Here is a look back at 10 of the top happenings of 2025 in the village of Glenview. Glenview police officer mourned The Glenview Police Department and village officials mourned the loss of Police Officer Robert Fryc, who was killed in a February car crash while on his way to work. Authorities said a nother driver veered into Fryc’s lane on Northwest Highway in Barrington, shortly after 4 a.m. on Feb. 16, striking Fryc’s car and causing his death. Fryc had been a Glenview police officer for nearly 18 years. Just days before he was killed, he was recognized at a Glenview Village Board meeting for helping to save the life of a fellow officer who head suffered a medical emergency outside the station. “Officer Fryc was more than just a colleague,” Glenview Police Chief William Fitzpatrick said in a statement issued following Fryc’s death. “He was a part of our family and a part of this community.” Family and friends of Glenview Police Officer Robert Fryc, as well as Glenview police and police from many other agencies, attended his funeral Feb. 21, 2025, at Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church in Arlington Heights. Fryc died in a traffic accident on his way to work, the Glenview police department had earlier said. (Village of Glenview) 100 new homes approved Major residential developments were approved by Glenview trustees this year for large swaths of land that have been vacant for some time. In February, a 60-home development was approved for the 19-acre former Scott Foresman headquarters at 1900 East Lake  Avenue. Under the plan, at least nine of the constructed homes will be single-story ranches, while the remainder will be two-story. While concerns about increases in school-age children were raised, representatives of the developer said primary bedrooms on the first floor will make the homes more palatable to Baby Boomers and “empty nesters.” Home prices will range from $900,000 to $1.3 million, said Jeff Brady, community development director for the village. The site has been vacant since June 2020 and Landmarks Illinois identified the mid-century modern campus as one of the state’s most endangered historic places. In April, trustees approved 20 two-story duplex homes—a total of 40 residences—at the southwest corner of Willow and Pfingsten Roads, now a vacant property. The plan called for the residences to be rentals. The property had previously been zoned for commercial use and a commercial development was approved in 2023, but never constructed. Naval Air Station Museum collection transferred to Glenview History Center The Glenview Hangar One Foundation and Glenview History Center in October announced that an agreement had been reached to transfer stewardship of the Naval Air Station Museum collection from the foundation to the history center. The Naval Air Station Museum, which contained artifacts from the former Naval Air Station Glenview and was most recently located at 2040 Lehigh Ave., closed on Oct. 1. According to the foundation, the museum’s collection includes more than 2,000 photographs, posters and prints, plus another 1,200 digital images related to the former air station and its activities; a former Coast Guard helicopter; a World War II TBM Avenger aircraft piston engine that was raised from the lake; military uniforms; and more. The history center is reported to be working with the village of Glenview and the Glenview Public Library on storage and identifying a new location to display pieces from the collection. Residents seek ICE ban on village-owned property Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity ramped up around the Chicago area this year as part of a Trump administration initiative dubbed Operation Midwest Blitz. In November, a number of residents, concerned by reports of masked agents detaining individuals—sometimes violently—without warrants and in public places around the Chicago area, addressed the Glenview Village Board, asking village officials to ban federal agents from using municipal property for their operations. The residents also asked for better communication from the village regarding such activities and the rights of residents, workers and visitors to Glenview. The board did not commit to taking any action banning federal officials from government property, with Mayor Michael Jenny calling such action “not enforceable” and “symbolic.” On Nov. 24, the village responded to requests for communication and information by posting on its website a list of frequently asked questions related to ICE activity. The FAQ did note that Glenview police officers will respond to 911 calls related to concerns about particular ICE activity and will “assess the scene, follow state law and do everything possible to ensure the safety of all individuals.” Fiery crash claims three lives Two lifelong friends from Aurora, age 22, and their 20-year-old passenger from Wisconsin were killed in January in a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of West Lake Avenue and Pfingsten Road. The crash caused the car to burst into flames and the three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Former industrial site eyed for recreational and open space use The Glenview Village Board in November voted to purchase the 56-acre former Signode Industrial Group campus, northeast of Pfingsten Road and West Lake Avenue, at a cost of $23.4 million. Additional environmental studies are being conducted ahead of a scheduled real estate closing on the property, currently scheduled to take place in early 2026. If acquired, this will be Glenview’s largest land redevelopment since The Glen was created in the early 2000s. While plans for the property are still to be determined, village officials have called for open space and recreational uses, with master planning sessions with community members taking place in the spring. Playgrounds, athletic fields, sports facilities, trails and natural areas are all ideas for the site, said Jeff Brady, community development director for the village. Trustees vote to continue 1% grocery tax When the Illinois General Assembly voted to end the state’s 1% tax on groceries, municipalities were faced with a tough decision: Forego the revenue this tax generated or adopt a local 1% tax to cover the loss. Glenview, like many communities, opted for the latter, with trustees voting in August to establish a 1% municipal grocery tax, effective on Jan. 1. The grocery tax equates to $1 on every $100 in groceries purchased and is expected to generate approximately $2.7 million. Trustees Jim Bland and Mary Cooper voted against the tax, saying it would hurt lower income residents. Couple robbed outside home An April night turned terrifying for a Glenview couple who were robbed at gunpoint shortly after returning home. Police said three men accosted the couple and demanded their belongings before fleeing in a Jaguar SUV that had been reported stolen. Angelo B. Hatter, 26, of Chicago, was arrested in June in connection with the incident and charged with armed robbery with a firearm, police said. He remains in custody in Cook County Jail, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Oil Lamp Theater holds fundraising campaign for relocation Glenview’s own storefront theater announced plans to grow in 2025. In October, Oil Lamp Theater launched “Light the Way,” a $5 million capital campaign to renovate the former Country Cobbler Shoe Store, located across the street from the existing theater at 1723 Glenview Road. The renovations will add 83 more seats for live productions, as well as a larger stage, better sight lines for the audience, sound and lighting improvements, and more. If the capital campaign is successful, the goal is for the new theater to open by the end of 2027. As Glenview officials focus on the revitalization of downtown, Oil Lamp’s Executive Director Jay Pastucha believes the theater will have a “big impact” on the commercial district’s future. Pilot program popularizes composting A little composting program had big results in Glenview this year. In July, bins accepting kitchen food scraps for compost were made available at the Glenview Public Library and Glenview Public Works Department. The project, aimed at educating residents about keeping food waste out of landfills, was supposed to last three months. But thanks to additional funding from the local Judy Beck Grant and donations from supporters, the program was extended through January. As of mid-December, 125 32-gallon bins were collected from the two sites—a total weight of 16,725 pounds of food scraps, said Mary Munday of Greener Glenview, the organization that is leading the effort with Evanston-based Collective Resource Compost Cooperative. “The pilot program was a resounding success,” Munday said. According to an email from Assistant Village Manager Nick Santoro, the village will take over the program on Feb. 1, with the drop-off sites remaining the same. ...read more read less