Winnetka Talk

New Trier remembers Jan Borja

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:41:07 -0600

Relationships. Community. Compassion. Those words were used again and again by friends and relatives of Janet Borja at today’s memorial service to explain why she was so special. It was fitting the service was held at New Trier Township High School in Northfield as the freshman campus was Borja’s legacy. Borja, 65, of Glenview, died Saturday from breast cancer. She began working for New Trier in 1970 as a German and Spanish teacher. She advanced to leadership positions and became the first principal of the Northfield school when it reopened in 2001 for freshmen only. “She was the heart and …

Kirk moved to Chicago rehab center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0600

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke nearly three weeks ago, was transferred Friday to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Snow makes its way back to the area Friday

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:02 -0600

Feeling a chill in the air? Snow will be back as soon as Friday when lake effect snow could hit the city and Northwest Indiana with six inches.

House Party at Winnetka Community House

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:45 -0600

The Winnetka Community House hosts its own “house party” Jan. 27 with food and live music. This year marks 100 years for the WCH. …

Catholic cemeteries offer to bury 300 bodies stacked at morgue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:28:02 -0600

The Archdiocese of Chicago is offering to pay for up to 300 burials for the bodies being held at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Skokie Playfield Open House

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:03:37 -0600

On January 19 the Winnetka Park District held a public hearing regarding the Skokie Playfield Master Plan Phase I Initiatives. Although well-attended, the Park Board would like the community to have another opportunity to view and provide comments, prior to Board action on various options at the February 23 Board meeting. An open house is planned for this Saturday, February 11 starting at 1 p.m., with a formal presentation being held at 1:30 pm at the Community Room (540 Hibbard Rd.). This presentation will include the following elements of the Skokie Playfield Master Plan project: • Water management and cooperation …

Special Gifts program combines therapy, performance art

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:30 -0600

Dorothy met Captain Hook in an original tale created by the children in the creative drama program of Special Gifts Theater. In four months, children age 7 to 9 with special needs, learned how to create characters, write lines, sing and act on stage in the creative drama class. The result was “The Wizard of Neverland,” performed by eight children with special needs and their eight peer buddies, in the auditorium at Crow Island School Saturday morning. The class for children who have cognitive, physical or social disabilities, started in October. The class met for an hour to an hour …

Winnetka Children’s Hour presents “House Haunters!”

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:01:11 -0600

The Winnetka Children’s Hour is pleased to present its original hour-long comedy musical, “House Haunters!”, performed by local children ages 5-14 on Thursday, Feb. 9 and Friday, February 10 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Matz Hall, Winnetka Community House, 620 Lincoln Ave in Winnetka. Individual tickets are $8 and can be purchased by calling LeeAnn Rechtin at (312)337-4767 or erechtin@me.com. “House Haunters” is an original musical production performed by kids for kids. When the last heir to a mysterious English Manor house dies, he leaves his six ghostly relatives lurking up in the attic. …

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s brain swelling subsides; doctors reattach skull section

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:46:35 -0600

Doctors on Tuesday reattached a 4-inch by 8-inch piece of U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s skull that was removed to ease swelling in his brain following his Jan. 21 stroke. “The swelling in Senator Kirk’s brain has subsided and this morning we were able to reattach the portion of his skull that had been removed following his stroke,” said Dr. Richard Fessler, neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “This is an important milestone in his recovery and a step toward the next phase, rehabilitation. He remains in good condition,” Kirk, …

Sen. Kirk upgraded to ‘good’ condition, watched Super Bowl

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:20:34 -0600

Sen. Mark Kirk’s condition has been upgraded from “fair” to “good.” Doctors hope to be able to re-attach the 8-inch-by-4-inch section of his skull that had to be removed after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago. Then the Highland Park Republican can begin physical therapy. “Sen. Kirk is making good progress in his recovery,” said Richard Fessler, his neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “He is visiting with family and even watched the Super Bowl last night. He has been upgraded to good condition, and we anticipate he will be able to start the rehabilitation phase soon.” Fessler has said …

Cat’s wanderlust means fine for Glencoe owner

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:29:50 -0600

Mia the cat is an envious little beast. Her master, Glencoe’s Steve Black, says he has seen that part of her personality on a few occasions this winter when she’s looking out their front-room window. “What really gets her mad is when she sees other cats out there,” he said last week of the cat that’s shared his family’s home since 2008. “She starts hissing and meowing and trying to go through the window.” It wasn’t always like that. Used to be, Mia had the run of the neighborhood. No more. She’s been grounded. That’s because being picked up twice …

Niles woman injured in alcohol-rated crash in Northfield

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:05:48 -0600

A 63-year-old Niles woman was injured Thursday night in a car crash with a Wilmette man who has been charged with DUI, Northfield police officials reported. Steven G. Lustig, 53, of 3223 Lake Ave., #15C, in Wilmette, was charged with aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of alcohol, disobeying a stop sign and driving with expired registration and insurance. Lustig, who is not related to Northfield Police Chief William Lustig, was driving south on West Frontage Road in a silver 2002 Nissan at about 9:53 p.m. Feb. 2, Northfield authorities said. He allegedly did not …

Winnetka scouts compete in Pinewood Derby

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:03:23 -0600

More than 100 Cub Scouts participated in Pack 18’s Pinewood Derby races and design competition in Winnetka on Jan. 25. The Cub Scouts built their cars, often with the help of their moms and dads, starting with a basic block of wood, four nails and four wheels and then sawed, sanded and painted them to look like cars. Many kids added unique features including lights, flags, Legos, drivers and even playing music. The evening began with each car being weighed to ensure it was within the five ounce regulation and the Cub Scouts entering their cars in one of the …

‘Unseasonably’ warm temps won’t continue this week

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:26:27 -0600

The National Weather Service says the tally of unseasonably warm days in the Chicago area continues to grow, cracking the top 10 in days recording 40 degree or warmer temperatures. We’ve already had 35 days reaching 40 degrees or higher since the beginning of winter — Dec. 22 — through Jan. 31. That has put this winter into the top 10. The 2001-02 winter season also saw 35 days of 40 or higher. The season has already recorded 10 days of 50 degrees or warmer, tying with 1941-42; 1946-47; 1948-49; 1951-52; 1971-72 and 2001-02, the weather service said. The streak …

The Book Stall: Coming in 2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:14 -0600

Although The Book Stall is considered a fiction bookstore, nonfiction books are the store’s best sellers. “It’s our dirty little secret,” owner Roberta Rubin said. The Steve Jobs biography by Walter Isaacson was one of the biggest sellers of the store’s history. Staffers at the store mentioned books by Richard Ford, John Irving and Jean Ray (mother of best-selling author Anne Patchett) they are anticipating in 2012. But the list doesn’t include any nonfiction books as those tend to come out in August. …

The Book Stall: The funny life of books

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:02:01 -0600

“Books have a funny life,” said Mary Joyce DiCola of The Book Stall, who is one of the buyers for the store. They attract readers when they are first published, of course, but some books take a while to establish their audience, she said. Then there are other “seasons.” One is in January, she said, when people learn about books that friends read and received for the holidays. September is good too, she said. That’s when people get together and share books they’ve enjoyed over the summer. …