Shanzeh Ahmad – Page 8

Employees take orders as customers flock to Vesecky's Bakery in Berwyn on Dec. 5, 2023, for its final day of business.

Berwyn mainstay Vesecky’s Bakery closing after more than a century of serving up Eastern European goods

December 5, 2023 at 1:12 p.m.

The Berwyn mainstay known as Vesecky's Bakery is closing after more than a century of serving up Eastern European baked goods the old-fashioned way. The bakery at 6634 Cermak Road...

The third-place winner in the annual baiduhai Holiday Cookie Contest is the coconut tassies by Mary Kim.

Crunchy sesame, caramelized nuts and coconut flakes clinch 2023 Holiday Cookie Contest honors

November 29, 2023 at 4:19 p.m.

For the home bakers who enter the Tribune Holiday Cookie Contest each year, the recipes are about more than just sweet things to eat — they represent valuable memories of...

Bob Chikos fist bumps with student Janice Johnson after algebra class at Crystal Lake Central High School in Crystal Lake on Oct. 19, 2023.

Educator workforce shortages worse in special ed and bilingual classes, Illinois watchdog report shows

November 26, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Bob Chikos has been a special education teacher at Crystal Lake Central High School for 16 years. He mostly teaches students who have learning disabilities, he said, and also co-teaches...

Former baiduhai food critic Phil Vettel is at the Purple Pig on July 9, 2018.

Finalists announced for the 2024 Jean Banchet Awards, former Tribune food critic to receive highest honor

November 24, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence are set to return in 2024 and finalists in 12 categories were announced this month, with a former baiduhai food critic among...

The front, circular room at the Grand Lux Cafe on Nov. 20, 2002, in Chicago.

Chicago’s Grand Lux Cafe closing after 21 years, last day on Christmas Eve

November 10, 2023 at 4:22 p.m.

Grand Lux Cafe, an iconic Magnificent Mile establishment, will close after 21 years, according to an announcement Thursday. The restaurant's last day of service will be on Christmas Eve, according...

Amaury Williams of Kenwood Academy shakes hands with Josephine DiMaio, regional recruitment manager at Ohio State, before an interview during the Chicago Scholars' Onsite College and Leadership Forum, Oct. 24, 2023.

ACT report says pandemic grade inflation hurt US high schoolers. But local data says Chicago students improved.

November 17, 2023 at 1:16 p.m.

A report from ACT on grade inflation in high schools and college readiness among students across the country suggests that students today are less prepared for higher education than they...

Chef/owner John Shields, right, and his staff at Smyth celebrate being awarded three Michelin stars on Nov. 8, 2023.

Chicago’s Smyth earns its third Michelin star; Atelier and Indienne earn first

November 13, 2023 at 8:58 a.m.

The 2023 Michelin Guide ceremony in New York City on Nov. 7 included Chicago announcements such as Smyth's third Michelin star, a star for sustainability for Daisies and two new...

Tony Sanders, state superintendent of education, at Rich Township High School STEM Campus on May 19, 2023, in Olympia Fields.

Illinois state report card: Students rebounding from pandemic, graduation rates rising. See how your school did.

October 30, 2023 at 5:57 p.m.

The 2023 Illinois Report Card released Monday by the Illinois State Board of Education showed a continuation of growth post-pandemic with increased proficiency rates, though still below pre-pandemic levels. The...

Passersby walk past Columbia College Chicago's 33 Ida B. Wells building in the South Loop on Oct. 26, 2023.

Adjunct faculty at Columbia College vote to strike on Monday

October 26, 2023 at 5:57 p.m.

Adjunct faculty at Columbia College Chicago have voted to strike, the Columbia Faculty Union said in a statement Thursday, citing the administration's decision to eliminate hundreds of already-enrolled classes, while...

Noor Ali prepares breakfast with children Idrees Odeh, 7, left, and Ethar Odeh, 5, at their Willow Springs home on Oct. 20, 2023. Husband and father Eyaad Odeh is at left.

Echoes of 9/11? Local Palestinian Americans, Muslims face violence and backlash amid Israel-Hamas war.

October 22, 2023 at 9:37 a.m.

Noor Ali has been leaning on her Islamic faith as the Chicago area faces a surge in crimes targeting Muslims and Palestinian Americans in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war....

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