Beyond the Book, A Literary Experience

Bookstore • Coffee • Podcast Studio Step into Beyond the Book, a cozy literary haven where stories, coffee, and community come together. More than a bookstore, we’re a creative hub for readers and writers—celebrating diverse authors, hosting inspiring workshops, and nurturing the next generation of storytellers. From our South Suburban Literary Book Award to our Aspiring Authors Workshop, we honor the power of words to connect and transform. Whether you’re writing your first page or sipping your favorite brew, you’ll find your place, and your story, Beyond the Book. Through collaborations with thought leaders, nonprofits, and corporations, Beyond the Book weaves together a community where the love of reading, writing, and authorship is celebrated and cultivated with intention.

Cook County

Lauren Traut

Chicago Metropolitan Area

Homewood-Flossmoor

Illinois

Bookstore • Coffee • Podcast Studio Step into Beyond the Book, a cozy literary haven where stories, coffee, and community come together. More than...

We bake the best desserts and cookies in Tinley Park!

Crumbl Tinley Park

With a delicious variety of gourmet treats, we’ve got you covered with in-store pickup, delivery, and catering options from our locally-owned dessert bakery. Our desserts in Tinley Park are made fresh daily with a weekly rotating menu of over 300 flavors! From the best chocolate chip cookies to delectable pies and cakes, our desserts are perfect for gifting and sharing with friends and family.

Tinley Park

With a delicious variety of gourmet treats, we’ve got you covered with in-store pickup, delivery, and catering options from our locally-owned...

Become a Volunteer Meal Driver: Just 2 Hours a Week

Meals on Wheels for Northern Illinois

For thousands of older adults across Illinois, a knock at the door is more than just a food delivery—it is a vital lifeline. At Meals on Wheels for Northern Illinois (MOWFNI), we are dedicated to helping our senior neighbors live independently, safely, and with dignity in the homes they love. We achieve this through nutritious food, wellness checks, and the power of human connection, but we cannot do it alone. The Power of Our Volunteers Our volunteers are the heartbeat of MOWFNI. If you have just two hours a week to spare, you can make a profound difference. Delivering meals fits seamlessly into a midday routine or lunch break. As a volunteer driver, you do far more than hand over a meal; you provide a friendly smile, a warm conversation, and a crucial safety check for a senior who might not see anyone else that day. We offer flexible scheduling that allows you to volunteer weekly, monthly, or as part of a team with coworkers or friends. Our Core Programs: Home-Delivered Meals: We provide hot, medically tailored, and nutritious meals delivered directly to the doorsteps of those who cannot cook or shop for themselves. Community Cafes: Beyond home delivery, our vibrant Community Cafes offer a welcoming space for active older adults to gather, enjoy a delicious lunch, socialize, and build meaningful friendships that combat senior isolation. Make a Local Impact Today When you support or volunteer with MOWFNI, you are directly investing in the health and happiness of older adults right here in our neighborhood. Whether you are looking to give back during retirement, connect with your community, or get your local business involved in a meaningful cause, there is a place for you in our volunteer family. Join us in delivering more than a meal. Visit mowfni.org/volunteer-sign-up to fill out a brief volunteer application, or call us today to learn how you can start changing lives—one hour, one smile, and one senior at a time.

Will County

Andrea Earnest

Bolingbrook

For thousands of older adults across Illinois, a knock at the door is more than just a food delivery—it is a vital lifeline. At Meals on Wheels for...

Book now for spring exterior painting and deck staining

Orland Painting and Decorating Service LLC

Local family owned painting contractor with 36 years experience specializing in interior and exterior painting, drywall and plaster repair, wall covering installation , interior window refinishing, power washing and deck repair and staining.

Orland Park

Local family owned painting contractor with 36 years experience specializing in interior and exterior painting, drywall and plaster repair, wall...

A Calm, Inclusive Space for Mental Wellness

Step-by-Step: The Spa for Your Mind

Step-by-Step: The Spa for Your Mind is a modern mental wellness practice focused on therapy, emotional balance, and personal growth. We provide a calm, affirming, and inclusive environment where clients can explore their mental health at their own pace. Our approach centers on compassion, self-awareness, and individualized care rather than pressure or one-size-fits-all solutions. We support individuals experiencing stress, anxiety, burnout, life transitions, and emotional overwhelm. Step-by-Step is committed to culturally responsive and LGBTQ+ affirming care, ensuring that all clients feel safe, respected, and heard. Mental wellness is a journey, and we are here to walk it with you, one step at a time. Two locations to serve you: • Evergreen Park Location: 9730 S Western Ave, Suite 203, Evergreen Park, IL 60805 • Homewood Location: 1820 Ridge Rd, Suite 303B, Homewood, IL 60430

Lorraine Swanson

Evergreen Park

Step-by-Step: The Spa for Your Mind is a modern mental wellness practice focused on therapy, emotional balance, and personal growth. We provide a...

Reneé E. Kaminsky nee Mirkin, age 73. Beloved wife of Alan Kaminsky. Loving mother of Jeffrey (Shari) Kaminsky, Marla (Paul) Brodsky and Brian Kaminsky. Proud grandmother of Adam, Lauren, Jared, Samantha, David and Ethan. Dear sister-in law of Rayna (the late Max) Adler and sister of Harry (Carol) Mirkin. Service Thursday 12 noon at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 195 N. Buffalo Grove Road (One block north of Lake Cook Road) Buffalo Grove. Interment Sunset Memorial Lawns. Memorials in memory of Reneé may be made to the University of Chicago Medicine at University of Chicago Gift Administration and Business Data, Reneé E. Kaminsky Memorial, 5235 S. Harper Ct., 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60615 or Hillel at The University of Illinois, 503 E. John St., Champaign, IL 61820, donate.illinihillel.org. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals - Buffalo Grove Chapel 847.229.8822, <a href="http://www.cjfinfo.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">www.cjfinfo.com</a>

Reneé E. Kaminsky

Service Thursday 12 noon at Chicago Jewish Funerals, 195 N. Buffalo Grove Road (One block north of Lake Cook Road) Buffalo Grove. Interment 

Obituaries

Chicago Heights

Oak Forest

Lake County

Munster

Indiana

Alsip-Crestwood

Hammond

Frankfort

Chicago

Beverly-MtGreenwood

Mokena

Serendipity Yoga

Energize your summer with our 3-month unlimited yoga membership featuring over 30 weekly class times, including virtual, morning, and weekend options. Join a supportive community of all levels for just $340 to build strength, reduce stress, and achieve a complete mind-body reset.Perfect for teachers, college students, or anyone wanting to establish a consistent practice.This pass is valid from the purchase date through August 31, 2026.

Local Event: 3-Month Unlimited Yoga Membership

3-Month Unlimited Yoga Membership

Energize your summer with our 3-month unlimited yoga membership featuring over 30 weekly class times, including virtual,...

Irwin Community Center & Irwin Park

Retired educator and historian Richard P. Joyce will discuss various aspects of the struggle between the officers of Illinois' Spring Valley Coal Company and much of the population in the town it created.Join us to learn about the history of Spring Valley during its turbulent rip-roaring mining days!

This event is free and open to the public. Please join us for light refreshments before the program.
To view this program remotely via ZOOM, send an email requesting access to the link below. 1-2 days before the program, our host will forward all admission information. Please log in to this event by 7:00 PM.
<a href="mailto:southsubarkyzoom-request@yahoo.com">southsubarkyzoom-request@yahoo.com</a>
For further information, visit the website of the <a href="https://southsuburbanarchsociety.weebly.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">South Suburban Archaeological Society.</a>

Local Event: Spring Valley is a Mining Town

Spring Valley is a Mining Town

Retired educator and historian Richard P. Joyce will discuss various aspects of the struggle between the officers of Illinois'...

Homewood, Illinois

Come celebrate Migraciones: Juneteenth Edition featuring a public showcase of narratives held and honored by UpRisiing Doulas. This community event includes a live DJ, social dance, Latin/African educational dance, lineage workshops, and interactive activities like paint and script or a community vision board.

Local Event: The Journey Of 200 Stories

The Journey Of 200 Stories

Come celebrate Migraciones: Juneteenth Edition featuring a public showcase of narratives held and honored by UpRisiing Doulas....

Manheim Chicago

<a href="https://fordphilanthropy.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Ford Philanthropy</a>&nbsp;is teaming up with the <a href="https://www.ghsa.org/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Governors Highway Safety Association</a> (GHSA) and the <a href="https://idot.illinois.gov/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Illinois Department of Transportation</a> to bring four free, hands-on Ford Driving Skills for Life clinics to Manheim Chicago in Matteson, Ill., on June 27-28, 2026.
Established in 2003, Ford Driving Skills for Life pairs newly licensed or permitted teen drivers with professional instructors for advanced behind-the-wheel training designed to help inexperienced drivers develop the skills needed to recognize hazards, control their vehicles and make safer decisions on the road. Each session combines instruction from professional drivers with hands-on exercises that allow teens to practice important driving techniques in a controlled environment.

Participants will work with professional instructors to learn how to manage real-world driving situations and understand how their choices behind the wheel affect others on the road.
Why sign up?
·Hands-on training with professional driving instructors
·Real-world driving skills including hazard recognition, vehicle handling and skid control
·Strategies for avoiding distractions and staying focused while driving
·Safety in Mobility activities covering awareness of pedestrians, cyclists and e-scooter riders

The Ford Driving Skills for Life free training is designed to give teens experience practicing advanced driving techniques they may not encounter during traditional driver’s education courses. Vehicles are provided.
Parents, guardians and teen youth groups are encouraged to participate.Space is limited, and advance registration is required. Register today at <a href="https://drivingskillsforlife.com/training/hands-on-training/state/il" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">drivingskillsforlife.com/training/hands-on-training/state/il</a>

Local Event: Ford Driving Skills for Life Teaches Teens Hands-On Skills

Matteson

Ford Driving Skills for Life Teaches Teens...

Ford Philanthropy is teaming up with the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Illinois Department of...

Ford Driving Skills for Life Teaches Teens Hands-On Skills

South Suburban Death Notices, Week Of June 15

South suburban obituaries and available visitation information.

NAACP Chicago Far-South Suburban Branch Hosts...

The event is set for Saturday, June 20 at the Irwin Center. 

NAACP Chicago Far-South Suburban Branch Hosts Juneteenth Community Forum In Homewood

Community Corner

Across Illinois

Priest Found Dead | More Tornadoes Confirmed |...

Personal watercrafts crash | Teen assaulted in parking garage | Cyclist killed by train | IL contributes to America250 time capsule

Priest Found Dead | More Tornadoes Confirmed | Special Olympics Star Carries Torch: IL Weekend

America250 Time Capsule Will Contain This...

Each state is contributing items that are meant to represent its unique communities, history, culture and role in the nation.

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition