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Highwood salutes the Fort
I have been a huge Highwood fan since I moved out here in 1954. But I first reported for Army duty at Fort Sheridan in 1943, just as I was turning 18, and have loved the place ever since. I spent my first, as well …Read More
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Wenk: Support the American Cancer Society, without sending money
HIGHLAND PARK — I get quite a few solicitations these days from lots of good causes. The pictures that come in from the Anti-Cruelty Society and from “Save-a Pet” often do their trick on me, as do quite a few others. But one that just …Read More
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Wenk: Cubs are like bad road construction
HIGHLAND PARK — It seems that every time a road is repaired in Illinois, there is an obvious effort to rip and hack away the top layer in the worst possible way. The repair crew often seems to be enjoying that part of the job, …Read More
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Decades of fun at Highland Park’s Old Elm Park
HIGHLAND PARK — Anniversaries are pretty common when you get to my age. In fact, I’ll have you know that my wife and I are celebrating 40 happy years ... out of 61! That’s well over half, so we’re doing pretty well. It’s also 60 …
HIGHLAND PARK — It has been more than 50 years since I was the troop leader for Boy Scout Troop No. 820 in Chicago, but I still have a few of my old scouts coming in to visit, including Highland Park’s Dick Blair. His memory …
HIGHLAND PARK — I know it’s easier now to just zap through all those TV commercials if you have “taped” — or more accurately, “recorded,” “TiVo’d” or “DVR’d” — a favorite show. But there is more reason than ever to zap through them these days, …
Oscars film elicits memories of pogo stick hoax
HIGHLAND PARK — Ben Affleck’s recent “Argo” movie brought back so many memories from that 1979 Iranian hostage nightmare, particularly the mission to rescue six of the hostages, who posed as a movie crew in order to avoid being recognized. The movie was very well …
Bob Elson a broadcast-booth prankster
A few loyal readers have been asking me for some more Bob Elson stories. (This could be because the Chicago baseball season that just ended had so many disappointments, that there’s some nostalgia for “better days”). Elson certainly encountered more than his share of true …
I’m glad to report that the fundraising effort for Jaclyn Santos Sacramento has brought out the best in Highland Park and its neighbors. On Sept. 3, Jaclyn and several members of her family were walking on the sidewalk and were struck by a car on …
Broadcaster makes sour season tolerable
The Cubs’ dismal season was Pat Hughes’ finest hour. It’s so much easier to broadcast for a winner, especially a playoff team that keeps the fans on top of every pitch throughout the season. But to keep his sense of humor and love for the …
Restaurant ‘hobby’ brings memories
Over the years, I’ve mentioned in this column the “hobby” I had, owning and running a Chinese restaurant (my kids thought they were Chinese ’til they were about 10 years old, as the name Wenk could have been Chinese, and we had had that restaurant …
Relax, Bear fans. This should make you feel a little better. Sure, you’re hurting from the horrible loss to Green Bay, including that humiliating fake field goal (that play has probably been on Packer minds for years, after several field goals were blocked by the …
Memories of a ‘biker’
Every time I pass the northeast corner of Routes 41 and 22, I get all sorts of flashbacks. For the first time I can remember, the area just north of the Mobil station on Route 41 is vacant, as even the remnants of the old …
This teahouse was full of fun
It has been 50 years since Marilyn Monroe died, and almost 50 since the Kennedy assassination. Next month, it will be 50 years since we sold “Charlie Wenk’s teahouse”. You see, I had taken up this “hobby” a few years before that, when my friend …
Wenk at wartime
HIGHLAND PARK — I’ve been lucky when it comes to my health, even with battling “Father Time” on a few issues lately! These struggles brought to mind the fact that it has been almost 70 years since an 18-year-old Chuck Wenk scared his mother and …
Farewell, Ashley
They’re all tough … but this was one of the toughest losses imaginable. Ashley Fiocchi, the beautiful daughter of Donna Orsi and the late Marvin Fiocchi of the Nite ’n’ Gale family, is gone and I can’t believe it. When Ashley was at the restaurant …
Celebrating 125 years
HIGHLAND PARK -- I learned from Ruth Buhai this week that the wonderful Highland Park Public Library is turning 125 years old, and by April 2013, substantial enhancements will be made to keep it one of the top libraries in the state! I still have …
Newspapers will survive
Sure, like everybody else I’ve heard the warnings that we’ll have fewer newspapers and magazines, because of the iPhones, iPads and Kindles, and that many younger people have never even read a newspaper, with news and sports available in so many places. But old-school or …
Lake Forest looking good to grandson Tucker
HIGHLAND PARK — In the 40-plus years of writing this column, I’ve rarely let others contribute for me. But at the insistence of grandson Tucker Wenk Deeter (a Lake Forest native), I am passing along some recent goings-on he has shared with me: “Hey, Oppy! …
Mischief maker Elson
A few loyal readers have been asking me for some more Bob Elson stories. (This could be because the recent Cubs-Sox series reminded fans just how bland the Sox radio guys are these days!). Elson may have played it straight as far as reporting the …
