10 stories you may have missed
1. The Laura Burke Band of Arlington Heights and Ryan Cooper of Schaumburg tied for the grand prize of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent for 2015. Meghan Foley of Villa Park was voted fan favorite.
2. Some residents of a small Lake County park district are questioning what they contend is improper credit card spending for meals, gift cards and employee awards.
3. Billy Orris died riding his motorcycle on his way to pick up some extras for his brother's birthday. That love for family is comforting relatives mourning the Palatine High School grad and outdoorsman. The death came just days after a car crashed into the church where his parents are pastors.
4. Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is about halfway through a four-year modernization project, with two of the biggest features set to be complete in May 2016.
5. Naperville is at a financial crossroads and needs to make key decisions on how to close a projected budget deficit of between $5 million and $7 million for its next spending plan.
6. This week's INfrequently Asked Questions profile is with Arlington Racecourse jockey Jose Valdivia Jr., who says, "You're only as good as your last win."
7. Some people kept an overnight vigil to be first in line Saturday to benefit from Project Backpack, an initiative that has helped more than 10,000 students since 2010 thanks to donations from the Elgin community.
8. Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago after four years with "Kurios - Cabinet of Curiosities," which dazzles both in its feats and its sly wit, earning 3½ stars from our critic.
9. Generations of Libertyville-area residents spent summers at Lake Minear, a former gravel mine affectionately known as the pit, but declining use has led to financial losses, placing its future in doubt.
10. Erin Merryn, who has encouraged schools to educate students on child sexual abuse for more than five years, will be featured in a TLC documentary on the topic set to air Aug. 31.