Northbrook Star

Maple students plan to shine at Carnegie Hall

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:11:11 -0500

Two Maple School student musicians in Northbrook are hoping a classmate will lead them to another winning experience at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Ellie Kim and Sarah Chin are members a string ensemble that in April won the Illinois Grand Prize in Chicago with Sue Hong as first-chair leader. Sponsored by the International New Praise Academic Support Society, the competition continues Sunday at Carnegie Hall, one of the most popular theaters in the world for classical and popular music. Kim and Hong play violin, while Chin’s instrument is the violin, and they live in Northbrook. “I cue them …

Host exchange students

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:40:01 -0500

America International Exchange, a Chicago-area non-profit, is looking for families on the North Shore to host each of its high-school-aged visitors from Spain. This year’s students will be here July 27-Aug. 18. The students speak English, are insured, and have their own spending money. All they need is a warm bed, meals, and a window to the American way-of-life. It is not necessary to have teens in the family; singles, young families; and seniors also make great host families. Interested parties can contact Elise Egan, local program coordinator at (847) 431-5110 or elisebundlegan@gmail.com. …

Whale of Sale draws shoppers looking for a ‘catch’

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:09:49 -0500

The Northbrook St. Norbert Church Whale of a Sale netted $38,000 this year, one thousand dollars more than last year, said Betty Parkinson, sale organizer. Leftover items that packed the school gym last weekend were distributed this week to charity. “I am thrilled,” said Parkinson, who wore a neon OSHA orange derby hat May 19 so volunteers could find her “in the gym, the woman in the yellow shirt.” By 7:24 a.m. that day (doors opened 8 a.m.), it was 74 degrees. “I am thrilled the weather was wonderful this year,” said Parkinson. “We had a lot of people coming.” …

Crestwood Place embroiled in bitter personality clashes

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:05:58 -0500

Residents of Crestwood Place Senior Apartments in Northbrook are fighting mad over what they believe is intimidation of tenants and staff. A roomful of seniors gathered Thursday to confront two members of the advisory Senior Services Commission, Burt Ofsaiof and Marshall Gardner, after signing a petition sent to Northbrook Village President Sandra Frum asking for them to be removed from the board and evicted from their apartments. The apartments at 1000 Waukegan Road were constructed with village funding in 1984 to provide area seniors the ability to live independently in Northbrook at an affordable rental rate. Priority is given to …

Volunteer spirit sates hunger at homeless shelter

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:15:48 -0500

Mary Vollkommer, a 26-year Northbrook Our Lady of the Brook Catholic Church parishioner, noted how her silver hybrid Prius made little sound motoring from Northbrook down Sheridan Road, past Wilmette’s Baha’i Temple on a gentle afternoon before dinnertime. Her destination was Connections For The Homeless, Hilda’s Place at 1458 Chicago Ave., Evanston “Why do I do it?” said Vollkommer, behind the wheel. “I think everybody should find something they enjoy doing that gives back to the community. This is something I really enjoy.” Vollkommer, an actuary, volunteers at Hilda’s Place, prepping dinners in her Northbrook residential kitchen. She and her …

Garden center transfer station drawing concern

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:05:58 -0500

An group of Northbrook neighbors who live near Red’s Garden Center are fighting the proposed addition of a landscape waste transfer station at the Huehl and Dundee Roads site. They delivered their concerns to the Northbrook village board Tuesday citing worries about noise, traffic, health, dust, rodents, insects, odor and increased traffic, while emphasizing that the addition would change their quality of life. The owners of the property at 3460 Dundee Road, T&C Sisters, L.L.C., would like to enter into an agreement with Nu-Earth Organics of Waukegan for the pick-up of landscape waste brought in by customers as a way …

Red’s Garden Center gets people seeing green

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:11:11 -0500

Red’s Garden Center is a full-service family business that has been selling greenery of all kinds in Northbrook for more than 43 years. Sisters Cindy Ullrich and Terri Jones, the daughters of the business’s founders, Wallace “Red” Poehls and his wife Loretta, have worked at the six-acre site at 3460 Dundee Road since they were in high school. And when Red died in 2008 at 81 years old, they took over the business. Both grew up in Northbrook, with Ullrich attending Grove and Grace Lutheran Schools, then going on to Glenbrook North High School. Jones, who went to Emmanual Lutheran …

New website at North Shore Senior Center

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:32:01 -0500

North Shore Senior Center officially launched its new website, www.nssc.org, last month. Featuring a contemporary and streamlined design, this website offers seniors and families a user-friendly online experience as they access information about North Shore Senior Center’s various programs and services. Following a series of “Visioning Sessions” held last Fall at the agency’s headquarters, North Shore Senior Center has adopted the tagline “Celebrating Seniors!” in its print and digital communications, the new website included. The Visioning Sessions were held to help the organization determine how to lay the groundwork for new programs and extended services -- things that will be …

Northbrook man cited in Evanston accident involving pedestrian, 7

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:46:37 -0500

A 50-year-old Northbrook man has been cited with two traffic violations after allegedly striking a 7-year-old pedestrian Thursday in south Evanston.

Drum group ends upbeat Field School Art week

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:15:48 -0500

Rhythm Revolution, a professional drum group, came to Field Middle School May 11 to perform as part of the school’s Arts Week lessons. As part of the performance, Rhythm Revolution brought drums for each student to play. …

1.5 million people to use Midway, O’Hare this holiday weekend

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:24:01 -0500

About 1.5 million people are expected to pass through Chicago’s two airports this Memorial Day weekend, city aviation officials say.

Northbrook Park District

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:15:48 -0500

Fun 4 All The Northbrook 4th of July Association and the Park Distinct will host a Fun 4 All skating and swimming event from 6 to 9 p.m. June 1 at the Northbrook Sports Center. The family event offers Cosmic Skating, swimming, DJ entertainment, raffles, free pizza and drinks. All proceeds will go toward funding the July 4th activities, including the pancake breakfast, parade and fireworks. The fee is $10 per person in advance or $15 at the door. For more information, call (847) 291-2995. Park Fest Concerts The sound of music will fill Village Green Park in Northbrook this …

Northbrook considers Red’s Garden Center waste transfer station

Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:47 -0500

Northbrook’s Village Board decided Tuesday to look more closely at the potential hours of operation and number of trucks visiting Red’s Garden Center before allowing a landscape waste transfer station to be established there. Neighbors who live near the 3460 Dundee Road site voiced their concerns about noise, traffic, dust, the number of trucks expected and continually sounding backup alarms on vehicles depositing waste at the business near their homes. Some also cited health concerns and traffic problems that would delay ambulances from reaching residents. But a polling of the board members indicated that all the board members, except Village …

Study says Chicago traffic congestion actually got better

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:50:34 -0500

Drivers in the Chicago area were stuck in traffic an average of 36 hours in 2011, 12 fewer than the 48 wasted in traffic in 2010, according to INRIX, a company that studies traffic patterns.

Parade leader, 91, offers first draft of life story

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:06:10 -0500

When Anthony Iniguez rides Monday in the Northbrook Memorial Day Parade, the World War II veteran will carry with him many memories of his military service. The former, longtime resident of Northbrook who now lives in Buffalo Grove, is the sergeant-at-arms at George W. Benjamin American Legion Post 791, and soon will be its historian. But like many other veterans, the 91-year-old has memories he will always remember and those he prefers to forget. He is recalling many right now, as he works on his autobiography. Iniguez, the son of Mexican immigrants, was born July 23, 1920, in Toledo, Ohio. …

Memorial Day services at Northbrook’s Village Green

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:06:10 -0500

Northbrook residents are invited this weekend to salute the veterans who have served the country in wars past and present. They may visit the Field of Honor on the Village Green, which will be flying 1,901 flags symbolizing the year the village was incorporated as Shermerville in commemoration of those who have given their lives. Visitors may stop by from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday, as well as attending the nightly sunset services at 8 p.m. And on Saturday and Sunday, they will hear musical entertainment at the Gazebo. Residents also may want to be a part …