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Daniel Wright Junior High in Lincolnshire is among the top 25 Illinois middle schools, according to U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings.

Suburban schools make U.S. News’ 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings

Several suburban schools made the list of U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings released Tuesday.

Maureen Brady, left, and Allison Lungren talk at the table where they are raising funds for K9s for Veterans at the Palatine Jewel-Osco at 45 S. Plum Grove, Palatine.

Palatine seniors raise funds for K9s for Veterans

For the past month and a half, residents from Solstice Senior Living in Palatine have been raising funds for K9s for Veterans, a charity that pairs rescue dogs with veterans living with post traumatic stress disorder.

Palatine Community Consolidated School District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz, with microphone, announced Thursday she will retire at the end of the school year.

District 15 superintendent retiring at end of school year

Palatine Township Elementary School District 15 Superintendent Laurie Heinz will retire at the end of the school year, ending a seven-year tenure highlighted by the passage of a $93 million referendum and successful negotiations with the Chicago Bears to settle a property-tax fight.

Carhop Olivia Kaempfe serves a customer at the just-reopened Grayslake Dog n Suds.

‘I didn’t want to give up’: Nostalgia saved Grayslake Dog n Suds as it reopens after devastating fire

The Grayslake Dog n Suds is hoppin’ once again, with customers parked in nearly every available space awaiting a carhop to take their orders. The beloved drive-up joint reopened unexpectedly last week after being closed since an 2024 fire.

A secret ingredient turns Ectoplasm Punch neon green under UV light. Setting the pitcher in a bowl with water and a few flecks of dry ice adds even more spookiness, but remember to use care when handling dry ice and to never consume any beverage with dry ice in it.

This glow-in-the-dark Halloween punch is both a trick and a treat

Sweet, tart and neon-bright, this batched drink is a coconut-melon daiquiri upgraded for Halloween. The recipe produces a bright alien-green drink — but when you serve it in a clear vessel and shine a black light on it, you’ll have a glowing punch that delivers spectacle and spirit.

From left, Kimberly Fredricks, Regan Boll and former Batavia Active Transportation Advisory Commission co-chair Josh Curtis-Einstein staff a booth at the 2024 Batavia Bat Fest Run/Walk 5K.

Behind the scenes: How volunteers, advocacy make suburbs more bike-friendly

Visible are bike rodeos, community rides, and bike information booths. Behind the scenes are the unsung community heroes - local volunteers planning, organizing and often staffing various events.

The newly opened DuPage County Crisis Recovery Center serves people experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises.

‘Leading the way’: DuPage’s new Crisis Recovery Center making an early impact

The new DuPage Crisis Recovery Center is off to a “very strong start,” the county’s top public health official said Tuesday.