Tom Vander Woude takes the oath of office administered by Village Clerk Marilyn Thomas while his three daughters and wife (not pictured) look on. (Photo by Quincy Crump/HF Chronicle) The Homewood Board of Trustees welcomed new Economic and Community Development Director Tom Vander Woude to the village staff Tuesday, July 14. Vander Woude[Read More…]

What the tornado didn’t take of James Hart Junior High teacher Ric Druse’s home on June 22, a bulldozer finished off last week. But friends, colleagues and Homewood residents are there for Druse with monetary donations, students hosting fundraisers and a clothing drive for his neighbors. When James Hart teacher RicDruse lost[Read More…]

Area diners enjoy locally grown and prepared meals at a Locavore Farms Dine on the Land dinner. (Provided photo) Rachael Jones, the former public relations and events coordinator for the Village of Homewood, moved her family in 2014 from the comfort of the suburb to Grant Park, Ill. to launch Locavore Farms.[Read More…]

Homewood-Flossmoor District 233 school board members knew they had a solid leader in Laura Murray. They offered her an acting superintendent’s contract in 1993, and awarded her a superintendent’s contract in 1994, 1997, 2001 and again in 2006 because they wanted her to stay on. The contract language included two[Read More…]

Homewood-Flossmoor District 233 found itself on the wrong side of two court decisions involving former Superintendent Laura Murray. The district was forced to pay an additional $225,884 to the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) after giving two 20 percent raises to Murray during her final two years with the district. Despite[Read More…]

A police officer participatesin the 2014 critical incident drill at Churchill School. This year, the drill will be conducted at Willow School. (HF Chronicle file photo) The Homewood Police Department, in cooperation with Homewood School District 153, will  conduct a critical incident drill from 8 to 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21, at[Read More…]

Law enforcement officers search Churchill School during a critical incident drill Tuesday. The simulated school shooting incident gave area emergency response agencies a chance to practice their response. (Photo by Eric Crump/The Chronicle) At 8:55 a.m. the call went out on police radio: “Homewood units. Subject with a gun, 1300 190th street.” In less than[Read More…]

If a Tax Increment Financing district — implemented four years ago to spur industrial and commercial growth in Homewood along 175th Street west of Halsted — has failed, why should it be given a second chance? Homewood Public Library Director Amy Crump addresses Homewood trustees Tuesday, July 14, to question the proposed Northeast TIF District. (Photo by Quincy Crump/HF Chronicle)[Read More…]

63 calls: Traffic Stop (21), Suspicious Circumstances (4), Assist Fire Dept. (4), Burglar Alarm (9), Parking Problem (1), Lockout (3), Traffic Accident with Damage (5), Suspicious Auto (3), Domestic Disturbance (1), Neighbor Problem (1), Mental Problem (2), Assist Other Agency (1), Hit & Run (2), Check Well Being (2), Damage[Read More…]

Flossmoor School District 161’s proposed blueprint for the next five years went on view this week. Click on the image to see the full draft.  Following months of preparation — which included input from community members and multiple discussions between school officials — the draft of the strategic plan for 2015-2020 was posted on[Read More…]