By David A. F. Sweet Back in 2017, Haley Bhardwaj launched Simantikos  Dance Studio in Chicago. She emphasized social-emotional learning among her students while also teaching technical dance skills. In her spare time, she served as a dance instructor at the Chicago Public Schools. So what brought a young mother who has performed on international stages north this fall to become Program Supervisor at the Lake Forest Dance Academy (LFDA)? “I think we have a really healthy m

By Sam Sosani   The Lake Forest Water Plant never shuts down, and the six operators ensure its steady and consistent functioning, even during long nights and holidays. The result? The residents of Lake Forest enjoy access to clean water. “Water utilities are important to every single person in America,” said Mike Tiegs, the Chief Water Plant Operator. Mike Tiegs shows the t op of a membrane module filter to a group touring the Lake Forest Water Plant. Three generations of Tie

By David A. F. Sweet Erin Ammer, education director for Citadel Theatre in Lake Forest, shared a story about an 8-year-old girl. She always smiled during Citadel Theatre Education camp , but didn’t really speak. The next year, she joined Citadel’s Broadway Bootcamp Summer program. Kian Van Gerven (center) performs with other Citadel Theatre Education students in Newsies Jr. “She was singing loud and confidently, and we gave her a solo that we weren’t intending to use in a

By Kylie Daum The Lake Forest Police Department welcomed a new member to the team recently. A St. Bernard puppy named Winston will serve as a trained comfort dog, working alongside LFPD’s Social Worker Lauren Perez. Getting a comfort dog has been underway at the LFPD for some time, as police departments across the United States have been embracing social work and the importance of having different interventions for people in crisis. Lauren Perez shows Winston the beauty of M

By Judy Carmack Bross Out this month , Elawa Farm: A Timesless Treasure by author, sportswriter and Lake Forest Love Executive Editor David A. F. Sweet tells of a farm purchased in Lake Forest in 1917 by A. Watson Armour from the family of Scottish settlers who settled the verdant acres on the Illinois frontier west of what is now Waukegan Road.  Filled with history and marvelous photographs, it describes the meatpacker’s weekend home and gentleman’s farm, which now feature

By Spencer Trees Tom Johnson is humbled to have been chosen to head a venerable preparatory school. “I am honored to lead the school into its next phase as a hallmark of global education and extremely grateful for this opportunity,” said Johnson, newly appointed head of school at Lake Forest Academy. "Our job is to support our colleagues and make their lives as easy as possible, because our teachers and coaches and dorm parents are the ones doing the really important work w

By David A. F. Sweet Less than a month after assuming the presidency of Lake Forest College, Dr. Mike Sosulski was asked why he displayed a book about an architect on a shelf in his office. He explained that all the books present had been there when he arrived. " I have 10,000 volumes that have to be unpacked,” said Sosulski, who is an aficionado of German literature. “I have to be near my books. There will be a wall of them here in the spring.” Mike Sosulski chats with a g

By Sam Sosani The Gothic stone-arch opening of the Lake Forest Cemetery leads visitors into a space where loved ones lay at rest and where the living pay their respects. Visitors appreciate the beauty exhibited in the headstones, monuments, mausoleums, and greenery. It is difficult not to notice the visually appealing architectural details and masonry that encompass the cemetery, but there is more than just beauty; there is history. The Lake Forest Cemetery is a historic lan

By Sam Sosani Cristina Ortiz Vivas, the new head coach at Lake Forest Sailing, is ready to make a splash. “With a strong team and...

By Carol Summerfield If you haven’t been by the corner of Deerpath and Washington Road lately, you might have missed the transformation...

By David A. F. Sweet While one train idled at the station, Steven Malin Jr. tried to cross the tracks in West Lake Forest with a friend in 2003. The 11-year-old did not know a freight train was heading the other way; he was struck and killed. In Steven’s obituary, the family asked for donations to be sent to the Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Department. The baseball field at Everett School is now named after Steven Malin Jr. “We thought maybe we’d get money for a new pin

By Jenny Liang Two years ago, Lake Forest’s Compost & Recycling Center launched a new Battery Recycling Program aimed at helping...

By Spencer Trees Located at the corner of Deerpath and Western in the heart of downtown Lake Forest, Rosati’s has been open since 2021....

By David A. F. Sweet   Lake Forest’s Public Safety Open House is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 19 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Public Safety...

By David A. F. Sweet Bruno Abate recalled recently the words his father, Alfredo, shared with him before he passed away about 30 years...

By David A. F. Sweet When plans were under review for the new Lake Forest Police Station, one key observation helped improve the design:...

By George Sigaev Leaving the bleak and barren battlefields of World War I, United States veterans—entering a society almost...

By Helena Kavanagh Some Lake Forest residents will soon notice a new item in their homes, and while the upgrade may be small in size, it...

By David A. F. Sweet Ethan Holmes is the Veteran of the Year for Lake Forest. In November, he’ll have completed four years of service...

By Jenny Liang When William Elliott, then a seventh-grader, walked into the CROYA Student Union, he had no idea how transformative the...

By Helena Kavanagh If you’ve admired the beautifully landscaped parks, medians, or vibrant flower urns around Lake Forest, chances are...

By Jenny Liang Around Lake Forest, business owner and mom Gina Dardi gets asked a common question: “What does your license plate mean?”...

While a senior at Lake Forest High School, Michaela Barry wrote a piece about Committee Representing Our Young Adults (CROYA) following...

By Kayla Moore   Summer is always the busiest season for Lake Forest Parks & Recreation – but according to Director Mike Wick, 2025 is...