Express yourself with your mug
It can be said that drinking a cup of coffee is an expression of American freedom. What can be more American than a coffee mug? Last month I started asking readers to send me photos of their favorite coffee mug and the reason it holds so many memories.

Plainfield artist's favorite subject: Americana
At the center of Joe Petruzzi's Web site is an oil painting titled "America the Good and..."; it is a tribute to his son's military service and Petruzzi's own love for all-things American.

Easter Seals clients to become American Girls for a day
In the same spirit of the American Girl doll stories, two special needs girls will model Bitty Baby signature clothing to raise money for Easter Seals Joliet Region.

Double up the flavor for this Sunday's battle
This week, we honor Lovie's favorite defensive scheme with a chili that hits you two different ways. On the Arizona side of the ball, we've taken a classic Arizona snack food, the cheese crisp, and topped it with a chorizo chili.

Cancer research, toy drive honor teen's work
Mark Staehely battled a rare pediatric cancer for six years before dying in 2006. One of his last wishes is now being realized through a new foundation supporting research into the disease.

Holiday craft shows abound
The following is a list of seasonal craft shows and bazaars offered throughout the readership area.

Lewis U, mediation team earns honors
Lewis University's mediation team earned second- and fourth-place honors in the University of Wisconsin mediation tournament on Oct. 9-10.< br>

Ghosts of dinners past haunt Plainfield eatery?
The haunted house on Lockport Street in Plainfield is really a restaurant, but people who work there have paranormal-activity-like stories to tell.

Tickets available for hospice fashion show benefit
Joliet Area Community Hospice Guild is returning to the location of its first Puttin' on the Glitz fundraiser -- the Joliet Junior College Renaissance Center, 214 N. Ottawa St. in downtown Joliet.

Easy, adaptable holiday treats

Whether you need a last-minute hors d'oeuvre or an effortless way to use a spare round of purchased pie crust, try these sweet or savory pinwheels that come together in minutes, bake up attractively, travel well and are incredibly versatile.

Heart attack survival rates improve in women
Two new studies show that heart attacks have become more common among middle-aged women in the last two decades, but in-hospital survival rates, especially for younger women, are improving compared with men. Both studies were published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Holiday craft show roundup
The following is a list of seasonal craft shows and bazaars offered throughout the area:

Beware of 'hidden' sodium in restaurant food
If you think you're doing a good job limiting salt at home, be sure not to fall off the wagon when eating out.

Hospice guild putting on 25th fashion show
The Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) Guild will present its 25th annual "Puttin' On The Glitz" fashion show Nov. 1 at the Renaissance Center in Joliet.

IPD brings mental health services to Joliet
Mental health services in the Joliet area expanded Sept. 1 when the Institute for Personal Development (IPD) opened its fourth office in the space the former Central Professional Group once occupied, with several of its mental health professionals joining the staff of IPD.

With every bead of his art, Native-Americans honored
Ron Murphy of Joliet has an alter ego. Most days, he's simply "Ron," a 73-year-old retired guy. But every so often this seemingly ordinary fellow is transformed into a different being -- one named Running Dog.

Exchange Club offers parenting classes
The Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect at Guardian Angel Community Services in Joliet is offering parenting classes.

Seasonal craft shows abound throughout area
The following is a list of seasonal craft shows and bazaars offered throughout our readership area.

Chef imports island's healthy eating

You are what you eat. You've heard it a million times, but do you take the phrase seriously? You should, says Michael McGreal, of Orland Park, culinary arts chairman at Joliet Junior College. McGreal just returned from a trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada, where he was impressed with the island's support of local farmers and sustainable agriculture/aquaculture.

Recreation briefs
Recreation briefs: Try your hand at farm chores at Primrose Farm. Meet the farm's animal residents while learning about their care and feeding. Dress for the weather. Children must be accompanied by a paying adult. Class for ages 4 and up meets from 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Primrose Farm, 5N726 Crane Road. Fee is $5 for residents and $7 for nonresidents.

From drab to fab: Check out these makeovers
Today's hairstyles are all about getting back to a natural, organic look. This is what John Gialluisi, creative director of Mario Tricoci, says -- and he should know. A few weeks ago, Gialluisi wrapped up work styling models for the nation's top designers as part of Fashion Week in New York.

Bowl 'em over with regional chili dishes

This week, the Bears travel to Atlanta to face the impressive quarterback Matt Ryan and the hot Atlanta Falcons. Last year, the Bears lost to the Falcons in a heartbreaking last-minute turn of events, but this year we're ready for them.

Halloween events
Looking for an alternative to traditional Halloween trick-or-treating?

Want to be a debutante?
High School juniors and seniors from Will County and nearby communities are invited to attend the second and final informational session on becoming a debutante in the "Miss Fantasia" Cotillion Ball.

The baby-fat fight
Childhood obesity in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the last several decades, and local communities are devising creative, assertive methods to combat it. The old methods of distributing a few pamphlets and offering a program or two just aren't working today, as Morris Hospital discovered.

When going gets tough Self-help methods to help urinary incontinence
More than 13 million Americans -- many of them women -- have experienced some degree of leaking bladders, but few will admit it and feel shamed by the disorder. But when women relinquish traveling, exercise and other everyday activities for fear of accidental loss of urine, it's time to seek help.

Rescue is for the birds
An exotic bird owner since 1978, Kathy Forst decided to put her knowledge and devotion to broader use when, seven years ago, she began volunteering for a Northbrook parrot rescue. There, Forst saw the overwhelming need for similar rescues and decided to begin her own.

St. Jude students learn from each other
Students from St. Jude School in New Lenox traveled last month to the County Line Orchard in Hobart, Ind., for a day of apple-picking, learning about how honey is harvested, and find out how apple cider presses work.

Things will go bump in the night at Pilcher Park
For those with an active imagination, Pilcher Park Nature Center in Joliet could lend itself to the perfect setting for a horror flick. A few people at the center let their imaginations run wild, and they created The Nature of Fear, a haunted house set indoors and out that plays on our own fears.

JJC planetarium hosting free show
The Joliet Junior College Trackman Planetarium will host the public program "Star Clusters: Jewels in the Sky" from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy.