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SATURDAY DECEMBER 19 | SUNDAY DECEMBER 20 2015
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SUNDAY BREAKFAST ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
Story of Survival: How one woman over came a rare condition. P46
SPORTS
Loyola Academy quarterback Emmett Clifford earns The North Shore Weekend Player of the Year honors. P40
SOCIAL SCENE
The Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago celebrated their 30th anniversary. P21 FOLLOW US:
NO. 167 | A JWC MEDIA PUBLICATION
LOCAL D-112 Mulls FLORIST Boundary DECORATES Changes WHITE HOUSE FOR H HOLIDAYS NEWS
BY JULIE KEMP PICK DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM
IGHLAND PARK— North Shore School District 112 is considering redrawing neighborhood boundaries under the proposed reconfiguration plan that would close five of its 12 schools and build one campus for fifth through eighth grade students in southwest Highland Park. Two of the remaining middle schools, Edgewood and Northwood Junior High, would be renovated into elementary schools. “The bigger issue is reconfiguration, and boundaries are a subset,” said John Petzke, chief technology officer. Early voting is 15 days prior to the March 15 election, and the designated goal would be to have proposed boundaries in place by January 19. Petzke suggested identifying a boundary system that the community can support by getting feedback from a retreat, or putting an advisory committee together Continued on PG 12
began as an artist. Floral design started as therapy as Buck recovered a brain AKE FOREST — A local aneurism suffered five years ago. woman spent five days re“I was sitting around a lot cently working at the White when I was recovering and I House. needed a creative outlet,” Buck Alison Buck, a Lake Forest said. “Gardening was always native and resident, used her something my mother did. I skills as a florist as part of a team found it very healing.” decorating the White House for Buck recovered and two years Christmas Nov. 27 through Dec. after she was stricken she was in 3 and it came as a surprise cour- business for herself. Learning to tesy of her sister, Erika Kelly. arrange flowers was not only a When Buck started Alison critical part of her recovery, but Buck Floral Design three years a transformative experience. “I’m a different person now,” ago, the idea of plying her skills at the White House was nowhere Buck said. “I feel like I just finally on her radar. An art major with have found myself. I feel fulfilled a number of creative outlets, in a way I never have before. doing flower arrangements for Since her business is not retail, people’s events were not even Buck does not have a shop. She something she anticipated when has a studio in her home to BY STEVE SADIN DAILYNORTHSHORE.COM
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Florist Alison Buck of Lake Forest. PHOTO BY JOEL LERNER.
design her creations and spends time with customers on location before she goes to work on their specialized design. She said she does a lot of parties and special events. “I want to see where the flowers are going,” Buck said. “I
get the design in my head like a drawing or a painting. This is a piece of art for me.” Fast-forward to earlier this year. Kelly, who is a producer for KQED, a National Public Radio station in the San Francisco Bay Area, heard about the holiday
decoration program at the White House. She said she thought about her sister. Keeping it a secret from Buck, Kelly nominated her for the task. “She has a very moving story,” Continued on PG 12
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