Hi everyone, I wanted to let you all know that after today, I will no longer be the editor of Lake Zurich Patch. Starting tomorrow, I will take over as the editor of Libertyville Patch. I used to cover Libertyville schools years ago and am quite familiar with the town already. But you all should know — I love Lake Zurich! You all have been so welcoming and helpful over the past year, including Mayor Branding and all the trustees, school district officials, the business community, local organizations, and, of course, all of you wonderful readers. I'm definitely going to miss Lake Zurich. This …

I was sitting at my desk today, working, when I received a strange text message on my personal cell phone. Your entry last month has WON!! Goto (URL) and enter your winning code to claim your free $1,000 BestBuy Gift Card. I knew this was obviously a scam. I hadn't entered any contests. So I decided to look up some information online, and here is what I found on the Better Business Bureau website: a warning about gift card scams using the Best Buy and Walmart names. Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said on the site that the …

I stopped at a gas station in Vernon Hills a couple of days ago to fill up the gas tank in my car. I was shocked to see the prices! The gas cost me $4.55 a gallon, for a total of more than $60 — and I drive a MINI Cooper with a small gas tank! The Chicago area has the highest gas prices in the nation. Here in Lake Zurich, the cheapest gas can be found for $4.35 gallon at Mobil, 650 S. Rand Road, and for $4.40 a gallon at Sterling Citgo, 487 S. Rand Road, and Lake Zurich 66, 1 N. Rand Road. Even with my fuel-efficient car, I'm still trying to find ways to cut back on my driving. What are some …

The Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce's 2012 EXPO can be summed up in one word: Awesome! This was my first year participating in the EXPO. I joined Patch in May of last year, after the EXPO already had taken place. I didn't really know what to expect. My trusty sidekick (and ad manager) Lisa Labuda and I arrived early to set up our booth, which, of course, had a lot of green because that's the Patch color. We even had a game where visitors could spin a wheel and win a prize — including Patch water bottles and tote bags. It was great to see the steady — and enthusiastic — stream of people …

I love Starbucks coffee. On a typical Wednesday or Thursday (or both), you can find me at the Starbucks on Rand next to Sonic, sipping away and working. My drink of choice is usually a tall white chocolate mocha, although I've been known to switch it up and order a tall cinnamon dolce latte.  Lent starts tomorrow, and I've been contemplating whether to give up something for the 40-day period this year. Last year, I decided I would give up Starbucks. I'm sad to say, I fell off the wagon after a couple of weeks.  This year, though, I'm serious about giving up my beloved, tasty coffee drinks. I'…

This morning, Ad Manager Lisa Labuda and I visited the Foglia YMCA to greet people — and share some all-important Valentine's Day candy! As we handed out candy hearts, we chatted with people about Lake Zurich Patch. So many people told us how much they love the site. Others were curious to learn what we're all about. I just wanted to say thank you to the Foglia YMCA for letting us join them this morning. And thank you to the wonderful people we met as they stopped in for a workout! I hope you take the time to check out the site — and I encourage you to sign up for our free daily email …

It has been a big year in Lake Zurich. Village trustees approved the Open Space and Recreation Master Plan, which will serve as a framework for the village’s parks and recreation. Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods and Kildeer put to rest their legal battle over properties at Route 22 and Quentin Road. Trustees also approved a water and sewer rate hike that will take effect Jan. 1. We’ve seen village leaders leave. Village Administrator Bob Vitas and Finance Director Al Zochowski both submitted their resignations, effective at the end of 2011. Fire Chief Terry Mastandrea retired from the Lake Zurich…

What do you hope to find when you open your gifts tomorrow morning? I keep saying that what I really want for Christmas is this purple Coach planner I saw in the Coach store. I talk about that planner all of the time. It's pretty spectacular! But you know what? That kind of stuff isn't what's really important this year. You see, I'm sure each of us knows people — friends, family, acquaintances — who are out of work right now. That may even be you. I know a few people who are unemployed. My mom was an awesome preschool teacher until earlier this year, when she was let go from her job. Then she…

"No man is a failure who has friends." That message from Clarence to George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life gets me every time. It never fails to bring tears to my eyes. I know we've all felt like a failure at one time or another. That line about not being a failure if you have friends can resonate with all of us. A friend's love is unconditional. We may feel like a failure, but our friends always will be there for us. There's just something about Christmas movies — and songs — that stir up strong emotions for me. It's a Wonderful Life always has been one of my favorites. When I was growing …

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, it's a good time for all of us to reflect on what we're thankful for this year. I thought I'd share my list with you — and I hope you respond and share what you're thankful for! 1. My family. I keep hearing jokes on so many TV shows about how Thanksgiving is the time of year when families get together and fight with each other. Sure, my family has its share of silly disagreements. But at the core, we are all incredibly close. My siblings — Kim, Karl and Tena — are among the people I count as my best friends. I know that if I had nobody else in my …

Happy birthday, Lake Zurich Patch! It's been a year since the launch of Lake Zurich Patch — and what an impressive year it has been! Lake Zurich Patch started under the leadership of Ken Schnepf in September 2010. I took over in May and haven't been happier. Working for Patch has been the most rewarding experience of my journalism career thus far.  Here's a look at what we've covered over the past year: We've been there all the way with the Lake Zurich High School football team, including when the team went to the Class 7A championship game. Our sports writer, Josh Katzman, covers every game …

None of us will ever forget where we were on Sept. 11, 2001.I was still asleep when my brother Karl called me to tell me that a plane had just crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center. I jumped out of bed and turned on the TV, tuning in to the Today show on NBC. Matt Lauer and Katie Couric looked just as stunned and confused as I was. We were obviously thinking the same thing: What a horrible accident! Unaware of what was still to come, I kept thinking, "How are they ever going to repair that building?"Matt and Katie talked about the incident while showing live footage of …

I admit it — I’m a weather geek. My obsession with weather goes all the way back to when I was just a teenager. I was absolutely terrified of tornadoes. Whenever the sirens sounded, I’d of course be out in the driveway with my dad, watching for anything suspicious. The whole time, though, I’d be insisting that we run to the basement. Then, when I was on a youth group trip with my church, I had a close encounter with a tornado. We were in Nebraska on our way to Colorado. We planned to stay overnight at a local church but first stopped to eat dinner. Then, on our way to the church, the skies …

Last year, I attended an assembly at Antioch Upper Grade School, where a man told the emotional story of his son who had committed suicide in 2003.The man, John Halligan, talked about how his son, Ryan, had been mercilessly bullied. Ryan was teased at school and even stood up to his bully at one point. It wasn't until after Ryan's death, however, that his parents discovered that he'd been bullied on the Internet as well. John found instant messages from other students and even contacted some of Ryan's classmates, discovering that the bullying had continued online. While John said his son …

When it comes to pampering myself, the most I usually do is go to the Hair Cuttery in Gurnee for a cut and style. On the rare occasion (okay, twice) that I've gotten a manicure, I wasn't too pleased with the results. My poor nails fail to hold the color for too long, often chipping the very next day - whether self-done or professionally-painted. I've never had a pedicure - my feet are way too ticklish - and I've never had a massage.So, given my obvious lack of pampering experiences, you'll be surprised to hear that I went to Spa Soma, 303 N. Rand Road, for a 30-minute mini-facial! I had no …

I get to do a lot of cool things as a journalist.I've met famous authors, interviewed members of the Chicago Bears and attended media events at local entertainment attractions. But on Thursday evening, I did perhaps the coolest thing of my journalism career. The Warriors' Watch Riders invited me to join them in their procession as they escorted home a local soldier.Marine Lance Cpl. Logan Garrison just returned home after serving six months in Afghanistan and six months in Japan. The Warriors' Watch Riders met at Chili's in Kildeer, spending the better part of two hours standing outside in …

It was quite an emotional moment on May 13, when my youngest sister, Tena, walked across the stage at the College of Lake County to receive her nursing pin.It was the culmination of years of hard work. I definitely had a tough time holding back the tears, especially when I saw her shedding some of her own as she sat on stage, listening to a classmate's speech. I can't even tell you how proud I am of her. She's been working at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital for nearly six years and has learned so much about her chosen profession during those years. To say that she is knowledgeable about her…