Paulina Czupryna

Paulina Czupryna is a former general assignment intern on the Tribune's suburban news desk.

Music fans board a Metra train in 2016 on their way to the first day of the Lollapalooza festival in downtown Chicago. Metra added trains to the schedule for the festival but riders still experienced crowded conditions on some trains this year. (Alexandra Kukulka/Pioneer Press)

Seats were at a premium on the train to Lollapalooza as Metra ridership rises

August 5, 2025 at 4:05 p.m.

The Lollapalooza festival brought thousands of people to Chicago from the suburbs, many who filled up Metra trains for the event.

George R. Gandara, a Marine Corps League chaplain and member of the indigenous Yaqui tribe, offers prayers and blessings through a tribal tradition during a memorial to honor World War II veteran and prisoner of war Emilio Aguirre with a new headstone and full military honors, July 17, 2025, at Homewood Memorial Gardens cemetery. (Dominic Di Palermo/baiduhai)

Homewood ceremony pays tribute to nearly forgotten veteran who died in 1995 heat wave

July 21, 2025 at 10:48 a.m.

On Thursday, 1995 heat wave victim and World War II veteran Emilio Aguirre received full military funeral honors in Homewood.

Young people ride an e-bike together on North Walnut Street on July 10, 2025, in Itasca. Joining other suburban communities, St. Charles recently passed an ordinance clarifying where e-bikes and e-scooters can be used.

E-bike laws a confusing patchwork for suburban riders

July 14, 2025 at 6:17 p.m.

A growing number of Chicago suburbs have enacted tougher e-bike regulations due to growing safety concerns. And it has become confusing for riders.

Sheila Sutton stretches along the lakefront at Diversey Harbor in Chicago as a storm arrives on May 15, 2025. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Chicago-area officials are bracing as summer storms roll in following Texas tragedy and weather service budget cuts

July 14, 2025 at 4:12 p.m.

The Chicago area has felt less of an impact from the Trump administration's National Weather Service cuts than offices in the Quad Cities and downstate Lincoln.

American Water Works Association President Heather
Collins, left, Norridge Director of Public Works Syed Mansoor and
Illinois Section American Water Works Association past chair Melissa
Olenick at the April 2025 WaterCon Convention in Peoria. Norridge was presented with a certificate and street sign as part of the town's recognition. (Courtesy/Village of Norridge)

Norridge Public Works awarded ‘gold’ standard for water education efforts

July 8, 2025 at 2:39 a.m.

The Norridge Village board took a moment at the June 25 meeting to publicly thank Public Works Department staff after the department picked up a “gold” award from a clean...

All Stories