When it opened in 1965, Dixie Square Mall in Harvey was hailed as a shopping center for the future, eventually growing to hold 64 stores by 1968. But the debt load of its construction and the high crime rate in Harvey plagued the mall from the start. By the time Penneys left in 1978, Dixie Square Mall was on life support, eventually closing one year later. more ›

A suburban motorcyclist died Saturday night when another driver, painting her fingernails behind the wheel, slammed into her stopped bike at a yellow light in Lake Zurich. According to Lake County Coroner Richard Keller, the biker, Anita Zaffke, died of chest and abdominal injuries sustained in the incident at the intersection of Route 12 and Old McHenry Road (pictured right) when a Chevrolet Impala rear ended her bike around 5:30 p.m. Zaffke was wearing a helmet, and was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, where she was pronounced dead an hour later. more ›