Law firm that employs Harmon secures government work

Since bringing an influential state legislator on board as a partner in 2005, a small Chicago law firm has secured at least $6.3 million in legal work from state agencies that receive funding and oversight from the General Assembly, the Better Government Association has learned. …

Grand, Harlem improvements get approval in Elmwood Park

ELMWOOD PARK — Major thoroughfares leading to Elmwood Park will soon get a face-lift. Elmwood Park trustees have approved work on the village’s Streetscape Improvement Plan in the area of Grand and Harlem avenues.

MacSpecialist hopes to meet customers’ Apple needs

OAK PARK — MacSpecialist is fruit sprouting from the same tree as Apple stores, yet an independent entity. Located at 805 Lake St., the 2,000-square-foot enterprise can spare local Apple owners time-consuming trips to an Apple store.

Elmwood Park garage doors tagged with graffiti

ELMWOOD PARK — Over the weekend, someone used spray paint to deface garage doors along Westwood Drive.

According to Elmwood Park police reports, the incidents took place between Oct. 27 and Oct. 28. Spray paint was used on about six garage doors to write words …

Elmwood Park, River Grove police blotter for Oct. 29

The following incidents were listed among the official reports of the Elmwood Park and River Grove police departments. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Only a court of law can make that determination.

Elmwood Park

BATTERY

Carlos Acevedo, …

Rhodes School Red Ribbon Week encourages drug-free living

RIVER GROVE — Rhodes School hosted a week filled with activities for students to promote a drug- and alcohol-free life.

“We Have Better Things to Do Than Drugs” was Rhodes School’s motto for Red Ribbon Week, which ran from Oct. 22-26.

The week started Oct. …

Firefighter’s cooking passion leads to Food Network

RIVER GROVE — All the years David “Dewey” Atkocaitis has been cooking have paid off. A full-time Northlake firefighter and part-time deputy fire chief in River Grove, Atkocaitis was selected out of thousands of applicants to be featured cooking with Sunny Anderson on the Food Network.

Mock election offers River Grove students civics lesson

RIVER GROVE — Elementary school students are campaigning in a mock election to get a chance to sit in the big seats. The big seats are occupied by River Grove village trustees and other officials as part of the village’s Youth Government Program.

Elmwood Park again tries for electric aggregation

ELMWOOD PARK — Village officials want another opportunity to pass a referendum on electrical aggregation.

The referendum, which appears on the November ballot, asks if the village should have the authority to negotiate for the lowest possible rates for electricity on behalf of homeowners and …

Concordia says baseball coach released over alleged sexual misconduct

RIVER FOREST — Concordia University Chicago has announced that it released a former baseball coach two years ago following allegations of sexual misconduct.

In a letter sent out Wednesday, Concordia President John Johnson made the announcement concerning the firing of former baseball coach Spiro Lempesis. …

Recent Elmwood Park property sales

Elmwood Park  1835 N 75th Ave: Firstmerit Bank Trust 0000000618561 to Katarzyna U Baran for $165,500 on Sept. 11  1812 N 73rd Court: Janet Baum Trust to Kim A Corso for $168,000 on Sept. 10  2832 N 75th Ave: Chicago Title Land Trust 0000000020022 to Kimberly Schmidt for …

Former Dominican president stays active on campus

RIVER FOREST — Among her lifetime of firsts, Sister Jean Murray of Dominican University was the first female member of the Oak Park Country Club. “I don’t remember ever playing a round of golf there though,” quipped Murray, an avid golfer and a former president of the university.

River Grove students address bullying with video

RIVER GROVE — No one likes a bully and some eighth grade girls are empowering their classmates to do something about dealing with them. October is Bullying Prevention Awareness Month, and at River Grove Elementary School, a group of students decided put together their own video on how to stop bullying.

Elmwood Park presidential election donations

Contributions are a key indicator of support for political candidates. The following list of top donors represents local people who made donations in August to the respective 2012 presidential campaigns of President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney.

Donations are limited by the Federal Election …

Credit card info hacked at 7 Chicago-area Barnes & Noble stores

Barnes & Noble Inc. said Tuesday that devices used by customers to swipe credit and debit cards have been tampered with in 63 of its stores in nine states, including seven in Chicago and the surrounding area.