new faces on the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board would create a more cohesive governing body with less dysfunction. How naive. The recent resignation of board member... — Updated 9/27/2023
'Light' read offers deep insights
I brought a book with me when I traveled this summer. I was not invested in it; in fact, I predicted I'd finish it on the plane and leave it there. It was a guilt read, meaning it... — Updated 9/20/2023
Get on board with observing rules of rail safety
Eighty-one percent of crashes at public railroad grade crossings in Illinois occur where active warning devices, such as flashing lights, ringing bells and/or gates already exist, according to government statistics. During 2022,... — Updated 9/20/2023
Ahh, fall, it's good to have you back again
I am jumping the gun a bit with that headline. Fall doesn't officially start until the autumnal equinox occurs at 1:49 a.m. Saturday. But we're close enough (especially when TV... — Updated 9/20/2023
Following our kids' example
We moved to Hinsdale 17 years ago. In that time, I've grown a few kids, volunteered in their schools, engaged in the community, logged a lot of hours on the sidelines of sporting... — Updated 9/14/2023
Letter - Pancakes perfect start to homecoming activities
The Hinsdale Central High School Homecoming Pancake Breakfast is back! Please join us on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 7:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. in the beautiful HCHS student cafe. Tickets are $10. Pay at the door. All proceeds go to... — Updated 9/13/2023
Friends, neighbors make sure we never forget
People commemorate 9/11 in their own way. My husband and I always make sure our American flag is on display near our front door. Monday morning we watched news coverage of family... — Updated 9/13/2023
Talking can help save someone's life
September is Suicide Prevention Month and this week is National Suicide Prevention Week. This isn’t a topic most are eager to talk about. But talking is sometimes the one thing that can save someone’s life. Most people who are... — Updated 9/13/2023
Letter - No excuse for lack of new teachers contract in District 181
Many in the community began the school year with attending curriculum night in District 181. We were welcomed by enthusiastic, caring, smart professionals who excel in the craft of teaching. We entrust these teachers each day with... — Updated 9/6/2023
Places you'll go will stay with you
The last time I wrote an article for the paper, I was headed off to study travel writing in Prague, Czech Republic. Two months later, I can confidently say that my time abroad was... — Updated 9/6/2023
New perspective on living to triple digits
At my last book club gathering, one member said she wants to live to be 120. “I’ll be dead,” I replied, knowing she’s about 20 years older than I am. I couldn’t... — Updated 9/6/2023
Sept. 11 still has lessons to teach
Monday marks 22 years since the terrorist attacks that shook the nation and launched a global battle against Islamic extremism that continues today. Hinsdale residents Bob Rasmussen and Jeff Mladenik were among the 2,996 lives... — Updated 9/6/2023
Remembering my dad's Buncombe
You'd be hard pressed to find Buncombe, Illinois, on a map. Buncombe is a five-hour drive straight south from Hinsdale as the crow flies, as my dad would say. I dreaded visiting... — Updated 8/30/2023
Summer 2023 - in 585 words or fewer
Were it not for my summer sabbatical from column writing, each one of these probably would have been its own column. Instead, I offer an abbreviated look at summer 2023. Since... — Updated 8/30/2023
A reading assignment for drivers as school opens
As students get acclimated to their class schedules, locker combinations and homework, adults also have some adjusting to do now that school is back in session. Traffic patterns have changed dramatically since the first day at... — Updated 8/30/2023
Letter - Dogs deserved more than 1 point in columnist's tally
In contrast to a recent guest commentary, I posit the case is overwhelmingly for dogs. Not against dogs. On behalf of dogs everywhere, I humbly offer this partial inventory and recount. Seeing-eye dogs. Bomb-sniffing dogs. Guard... — Updated 8/23/2023
Letter - Burdi's world-class car show is an asset to the village
Hinsdale owes a thank you to Burdi Clothing and the other organizers of the car show held several weeks ago. Notwithstanding the rainy weather, a sizable crowd enjoyed walking among the many exotic and collectible supercars. The... — Updated 8/23/2023
You are braver than you know
This summer while browsing in a used bookstore in Michigan with aisles upon aisles of books stacked floor to ceiling, I stumbled upon a devotional entitled "100 Days to Brave." I'm... — Updated 8/23/2023
Letter - Letter on scooters, electric bikes, omits key factor
Of course motorists need to be aware and use caution regarding kids on electric scooters and bikes and the writer (July 13 letter) correctly points out that a parent’s worst nightmare is losing a child and parents should be... — Updated 8/23/2023
Columnists back, with some new faces in the mix
You might recall from previous columns how much I detest the use of June 1 and Sept. 1 as the start of summer and fall, given the existence of actual events that mark the seasons.... — Updated 8/23/2023
Students, start smart this new school year
Hinsdale youth are back in class! Stepping up a grade means a higher level of academic rigor — and a greater need for effective study habits. Here are some tips from “The Princeton Review” to help make the year a success. 1.... — Updated 8/23/2023
Series ends, 150th anniversary coverage goes on
The beautiful historic buildings in the central business district, the Robbins Park subdivision and many other neighborhoods in Hinsdale. That delicious smell when you walk into Kramer Foods. The crowds that line the streets the... — Updated 8/16/2023