The 2013 summer concert season is a live music fan’s dream. A ton of great gigs are on the way, and many of them will be at First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. “It’s a busy summer and there’s just a lot of great artists on the road and great shows coming through,” said Jon Reens, senior director of marketing/Midwest for Live Nation, which operates FMBA. “They run the gamut on style and they run the gamut on format. It’s an extremely wide-ranging summer season.” The outdoor venue is boasting the most amount of country concerts … ]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 13:18:02 -0500 http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20089141-421/first-midwest-bank-amphitheatres-2013-concert-season.html http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20089141-421/first-midwest-bank-amphitheatres-2013-concert-season.html

Expanded Pace service on Interstate 55 is aimed at making commuting more convenient not only for bus riders but for train commuters, too. Pace on April 30 announced that it will add trips, as of April 29, to its express buses running between Plainfield and downtown Chicago, the fastest-growing routes in the suburban bus network. Pace also will try to accommodate commuters on Metra’s limited Heritage Corridor Line service by offering a nighttime shuttle bus to the Lemont, Lockport and Joliet Metra stations, also beginning April 29. Pace officials said they’re responding to growing ridership on the I-55 Express buses, … ]]> Wed, 22 May 2013 06:59:09 -0500 http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/19801351-418/pace-expands-service-between-plainfield-chicago.html http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/19801351-418/pace-expands-service-between-plainfield-chicago.html

These animals are available for adoption at area shelters. … ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 11:58:05 -0500 http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20130847-423/pets-of-the-week-for-may-21-2013.html http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20130847-423/pets-of-the-week-for-may-21-2013.html

The inaugural Easter Seals Regional Celebration of Giving Telethon was recently held, raising more than $100,000 for the organization. The day started at the Easter Seals Center in Bradley, then the celebration moved to the Jacob Henry Mansion in Joliet. “The single broadcast helped Easter Seals Joliet Region reduce production and related costs, achieve needed phone operators and increase net support for Easter Seals services,” said CEO/President Deb Condotti. At 9 p.m., the “final tote” of more than $170,000 was raised. The funds provide services to more than 2,700 children and adults with disabilities served by Easter Seals Joliet Region … ]]> Mon, 20 May 2013 11:29:10 -0500 http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20170314-423/celebration-of-giving-event-raises-170000.html http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20170314-423/celebration-of-giving-event-raises-170000.html

When Cole Zuponeck was 9 months old and not yet crawling, his parents, Kristin and George of Plainfield, took him to their pediatrician. The pediatrician said not to worry — the boy had low muscle tone. Check back in a year. So the Zuponecks figured their only child simply was a late bloomer. But Cole still wouldn’t crawl and instead was doing an “army crawl” where he’d lie on his belly and use his arms to push himself across the floor. Or, he’d roll around to get to where he wanted to go. Feeling somewhat alarmed once Cole turned 22 … ]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 09:58:01 -0500 http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20107690-418/walk-to-help-fight-disease.html http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/photos/20107690-418/walk-to-help-fight-disease.html