Elm Leaves

Principal promoted to superintendent

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:50:55 -0500

After serving as principal at River Grove Elementary School District 85.5 for five years, Glenn Grieshaber is the district’s new superintendent. After an outpouring of teachers and parents showed up at the school district’s April 24 board meeting in support of Grieshaber, the board decided unanimously May 8 to go with Grieshaber. The job is effective July 1. “I think we found the best person to fill the slot,” said School Board President Marlene Flahaven. Grieshaber was one of two candidates being considered for the job, out of over 50 applicants. Current superintendent, John Bartelt, will be leaving to work …

Elmwood Park station gives away free gas — for one hour

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:21:28 -0500

Grand Avenue at 75th Avenue was jam packed with cars on May 11. That’s because at Speed’s BP gas station, 7450 W. Grand Ave., in Elmwood Park, was giving away free gas. The deal lasted only an hour. Peter Spino, owner of the gas station, said his gas station was selected as part of a promotion by Spark Energy, an independent energy provider that offers electricity and natural gas service to homes and businesses nationwide, in conjunction with “Windy City Live” a local morning show that broadcasted live from the location. “They called me up three weeks ago, but they …

Elmwood Park Police Blotter, May 7-14

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:33:25 -0500

The following incidents were listed among the official reports of the Elmwood Park Police Department. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt. Only a court of law can make that determination. Elmwood Park DECEPTIVE PRACTICE A woman told police on May 9 she had been contacted by a collection agency for an account on which she had not charged anything. Police said she should contact the collection agency and perhaps consult an attorney. A woman complained May 10 to Elmwood Park Police that a fraudulent cell phone account had been opened in her name. …

East Leyden parking lot construction to begin

Mon, 14 May 2012 23:08:57 -0500

Construction on a new parking lot across from East Leyden High School is scheduled to begin May 29. On May 10 Leyden District 212 Board of Education approved a bid by All Star Asphalt of $984,000 to rebuild the lot. In the process the parking lot will be expanded from 190 spaces to about 300. The new parking lot will also gain LED lighting and a bus lane for athletic events. The parking lot reconstruction is part of a larger plan to transform the former Thompson Steel site into athletic fields. …

Mob house tour shows origins in Oak Park, River Forest

Mon, 14 May 2012 20:51:19 -0500

River Forest resident John Binder isn’t a gangster, but he sure knows a lot about the lives of some colorfully-named — and dead — local hoodlums, the mobsters who once lived in Oak Park and River Forest. Let’s see, there was Tony Accardo, Paul “the Waiter” Ricca, “Tough Tony” Capezio, Sam Giancana, “Machine Gun” Jack McGurn, Frankie Lake, “Three Fingered Jack” White, and “Slippery Frank” Rio, to name a few. You can see for yourself where all these goons lived during Binder’s There Goes the Neighbor Hood Tour on Sunday. Binder — a Chicago organized crime historian for two decades …

2 area caterers compete on overhauled ‘Food Network Star’

Tue, 15 May 2012 17:25:02 -0500

LORI RACKL: Former judges Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis now are coaching teams in the race to find a culinary personality.