Cary, IL — January 23, 2026 — A Chicago-area high school librarian is using a new episode of his father–son podcast to explore the city’s beloved amusement parks — and to confront a disturbing piece of history that many have forgotten. Hersey High School librarian Bruce Janu has released Episode 17 of Songs in the Key of Dave, a storytelling and music podcast created from weekly conversations with his father, Dave, who grew up in Chicago. The episode centers on amusement parks – first Disney, of course, but then classic Chicago-area attractions such as Riverview Park, Kiddieland, and Santa’s Village — places that loomed large in mid-century childhood memories. As with previous episodes, the conversation begins with nostalgia: family outings to Disney World shortly after it opened, and Kiddieland, Santa’s Village and Riverview. The podcast explores the sense of wonder those parks created for generations of Chicagoans. But this episode takes a deeper turn when Bruce learns, during the re...

Cary, IL — December 1, 2025 —  A Chicago-area educator and filmmaker has teamed up with his father in Florida to create a growing podcast that blends family storytelling, history, and music in a uniquely intimate way. With the release of its tenth episode,  Songs in the Key of Dave  continues to deepen a creative exchange that spans 1,200 miles. Created by Hersey High School Librarian Bruce Janu and his father, Dave, who lives in Florida, the show emerged from an ordinary weekly tradition: every Tuesday night, the two pour a drink, get on a virtual call, and talk — about cars, childhood memories, family history, and the music that shaped their lives. Those conversations eventually became the backbone of a fully produced podcast. Dave grew up in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood before eventually moving to Mt. Prospect, where Bruce was raised, and many of the podcast’s stories focus on life in Old Town and the northwest suburbs.   Bruce’s professional work makes th...

Woodstock, IL – The locally produced horror short  Say My Name  heads to the Chicago Horror Film Festival next month. With over 222 films screening over the three-day fest at the historic Logan Theater, The Chicago Horror Film Festival is now considered to be the largest in the world for the horror genre. This chilling tale of vengeance and justice brings together the talents of Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident; Bruce David Janu, a Cary filmmaker and longtime educator; and Andrew Zilch, an emerging cinematographer and 2022 graduate of Cary-Grove High School. Written and directed by Janu,  Say My Name  follows a serial killer haunted by the horrifying return of one of his victims. She appears with her glowing, lava-like wounds and fiery eyes.  She carries a demonic doll with a chilling laugh, and has only one request: “say my name.”  “Say My Name  i s more than a horror film. It is a story about a ghost, for sure,”   said Janu, who plays seria...

  ****  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  **** LOCAL TALENT BRINGS VENGEANCE TO THE SCREEN IN CHILLING SHORT FILM, SAY MY NAME Woodstock, IL – The haunting short film Say My Name has completed production and is making its way to film festivals worldwide. This chilling tale of vengeance and justice showcases the collaborative talents of Maria Puga, a Woodstock resident, and Bruce David Janu, an educator with over 30 years of experience teaching social science and is the current librarian at John Hersey High School in Arlington Heights. Written and directed by Janu, Say My Name follows a serial killer haunted by the horrifying return of one of his victims. She appears with her glowing, lava-like wounds and fiery eyes.  She carries a demonic doll with a chilling laugh, and has only one request: “say my name.”  “Say My Name i s more than a horror film. It is a story about a ghost, for sure,”  said Janu. “But it is also about how justice can be as terrifying as the crim...

Three years ago, I packed my car with cameras, microphones, tripods and a camera crane. I left right after work and made my way from the midwest to the hills of rural, northeastern Pennsylvania. The location of my journey was not even on a map -- it was church in the small, forgotten town of Lynn.  For nineteen years, the Old Lynn Church was the home to one of the most prestigious concert series in modern, acoustic folk music. And this was their last show. This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts is not only about that last show, but about the history of the building and the music that echoes there.   In the spirit of the Old Lynn Concert Series, which was free and open to the public, we will be streaming the documentary free on Saturday night, May 28, 2022 on our Facebook page at 7pm Eastern.  This is a special, never-before-seen event: The film will be introduced by the director, Bruce David Janu After the film, Bruce will introduce and screen three del...

Bruce David Janu, the director of This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts has won the Best Director Award for documentary features at the Couch Film Festival. The festival is a quarterly event held in Toronto, Canada.  It is an IMBD-eligible event, meaning award winners can list their awards in the penultimate movie database. This Sacred Space was nominated for both the Best Documentary Award and Best Director.

The Couch Film Festival in Toronto has selected This Sacred Place: The Story of Old Lynn Concerts as a Semi-Finalist in the Documentary (60-120 Minutes category). Plus, a nod for Best Director for the 60-120 minute film category, as well. Unfortunately, due to new Covid restrictions, they had to cancel all public screenings. Still, the films will be judged and winners announced on March 31.