Pioneer Local

Lebanese bakery latest hit for restaurateur

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:39:53 -0500

Since moving to Skokie from his native Lebanon in 1997, Nasr Khonaisser has taken the North Shore-area restaurant scene by storm. He operated three successful restaurants before opening his latest endeavor, Libanais Sweets, last fall on Touhy near the Edens Expressway in Lincolnwood. Back in the 1990s, political unrest in Lebanon following the end of the country’s civil war drove Nasr Khonaisser and his family to move to the U.S., where they settled in Skokie and began making a living in the local restaurant industry. Libanais Sweets (Libanais is the French word for Lebanese) is a patisserie and bakery with …

Wilmette school’s fifth-grade twins contend for Guinness title

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:28:57 -0500

WILMETTE — Four months ago, 11-year-old Ryan Novosel was reading the latest Guinness Book of World Records that he and twin brother Luke received for Christmas. He happened upon a particularly interesting record – the most twins in the same academic year at one school. That record, the book stated, was a three-way tie between high schools in Westport, Conn., West Des Moines, Iowa and Park Ridge, Ill. All boasted an impressive 16 sets of twins. Was Ryan, a fifth-grader at Wilmette’s Highcrest Middle School, impressed? No, he was not. “I thought, ‘We could beat this,’” he recalled Tuesday. Ryan …

Transferred Highland Park teacher resigns in impassioned YouTube video

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:27:36 -0500

A video bombshell was dropped late Tuesday on top of an emerging controversy in North Shore School District 112 when one of the four teachers transferred out of Lincoln Elementary School posted a YouTube video announcing her decision to leave the district.

Lake Forest students say playing taps lets them give back to veterans

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:12:10 -0500

Thomas Balk and Tim Walther, both 17-year-old juniors at Lake Forest High School, play taps and echo on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other patriotic occasions in Lake Bluff. And both say it’s their honor to perform for the men and women who dedicated their lives to preserving our freedoms.

Boy injured in second-story leap from burning Evanston home

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:53:16 -0500

EVANSTON — A 14-year-old boy suffored minor injuries Tuesday afternoon when he jumped from a second story window of a burning building in the 1400 block of Fowler Avenue. The first fire crew, Engine 21, arrived within three minutes to the two-story brick structure, at 1427 Fowler, located on a residential street west of Evanston Township High School. Paramedics took the boy to Evanston NorthShore Hospital where he was treated for smoke inhalation and a sprained ankle. His was the only injury, said Evanston Fire Chief Greg Klaiber. Emergency dispatchers received the call about 4:15 p.m. Albert Frazier, the neighbor …

Hawkettes coach dances around conflicts

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:52:39 -0500

Maine South High School’s Hawkettes varsity dance team has won awards at the local and national levels. But when Hawkettes arrived at the Maine Township High School District 207 board meeting in May, they were doing a different sort of dance. Together with Hawkettes Booster Club President Aurora Abella-Austriaco, they urged the board to change the policy that prevented the team from taking lessons and training at Niles-based Studio 22 High Tek. The studio is owned by team coach Jackie Graney, which, under the district policy, poses a conflict of interest. A week after the meeting, the issue shows no …

Recent Stevenson High School student faces federal drug, gun charges

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:12:53 -0500

A recent Stevenson High School student and current Deerfield resident has been accused of selling heroin and owning numerous firearms, according to a federal complaint unsealed May 21. Dmitriy Melandovich has been charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. He also is accused of selling 12 grams of heroin and buying five firearms in late April in Buffalo Grove.

Lang pulls plug on gambling bill sponsorship, cites ‘perceived conflict’

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:58:00 -0500

PRINGFIELD — State Rep. Lou Lang cited a “perceived conflict of interest” Tuesday behind his abrupt and surprising decision to end his sponsorship and potential future involvement in gambling-expansion legislation.

Navy officer surprises daughter in gym class at Wayne Thomas

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:04:18 -0500

HIGHLAND PARK — A routine gym class Friday at Wayne Thomas Elementary School became a multi-hanky event for some observers when Navy Chief Jeremy Pruitt shocked his daughter Cadence with an unexpected homecoming.

Couple gets engaged on rink at Franklin Park ice show

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:41:28 -0500

FRANKLIN PARK — Despite all the ice. a few hearts may have melted Saturday at the Franklin Park Ice Arena, where an instructor during the annual Spring Ice Show was surprised by an on-ice proposal — and accepted.

Mickey Finn’s Brewery prepares for move in downtown Libertyville

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:46:35 -0500

Mickey Finn’s owner Brian Grano plans to move the brewery about a block away to a bigger T-shaped building along Milwaukee Avenue. Grano, who has owned Mickey Finn’s since 2004, has emerged as the face of a project that will revitalize a gateway into the downtown, village officials say.