Press Releases/Announcements from local sources
West
Chicago
Historical Society
W.C.Historical
Society's Spring Show "West Chicago Historical Society proudly presents "Great First Ladies," starring professional actress & vocalist Jenny Lind. She will entertain, educate & amaze with her fabulous portrayal of 4 women of the White House who shaped history."
West
ChicagoHigh School
STUDENT
OF THE MONTH TIM SCHUDA"The faculty and administration of Community High School District #94 in West Chicago would like to congratulate Tim Schuda, of Carol Stream, for being chosen Student of the Month for February 2008."
Heavy
Snow & Strong Winds In the Forecast"Snow will diminish some after midnight tonight... but will continue through Tuesday morning. In addition... blustery north winds from late tonight through Tuesday morning will produce areas of blowing snow. When the snow ends early Tuesday afternoon... expect total accumulations of 7 to 12 inches... with the greatest amounts south of M-28."
[This item should be of interest to those who noticed yesterday's U.P. snowmobile season extended - Bob]
- Monday 6:00 PM City Council (3/17/08)
- Tuesday 6:00 PM COD Images
- Thursday 6:00 PM COD Career Paths
Foster
delivers party response"The Geneva Democrat, recently elected to fill the remainder of former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's term, said Saturday he's enjoyed spending the past two weeks meeting with area movers and shakers and greeting people in his 14th Congressional District."
Burns
is just fine, thank you"Nothing can happen unless Oberweis steps aside, and he's not done anything publicly to suggest he would. But disappointment with the dairy and investment businessman and concerns about a November rerun in the 14th Congressional District contest have prompted the wind to blow around names of potential replacements -- should one ever be needed. And why else would "Kevin Burns" and "Congress" be uttered in the same sentence again?"
Anglers
get ready DuPage stocking ponds"More than 2,500 rainbow trout were released into Silver Lake at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville last week, having just made the trek from Harrietta Hills Trout Farm in Michigan ... The Illinois Department of Natural Resources funds the stocking of Silver Lake each spring. This year the fish are going for $2.85 a pound, LeBrose said."
Arbor
Week recognizes growing importance of planting trees"As tree-planting grows in importance, the Arboretum is expanding its tree celebration with "Arbor Week," running from Earth Day, April 22, through Arbor Day, April 25, and concluding on April 27. Arbor Day is the nation's oldest environmental holiday, and the Arboretum's signature holiday."
Another
Wave of H-1Bs on the Way - BusinessWeek "U.S. tech worker advocate groups—as well as Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)—argue that an economic downturn is a bad time to call for more work visas. But tech executives say the faltering economy creates the need for more, not fewer, H-1B visas. Without access to more workers in the global labor pool, U.S. companies will be less competitive."
llinois
senator concerned about Heparin - ABC7Chicago.com"Sen. Dick Durbin is calling for a review of the way the U.S. government inspects and certifies drugs made in China. Concerns were raised over the blood thinning drug Heparin after the Food and Drug Administration announced that it caused an allergic reaction in more than 700 people, some of whom died."
Texas
Prosecutes Little Old Ladies for Voter Fraud"Today, Ray and Johnson have criminal records for breaking Texas election law and faced travel restrictions during a six-month probation. Gloria Meeks is in a nursing home after having a stroke, prompted in part, her friends say, by state police who investigated her -- including spying on Meeks while she bathed -- and then questioned her about helping McDonald and others to vote. Hinojosa, meanwhile, has left Texas. Their crime: not signing their name, address and signature on the back of the ballots they mailed for their senior neighbors, and carrying envelopes containing those ballots to the mailbox."
29&30 Mar
Democrats
put Foster out front"House Democrats are wasting little time showcasing their latest seat gain in the U.S. House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has tabbed newly elected 14th District Rep. Bill Foster of Geneva to deliver today's Democratic response to President Bush's weekly radio remarks."
DuPage
Co. religion notes"Resurrection Catholic Community will present two Generations of Faith from 6 to 8:45 p.m. Friday or 2 to 4:45 p.m. April 6 at the church, Route 59 and Army Trail Road, West Chicago. Each presentation features the film "Mary - The Yes That Saved the World." For details, call Barbara Miller at (630) 289-5400, ext. 208."
"Here's the list of senior baseball players who will continue their careers at Division I college programs: ... and West Chicago shortstop Barrett Serrato (Purdue)."
Foster
delivers party response"He said Congress must work to strengthen the economy, offer affordable health care and conserve energy. He talked about the impact of increasing college tuition costs, a mortgage crisis and the Iraq war. Democrats are fighting to cut taxes and have pledged to put middle-class families first, he said in his speech."
Foster
tapes radio address"In an interview Friday after Foster taped the radio message, he said he was “honored” and welcomed the chance to address the country on issues that he focuses on during his campaign. Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Foster was chosen because he was “a practical problem-solver who is committed to working in a bipartisan way.”"
Durbin
speaks to John A. Logan class"Durbin was in attendance to talk to the students about what it meant to be the Senate Majority Whip and explained the history of the position and its importance. He also covered other hot political issues and made no attempt to hide his support for U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president. He said Obama's intelligence, charisma and ability to bring people together make him a no-brainer for the position."
Ironwood, MI
U.P.
snowmobile season extended "A lingering, dense snow pack over most of the Upper Peninsula has led Department of Natural Resources officials to extend grants to groom state-managed snowmobile trails through April 6. The usual date to conclude trail grooming is March 31. "The U.P. has been blessed with late snowfall and continuing cold weather, so the trails have remained in great shape over most of the region, and that's great news for snowmobilers looking for a wonderful place to enjoy another ride before they put their machines away for the season," said Steve Kubisiak, MDNR Recreation and Trails coordinator."
The
audacity of unity - The Daily Star - Dhaka, Bangladesh"Senator Obama publicly denounced the remarks made by Reverend Wright, and said that they could widen the racial divide and denigrate the goodness of the nation. While distancing himself from the fiery sermons of the pastor, Senator Obama pointedly refused to distance himself from the pastor when he said: "As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.""
- ASLEEP ON MARS: THE "WASHINGTON MONUMENT" PLOY?
- NASA: RESIGNATION OF TWO TOP SCIENTISTS UNRELATED.
- ISS: A REPORT FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
- SCIENCE DEBATE 2008: NOT LOOKING PROMISING.
Sad
News"This is the update posted by the pastor of my daughter, Laura, and her husband, Mark. Although I was expecting this, it is hard when you see it confirmed. I cry when I try to tell people. Would it be possible for you to post the information on your Web site?"
[I'm sure Merle's many friends in West Chicago will be praying for Shawn, Merle, and the entire family. - Bob]
"NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN To the legal voters, residents of the Town of Winfield in the County of DuPage and State of Illinois, that the Annual Town Meeting of said Town will take place on Tuesday, April 08, 2008 Being the second Tuesday of said month at the hour of 8:00 p.m. at the West Chicago City Hall located at 475 Main Street in West Chicago, Illinois, for the transaction of the miscellaneous business of the said town; and after a Moderator having been elected, will proceed to hear and consider reports of officers, and decide on such measures as may, in pursuance of law, come before the meeting; and especially to consider and decide the following: "
West
ChicagoHigh School
FIRST
PLACE IN STATE LIFESMARTS COMPETITION"Community High School District #94 in West Chicago finished in first place in the 12th annual Illinois LifeSmarts Competition. Members of the team included: Captain Paul Warkins of West Chicago; Ian Letts of Winfield; Doug Sills of Winfield; Kara Wolfe of Carol Stream; and Joann Kaczmarczyk of West Chicago."
"Does your son or daughter need a job for the summer or even beyond? If so, encourage them to talk to the HR representatives that will be in the Commons discussing job openings and distributing job applications all week long! Some of the companies that will be in attendance are: Caterpillar, UPS, Fifth Third Bank, In the Swim, College Pro Painters, Daily Herald, Monarch Landing, and more! Don't let your student miss out on this great opportunity. Additionally, if your firm would like to participate in the Job Fair, contact Peggy Peach at ppeach@d94.org for more information.
Augustino's
Celebrates Earth Hour"Sunday, March 29th between 8PM and 9PM has been officially dubbed Earth Hour and Augustino's is joining millions around the world by participating! ... At Augustino's in Carol Stream and West Chicago, we'll be contributing by dining by candlelight.""
Estonian
teachers do cultural exchange in W. Chicago""I was impressed with the creativity of the teachers at the high school," said Reet Kandimaa, a teacher in Tartu, Estonia, who spent the week sitting in on geography, sociology and history classes at the school informing students about Estonian culture. "The students asked very good questions.""
Claudia
Ann "Dorothy Honey" (Honeyman) Hanson"Born March 18, 1929, in Cicero, Ill., the oldest of the 11 children of Claude Charles and Alice Ann (nee Pouzar) Honeyman, she passed away peacefully Saturday evening, Saturday, March 22, 2008, at her son's home in Grain Valley, Mo. Claudia and her family moved to the Fox Valley area, where she attended school, graduated from St. Charles High School in 1947, lived, worked, married and raised her family. Claudia led a busy and active life that included her family, friends, plants and gardening, frog gigging, flea marketing and treasure hunting."
""Eight of the 12 players are from St. Charles and Geneva," said Rutili. "Two guys live in Aurora, while the other two are from Elgin and West Chicago." According to Rutili, winning the state title was an added bonus."
School
contractor faces fire at hearing[I include this because you might hear clutter about it and I have confirmed that nether D94 nor D33 use this vendor. - Bob]
Hate
crime prompts lesson in tolerance, discrimination"For many educators, special moments arise in the classroom that lend themselves to life-changing lessons for students and teachers alike. For St. Charles School District administrators, that moment came last week when a 14-year-old student wrote a racial epithet on the inside of his ex-girlfriend's locker and created a picture depicting a lynching on a school computer."
Illinois'
kids fare better, but problems remain"Preschool attendance surged to nearly 90,000 students in 2007 from less than 10,000 in 1987, said the "Illinois Kids Count" report released Thursday by Voices for Illinois Children. Another improvement was an expansion of public health insurance to more than 1.3 million of the state's 3 million children, according to the report. It also cites a sharp decline of children living in foster care, to about 17,000 in 2006 from a peak of 50,000 in 1997."
- 1:11 p.m.: PHOTO SLIDESHOW: Looking back on animal births at Brookfield Zoo
- 12:58 p.m.: VIDEO: Bartlett seniors tackle world's largest puzzle
- 11:48 a.m.: Willowbrook woman wins $1 million in lottery
[Since they've all but taken West Chicago out of their paper, shouldn't they now take "West Chicago" out of their name? - Bob]
Hastert:
Nasty Primary Will Lead To Democratic Win"When asked if Oberweis should step down and let some new blood take on democrat Bill Foster in the November election, Hastert said that's up to Oberweis to decide along with how he may retool his campaign."
"The United States has many issues for which China's cooperation is important, including denuclearization of North Korea, ending Iran's nuclear program, stopping the genocide in Darfur, confronting repression in Burma, and combating global warming. However, it is important that we give high priority to the plight of Tibetans and make clear to President Hu that the way in which China treats all Chinese citizens, including Tibetans, profoundly affects how China is viewed in the United States and throughout the international community."
Wright
Wrongly Receives Far More Coverage than Coe, Hagee and Parsley
- Talk To Action"While Senator Clinton cannot necessarily be held responsible for Coe's views -- she has been a member of this very, very small elite fundamentalist group since the early 90s: Almost as long as Obama has been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ. But she refuses to talk about it at all, let alone explain her relationship to Coe and his shocking views. and the media seem to be neglecting to look into it."
27 Mar
Registration
Site for the RTA’s Reduced Fare Card "The West Chicago Park District’s motto, “Creating Community,” is on track as the district is now a registration site for the RTA’s reduced fare card for persons 65 and over. The card entitles the individual to free transit on fixed routes operated by the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace."
West
ChicagoHigh School
STUDENT
OF THE MONTH - SARAH PIERPOINT"The faculty and administration of Community High School District #94 in West Chicago would like to congratulate Sarah Pierpoint, of Carol Stream, for being chosen Student of the Month for January 2008."
Education
Foundation Thanks Sponsors"The Community High School D94 Education Foundation wishes to thank the following sponsors of our second annual Wildcat Classic 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament."
"The Community High School District 94 Art Club will be selling Prom Flowers for the 2008 Prom. Boutonnieres will cost 7.00 and Corsages will cost 10.00."
Prom Flowers Order Form
Reverend
Jeremiah A. Wright Video on You TubeAnybody who watches TV has seen the infamous footage, but any fair person should invest 10 minutes to view this video and decide for themselves whether the "Chickens Coming Home to Roost" clip fairly represents what Wright was saying and comes off as the quote of Ambassador Peck that it was. The intemporate "GD America" clip is also less shocking in context. Though still uneasy with swearing in Church, I don't think I would have walked out. I would personally appreciate it if you would all check it out. - Bob
PS. You could also read the first sermon here.
No
simple solution to overcrowding"An effective solution, the group said, also would factor in an affordable housing component, improved occupancy codes, educational programs on housing, mediation of neighbor disputes, proactive efforts to involve Latinos in local government, and collaborative outreach to increase civic participation among Latinos."
WIU
increases security after note about on-campus shooting"Junior Courtney Voelz of West Chicago was in her advertising class when she got the text message from the school. "One girl told the teacher she had just gotten a text message from the school and then pretty soon, everyone started getting the text," Voelz said."
Anniversary
workday at West Chicago prairie March 29"Celebrate this restoration success-story milestone by lending a hand removing invasive plants during a stewardship group workday at the prairie on March 29 from 9 a.m. to noon. “This is a great opportunity to reflect on how much has been accomplished over the years,” said Steve Sentoff, president of the West Chicago Prairie Stewardship Group."
Political
consultant guilty of fraud in 2005 Milton Township"During the two-day bench trial, McCulloch testified that he was a political consultant for 22 years and once worked for former U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert and U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.). In January 2005, he collected nominating petitions for Milton Township Assessor Jim Gumm, who withdrew from the race when it was discovered that the petitions contained hundreds of possible forgeries."
26 Mar
- Collection of Yard Waste Material
- Crafter/Vendor for Blooming Fest, Saturday, May 17
- St. Mary’s Parish School is holding its First Alumni Reunion
- Rotary Club-sponsored trip to Guatemala
ElementaryDistrict 33
"Kindergarten registration for children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2008 and live within the boundaries of West Chicago Elementary School District 33, will take place during the month of April at each neighborhood elementary school."
West
ChicagoHigh School
"Adults who want to learn how to speak English can take tuition-free classes from 7:00 p.m. until 9:15 p.m. on Monday & Wednesday and Tuesday & Thursday evenings at Community High School District #94 in West Chicago"
"The West Chicago District #94 Community High School Adult Education Program, 326 Joliet Street in West Chicago, will be offering FREE Citizenship Preparation Classes starting Monday, April 7, 2008. Classes will meet on Monday & Wednesday and Tuesday & Thursday evenings from 7:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m."
Carolyn
Mueller"Visitation Wednesday 4 to 8 PM at Williams-Woodward Funeral Home 820 Pine St. West Chicago (corner of Rt. 59). Eastern Star Services Wednesday 7 :30 PM conducted by the LaGrange Chapter 201, which she was a member for 50 yrs. Funeral Services Thursday 10:00 AM at the Funeral Home."
Browning
remembered as ‘positive, happy-go-lucky’"“He was basically a happy, real positive, happy-go-lucky type person,” Johns said of her brother, William Browning, 46, of St. Charles, who died after a car crash Saturday in DeKalb County. Browning, who grew up in West Chicago and lived for many years in DeKalb, moved to St. Charles about two years ago."
Browning, William Lawrence "Bill""He grew up in West Chicago. He later lived in Sycamore, DeKalb and in St. Charles for the past two years. He attended West Chicago Community High School. Bill was an avid fan of the Northern Illinois University Huskies, Chicago Bears football and NASCAR racing ... He is also survived by his aunt and uncle, Nancy and Donald Smith..."
Donald
R. Hayward"Donald graduated from West Chicago High School and participated on the football team. He was a veteran and served in the Navy. After returning from duty, Donald attended and graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Pharmacy. After graduation, he married Marie Vondrasek and together owned and operated Hayward Pharmacy in South Elgin."
Latino
advocacy group: Code enforcement won't prevent crowding""(Ramping up enforcement is) a risky and ineffective approach," stated the report released Tuesday by Chicago-based Latinos United. "It tends to hold occupants responsible for overcrowding instead of exploitative landlords, and sends a clear message to Latinos that they are not welcome." Moreover, the report found, tenants and homeowners can easily avoid detection by hiding evidence of the number of people living in a building."
Town and Country,MO
Mueller
wins poetry award"Other winners from Illinois include: Dana Humen from High Land Middle School in Libertyville; Tara Marie Krkljes from Mary Seat of Wisdom School in Park Ridge; Pilar Bonilla from West Chicago Middle School in West Chicago ...
Facebook
Activism Adopted"It started with no money, no formal organization, no staff - just a Facebook page “Students for the Illinois Marriage Equality Bill” - and over 8,000 student activists signed on. State Representative Greg Harris, an advocate of Civil Unions recognized that these self-organized, grassroots voices represented an important part of an activist movement to support his House Bill 1826, historic legislation to extend basic legal protections to committed opposite-sex, same-sex and senior couples in Illinois by creating civil unions."
DUPAGE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY [I see no significant change in their web site (yet?), but they are ratcheting up their use of email. They have a very full April calendar. - Bob]
Durbin
Asks FDA for Information Regarding Tainted Drug “First it was deadly pet food, then antifreeze in toothpaste and toys with dangerous lead paint. Now Chinese labs are shipping lethal drugs to our hospitals,” Durbin said. “The FDA must step in immediately to protect American families from this latest Chinese export threat.”
Durbin:
'US should bring water to the world' - WJBC News -
Bloomington,ILDurbin says he does not believe "bringing water to the world" would require a major shift of resources, but he does say more research is necessary. He points out much of the world's water is salt water and thus not suitable for drinking. As for fresh water, Durbin says 70 percent of it is used for agricultural purposes, and more can be done to conserve its use."
Crack
Down on Capital Pirates"For many years, Robert Morgenthau has warned America that the nexus of capitalism and criminality poses a serious threat to our prosperity, security and growth. Now in the wake of the collapse of Bear Stearns, which pushed global markets still closer to the brink, perhaps the nation will listen to the Manhattan district attorney, whose scrutinizing gaze is fixed on targets well beyond New York."
25 Mar
"Chelsea
M. Steck, a senior at West Chicago's Community High School, received first
place in the Union League Club of Chicago's annual Democracy in Action Award
with a $1,750 prize. She was nominated by faculty members at her school
because of the advocacy initiatives she's involved with and for her three
volunteer trips to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief work. Her local
activities include volunteering as an election judge, mentoring political
refugee children through World Relief and volunteering at the People's
Resource Center to help the homeless.""The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of West Chicago/Warrenville begins at 6 p.m. May 30 at Community High School, 326 Joliet St., West Chicago. For details, visit relayforlife.org."
Forest
Preserve notes"Spring cleaning:ŒKline Creek Farm will feature Spring Cleaning house tours on the hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through April 14 at the farm, 1N600 County Farm Road, West Chicago. The tours are free. For details, call (630) 876-5900."
Railway
says buyout would mean less trains for some towns"Officials in these towns, along with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, R-6th District, of Wheaton and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., have said that this would place an unfair burden on the communities. Among the concerns are traffic congestion, pedestrian safety and the environmental impact."
Falls Church,VA
New
Cancer Center"The facility would be known as the Northern Illinois Proton Treatment and Research Center, LLC, and would be built in the DuPage National Technology Park in West Chicago, about 35 miles west of Chicago Only five proton therapy centers exist across the nation. Patients often travel hundreds or thousands of miles to receive this form of specialized cancer treatment."
"According to Sixpoint brewmaster Shane Welch, "Hop Obama is an indefinable ale that doesn't adhere to traditional style guidelines"--"in keeping with the Illinois senator's unifying theme." My goal: to find out, by sampling a pint (or two, or three) whether Welch's description was "just words"--a smart marketing scheme--or whether Hop Obama was actually "Obamaesque." All in the name of reporting, of course. The things I do for Newsweek."
24 Mar
DuPage
County in 60 seconds - West Chicago family night"Wego Together for Kids, an event for all West Chicago families, is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at West Chicago Middle School, 238 E. Hazel St. The evening begins with dinner. Anyone attending is asked to bring a salad or fruit dish to share. The program at 7 p.m. focuses on Internet safety for parents and fifth- through eighth-graders. There also will be a "Safety Smarts" program for pre-kindergarten through fourth grade."
DuPage
County family calendar"St. Mary's Parish will hold an open house for its preschool, kindergarten and school tours from 9 a.m. to noon and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the school, 147 Garden St., West Chicago. For details, call (630) 231-1776."
Metra,
Canadian National spar over rail line they both covet"Metra is asking regulators to impose several conditions on Canadian National's proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway that Metra says are needed to protect its on-time service, schedules on current lines and future expansion. The conditions include giving Metra control over key junctions along the line and confining freight operations to off-peak hours."
News-Gazette
Officials
concerned about Amtrak service to Chicago"Passenger service is booming in Champaign, with a record 129,959 people either boarding or disembarking from one of the six daily Amtrak trains during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari... Canadian National has indicated it would eventually like to abandon that section of rail, which is prime south Loop development property near Lake Michigan. But abandonment would leave Amtrak without an efficient route into Union Station and could lead to substantial delays."
Firms
find skilled-worker visas too hard to get - Boston Globe"Republican US Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Democratic US Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois have filed legislation to reform the L-1 and H-1b programs. Their bill would require companies to pay a prevailing wage to L-1 visa employees and would forbid the use of L-1 visas by outsourcing companies."
In
case you missed it ...
"Rep. Foster has been in the news a lot lately, and we wanted to share some
of those stories you didn't get a chance to read. Bill has been busy working
hard for the people of the 14th Congressional District!"
Keeping
the Promise"Despite a high veterans’ unemployment rate and the demonstrated successes of the program, Congress incomprehensibly cut funding for Helmets to Hardhats by 80 percent, from $5.4 million to $990,000 last year – exemplifying the misplaced priorities for which Washington is infamous."
[Is this a move to separate himself from the partisan Republicans in the House?- Bob]
- Mon 6:00 PM City Council (3/17/08)
- Wed 7:00 PM Jazz Night
- Thur 6:00 PM COD Career Paths
- Sun 10:00 AM Music and the Spoken Word
Parks
will get upgrades in West Chicago"The park's name also will be changed during renovations to Turtle Splash. "We felt it needed more of an identity, a theme aspect," said Gary Major, the park district's executive director."
[It appears to be yesterday's article with a new title. - Bob]
Fire
damages West Chicago factory"The fire was reported at 9 p.m. at 1351 Hawthorn Lane, at a plant that makes Styrofoam cups and other items, said West Chicago fire Lt. Dennis Keefe. The fire was limited to the machine. No one was injured, Keefe said."
Lights
out -- for an hour to save energy"From 8 to 9 p.m. Saturday, buildings that normally light up skylines from Bangkok to Schaumburg to Copenhagen will be dimmed. Landmarks such as the Sears Tower and the Golden Gate Bridge will seem to disappear into the night as non-essential lighting is turned off. The hope is the darkened skylines will not only symbolize energy reduction but spark real, sustained conservation."
Innovator,
scientist and now, politician"Jackson, who worked with Foster at Fermilab, worked on his former colleague's campaign even though he is a Republican. He said despite disagreeing with Foster on issues, he believes in the congressman who was "the ideas guy" in their work. "You never know what the government is going to be facing, and what you want is a certain philosophy and character," Jackson said. "He's got two important things: intelligence and honesty. Those are rare qualities.""
"The former Speaker of the U.S. House is serving as a strategic adviser for Goeken Group Corp., a lighting technology and health-care information development company. He will educate the public on the company's energy-efficient lighting products and other services, according to a statement released by Goeken this week. Hastert will be "an influential part of our growth strategy for the company," said CEO Jack Goeken."
Hastert
to join company in 'strategic adviser' role"Goeken Group Corp. comprises four subsidiary companies. One designs environmentally friendly lighting. Another makes Personal Guardian, a hand-held device that lets a person call for help in an emergency ... Campaign finance disclosure records from the Federal Elections Commission show that Jack Goeken and Sandra Goeken-Miles gave a combined $5,600 to Hastert’s campaigns between 2000 and 2006. The records identify both Goeken and Goeken-Miles as working for Goeken Group Corp."
Transcript:
Sen. Richard Durbin On Barack Obama's Leadership - National
Journal - Washington,DC"Well, I can tell you from my point of view -- and I think that Senator Obama shares this point of view -- the Iraqis are not going to stand up and make the hard decisions necessary to govern and defend their own country as long as they can lean on the American military. We have literally lost 3,992 American lives as of this taping and sadly more will follow."
- EXOPLANETS: THE SEARCH FOR LIFE BROADENS.
- SOLAR SYSTEM: NO EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE - YET.
- PEER REVIEW: COURT UPHOLDS CONFIDENTIALITY.
- WATER: TOO LITTLE WATER, OR TOO MANY PEOPLE?
Girl
In Red Phone Ad Denounces Hillary And Her "Politics Of Fear"
- TPM"They had a little fun making this one, clearly. Knowles says that Hillary "wanted to scare you into voting for her" by cutting a scary ad with frightful blue tinting and a narrator with a "scratchy voice.""
21 Mar
Merle has been teasing me for a week about the picture I use for her column. I tried to hold out for a HS graduation picture or something from the 60's with bell bottoms and love beads, but found this one on the bulletin board at the post office. Hopefully, you will be able to recognize her. -Bob
TrinityLutheran
Church
Reminder
of Easter Services:"Good Friday at 7pm ... Easter Vigil is Saturday at 5:30pm ... and Easter Sunday Sunrise Service is 6:30am followed by Easter Breakfast ... second service at 9am. Everyone is welcome to attend."
Chamber
leader urges more monitoring of state government"Whitley was blunt in raising several red flags regarding the state legislature's effect on the state's economic climate during a breakfast meeting presentation at Eagle Brook Country Club hosted by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce for members of Geneva, Batavia, St. Charles and West Chicago chambers."
West
Chicago to give facelift to local parks, aquatic center"The park district plans to make about $2 million in improvements to the 13-year-old outdoor waterpark by installing a 200-foot-long slide, expanding the park's concessions area and adding more play features."
"Champion Youth Outreach, a nonprofit organization, will present a safety awareness and self defense class Wednesdays, April 9 to June 4, at Gary School, 130 E. Forest Ave., West Chicago. New students can register at 6:45 p.m. for class from 7 to 7:40 p.m. Returning students can register at 7:30 p.m. for class from 7:45 to 8:25 p.m. The fee is $59 for nine weeks or $7 per class. For details, visit www.championyouth.net or call (847) 759-0576."
Jamestown,ND
Illinois
polls an early warning for Republicans"Hastert announced his retirement midterm, presumably to give a fellow Republican the advantage of running as an incumbent in November when a downdraft from the presidential election could sweep away additional, marginal GOP seats. But Illinois’ 14th is hardly what you could call a marginal Republican district. Hastert, the longest-serving GOP House speaker in history, prevailed there in 10 elections. Losing his seat, an aide to a top GOP lawmaker told The Politico, “is like the toppling of the Saddam statue in Baghdad for Republicans.”"
Halvorson,
Durbin highlight concerns about sale of EJ&E - Morris Daily
Herald - Morris,IL"“I think it is essential that we work together to see that each community affected by the deal has its concerns addressed. I look forward to bringing about a workable solution by keeping an open dialogue between Canadian National and community leaders,” Senator Durbin said."
"He says changing leaders is the only way to not only stop terrorism but also to develop allies to help fight terrorism in the future. Durbin says immediate steps would include drawing down troops in Iraq, closing down the Guantanamo Bay detention center and publicly renouncing its torture policy."
“The good news for Obama is that his numbers have stopped falling since his speech on Tuesday. The bad news is that they haven’t bounced back.”
20 Mar
South
Elgin Receives Bike Path Safety Funding"The Village of South Elgin has received $100,000 in state funding for bicycle safety improvements as a result of a member initiative project requested by State Rep. Randy Ramey (R-Carol Stream)."
Local
Legislators Hold Forum for Parents with Autistic Children"To a full room of parents, State Representatives Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago) and Franco Coladipietro (R-Bloomingdale), State Senator Randy Hultgren (R-Wheaton) along with State Senator Carole Pankau (R-Itasca) held their second legislative forum on Monday for parents with autistic children."
ElementaryDistrict 33
Kindergarten
Registration for the 2008-2009 School Year"Kindergarten registration for children who will be 5 years old by September 1, 2008 and live within the boundaries of West Chicago Elementary School District 33, will take place during the month of April at each neighborhood elementary school."
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
For all families living in West Chicago
Held in the Cafeteria at West Chicago Middle School
West
ChicagoHigh School
"During the month of March sixty four Community High School students were inducted into the French, German, and Spanish National Honor Societies. Membership in these Honor Societies represents outstanding achievement in at least two years of study of a foreign language, academic excellence in all other classes and the intent to continue the study of a foreign language."
CHS
GIRLS SOFTBALL TEAM SPONSORS SECOND ANNUAL PARENTS NIGHT OUT"Community High School District #94 in West Chicago Girls’ softball team will be holding it’s Second Annual Parent’s Night Out bowling fundraiser on Friday, March 28th. The event will be held at the Wheaton Bowl (located at 2031 N. Gary Ave Wheaton, IL) beginning at 8pm. Tickets are $25 per person, which includes 3 games of bowling, a raffle, and a pizza/dessert buffet. Proceeds from this event benefit the softball program. Please contact Sue Taddeucci to make reservations at staddeuc@cusd200.org or by phone: (630) 347-7907. The coaching staff cordially invites West Chicago community members, faculty/staff members, former softball players, and supporters of Wildcat athletics to attend this event."
Protesters
call for end to 'unjust war'"Organizers of the Batavia Council MoveOn, part of a national organization, said they were joining tens of thousands of people across the country to honor the 3,992 U.S. soldiers that have died and the 29,314 soldiers wounded in Iraq. Of the 143 soldiers killed in Iraq from Illinois, four were from Aurora."
Wayne
builds case against EJ&E buyout"Wayne residents and several political leaders gathered Wednesday to discuss potential effects of the acquisition, which has been meeting resistance from affected suburbs including West Chicago, Naperville, Warrenville, Aurora, and Barrington. Elected officials, including newly elected Congressman Bill Foster, Congressional candidate Jim Oberweis, state Rep. Randy Ramey, DuPage County Board member Pam Rion, West Chicago Mayor Mike Kwasman, and St. Charles Mayor Don DeWitt were present for the meeting."
Geneva
to outsource brush pickup"Owners of single-family homes will pay $1.70 per month for the curbside service, or a total of $20.40 per year. Presently, brush pickup is paid for by property taxes. Instead of having Geneva public-works employees collect brush, the city hired Kramer Tree Service of West Chicago to do it."
Bartlett's
efforts to leave U-46 are 'languishing'"Village officials said they remain committed to forming an independent district out of U-46's southeast quadrant. It would likely corral 10,000 students -- about a quarter of U-46's enrollment -- from Bartlett and parts of neighboring Carol Stream, Wayne and West Chicago."
Parents
scrambling for bilingual classes"Across the Chicago suburbs, especially in areas with increasingly diverse populations, school districts are turning to "dual-language" initiatives. Municipalities from Oswego to West Chicago to Elgin have programs up and running, many with long waiting lists."
Estonian
headmaster visits Elk Grove Village students"He and three other Estonian educators will spend this week touring Chicago and visiting classes in Elk Grove Village and West Chicago through a program paid for by a California-based non-profit, the Center for Civic Education, and the U.S. Department of Education."
CDH
ONE OF THE TOP 100 HOSPITALS IN THE U.S. FOR SECOND YEAR"Central DuPage Hospital is the first DuPage County hospital to receive this prestigious award. Thomson evaluates key measures of clinical, operational and financial performance of over 3,000 hospitals nationwide in designating their Top 100."
“To our friends and partners, distinguished international trade commissioners we say, ‘welcome to Illinois and Will County. We mean business,’” Senator Durbin said. “On an even playing field, Will County businesses can compete against any company, anywhere, whether you are looking for corn, or state-of-the-art nanotechnology. With fair trade agreements, we can all enjoy genuine shared prosperity.”
"I offer my deepest condolences to the victims of this week's dangerous flooding in southern Illinois and throughout America's heartland. In the days ahead, I will work with my colleagues to ensure that these downstate communities can rebuild as quickly as possible."
Obama
speech captivates Americans - International Herald Tribune -
France"Interest in the speech was intense: Transcripts of it zoomed to the No. 1 or 2 spots on the most-e-mailed lists of virtually every major U.S. newspaper or broadcast Web site. USA Today, for example, said that an article on the speech attracted more comments in 12 hours - 7,502 - than any article ever."
19 Mar
- Schedule of activities and worship services planned by local churches from Good Friday through Easter Sunday
- Cook’s Night out
- City Museum and West Chicago Park District bus trip to the Chicago History Museum
- Welcoming Reception for 10 exchange students
West
ChicagoHigh School
"For the remainder of the school year, we will be maintaining the enhanced security measures that were implemented the week following the threat situation."
Meet
the Principal: Jean Peterson" What's the worst influence on today's youth? Parents who want to be their friends and not parent, video games and no rules.
Thing that makes today's students distinct? The numerous opportunities and choices they have to develop into caring, unique citizens.
If I could change one thing about the world it would be … less violent and more peaceful. They would care about others."
'Robocall'
revolt may end pesty calls"These automated calls, or "robocalls," are an inexpensive tool campaigns use to get out the vote, or get their message out to thousands of people at once. But some people speculate that the abundance of these recorded calls may have contributed to low voter turnout in the recent special election in the 14th Congressional District. Now, a trio of House Republicans want those calls to stop."
Keeping
up with ... West Chicago's Jackie Vavrek"Vavrek spent her formative years competing for the Chicago Sharks, a suburban club team, and was even coached for a time by her sister, Jennifer, who is 12 years older. At West Chicago High School, she made her mark by winning the state 50 freestyle title in each of her last three years."
London, UK
hakia
Licenses Its Ontological Semantic Technology to RiverGlass Inc."RiverGlass, Inc. (http://www.riverglassinc.com/) is a leading provider of advanced real-time analytics and intelligent web information collection and analysis solutions. The company was formed in 2003 to commercialize eight years of grant funded research at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois."
"Please plan to join us for the March 2008 edition of the U.S. Forest Service, Northern Research Station's Urban Natural Resources Institute (UNRI) Informational Webcast, which aims to bring to you up to date on the work of Forest Service scientists, and our cooperators, who are working on urban natural resource research and development projects."
Durbin:
Feds Need To Step Up For Homeowners - WBBM780"Durbin says the federal government needs a more aggressive policy to fend off home foreclosures. He suggests more counseling services, more disclosure for those about to buy a home and changing bankruptcy laws to allow people to keep their homes as they wipe clean their financial slate."
Mr.
Obama’s Profile in Courage - New York Times"We can't know how effective Mr. Obama's words will be with those who will not draw the distinction between faith and politics that he drew, or who will reject his frank talk about race. What is evident, though, is that he not only cleared the air over a particular controversy - he raised the discussion to a higher plane."
On
the Fifth Anniversary of the Iraq War"Today marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the war in Iraq. We are proud of the work our fine men and women in uniform have accomplished in the field. They have done everything we have asked of them. We are forever indebted to their service and the sacrifice their families have made."
Earth
Hour 2008"World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour is catching on across America following the tremendous success of last year's event in Sydney, Australia. This global phenomenon will spread across six continents in 2008, including hundreds of communities like yours in the United States."
18 Mar
Stations
of the Cross CollageOn Monday March 17th the 3rd and 4th grade students of St. Mary’s School in West Chicago performed the Stations of the Cross which recall the events leading up to and including the crucifixion of Christ
Rail
chief says takeover impact overstated"And critics should wait for results of the environmental study before demanding train-crossing upgrades, CN President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison said in a statement. He said diverting freight traffic to the EJ&E line could actually mean fewer road-level crossings overall and a better environmental impact on the Chicago region."
"If you could change one thing about the world it would be … eliminate ALL religions. All the negativity that exists in today's society is due to religious beliefs: wars, hatred, racism. If the world believed in solely one religion, we would be working together in creating positive and innovative changes in the world."
"I apologize to those I may have offended by my comments in today's Meet the
Principal article. I am a believer in God and did not intend to do anything
but state that many wars have religious roots, and suggest a solution. I am
frustrated that we can't, as a global society, seem to accept each other's
differences. My message simply should have said that we all need to find a
way to get along and to see our differences as positive rather than
negative. Gloria Trejo."
W.
Chicago students learn about farming"Indian Knoll Elementary students from West Chicago took part in the the 2008 Ag Education Expo at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton."
DuPage
Co. library calendar"Appraisers from Arbor Avenue Antiques will be available to do informal assessments of your items at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the West Chicago Public Library, 118 W. Washington St. There is a limit of two items per person, and all items must be small enough to be carried into the library. Registration is required. For details, call Adult Services at (630) 231-1552, ext. 4. For specific questions about items, call Eileen or Greg at Arbor Avenue Antiques at (630) 293-3930."
McCain,
Hastert weigh in on 14th District loss"We just had a loss of Denny Hastert's seat out in Illinois," McCain said. "The Republican candidate out there, I am told, had very strong anti-immigrant rhetoric also, so I would hope that many of our Republican candidates would understand the political practicalities of this issue."
Parents
scrambling for bilingual classes"Across the Chicago suburbs, especially in areas with increasingly diverse populations, school districts are turning to "dual-language" initiatives. Mun