Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How a $20 Des Plaines lottery ticket became $2 million
Spotted on the Des Plaines calendar: Cancer Wellness Center - Better Together Benefit 2026

Good day Des Plaines! We're here again with what you need to know today. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- How a $20 Des Plaines lottery ticket became $2 million
- How to reserve your seat for Des Plaines' Romanian Book Symposium
Also on today's calendar: Cancer Wellness Center - Better Together Benefit 2026 and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: What gets bigger the more you take away? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Sunday: Partly sunny, a shower; warm, with a high of 89 and low of 72 degrees. 🌶 Hot!
- Monday: A couple of morning showers, temps: high: 91, low: 74.
- Tuesday: Hot with a t-storm in spots, with a high of 92 and low of 74 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• Illinois Woman Wins $2 Million After Spending Just $20 (mundonow.com) — A Des Plaines resident has won a $2 million Illinois Lottery prize from a $20 instant ticket bought at ZJ's Pantry Plus Liquors in town. The anonymous winner plans to use the windfall for a home and travel, while the Des Plaines retailer also receives a $20,000 bonus from the state lottery.
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• The Romanian Book Symposium in Chicago on Romanian Language Day – A Celebration of Three Countries (tribuna.us) — Des Plaines will host the first Romanian Book Symposium on Romanian Language Day at the Romanian Heritage Center on Broadway Street, bringing authors, diplomats, and readers together. Scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2, the free event features Romanian‑American writers, rare historic books, and a celebration of Romanian language and culture, but seating is limited and requires advance text reservations.
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📸 Around Des Plaines
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Des Plaines
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Cancer Wellness Center - Better Together Benefit 2026 →
Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel, 933 Skokie Blvd, Northbrook
6:30 pm
Thursday September 24
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Girls Golf vs Evanston
Maine West High School Salt Creek Golf Club, 1051 N Prospect Ave Site A, Wood Dale, IL
4:00 pm - Girls Tennis vs Regina Dominican
Maine West High School 1755 South Wolf Road, Des Plains, IL 60018
4:30 pm - Girls Volleyball vs Lincoln Park
Maine West High School Spec Gym
6:00 pm - Boys Golf vs Elmwood Park
Maine West High School Chick Evans Golf Course, 6145 Golf Rd, Morton Grove, IL 60053
4:00 pm - Boys Soccer vs Oak Park River Forest
Maine West High School Stadium
5:00 pm - Boys Golf vs Vernon Hills
Maine West High School Chick Evans Golf Course, 6145 Golf Rd, Morton Grove, IL 60053
4:00 pm - Girls Swimming & Diving vs Wheeling
Maine West High School 1755 South Wolf Road, Des Plains, IL 60018
5:00 pm - Little Legends Fall Outdoor Soccer (Ages 3-7) →
Little Legends Soccer Academy, 74 Park Dr, Glenview
4:00 pm - IKEA Frank Mots Int'l Kite Festival →
, Milwaukee
9:00 am - Community Picnic →
Trinity Lutheran Church, 675 E Algonquin Rd, Des Plaines
11:30 am - Center of Concern Hosts Special Event on Cost of Living →
Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St, Des Plaines
5:30 pm
Monday August 31
Tuesday September 1
Wednesday September 2
Tuesday September 8
Saturday September 12
Sunday September 13
Monday September 14
📣 Des Plaines Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Des Plaines PatchAM possible:
- Midtown Gastroenterology and Liver Disease — (847) 290-3800
- Al Basha Sweets Co — (708) 233-0826
- Appliance Repair Park Ridge — (847) 449-5310
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Has anyone here been diagnosed with Frozen Shoulder?
Would appreciate input, your experience. Thanks. (Nextdoor Iroquois Park)
- U-Haul International, Inc. posted a job opening for Storage Facility Housekeeper in Des Plaines. Apply here.
- Robert Half posted a job opening for Accounting Specialist Job in Des Plaines, IL | Robert Half in Des Plaines. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Des Plaines here.
🗞 Nearby News
Mount Prospect
- A Social Security shortfall could slash benefits by $500 a month. Black Americans stand to lose most (thegrio.com)
Park Ridge
- How ICE is arresting soaring numbers of immigrants with no criminal record (inquirer.com)
Rosemont
- 'Have deep concern': Union calls for accountability after college board chairman, mayor's brother arrested in McHenry County (lakemchenryscanner.com)
- Sports on TV for Sunday, Aug. 30 (lancasteronline.com)
- How the U.S. has avoided a recession over the last 5 years (cfo.com)
Ok Des Plaines! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A hole (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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