Niles West grad swapping English for Chinese this summer

Skokie native Yevgeniya Berdysheva immersed herself in the study of multiple languages after graduating from Niles West High School in 2010.

Now, her determination to master Chinese has landed her a prestigious scholarship from the U.S. State Department.

Berdysheva — a junior at Macalester College …

Fast paced and loud, legislators rise above fray

SPRINGFIELD — The deafening, unrelenting chants of “SEIU! SEIU!” filled the Illinois State Capital building up to the stained glass dome, plaster friezes and corbel statues.

Fine builds relationships, trust, first year in house

SPRINGFIELD — When Glenview resident Laura Fine ended a 14-year career as a political science professor, she ended up in the classroom again getting schooled in Illinois lawmaking.

The crash course in the state’s capital city of Springfield was three days to educate newly elected …

Purple Hotel set for demolition again

Lincolnwood’s iconic Purple Hotel appears to be dead.

Plans to use the hotel as part of a $20 million mixed-use development have been spiked, after the hotel owners announced Tuesday a decision to demolish the colorful building and start fresh with plans for a larger …

Construction on Touhy bridge over Edens delayed

Prep work for construction on the Touhy Avenue bridge over the Edens Expressway is continuing to force intermittent closures of half the connecting ramps, but the full project has been delayed until after Memorial Day.

The bridge rehab project, headed by the Illinois Department of …

Local Disaster Center opens for flood victims

A Disaster Recovery Center, which will allow residents to apply for federal reimbursement and financial aid for damage caused by April 18 flooding, has opened in Des Plaines.

The center is located at 1486 Miner St., next to the Des Plaines Theatre. It is operated …

Evanston teen charged in shooting near Old Orchard mall

An Evanston teenager has been charged in the shooting of a boy near Old Orchard mall last week.

Rayshawn Taylor, 17, of the 1900 block of Jackson Avenue in Evanston, was charged with one count each of aggravated discharge of a firearm and unlawful use …

3 Brookfield Zoo dolphins expecting

Chicago Zoological Society officials say three Brookfield Zoo bottlenose dolphins are pregnant. Officials say Allie, 26, Tapeko, 31, and Spree, 10, are due to give birth this summer and fall.

Hawkettes coach dances around conflicts

Maine South High School’s Hawkettes varsity dance team has won awards at the local and national levels. But when Hawkettes arrived at the Maine Township High School District 207 board meeting in May, they were doing a different sort of dance.

GQ editor, Park Ridge native digs into dad’s death

Michael Hainey grew up with a family mystery. He was just 6 years old when his father, Bob, a copy editor with the Chicago Sun-Times, died suddenly at age 35. As an adult, Hainey, a Park Ridge native, realized that certain things he had been told about his father’s death didn’t add up.

Man shot outside Westfield Old Orchard Mall

SKOKIE — Skokie Police Chief Tony Scarpelli said Sunday police still have no suspect in custody in connection with a shooting Friday night near the 4800 block of Golf Road, just outside of Westfield’s Old Orchard Shopping Center.

Scarpelli said the police are continuing to …

New Morton Grove Village Board begins reign

After presiding over his last Village Board meeting May 13, outgoing Morton Grove Mayor Dan Staackmann received a personalized white fire helmet denoting his leadership rank. Morton Grove Fire Chief Tom Friel explained the symbolism.

Local health care professionals caught in Medicare fraud sting

A nationwide crackdown on Medicare and health care fraud has netted seven Chicago area residents, including two suburban doctors and three health clinic owners for separate plots that took in millions of dollars in fraudulent payments.

Iconic Lincolnwood steakhouse Myron & Phil catches fire minutes after founder dies

Just 30 minutes after Myron & Phil’s 95-year-old founder Myron Freedman passed away early Wednesday morning in his sleep, a fire broke out at the legendary Lincolnwood steakhouse Freedman opened 43 years ago at 3900 W. Devon Ave.

Veteran Morton Grove, Pioneer Press reporter dies

In his youth, Nick Katz motorcycled across Texas and Oklahoma, played blues guitar, and successfully smuggled his pet dog into a Las Vegas casino during a road trip with college buddies.