Press Releases/Announcements from local sources
Creativity
fuels quest for peace in West Chicago"“Our peace wall is an exploration of the ways that people think about peace and use their unique gifts to make the world a better place,” West-Hooper said. The project is not aimed at defending or criticizing political agendas or initiatives, mentioned West-Hooper. “It’s not about a debate,” she said. It is intended to simply highlight the contributions of peacemakers, she stressed."
Railway
deal slowed by environmental study""The Environmental Impact Study will evaluate the effects of the proposed acquisition on the safety of the public at large (including such issues as increased probability of train accidents and derailments due to increased proposed acquisition-related train traffic on a system-wide basis), potential effects at grade crossings and potential effects of increased proposed transaction-related freight traffic on commuter and intercity passenger service operations," she [Anne Quinlan, the Surface Transportation Board's acting secretary} wrote."
"Already trains are shaking houses near the tracks. Noise, fumes, and backed-up traffic will degrade our lives. The folks in this "sleepy" village may not have realized the immensity of the threat to our lives by Canadian National before. Now we are waking up."
Day
of dueling prayers this year in DuPage"This year promises to be even more intense as another potentially inflammatory Christian speaker will clash Thursday with a new "unofficial" service in Naperville. Organizers are billing the Naperville service as more welcoming than the all-Christian, conservative messages of the other services."
DuPage
County seniors calendar"West Chicago Gold Card: A senior citizen's Gold Card Program for local residents ages 55 and older is offered by Community High School District 94, 326 Joliet St., West Chicago. The Gold Card entitles senior citizens to attend most district-sponsored events held at Community High School for free, including most athletic and musical events. Applications are available at the district office. For details or an application, call Deanne Simpson at (630) 876-6210."
Senate
proposes different recall"Including judges and local officials could make it harder to pass the amendment and increase the chances it could be struck down if a legal challenge were filed. And starting over with a new version of the amendment means it will take more time before a final vote can be held on the issue, even though the deadline is quickly approaching."
St.
Mary's Parish School to honor volunteer of more than forty years"We will never know how many young lives were positively influenced by Mr. Kimball’s quiet, dignified leadership, but his legacy will live on in the many lives he has touched during his forty year tenure as Athletic Director. This year he will retire from the volunteer post at the age of 87."
Poverty
rising in DuPage County"As of 2006, the most recent year included in the report, there were 44,494 DuPage residents living below the poverty line: more than the entire population of Elmhurst."
H
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Durbin
Asks Colleagues to Support Even Playing Field for Airlines
"Today, Senator Baucus included language in the FAA bill that asks five of our top domestic air carriers to pay an additional $2 billion into their pension funds. While it may be well intentioned, this proposal will cause more problems than it solves."
"Roskam's plan, announced yesterday, is called "There Oughta Be a Law." It's an invitation for his constituents to submit ideas for legislation to him or state lawmakers from his district; Roskam will even run an "American Idol" style vote for the best idea, promising to introduce the winning bill in the House."
GovernorBlagojevich
The
Pentagon's $1 Trillion Problem"To enter the Indianapolis center is to pass through a time warp, to a place where the most critical software programs date from the dawn of the computer age. They run on old-style I.B.M. mainframes and rely on Cobol, the ancient Sumerian of computer languages. "This was a bunch of systems patched together," says Greg Bitz, a former director of the center. "I never went home at night without worrying about one of them crashing." Bitz predicts a crisis as older programmers retire. "Try to find somebody today who knows Cobol," he says."
29 April
CondolencesIt was with sadness that learned that Theresa Czajka passed away yesterday morning. For years, Theresa, who I first met in 1972 while chaperoning the building of a homecoming float, was WegoWeb's source for what was happening at the American Legion, the library, and at Kruse House. She was a thoroughly authentic and admirable lady who will be sorely missed. My prayers are with her family and friends. - Bob
"Theresa L. Czajka, age 80, of West Chicago passed away peacefully at her home Monday April 28, 2008. She was born December 23, 1927 in Chicago, the daughter of the late Margaret (nee Rutsch) and the late Frank Luzadder. Theresa was resident of West Chicago from 1953 to the present."
West
ChicagoHigh School
Principal
Discusses 2 1/2 day Weekends"Our current school calendar and school day does not allow for the entire faculty to meet on a regular basis to address these needs. To address this, a proposal for weekly late starts for the 2008-2009 school year was presented to the Board of Education in March and was subsequently approved at the April 22nd board meeting. Each Monday, beginning August 25th, will be a late start day with 1st hour beginning at 10:01 a.m. and 8th hour ending at the regularly scheduled 2:58 p.m. time."
[At the request of a reader, persons wishing to express their opinions about this are invited to read the clip from the briefs and type in their views in a comment form. Responsible, literate comments will be approved and will appear immediately under the item. Play nicely! - Bob]
STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS"On April 11th & 12th seventeen members of the Community High School District #94 West Chicago Chapter of Future Business Leaders of America attended the 2008 State Leadership Conference in Decatur, IL"
Wheaton
Academy Named Again as a Best Christian Workplace"For the third time in recent years, Wheaton Academy has been named to the list of Best Christian Workplaces by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI). In a survey administered by the BCWI, more than 7,834 employees across the United States were used to identify great workplaces with a Christian mission and/or values"
Got
an idea on how Congress should be run? Lawmakers want to hear it"Roskam and several local lawmakers are calling on constituents to e-mail them with proposals for legislation that would benefit the district, which serves Cook and DuPage counties. No idea's too wacky. No legislative proposal will be turned away."
"It's National Volunteer Week this week, and all one has to do is read the pages of the Daily Herald or search dailyherald.com to find fine examples of volunteerism in the suburbs."
Fox
Valley golf outings"Test your golf expertise at Larkin Center's 14th annual "Scramble for Kids" Golf Outing at Prairie Landing Golf Club in West Chicago on May 19. Prairie Landing ranks as one of only three Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf courses in Illinois."
Births
- Delnor"Kamryn Alexis Engram, April 8 to Kevin and Melissa Engram, West Chicago. Grandparents: Bob and Dianne Engram, Naperville; Jerry and Stephanie Gettis, Chicago."
Hastert's
name surfaces in Rezko trial"Restaurant owner Elie Maloof quoted Rezko as saying the new U.S. attorney in Chicago, whom Rezko said would be chosen by Hastert, would then kill a federal investigation into corruption under Gov. Rod Blagojevich."
Local
residents, leaders share impact of state funding cuts"Republican state Reps. Sandra Pihos, 42nd District, of Glen Ellyn; Patti Bellock, 47th District, of Hinsdale; Franco Coladipietro, 45th District, of Bloomingdale; Mike Fortner, 95th District, of West Chicago; and Dennis Reboletti, 46th District, of Elmhurst held the meeting to gather input from constituents on the state’s financial situation and the 2009 budget."
Roskam
asks voters to
pitch new laws"The idea is to get constituents to propose new laws via the Internet. Roskam will then select the best five ideas and give constituents a chance to vote for the idea they think is best. He will introduce the winner as a bill in Congress, possibly as soon as this summer, he said."
Don’t
Take John McCain At His Word, That Wouldn’t Be Fair"Forget about “straight-talk” when it comes to GOP Presidential nominee John McCain the standard is ‘don’t take his word for it, take ours’ according to the Republican National Committee (RNC), which is protesting the use of John McCain’s own words for a TV ad that describes John McCain’s objectionable policy position in Iraq."
Durbin,
Casey Link Food Crisis to Global Security "This is the worst food crisis in more that thirty years," Durbin said. “With food prices soaring, millions of the world’s poor risk deprivation and starvation - many of them children. Feeding the hungry is no longer just a moral issue but one of global security. It is not only the right thing to do; it's the safest thing to do."
Foster
Co-Sponsors Bill in Effort to Lower Gas Prices"With summer just around the corner, these extreme prices for fuel show no end in sight,” Foster said. “Our families and businesses are being squeezed in every direction possible – from the credit crunch to the housing crisis and now to the most basic of necessities – gasoline – we need to take action now, that’s why I am supporting this legislation to make gas cheaper."
Foster
Fights for Fermi Funding“These budget cuts have been particularly hard in Illinois, where the future of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is now in jeopardy. In addition to significant layoffs, Fermilab has been forced to furlough all of its employees, and, most painfully, all investment for its future programs has been eliminated,”
Rep.
Foster Introduces Tax Cut for Homeowners"Foster’s legislation, titled the Universal Homeowner Tax Cut of 2008, is a simple approach to helping out taxpayers. It provides a supplemental deduction for property taxes available to those who do not itemize their taxes."
GovernorBlagojevich
"Fox News was also the “most politically divisive TV channel,” with 70 percent of conservatives and just 3 percent of liberals watching it daily. But too much Fox News may be bad news for conservatives. An April 2007 Pew Research Study survey found that viewers of the conservative Fox News channel had the lowest knowledge of national and international affairs."
28 April
West
ChicagoHigh School
Late Start Days - school Starts 2 1/2 Day Weekend
"By a vote of 4-3, the Board approved making Monday of each week a late
start day during the 2008-09 school year. The motivating purpose for
the proposal was to capture additional staff development time. Areas to be
addressed in staff development include the following:"
"Community High School District #94 in West Chicago represented the State of Illinois and won 2nd place in the 2008 National LifeSmarts Competition. LifeSmarts is known as the ultimate consumer challenge and is sponsored by the National Consumers League. The event was held in Minneapolis on April 12-15."
Cooks
Night Off Fundraiser"Gianorio’s Pizza, located in the Prairie Trail Center on the corner of Geneva and County Farm Roads in Winfield is donating 15% of the sales to the softball program on Thursday April 24th and Thursday May 15th."
St.
Mary's School to host All-School Reunion on May 18, 2008"As one of our last major events for this school year St. Mary's Parish School in West Chicago is planning to host the first ever All-School Reunion on May 18, 2008. The event will bring together alumni who attended the school from 1940's through last year and is also open to currently enrolled students and their families. Church members have also been invited to attend."
- Mon 6:00 PM City Council (4/21/08)
- Tues 6:00 PM COD Images
- Thur 6:00 PM COD Career Paths
DuPage
County in 60 seconds - District 94 seeks nominees"West Chicago High School District 94 is seeking nominees for a new "Hall of Honor" established to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the school, community or society. Nomination letters for the Hall of Honor should be sent to Dr. Moses Cheng, Community High School District 94, 326 Joliet Street, West Chicago, IL 60185. The deadline for nominations is May 14."
Meet
the Principal: Steve Bult"What lasting impression do you hope to leave? God's call to our students is to work toward the restoration of a broken world.
What's the worst influence on today's youth? TV
What makes today's students distinct? They want to fight for social justice."
Your
guide to arts & crafts"Blooming Fest: May 17 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., downtown West Chicago. Crafters are need. All types of crafts and art is welcome, especially garden-related items. Sellers of vegetables, herb plants or seeds only also welcome. For information or an application, call Krista at (630) 293-2200, ext. 135. www.westchicago.org."
Bottle
backlash"A survey of local towns shows, however, that Aurora isn't alone and wasn't the first to go to the tap in an effort to reduce expenses and waste. In fact, doing away with bottled-water purchases has become a national trend, with cities like Chicago and San Francisco also cutting back."
Ill
House Rep "Democratic Vote Score""The problem with Springfield is that you can't tell the players without a score card. So you want a score card? I now give you a score card. Here is the middle of a 118 line score card that measures the party loyalty by the votes taken on five bills in the Illinois House."
Note: Ramey scores 20% and Fortner 0%, which means absolutely no votes with the Dems on bills selected. - Bob]
DuPageGOP
Big
campaign donors to Blagojevich benefit from state - Trib"Blagojevich insiders have been accused in a wide-ranging federal corruption investigation of exchanging favors for contributions. Last week, a former agency director admitted in a plea agreement that he bought his job in part with two $25,000 donations. While campaigning as a reformer who would end Illinois' "pay-to-play" reputation, Blagojevich relied heavily on donors with a stake in his administration. He proposed a cap on campaign contributions but has done little to pass the proposal."
Durbin,
Obama Ask for Meeting with DOJ Officials to Discuss the Inclusion of Chicago
in Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative “Chicago is home to some of the largest and most violent gangs in the country, but has been left out of one of the most highly touted federal anti-gang initiatives,” Durbin said. “We are asking the Justice Department to make combating gang violence in Chicago a top priority this summer and in the future.”
“THERE
OUGHTA BE A LAW” INITIATIVE"“The constituents I represent are reasonable folks with sound ideas – and it’s time to send a little more 6th District solutions to Washington. “Therefore, I am proud to give my constituents the unique opportunity to have their legislative idea introduced in Congress."
West
ChicagoHigh School
"By a vote of 4-3, the Board approved making Monday of each week a late start day during the 2008-09 school year. The motivating purpose for the proposal was to capture additional staff development time. "
[In an email being passed around, one parent comments, "This creates an additional 21 late start days from the 8 late start days for this last school year. The intention is to provide teachers with additional plan time. While I recognize that teachers need time outside of class to plan and grade papers, it appears that this may be at the cost of instructional time for students." - Bob]
City
ofWest
Chicago
Students
getting involved"For the last six years, Wheaton Academy has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to help relief efforts at a village in Zambia, Africa. Now a group of 20 students, faculty and staff from the West Chicago school are planning to travel this summer to the village. The fact that students are going on the two-week trip is inspiring. A teacher pointed out that one goal is to spur the young men and women to action. We hope that happens. Have a save trip."
Power
to the people"Deerfield officials have taken the unusual step of filing a class action lawsuit against ComEd, alleging the power company is in breach of its franchise agreement with the village for failing to provide reliable service for years to Deerfield's 18,000 residents. Chronic power outages have been occurring in Deerfield since at least 2000, the suit alleges, with 82,347 individual customer power outages in 1,377 separate events."
[Hopefully a couple of my favorite readers in the 7th ward (Cornerstone Lakes) notice this item - Bob]
Walking
fine line on finance, citizen input"From the standpoint that Summit 303 was advertised as a way for citizens to get involved in district processes, it makes sense that the board would show the group truly has a voice by earmarking $3 million for summit participants, who will decide how it should be spent. But we fear that public perception could be that the board has simply figured out a way to deflect the negative rhetoric that has always created stress for board members and the community as a whole"
DuPage
County religion notes - May 4"Water's Edge Bible Church will hold a block party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 4 at the church, Oakwood and Chicago avenues, West Chicago. The event includes games, refreshments and live music. Parents are asked to accompany children. In case of rain, the event will be indoors. For details, call (630) 231-1210."
Students
make a difference for school and community"“The playground is dirty,” said Alejandro, 12. “It’s unsafe for little kids.” So Alejandro and five sixth-graders at the West Chicago school decided to do the park and community a favor. Through donations from local businesses and faculty, the Pioneer students raised $1,000 and organized a facelift for the school’s playground."
Legislators
to hold forum for seniors"The forum will be held from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Older Adult Institute at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. It will include brief presentations on several topics important to seniors, including flexible services, home-modification programs, property tax relief and Medicare."
House
prices rise in Aurora"The average supply for the Chicagoland area's 190 communities is about 11 months as of March, according to Chip Wagner of Headrick-Wagner Consulting Group. Wagner said a four-month supply of homes defines a balanced market. The report also found that many Chicago-area communities, including Aurora, experienced slight price increases on home sales from March 2006 to March 2008."
Scouts
invite all to annual program"Scout-O-Rama will be a day of fun activities for the entire family, highlighting many of Scouting's values and skills while affording the residents of the communities around us the opportunity to experience firsthand what Scouting continues to offer," said Daniel J. Zedan, Scout-O-Rama program chairman."
Tollway
woes? Get on the
phone for a fix"Tollway spokesman Mike King said many of the recent violation notices could be cleared up by cleaning up I-Pass accounts. "If you get the notice, check your account to make sure it's correct," King said. Because there was a long lag time between violation notices, many accounts have gone unmonitored while apparent violations have piled up, King said."
WHAT’S
NEW Robert L. Park Friday 25 Apr 08 Washington, DC- SPACE EXPLORATION: STEPHEN HAWKING BOLDLY WENT.
- GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: PANIC PUTS PRESSURE ON ETHANOL.
- HUMAN RIGHTS: POPE BENEDICT XVI ADDRESSED THE UN.
- POLYGRAPH: ARMY ISSUES HAND-HELD POLYGRAPH.
Uncontested
And In Trouble - GOP Candidate McCain"After Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul, the remaining GOP challengers dropped out, and there was no longer a GOP “contest,” John McCain won Mississippi, but he lost more than one in five Republican voters. The only other “just McCain” contest, Pennsylvania, was worse. More than one in four Pennsylvanian Republican voters rejected John McCain. Two contests do not make an upward trend of rejection - but in this case they make a statement:"
Durbin
pushing for oil company probe - ABC7Chicago.com"Just take a look at the record breaking profits of the oil companies," Durbin said. "It's not just record profits for their industry, it's record profits in the history of American business. They are making more money than ever than any other business, so if you want to know who is taking the money out of the system, that's exactly where you should look."
Obama
Talks About Rumors - New York Times“It’s not just that I’m a Christian and some of these e-mails are misinforming people. They’re also feeding on anti-Muslim sentiment and that’s also wrong,” Mr. Obama said. “We don’t have a religious test in this country. I want to make sure that nobody gets hoodwinked and if anybody gets that information, make sure to correct it.”
Two
Illinois Congressmen Support Federal Fire Sprinkler ... - PR
Newswire"Recognizing that financial incentives are key to the success of infrastructure improvements, two Illinois Congressmen have recently added their names to the growing list of co-sponsors of H. R. 1742, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to classify automatic fire sprinkler systems as a five-year property for purposes of depreciation."
Huckabee:
'Presumptuous' to assume Obama agrees with Wright -
CNNPolitics.com"Mike Huckabee, a former contender for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, said it would be “a little bit presumptuous to ever assume” that a congregant agrees with everything a pastor says. “Influential? Sure. Necessarily transferable? Usually not,” Huckabee told a reporter while speaking with the press aboard Sen. John McCain’s campaign bus, the Straight Talk Express."
25 April
Brooke
Takes Over the Warrior Boys’ Soccer Program"Wheaton Academy is happy to announce that Jeff Brooke has been promoted to take over as the boys’ varsity soccer head coach. Brooke will be replacing Dave Underwood, who will be leaving at the school year’s end to be the head mens’ soccer coach at Sterling College in Sterling, Kansas."
West
ChicagoHigh School
CHS
Seeks 'Hall of Honor' Nominees"The Board of Education of Community High School District 94 has established a Hall of Honor to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the school, community, or society."
“There
Oughta Be a Law” Initiative"Representative Randy Ramey Joins Congressman Peter Roskam & Area Leaders to Unveil “There Oughta Be a Law” Initiative Will Give Chicagoland Residents an Opportunity to Have Their Legislation Introduced in Congress or Springfield "
City
ofWest
Chicago
"The Public Works Department of the City of West Chicago will be hiring temporary seasonal employees for positions from May through August."
Geneva's
Burns skates into new job"The new position puts Burns back in the U.S. Olympic family after a five-year hiatus. He worked for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the mid-America regional director of development from 1994-2000, and then for United States Equestrian from 2001-03."
VIDEO: Wildcat Sticks and Stones Lacrosse Toiurnament"West Chicago hosted the 3rd annual Wildcat Sticks and Stones Lacrosse Toiurnament [sp] on April 19 and 20. The event drew 18 teams from as far away as Green Bay and Appleton Wisconsin."
Durbin
& Smith Lead Bipartisan Letter Asking for Significant Increase in Food
Safety Funds “We are concerned that the Food and Drug Administration lacks the resources to effectively oversee the safety of the food supply,” the Senators wrote. “The FDA’s budgets have not adequately reflected the critical role it plays in our nation’s food safety system or its increasing responsibilities.”
Illinois
Republican House Members Stay Silent "In the last couple of weeks, House Republicans from the suburban Chicago area prevented three key bills from moving forward in Springfield. In particular, 16 House Republicans from the suburbs voted against legislation that would have mandated criminal background checks on handgun sales, HB 758, and prohibited the sale of no more than one handgun a month."
Will
Alan Keyes Be John McCain's Worst Nightmare? - Talk to Action"On his campaign web site, Keyes links to an article from World Net Daily titled 8 Reasons I Won't vote for John McCain, which offers a sneak preview of why Keyes in the race will be helping to remind the Religious Right of how what they stand for does not square with the agenda of John McCain."
24 April
"Catherine J. Weiland, age 94, formerly of Aurora, passed away Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Omaha, NE. She was born on September 29, 1913 in West Chicago to Aloysius and Catherine Wolff. Before residing in Omaha, Catherine had resided in Aurora since 1933."
"If you agree with the preliminary findings you do not have to respond. However, if you have comments as to its content accuracy or suggestions for improvement, please reply to this email by Friday, May 2nd. At that time, the Facilitating Team will review all of the responses and consider revisions as may be necessary to more accurately reflect the work of Summit."
"We need your input on communications in District 303. Please take a few moments and go to the district website at www.d303.org and click on the survey icon to respond to questions about communications in the district."
"Attend a building level meeting with ATS&R Architects & Planners as they present their initial findings for each of the schools and seek your input as to the facility strengths and needs. Meetings have already begun. See the full schedule on the Summit page of the district website http://www.d303.org/Summit303/tabid/131/Default.aspx."
Students
to travel to village in Africa"Most of the students taking the trip are members of the school's Project LEAD team, a group of teens charged with organizing donation efforts for World Vision, the Christian relief agency working with the village. The West Chicago area evangelical Christian school has donated roughly $600,000 in the past six years, money which has been used to help build a two-room schoolhouse, a medical facility, youth outreach center and several homes."
West
Chicago dangles housing incentive"The city council voted Monday to give the Illinois Housing Development Authority borrowing ability over its nearly $2.3 million worth of state-offered, tax-exempt bonds to offer mortgages to first-time home buyers. The bond sales can help finance a variety of economic stimulus programs, but Mayor Mike Kwasman said he wanted to be "proactive" with the housing market in its current state."
Northbound
Route 59 closed after concrete walls fall off truck"About 7:15 a.m., two 12-by-40-foot concrete walls fell off a truck at the intersection of Route 59 and Hawthorne Lane. "Apparently they slid off the truck and landed on the highway," Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Buenrostro said."
Briefs:
Veterans advocate to speak"Dirk Enger, co-chairman of the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton, will speak about the effect of the Iraq war on veterans and the U.S. economy at 5:30 p.m. today at the Kane County Veterans Memorial, at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave. (Route 31), Geneva."
"Rubio faces two counts of aggravated drunken driving, one count of obstructing justice and one count of unlawful possession of a fraudulent identification card -- all felonies. He also was charged with two counts of misdemeanor drunken driving and misdemeanor counts of driving while license revoked, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcohol and operation of an uninsured vehicle."
Thorium
cleanup efforts continuing"City Atty. Barbara Magel told aldermen Monday that "there are 32 properties that need to be looked at, which is down from the 41 that we originally supposed." Magel said surface scans have been completed on 19 of 21 properties where authorities have been granted access. For some homes, families simply have not responded to EPA notices, she said."
Durbin,
Obama Work for New Air Mission at Springfield 183rd in Meeting with National
Guard Chiefs “Having a flying mission at the 183rd air wing will allow us to keep together the great flying team in Springfield,” said Durbin. “I am also concerned about the potential loss of federal funding for the Springfield airport's firefighting team whose unique training is a valuable asset to the entire community. "
Obama
Joins Kerry to Push for Senate Investigation of Tax Shelter Abuses"It's the responsibility of American companies to pay their taxes and ensure that their employees' work is counted for future Social Security and Medicare benefits," said Senator Obama. "It's unacceptable for contractors to use foreign shell companies to avoid paying their share of payroll taxes,..."
House
GOP Candidate Spoke At Hitler Event - CBS News"Tony Zirkle, who is seeking the Republican nomination in northern Indiana's 2nd District, stood in front of a painting of Hitler, next to people wearing swastika armbands and with a swastika flag in the background for the speech to the American National Socialist Workers Party in Chicago on Sunday."
23 April
- Observance Earth Day Illinois Prairie Path
- Park District’s Annual Dog Park
- 31st annual “80 & Over” Open House
- Lower Speed Limits in Construction Zones
[You will please notice that this item has been opened for reader comment. You are invited to add your comments which then appear at the end of the post. - Bob]
"Michael is survived by two brothers Richard Smyth of Eddyville, KY and Robert Smyth of West Chicago, one sister Martha (William) Smith of Eddyville, KY and one nephew William Smith of Eddyville, KY."
Another
Generation is PreparingTo my more doctrinaire, partisan friends, my great niece, Staci, wants to hear your comments about that 1/4 percent increase in the sales tax you passed. Click on the link to the right... I hope it scares you. - Bob
The
briefs - Dist. 33 is selling scholarship tickets"West Chicago Elementary District 33's Foundation for Educational Excellence is selling tickets for its $10,000 college scholarship through Friday. Tickets are $20 each, with just 1,000 tickets being sold. A second-place prize of a $500 savings bond is offered."
Durbin
Requests Investigation into Skyrocketing Fuel Prices “The spike in fuel costs - especially diesel costs - is alarming. I have asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the situation to make sure no one is being taken advantage of,” Durbin said. “While oil companies are earning record breaking profits the price of fuel is breaking the backs of American workers, businesses, communities and families.”
"Safeguarding our communities is a top priority, and we must ensure these levees are structurally sound," said Senator Obama. "I look forward to working with the Forest Service and other local, state, and federal agencies to develop a plan to strengthen our levee system and keep Illinoisans safe."
GovernorBlagojevich
"Late last week, the Governor joined ten other states in filing legal briefs in support of a lawsuit against Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O. Leavitt to stop federal changes to the Medicaid program. Families USA released a study earlier today highlighting the devastating effect the regulations would have on the Illinois economy, including job and economic activity losses in addition to an estimated $487.7 million cut in federal Medicaid funding to the state. "
22 April
West
ChicagoHigh School
WEGO
2 AFRICA SUPPLIES NEEDED"Community High School’s WeGo 2 Africa initiative will be sending a shipping container full of supplies to the school CHS built in Sakutopi Angola. Below you will find a list of supplies that are still needed to send to the students in Africa."
"In nominating Maria, one staff member writes, “She is an outstanding worker and is always willing to help staff and students to find books and assist in computer problems. She is self-motivated and will do tasks she sees that need to be done without being asked.”"
City
ofWest
Chicago
First
Time Homebuyers Program Announced"As residential foreclosure rates continue to climb locally and nationally, the landscape of many communities is changing from neighborhoods filled with well maintained homes with manicured lawns, to one that includes a fair number of boarded-up eyesores that serve to diminish adjacent property values and community spirits. "
April
22, Earth Day"Happy Arbor Day! And happy Earth Day! That upstart holiday was founded 99 years after Arbor Day, but has really made a name for itself. Tree planting has always been a simple act that anyone - pre-schoolers to seniors - can do to show they care about the Earth."
NEW
ORGAN DONOR PROCESS ... SO DO THIS EVEN IF YOU'VE ALREADY SIGNED YOUR
LICENSE - Life Goes On"If you are listed in the old registry, family consent is still required for donation to occur. To ensure that your decision to be an organ/tissue donor is honored, you must join the new registry!"
Geneva
resident donates photo of school district's namesake""I didn't even know there was a school district named after the man until I started doing the research," Gibbons said. "It turns out they didn't even have any photos of Benjamin." Gibbons scanned, enlarged and reprinted the original photo, which measured less than three inches, and donated a framed copy of the photo to school officials at the school board meeting April 14."
DuPage
officials
defend lobbyist spending"We spend $18,000 a year to make sure we get our fair say in matters of the state," said West Chicago Mayor Michael Kwasman. "Last year, our lobbyist got us out of the water commission, which got us back $1.6 million. That's not a bad return on our investment."
"Police Chief Bradley Sauer said the change will keep officers from spending long hours in court on minor drug charges and also allow those who slip up just once to keep their records clean. "This is a warning on steroids," he said. Tickets for first-time marijuana possession or drug paraphernalia possession will be $200. Sauer said those fines were in line with the fees judges typically hand down in court.
St.
Charles' tough call:Class size vs. teacher experience""Would you rather have 30 students with a well-trained teacher, or 16 kids with a teacher with less experience or less training?" asked Brian Harris, assistant superintendence for Human Resources, at a gathering of about 150 parents and educators at the monthly Summit 303 meeting."
Candidate
unsure of pending election bill - Peoria Journal Star -
Peoria,IL"Fortner said adding the signature requirement would be fairer and would help candidates who are getting a late start on a campaign. "In general, one way of connecting with the people that you want to serve and (one way of) showing that there is a basic level of support for the candidacy is to go out and get signatures," Fortner said. But Schafer said he thinks the legislation could discourage some potential candidates. The Green Party believes "democracy works better with more voices, with multiple voices," he added."
Disapproval
of Bush breaks record"President Bush has set a record he'd presumably prefer to avoid: the highest disapproval rating of any president in the 70-year history of the Gallup Poll. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday, 28% of Americans approve of the job Bush is doing; 69% disapprove. The approval rating matches the low point of his presidency, and the disapproval sets a new high for any president since Franklin Roosevelt."
21 April
- Mon 6:00 PM City Council (4/7/08)
- Tues 6:00 PM COD Images
- Tues 6:30 PM COD Career Paths
- WED 8:00 PM Spring Orchestra Concert '02
ElementaryDistrict 33
Taking Care of Your Family
A Night of Celebrating Our Community
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
For all families living in West Chicago
Held in the Cafeteria at West Chicago Middle School
National
Train Day is on May 10th. Get your Choo Choo on."The first-ever National Train Day is on its way, and there’s never been a better time to celebrate. With passenger ridership growing every year, more and more people recognize that trains are the best way to relax and enjoy the ride. To read, talk, work or snooze the time away."
"Canoe Club and Eco-Minded Club want to remind students that the next STCE Late Start Day will be Bike to School Day! Get your bike out and make sure it’s in good working order for biking season. As the weather warms it’s time to embrace happier and healthier ways to get around."
Students
learn what it means to be an 'orphan'"Wheaton College students were among the 35 people who slept outside and ate a meager diet as part of the Orphan for a Night event in West Chicago, a three-day simulation that aimed to raise awareness of the plight of orphan"
Old
highway becoming latest trend"Tourists flock to Route 66, for example, which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles and is dotted with cafes, shops, hotels and motels. Historically, Lincoln Highway has been used as a commercial transportation highway, while Route 66 was created for travel and leisure..."
[For those confused, although Rt 38 is the Lincoln Highway, it is only for west of Geneva. - Bob]
Durbin,
Obama Statement on Impact Assessment in Wake of Southern Illinois Earthquake"While we don't yet know the full extent of damage caused by this morning's earthquake in Southern Illinois, it appears that there were no serious injuries and only moderate to minor structural damage," said the Illinois Senators. "We will continue to work with the state and federal disaster agencies to evaluate the situation and ensure the appropriate resources are provided in a timely fashion."
GovernorBlagojevich
19&20 April
Senior
Health Expo"State Representative Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago) and State Senator Randy Hultgren (R-Wheaton) will be hosting a senior health expo on April 23rd. Some participants include Heart Felt Massage Center, Central DuPage Hospital, Citizens Utility Board, Delnor Community Hospital, Illinois Veterans Affairs, Illinois Attorney General and Illinois Secretary of State"
Hope
for the future"As the volunteer fine arts chair at the elementary school, along with artist Kathleen Santoro of West Chicago, the two spearheaded a project they hope will spread positive thoughts in their community. About 162 students in preschool through eighth grade from West Chicago, Carol Stream, St. Charles, Bartlett and other communities created tiles with their vision of peace."
Traveling
exhibit puts faces to AIDS pandemic"The interactive exhibit, sponsored by the Christian relief agency World Vision, is being displayed this weekend at Wheaton Academy in West Chicago. It takes participants on a journey through the lives of one of four children who have been helped by the agency."
Toll
flaws persis"Tollway officials defend the system, saying it is the only means to ensure drivers pay tolls under the barrier-free Open Road Tolling. And they say erroneous fines can be easily cleared up over the phone or through an administrative appeal."
Green
comes down to earth"With the help of the steady hands of their dad, Joe, Keelyn O' Brien and her sister Kaleigh, 6, of West Chicago put together a bird house at St. Charles' Earth Day at Campton Hills Park."
"Chen said it’s similar to the concept that throwing a rock into a pond causes ripples. “It’s exactly the same but with seismic waves,” he said. “Basically, the waves do not dissipate with distance very much in the Midwest.”"
Foster
supports proposal aimed at cutting gas prices"The people of the 14th District are in need of help," Foster said with price boards reading $3.69 and $3.67 in the background at a nearby gas station. "Our families and businesses can't wait any longer."
WHAT’S
NEW Robert L. Park Friday 18 Apr 08- SCIENCE DEBATE 2008: SOME DAYS GET REALLY LONG.
- GHOST SCIENCE: HOW WIDESPREAD IS THE PRACTICE?
- JOHN A. WHEELER: PERHAPS THE BEST PHYSICS TEACHER.
- EDWARD N. LORENZ: THE FATHER OF CHAOS THEORY.
Obama
born to run, Springsteen says - The Gazette (Montreal) -
Quebec,Canada"Rock superstar Bruce Springsteen endorsed Democratic Senator Barack Obama for U.S. president yesterday, saying he stands "head and shoulders above the rest." In a message posted on his website, the musician and songwriter known as the Boss said the Illinois senator has "the depth, the reflectiveness and the resilience" to be the next U.S. president."
Behind
Military Analysts, the Pentagon’s Hidden Hand - NY Times" In turn, members of this group have echoed administration talking points, sometimes even when they suspected the information was false or inflated. Some analysts acknowledge they suppressed doubts because they feared jeopardizing their access. A few expressed regret for participating in what they regarded as an effort to dupe the American public with propaganda dressed as independent military analysis."
Choosing
War: The Decision to Invade Iraq and Its Aftermath -
National Defense University"Compounding all of these problems, our efforts there
were designed to enhance U.S. national security, but they have become, at least temporarily, an incubator for terrorism and have emboldened Iran to expand its influence throughout the Middle East."
[Almost ignored by the main stream media, this report is a "must read" for people who seriously want to know about how it is going in Iraq. Talking-point-Partisans needn't bother. It's kinda long and you might miss American Idol. - Bob]
TrinityLutheran
Church
Golf
Outing/Auction/Dinner"On May 30, 2008 Trinity Lutheran Evangelical Church and School will be hosting it’s first annual Golf Outing, Dinner and Auction. We are pleased to be able to hold our Trinity Fundraising Event at St. Andrew’s Golf Course and Country Club in West Chicago, and are seeking local business sponsors for the Outing as well as the subsequent Dinner and Auction."
Bark
Park - Waggin Trails - Wiggly Field ????"The West Chicago Park District is hosting a dog gone good time from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Dog Park, located on the northwestern edge of Reed-Keppler Park. Although the event serves primarily as a chance for users to sign up or renew their dog park permits, many fun activities and programs are planned for the owners of “man’s best friend.”"