With 2025 coming to a close, it’s time we take a look back at some of our biggest news stories from the last year.
Wednesday Journal posted 2,355 new stories this year, which generated over 1.86 million pageviews. The list below features our top 10 most viewed digital stories of the last year.
Thank you, to every one of you who spent time with our local news coverage this year.
FOIA requests filed by longtime Growing Community Media reporter Bob Skolnik outlined the end of OPRF’s equity director’s time at the high school. Materials he reviewed related to her administrative leave included a short Facebook Live video in which she reportedly modeled a waist training device from her office at the school.
- Oak Park Finance Director resigns after five months 31,544 pageviews
Carrie Marckess had been hired to be Oak Park’s finance leader after a year-long transition period. But she resigned after just a few months.
- Iconic Wright remodel hits the market 17,081 pageviews
Lacey Sikora broke the news of this beautiful century-and-a-half old Oak Park home hitting the market for the first time in decades. The home, which was remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1905, was listed for $2,295,000.
- Crowd of teens gather in Downtown Oak Park on Halloween, bullet hole found in nearby apartment 15,455 pageviews
My editor Dan Haley reported on the chaotic Halloween night scene that enveloped Downtown Oak Park this year. There was at least one shot fired, reports of several fistfights and two occasions of River Forest police using pepper balls near teens. While no one in the crowd was seriously hurt or arrested, the incident will be the subject of a third-party investigation.
- River Forest couple with expired visas deported to Slovakia 15,326 pageviews
Dan Haley also brought in this story on two long-time River Forest residents who were detained and deported to Eastern Europe in the early days of President Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz.”
- Metra assumes control of Oak Park train station 14,988 pageviews
Gregg Voss gave us this story on Metra police’s response to homeless people congregating near the Harlem and Lake train station. Local homelessness abatement group Housing Forward criticized the move.
- OPRF teacher put on leave after report of touching student 12,809 pageviews
FOIA requests I filed revealed that a former state teacher of the year had been placed on administrative leave after a student reported that he touched them inappropriately. No criminal charges were ever brought against him, but his firing was confirmed by the school board later this year.
- The Bear visits Oak Park’s Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio 11,247 pageviews
Lacey Sikora also gave us a look at Oak Park’s cameo in the latest season of the smash hit Chicago TV show The Bear. In Season 4, Episode 5 of the series, Chef Carmy visits Oak Park’s iconic Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio and a local Wright-designed home in a moment of self-reflection.
- Resignation and firing impact Oak Park’s development efforts 9,932 pageviews
This story came together after I filed a series of FOIA requests hoping to get a sense of what caused the abrupt departure of both the new hires tasked to lead Oak Park’s revamped economic development efforts. The documents painted a picture of behind-the-scenes tension, dysfunction and, ultimately, disappointment.
- Three young children struck by motorist in Oak Park 9,060 pageviews
I learned about this tragic incident through Oak Park police activity reports, which I review each week for police blotter coverage. Three children under the age of 10 were hospitalized after being hit in a crosswalk on Lombard Avenue, one was released later that day while the other two were kept overnight.
Pageviews help us know what you want to read the most. Are there any of these articles that you want me to do a deeper dive into? Or do you have any stories you’d like to see me pursue in the new year? Email me your thoughts at brendan@oakpark.com.
