The Boston Globe is reporting that there were two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Time Magazine is reporting that two people have been killed and 22 are injured.

According to CNN, the explosions occurred a few seconds apart at about 2:45 p.m., according to CNN.

The Boston Marathon headquarters is on lockdown, according to Reuters.

Boston Marathon officials shared this message on Facebook: "There were two bombs that exploded near the finish line in today's Boston Marathon. We are working with law enforcement to understand what exactly has happened."

The Boston Marathon website shows that 974 people from Illinois are participating in this year's event, including five from Highland Park: Daniel Bricker, Volker Fischer, Jennifer Grosshandler, Julie Pfeiffer and Steven  Sclamberg.

For live updates and photos, check in with the BackBay Patch in Massachusetts.

Do you know anyone who is running the marathon? Tell us in the comment section.

Update, 8 a.m.: Officials are still searching for suspects behind the two bomb blasts that went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday. At least three people were killed, including an 8-year-old boy identified as Martin Richard, according to The Boston Globe. The tragedy injured more than 130 people, and the newspaper said the bombs left "the sidewalks of Boylston Street covered in blood."

Authorities say no credible person or group has claimed responsibility for the bombings, according to CBS News Tuesday morning. Police have reportedly searched an apartment but have not yet identified a suspect.

After the bombs exploded in Boston, New York City also went on high alert, CBS News reported this morning.

Related News from the Region:

• 'The Terrorists Won't Win'
• Many Northwest Suburban Runners Safe After Boston Marathon
• Barrington Marathon Runner Tells of Mixed Emotions
• Grayslake Runner Shares Boston Marathon Experience
• Arlington Heights Mayor-Elect OK Following Boston Marathon Explosion
• Buffalo Grove Marathon Runner is Safe in Boston
• 19 Evanston Runners Entered Boston Marathon
• Update: Four Local Runners Finished Marathon Before Explosion
• Local Pastor Completed Boston Marathon Before Explosions
• Winnetka Principal Ran Boston Marathon, Is OK
• Local Boston Marathon Runners Describe 'Mad Rush' in Bombing Aftermath
• Park Ridge Woman Was Nearing Finish Line
• Morton Grove Marathoner: 'Nobody Knew Why We Were Stopping'

Click on the links below for information about runners from these suburbs:

• Barrington
• Buffalo Grove
• Grayslake
• Lake Zurich
• Libertyville
• Niles-Morton Grove 
• Northbrook/Glenview
• Vernon Hills

Get live updates from Back Bay Patch.

Connecting:

Disasters often make it difficult to stay in touch with loved ones. The American Red Cross Safe and Well website is a central location for people in disaster areas in the United States to register their current status, and for their loved ones to access that information. It helps provide displaced families with relief and comfort during a stressful time, according to theAmerican Red Cross website.

Boston City Hall: 617-635-4500 - Families members searching for people can call the Boston City Hall number. A spokesman said they are collecting information now on people in order to cross-check it later with official records of those taken to area hospitals or other locations. They cannot give updates on anyone but can take information on family members.

Visit the Boston Marathon site at http://raceday.baa.org to track where runners last checked in to search for names of friends or family members.

Update, 9:15 p.m.: The death toll has risen to at least three with more than 140 believed to be injured from the bombs in Boston, according to The Boston Globe. The newspaper reported: 

When the smoke cleared, dozens of victims lay in the street, some unconscious, some grievously injured, including some whose limbs had been torn off by the blast.

The dead included an 8-year-old boy, according to two law enforcement sources briefed on the investigation. Boston Children’s Hospital reported that those treated there included a 9-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy, a 12-year-old, and a 2-year-old.

Police have questioned many people but no suspects have been arrested, Boston Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis told The Boston Globe.

Update, 7:52 p.m.: Boston Police Chief Ed Davis said that a third incident took place today at the JFK Library in Boston but it was uncertain if it was related to the two explosions at the Boston Marathon.

"We are not sure if these incidents are related, but we are treating them as if they are," Davis told the Huffington Post. Later, it was reported that the incident at JFK Library was fire related, not another bomb.

Officials were not taking any chances as an unexploded device was also recovered, Davis said to the Huffington Post.

In total, more than 27,000 runners participated in this year's Marathon. The event takes place every year on Patriot's Day, a state holiday in Massachusetts.

Update, 5:46 p.m.: Two other unexploded devices were reported to be found in Boston as authorities work to secure the area in and around the finish line of the Boston Marathon, according to CNN.

The network is confirming that two people have died and six others are in critical condition. One victim is believed to be 8 years old, according to CNN.

Update, 5:12 p.m.: President Barack Obama said they still do not know who set off the explosions in Boston, or why, but he made a promise: "We will find out who did this, and we will hold them accountable."

He spoke for about three minutes and expressed sympathy for anyone who was injured or impacted by the event. See a video of his remarks here on cnn.com.

Update, 4:05 p.m.: Two explosions left at least two dead and at least 100 injured at the finish line of the Boston Marathon, reports NBC News.

Boston officials are searching for more information and photos from race participants and spectators.

A White House official was quoted as saying the President Barack Obama is addressing the situation: "The President has been notified of the incident in Boston. His administration is in contact with state and local authorities. He directed his administration to provide whatever assistance is necessary in the investigation and response."

Boston authorities are telling people to avoid crowds and stay home.

Update, 3:50 p.m.: David Abel of the Boston Globe said that he saw a "pile of bodies" near the explosion site at the end of the Boston Marathon today.

Update, 3:11 p.m.:  ABC News is reporting that small portable explosive devices were the cause of the tragic devastation at the end of the Boston Marathon.

The event has been designated as a terrorist incident, according to ABC News. It is reported to become a federal investigation.

Time Magazine reported that two people have been killed and 22 are injured as a result of the explosions.

Visit Back Bay Patch for additional live updates.

Boston authorities are searching for more information about the explosive devices.

Original story:

Two explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon had people carrying bloody spectators into the medical tent set up for runners, according to an Associated Press report on the Pocono Record website.

"There are a lot of people down," the AP quoted one man saying. The explosions happened about three hours after the winners crossed the finish line. 

The Boston Marathon headquarters is on lockdown, according to Reuters.

Check back to Patch for updates on this breaking story.

It took me one hour to walk from one end of Highland Park High School to another last Friday afternoon.

On my way, I stumbled into an a cappella performance and a beat boxing and drum performance before finally arriving in room A217 for a discussion by Ravinia Festival's Student Advisory Board about bringing classical music to high schoolers.

Then, while making my way back to where I'd first walked in, I caught the beginning of Big Top HP -- a woman hanging from a hula hoop high above the high school's auditorium.

You may have figured out at this point that this was no ordinary school day. It was no ordinary week, either. It was FOCUS on the Arts.

"It's amazing to see what goes on there," said Nancy Karp, who worked on communications for this year's weeklong celebration of the arts. Highlights of the event for her included the big things like Dance Night and Art Night, as well as the more intimate aspects, like seeing someone teach students how to put on make up for theater performances.

"What the kids tend to take out of it, I hope, is that there are so many things you don't even know about that people are doing with their lives," Karp said. "It's kind of mind blowing."

Check out photos from the week above, which come courtesy of Sam Levitan, who donated his time to Highland Park High School.

For complete Highland Park news and updates, sign up for our free newsletter, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

The information below comes from the Highland Park Police Department.

Theft

April 11: Police are investigating a report of a theft. It was reported that a Motorola Atrix 2 cellphone with an Otterbox case was stolen from a locker room in an unlocked area. Theincident occurred in the 400 block of Vine Avenue, Highland Park.

April 14: Police are investigating a delayed report of a theft. It was reported that an iphone was lost or stolen sometime on April 13, 2013 while shopping at several different businessesin Highland Park throughout the day.

Residential burglary

April 11: Police are investigating a residential burglary. It was reported that sometime between6:45am and 1:30pm; unknown offender(s) pried a locked front door to a condo locatedin the 800 block of Central Avenue, Highland Park and took various amounts of jewelry and watches.

Burglary from motor vehicle

April 12: Police are investigating a report of a burglary from motor vehicle. It was reported thata at approximately 3:10 PM a vehicle was parked at a business in the 1800 block ofGreen Bay Road and upon return at 3:35 PM a large brown Patricia Nash purse wasfound missing from the vehicle . It is unknown if the vehicle was locked and there wereno signs of forced entry.

Driving under the influence

April 13: Esther Steinberg (40) of the 900 block of Marion Avenue, Highland Park was arrestedand charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, open transportation of alcohol,uninsured motor vehicle, improper lane usage and no rear registration lamp illuminatedafter being stopped by police near the intersection of Lake Cook Road and MarquetteRoad, Highland Park. Steinberg was released on a cash bond with a court date of May13, 2013 at 18 N. County Street, Waukegan, Illinois.

April 13: Ji Hye Lee (37) of the 700 block of Summit Lane, Vernon Hills was arrested andcharged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police responded to a requestfor a well being check of a person that was reportedly asleep on the steering wheel of avehicle parked in the 0-100 block of Green Bay Road, Highland Park. Lee was releasedon a personal recognizance bond with a court date of May 24, 2013 at 18 N. CountyStreet, Waukegan, Illinois.

April 14: Jamie Payton (29) of the 2300 block of Lewis Avenue, Zion was arrested and chargedwith driving under the influence of alcohol, improper lane usage and no drivers licenseon person after being stopped by police in the 1900 block of Skokie Valley Road,Highland Park. Payton was released on a personal recognizance bond with a courtdate of May 24, 2013 at 18 N. County Street, Waukegan, Illinois.

Possession of cannabis 

April 13: Donte Bowens (22) of the 1400 block of Deer Run Road, Gurnee was arrested andcharged with possession of cannabis and speeding after being stopped by police nearthe intersection of Parkside Drive and Skokie Valley Road, Highland Park. Bowens wasreleased on a personal recognizance bond with a court date of May 22, 2013 at 301Greenleaf Street, Park City, Illinois.

Criminal damage to property

April 13: Police responded to a complaint of a criminal damage to property in the 700 blockof Park Avenue West, Highland Park. Sometime between 6:45 AM and 3:30 PMa Volkswagen Routan had been tampered with and damaged. There were visiblescratches to the rear hatch of the van and mud/feces applied to the rear window.

April 14: Police responded to a complaint of a criminal damage to property in the 600 block ofLaurel Avenue, Highland Park. A GMC Acadia had scratches into the rear hatch to theright of the left tail light. The vehicle was parked since 5:30 PM on April 13, 2013 andthe damage was noticed at 11:50 AM.

For complete Highland Park news and updates, sign up for our free newsletter, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Should the Federal Communications Commission lighten up on enforcing its ban on swear words and nudity on broadcast media?

The agency has proposed doing just that — letting "fleeting" violations slide and enforcing its rules only for "egregious" offenses.

The FCC invited comments for 60 days on the enforcement change in an April 1, 2013 announcement (click on PDF thumbnail).

Comments submitted to the FCC are public. You can see them by searching a comment database at the FCC website.

The Minnesota Family Council sent an email April 9 (click on PDF thumbnail) asking people to submit comments such as: "I oppose any changes to the current FCC indecency standards that would allow television and radio stations to broadcast expletives and nudity on the public airwaves, even if brief or 'fleeting.'"

Click on the YouTube thumbnail (or visit YouTube.com) for an example of the "fleeting expletives" behind the U.S. Supreme Court case cited by the FCC. It's Cher at the 2002 Billboard Music Awards (6:00 mark — profanity warning).

Would you like the FCC to ease its enforcement of indecency rules on TV and radio broadcasters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

You've (hopefully) filed your taxes and now anxiously await your return.

Although you may be inclined to go out and spend the money on a weekend vacation or an item you’ve been dying to purchase, take a second to consider some of these options for spending your return.

Pay down debt

A tax return is one of the largest lump sums of money you may receive all year.  Use it wisely and dedicate a portion (or all of it) to paying down debt. If you have credit card debt, make a lump sum payment towards the bill. 

If credit card debt isn’t your problem, consider making an extra (13^th) payment on your mortgage to lessen the amount you have left. 

If you are burdened with student loan debt or a personal loan, here’s the perfect time to make a lump sum payment to cut down interest—and the time you will be paying back the loan.

Start or build up an emergency fund

If recent events have taught us anything, it’s that it is imperative to have an emergency fund for your household. 

Whether you keep this fund in a savings account or under your mattress, you should try to build an emergency fund with at least six to nine months of living expenses. This money can assist if there is a natural disaster, if you have unexpected damage to your home or car, or if you lose your job. 

Consider your emergency fund a safe haven in times of need and do not touch it unless there is an actual emergency.

Start or build up a retirement fund

People are working longer than ever to make up for the fact that living expenses are going up and they didn’t save enough to retire. 

Prevent that from happening to you by opening your own retirement account or adding a lump sum of money (on top of your regular contributions) from your tax refund. 

Depositing as much money as possible will help to ensure that you will have a more comfortable retirement when the time comes to throw in the towel. 

Although these options may be less gratifying than buying a big screen TV or taking a vacation, they will be more rewarding in the long run.

Are you getting a tax refund? How do you plan to spend it?

When was the last time you searched for unclaimed property in the I-Cash Database?

Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford is encouraging residents to search the Unclaimed Property Division’s database several times a year. UPD currently has $1.7 billion in cash, plus contents from Illinois safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned for at least five years.

“It’s common for people to check one month and find no properties in their names, only to return the next month and find cash or other property on the list,” Rutherford said in a statement. ”My office took in 198,796 new properties just in the first quarter of 2013. One of those properties could easily be yours.”

One in eight Illinois residents have unclaimed property n the database, according to a press release. For the first quarter of 2013, I-Cash has returned $30 million in property. While the office previously returned about $82 million each year, Rutherford returned $101 million in 2011, a 24 percent increase, and $129 million in 2012, a 27 percent increase. The number of claims paid in the first quarter of this year is 18,340, which is up by 20 percent over the first quarter of 2012.

In 2012, the office added a total of 1,142,645 new properties, which breaks down to an average 95,220 new properties added to the database per month. 

To search the I-Cash database, go to Icash.Illinois.gov.

Boston Marathon runner Jennifer Grosshandler, 46, of Highland Park, had already crossed the finish line and reunited with her husband two blocks away when she and her family heard Monday's deadly explosions.

Grosshandler completed the marathon in less than four hours at 2:25:53 p.m. According to CNN, the explosions occurred a few seconds apart at about 2:45 p.m.

Grosshandler, who ran to raise money for Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, told the Highland Park News that she could see the "horrifying" devastation from her hotel window.

"I am in such shock," she told the paper.

The Boston Marathon website shows that 974 people Illinois residents participated in the event, including five from Highland Park: Daniel Bricker, Volker Fischer, Jennifer Grosshandler, Julie Pfeiffer and Steven  Sclamberg.

For the latest updates and photos, check in with the BackBay Patch in Massachusetts.

Related:

Explosions Reported Near Boston Marathon Finish Line

Update: Three Dead in Boston Bombings

If you're taking an American Airlines flight this afternoon, be prepared for delays and cancellations. 

The airline has grounded all flights due to "intermittent outages" in the company's network system. As of 2:20 p.m., the airline is in a system-wide ground delay until 4 p.m. until the issue can be resolved. 

To check on your flight status, head to aa.com.

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Deerfield) raised $390,206 for his campaign committee for the quarter ending March 31 while Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) took in $173,617, according to reports filed Monday with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

Former Rep. Robert Dold (R-Kenilworth), who lost to Schneider in November and is reported by some Washington sources as considering a rematch, did not raise any money, according to the FEC reports.

Earlier: Schakowsky, Schneider Urge Sequester Action

Schneider brought in a total of $390,206 with $278,611 coming from individuals and $111,591 from committees. An individual is limited to a maximum donation during a two-year election cycle of $2,500 per candidate and a committee can give as much $5,000.

After making disbursements of $147,407, Schneider has $256,983 on hand as of March 31. He had $14,244 in the bank to start the year.

Though Dold reported no fundraising activity, he showed having $102,460 in his campaign account, according to the FEC report.

Schakowsky raised $173,617 bringing in $150,117 from individuals and $23,500 from committees. After paying expenses of $147,487, she has $300,014 in the bank. She started the year with $273,011 on hand.

Complete reports detailing each donation and disbursement can be found on the FEC website.

A proposed 240-unit apartment development near Lake Cook Road and the Tri-State Tollway in Deerfield may be intended for young professionals, but developer AMLI Companies sees a variety of people occupying the building when done.

The project got its first vote of approval from the Deerfield Village Board of Trustees Monday though AMLI has some tweaking to do before it gets the final nod. Most of the changes involve car and pedestrian traffic patterns.

Earlier: Village Questions Developer of 240 Apartments

Though the primary focus of the project will be catering to what AMLI Executive Vice President Stephen Ross describes as “young urban professionals,” he sees an appeal to empty nesters and seniors.

“This is a good location for an urban luxury community,” Ross said to the Trustees and Mayor Harriet Rosenthal at their meeting Monday. “This type of product is not currently in Deerfield. It will freshen up an area that needs freshening up.”

The project is located at 1525 Lake Cook Road in the Cook County portion of Deerfield near Wilmot Road. It will be a joint venture with the Jewish Federal of Metropolitan Chicago which operates the Weinberg Community for Senior Living nearby at 1551 Lake Cook Road.

The partnership between AMLI and Federation is one of the reasons Ross believes seniors and empty nesters will join the younger crowd in the studio, one and two-bedroom apartments ranging in price from $1,250 to $2,450 per month.

“I’ve talked to the people at Weinberg and we expect some (of our residents) will want to take advantage of their programs,” Ross said. “The primary focus is for work force professionals but we expect multigenerational housing. We think empty nesters and seniors are prepared to rent.”

Development Could Bring Affordable Housing

Another potential side benefit of the project is affordable housing though no one called it that. “It’s not affordable housing, but work force housing that is affordable,” Ross said. Some of those workers could be Deerfield’s public servants.

“Teachers who teach in Deerfield and police officers who work here could afford these apartments and we appreciate that,” Rosenthal said.

A number of Trustees expressed concerns with traffic backups for people exiting the project onto Lake Cook or Wilmot Roads. They also worry about the safety of people who might want to walk to work at Walgreens corporate headquarters, a few hundred yards across Lake Cook Road on Wilmot Road.

“There is no pedestrian signal, no crosswalk,” Trustee Robert Benton said. “That could be a deal breaker. For a pedestrian crossing they have to go to where the bicycle area is.”

AMLI Says Project is Bicycle and Pedestrian Friendly

Ross and one of AMLI’s several consultants who made presentations at the meeting indicated the access would be sufficient for people who work at Walgreens and other large business complexes in the area like Baxter and Takeda.

“The young professional who is working in the area will (have no concern) crossing Wilmot,” Ross said. “This is not an obstacle to a young biker.” Walgreens and the Deerfield Bannockburn Riverwoods Chamber of Commerce have expressed support for the proposal.

Nevertheless, Rosenthal made it clear to Ross and the rest of his AMLI team she and the Trustees expected solutions to their worries when the company returns May 6 for the next step in the approval process.

“When you come back to us in two weeks, we expect you will address some of these concerns,” Rosenthal said. She made it clear after the meeting solutions to the Board’s issues will be written into the final ordinance.

The information below comes from the Rotary Club of Highland Park and Highwood.

On March 19, six students and three chaperones embarked on a 10-day journey through Northern Ireland as part of the Highland Park High School TABU (Toward A Better Understanding) program. 

The students kept a blog journaling each day and their activities from wheels up to touch down and back. 

The students, Lupita Estela, Anna Fox, Drew Gerber, John Starkey, Isa Spoerry, Suzanne Warshell and chaperones, Cheryl Levi, Genevieve Misfeldt, and Paul Munk stayed with host families learning about conflict resolution, the culture, and the impact of the conflict on individual lives and making life long bonds and friendships. Cheryl Levi, a retired NSSD112 teacher and Rotarian said the experience was “like nothing before”. 

TABU, a Rotary sponsored program at the Highland Park High School, Towards A Better Understanding, is the student exchange program between The Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood and the Rotary Club of Belfast Northern Ireland.  The goal of the 10 day trip is to address conflict resolution and global understanding.

Five of the TABU students joined the Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon and presented their experiences and lessons learned while traveling in Northern Ireland.  The group visited several Conflict Resolution Agencies, the parliaments of Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, East Belfast Police Department, and the Northern Ireland Courts, specifically the Department in charge of Restorative Justice. Isa Spoerry, a HPHS sophomore, summed up the trip as being life changing, and that conflict can be reduced to finding empathy and understanding. This was the feeling echoed by each of the other five students and their Rotarian chaperones Cheryl Levi and Paul Munk.

The Rotary Club of Highland Park/Highwood sponsors programs such as TABU.  President Burt Schmarak commented, “I am proud to be a Rotarian everyday, but today is even more special.  The six young adults that represented our club in Northern Ireland are beautiful, bright, articulate and grateful.  They all came away from this experience with a new prospective on our world, and for that I am changed as well." 

Chartered in 1927, the club has supported the communities of Highland Park and Highwood, its businesses, and its residents through charitable donations and service projects.  Since 2009 alone, the club has provided nearly $250,000 to community programs.  

The club supports the HPHS Scholarship fund, The Interact Club, The HPHS Literacy program, RYLA the Lake McHenry Veterans and Family Services and The Highland Park Nursery School and Day Care Center. In prior years the club has been instrumental in the renovation of the children's wing of the Highland Park Library and provided them with a mobile book van. In conjunction with the Kellogg Foundation provided the park district with their safety town for children, and in a project with the park district renovated brown park to make it handicapped accessible.

On April 21, 2013 the club comes together in their largest fundraising effort of the year.  The event will be held at the Highland Park Country Club from 5:30 to 8:30. 

Tickets are still available at www.highlandparkrotary.org Proceeds from the event will ensure that programs such as TABU continue well into the future. 

Tickets for the HPHS Scholarship fund are still available at http://bit.ly/Yo3iid Tickets are $100 and the grand prizewinner will be taking home $10,000.

Earth Day is coming up on Monday and it's the perfect time to reflect on how to protect our planet as well as have fun celebrating with the family. From simple tips to help your family go green, to baking Earth Day treats, to starting your own garden, to recycling crafts, here are a few the best ideas and activities I’ve seen to celebrate Earth Day this year.


Tips to Help the Family Go Green

SimpleMom.com put together a very thorough post on 40 Tips to Go Greener at Home.



Here are 5 Fun Ways to Help Your Family Go Green for Earth Day.



SheKnows.com had some good ideas on teaching the kids to celebrate Earth Day.

Earth Day Fun & Games

There is no better way to celebrate our Earth than by digging in the dirt. Teach your kids to garden with these fun tips and projects.



On Earth Day, The Nature Conservancy is asking people to get outside and join the world’s largest picnic celebration, Picnic for the Planet. Join millions of other families as they celebrate the joys of nature. Check their website to find picnics already planned in many major cities or plan your own. Here are my tips on how to plan a perfect family picnic. Remember to leave no trace in the park. Pick up after yourselves.

Recycle your old crayons and turn them into Heart Shaped Earth Day Crayons, courtesy of the TSJ Photography blog.

Earth Day Treats

TidyMom.com made some super cute Earth Day cookies. Click over and see how she made them.



These Earth Day Chocolate Cupcakes from Dessarts.com look so yummy.

What are you going to do with the family to celebrate Earth Day?

For more tips and ideas on how to celebrate Earth Day, check out my Earth Day Board on Pinterest. 

************

Sue Kirchner is a family fun coach, blogger, kids party planner, and weekly contributor to Patch.com. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on TV, newspapers, magazines, blogs, as well as her own family fun site ChocolateCakeMoments.com.

Want Highland Park news in your inbox? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter.

All of northern Illinois is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 5 p.m. today.

Counties included in the watch include Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry. As of 9:30 a.m., some areas were already seeing rain and thunderstorms.

According to the National Weather Service's hazardous weather outlook for today, thunderstorms are expected to develop across eastern Iowa and then spread east over northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. The thunderstorms are expected to continue through tonight, with the possibility of hail to an inch in diameter, damaging wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour, heavy rain and isolated tornadoes.

Take a look at some tips on what to do when severe weather strikes.

The information below comes from the City of Highland Park.

The City of Highland Park will host a Blood Drive on May 25 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in partnership with LifeSource.

The drive will be located at the City’s Fire Department at 1130 Central Avenue, Station #33, and all participating donors will receive a commemorative T-shirt and are invited to a barbecue immediately following any donation.

Donors should expect the entire process to last approximately one hour, however the actual blood donation should last no longer than 10 minutes. As a part of the process, donors will be given a questionnaire, and then a short physical by LifeSource personnel to test hemoglobin (iron) levels, blood pressure, temperature and pulse.

Refreshments will be provided immediately following all blood donations.“Donating blood once can save up to three lives,” Fire Department Chief Patrick Tanner said. “Come prepared, drink water and eat well the day before.”In order to donate blood, participants will need to show proof of identification.

Donors must be over the age of 17 (although 16-year-olds may donate with parental consent) and must be a minimum of 110 pounds.Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins will be welcomed. To schedule an appointment on May 25, call LifeSource at 1-877-LIFESOURCE (1-877-543-3768) or go online to www.lifesource.organd enter Highland Park’s code F813.

For complete Highland Park news and updates, sign up for our free newsletter, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

The information below comes from the City of Highland Park.

The City of Highland Park received the Illinois Section American Water Works Association 100 Year Club Award in honor of the water supply services provided to customers through the George B. Prindle Water Treatment Plant since 1869.

The award was received by the Public Works Department on behalf of the City.The Department staff namely Water Distribution Superintendent Bill Stewart, Water Production Superintendent Don Jensen, and Water Plant Operators Henry Peskator and Jim Chang also received Quarter Century Awards to honor their dedication and commitment to water production for the City of Highland Park for more than 25 years.

“We are all proud of the outstanding service our water plant staff provide,” City Manager David Knapp said. “The quality water they produce is among the best in the Nation, and it will only increase in quality as the plant is improved over the next several months.”

The George B. Prindle Water Treatment Plant has been providing water supply to customers since its inception in 1869 through an artisan well. Throughout the years, the plant has received several upgrades to improve water quality and capacity.

The plant is currently able to produce up to 21 million gallons of water per day and is under construction for upgrade to an ultra-filtration membrane plant with a production capacity to 30 million gallons per day. Highland Park currently distributes water to Deerfield, Lincolnshire, Bannockburn, and Glenbrook Sanitary District and has been for 30 years.

The bulk of the upgrade project is scheduled for completion in December 2014.For more information about the historic George B. Prindle Water Treatment Plant and the current upgrades underway, visit www.cityhpil.com/watertreatment and www.cityhpil.com/construction.

For complete Highland Park news and updates, sign up for our free newsletter, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

The severe thunderstorm sweeping across the Chicago area is impacting travelers at Chicago O’Hare International Airport today.

The airport is reporting “excessive” delays averaging 178 minutes as of 11:45 a.m. April 17. There is a Ground Delay Program in effect for flights arriving through 11:59 p.m, according to flightstats.com 

Currently, there are not any FAA issued delays at Chicago’s Midway Airport. Delays at Midway are reported as “low” at this time.

What is it like to stand 45 minutes and a few feet away from one of the nation’s most tragic moments?

Michael and Lori Harris of Deerfield know the answer. Lori was a few feet away from the site of the second bomb explosion at Monday’ Boston Marathon as she watched her husband, Michael, run past on his way to crossing the finish line.

Earlier: Three Deerfield Runners Finished Marathon Before Explosion

“I was at the site of the second blast (when) I saw him (Michael) run by me,” Lori said. “I was so grateful I saw him. If you look away for a second you could miss.” He finished the race in 3:42.1 approximately 45 minutes before cheers turned into screams.

After that they went through a very normal post race ritual. This was Michael’s fifth marathon and the first time he ran Boston. “I wanted to find my wife and get my gear,” he said. They then went to a nearby hotel where Fleet Feet, a Chicago based store and marathon training group, had a hospitality room. That is where things started to change.

“As I’m getting my massage someone said ‘a transformer blew,’” Harris said. “Five minutes later everyone was converging around the TV. We knew it wasn’t a transformer. We were waiting for more information.”

At that point, a lot of the joy of finishing the race was sucked out of the moment. The Harrises decided to walk back to their hotel. “We watched it on TV like everyone else except we could hear the siren and ambulances outside our window,” Michael said.

As they returned to their own hotel, the sounds of the moment made a strong impact. “I know the word surreal is overused but that’s what it was,” Lori said. “We were just thinking how was this possible?”

Michael ran the entire race with no sense the day would be anything but a very special 26-mile, 385-yard journey for a veteran marathoner because it was his first time running Boston. He was intent on finishing and enjoying it.

“I was of focused on finishing Boston,” Michael Harris said. “People (along the route) shouted out ‘rise to the occasion’ and ‘go Louisville,” he added referring to his shirt commemorating the University of Louisville’s national basketball championship last month.

Yet things were different. Though he completed the race 45 minutes before the bombs exploded killing three and injuring hundreds, he Michael was not sure of his finishing time. “Usually I’m obsessed with time,” he said. “With all this going on I never looked it up.”

The night before the race, the Harrises attended a dinner with other members of the Fleet Feet Group. One of the leaders told the runners they were about to part of an important occasion as participants on the 117^th running of the Boston Marathon.

“He told us we were going to be part of history,” Lori Harris said. “We had no idea how much a part of history we would be.”

After the removal of hundreds of trees (primarily invasive species) in the Briergate Business District along Route 41 and Old Skokie Road, some disappointed business owners are saying it went too far, reported the Chicago Tribune.

Earlier this month, the City of Highland Park issued a press release stating they were working in conjunction with the Park District of Highland Park and IDOT to improve the physical and aesthetic conditions in the business district, reported Patch.

City Forester Joe O'Neill told the Tribune that while some residents and business owners may feel to many trees were removed, the majority were ash trees infected by the emerald ash borer.

Briergate Business Association District President David Brunjes, who is also a business owner, said he's heard negative and positive comments.

What do Patch readers think? Was the tree removal essentially a deforestation or a public enhancement? Tell us in the comments.

Related:

Beautifying Briergate Business District

A flash flood warning has been issued for northwestern Cook, Lake, northern Kane and southeastern McHenry Counties until 6 p.m. today.

National Weather Service officials said there the Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms that could produce torrential downpours with rainfall rates of more than an inch and a half per hour. Overall, northern Illinois could see more than 3 inches of rain by early evening.

"Do not drive your vehicle into areas where the water covers the roadway,"National Weather Service said in their flash flood warning statement. "The water depth may be too great to allow your car to cross safely."