Nature is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it can wreak havoc on a garden.  Insects and wildlife have to eat, of course, and when we lay out a veritable buffet, who can blame them for gorging?  This is the natural order of things, and we should be happy to see monarch...

Downpours can quickly flood your basement and create a real mess. Wading through soggy boxes of books, soaking carpeting, floating dog food bowls and sopping sofas, you might feel paralyzed as to what to do. But don’t delay. Experts say you should act quickly to mop...

Good to know… Being a caregiver to someone with memory loss can be an overwhelming experience. Join social workers and nurse practitioners from Northwestern's memory team at Central DuPage Hospital as they help you navigate the complexity of caring for your loved one...

Animals are essential to our environment. But conflict can happen when animals enter our comfort zones. At DuPage County Animal Services, we encourage harmonious living with wildlife by humanely managing our spaces. Why do animals venture into human areas? Most...

Fraud perpetrated online is growing nationally and in Illinois as criminals use email, texts, computer pop-up messages and social media apps to lure people into their financial traps. The online missives are designed to set you on edge: Your account has been locked,...

The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and DuPage County have made it easier for residents to see where crime is happening within DuPage County. An interactive mapping system allows users to check the areas around their homes for crimes that have been reported. The...

If you feed birds in your garden, prevent dogs from eating the fallen birdseed. The birdseed alone is probably not going to cause too many problems unless a dog eats a very large volume of seed. Most dogs can pass small amounts of ingested birdseed. If a dog develops...

You probably already knew that our state’s bird is the northern cardinal which was chosen by Illinois schoolchildren in 1929.  But what follows is a list of Illinois state symbols that may surprise you!  And who knows, these may come in handy in an upcoming game of...

Composting at home is one of the easiest ways you can make a positive impact on the environment and your garden. Allowing grass clippings, fallen leaves, fruit peels and vegetable scraps to naturally decompose saves landfill space, reduces energy use, and builds...

Forest Preserve Reporting at Your Fingertips – Have an emergency? Please call 911! To report a suspicious activity or public safety concern in a DuPage forest preserve, call the Forest Preserve District police at 630-933-7240. For non-emergency concerns, email Forest...

This February, West Chicago City Council voted to annex that part of Purnell Road adjacent to Trillium Farms into the jurisdiction of West Chicago. The County Sheriff's department will no longer handle traffic accidents and/or enforcements for that area. West Chicago...

Cantigny’s new bug hotel was constructed of cedar planks in late winter and was installed in the gardens near Gold Pond in the Spring of 2022. Bug hotels are manmade structures designed to shelter beneficial bugs and insects, usually for the home garden. Beneficial...

$ - Increase the deductible. This can significantly lower your premium. $ - Combine coverage at one company. Ask if you can get a discount for purchasing more than one policy with the same company, such as auto and homeowners. $ - Maintain a smoke-free environment....

Recent research has raised a new concern about gas stoves: nitrogen dioxide. It has long been known that the stoves can produce deadly carbon monoxide, but a new report suggests that they can also produce levels of nitrogen dioxide that are more than double the EPA’s...

Americans spend a lot of time indoors – up to 90% of it, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The concentration of air pollutants in your home can be two to five times higher than what’s typically found outdoors, according to the EPA. VOCs, or volatile...

Yellow jackets are not bees but are small yellow and black wasps up to an inch long. Bees are vegetarian in all life cycle stages, but wasps eat meat during at least some portion of their life. They are either predators or parasites of other insects, making them...

Suspects, posing as legitimate workers, approach homeowners at their residence with the intent of gaining entry under a seemingly legitimate role: local gas company, water department, cable company, tree trimmers, pavers, County inspectors, or government officials....

The Emergency Contact Database is a free program offered by the Secretary of State. Any person with an Illinois Driver’s License and/or Identification Card can register two contacts for law enforcement to use in the case of an emergency. This is a voluntary program,...

Check for leaks and draft; doors and windows can prevent proper heating and increase energy bills. Have your chimney & furnace inspected to ensure they are working correctly. Reverse ceiling fan blades to push the warm air in the room down from the ceiling to keep...

For any outdoor do-it-yourself project, or work done by a professional, state law requires that JULIE (Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators) be contacted before any digging begins. Every project. Every time. Avoid knocking out the internet, power, or...

If flooding in your basement or yard is a common problem, then a French drain system may be your solution. French drains are a system of ditches and pipes that are used to divert water away from a specific area, like a home’s foundation.   Are They Worth It? A...

 With cooler temperatures on the horizon homeowners might be lighting their fireplaces for the first time since last winter. Here are some tips for keeping them safe and avoiding disaster: Open the chimney damper all the way. Don't restrict the air supply by closing...

Be vigilant against ruse burglaries. Don’t let anyone, who you don’t know, into your home. Also be cautious about giving information or business to companies that call or stop by your property unsolicited. Always check for an ID of anyone purporting to work on your...

“Happiness is a warm puppy” - Charles M Schultz “What greater gift than the love of a cat” - Charles Dickens   Our furry friends make us happy and give us love. And the holidays are a great time to show them just how much we care. With the holiday season upon us,...

Buckthorn is the most persistent of the invasive species of tree in our area. In some places it can provide screening from neighboring houses, but it can also be quite harmful.   It’s good to know that fall is the ideal time to spot where all of them are on your...