On September 11th, New York State National Guardsman Kevin Mroczkowski was living near Newburgh, New York. In 12 hours, he joined 8,000 other National Guard soldiers at Ground Zero. He…

DISASTERS Meteorologists’ count indicate Illinois could be No. 1 state for tornadoes so far this year.  The funnel clouds often form in conjunction with derechos, squall lines, and other powerful…

On September 11th, Arthur E. Imperatore’s ferry fleet that he founded in 1986, New York Waterway, were repurposed in the domestic boatlift that delivered evacuees from Manhattan to New Jersey,…

Todd Beamer grew up in Glen Ellyn and graduated from Wheaton College in 1991. On September 11th, 2001, he was on United Airlines Flight 93 to San Francisco. It was…

K-9 Cowboy arrived in New York with his FEMA handler Dave Richards on September 16th, 2001. He joined hundreds of dogs and handler teams and was described as “eerily smart.”…

Since 1960, Dr. Arthur Gudeon has been a podiatrist treating foot and ankle injuries for New Yorkers. At age 66, Dr. Gudeon jumped at the chance to help at Ground…

BURLINGTON — Following the ruling by the Illinois Supreme Court this summer to uphold the so-called “SAFE-T” Act, including the implementation of no cash bail on September 18, four local…

Brian Sweeney was a former pilot and instructor for the U.S. Navy and got a job with a defense contractor. On 9/11, his wife, Julie was pulled away from the…

In May 1940, the German Army stormed into the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. Having crushed Poland the year before, and invaded and conquered Denmark and Norway just a few weeks…

GENERAL ASSEMBLY Tim Mapes, key aide to former Speaker Madigan, convicted in federal court. The former chief of staff to the office of the Speaker was found guilty of perjury and obstruction…