Before the conversation really begins, he makes one small correction. “It’s Bernie.” You had just called him Dr. Heilicser. You had read the old story about him. You knew what he meant to this area. An emergency physician. A longtime EMS leader. A volunteer firefighter in three towns. But on the[Read More…]
Feature
The Larsens and Beyond the Book: uplifting the local author community
If you walk into Homewood’s Beyond the Book book store, you might run into volunteers Dave and Sally Larsen, Flossmoor residents with a passion for literature. On Dec. 15, Dave Larsen held a book signing at the new store for his book, “Green Street in Black and White,” a novel loosely[Read More…]
Flossmoor entrepreneurs turn the page with a new chapter for Gypsy Fix
After a January hiatus, the reimagined Gypsy Fix at the corner of Sterling Avenue and Flossmoor Road opened its doors Feb. 7 to a crowd of curious and enthusiastic shoppers, who browsed the merchandise displays with celebratory mimosas and snacks in hand. “This space has been a real labor of[Read More…]
Community with a beat: Dance born of house music connects people across cultures
Between the uptempo music and his enthusiasm, it might be impossible not to move while Jaron Boyd is teaching footwork. During a special Black History Month workshop in 2024, Boyd introduced students to the history of footwork, which emerged in the 1970s as part of the house music movement in[Read More…]
Prohibition-era gun discovered in wall at Thornton Distilling Co.
Those who spend time living or working in old buildings know it’s not all that unusual to find long-forgotten or lost things from long ago in the back of closets, wedged between flooring or tucked in inconspicuous corners of hard-to-reach shelves. A coin, a piece of paper, a wire hanger,[Read More…]
How Coyote Run got its name
Why is it Coyote Run Golf Course? It’s more than 20 years since the Homewood-Flossmoor Park District purchased the site of the former Cherry Hills Golf Course in Flossmoor and recreated it into the popular course that it is today. Dave Ward, retired superintendent of golf for the Homewood-Flossmoor Park[Read More…]
Caution counts when encountering wild animals here
Critters in your neighborhood. Be cautious! Most wild animals don’t want to harm you, but that doesn’t mean you should try to befriend them, according to Rebecca Koval of Homewood, who serves as the animal control officer in Glenwood. She addressed the topic of wild animals in our midst during[Read More…]
Daughter donates a kidney to save her mother’s life
Monica Fox’s bout with COVID-19 pneumonia nearly cost her her life. Her daughter Olivia was her lifeline. Their story is a testament to family love and the benefits of organ donation. Monica was on kidney dialysis for three years until she was lucky to receive a kidney in 2017 that[Read More…]
Next Gen: Preparing for compassionate care: Prairie State College EMT and paramedic programs are growing
‘9-1-1. What is your emergency?’ In 2024, 68% of Homewood Fire Department’s calls were for medical emergencies. In 2024, it was 64.5% in Flossmoor. Riding in those ambulances are firefighter/paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Training for those emergency specialists is being handled by Prairies State College, taking a lead[Read More…]
Next Gen: Homewood, Flossmoor staff are EMTs paramedics
The Homewood and Flossmoor communities have well-trained and well-staffed fire departments that give the best care possible on ambulance calls. Homewood Fire Department’s 21 firefighter/paramedics are full-time employees, seven working per shift. Homewood went to full-time staffing in about 1978, said Chief Bob Grabowski. Homewood requires all firefighters to also[Read More…]
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