Niles Herald-Spectator News

• Niles police catch 3 in burglary of house
  

  Police said two 16-year-olds from Skokie and a 15-year-old from Morton Grove were caught inside a Niles home on Dec. 20. All three were charged with residential burglary. One of the Skokie teens was also charged with marijuana possession, and police later linked cell phones in the teens' car to two other burglaries, in Morton Grove and Skokie.

• 2007: Floods, movie crews and tight races
  The year 2007 brought renewed hopes for Notre Dame High School, a local election decided by just one vote and Hollywood movie stars in town to shoot some scenes at the Niles Police station. But it was especially a year of leadership turnover for many local schools and churches, and in parts of local government.
• District 219 reigns as top arts school
  

  Although their own tendency to bring it up regularly had become a matter of intra-board banter by the end of this year, Niles Township High School District 219 trustees continued to be understandably proud of having the top high school fine arts program in the U.S..

• 'Mr. Maine' Paul Carlson earns 'teacher emeritus'
  

  Maine East High School history teacher Paul Carlson retired this spring after 50 years of teaching. He began his career at Thacker Junior High School, which then occupied the original Maine Township High School building in Des Plaines, but the rest of his half century was spent at Maine East.

• District 64 schools test asthma detection program
  

  Two doctors working on their residencies at Resurrection Medical Center enlisted the help of District 64 schools recently to test a new program that detects asthma in children.

• Police Blotter
  
• What's new around town this week
  Blue Line trains pick up speed on NW Side
• Obituaries
  Marilyn Beck
• Christmas rescue: Elevator traps crew
  Two women who were trapped in an elevator over the weekend were rescued in time to be home for Christmas. The person they have to thank is Grant Koster, the facilities manager at Athletico, 6000 W. Touhy Ave., Chicago. The business closed Friday and wasn't going to be open again until Wednesday.
• Updated 12/21: District 219 picks O'Malley to replace Yeggy
  

  Niles Township High School District 219's next finance head will be a Skokie resident and Niles North High School graduate. The district's school board on Dec. 17 hired Paul O'Malley to succeed Chief Operating Officer Gerry Yeggy when he retires next year.

• Updated 12/21: Four face charges from credit card theft
  

  Four people were arrested and charged with crimes relating to the theft and then use of credit cards from a Notre Dame High School employee from her purse in her office.

• Updated 12/21: Woman dies after Thanksgiving Day fire
  

  A 67-year-old woman who suffered second and third degree burns when her clothing caught fire after possibly smoking in bed on Thanksgiving Day at a nursing home died Thursday, authorities said.

• Contract? Not yet for Dist. 207
  

  Unless something happens this week, it appears the teachers in Maine Township District 207 will remain without a contract over the holidays.

• District 219 student gets tuberculosis diagnosis
  

  The Cook County Health Department is testing Niles North and Niles West High School students who may have been exposed to a student diagnosed last month with tuberculosis.

• Niles Baseball League readies for 50th anniversary year in 2008
  

  This spring, the Niles Baseball League will celebrate its 50th season.

• District 219, unions settle pacts
  

  The last time Niles Township High School District 219 teachers, support staff, administrators and school board members negotiated over contracts, the atmosphere was ugly.

• Tips on tipping
  

  Make that holiday gift list and check it twice.

• Constitution team is Washington-bound
  

  Maine South High School's Constitution Team is once again bound for Washington D.C. after capturing the state title in the "We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution" competition on Dec. 7.

• Casino night set to raise grant funds
  The District 64 Elementary Learning Foundation (ELF) is hoping its Ocean's 64 casino night fund-raiser will prove to be a lucky format, when the not-for-profit organization holds its first adult evening social on Friday, Jan. 11. More than 70 teachers from the Park Ridge-Niles school district already have chipped in to help at the benefit, which will be held from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Beau Jolie near Irving Park and Mannheim roads in Schiller Park.
• Police Blotter
  
• Q&A: Tom Waldbuesser
  Tom Waldbuesser, 60, has been a volunteer at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital for the past 17 years. Once president of a small steel polishing company, he was unable to return to work after suffering a brain injury during a routine surgery in 1989. He initially came to volunteer as part of his outpatient rehabilitation.
• Notre Dame Dons collect for the troops
  

  One ton of donated items was recently collected and shipped to 30 Notre Dame High School alumni in the United States armed forces who are currently or will soon be deployed to Afganistan or Iraq.

• Obituaries
  Mildred Smith
• Henry Hyde's influence went beyond politics
  In the days since former U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde's death, much attention has been given to his positions on issues and his accomplishments as a legislator. But on Friday morning, friends, colleagues and family members gathered for a funeral Mass at St. John Neumann Church in St. Charles to pay their respects to Henry Hyde, the man.
• Niles to consolidate business waste collection, recycling
  

  Results of a recent survey of Niles businesses have convinced the Village Board to move forward with plans to consolidate commercial waste and recycling collection in the village.

• District 219 adds Chinese
  

  Students at both Niles West and North high schools next year will have a diverse slate of new classes to choose from -- including Mandarin Chinese -- now that Niles Township High School District 219 board members have endorsed course changes for 2008-09.

• Maine Township Democrats back Clinton for president
  

  The Maine Township Regular Democratic Organization has voted to endorse U.S. Senator and Park Ridge native Hillary Rodham Clinton for president.

• Maine East concert to revive patriotic piece
  In the 1930s, back when Maine East in Park Ridge was