Law Enforcement, Community Gathers at Police Memorial

Illinois police, Cook County police, Chicago police and local police departments including Park Ridge, Niles and Des Plaines, participated in a memorial service in Park Ridge on Monday.

Park Ridge residents and community groups gathered with elected officials and members of law enforcement to honor police killed in the line of duty on the steps of city hall on Monday. Members of the Illinois State Police Department, Cook County police, the Chicago Police Department and local police departments including Park Ridge, Niles and Des Plaines, participated in the ceremony, which was hosted by the Park Ridge Police Chaplains Association. Andrew Liaugminas, of Mary, Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church in Park Ridge, welcomed the crowd to the remembrance ceremony. “And in gratitude for the daily service and dedication that our police personnel give to our community,” Liaugminas said. Mayor Dave Schmidt read a proclamation acknowledging…

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Niles Police Win Golf Mill Food Drive Contest

It's a fierce competition each year to see which local agency can collect the most food items in Golf Mill's "Festival of Trees" food drive.

  One year, the Niles Fire Department won. Another, St. Matthew's Lutheran Church took home the honors. This year, the Niles Police Department got the glory of winning Golf Mill Shopping Center's "Festival of Trees" food drive by collecting the greatest number of donations to the holiday food drive--4,423. "I am very excited that we won the contest and want to thank all of those that supported the Police Department," said Niles Police Chief Dean Strzelecki. Like Niles-Morton Grove Patch on Facebook "However I am overjoyed with the response to the food drive and very happy for the people in need during this season.  I would encourage all that participated during this time of giving to try and think of those in need all year long by …

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Chicago Man Charged with Sex Abuse of Niles Girl

Police said the man, a family friend, fondled the 16-year-old during at least two incidents in Niles. The victim told police other incidents occurred in Chicago.

The following arrest information was supplied by the Niles Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. A 41-year-old man was charged in connection with the sexual abuse of a Niles girl, now 16, over a three-year period.  Rolando Pareja, 41, of the 5000 block of Northwest Hwy., Chicago, was charged with aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony, Aug. 31 at about 4:50 p.m. Niles police said Pareja, a friend of the girl's family, fondled the girl's breasts and genitals at least once over her clothing. He also fondled her breasts at least once under her clothing, police stated. Niles Police Sgt. Robert Tornabene said he did not have details on how many times the abuse occurred. However, the girl told police the abuse …

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Armed Des Plaines Man Stalks, Threatens Woman

The following arrest information was supplied by the Niles Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

The Niles Police Department provided the following report. Peter Frauenhoffer, 29, of Des Plaines was charged with armed robbery after allegedly following a woman from a coin shop and threatening her at approximately 3:25 p.m. on Aug. 16, according to Niles police. Police said the victim, a 58-year-old Mount Prospect woman, noticed a vehicle tailgating her starting around the 9000 block of Golf Road as she drove east. The woman said she pulled into a parking lot in the 8200 block of Golf in Niles and did not see the offender's black SUV. While she was sitting in her car, Frauenhoffer, displaying a large metal file, approached her, according to the report. Police said he threatened the woman with physical harm and said, “I know you have at …

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Suspicious Man Tries To Touch Teen Girl At Bus Stop

He put his hand up as if to cover her face when a passerby screamed and threatened to call police.

Maine Township High School District 207 released the following today:  On December 2, 2010, a Maine East student reported to the school's Student Resource Officer that she was waiting for a Pace bus at Greenwood Avenue and Golf Road at 6:45 a.m.  The student stated she was approached by a male black suspect, who approached her and stated "What time does the bus come?"  The student said the suspect then put his hand to her face, as if to cover it, but stopped short of touching her when an unidentified woman passing by said: "Don't do it; I will call the police." The suspect then got into the passenger side of a dark blue minivan stopped in southbound traffic on Greenwood at Golf.  The student stated that windows on the van, which had dents…

Festival of Trees Illuminates Golf Mill Shopping Center

Local establishments decorate trees to help feed the hungry.

The JC Penney court got a bit brighter Saturday morning when Golf Mill Shopping Center kicked off its Festival of Trees food drive. The event corresponded with the mall's welcoming of the holiday season, which included the arrival of Santa Claus into Winter Wonderland in the mall's center court and carolers from Des Plaines Willows Academy. The Chicago Pet Rescue, Home Depot, Maine Township Mainestreamers, Niles Chamber of Commerce, Niles Fire Department, Niles Police Department, Niles Public Library, Niles Senior Center, St. Juliana School in Edison Park and St. Matthews Church in Niles have all decorated a tree to fit the mall's 50th anniversary theme of  "Then and Now." "It is heartwarming to see how these businesses put their creative …

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