Original News, Features & Opinion on local and regional news you won't find anywhere else
Decorated Iraq War veteran Senator Michael Hastings appointed to two key statewide veterans groups State Senator Michael E. Hastings was appointed to represent the Senate in two statewide veterans’ task forces. Hastings (D-Frankfort) will be serving as a member on the Breakthrough Therapies for Veterans Suicide Prevention Program Advisory Council and on the Veterans Service-Related…
Mundelein native serves U.S. Navy at Assault Craft Unit Five By Jeffery Tilghman Williams Chief Mass Communication Specialist Navy Office of Community Outreach Petty Officer 1st Class Mike Gielczyk, a native of Mundelein, Illinois, serves the U.S. Navy at Assault Craft Unit Five (ACU-5) operating out of San Diego, California. Gielczyk joined the Navy eight…
Read More “Mundelein native serves U.S. Navy at Assault Craft Unit Five ” »
Westmont native serves as a member of U.S. Navy’s “Silent Service” By Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach A Westmont, Illinois, native is stationed at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, homeport to all East Coast ballistic-missile and guided-missile submarines. Lt. Cmdr. Emil Marcinskas, a 2003 Westmont High School graduate, joined the Navy 10 years…
Read More “Westmont native serves as a member of U.S. Navy’s “Silent Service”” »
One of America’ oldest WWII veterans turns 102 One of America’s Oldest WWII Veterans, Sidney Walton, Turning 102, to be Honored in Miami Beach! Pit Crew to Update Sidney’s “National No Regrets Tour” Vehicle Wrap from “101” to “102.” Live! Starlite Hotel, 750 Ocean Dr, 8:00 am, Thurs, Feb 11. Invited guests include Mayor Dan Gelber of Miami Beach Sidney Walton, 101,…
Read More “One of America’ oldest WWII veterans turns 102” »
Naval Aviators team with U.S. Coast Guard to safeguard Mariners On Wednesday, June 24 as a five-person crew aboard VAW-124’s E-2C Hawkeye were manning the skies above Hampton Roads they heard a potential Search and Rescue (SAR) distress call announced on the Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and took action. By Jennifer Cragg Commander, Naval Air…
Read More “Naval Aviators team with U.S. Coast Guard to safeguard Mariners” »
Remembering our fathers and the past The story about my father, a proud immigrant from Palestine who came to America in 1926 to get away from the religious hatred that plagued Christians, Muslims and Jews. He loved America. Fought to defend America enlisting right after Pearl Harbor with his brother, and taught his children to…
Town of Cicero commemorates sacrifice of veteran who died at Pearl Harbor The Town of Cicero placed a Wreath at the Memorial Stone set up to honor the service of Cicero resident Joseph Philip Steffan, 32, who died during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 while serving on the U.S.S. Arizona,…
Read More “Town of Cicero commemorates sacrifice of veteran who died at Pearl Harbor” »
USS Gabrielle Giffords sailors prepare food SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 31, 2019) Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Cristian Reyes, from Hanover Park, Ill., prepares food in the galley aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10). Gabrielle Giffords is on a rotational deployment to INDOPACOM, conducting operations, exercises and port visits throughout the region…
Chicago Native Takes Marines to the Fight aboard U.S. Navy Warship By William Lovelady Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist, Navy Office of Community Outreach Petty Officer 2nd Class Alejandra Gueta, a native of Chicago, always wanted to join the military. Now, seven years later, Gueta serves aboard one of the Navy’s amphibious ships at Naval…
Read More “Chicago Native Takes Marines to the Fight aboard U.S. Navy Warship” »
Berwyn native participates in Navy Joint-Service training mission By Joint Hometown News Service Cmdr. Tracy Joy, a 1986 Immaculate Heart Of Mary High School graduate in Westchester and native of Berwyn, Illinois, is a nurse corps officer in the Naval Reserve. She is with the Expeditionary Medical Facility (EMF) Great Lakes One, Illinois, that participated…
Read More “Berwyn native participates in Navy Joint-Service training mission” »
Orland Park native exemplifies “We Build, We Fight” legacy of Navy Seabees By Alvin Plexico Navy Office of Community Outreach “We Build, We Fight” has been the motto of the U. S. Navy’s Construction Force, known as the “Seabees,” for more than 75 years. Commander Michael Meno, a 1991 Carl Sandburg High School graduate and…
Read More “Orland Park native exemplifies “We Build, We Fight” legacy of Navy Seabees” »
Chicago Native Trains to be a U.S. Navy Future Warfighter By Jerry Jimenez Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Navy Office of Community Outreach Sailors are some of the most highly-trained people on the planet, according to Navy officials, and this training requires highly-dedicated instructors. At Naval Education and Training command, instructors at advanced technical schools…
Read More “Chicago Native Trains to be a U.S. Navy Future Warfighter” »
Elmhurst native joins multinational exercise in Baltic Sea region By Theodore Quintana Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class , Navy Office of Community Outreach Lt.j.g. Jack Daniels, a native of Elmhurst, Illinois, is participating in the Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise with 18 other nations. “Working with other nations is always new and different,” said Daniels. “There…
Read More “Elmhurst native joins multinational exercise in Baltic Sea region” »
Burbank native joins multinational exercise in Baltic Sea region By Theodore Quintana Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class , Navy Office of Community Outreach Petty Officer 2nd Class Thomas Anderson, a native of Burbank, Illinois, is participating in the Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) exercise with 18 other nations. “During BALTOPS, I am going to be doing a…
Read More “Burbank native joins multinational exercise in Baltic Sea region” »
I don’t need a day to remember my father George John Hanania was a great guy and a phenomenal father, for the 16 years that I knew him. My dad fled the Holy Land in 1926 to get away from the hatred that consumed both Arabs and Jews. An older brother Joseph drowned in the…
Chicago native serves aboard versatile U.S. Warship half-a-world away By Robert Zahn Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class, Navy Office of Community Outreach Seaman Clarkensy Smith, a native of Chicago, joined the Navy to travel and see the world. Now, one year later and half a world away, Smith serves aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam, patrolling…
Read More “Chicago native serves aboard versatile U.S. Warship half-a-world away” »
Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership Steelworker Constructionman Joseph Synowiec, a Lockport, Ill. native, is participating in Pacific Partnership, the largest annual multinational humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparedness mission in the Indo-Pacific region. As a member of the Pacific Partnership 2019 (PP19) team, Synowiec is one of more than 500 U.S. service members,…
Read More “Lockport enlistee serving in Pacific Naval Partnership” »
Chicago Sailor Serves Aboard a Floating Airport at Sea By Kayla Turnbow Navy Office of Community Outreach A Chicago native and 2016 Marine Leadership Academy graduate is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington. Petty Officer 2nd Class Adoni Hughes is an aviation ordnanceman aboard the carrier stationed in Newport…
Read More “Chicago Sailor Serves Aboard a Floating Airport at Sea” »