About Noah Festenstein
Four-Acre Gas Station Development Proposed For Vacant Hintz Road Property In Wheeling
Dormant property at the northeast corner of Old Buffalo Grove and Hintz roads went through a Wheeling Village Board concept review to potentially become a four-acre gas station. Trustees voted 5-2 in support of a concept design by Gas N’ Wash, an Illinois-based combined gas station, car wash, convenience store and quick serve food location. Village board review took place […]
At Stake For Area Homeowners: Dist. 23 Referendum
Of two referendums ready for Prospect Heights voters during the April 4 election, School Dist. 23 is the most expensive at a $20 million bond valuation. Word for word, voters will face the yes/no question of, “improving safety and security, maintaining the district’s school buildings, and expanding Eisenhower School to accommodate full-day kindergarten will require issuing bonds (for building improvements […]
Park Ridge Resident Selected For Distinguished Leader Fellowship
Park Ridge resident Christina Speh has been selected for the Leadership Greater Chicago (LGC) 2023 cohort of The Daniel Burnham Fellowship. As a Chief Compliance Office at Wintrust Financial Corporation, Speh has been selected as being a top executive who plays an active part in shaping the socioeconomic future of the Chicago-area. The Fellowship helps accelerate these individuals while recognizing […]
Special Needs Cafe Under Construction For Summer Opening
A neat opportunity for Arlington Heights-area residents is getting ready to open its doors this summer. The former Starbucks at 1802 N. Arlington Heights Rd. is undergoing construction to become a cafe of employees with special needs. In hopes of providing 40 job opportunities, “Gerry’s Cafe” will serve coffee, eats and beyond. Involving many partnerships including the Northwest Suburban Special […]
Rebuild Of Fire Station 42 Officially Approved At $7.7 Million
The relocation and rebuilding of Wheeling Fire Station 42 was officially approved and fully funded by trustees with a maximum price tag of $7,699,244. At their Monday, March 20 meeting, Wheeling trustees unanimously approved construction for Fire Station 42 to be rebuilt at 135 McHenry Rd. Village officials say they have saved the money to make this happen, and would […]
Niles Elected Position Candidates Square Off For Debates
As residents get ready to go to the polls April 4, debates for elected positions in Niles loomed large at the Howard Leisure Center last Saturday, March 18. Many area residents attended the Journal & Topics-led event featuring candidates for park board, library board, village trustee and the ethics board. Here are some highlights: Niles Park District Board of […]
Restaurant’s Request Renews Calls To Reexamine Liquor Licensing In PH
A new restaurant under construction in Prospect Heights has revitalized city council questioning over how aldermen want to manage liquor licensing moving forward. During their March 13 meeting, aldermen discussed liquor licensing for a new restaurant, Bar Salotto, currently under construction at 1421 N. Rand Rd. on the former site of Nikko’s. No action was taken on voting to approve […]
Get To Know Des Plaines School Dist. 62 Candidates
Five candidates are seeking to fill four seats on the Des Plaines Elementary School Dist. 62 Board of Education. As we approach Election Day (April 4), let’s briefly get to know who’s running (*denotes incumbent): * Tina Garrett, 46, works in risk management/insurance, has been married for 25 years, has three children and “two adorable dogs.” Garrett has coached […]
Single-Vehicle Crash Sends Five To Hospital, One Critically Injured
Area first responders quickly arrived at the intersection of Arlington Heights Road and Magnolia Street to a single-vehicle crash that hospitalized five individuals Saturday, March 18. Arlington Heights police responded at 1:15 p.m. to a blue 2012 Ford Escape that had struck a brick monument sign. Police state the vehicle was traveling southbound on Arlington Heights Road at Magnolia when […]
Dist. 57 Candidates Talk Lincoln Renovations, Full-Day Kindergarten At Debate
The four candidates running for three, four-year seats April 4 in Mount Prospect Elementary School Dist. 57 squared off March 15 at Mount Prospect Village Hall during the Journal’s sponsored debate, which saw some back-and-forth dialogue between the candidates when it came to potentially constructing a new Lincoln Middle School and implementing full-day kindergarten. Current board member and Lincoln alum […]
Mount Prospect Trustee Candidates Debate Over Police Patch, Downtown Zoning, More
All four candidates vying for three seats on the Mount Prospect Village Board in the April 4 election attended the Journal & Topics’ debate Wednesday, March 15 at village hall to share their viewpoints and express why they should be elected. The only incumbent seeking re-election is Colleen Saccotelli, who is up against former trustees Eleni Hatzis and Bill Grossi, […]
New Massage Parlor To Replace Old Milwaukee Avenue Establishment
After months of deliberation, a new massage parlor to replace Shen Wei Massage has been approved at 77 S. Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling. Lee Massage received special use approval for operation of a massage establishment, but it didn’t come without a little extra effort. For nearly three months, Lee Massage owners have attended village board meetings but their approval was […]
New Gaming Cafe Destined For Plaza At Wolf & Dundee
A gaming cafe, Sip and Slots Cafe, has been approved under new Wheeling zoning code to operate at 30 W. Dundee Rd. The property was originally occupied by Kelly’s Cafe. In 2019, the Wheeling Village Board classified the business as a “sit-down restaurant” until trustees decided to change zoning code to categorize “gaming establishments” for video gaming businesses. Village trustees […]
Search For New Dist. 214 Superintendent Looms Over Board Election
From gun safety to mental health and budgets, one issue in Township High School Dist. 214 differs from other local school districts as the April 4 election for school board nears: the search for a new district superintendent. One of a school board’s main objectives is to oversee and evaluate their respective district superintendent. The superintendent is not voted in, […]
Funeral Home Withdraws Crematorium Request
The highly contested proposed crematorium addition to Matz Funeral Chapel in Mount Prospect is now a dead issue. A conditional use permit for Matz’s proposed crematorium was forfeited Friday, March 10 after the village’s Plan Commissioners the day before voted (5-0) against it while an overwhelming number of residents spoke out opposing their plan. A letter was sent to Mount […]
Long-Time Mid America Tile Location Rebranded After Six Decades
As if the Elk Grove Business Park couldn’t get any more mysterious. Formerly known as the 1960’s-built Mid America Tile at 1659 Howard St. in Elk Grove, the business recently underwent an abrupt change in ownership into what is now the 13th Louisville Tile location in the country. The 1955-born wholesale tile manufacturer from Louisville, KY, is now a spot […]
New Playgrounds, Renovations In Works For MP’s Lions Park
The first part of a multi-phase process to renovate Lions Park, 300 E. Council Tr., Mount Prospect, is underway. “All of the equipment will be removed,” Mount Prospect Park District planner and project manager Ben Kutscheid said of the $1.9 million first phase, adding that the development will include new 5-12-year-old and 2-5-year-old playgrounds. The first phase includes “new shelter, […]
Crematorium Voted Down By Mount Prospect Plan Commissioners
A conditional use permit for a crematorium addition to Matz Funeral Chapel is headed to a Mount Prospect Village Board final decision vote with negative recommendation. Approximately 100 concerned residents filed into Mount Prospect Village Hall Thursday, March 9 witnessing the planning and zoning board’s vote against a proposed crematorium at the 51-year-old funeral home on Rand Road. Matz’s intent […]
BG Student Success Coach Nominated For National Life Changer Of The Year
Buffalo Grove High School student success coach Mary Ryan has been nominated for the 2022-23 National LifeChanger of the Year award. Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, LifeChanger of the Year recognizes and rewards the very best K-12 educators and school district employees across the United States who are making a difference in the lives of students by exemplifying […]
Harper Radio Named Country’s Best Community College Station
Harper College in Palatine is now home to a national champion college radio station. Students and staff from WHCM-FM 88.3 Harper College Radio attended the Intercollegiate Broadcast Systems (IBS) conference in New York City on Saturday, Feb. 25. During the annual awards ceremony, WHCM was named winner of the Best Community College Radio Station category. “We’ve always thought that we […]