Weird Illinois News Stories That Made Us Say 'Huh?' In 2022 – Patch

March 4, 2025 ndowd

ILLINOIS — There are usually some real head-scratchers and jaw-droppers in local news, and 2022 was no exception. We did some double-takes, had to give a few some time to digest, and boy, were there some doozies.
There was the one about a rapping resident pleading his case, or another with livestock roaming the expressway. Or how about the 60-year-old French fries found frozen in time? There’s a little bit of “weird” for everyone, so let’s dig in.
As we get ready to put 2022 behind us, let’s take a look at some of the strange stories that stood out:
Elmhurst resident Jim Hodapp wanted his house declared a nature preserve and was told that “rapping is optional” during his pitch to officials. Oh, but rap, he did.
Hodapp had been ticketed for weeds growing in his yard, and then decided to make his case that his land should be considered a preserve. Hodapp, “foolishly believes that we can save Mother Earth one yard at a time,” he said.
His little ditty went a little something like this:

“Save the wild bees by letting the dandelions grow and just saying no. No to herbicide. No to pesticide. And, yes, to a blessed new hour of wildflower power,” Hodapp rapped. “Think about that. The hippies are back. My name’s not Jack. It’s Jim. I’m not that slim. I’m getting old, but my raps are still bold, and I live in E-town Elmhurst, Starburst.
“… You better still lock your car door. Yo, wildflower power. Wildflower power. Wildflower power.”

Rumors were (supposedly) flying back in February, whispering of illicit “adult activities” at a local hotel. One trustee was quick to try to squash them, but others took to social media to say that they were, in fact, true: there were swingers among them one night at a local hotel.
The event was held by Friends Night Out, which describes itself as a members-only lifestyle club.
“We host events where normal, everyday people can dress sexy and enjoy a private night out,” its website says.
One trustee said, “what they do in their own room is what they do. … I don’t look for that stuff. I’d rather read the Bible.”
It was a sight few had seen before: cattle, traipsing along Interstate 80.
Several spilled out of a semi transporting the livestock following a crash. Some died from the impact; others took some real-life wranglers—cowboys, really—to hop on horseback and corral them to safety.
Necks craned to see the cattle, and the roundup debacle.
Homeowners doing some renovations found an unexpected surprise when they got to work.
The Jones family made an interesting find after they cut into the wall to replace a built-in toilet paper dispenser. To do so, they had to cut out a 4-by-6-inch section of the wall, which had covered a towel that was wrapped around a bag. Rob yelled for Grace to come from the kitchen, which the couple has also been remodeling since March. Grace Jones told Patch that, at first, the couple’s imagination got the best of them.
Evidence from a crime, maybe? Could it be?
Nope. More like a McDonald’s bag, with a hamburger wrapper and some 60-year-old French fries, preserved pretty well.
A man with shifting explanations about why he had open beer cans in his car early the morning of New Year’s Eve was arrested on charges of drunken driving and battery, Hinsdale police said.
The man changed his story about the beers a couple of times before police handcuffed him. They found an unopened can of beer in the glove compartment—that was just his “emergency beer” the man told police.
A substitute was warned by a school after she told students who faltered in mask use that they were required to do push-ups or jumping jacks.
A parent told the school’s principal that the substitute had required that her daughter do five push-ups because her mask wasn’t above her nose. The punishment was against school policy, the principal said, and the substitute eventually apologized to parents.
A La Grange Park man who went running one evening in a DuPage County forest preserve said he was attacked by an owl.
The bird swooped down at the man three times, striking him in the head twice. He was able to dodge the third one.
“There’s a huge bird flying around my head,” Daire Barry said. “My initial thought was that it was a hawk. Then it landed in a tree. I shined my light. It was a big brown owl. I was kind of freaking out. I was yelling at it.”
He said he had thought before about possible attacks from animals on the ground, but not birds.
Actor Salma Hayek’s net worth is reported at $200 million. So she probably has better things to do than contact random Elmhurst residents for money, right?