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Press Releases/Announcements from local sources
Source	Click on title to see the article at its original site.
31 Jan
Elementary District 33	Foundation Announces $10,000 Scholarship Raffle "The Foundation for Educational Excellence for West Chicago Elementary School District 33 will kick off its $10,000 college scholarship raffle on Thursday, February 14, 2008. Tickets are $20.00 each and only 1,000 tickets will be sold through April 25, 2008. A second place prize of a $500 savings bond has been donated by DuPage National Bank. The drawing will take place on Thursday, May 1, 2008 near the beginning of the District 33 Board of Education meeting."
	Letter to the Editor "From time to time I write letters to the editor of the local newspaper, some times they get published and some times they don’t get published. It seems if. I agree with the paper’s view it get published. Here is one I don’t think would be published."
	Carson's Community Day Booklets - Becky Hall "The West Chicago City Museum has Community Day booklets for sale for only $5! For that $5 you get a $10 off coupon, plus several discount coupons, all valid on March 1st. This is an easy way to support the museum's goal to restore the old depot building AND save money for yourself! The City Museum is open from 10:30 to 3:30 Tuesday through Friday, and 11:00 to 3:00 on Saturday. Don't forget to go upstairs and see the exhibit!"
	Letters to Editor: Lauzen has shown he will serve us "I too was seriously disappointed with Dennis Hastert's performance over the last several years as our representative, in that while he was the Speaker of the House, the third highest public official of the United State of America, he allowed or, let our (Republican) majority dwindle to shame." Voters should support Laesch "He believes small businesses pay too much for health care. He will fight for free trade. He wants to fix illegal immigration. He wants to end the war in Iraq. (His brother is serving in Iraq). He has a bipartisan view in his approach to problem solving. He will not accept PAC money. As my Republican neighbor (and Laesch convert) says: "He's real.""
	Contractors now have to register with county "DuPage County will now be able to provide residents with a list of registered, licensed and bonded contractors performing work in unincorporated areas. This new requirement becomes effective Saturday, March 1, and will be administered through the Department of Economic Development and Planning."
Sun Publications	Democrats show Obama the love "Dirk Enger, a DuPage County Board candidate, said Edwards formulated a message of change long before Obama adopted the word as his campaign theme. "The party seems to think the word change started in this election," said Enger, who volunteered for Edwards' first presidential campaign. "Change started in 2004 with Edwards."
PR Newswire New York,NY	Community Calls on State to Review Safety of Canadian National's ... "With the EJ&E having 133 grade-level crossings along the line from Waukegan to Gary, the flow of commuter traffic will inevitably be hindered as CN makes the line its "Interstate 294 bypass" of freight traffic," Darch notes. "Simply stated, we are not equipped with the rail crossing infrastructure to handle a massive onslaught of freight traffic."
	IL Delegation Calls on President to Move FutureGen Forward "Many have argued that this abrupt about face by Secretary Bodman was the direct result of the FutureGen Alliance choosing Mattoon, Illinois as the site, over Texas applicants. While we'd like not to believe this theory, there is no other plausible explanation."
	USDA Must Act to Ensure Safety of Food in the National School Lunch Program "Durbin’s letters are in response to an investigative video report released by the Humane Society, depicting dozens of incidents of inhumane treatment of sick and weak animals at processing facility that is a leading supplier of ground beef to our nation’s schools."
	Illinois National Guard ranked 49th for available equipment - WAND - Decatur,IL "A new report ranks the Illinois Army National Guard 49th among the 50 states when it comes to available equipment... U.S. Senator Dick Durbin has long voiced concerns about shortfalls in Guard equipment."
	Montel Williams Loses Job after Defending Troops on Fox News "A former Marine and Naval officer, Montel lectured the stunned hosts on the stupidity of spending air time on the death of Heath Ledger, rather than covering the war in Iraq. It was a spectacle rarely seen on live cable television, as Montel exposed and condemned both tabloid "news" shows and much of American culture for what they have each become: shallow and greedy."
30 an
Merle Berle	Around and About in West Chicago - 30 Jan 2008 The Greenest Regions compact Ash Wednesday Special Worship Services National Catholic Schools Week How to Raise A Money-Smart Child
	Fortune Makes the Under 20 Brazilian National Team "Leah Fortune, a junior at Wheaton Academy, received word on January 29 that she was one of 17 players chosen to be a part of the 2008 Women’s World Cup under 20 Brazilian National Team. Fortune, born in Brazil to American parents, holds dual citizenship."
	Letters to the Editor concerning local issues/candidates Lauzen best choice for 14th District Experience key in 14th; vote Lauzen Vote for highly qualified judge Vote 'no' to county sales tax increase - Robert J. Schillerstrom Chairman, DuPage County Board
	Fire destroys kitchen of West Chicago golf club "The ceiling of the kitchen was heavily damaged, and the adjoining dining rooms incurred some minor damage, Skubisz said. “I’m sure the kitchen will need new ceilings, new walls and they’ll have to redo the electric system — there is considerable damage,” Skubisz said. The Clubhouse, which is a frequently used for banquets, weddings and other events, will be closed until the damage is repaired."
	Schillerstrom appoints panel to examine future of Convalescent Center "“I tried to make it kind of a diverse group,” Schillerstrom said. “One of the nice things about a diverse group is that you get a wide variety views.” The Convalescent Center has provided long-term medical and short-term rehabilitative care to residents since opening its doors in 1888. The county’s budget cuts since 2003 have led to cutbacks at the center, including the termination of 20 employees in 2007."
	IL Delegation Calls on President to Move FutureGen Forward Despite Bodman's Objections "Many have argued that this abrupt about face by Secretary Bodman was the direct result of the FutureGen Alliance choosing Mattoon, Illinois as the site, over Texas applicants. While we'd like not to believe this theory, there is no other plausible explanation."
	Durbin reports $7.3 million campaign fund - WJBC News - Bloomington,IL "The Springfield Democrat took in a bit more than $1 million from October through mid January, based on his disclosure report filed today. He spent about $359,000 during the period. Durbin has no primary challenger. Including his years in the House, the senator has spent about a quarter-century in Washington."
	Obama Donates Challenged Funds - New York Times "After another review of campaign contributions, an aide to Senator Barack Obama said Tuesday evening that the campaign was giving to charity $72,650 in donations tied to an indicted Chicago businessman, Antoin Rezko, who helped raise money for Mr. Obama’s Senate campaign four years ago."
Rep Peter Roskam	ROSKAM’S RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BUSH’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS “The people of Illinois’ 6th District know all too well that Washington is broken. A city that is often hamstrung with partisan politics, only reduces our ability to come together and find solutions to the problems we face. “Congress’ successes lately, including an economic stimulus package and energy legislation, have been successful when, and only when, we have worked together. "
Governor Blagojevich	Honoring Illinois' Fallen "fly the United States and Illinois flags at State occupied buildings at half-staff on behalf of: Army SSG Robert Miller, United States Army, Hometown: Wheaton, Illinois"
	Department of Energy’s plans to dismantle FutureGen “After an almost five-year long, rigorous site review process, the FutureGen Alliance announced on December 18th that Mattoon, Illinois will be home to the landmark project. On November 30th, 2007, the Department of Energy sent a letter reaffirming that the project was moving forward as planned. Only after it became clear that an Illinois site would be chosen over a Texas site, the Department suggested the project be delayed and now today, that it be dismantled."
	Gov. Blagojevich launches first in the nation Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder program for Illinois Veterans
29 Jan
City of West Chicago	ComEd Issues Storm Alert "The City of West Chicago has been notified by ComEd that a storm alert for the entire ComEd service territory has been in effect since 11:00 a.m. today. As sustained winds of 25-30 miles per hour and gusts of 45-50 miles per hour are expected, ComEd is preparing for storm-related damage and resulting service interruptions." [Readers are reminded that the right column always has a link to NOAA, where such warnings are always available. In addition, a new link "Winter Driving" over there gets you up to date driving conditions in all states. You have to wonder about the city bureaucrats that decided that this warning was a timely (4:41PM this afternoon) service. - Bob]
	Community High School students ship computers to Angola "The West Chicago students raised more than $800 in their advisory classes to purchase the special laptop computers from the One Laptop Per Child Program, which has a mission to empower children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child."
	No traffic light warranted at busy school entrance ""Based on the results of the study, the intersection didn't meet the minimum requirements to warrant either stop signs or a traffic signal," Pacheco said. As a part of the project, though, the hill on Prince Crossing Road as you approach the school from the north was planed down and flattened to make the area safer with better sight lines."
	DuPage Democrats hope straw poll pumps up party "The poll is a sign of growing activity and fervor in a local party operation that's long lived in the shadow of its GOP rival within the county. Democratic voters in DuPage will see primary ballots with about twice as many names running for precinct committeeman than they've seen in recent years."
	Letters to the Editor concerning local issues/candidates Laesch the leader 14th District needs Vote for Lauzen is one worth casting Candidate with bad idea on storm water Lauzen tax plan not good for all
	Police beat "Allison C. Godee, 20, of 2825 Manisfield Court, West Chicago, was arrested at 1:55 a.m. Saturday and charged with domestic battery and underage drinking at an apartment on the 100 block of Lakeside Drive, police said." "Two West Chicago girls, ages 13 and 15, were arrested at 5:10 p.m. Saturday and charged with retail theft after stealing $38.97 in jewelry from Kohl's, 3840 E. Main St., police said"
	the VA Inspector General's Report on the Marion VA Medical Center “Today’s report from the VA Inspector General confirms what many of us in Illinois feared – the quality of medical care at the Marion VA Medical Center was substandard; hospital policies established to protect patients were ignored; and the assessments of medical personnel at the hospital were seriously deficient. As the inspectors who reviewed the Marion hospital put it, the quality of care at Marion was 'horrible.'
	Durbin Comments on the State of the Union “The President says he wants to reduce waste in Washington. Nobody likes wasteful spending. Nobody wants millions of dollars inserted into bills in the dark of night. But the right answer is to require full disclosure and transparency on all spending bills – exactly what the Democratic Congress did last year.”
	on the Marion VA Medical Center Reports "Our veterans should expect nothing less than world class care and treatment at our nation's veterans' facilities. I remain deeply concerned over the unacceptable breakdown that led to these tragic deaths and substandard care at the Marion VA Medical Center."
	Ukraine's Commitment to Join NATO "The extension of NATO membership to new democracies in Europe has helped create a zone of peace and prosperity across Europe and enhanced NATO's military capability by facilitating contributions from new members."
Governor Blagojevich	Governor Blagojevich calls first meeting of the Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force “Our state is one of the nation’s leading producers of agricultural products, but imports more than 90 percent of its food,” Gov. Blagojevich said. “If we could develop a system to satisfy consumers’ demand for organic and locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables and keep food sales in-state, we’d have a tremendous opportunity to improve the health of our diets and revitalize rural communities.”
28 Jan
	St. Andrews CC - Clubhouse Fire "The fire was confined to the kitchen area of the clubhouse. Companies on the scene conducted extensive overhaul of the fire area to make certain that the fire did not extend into the structural part of the building. The fire was reported at 4:45 pm. It was elevated to an extra alarm to receive additional assistance at the scene. Approximately 35 firefighters were called to the scene to control the fire."
	Wheaton Academy Mock Trial Team "When only three of the five veteran Mock Trial students got on the bus for their trip to the tournament at the 16th Circuit Court of Kane County, Coach Jon Keith soon learned that due to illness his team would face a big challenge during the kick off tournament for the 2008 season. With only a half hour bus trip to prepare, the team had to scramble and agree who would fill four key roles. Yet, after two rounds and five hours of intense competition against eleven other Illinois elite Mock Trial schools, Wheaton Academy emerged as a finalist."
West Chicago High School	WEGO WINTER SPIRIT! "Come to the Varsity Girls’ Basketball Game on Thursday, January 31st at 7:30 p.m. in Bishop Gym! Beginning at 6:30 p.m. the Wildcat Booster Club will provide free pizza and soft drinks to WEGO Students who attend the game that evening! Bring a non-perishable food item (no glass containers) to the game and receive a raffle ticket for prizes to be pulled at halftime! Items collected will be donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Our Boys’ Basketball Team will be entertaining us at half-time with a 3 point shooting contest!"
	Trees, People, & the Law Symposium Basics of Tree Law Trees and Neighbor Law Insurance Coverage for Tree Related Damages Tree Risk Management Using Tree Inventories to Limit Liability Community Tree Ordinances Expert Witnessing
	Local schools facing shortage of science, math teachers "Nationwide, 36 percent of seventh- to 12th-grade public school math teachers and 27 percent of science teachers did not major or minor in their subject area, according to U.S. Department of Education statistics." [This is followed by the editorial Schools need deafening solution to 'quiet crisis'. I admit to a personal interest. - Bob]
	Wide-eyed looks at Fermilab "The 6,800-acre Fermilab site is home to a prairie grass restoration project, a herd of buffalo and cultural programs including concerts, films, lectures and art exhibits. On the 15th floor of Wilson Hall, with its panoramic view of the laboratory grounds and far beyond, Fermilab physicists met one-on-one with visitors for the popular "Ask-a-Scientist" program."
	'No' to Winfield Township roads "The message is clear - though it's not getting across in Winfield Township. After such a pattern of failure, why not go for a 1-cent increase, or a half-cent increase, anything but what has been a losing proposition? We recommend a no vote on this proposal."
	Letters to the Editor concerning local issues Winfield Township deserves 'yes' vote - John C. Smith Campaign director would pick Lauzen Constitution defines Laesch's goals Vote for change, unity -- vote Laesch
	Lauzen, Oberweis clash on Parkway "More than $200 million in federal funds have been earmarked for "a north-south connector," and while the state is pursuing the Prairie Parkway project, Lauzen believes the money could be put to better use." [More background on Rep.Hastert's interest in the expressway can be found at Hastert's $2 million land profit Haster has endorsed Oberweis who supports the lucrative road. - Bob]
	Thanking smokers - William Hooper "I don't have to immediately take a shower and quarantine my clothes when I get home. And I'm not sick and coughing the next day. So thank you to all you smokers whom I noticed braving the frigid cold Saturday to have a smoke outside."
	Chef Fanella keeps Restaurant Ownership in the Family “We get the crowds from the places that close at midnight,” said Fanella, looking around the spacious dining area, “we got recognized for being open late.” Tivoli also features live music three nights a week. Acts like Dakota, a young singer known for performing Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett tunes livens up the restaurant."
Chicago Sun-Times	An entrepreneurial stimulus "The nine-employee ITDA, which has offices at 549 W. Randolph and the DuPage National Technology Park in West Chicago, is funded in part via contracts with NASA, the Department of Defense and the Small Business Administration. The group hosts quarterly Monday Morning Meetings that showcase new business plans to local investors, and helps larger corporations like Caterpillar bring new tech-based divisions to market."
Naperville Sun	Man gets year in prison for scuffle with cops "It was a year ago that a West Chicago man scuffled with two Aurora police officers in the parking lot of a Naperville restaurant. And now he'll serve a year in prison. Alejandro Salinas, 25, of the 600 block of Blakley Street has been sentenced to one year in the Illinois Department of Corrections in exchange for his plea to aggravated resisting a peace officer, a Class 4 felony."
	Spell Check Gaffe: You type Obama, Microsoft inserts Osama - Detroit Free Press "There's a glitch, of sorts, with the popular Microsoft Word program that is starting to seriously irk those who follow politics, especially those who like Senator Barack Obama. Type in the word "Obama" and it comes up as a misspelling. Ask Word to suggest a word and it presents "Osama.""
	Lessons of 1992 - New York Times "First, those who don’t want to nominate Hillary Clinton because they don’t want to return to the nastiness of the 1990s — a sizable group, at least in the punditocracy — are deluding themselves. Any Democrat who makes it to the White House can expect the same treatment: an unending procession of wild charges and fake scandals, dutifully given credence by major media organizations that somehow can’t bring themselves to declare the accusations unequivocally false (at least not on Page 1)."
26&27 Jan
West Chicago High School	WEGO STUDENTS BRING THE WORLD TO AFRICA "Students at Community High School District #94, in West Chicago, recently sent two laptop computers to Angola to open up the world to students in the war torn nation. Students raised over $800 in their advisory classes to purchase the special laptop computers from the One Laptop Per Child Program which strives to empower the children of developing countries to learn by providing one connected laptop to every school-age child."
	Schools balk at six-hour driving requirement ""We also expect the General Assembly will understand the need to provide funding to carry out this critical six-hour component. The bottom line is we want to save kids' lives." Other districts that applied for waivers include Lake Park High School District 108, St. Charles District 303, West Chicago High School District 94..."
	Fumes spark fire at St. Andrew's "The flammable solvent was being used to remove floor tile. The fumes found an ignition source, possibly on a grill, according to a West Chicago deputy chief. The fire extended into the ceiling. About a half-dozen people were working there at the time. The clubhouse, at 3N441 Route 59, was closed to business at the time."
	14th Congressional District starting from scratch "For more than seven of those 21 years, Hastert's clout was nearly off the chart. As Speaker of the House, he was second only to the vice president in succession to the Oval Office. Hastert delivered millions of dollars for projects, notably transportation, not only within his district but elsewhere in Illinois."
	Briefs:Gallery 200 featured artist The works of Bernadette Malovany, a member of the board of directors of the DuPage Art League, will be featured next month at West Chicago's Gallery 200. Malovany will host an opening reception beginning at 6 p.m. Feb. 8 at the gallery, 200 Main St. The program is a cultural initiative sponsored by West Chicago and the Cultural Arts Commission. For details, call (630) 293-9550 or visit www.westchicago.org.
	Donor drive draws hundreds "With each day that passes, the family of 13-year-old Dianna Perez of West Chicago struggles to keep faith that a matching bone marrow donor will be found."
	Oberweis pours $1.6 million into Congress race "After pumping $1.69 million dollars into his own campaign, dairy mogul Jim Oberweis has gone through nearly twice as much money as other top spenders in the two Feb. 5 primary races to succeed former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, according to Federal Election Commission reports made public Friday."
	THE primary challenge defining the dems "Agree as they might, the candidates often are the only ones able to point out what makes them different -- Stein says he's the lone candidate talking about hungry children; Foster thinks his scientific approach works across the board; Laesch keys on his military background; and Serra touts a true "moderate" stance."
	Not guilty plea for driver in Ark. bus crash that killed 4 "Tapia was driving a Tornado Bus Co. bus Nov. 25 in the rain when it crossed the median near Forrest City, and collided with a pickup truck and a tractor trailer. Three people on the bus, including two Illinoisans, were killed, as was the driver of the pickup. The Illinois victims were Raul Lopez of West Chicago and Maria Del Carmen Fuentes Vallejo of Plano."
	Hastert seat becoming expensive property "Most expensive because Republican candidates Jim Oberweis, 61, of Sugar Grove, state Sen. Chris Lauzen, 55, of Aurora and Democrat Bill Foster, 52, of Geneva are combining to spend millions. Most vicious because Oberweis and Lauzen are regularly ripping each other."
	Wounded Illinois soldiers to attend State of the Union - THI - Terre Haute,IN "Durbin's office says Specialist Christopher Gross of Oswego and Staff Sergeant Mathew Ritenour of Chicago will join Durbin during the speech and attend the Secretary of State's dinner afterward. Gross was injured in September during a firefight on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ritenour was injured in September during a unit patrol in Zabol Province, Afghanistan."
	Obama and Faith on the Stump - New York Times "As Mr. Obama traveled around South Carolina this week before Saturday’s Democratic primary, his campaign took on a Christian glow, with shout-outs to Jesus by the candidate, warm-ups by gospel choirs, and glossy leaflets that showed Mr. Obama speaking from a pulpit and clasping hands with a minister, his head bowed in prayer."
Washington Post	Great Lakes' Lower Water Levels Propel a Cascade of Hardships "Decreased ice cover on the Great Lakes, probably caused by increasing air and water temperatures and high winds, is a major culprit in lowering water levels, which have hurt the shipping industry, forced lakeside power plants to extend their cooling pipes, frustrated recreational boaters, dried up wetlands and left coastal landowners with docks extending over yards of unsightly muck."
	How Bush’s Fiscal Mismanagement Produced a Recession "The Rogoff-Reinhardt study says that what’s happening in the United States right now has been predictable for some time and that the country is facing the real prospect of a long and severe recession, all the result of profligate fiscal practices and a failure to properly police the capital markets."
25 Jan
City of West Chicago	Resolution States Objections to Proposed Railway Acquisition "A Resolution passed by the West Chicago City Council at its January 21, 2008 meeting, formally conveys the City's objections to the proposed acquisition of the EJ&E West Company by the Canadian National Railway Corporation and its U.S. subsidiary, Grand Trunk Corporation (collectively, "CN") and urges the Surface Transportation Board to disapprove the proposed transaction based on the negative impact it will have on the City of West Chicago, its residents, business customers and the region"
	CALLING ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN DUPAGE! "JAN 31ST 7:30-8:45, Helen Plum Library COULD YOU PLEASE RSVP FOR POLLWATCHING TRAINING TODAY ? WRITE TO OTDB@AMERITECH.NET AND PUT "POLL WATCHING" IN THE SUBJECT LINE"
	West Chicago lauded for mud volleyball tourney "Peggy Krauch, retired superintendent of recreation, said, "Richard Sheriff, a park district commissioner in 1978, directed Kathy (Doell) Farraday to start a mud volleyball tournament." The first event held 30 years ago in the area by the old tennis courts had eight teams for two days of play."
	Donor drive draws hundreds "With each day that passes, the family of 13-year-old Dianna Perez of West Chicago struggles to keep faith that a matching bone marrow donor will be found. Perez is battling leukemia, and undergoing her last round of chemotherapy."
	Ballot integrity questions arise in race for 14th "At issue is a provision in the agreement allowing local election authorities in the 14th Congressional District to clear the memory card data from the Feb. 5 special primary election so the cards can be re-used for the March 8 special general election. If the cards are not cleared, some election officials say they'd have to purchase more memory cards -- a cost the cash-strapped agencies claim they can't bear. But Roy Lipscomb, technology director for the Evanston-based Illinois Ballot Integrity Project, said destroying such vital public records prematurely is unwise. Data on the memory cards might be needed in the event of a recount or to otherwise audit the election, he pointed out."
	Lawsuit in crash awaits review by appellate court "Lawyers for the Diamond's Gentleman's Club want to be dropped from the suit against John Homatas, arguing the club is not responsible in the wreck, largely because it does not serve alcohol -- the patrons bring it themselves."
	Police beat "Tyler B. Sparacio, 17, of 1952 Wessel Court, and Ryan M. Honer, 18, of 2420 Lindsay Court, West Chicago, were each cited Jan. 11 for disorderly conduct and reckless conduct after a fight at St. Charles East High School, 1020 Dunham Road, according to a police report released Thursday. A school dean who tried to break up the fight was treated for a back injury at Delnor-Community Hospital after being knocked down, according to the report."
	Time to pass the torch to Laesch "His opponents are honorable men but we have enough millionaires and lawyers in Congress now. It's time to give the younger generation a chance to mold the country for their future. Lord knows the problems they will face ahead will be monumental."
	Lauzen best choice for 14th District "I submit that a vote for Lauzen is a vote for honesty, integrity, responsiveness and competent leadership. Chris Lauzen is a certified public account and a state senator. He is considered conservative socially and economically, yet there is far more. He is also an honest man."
	Democrats underwhelm the audience "Bill Foster, who owns a theater lighting company, was talking to the stage manager about the auditorium's lighting. John Laesch was sketching out his opening statements in his white notebook. Jotham Stein was searching the audience for his wife and 6-year-old son, who was wearing headphones."
	Lawsuit against club could last for years "The Chiariello and Simmons families are suing Homatas, along with Diamonds Gentleman’s Club, for the death of their loved ones. Homatas and Chiariello were drinking at the club near West Chicago about 30 minutes before the crash on Route 25 near South Elgin, prosecutors said."
	19 Illinois high schools seek waiver from 6 hours behind the wheel "Cost clearly is a factor too. Eggerding said Lyons Township may have to hire three teachers to accommodate the six-hour requirement, a move that would cost $150,000 to $300,000. At West Chicago High School, the program's cost may rise from $100,000 to $150,000, said Dan Johnson, chairman of the school's driver's education department."
	Chicago Tribune religion writer ignores Obama's comments urging "respect and dignity" for Muslims - Media Matters "In addition to setting the record straight about his own faith, should Obama also give a shout-out to his Muslim brothers and sisters and defend Islam?" But the previous day, during an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, Obama had said, "I think that those who are of the Muslim faith are deserving of respect and dignity.""
	WHAT’S NEW STIMULUS: HOW COME NOBODY THOUGHT OF THIS BEFORE? LA SAPIENZA: POPE CANCELS VISIT AS SCIENTISTS PROTEST. SCIENCE ON THE ISS: A LOT OF PAPERWORK IS INVOLVED. MIRACLE STUDY: LEGAL NIGHTMARE GOES ON.
	IL-14 John Laesch’s Fundraising Improves - But Not Enough To Compete With Bill Foster "As he points out compared to John Laesch’s last quarter there’s improvement in John’s $67,000 for the quarter (Laesch raised $22,000 more among other things) - but I can’t see how that will be enough. Beating Jotham Stein’s declining fundraising in the quarter by about $5,500 may give you bragging rights - but not when you’re down hundreds of thousands of dollars to Bill Foster’s donors alone (and that doesn’t include the money Foster himself has donated or loaned to his campaign)."
	Durbin & IL Delegation Ask State to Pass Capital Bill to Boost Economy "U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with several members of the Illinois delegation, today sent a letter to Governor Blagojevich and Members of the Illinois General Assembly urging them to pass a state capital bill to move crucial infrastructure projects forward and boost economy."
	Obama Joins Boxer, Senators to Introduce Bill to Reverse EPA "Effectively tackling global warming demands bold and innovative solutions, and given the failure of this Administration to act, California should be allowed to pioneer. I commend Chairman Boxer for her leadership on this bill and on working to eliminate the damaging consequences of climate change around the world."
	On FBI whistle-blower Sibel Edmonds - The People's Voice - Nashville,TN, "Edmonds found Turks trafficking in nuclear materials and narcotics, and they also has some links to Israel. Moreover, she seemed to be suggesting that profits from these criminal dealings made their way to the office of Speaker Dennis Hastert in the form of campaign contributions and bribes. According to Daniel Ellsburg’s account of her message: “Suitcases of cash were delivered to the Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert at his home near Chicago from Turkish sources, knowing that a lot of that is drug money.”"
Governor Blagojevich	Honoring The Honorable Eugene Sawyer, Former City of Chicago Mayor "... to fly the United States and Illinois flags at State occupied buildings at half-staff on behalf of: The Honorable Eugene Sawyer, Former City of Chicago Mayor"
Governor Blagojevich	Gov. Blagojevich urges governors of nation’s largest coal producing states to continue unified support for FutureGen
24 Jan
Norris-Walen Funeral Home	Deacon Harry A. Sheaffer - January 21, 2008 "Deacon Harry A. Sheaffer, age 76, of St. Mary’s Parish in West Chicago, passed away January 21, 2008. Deacon Harry was ordained on September 13, 1997 for the Archdiocese of Joliet."
West Chicago High School	St. Patrick's Day Bash and Silent Auction Fundraiser Saturday, March 15th, 2008 7:30 p.m. St. Andrews Golf & Country Club in West Chicago Please join us to raise money for the 2008 After Prom Event!
West Chicago High School	MATT ZIFFRA IS COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT #94’s STUDENT OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER 2007 "The faculty and administration of Community High School District #94 in West Chicago would like to congratulate Matt Ziffra, of Carol Stream, for being chosen Student of the Month for December 2007. Matt’s extensive list of activities and accomplishments make him an excellent candidate for this honor."
	Fermilab workers start unpaid leaves Feb. 1 "The mandatory unpaid leaves, affecting about 1,900 people, will last through September, when a new budget year begins, unless cuts to Fermilab's current budget are restored by Congress. Salaried workers will have to take off one full week every two months. Hourly workers will have to take off two days per month."
	Election Update: Election official confident For GOP contenders, Illinois is up for grabs DuPage GOP chief says Giuliani's appearance not an endorsement Schillerstrom tosses $100,000 into county board primary fray "A look at where DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom donated to the Feb. 5 county board primary... $8,000: District 6 incumbent Jim Zay"
	Endorsements: 14th Congressional District "Foster touts his scientific and business background, which we believe gives him a leg up to deal with the complex problems faced today. He emphasizes border control and employer verification to fight illegal immigration, prefers good science over popular theory on energy issues, believes health care solutions should be driven by data and not ideology, and would push for better trade enforcement. His studied approach is real plus in an age of extremes." "Oberweis gets the nod largely because we think he has a clearer picture of global trade and monetary policy, and because he would bring the costs-vs.-benefits attitude of a businessman to a body that needs it. Despite three previous failed campaigns, he persists in wanting to serve the public when he could be basking in the glow of his business success."
	Foster campaign focusing on Oberweis "In the past two weeks, Foster's campaign has highlighted reports that suggest Oberweis' Iraq plan lacks substance, as well as calling on the Sugar Grove businessman to distance himself from President Bush's war stance."
	West Chicago: EPA to test again for contamination "Retests for thorium contamination on sites in West Chicago will be done by the federal Environmental Protection Agency later this year. Efforts to clean up radioactive soil produced by a now-closed Kerr-McGee processing plant have continued since the 1980s, and officials are still looking for traces of the radioactive element at three businesses and 41 homes in the area."
	COMMUNITY BRIEFING [This version attributes to Gary Gibula rather than "staff." - Bob]
Sen Durbin	Senate Judiciary Democrats Press Attorney General Michael Mukasey for Answers on Torture "Mukasey was repeatedly asked questions by about waterboarding by Senate Judiciary Committee members during his confirmation hearings last October. He promised that if confirmed, he would review waterboarding and other interrogation techniques to determine whether or not they were illegal."
Sen. Obama	Q&A: Barack Obama - Christianity Today "I am a Christian, and I am a devout Christian. I believe in the redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I believe that that faith gives me a path to be cleansed of sin and have eternal life. But most importantly, I believe in the example that Jesus set by feeding the hungry and healing the sick and always prioritizing the least of these over the powerful." [Ted Olsen, who lives on West Chicago's south side, was one of the interviewers for this article. - Bob]
	Obama Calls on Senate to Swiftly Pass Indian Health Care Bill "For more than fourteen years, Congress has failed to reauthorize the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and comprehensively modernize Native American health care services. This is unfair and unacceptable. Today’s Native Americans are disproportionately suffering from debilitating illnesses, like diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The infant mortality rate is 150 percent higher for Native American infants than white infants, and the suicide rate for Native Americans is two and a half times the national rate. With these alarming statistics, improvements to Native American health care could not come at a more urgent time."
	Obama Statement on the Bush Administration's Plan to Cut Counterterrorism, First Responder Budget "In the wake of 9/11 and with the threats we face everyday, it's unacceptable that this Administration would cut funding for the first responders that we need to protect us from terror attacks and natural disasters here at home. After the debacle of the response to Hurricane Katrina, the Administration should be ashamed of proposing these cuts."
23 Jan
Merle Berle	Around and About in West Chicago - 23 Jan 2008 National Surface Board of Transportation Open House forums St. Mary’s Parish School Open House “Texas Hold ’Em,” sponsored by the West Chicago Rotary Club Grand Re-Opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at Jewel Friends of the Library are seeking more members.
	Dist. 94 wants elementary schools to consolidate "Board president Tony Reyes said the four districts need to consider the matter as a way to create a more efficient and cost-effective learning environment for the roughly 7,200 students in the districts. "I believe that anything we can do to further the education of our kids is worth the effort," Reyes said."
	Briefs: West Chicago gets award "The West Chicago Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant recently was honored by the Naperville-based Conservation Foundation and the DuPage River Coalition with a Clean Water Award. "
	Police beat "Four people were arrested on felony charges Sunday, one day after they used a stolen credit card to buy $848.41 in items from Kohl's, 3840 E. Main St., police said. Charged with felony counts of retail theft and unlawful use of a credit card were Arica C. Hannus, 17, of 658 Sand Creek Drive, Carol Stream, and Christopher R. Fleming, 22; William D. Fleming, 24; and Joseph A. Farmer, 18, all of 513 S. Carriage Drive Unit 1F, West Chicago, according to a police report. Christopher R. Fleming also was charged with felony forgery, police said. The suspects are scheduled to appear in court Jan. 31."
	News Digest "CBS 2 Chicago and news partner The (Aurora) Beacon News, a sister paper of The Courier News, will present a debate at 7 p.m. Thursday at Aurora University's Crimi Auditorium, 407 S. Calumet Ave., with Democrats vying for the open seat in Illinois' 14th Congressional District. The candidates are John Laesch, Joe Serra and Jotham Stein. CBS 2's Diann Burns will serve as the debate moderator."
Hiram Wurf	Foster, Laesch Pick Up More Endorsements in IL-14 Congressional "Foster gained the endorsement of the DeKalb Daily Chronicle and the Kane County Chronicle after picking up the Chicago Tribune’s endorsement last week. Laesch picked up the endorsement of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local Union 196, which adds to his AFL-CIO endorsement and other endorsements from the UAW, Operating Engineers, the Northwestern Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council, and others."
Hiram Wurf	IL-14 Republican Michael Dilger’s Website - Fascinating "Hard to imagine he’s got a got a ghost of a chance - but take a look at Republican Congressional Candidate Michael Dilger’s website - you’re unlikely to see another congressional candidate with one like it. Supposedly Dilger is doing internet radio too."
Sen Durbin	Durbin announces nominees for service academies - Quad-Cities Online - Rock Island,IL "“I am pleased to once again have the opportunity to nominate an excellent group of young people to attend the service academies,” said Durbin. “The young men and women I nominate today are the community leaders of tomorrow.”"
Sen. Obama	Obama, Reagan and the Internet - New York Times "Remember the context. Mr. Obama is speaking to voters in a swing state, Nevada, just before their caucuses (where he won more delegates but Mrs. Clinton won the popular vote). Reading the passage, it is clear that he is trying to reach out to Republicans and independents, with whom he has had some success in the early states while Mrs. Clinton has appealed more to traditional Democrats."
	False Pretenses "President George W. Bush and seven of his administration's top officials, including Vice President Dick Cheney, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, made at least 935 false statements in the two years following September 11, 2001, about the national security threat posed by Saddam Hussein's Iraq." [TPM adds. "You can relive every moment of the war hype on the site by watching videos, going over every false statement, and more." = Bob]
22 Jan
	Mayor's Comments - 22 Jan 2008 "It seems like yesterday that a boy growing up on the Southside of Chicago watched TV and wondered what all the disturbance was about when a small time church minister marched in Selma Al. I had trouble understanding what people were so angry about this black and white segregation was and how it would affect me."
	A New Herald Reporter Assigmed to West Chicago Knowledgeable sources report "Jack Komperda is the reporter now assigned to cover West Chicago. He has been at Herald for some time. WC has been added to his beat of Carol Stream and Winfield." This isn't like back when we had a local newspaper with an office and editor... but 1/3 of a reporter is better than none at all. - Bob
City of West Chicago	City of West Chicago Receives Second Clean Water Award "The West Chicago Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant was honored recently by the Conservation Foundation and the DuPage River Coalition with a Clean Water Award."
	W. Chicago takes stand on rail sale "The city council unanimously passed a resolution formally objecting to the $300 million sale, which would bring anywhere from 15 to more than 26 additional freight trains a day through several Chicago suburbs located along the rail line. "If nothing else, this voices our concern to the railroad companies," West Chicago Mayor Michael Kwasman said. "We're planning on fighting this.""
	Race at center of 14th Dist. Congressional debate "Oberweis used the question to assert, as he did Sunday, that Lauzen has unfairly accused him of racism by mailing a flier quoting other people's criticism of Oberweis' 2004 television ad featuring a helicopter over Soldier Field and warning of the rapid influx of illegal immigrants. Lauzen said the mailing merely quotes others' interpretation of the ad."
	The briefs "Republican Party presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani will be the speaker at the annual Lincoln Day Dinner hosted by the DuPage Republican Party on Feb. 1."
21 Jan
Norris-Walen Funeral Home	Belton D. “Gus” Gustafson - January 18, 2008 "Visitation Sunday, January 20, 2008 from 2 to 7 PM at Norris-Walen Funeral Home (Ronald T. Segert-Director), 132 Fremont St., West Chicago, Lying-in-state on Monday, January 21, 2008 from 9 AM until time of service at 10 AM at the First United Methodist Church, 643 E. Washington, West Chicago, Pastor Steve Ziegler officiating. Interment Glen Oak Cemetery in West Chicago. 630-231-0060."
	Patricia Clark - January 20, 2008 "Patricia A. Clark, 70, a longtime resident of West Chicago, IL, died Sunday, January 20, 2008, peacefully at her home. Visitation Wednesday, January 23, 2008 from 11:00 a.m. until time of service 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial at Calvary Cemetery, West Chicago, IL"
	FEBRUARY 2008 PRESS RELEASE How to Raise a Money-Smart Child Forgiveness: The Gift You Give Yourself Annual Book Sale
City of West Chicago	City Council Agenda Jan. 21, 2008 Chamber of Commerce to Organize and Operate RailRoad Days TopSoil Drive West of Kress Creek Jigged Ventures, 620 Roosevelt Road
West Chicago Sister City	4th Annual St. Patrick's Traditional Irish Boiled Dinner "West Chicago Sister Cities is hosting their 4th Annual St. Patrick's Traditional Irish Boiled Dinner on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at the American Legion Hall, 123 Main Street. Cocktails at 6:00 pm (cash bar), Dinner served at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $15.00 in advance and $18.00 at the door. Contact Melissa Birch at (630) 621-0128 to purchase tickets."
	Federal cuts may doom Fermilab's prized project "The International Linear Collider would stretch across a swath of land in the far West suburbs, bringing some of the world's top scientists together to study the essence of matter. The group spent a Saturday morning touring Fermilab tunnels similar to those that would be required, donning hard hats, riding deep into the ground on freight elevators and stepping gingerly on damp stone paths."
	Health issue drives support for Laesch "John Laesch, candidate for Congress in the 14th District, is the only candidate who has a clear vision for solving the health care crisis in this country and that is why he will be getting my vote Feb. 5. We need a health care system that is about people before profits."
	WHO: Greg Cameron "Marketing Paul Stringer will head Aspen Latino, the Hispanic marketing agency formed after the acquisition of Experiencia by Aspen Marketing Services, based in West Chicago."
	Message offers close link between two struggles "Barry Mehrman, of West Chicago, said he's made an effort to attend the temple's Martin Luther King programs. "This is one of the events that I haven't missed," he said. "It's a great venue to bring our students to." "
	The briefs "Academically talented students interested in attending the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora may attend a preview day with their parents from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the campus, 1500 W. Sullivan Road, Aurora."
	Message offers close link between two struggles "Barry Mehrman, of West Chicago, said he's made an effort to attend the temple's Martin Luther King programs. "This is one of the events that I haven't missed," he said. "It's a great venue to bring our students to." "
	Racist question heats up Congressional debate "An already tense race between 14th Congressional Republican candidates Chris Lauzen and Jim Oberweis got more tense Sunday when Oberweis pointedly asked Lauzen during a debate if Lauzen thinks Oberweis is racist."
	School officials struggle with discipline as students' fascination with video-recorded fighting grows "Huddled around a cell phone in a West Chicago school, the five boys immediately caught a teacher's eye because the use of such devices is banned there. But when officials looked more closely, they discovered a new disciplinary issue. The 8th graders were using the camera phone to watch video of a fake fight they staged in a bathroom at Benjamin Middle School."
Chicago Sun-Times	8 Jewish senators reject 'malicious attacks' on Obama's faith "Seven Democratic Jewish senators -- none who have endorsed a Democratic presidential contender -- signed an "open letter to the Jewish community" asking fellow Jews to reject "false and malicious attacks" being circulated about Sen. Barack Obama, who throughout his run has had to refute rumors he is a Muslim."
	Man injured in one-car crash "Police are investigating a one-car crash Monday near Route 38 and Fabyan Parkway. One man was taken to Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield with minor injuries, said Cmdr. Chris Shackelford, spokesman for the West Chicago Police Department."
TMCnet	Whaleback Systems Opens New Sales Office in Chicago "Coinciding with this, B&B Networks of West Chicago, DMi Technology Group of Bloomington, Ill., MCC Technology of Saint Charles, Ill., and TECH Systems of Gurnee, Ill. have joined the Whaleback Partner Program, a channel sales program for interconnect, value-added resellers (VARs), network integrators and IT services companies."

Around and About in West Chicago - 30 Jan 2008

FEBRUARY 2008 PRESS RELEASE