Niles Herald-Spectator

He’s a Niles metal-money merchant — to coin a term

Thu, 24 May 2012 04:50:34 -0500

In this challenging economic climate, business has still been pretty busy for Curt Franson, owner of the Niles Coin Shop, which has been operating in the village for more than 30 years. “Some people want to sell anything and everything,” Franson said. The Niles Coin Shop is at 7637 N. Milwaukee Ave. The store buys and sells coins, paper currency, gold, silver, jewelry and some collectibles, such as Hummels and Laddro figurines. Franson offers these pieces of handmade artwork from Germany and Spain at a large discount, usually 50-60 percent off of regular prices. To keep things new and exciting …

Niles police, Golf Mill partner for child safety

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:54:21 -0500

At 2 years old, Julia naturally wants to be just like big brother, John, 5. She follows him on the playground like a shadow. She looks for him when he’s away. None of this is a problem except for when she wanders from the watchful eye of caretaker Ewa Godzisz. And that is exactly what the blond, pigtailed toddler with a toothy smile was doing on a quiet Friday morning while she and Godzisz spent time at the Golf Mill Shopping Center in Niles. Julia went up and down a slide in a children’s area before realizing she wanted to …

EDUCATION IN FOCUS Walking for water

Sat, 26 May 2012 21:12:48 -0500

Emerson students put studies to action to get African children clean water …

Fun-seekers pool resources in Niles when economy dips

Sat, 26 May 2012 21:19:15 -0500

You don’t have to go very far to feel like you’re on a vacation. It can literally happen in your own back yard. Norbert Pools is a family owned and operated business that has called Niles home since 1953. It originally opened as a nursery and garden center. Still going strong, the store, located at 9141 N. Milwaukee Ave., is once again ready for summer. And, due to the poor economy of the past few years, a trend of people wanting to repair the pools they have at home, rather than take out-of-town trips, has developed. That’s good news for …

New trustee appointed to Niles Library Board

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:02:39 -0500

Karen J. Dimond has been selected to fill a vacancy on the Niles Public Library Board of Trustees following the resignation of member Sam Puleo earlier this month. Dimond was selected to serve the remainder of Puleo’s term during the May 24 meeting of the Niles Public Library Board. The Library Board and Director Linda Weiss interviewed five interested candidates in executive session. The candidates were Mary Marusek, who ran for the position of village trustee last year; Catherine Kaczanowski; Billy Van Cannon; Karen Dimond; and former Niles Public Library Trustee Maureen Polcyn. Dimond will serve until May 2013 and …

Niles library officials get peek at upgrade designs

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:01:26 -0500

Architects from Product Architecture presented some 3D images of what various areas of Niles Public Library will look like once a major upcoming renovation is completed. Photos of the new children’s area and teen center were shown and discussed this month by the library board, as were the new vending area and a common area with a vent-less fireplace. The fiction room was described as the “classic reading room.” The architects also brought to the board meeting samples of rugs that will be installed across the library. Costs of the renovation project were also discussed this month. The total cost …

Mayor, trustees wrestle over Niles village manager appointment

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:02:09 -0500

George Van Geem is now the “acting” village manager after trustees rejected Mayor Robert Callero’s reappointment of Van Geem as village manager at this month’s village-board meeting. The vote to not reappoint Van Geem was 4-2, with Trustee Joe LoVerde and Andrew Przybylo voting in favor of keeping Van Geem at Village Hall’s top post. As a result, Callero instead appointed Van Geem the acting village manager, as he had said he would if the former village manager’s reappointment were not approved. Trustee Jim Hynes said at the meeting that Callero had indicated that he would continue to appoint Van …

Niles looks to put new face on biz community

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:13:47 -0500

Business owner and Niles resident Joe Walsh thinks the village’s business community could use a facelift. And while he indicated image upgrades are needed in general, any effort should start with the anchor of Niles’ business community, Golf Mill Shopping Center. Walsh sees Niles as a major retail village and is strongly in favor of supporting business, but he doesn’t feel all village trustees are necessarily on the same page. “There’s a mayor who’s very pro-business,” said Walsh, who feels improvements are needed to Golf Mill in order to boost sales-tax revenue. “And there are a few trustees who are …

Morton Grove martial arts school wins fight to stay open

Fri, 25 May 2012 22:52:49 -0500

As Duck-Keun Yoon leads his class of small children running around his martial arts school, each child jumps over a large equipment bag on the padded floor. When one of the smallest girls can’t quite make it over, he pulls her back so she can try a second time. When that attempt fails, Master Yoon — as he is known to his students — picks her up, lifts her over the bag and sets her back down on the floor laughing. The children learning tae kwon do at North Shore Martial Arts are young, some just 4 years old. Keyed …

1.5 million people to use Midway, O’Hare this holiday weekend

Fri, 25 May 2012 11:24:01 -0500

About 1.5 million people are expected to pass through Chicago’s two airports this Memorial Day weekend, city aviation officials say.

Property Transfers

Sat, 26 May 2012 21:08:24 -0500

Information is provided by Record Information Services, P.O. Box 894, Elburn IL 60119; phone (630) 557-1000; fax (630) 557-1001. ALBANY PARK 4686 N Kasson Ave.: Triumph Development Group Llc to Jonathan M Liddell Yvonne M Grabe, $274,500, April 26 4942 N Kostner Ave.: Albany Bank & Trust Co Na Ttee to Brad J Timm, $123,500, April 26 5418 W Windsor Ave. Apt 2s: Federal Home Loan Mtg Corp to Urszula Winkiewicz, $45,000, April 23 BARRINGTON 104 Brinker Road: Flannery Trust to Jack E Reich Mary Beth Reich, $35,000, April 19 808 E Hillside Ave.: Federal Home Loan Mtg Corp to …

Niles Community Calendar for the week of May 31, 2012

Fri, 25 May 2012 23:24:53 -0500

Submissions for Community Calendar are required 14 days preceding the date of publication. Send to: Niles Managing Editor, Pioneer Press, 3701 W. Lake Ave., Glenview IL 60026. Information may be faxed to (847) 486-7495 or emailed to mbottari@pioneerlocal.com. Center of Concern The Center of Concern: 1580 N. Northwest Highway, Suite 310, Park Ridge, (847) 823-0453, calendar of events includes: Mondays, June 4, 11, 18, 25: Employment counseling, by appointment. Monday, June 11: Alzheimer’s Caregivers support group, 10 a.m. Tuesdays, June 5, 19: Medicare counseling, by appointment (sponsored by the federally funded Senior Health Insurance Program). Wednesdays, June 13, 27: Grief …

POLL: What is your most anticipated summer adventure movie?

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:22:51 -0500

With summer almost here, Hollywood is rolling out a host of action and adventure films guaranteed to heat up the season. Will you be standing in line at midnight, July 20 for the premiere of “The Dark Knight Rises”? Is a retooled version of the Snow White fairy tale more your thing? Look to the left and vote for your most anticipated summer adventure film. …

Study says Chicago traffic congestion actually got better

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:50:34 -0500

Drivers in the Chicago area were stuck in traffic an average of 36 hours in 2011, 12 fewer than the 48 wasted in traffic in 2010, according to INRIX, a company that studies traffic patterns.

From Maine South kid to Jersey Boy

Thu, 24 May 2012 05:14:16 -0500

Nick Cosgrove’s entry into the world of musical theater began on stage — and in the classroom — at Maine South High School. Six years after graduation the Park Ridge native is putting the skills he learned as a teenager into his career as a professional actor. Cosgrove is now starring as Frankie Valli in a national touring company’s production of “Jersey Boys.” Cosgrove’s twice-weekly performances in the award-winning musical are taking place through June 3 at Bank of America Theatre in downtown Chicago. It was “Jersey Boys,” which Cosgrove first saw at age 17, that cemented his desire to …