Rick West

Chicago, Elgin

Senior Multimedia Journalist at Daily Herald

Senior Multimedia Journalist at the Daily Herald. I cover restaurants and Elgin. And sometimes restaurants in Elgin.

Articles

Learning on the Go program brings education, resources and fun to Elgin-area families

4 days ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Ilse Zuno of Pingree Grove and her daughter Alessia, 3, have fun with items from a bag of early learning materials given out during a Learning On the Go session at Cornerstone Park in Elgin Monday. Rick West/[email protected] More than 60 kids danced, sang and listened to a story in English and Spanish on Monday during the first session of a summer program that brings learning opportunities to underserved families with young children in the Elgin area.
The Hill BMX Track in Elgin to open public riding hours

1 week ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

The Hill BMX Track in Elgin will soon be available for public use two days a week. Rick West/[email protected] Good, clean fun in the dirt at The Hill BMX Track in Elgin will soon be open to the public two days a week. The Elgin City Council gave preliminary approval to a plan that would provide public riding hours on Thursday evenings and during the day on Sundays at the track located inside the Elgin Sports Complex.
Catch 35 in Naperville announces closure after 21 years

1 week ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Catch 35 in Naperville has announced that it will close in late June. Brian Hill/[email protected] Catch 35 has announced it will be closing after 21 years in downtown Naperville. The seafood and steak restaurant at 35 S. Washington Street posted a message of thanks to their customers on their website and social media channels.
Dining out: New menu offerings, CosMc’s closes and more

1 week ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Old Town Pour House has four limited-time menu items as part of its Chef Selects lineup, which rotates every eight weeks. Courtesy of Old Town Pour House We’ve got some new seasonal menu items, news from a pair of fast-food giants and a call for suggestions on your favorite breakfast spots. New menu items It’s hard to tell if it’s spring or summer around here lately, but when the seasons change, restaurants usually follow suit with some seasonal additions to their menus.
Three pets killed, homeowner injured in Aurora duplex fire Monday

1 week ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

A homeowner was hospitalized, three pets killed and several other animals remain unaccounted for after a duplex fire in Aurora early Monday. According to the Aurora Fire Department, firefighters responded to a two-story duplex in the 1500 block of Andover Circle just before 5 a.m. Monday to find heavy smoke and fire coming from the first and second floors.
‘Fiesta aficionados’: Fat Rosie’s bringing the party to Oak Brook when seventh location opens Friday

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Fat Rosie’s, opening Friday in Oak Brook, offers a wide variety of margaritas. Pictured clockwise from the bottom are the mango, strawberry jalepeňo, Jamaica and the margarita de la casa. Rick West/[email protected] Fat Rosie’s is bringing the fiesta to Oak Brook. The high-energy, local Mexican chain will open its seventh suburban location at 3011 Butterfield Road on Friday, May 23. Fat Rosie’s will open Friday in the Oak Brook Promenade shopping center at 3011 Butterfield Road.
Two Central High School students earn perfect scores on the ACT

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Central High School juniors Caleb Goldenstein, left, and Sanay Gulati each earned a perfect composite score of 36 on the ACT. Courtesy of Central 301 Two juniors at Central High School in Burlington accomplished something that only .2% of students nationwide achieve each year, earning perfect composite scores on the ACT. Caleb Goldenstein and Sanay Gulati each scored 36 on the standardized test used for college admissions, according to a press release from Central Unit School District 301.
Dining out: Detroit-style pizza, 50-cent all-you-can-eat pancakes and more

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Preservation in Geneva will host an all-you-can-eat pizza night highlighting its Detroit-style pizza May 28. Courtesy of Squares Pizza Pub Detroit-style is a vastly underrated genre of pizza, but diners will soon be able to enjoy it at a new spot in Bartlett. You can also head to Crystal Lake to help an iconic restaurant celebrate 50 years with all-you-can-eat pancakes for 50 cents.
Now that’s a tasty burger: 10 places to chow down on National Burger Day

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Brandt's half-pound burger, featuring a fresh-ground combo of short rib and deep chuck, was chosen as the Best of the Best burgers by Daily Herald readers. Courtesy of Brandt’s of Palatine Is any food more popular than the hamburger? (It’s rhetorical. Just go with me on this.) There are roughly 347 million people in America, and those 347 million people eat nearly a year. Accounting for infants and others who aren’t pulling their weight, that’s more or less 150 burgers per year per person.
Porch fire Monday morning displaces nine in Elgin

2 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | Rick West

Posted May 19, 2025 3:19 pm Nine residents of a house in Elgin had to be relocated after a fire early Monday morning. According to a press release from the Elgin Fire Department, firefighters responded to a house on the 300 block of Seneca Street just after 4 a.m. on May 19 to find “heavy fire” on the porch of the home.