News Briefs: Art department award; Train noise update; New Plaza del Lago shop; Tree of the year

Niles West High School in Skokie was one of seven schools to earn the title of 2026 School of Distinction from the Illinois Art Education Association.

According to a release from the high school, the honor celebrates schools with rigorous art, design and media education programs.

Niles West educators Deanna Sortino (photography, digital art, graphic design), Dawn Zalkus (ceramics, sculpture) and John Zilewicz (drawing, painting) were recognized for their contributions to the school’s fine and applied arts department.

“This award recognizes rigorous and innovative art, design, and media programs, but what it truly celebrates is the impact our teachers have on students every day,” said P.A. Ford, director of the department, in the release. “It recognizes the countless hours spent preparing lessons, providing feedback, showcasing student work, mentoring young artists, and creating spaces where students feel inspired, challenged, and supported.”

Trains quieted in Highland Park, officials say

Following weeks of resident complaints, overly frequent train horns will cease in Highland Park, according to a message from City officials.

Conversations between Highland Park and Union Pacific leadership reportedly resulted in UP agreeing to remove overgrown vegetation that the organization said was the reason for the increased horns.

In its weekly newsletter, the City says, “The City urged Union Pacific to prioritize clearing the vegetation to eliminate the problem. Earlier (last week), Union Pacific reported that the vegetation had been cleared and trains would no longer need to blare their horns while passing through affected crossings.”

The City says on the issue it communicated with local lawmakers, such as U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, as well as State Rep. Bob Morgan and State Sen. Tom Morrison.

“The City will continue to work with our elected officials and Union Pacific to address the broader concern regarding Union Pacific’s need for proactive right-of-way maintenance to avoid such issues in the future.”

Plaza del Lago adds another

Marfa Stance, a London-based outerwear brand, will open a shop in Wilmette’s Plaza del Lago on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The Wilmette location will be the brand’s first in the Midwest, as it also expands in other U.S. and England locations.

In the new location, Marfa Stance reportedly will debut an exclusive “capsule” collection and introduce its Marfa Mini collection designed for children aged 3-10 (previously only available online).

“Chicago’s North Shore has long been a community that embraces both design and quality, the kind of customer who chooses pieces meant to be cherished for years,” owner Georgia Dant said in a release. “That longevity is at the heart of everything we make, and it felt like a natural home for Marfa Stance. We’re excited to bring our world to Plaza del Lago and to connect with both existing customers and those discovering the brand for the first time.”

To mark the occasion, Marfa Stance will host a Sip & Shop from 4-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“Georgia Dant is one of those rare designers who starts with a brilliant idea and stays committed to it even while she expands and builds upon it,” said Samantha David, president of WS Development, owner of Plaza del Lago. “The story of Marfa Stance begins with Donald Judd and the fundamental premise that things should be built to last, to adapt, to be loved for years. That philosophy feels completely at home at Plaza del Lago, where it had been loved for a century before we arrived and where we have always believed that what we build here should be worthy of this community for another century to come.”

Glencoe’s Tree of the Year

The Village of Glencoe’s annual Tree of the Year honor goes to … the legacy oak on the grounds of North Shore United Methodist Church, 213 Hazel Ave.

Ed Goodale, co-chair of the church’s Trustees Committee, nominated the tree, calling it “the longest serving member of our church family.”

According to the village, the tree was already well established when the church’s sanctuary was built in 1914. It lost a major limb in a windstorm in the 1990s but has continued to shelter the congregation’s Sunday morning summer services for the past decade.

“The Tree Commission chose this tree above all for its deep ties to the community it has watched grow for over an additional century,” the village says.

The Tree Commission reportedly received seven nominations this year, each with its own story, from a young apple tree tended by the Glencoe Historical Society to a centuries-old bur oak that has survived storm damage and now relies on supportive cabling.

As in 2025, the Tree Commission weighed each tree’s story, age, health, species, and canopy, and visited every nominee in person before choosing a winner, the village says.

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