Ronald Vos, the middle school teacher from MacArthur Middle School in Prospect Heights, was found dead at his home today of an apparent suicide. The report of his death comes less than 48 hours after Vos was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a student at the school from September 2005 until March 2007. Vos' wife, who had left the house after his arrest, called police early Monday morning after finding him hanging in the home. An investigation into the assault showed Vos and the student had four encounters and had "agreed to trade sex for beer and cigarettes." A letter from Gregory P. Guarrine, superintendent of Prospect Heights School District 23 regarding Vos' arrest can be read here [PDF]. more ›

A Prospect Heights couple learned the hard way that not everyone likes the varied wildlife northern Illinois has to offer. Circuit Court Judge Alfred Levinson ordered Halina and Richard Rogulsk to remove their five birdfeeders and not put out any birdseed for six months. According to neighbors, the setup had attracted an overload of local animals, creating a health hazards. more ›

As we posted earlier this summer there's quite a hidden history of tiki in the Chicagoland area that's been all but forgotten, which is why local author James Teitelbaum's research is so valuable. His book Tiki Road Trip chronicled his coast-to-coast quest for the best in tiki, both modern and vintage. It was so successful that earlier this year he published a new edition. This Thursday he'll be in town for a reading and... more ›