One of my favorite images from October took 3rd place is sports for the regional NPPA clip contest. Little late on the results, but still welcome news.
South Elgin's Amanda Behles (#21, left) and Sarah Havemann (#4, right) celebrate after their victory at South Elgin High School in South Elgin, Ill., on Saturday, January 23, 2010. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Courier-News)
Dotti Cutlip, left, and Patti Vande Hey attend an Alpha Omicron Pi murder mystery night in Schaumburg. The sorority helped out one member financially when she faced foreclosure on her house. (Photo for the Tribune by Andrew A. Nelles / January 13, 2010)
St. Charles North's David Johnson (#11) shoots past Larkin's Brian Cooks (#25) during the first quarter at Larkin High School in Elgin, Ill., on Thursday, January 21, 2010. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Courier-News)
Jake Miller, in the role of "Plaque Man," performs during a dental hygiene presentation Tuesday at Creekside Elementary School in Elgin. The theatrical program, called "The Land of Smiles," is sponsored by Delta Dental of Illinois. (Andrew A. Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
Kindergardner Victoria Luna (center,) 5, reacts during a dental hygiene presentation Tuesday at Creekside Elementary School in Elgin. The theatrical program, called "The Land of Smiles," is sponsored by Delta Dental of Illinois. (Andrew A. Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
East Aurora's Snoop Viser (24) advances past Curie's Greg Travis (1) during the third quarter at Whitney Young High School in Chicago on Monday. (Andrew A. Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
Solar Integrators Julian Florescu, left, and Matt Vester, center, from Solar Services install solar panels on a customer's home in Des Plaines, Ill., on Wednesday, January 13, 2010. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Chicago Tribune)
Burlington Central's Matt McCurdy (#13) shoots over Kaneland's Ryley Bailey (#10, right) during the first quarter at Burlington Central High School in Burlington, Ill., on Saturday, January 9, 2010. Burlington Central defeated Kaneland 65-51. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Courier-News)
Marv Baker is retiring after more than 40 years of teaching "Bakerball" to hundreds of youngsters at the Highwood Recreation Center. (Photo for the Tribune by Andrew A. Nelles / December 23, 2009)
Deer roam through woods at North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd., in Chicago, Ill., on Sunday, December 13, 2009. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Chicago Tribune)
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Miguel Valdivia holds his 3-month-old daughter, Reigna Meyer, during a potluck dinner for him and his family at the VFW post in Elgin on Saturday. Sgt. Valdivia was was shot three times during the mass shooting on Nov. 5 at Fort Hood, Texas. (Andrew A. Nelles | For The Courier-News)
Army Spc. Vincent Otting hugs his Grandmother, Donna Jasper, who traveled from Davenport, Iowa to welcome him home from his tour in Iraq, on Friday, December 18, 2009 in Aurora, Ill. Spc. Otting is returning from a tour near Mosul, Iraq with the Army's 1st Cavalry Division. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Beacon News)
Adam Foster, left, and class coach Jerry Harrington, right, show expectant father Nick Hunn what it's like to hold 4-month-old Joey Foster during a class at a Park Ridge hospital. (Photo for the Tribune by Andrew A. Nelles / December 5, 2009)
Bartlett's Lance Whitaker (#34) sets up to pass around St. Charles North's Ryan Brown (#1, left) and Adam Bernthal (#33, right) during the second quarter at Bartlett High School in Bartlett, Ill., on Friday, December 11, 2009. Bartlett High School defeated St. Charles North High School 72-58. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Courier-News)
South Elgin High School's Becca Smith (#15) pushes past Jabobs High School's Molly Leopold (#33) during the second quarter at South Elgin High School in South Elgin, Ill., on Wednesday, December 9, 2009. (Andrew A. Nelles / Photo for The Courier-News)
Ice sculptor Trevor Pearson, of Chicago Ice Works, carves with a chainsaw during the Oswego Christmas Walk along Main St. in Oswego, Ill., on Friday, December 4, 2009. The Oswego Christmas Walk featured food, activities, and a firetruck parade. (Andrew A. Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
The King Khan & BBQ Show perform at the Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago, Ill., on Wednesday, December 2, 2009.
Kerrilee Meeker of the Fox Valley Festival Chorus performs during the Holiday Magic festivities at the North Island Center in Aurora on Friday. Many families attended the event, which included a tree lighting and a visit from Santa. (Photo by Andrew A. Nelles | For The Beacon-News) 
Roberto Figueroa (left) and Sergio Tellez, both of Chicago, Ill., wait for for friends while shopping at The Chicago Premium Outlet Mall in Aurora, Ill., on Friday, November 27, 2009. (Andrew Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
