Airplane landing at O’Hare International Airport. As the city of Chicago and partner airlines negotiate over the future of the O’Hare 21 modernization program, a new report by the nonpartisan Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) shows that proceeding as planned would create nearly 100,000 jobs by 2033 — or almost 10,000 jobs per year — and generate more than $2 in economic return for every dollar invested. Additionally, the report finds that once completed, the program would boost revenues at Chicago O’Hare International Airport by $280 million per year, grow the Chicago metropolitan e ..read more

Locomotive 2816 One of North America’s most renowned steam locomotives, the Canadian Pacific 2816, also known as the Empress, will be traveling through the area on May 8 offering an opportunity for train buffs to view one of the largest locomotives in the world. According to the railroad, the locomotive and accompanying train cars will rumble southward from Minnesota and Wisconsin through North Shore communities such as Lake Forest, Northbrook, Glenview and Morton Grove before swinging west and stopping in Franklin Park. Its journey began on April 24 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Before Frank ..read more

Village officials gather for Wednesday’s groundbreaking on site of vacant car dealerships on Dundee Road. (Journal photo) The village of Buffalo Grove and Shorewood Development Group held a groundbreaking ceremony for the anticipated Bison Crossing development, marking a significant milestone in revitalizing the Dundee Road corridor.  The ceremony was held Wednesday, May 1 at the site, located at 915 Dundee Rd. in Buffalo Grove. Attendees heard remarks from Village President Eric Smith and Shorewood Development Group founding partner and CEO Louis Schriber III.  Several Tesla model ..read more

Three Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District trustees along with their attorney Jayman Avery (center right) and Mount Prospect Fire Chief John Dolan (bottom right) attended the last regular fire district board meeting of the fire district’s existence on Thursday, Jan. 18 at Elk Grove Fire Station 11. (Tom Robb/Journal photo) A bill to dissolve the Elk Grove Rural Fire Protection District (EGRFPD) advanced out of the Illinois House, is now in the Illinois Senate, and could be sent to Gov. JB Pritzker’s desk by next week.  The Elk Grove Township Fire Dept., overseen by the EGRFPD, cease ..read more

The surge in consumer spending in recent years is helping Arlington Heights replace its old lead water pipes. The Arlington Heights Village Board last week approved a $5.75 million transfer from the general fund to its lead service line replacement fund. The money is coming from a surplus in the village’s 2023 budget, which benefited from a higher-than-expected share of state income tax receipts and sales tax collection because of wage increases and the uptick in consumer spending on goods and services coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The surplus seen in 2021 ($7.57 million) and 2022 ..read more

As anticipation for the upcoming academic year builds, Wheeling Township Elementary School Dist. 21 recently announced its much-awaited kindergarten preview nights, offering a sneak peek into the world of elementary education.  These events are designed to welcome prospective kindergarteners and their families, providing an invaluable opportunity to explore our educational facilities, meet dedicated educators, and embark on an exciting journey of learning and growth. Starting Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m., the events promise an engaging and informative experience for families preparing to em ..read more

Soldier Field (Google Earth image) Today’s (Wednesday) unveiling by the Chicago Bears of a proposed new domed stadium along the Lake Michigan shoreline south of Soldier Field will elevate Chicago to a new level where supporters envision Super Bowls and possibly the selling of naming rights of the arena, all of which will generate billions of dollars for the regional economy. Certain state and Chicago leaders recently got a sneak preview of the plans that the Bears will roll out to the public Wednesday at a press conference at Soldier Field. The Bears have been playing their home games there ..read more

Artist’s rendering from April 19, 2021 village board meeting shows newly planned layout for Arlington 425 development, lessening height of structure at right to a four-story parking deck, while slightly increasing stories on second and third buildings on site. Nearly five years after a $150 million apartment complex was approved for the last vacant spot in downtown Arlington Heights, the developer said they need at least a little more time to make it actually happen. Arlington 425, located on 2.9 acres at the southwest corner of Campbell Street and Highland Avenue, is a planned mixed-use dev ..read more

State Sen. Ann Gillespie Wheeling Township Democrats announced the process for finding someone to fill the vacancy left when Gov. JB Pritzker named State Sen. Ann Gillespie (D-27th) head of the Illinois Dept. of Insurance last week.   The township’s Democratic organization is accepting applications from members of the public who qualify to become the next state senator. A meeting of local Democratic township committee persons is scheduled for Saturday, May 11, when a new senator is expected to be named.  Gillespie resigned from the Senate on Sunday. Her first day leading the i ..read more

Goldman Thursday’s (April 11) death of O.J. Simpson sparked memories of local connections to the football player-turned-actor’s infamous murder acquittal, including the fact that one of those murder victims hailed from Buffalo Grove. Nicole Brown Simpson, O.J. Simpson’s ex-wife, and her friend Ron Goldman, previously of Buffalo Grove, were stabbed to death on June 12, 1994. Simpson was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and went on trial, but was acquitted and set free. Goldman, who was 25 at the time of death, was born July 2, 1968, to Sharon Fohrman and Frederic Goldman. He was ..read more