Rachel Raya Horcher of Homewood lives the busy-to-the-point-of-frantic life that many people experience these days. She is a solo mom with two medically complex children. She juggles more jobs and doctor’s appointments than many people and has become, by necessity, what she terms “a master of resilience.” Unlike many others[Read More…]
Feature
St. Veronica’s children light the kinara on night 4 of Kwanzaa
On Dec. 29, Kwanzaa celebrations were in full swing at Flossmoor Park with the lighting of the town’s kinara by children from St. Veronica’s Parish in Flossmoor to commemorate the fourth night of the seven-day holiday. The theme for the fourth night, Ujamaa, means cooperative economics in Swahili. The celebration[Read More…]
Kwanzaa night 3: Evita McNeil-Dobson talks community collective responsibility
A small crowd gathered at Flossmoor Park on Dec. 28, the rainy third night of Kwanzaa, to celebrate the Ujima principle. The kinara was lit by Flossmoor Hills Elementary School Principal Evita McNeil-Dobson who spoke on how Ujima is important in every aspect of the H-F community, especially within education. [Read More…]
Wright’s last book traces history of Egyptian Trail
It’s easy to remember the historic Dixie Highway. Its name is on street signs from the north edge of Homewood to the south edge of Flossmoor. But the Egyptian Trail is not so well known, even though it ran along the same route from 175th Street to Flossmoor Road. The[Read More…]
Amabel Crawford lights the Kwanzaa candle on the 2nd night
Before lighting the second candle on Flossmoor’s kinara on Dec. 27, Amabel Crawford, director of learning and instruction for Flossmoor School District 161, offered a few remarks about what Kwanzaa means to her. She said Kwanza is a time for her and her family to “reaffirm our values, how we[Read More…]
District 161 superintendent lights candle on 1st night of Kwanzaa to celebrate unity
Flossmoor School District 161 Superintendent Dana Smith said he was honored to light the first candle on the kinara in Flossmoor Park on Tuesday, Dec. 26, in part because the theme of the first night, umoja, or unity, is a value the district focuses on promoting with students. “We spend[Read More…]
Hogansons have helped make Drama Group run for 5 decades
Mary Lee Hoganson didn’t intend to audition for a role in the Drama Group’s production of Sound of Music in 1969. She was teaching at Bloom High School and was working with students on an upcoming production. The Drama Group was in an adjacent room conducting auditions. When Mary Lee[Read More…]
Tennis coach Teri Watland retires after 35-year career
For 35 years, tennis pro Teri Watland had a racquet in her hand at the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District’s Racquet & Fitness Club. She retired on Friday, Dec. 29. Watland has been a fixture around the courts teaching all levels of tennis. Over the three-plus decades, she would give tennis lessons[Read More…]
First Irons Oaks holiday trail walk a hit despite soggy conditions
About 450 people signed up for the first Light Up Trail Walk at Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center. Irons Oaks Manager Cheryl Vargo thought that was a pretty good response for the new holiday event. She was even more impressed with the number of people who braved rain on one[Read More…]
Gingerbread day in Flossmoor provides holiday wonder
Saturday, Dec. 2, was a day of gingerbread magic in Flossmoor, starting with the Gingerbread House Extravaganza at Flossmoor Public Library. Youth Services Manager and gingerbread house construction chief Jenny Lucas said the current version of the event has been going for about seven years. She builds the houses in[Read More…]


