Geneva
hospital seeks to enhance cancer center "It
filed an application Nov. 23 with the Illinois Health Facilities and Services
Review Board, seeking permission to add a second radiology room to the
free-standing Raymond G. Scott Cancer Care Center.
Delnor also wants to move infusion
treatments out of the main hospital building and into the Scott Center, and
start offering brachytherapy (implantation of radioactive “seeds”) there,
according to the application."
Plainfield Central falls to West Chicago "A frantic pace in the first quarter left
Plainfield Central a step behind in the second during the Wildcats’ 66-40 loss
to West Chicago in the quarterfinal round of the fifth annual Oswego East
Holiday Classic on Wednesday."
Train, van crash closes roadway "According to investigators, a 51-year-old West Chicago
resident lost control of his van on the railroad tracks because of the icy
conditions. The van crossed into oncoming traffic and struck a car driven by a
43-year-old St. Charles resident, which left the roadway and struck a pole.
The van stalled on the tracks and the driver left the vehicle before it was
struck by an eastbound Metra commuter train with 25 passengers on board."
Mild weather means extended season, hard-to-get tee times "Mike Carney is the
golf sales coordinator at Prairie Landing Golf Club in West Chicago. Carney
tells the Daily Herald (http://bit.ly/rue2fq ) that the club usually gets to
Thanksgiving but on Saturday the course is "booked solid" with people
dumbfounded there are no tee times available."
Underwater cannon might help protect Lake Michigan "The round goby is an exotic species that
hangs around spawning beds, gobbling up eggs of native varieties such as lake
trout and whitefish that are important to the fishing industry. Biologists
plan to use a seismic gun to chase gobies from several Lake Michigan reefs that
are popular spawning areas. The experiment is to begin next fall.
Researchers hope the shell-shocked gobies will stay away long enough for native
fish eggs to hatch and escape."
Illinois police must keep video even for minor casess "The Illinois Supreme Court on
Friday backed up a judge who punished the prosecution after video of a drunken
driving arrest was destroyed, a decision establishing that defendants have a
right to see video evidence even in misdemeanor cases."
PETA seeks memorials to cows killed on Illinois roads "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
wants to buy the markers, one in suburban Chicago and one northwest of Peoria.
PETA's Dec. 15 request to the Illinois Department of Transportation contends the
signs would pay tribute to the more than 20 head of cattle killed as a result of
negligent driving in Illinois in 2011."
Indiana Statehouse ‘No Longer the People’s House’ - AFL-CIO "IndyStar.com
reports state security agencies have capped the number of people who can be
in the statehouse in Indianapolis at any one time to 3,000, including about
1,700 employees–a fraction of the number who have turned out at the statehouse
to protest proposed
“right to work” (for less) legislation."
Brawl
is mano amen-o NY Post
"Palestinian riot police had to storm the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem
and use batons and shields to break up the fight between rival groups of Greek
Orthodox and Armenian clerics. The Greeks and Armenians, along with Roman
Catholics, share the 1,500-year-old church, which, according to Christian
tradition, was built over the cave where Jesus was born."
[I thought I saw one monk capturing this on his cell phone. So what is
next... nuns with eHarmony accounts? - Bob]
Icy Road Conditions Contribute to Early Morning Accident "After investigating the
traffic crash, it was determined that a 1997 Ford Aerostar, driven by a 51 year
old Chicago resident, was traveling westbound on Roosevelt Road and lost control
on the railroad tracks due to the icy roadway. The Aerostar crossed into the
eastbound lanes and struck a 1999 Honda Accord driven by a 43 year old St.
Charles resident."
West Chicago Seeks Developer to Rehabilitate Historic Structure
"The City of West Chicago, Illinois is seeking a qualified developer to
rehabilitate a historic structure for retail, restaurant, office or cultural
uses that is situated within the West Washington Street Redevelopment Project
area."
DuPage
mosque project wants to add dome, minaret "But
then in October, DuPage adopted a set of zoning law changes that apply to
churches, mosques and other places of assembly. One of those revisions
allows religious design elements — including bell towers, steeples and crosses —
to exceed 36 feet as long as certain setback requirements are met. However, the
features can't be taller than 72 feet."
2011: 2nd wettest year on record for Chicago "As of 5 a.m. Tuesday, Chicago stood at
49.41 inches of precipitation with the 0.06 that fell since midnight, the
National Weather Service said. The year now stands at only 1.45 inches
behind 2008. But given this week’s forecast through Saturday — which includes
rain — it is likely 2011 will remain as the second wettest year on record, the
weather service said."
Quinn: Ruling paves way for online lottery sales "“Within the first quarter of this year, I
hope, we can begin the process for those who wish to use the Internet to
purchase a lottery ticket,” Quinn said about the department’s ruling last week
supporting state-regulated online gambling. “It’s probably when these big
jackpots occur that folks will want to participate. And that, I think, will lead
to increased sales for the lottery.”"
Metra on move again after train hits unoccupied car in West Chicago "West Chicago police said the driver of a 1997 Ford Aerostar minivan was headed
west on Roosevelt Road and lost control on the tracks due to the icy conditions.
The Aerostar crossed into the eastbound lanes and hit a 1999 Honda Accord, which
left the roadway and hit a pole. The minvan stalled on the tracks and and
driver, a 51-year-old Chicago man, left the car. At that point, the
eastbound Metra train, with about 25 people on board, struck the unoccupied
minivan, police said. The driver of the van was uninjured and was cited for
driving too fast for conditions."
Plainfield Central falls to West Chicago "A frantic pace in the first quarter left
Plainfield Central a step behind in the second during the Wildcats’ 66-40 loss
to West Chicago in the quarterfinal round of the fifth annual Oswego East
Holiday Classic on Wednesday."
Illinois gets $15M for insuring more children
"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the awards
Wednesday. Illinois
is getting $15 million. It's one of 23 states to share nearly $300 million
in federal performance bonuses this year for expanding children's health
coverage."
NLRB Ruling is Right on Key to Musicians’ Ears - AFL-CIO "Musicians in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Texas can
play a happy tune following a Dec. 27 ruling by the National Labor Relations
Board (NLRB) that says musicians in symphony orchestras are employees with
the freedom to join unions—not independent contractors."
Churches Bring Custom Apps to Their Flocks - Wall
Street Journal
"App developers say more than 150 churches across the U.S. have had customized
smartphone and tablet apps created to connect with their members. The church
apps are a relatively new twist on the broader influx of technology into
religious life that includes popular apps for prayer and even making
confessions."
Jon
Stewart Crushes Fox News In The 2011 Ratings - PoliticusUSA "... when The Daily Show is matched up
against every non-O’Reilly FNC program, it leads and/or dominates. As we head
into 2012, the news that Stewart’s entertainment program based in large part on
debunking the misinformation in the mainstream media is doing so well should
provide hope that maybe someday sanity will return to our national discourse."
10 Ultra-Rich Congresspeople Who 'Represent' Some of the Most Financially
Screwed Districts - Alternet "Nearly half of all members of Congress are
millionaires, the New
York Timespointed out, and yet many of them don't see themselves as rich. “I
don’t see myself as a man of great wealth,” Representative Ed Pastor, Democrat
from Arizona, told the Times. “To say that I’m enjoying a millionaire’s
lifestyle — well, I can tell you, I guess a millionaire’s income doesn’t go very
far these days.”"
What Boehner Faces In 2012 After Payroll Tax Debacle - TPM "“He’s (Boehner) got a big
problem when he comes back,” one anonymous congressman claimed. “He may have a
hard time keeping his Speakership after this.” “We were hung out to dry by
our leadership,” said another unnamed member."
27 Dec
Tuesday
Record-setting year in DuPage for murder convictions "Coincidentally,
that unprecedented rate came on the heels of abolition of the death penalty in
Illinois and predictions that murder convictions would be harder to come by as
prosecutors lost that bit of plea-negotiating leverage. Meanwhile, other
suburban counties reported average numbers of murder convictions this year.
In DuPage, it seems 2011 was just an anomaly that included a conviction in a
35-year-old murder. And, two homicide suspects didn't even attempt to mount
defenses."
West
Chicago Elementary School District 33 rolls out curriculum changes "Officials say math problems like those and
the unveiling of a new language arts curriculum next fall will prepare students
for the new state assessment in the 2014-2015 school year. It’s a benchmark
tailored to the Common Core standards and intended to gauge students’ readiness
for college and careers in a global economy."
That outdated electronic gear? Wait, don't toss it "The amended law
mandates more items be recycled — more than any other state requires — such as
VCRs, DVD players, keyboards, computer mice, fax machines, scanners, video game
consoles and digital converter boxes. The law also sets the highest
recycling goals for manufacturers. In 2012, they must recycle — by weight
— 40 percent of what they sold in 2010. By 2013, the goal increases to 50
percent."
Illinois to create independent tax appeal tribunal by 2013 "Currently, an Illinois taxpayer who wants to
challenge an assessment may file a protest — but through the Revenue Department.
An administrative law judge, a position created in 1995, hears the case, but the
final decision is made by the Revenue director. A taxpayer may bypass the
administrative review and challenge the assessment in circuit court, but the
person or business first must pay the tax into a protest fund."
"Funding is available for
only 18 percent of the miles that need reconstruction.
Deferring timely repairs can triple the cost of the work.
More than 2,200 bridges — out of more than 26,300 in the state — are
structurally deficient.
Bad roads cost motorists an average of $340 annually in terms of vehicle
deterioration, wear on tires, increased fuel consumption and more frequent
maintenance.
West Chicago Public Library District Completes Facilities Assessment "The assessment, which was presented in
October with prioritized projects and recommendations, serves as a comprehensive
guide to the Board of Library Trustees for future renovations, replacements or
reconfigurations within the HVAC and building systems. Administrative Librarian,
Melody E. Coleman, stated that this assessment identifies opportunities for
energy savings and operational improvements within the building systems as well
as for reducing operating costs."
Settlement announced over Countrywide loans "The settlement stems from Madigan’s
lawsuit in June 2010 against Countrywide Financial Corp.,
Countrywide Home Loans Inc. and Full Spectrum Lending Inc., an arm of
Countrywide that mostly sold subprime loans. The suit alleged numerous
violations of the Illinois Fairness in Lending Act and the Illinois Human Rights
Act, and included data showing minority borrowers paid more for mortgages than
white borrowers and were more often sold riskier home loans despite qualifying
for prime, or low-cost, loans."
Roadside
memorial sought for cows in crash ""These proposed signs would also remind
tractor-trailer drivers of their responsibility to the thousands of animals they
haul to their deaths every day," said Patton, 26, who lives in Arlington
Heights. "It's a big enough tragedy that these animals end up in
slaughterhouses, where they are kicked, shocked with electric prods and finally
dragged off the trucks to their deaths. Sparing them from being tossed from a
speeding truck and deprived of care afterward, sometimes for several hours,
seems the least that we can do.""
Staging a protest — on a makeshift stage
"The action is set amid a protest, and last week it was seen by audience members
who had just come from one. The premiere — a single outdoor performance Friday
afternoon — was coordinated to begin at the end of a protest march that set out
from LaSalle and Jackson... A radio play the cast recorded was to be broadcast
at 10 a.m. Saturday on WCPT, 820 AM, during Marshall Stern's "Awakened America"
program. A podcast of the show was scheduled to be posted soon at
bit.ly/uH3oBb."
4 Illinois congressional districts feature key races "Democrats may have an advantage with
the new map, which cuts down the number of districts by one, preserves existing
Democratic-leaning districts, creates new ones and pits several Republican
incumbents against each other... Even federal judges who upheld the map’s
legality acknowledged that it was a “blatant political move to increase the
number of Democratic congressional seats.” Here’s a brief look at four
critical races shaping up for the March 20 primary."
U. of Illinois says no to buying .xxx domain names "Their reasoning is it’s
impossible to think of — and purchase — every name with a connection to the
university. Chief information security officer Mike Corn says the school
will instead threaten cybersquatters with legal action. University lawyers will
send cease-and-desist letters to anyone it feels is violating trademarks."
Tax relief law also gives taxpayers new protest rights "The law calls for a so-called tax tribunal to
be set up by 2013. Details are still to be worked out, but the idea is to give
taxpayers, whether individuals or businesses, the chance to protest assessments
to someone not answering to the Illinois Department of Revenue, which assesses
taxes in the first place and currently has the last word on appeals."
Take
the Speed Matters Test - AFL-CIO "The Communications
Workers of America (CWA)
Speed Matters campaign will soon
release its annual report on Internet speeds across the country to help paint a
clear picture of U.S. Internet speeds and identify the areas that need immediate
improvement. You can help by clicking
here to take the Speed Matters test
to find out just how fast your Internet speed is."
Nigerian Group Escalates Violence with Church Attacks
- New York Times
"A series of Christmas Day church bombings rocked Nigeria on Sunday in
what appeared to be a coordinated assault by a radical Islamist sect with
suspected training links to Al Qaeda, raising the sect’s violent antigovernment
struggle to a new and more dangerous level that the Nigerian authorities seem
powerless to contain. At least 25 people were killed. "
See
Cost of Bush Tax Cuts (2001) Grow by the Second - Coffee Party
USA "The 2000 Presidential campaign
included a fight over what to do with the budget surplus — that's right surplus,
not deficit, surplus, we had a surplus only 11 years ago... People who suddenly
became angry about our federal deficit and our debt on Jan. 20, 2009 are either
shameless partisans or consuming way too much
1 Percent Media."
Walker On The ‘Koch’ Call: ‘It Was Stupid’
- TPM "During that call with blogger Ian Murphy, Walker
discussed his ideas for tricking the Democrats into coming back by pretending to
negotiate, his ambition to to bust the public employee unions in the mold of
President Reagan firing the PATCO air traffic controller union, and — when asked
by “Koch” — stated that he had considered (but ruled out) planting troublemakers
in the crowds of protesters. Also during the call, Walker
boasted of the surprising naturee of the legislation he was set to introduce
— contradicting Republican assertions that Walker had campaigned on a platform
of making the anti-union changes:"
Suburban
red kettle donations down this year "According to numbers from the
Salvation Army, as of Dec. 17 red kettle donations in St. Charles were down 33
percent from this time last year, down 39 percent in Norridge and Oakbrook
Terrace, and down 29 percent in Aurora. Other towns with smaller decreases
include a 5 percent decrease in Crystal Lake, 11 percent in Dekalb, and 7
percent in Elgin."
Alcohol-related deaths in crashes fall in Illinois "More than 200 police and sheriff
departments plan to cooperate with the Illinois State Police in conducting
nearly 100 roadside safety checks, 400 safety belt enforcement zones and
hundreds of additional impaired driving and nighttime safety belt patrols."
Walgreen, Safeway join stores pulling formula after infant death
"Officials at Supervalu Inc., Walgreen Co., Kroger Co. and Safeway said they
have removed 12.5-ounce cans of Enfamil Newborn with the lot number ZP1K7G from
various stores across the country as a precaution until federal health officials
complete tests on the formula. Ten-day-old Avery Cornett died Sunday after
getting sick several days earlier in the southern Missouri town of Lebanon."
[I just found 3 cans on our shelf. - Bob]
Nearly 60,000 Illinoisans could lose unemployment benefits "If Congress does
not vote to continue long-term compensation, which is the 79th to 99th weeks of
benefits, unemployment payments for 32,500 residents will come to a screeching
halt on Jan. 7, said Greg Rivara, a spokesman for the Illinois Department of
Employment Security."
[And since not now, they face the same thing two months from now. - Bob]
Environmental summit to shed light on green energy "DuPage County’s ninth annual
environmental summit will give participants information about harnessing
limitless sources of energy and using them to heat, cool and power their homes.
With its focus on small-scale renewable energy systems, the free Jan. 11 event
will feature speakers empowering home and business owners to take ownership of
their energy consumption."
Benton Harbor: Pure Michigan, all Trotsky "So, with few resources to
spend, the emergency manager
dissolved the police, fire and
building departments and formed one Department of Public Safety. He combined the
trash and water bills so that people would have to pay both -- or have their
water shut off. Aside from the luxe greens on the golf course, it
was a bleak picture in Benton Harbor. And yet: Desperation does not justify
bulldozing democracy."
How Germany Builds Twice as Many Cars as the U.S. While Paying Its Workers Twice
as Much - Forbes "In 2010, Germany produced more
than 5.5 million automobiles; the U.S produced 2.7 million. At the same time,
the average auto worker in Germany made $67.14 per hour in salary in benefits;
the average one in the U.S. made $33.77 per hour. Yet Germany’s big three car
companies—BMW, Daimler
(Mercedes-Benz), and Volkswagen—are very profitable."
Cardinal under fire for comparing gay rights movement to Klan -
Chicago Tribune
"When the cardinal was asked his views of a local pastor complaining that the
annual gay pride parade would force the church to
cancel its morning mass, George said he supported the pastor. "You don't
want the gay liberation movement to morph into something like the Ku Klux Klan,
demonstrating in the streets against Catholicism." George said."
Explosions Rip Through Churches in Nigeria - NY Times
"The militant sect Boko Haram, which seeks to impose Islamic law across the
country, claimed responsibility for several of the bombings and was suspected in
others. Coming after several days of gun battles last week in which more
than 60 people were killed and a wave of attacks in November that killed more
than 100, the Christmas bombings were clearly intended to carry symbolic weight
in a country whose population is about half Muslim and 40 percent Christian."
I
Am Sorry for the Role I Played in Fallujah - Common Dreams "I do not see any contradiction in feeling
sympathy for the dead US Marines and soldiers and at the same time feeling
sympathy for the Fallujans who fell to their guns. The contradiction lies in
believing that we were liberators, when in fact we oppressed the freedoms and
wishes of Fallujans. The contradiction lies in believing that we were heroes,
when the definition of "hero" bares no relation to our actions in Fallujah."
Bank Of America Could End Up Paying $53 Billion For Countrywide Mess
- Forbes "Without Countrywide, Bove estimates that the
company’s tangible book value would be an estimated $3 per share higher, and
that the price to tangible book would be closer to 100% than the current 40%. He
adds, “Assuming a value of 100% times 16 ($12.97+$3.03), the stock would have a
market capitalization approximately $100 billion higher than it has at
present.”"
West Chicago Elementary School District 33 Citizen’s Advisory Council
Referendum for a Community Center Building
Kirk Johnson - Op-Ed contributor in.December 16, 2011 issue of “New York Times”
Time to Stop the Confusion about No-Bid Contractsssss "According
to the current Board, all taxpayer dollars spent on these services must - by
state law – be in the form of no-bid contracts. The spirit of Act is to
allow for fast action by governmental bodies when services are needed. But the
Professional Services Act was never intended to absolve elected officials from
their obligation to comparison shop when spending our tax dollars."
Basketball - West Chicago Police Department versus
Winfield Police Department - FB,
Mike Kwasman "The WeGo Wildcats Special Olympics Club at Community High School District
94 is hosting a fundraiser at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, January 5, 2012 in Bishop Gym,
326 Joliet Street. The competition is a basketball game between the West Chicago
Police Department versus Winfield Police Department, each having one half the
Special Olympics players on their respective teams."
Artist Lewis Achenbach - "Off the Golden Map" Exhibit "A free Opening Reception on
Friday, January 6, 2012, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Gallery 200, will include
light refreshments and an opportunity to meet the artist. Musical
performances by Mosaik at 6:30 p.m., followed by Youngest Son at 7:45 p.m., will
take place in Gallery 200/STUDIO, accessed through the lower level entrance at
203 Turner Court."
Photographer wants DuPage forest district to ease $200 daily permit fee "Ultimately, Rutledge said she wants the
district to revise the ordinance so it’s affordable for small businesses like
hers. She hopes officials will consider a policy similar to the Lake County
Forest Preserve District, which charges $100 a day for commercial photography,
but only $50 more for an unlimited annual permit, according to the district’s
website."
DuPage
board hopeful removed from primary ballot "Also on
Wednesday, the electoral board rejected Gerald J. Marchese’s effort to have
fellow Wayne resident Tom Sutton removed from the ballot. Sutton is seeking the
GOP nomination for county board District 6 along with incumbents Jim Zay and
Robert Larsen and newcomers David J. Sabathne of West Chicago and Kevin Wiley of
West Chicago."
Hultgren, Biggert vote against 2-month reduction in payroll tax "If Congress doesn’t pass a bill by the
end of the year, payroll taxes will go up for 160 million workers on Jan. 1.
Almost 2 million people could lose unemployment benefits in January as well.
The House vote, 229-193, kicks the measure back to the Senate, where the
bipartisan two-month measure passed on Saturday by an 89-10 vote... The House
passed a full-year extension last week, but that bill, which both Hultgren and
Biggert approved, contained many spending cuts opposed by Democrats."
[All this 2 month v. 1 year stuff is distraction. The real issue is the
cuts. - Bob]
Caring educators feed hundreds of District 33 families "This is the second year that ETAWC and the
SSA have purchased and distributed food trucks for District 33 families. In
2010, all three unions ETAWC, SSA, and the Custodian Union, collaborated in
purchasing and manning the three food trucks for spring of 2011, which was well
received by the families of our district."
Coffee with the West Chicago Park Board Commissioners "The West Chicago Park
District's Board of Commissioners will hold Coffee with the Commissioners on
Saturday mornings in the month of January. Locations and times will vary."
Local Girl Scouts Visit the West Chicago Public Library District
"Using bird seeds, peanut butter, bagels and other natural materials, in keeping
with the Library's Green initiatives and recent Earth Flag Certification, the
girls provided some lovely treats to keep nature's creatures warm this winter.
Following their tree trimming, the girls warmed up in the Library's program room
with hot chocolate and candy cane treats donated by the Library."
More science opportunities for District 303 students "The District 303 School Board recently
approved the addition of four science electives – oceanography, astronomy,
forensics, and anatomy and physiology – which will be offered for the 2012 fall
semester. St. Charles East and North high school students begin signing up for
next year’s classes in January."
Alcohol-related deaths down 9% across Illinois "In 2010, there were 436
alcohol-related fatal accidents. In 2009, there were 480. Also in 2010
during the Christmas weekend, there were eight crash fatalities statewide. One
was alcohol-related. There also were 515 alcohol-related traffic injuries, which
is about 17 percent of the 3,034 total vehicle crashes,"
Business, labor seek long-term federal transportation bill - State
Journal - Register "The group not only wants action, but wants it quickly.
Coalition co-chairman Doug Whitley, president of the Illinois Chamber of
Commerce, said the group has been working with the Illinois congressional
delegation about passing a long-term transportation funding bill “early in the
new calendar year.” “This has been sitting on the back burner for way too
long,” he said."
Walter Reed accidentally bans Bibles - Washington
Examiner
"The religious organization has now filed a Freedom of Information Act request
asking for copies of all communications regarding the making of the policy.
The policy was signed by Nathan's chief of staff, C.W. Callahan. But Dean said a
"group of people" wrote the four-page memo and could not attribute the line on
religious items to one person. Dean said the policy's intent was to
"preserve people's religious rights," but many have lambasted the wording,
saying it was a far cry from that intent."
Speaker Cuts Off C-SPAN Cameras When Dems Attempt To Bring Vote On Payroll Tax
Cut - Think Progress "Hoyer continued talking
undeterred, saying, “You’re walking away, just as so many Republicans have
walked away from middle-class taxpayers [and] the unemployed.”
“We regret, Mr. Speaker, that you
have walked off the platform without addressing this issue of critical
importance to this country,” Hoyer added. Moments later, the mic appeared
to cut out. A few seconds after that, the video feed switched away from the
House floor to a still image of the Capitol Dome. It appears someone in House
Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) office cut the feed, as C-SPAN tweeted afterwards:
“C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras –
the Speaker
of the House does.”"
The Rising Number Of UAVs In American Skies - TPM "“Flying cameras are not a new
thing. What’s new is doing it smaller and cheaper,” he [UAS Operations Manager
at the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office]added. “There probably are going to be some
challenges in the future,” but for now there’s enough case law to keep law
enforcement in check. “If we’re going to fly below 400 feet we’re going to get a
search warrant,” Miller said. Sgt. Andrew Cohen of the Miami-Dade Police
Department says their two drones are still in testing and training, but would
mostly be used to provide tactical air support to police units, such as in a
hostage situation."
Adjustments to Current Insurance Plans and New Insurance Plans
Evaluation Committee Revisions
Young West Chicago Resident Experiences the Joy of Giving "Chris explained that Tyler had
recently celebrated his sixth birthday. In keeping with a family tradition that
began with his older siblings, guests that attended his birthday party were
told, in advance, that their gifts would be donated to a particular charity.
Tyler’s choice was to donate toys to the Toys for Tots program."
DuPage
board members opt to keep their pensions "Aside from making
$50,000 a year, the part-time board members qualify for health insurance and
have the option to enroll in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, the state's
second-largest pension fund with $25 billion in assets. To qualify for the
retirement benefit, the elected officials are expected to perform at least 1,000
hours of county-related work annually for eight years. But unlike other county
employees, they don't have to prove they meet the requirement — their word is
good enough. Neither the IMRF nor the county requires that they document their
time."
COD board:
Little to say or speaking with one voice? "Trustee Nancy Svoboda said sometimes board
members disagree — and those discussions are often had during closed-session
meetings — but if it’s known there will be a majority supporting an item,
trustees don’t pull it off the consent agenda. Carlin said the Illinois
Community College Trustees Association encourages boards to have a unified
voice. A pamphlet given to newly elected trustees across the state advises, “As
decisions are made, you are expected to speak openly for your point of view. But
once the decision is final, you should support the position of the board.”"
Fermilab breaks ground on accelerator research center "“Illinois has a history of recognizing
the value of national laboratories to spur private sector development,” said
state Rep. Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago, a former Fermilab scientist who now
represents the 95th District. “This is the kind of project I always hoped to be
able to point to when I got to the legislature.”"
Kirk endorses Romney for president "“Initially we thought that the primary
would be over largely by the end of January or the beginning of February,” Kirk
said. “Now, if you look at the numbers, I think the Republican contest will
likely last at least through the first week of April, meaning that the March 20
Illinois primary will have a critical role in deciding who our nominee is and
who our next president of the United States will be.”"
Quinn signs
budget deal to avert closings "The move also partially restores cuts made
to grants for mental health services and alcohol and substance abuse treatment, as well as setting
aside more money for homeless shelters and burial services for the poor.
Scholarships for needy college students also get an influx of dollars."
Kirk to endorse Romney "In September of last year, Romney keynoted
a fundraiser for Kirk, who was then a five-term congressman seeking the
U.S. Senate seat once held by President
Barack Obama. Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC
also gave $6,000 to Kirk’s winning Senate campaign against former Democratic
state treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, federal campaign disclosure
reports showed. The value of Kirk’s endorsement is debatable."
Group calls for pulling the plug on FutureGen "He and others said
the plant should be paid for with private, not government, investment. The
federal government is providing $1 billion toward the project. Plans call
for a coal-fired power plant in Meredosia to be retrofitted for the project at a
cost of about $1.1 billion. Another $550 million would be spent on a pipeline to
carry carbon dioxide from the plant an underground storage area in Morgan
County."
GOP Inaction May Leave National Labor Relations Board Inoperable -
Democacy Now
"Unless a solution is found, the NLRB would be frozen come January. Without the
NLRB, workers would lose their legal recourse to defend their right to organize
and to protect themselves against anti-union activity by employers."
Interfaith Clergy To Present 200,000 Signatures At Lowe’s Headquarters
- Think Progress
"Today, a group of interfaith clergy plan to
deliver 200,000 signatures to Lowe’s headquarters in Mooresville, North
Carolina, “asking the home-improvement retailer to apologize for pulling ads
from a TV show about Muslim Americans.” ... The
coalition
behind the petition-gathering includes activist and faith-based groups “Faithful
America, Change.org, CREDO, Sum of Us and Groundswell.”
How America And The Mainstream Media Got Breitbarted On NDAA -
PoliticusUSA
"An edited video of Carl Levin claiming that Obama wanted the language in the
NDAA caused outrage among many Americans, but the full Levin video reveals the
opposite... in the first 30 minutes of the debate Sen. Levin stated that the
NDAA provisions do not apply to US citizens:"
Ethically-Challenged Justices Feted By Healthcare Law Challengers -
Brad Blog "The day the Supreme Court gathered behind closed doors
to consider the politically divisive question of whether it would hear a
challenge to President Obama’s healthcare law, two of its justices, Antonin
Scalia and Clarence Thomas, were feted at a dinner sponsored by the law firm
that will argue the case before the high court."
Plan for
mosque near West Chicago starts over
"A Muslim group is making another attempt to get permission from DuPage County
to transform an empty house near West Chicago into a mosque after “confusion”
about the proposal forced the organization to withdraw an earlier application.
Islamic Center of Western Suburbs on Thursday night restarted the process of
trying to get a conditional-use permit to have the house at 28W774 Army Trail
Road declared a religious institution. Its new hearing before the county’s
zoning board of appeals comes more than six months after the previous
application was withdrawn."
State,
feds come together for new Fermilab research center "Fortner, a particle physicist who has
worked on the DZero experiment at Fermilab, was beaming Friday. He said he
is often asked by nonscientists, “What good comes out of this stuff at
Fermilab.” He tells them about the medical, energy and industrial applications
that are a byproduct of the basic science research conducted there, such as
proton beam therapy for cancer patients."
Federal court approves Illinois congressional map "The three-judge panel agreed the map "was
a blatant political move to increase the number of Democratic congressional
seats," according to the ruling by U.S. District Court Judges ... But the court
said Republicans failed to present a "a workable standard" to evaluate
gerrymandering claims, particularly "given the unpredictable nature of Illinois
voters' political preference.""
Foreclosure activity slips in much of Chicago area, nationwide "Foreclosure filings
were reported on 224,394 properties across the U.S. last month, a 3 percent drop
from October, RealtyTrac reported Thursday ... In DuPage County, the number of
auction notices filed rose 41 percent."
Illinois coal plants ahead of EPA mercury rule "Most Illinois
utilities won't miss a beat when the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency requires coal-fired power plants to control mercury emissions for the
first time -- a decision environmental and health advocates say will reduce
developmental problems in children but some industry groups complain is too
restrictive. In fact, the state already is way ahead. The volume of
mercury and mercury compounds emitted by Illinois' 23 power plants has fallen 44
percent, from 2008 through 2010 -- from a combined 4,482 pounds to 1,984 pounds,
according to EPA data -- partly due to a state rule adopted four years ago."
Illinois ranks 3rd in teachers earning certification "Teachers must pass tests in the subject they teach and
analyze their teaching strategies to get the credential. They build a portfolio
that includes student work samples, assignments and videotapes. Certification
typically takes one to three years to complete... This is the sixth consecutive
year Illinois has ranked among the top 10 states for the number of teachers
newly achieving the credential."
State to provide $15 million for affordable housing "Gov. Pat Quinn has announced $15 million in state funding
for a Chicago-area program aimed at moving people with disabilities out of
institutions and into homes of their own. Home First Illinois will develop
about 100 units of accessible affordable housing for 145 people over the next
three years."
$20M going to Fermilab for new accelerator "The Department of Commerce and Economic
Opportunity will provide $20 million from the Illinois Jobs Now! capital plan to
design and build a part of the complex. The U.S. Department of Energy will
contributed $13 Eveing that will be part of it. The complex will help
develop private industry partnerships for commercial and industrial application
of accelerator technology."
Court Upholds Fair Election Rule for Air and Rail Workers - AFL-CIO "For decades, the deck
was stacked against workers covered under the Rail Labor Act (RLA) because every
worker who did not cast a vote in a representation election was automatically
counted as a “No” vote. The new NMB rule says that an election’s outcome will be
decided by the majority of votes cast, just like every other election, from city
council to the presidency."
USCIRF reauthorized, but 7 must leave panel -
Baptist Press
"The United States' watchdog for worldwide religious freedom gained
reauthorization from Congress Friday on what could have been its final day of
existence... The good news for religious liberty advocates did not come without
some disappointments for many of their number. The bill limits commissioners to
two, two-year terms. That restriction will require seven of the nine current
commissioners to leave the panel in 90 days. In addition, USCIRF's yearly budget
will drop from more than $4 million to $3 million."
ONE DAY opportunity to get into ACT Prep course!!
"Attention Junior Parents!!!! If you are still interested in registering your
son or daughter for the ExcelEdge ACT review course, there has been an extension
for ONE MORE DAY –deadlin e Friday, December 16th !!! ... In order to register,
please have your son/daughter see Mrs. Ventimilla or Mrs. Holubetz in the
Counseling Office with the appropriate registration form and payment for the
course they are registering for. Online registration is also available at
www.exceledgeinc.com. If you
have any questions, please contact Mrs. Holubetz at 630-876-6315 or
jholubetz@d94.org. "
West Chicago HS Dist94 SPECIAL BOARD MEETING
December 18, 2011 — 1:00
p.m.
Administration Conference Room — Entrance “H”
"RECOMMENDED MOTION TO MOVE TO CLOSED SESSION (Only if needed and with the
understanding that possible action could be taken on matters discussed in closed
session) That the Board of Education hold a Closed Session at [Time] for the
purpose of reviewing collective negotiating matters."
Support Veterans through New Foundation "... Mayor Kwasman and other
DuPage County leaders have formed a new organization, the DuPage Veterans
Foundation, for the purpose of honoring and supporting the men and women of our
country who have served so courageously in the United States military. This
501c3 non-profit organization seeks to recognize special needs of DuPage
veterans and provide fundraising efforts to acknowledge appreciation for all
they have sacrificed for our freedom and safety."
Roadway Safety Efforts
"The West Chicago Police Department announced that Campaign #1 of the Illinois
Department of Transportation funded grant was successful in educating the
motoring public on child restraint, seatbelt, speeding, and alcohol related
violations... Campaign # 2 will begin on December 19, 2011 and run through
January 1, 2012."
Illinois Family Business of the Year Award from Loyola University "St. Andrews won the
award for medium sized businesses with 50-250 employees and is the first golf
facility to receive this honor. The awards ceremony and banquet for Illinois
Family Business of the Year took place November 29th at the Four Seasons Hotel
in Chicago."
Kane
County agrees to house DuPage juvenile offenders
"Despite protests Tuesday from some DuPage County officials, the Kane County
Board agreed to house juvenile offenders from the neighboring county. A
DuPage County Board member, two residents, West Chicago police and the president
of the DuPage County Chiefs of Police asked Kane County to delay the vote and
further study the matter. The police officials said they hadn't been consulted
during the planning of the agreement as to how it would affect their
communities' operations and budgets."
[Recall the Tuesday article,
Illinois
youth prisons fail inmates, society, report says. - Bob]
DuPage
candidate bets on own vote-getting power "Castillo argues the nominating paperwork
is invalid because DeAngelis-Vesey made mistakes on her statement of candidacy.
He said DeAngelis-Vesey failed to indicate on the form that she is seeking the
Democratic Party’s nomination in a primary. “This is all a strategically
loser move on his part,” DeAngelis-Vesey said. “He is trying to get me bumped on
a technicality.”"
[I expect this kind of shennanigans from the Republicon Machine, but expect
better from the Dinocrats. - Bob]
Driver in fatal 2009 DUI crash facing more legal problems "Onofrio “Josh” Lorusso, of Wayne,
is due back Thursday in the same Kane County courtroom where he was sentenced
last year for reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in connection with the 2009
death of Cameron Godee, 17, of West Chicago."
Kline Creek Farm recaptures long-ago Christmas mood "During the holidays, Klein Creek Farm, a West
Chicago living history farm that dates to the 1890s, will offer a glimpse at the
ways Christmas was celebrated in the past. Modern visitors will recognize the
more enduring traditions, while festivities will be unfamiliar, having faded
with time."
DuPage County tweaks rules for OK of bills "DuPage board
members voted Tuesday morning to allow county bills to be paid with the
endorsement of just one-third of their 18 members. Until now, payments have
needed the go-ahead from a quorum of no fewer than 10 board representatives
before the checks could be signed."
Military, vets get home-buying help under state program "Gov. Pat Quinn today announced a program aimed at helping
veterans and active duty military members purchase homes by providing $10,000
grants for down payment and closing costs. Qualified applicants also will
be able to lock in low-interest loans at 4 percent for a 30-year mortgage and
receive an additional tax credit of up to $20,000 over that same time period."
I (Heart) Plants! New Bench Card Signs Available "To help build plant
value, and acclaim the advantages of gardening, Ball Horticultural Company and
America in Bloom® have collaborated to print some of these benefits on handy
bench card signs. They are available for download at ballhort.com/benchcards."
House Republican leader proposes corporate tax repeal "Under the proposal, the
corporate income tax would drop by 0.25 percent anytime Illinois’ unemployment
rate increases by 0.3 percent in a four-month span."
[So they want to reward the businesses if they lay off more workers... there is
something almost evil in the premise. - Bob]
Illinois rated low on benefits from business subsidies "Illinois and many other states get low marks
in a report released Wednesday on ensuring that the tax breaks and other perks
handed out to businesses generate good jobs. The report from Good Jobs
First, a Washington-based nonprofit group that researches economic development
subsidies, gave Illinois a D for its efforts. The report criticized
Illinois in particular for failing to require that companies that receive
incentives intended to create jobs or keep them in the state provide employees
with health benefits."
IGNORANCE: THERE'S PLENTY MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS: PSEUDOSCIENCE IS AN ENORMOUS FIELD
usa and union made
promo shop.com
"Because we know it's important to you, we've arranged the most popular products
by their USA and union status below.
For a complete listing of everything we offer in Made in USA promotions, which
is one of the largest collections available anywhere,
click here
for our Product Index/Search page."
In Santa Monica, battle over Christmas displays takes a new
twist - Los Angeles Times "Atheist groups objected to churches' use of
the public Palisades Park to espouse a religious message and applied to the city
of Santa Monica for their own spaces. To keep it fair and legal, officials
in the famously liberal city turned to a lottery to dole out spots in the prime
location along Ocean Avenue. The atheists turned out to be the lucky ones:
Of the 21 plots in the park open for displays, they won 18. A Jewish group that
sets up a menorah won another."
Census shows 1 in 2 people are poor or low-income - Detroit News
"About 97.3 million Americans fall into a low-income category, commonly defined
as those earning between 100 and 199 percent of the poverty level, based on a
new supplemental measure by the Census Bureau that is designed to provide a
fuller picture of poverty. Together with the 49.1 million who fall below the
poverty line and are counted as poor, they number 146.4 million, or 48 percent
of the U.S. population. That's up by 4 million from 2009, the earliest numbers
for the newly developed poverty measure."
Poll: Most Americans want payroll tax extension - Yahoo News "What really galls him is the
inequality: The same Congress hesitating to keep taxes low for working Americans
also is hesitating to raise them on the wealthy. Congress this year ignored
President Barack Obama's proposal to let expire tax cuts on the richest
Americans and impose additional taxes on those who make more than $1 million,
though polls showed most people supported those policies.
[What really galls me is that it's not the "same Congress" ... it is the
Norquist and the Republican leadership that is preventing this getting done. -
Bob]
"Henry Tiberius Mac Lemon was born shortly after 4pm weighing 8lbs 6oz and
measuring 19 1/2" long. Hank is doing well and mommy is in recovery. — at
Butler Memorial Hospitall
Free Holiday Concerts "Come enjoy some music during the holiday season!
The music students of Community High School invite you to the Holiday Concerts
this week for Band, Choir, Orchestra, and Guitar.
All four of our student choirs, Chamber Choir, Concert
Choir, Women’s Chorale, and Mixed Chorus, perform on Tuesday, December 13th.
On Wednesday, December 14th, both the Symphonic and Concert Bands perform while
the Orchestra and the brand new Guitar classes play for you on Thursday the
15th.
All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Auditorium and are free to the public.
Brilliance in Business Winners Receive Their Award "It was a packed City Council meeting when
representation from six outstanding West Chicago businesses approached the
podium to receive their awards for excellence in one of six categories. For a
photo gallery and information on their accomplishments, click
here."
Frosty Fest Best Decorated Window "The City wishes to thank each and every one
of the businesses for the time and investment it took to create the amazing
window displays. St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store, at 213 Main Street, was
chosen by the public during Frosty Fest as their favorite window."
Illinois
youth prisons fail inmates, society, report says "Recent Daily
Herald stories have focused on conditions at the Illinois Youth Center in St.
Charles, where the John Howard Association, a prison monitoring group, found
crumbling buildings, filthy showers and overflowing garbage cans during a tour
in May. “Safety beds” designed to minimize suicide risk had not yet been
installed in all rooms, nearly two years after a 16-year-old boy killed himself
using a bed railing and other materials."
County reminds residents of new garbage rules "“Unfortunately only
25 percent of electronics are recycled. The new electronics ban will ensure that
people think twice before they throw an electronic away and hopefully they will
seek other opportunities to either reuse the item or recycle it,” he said.
For a complete list of companies and public drop-off sites for
electronics, visit
http://dupageco.org/EDP/Waste_Recycling_and_Energy/1549/."
D303 approves levy with some protest "Officials also noted this year’s levy
increase is less than the 2010 levy increase, which was 2.7 more than the 2009
levy. Cauffman said the district holds to the consumer price index in increasing
its property tax levy. Board President Kathleen Hewell said the district
has been financially conscious, including salary freezes and other personnel
cost-cutting measures."
Tougher Chicago penalties for abuse of disabled placards "State fines already in place for illegal use of placards
range from $500 for a first offense to $1,000 for a third offense — and
Emanuel’s new measure would match that same range. It also would impose a $200
fine on someone who allows their valid placard or plate to be used
fraudulently."
Chicago-to-Moline passenger rail line gets OK "The Illinois Department of
Transportation said today that it has reached an agreement with the Federal
Railroad Administration and partner railroads. Officials say the more than $220
million project will create 2,000 jobs and be finished by 2014. About $177
million in federal money and $45 million in state money will fund the rail
line."
Ill. House reconsiders closing pension loopholes "The lawmakers argued Sunday that
reversing benefits after they’ve been earned, even by questionable means, is
probably unconstitutional. Just two weeks after supporting legislation to take
away those pension benefits, they began moving a new bill that closes several
loopholes going forward but has no impact on people who have already taken
advantage of them. House Republicans objected to the new proposal. Senate
Democrats said they believe the original measure will pass constitutional muster
even though it would take away benefits that have already been awarded."
Area school districts team up with ILLINOIS concussion laws
"The number of athletic children going to hospitals with concussions is up 60
percent in the past decade, according to a study this year by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. And that has led about 20 states to pass
youth concussion laws in 2011, according to data collected by Education Week.
That includes Illinois, which passed the Protecting Our Student Athletes Act in
July."
Illinois House OKs tax relief for businesses, families
"“If we think that the companies in this state are not going to be down here
talking to us on a regular basis, saying they are going to leave if we don’t get
our act together, then we are sadly mistaken,” said House Minority Leader Tom
Cross, R-Oswego. “We’ve got to roll back our corporate tax. We’ve got to balance
our budget.” Some lawmakers, however, were dubious about responding
to threats from businesses, and protesters in the House gallery unfurled a
banner saying “Stop Corporate Extortion.”"
Check Out This
Chart - AFL-CIO
[This chart shows the recovery of the Auto Industry in almost undeniable form. -
Bob]
Nurses Top Gallup’s Honesty, Ethics Poll - AFL-CIO
"Who do you trust? When it comes to honesty and ethics, most of us trust nurses,
according to the annual Gallup poll on how people view various professions. The
survey found that 84 percent rate nurses “very high” or “high” on honesty and
ethical standards. That’s the 12th time in 13 years nurses have been ranked
first."
Pastor's comments do Tebow a disservice - Yahoo
"Comments like these aren’t helping Tim Tebow. And they aren’t helping gain
acceptance for the faith Tebow is willing to serve as public representative.
If anything, this is a moment when the pastor ought to take a lesson from his
follower, who has consistently rejected such proclamations."
ACLU Sues Scott Walker Over Wisconsin’s Voter ID Law - TPM "In making their case, the
ACLU gathered 17 voters — from a 84-year-old woman without a certified birth
certificate to a 52-year-old homeless Army veteran to a 20-year old without a
Social Security card to a 19-year-old college student who doesn’t want to give
up his California driver’s license — to demonstrate the effect the law could
have."
‘Gentlemen, We Shot a Judge’ and Other Tales of Contractors’ Rampage Through
Iraq - TPM "In Iraq, Blackwater’s
“protective services” consisted in large part of preemptively shooting any car
that drove near its convoys. Page after page of the reports feature drivers (and
occasionally boat pilots) who were fired upon simply because they drove
“aggressively,” attempted to pass, or didn’t heed warnings to keep their
distance. There was no routine mechanism for following up with the drivers to
determine if they were injured or were actually hostile."
Christmas Choral
Celebration Trinity Lutheran Church "Download
PDF Flyer here December 17th at 5:00pm the Trinity’s choirs and
instrumentalists will provide a special Christmas Choral Celebration. As we are
getting ourselves ready for Christmas, we do so with music, inspirational
readings, and fellowship. There is a put-luck dinner afterwards, that continues
this celebration and fellowship."
Winter Reading Program: It’s Just Like Summer Reading… only
cooler! "2012 Theme: Winter Snow Fun
January 3rd through February 25th
Winter’s no fun, unless you’re playing outdoors or curled up with a good book.
Do both this year and participate in our annual Winter Reading program. For
every five books read, participants receive an entry in our drawing to win
fabulous winter-themed prizes!"
Cantigny
hosts annual Lego Train Show "Cost: Tickets for the party
are $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 3 to 12. The train show is free with
a $5 parking fee. Cantigny will waive the fee if an unwrapped, new toy is
donated to the Marine Toy for Tots drop boxes inside the Visitors Center.
Info: http://www.cantigny.org/ or (630) 260-8162"
How your lawmakers voted CONGRESSIONAL VETO OF REGULATIONS
Randy Hultgren: Yes
DEMOCRATIC PAYROLL RATE
Richard Durbin: Yes ... Mark Kirk: No
REPUBLICAN PAYROLL RATES:
Durbin: No ... Kirk: No
Joe Walsh backs away from Randy Hultgren duel, will run in 8th district "Tea Party Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) decided
to bypass a potentially tough GOP primary against Rep. Randy Hultgren and run
instead in a more Democratic district where next November he will face either
Tammy Duckworth or Raja Krishnamoorthi."
Forest district inquiry, PR bills top $109,000 "Residents
critical of DuPage County Forest Preserve District board decision making weighed
in Tuesday morning, as the commissioners learned the contracted investigation of
recent administrative mismanagement would cost them more than three times the
original sum... The initial $18,000 accord became a $61,537 contract by a
unanimous vote of the seven-member board."
Rep. Joe Walsh to run in 8th, not 14th, Congressional District "Congressman Joe Walsh told supporters
Thursday night that he plans to seek re-election in the 8th Congressional
District, a change of heart from three months ago. In September, Walsh
said he would run in the new 14th Congressional District, which meant a tough
primary against fellow conservative freshman Republican Rep. Randy Hultgren of Winfield in DuPage County."
Fire Fighters Volunteer at Santa's Secret Shop "The shop was designed to enable students to
select special holiday gifts for family and friends from a wide variety of items
at an affordable price. This year was extra special since the fire fighters from
the Winfield Fire Department volunteered to be personal shoppers to the
students. The Indian Knoll PTO who organized the event felt it would be extra
fun for the children shop with the help of a fire fighter."
I-PASS
glitch messes up some user accounts "“We are currently
working to ensure that all I-PASS automatic replenishment accounts have been
correctly refunded,” a tollway statement said. “We are also working with our
banks to ensure that customers do not incur overdraft fees as a result of this
computer problem.”"
Equipment upgrades next for high-speed rail project "Illinois is about to go shopping for a high-speed train
set — 12 locomotives and 30 bi-level passenger cars at a potential cost of up to
$233.8 million. Throw in another $268.2 million to be shared with Iowa,
Michigan and Missouri, and the total exceeds $500 million."
"Altogether, these companies spent nearly half a billion dollars ($476 million)
over three years to lobby Congress—that’s about $400,000 each day, including
weekends.
In the three-year period beginning in 2009 through most of 2011, these large
firms spent more than $22 million altogether on federal campaigns.
These corporations also have spent lavishly on compensation for their top
executives ($706 million altogether in 2010)."
Poll shows Southern Baptists' reputation is suffering
- The Tennesean
"Researchers discovered 62 percent of Americans have a favorable view of
Methodists, while only 53 percent have a favorable view of Southern Baptists.
About 40 percent of Americans have a negative impression of Southern Baptists,
the lowest rating among traditional denominations. The denomination is
particularly unpopular among people who don’t go to
church, young adults and Hispanics."
The Bomb Buried In Obamacare Explodes Today-Hallelujah! - Forbes "That would be the
provision of the law, called the medical loss ratio, that requires health
insurance companies to spend 80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they
collect—85% for large group insurers—on actual medical care rather than
overhead, marketing expenses and profit. Failure on the part of insurers to meet
this requirement will result in the insurers having to send their customers a
rebate check representing the amount in which they underspend on actual medical
care."
The
Obameter: Tracking Obama's Campaign Promises - Politifact "PolitiFact has compiled more than 500 promises that Barack Obama
made during the campaign and is tracking their progress on our Obameter.
We rate their status as Not Yet Rated, In the Works or Stalled. Once we find
action is completed, we rate them Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken."
Clothing Closet at St. Michael’s United Church of Christ
Annual Tree of Memory Ecumenical Service2011
Historic Ornament
West Chicago Public Library District Earns Earth Flag Certification "On Monday, November 28,
Administrative Librarian Melody E. Coleman accepted its Earth Flag Certification
from Robert L. Larsen of the DuPage County Board Environmental Committee. The
award, presented at a meeting of the Board of Library Trustees, recognizes the
Library's efforts to "go green" through staff education, recycling, and
community engagement to preserve natural resources."
D94 Students Help Teach Literacy to Dual Language First Graders "As part of their English language
development, the high school students studied folktales from a variety of
countries, and then worked in teams to write and illustrate four different,
original coloring books and word games based on the folktales they read. Each
book featured language and characters appropriate for students in first grade."
Federal judges uphold Democratic map for General Assembly "A three-judge federal court panel today
rejected the final arguments raised in a lawsuit by Republican leaders
challenging the new Democratic-drawn map for Illinois General Assembly
districts. Democrats, who control both chambers in the state legislature,
won the right to redraw political boundary lines on their own when Gov. Pat
Quinn was elected last year, keeping the office in Democratic hands."
Lincoln
museum to receive restored 13th Amendment document "The almost 147-year-old document
signifying the end of slavery is made of animal skin, which was creased and
wrinkled, and some of the original ink had flaked away. That made it too
fragile to display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in
Springfield."
COD police report first campus robberies in several years "In one, a 20-year-old woman was threatened by a
man with a box-cutter as she entered her vehicle in the parking lot Fawell E
around 4:50 p.m. Nov. 30. The man, wearing a black ski mask and dressed in
black, demanded the woman’s cash and credit cards before running across Fawell
Boulevard."
Report
on waterway shipping decline fuels Asian carp debate "A federal report showing that cargo traffic
on Chicago-area waterways has been flat or declining for 15 years was quickly
embraced by those who support closing locks or installing barriers to keep
invasive species like the Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. Michigan
officials, who have joined other states in a lawsuit to have some Chicago-area
locks closed, pointed to the findings as evidence that the Great Lakes shipping
industry would not be dramatically affected if barriers were erected."
Kane ready to vote on taking in DuPage's young offenders
"“There’s a 15-year track record of four counties doing business here,” said
County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay. Members of the board’s Executive
Committee noted on Wednesday that the agreement is for a three-year term, and is
reviewable each year. As of now, the deal includes DuPage paying Kane $110 per
inmate per day."
Reaction to the sentencing of Rod Blagojevich "A sampling of reactions from
politicians, Illinois citizens and others on the 14-year prison sentence given
to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday:"
Chicago Magazine
The Fawell Affair "The family’s patriarch was Scott’s grandfather Walter Fawell, who served for
six years as an alderman and four years as the mayor of West Chicago, a small
community (population: 23,469) between Wheaton and St. Charles known for its
gang problems and radioactive residue from a now-shuttered Kerr-McGee chemical
plant site. West Chicago is the family’s home turf—a Fawell designed the city
flag—and the place where Scott grew up."
This lunar eclipse will include an 'impossible' sight - MSNBC
"The moon passes through the southern part of the Earth's shadow, with totality
beginning at 6:06 a.m. PT and lasting 51 minutes. For most places in the
United States and Canada, there will be a chance to observe an unusual effect,
one that celestial geometry seems to dictate can't happen. The little-used name
for this effect is a "selenelion" (or "selenehelion") and occurs when both the
sun and the eclipsed moon can be seen at the same time."
When an adult took standardized tests forced on kids - Washington
Post "“I won’t beat around the bush,” he wrote in an email.
“The math section had 60 questions. I knew the answers to none of them, but
managed to guess ten out of the 60 correctly. On the reading test, I got 62% .
In our system, that’s a “D”, and would get me a mandatory assignment to a double
block of reading instruction."
GOP Propaganda Guru Scared to Death of Occupy -- 10 Ways He's Trying to Spin the
Movement - AlterNet "Republicans have a long record of pretending to support
entrepreneurship, but Luntz must have detected a derogatory connotation that
wasn’t there previously... However, the GOP has been using “job creator” as a
substitute for “rich,” so they will be forced to find a new label for the
one-percent. How about “the One-Percent?”"
21st Century Elementary Community Learning Center Grant Award
"West Chicago Elementary School District 33 was awarded a competitive federal
grant of $450,000 for the next three years to establish a 21st Century Community
Learning Center in three elementary school buildings; Currier, Gary and
Pioneer."
City Approves Ordinance that Addresses Synthetic Marijuana
"The West Chicago City Council approved a new local ordinance on Monday,
December 5, 2011 that addresses the legality of smokable herbal blends. It is
now against City ordinance for anyone to sell, offer to sell or deliver, possess
or use any synthetic marijuana product."
Keep Your Holidays Safe and Happy "The following tips from the West Chicago
Police Department can help to keep your holidays safe and happy:..."
West
Chicago makes a habit of coming back "Kim Wallner might not enjoy the anxious moments, but
her West Chicago team are the “comeback ‘Cats’ ” lately. West Chicago
rallied from down 5 with three minutes left to win at Glenbard North 53-46
Thursday, then came back from an 8-point deficit after three quarters to defeat
Naperville North 66-61 in overtime on Saturday in Naperville."
West
Chicago beats Naperville North in OT
"Laura Panicali poured in 20 points with 12 rebounds and the Wildcats rallied
from down 8 in the fourth quarter to win in overtime in Naperville. Claire
Monroe chipped in 16 points and Allie Tapanes 10 for West Chicago (5-2, 2-0
DuPage Valley Conference)."
Olson
leaving DuPage board; Democratic primary in one district "The other surprise Monday was that there
will be a Democratic primary on March 20 to determine who will run in the fall
for county board District 6. Incumbent Dirk Enger — one of three Democrats
on the county board — will be joined in the primary race by Terrell Barnes of
Roselle and Bartlett residents Dave Barry and Lauren Nowak."
Whooping cough outbreak felt statewide "Confirmed cases of the
highly contagious bacterial infection have spiked in McHenry, Lake and DuPage
counties, affecting close to 500 residents, the most in more than five years.
“People really need to take this seriously because it is not just about a cough,
it’s a serious illness that affects the young and old,” said Debra Quackenbush,
spokeswoman for the McHenry County Health Department."
Chicago universities preemptively buying up porn domains
"At Chicago State, which has registered csu.xxx and chicagostateuniversity.xxx,
spokeswoman Deborah Douglas called the purchase a "defensive maneuver." ... "I
think you can look at the 'Girls Gone Wild' phenomenon and figure (adult
websites) may aim at the college-aged demographic," she said. "We need to
protect the integrity of our students and our brand. Porn and parasite, you can
put those in the same sentence.""
Rep. Joe Walsh to decide today which district he'll seek re-election in "Walsh originally planned to
seek re-election by challenging Hultgren in the March GOP primary. In recent days, however,
Walsh also has been exploring a possible run in the new 8th Congressional
District, which Democrats drew to favor a Democratic candidate.
No major Republican contender has emerged in the district while
Tammy Duckworth, a former assistant secretary in
the federal Veterans Affairs Department, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, a former state deputy
treasurer, are seeking the Democratic nomination."
Aurora postal center on list to be cut "The list of processing centers to be
closed released earlier this year includes the Fox Valley processing center on
Aurora’s far East Side, as well as eight other facilities in Illinois —
Bloomington, Carbondale, Centralia, Chicago, Effingham, Quincy, Rockford and
Springfield."
Time for lawmakers to stand up to those corporate bullies "What Sears is really saying is this:
“Remember those temporary 1989 tax breaks you gave us to stay in Illinois? If
you don’t make them permanent, we’re leaving Illinois.” Talk about chutzpah...
The next time a company issues an unreasonable threat to leave, their local rep
should pull up in a moving van and send ‘em packing."
Dodge Dart name of new Chrysler car to be assembled in Belvidere "The Dart is an extremely
important new offering for Chrysler Group LLC, now run by Italy’s Fiat SpA. The
Dart will be a compact sedan, the first for Chrysler dealers since the company
discontinued the Dodge Neon in 2005. The Giulietta has gotten rave reviews
in Europe from publications such as AutoWeek, the Detroit Free Press and Car and
Driver. Experts say there’s no question the Dart will improve on the weaknesses
of the Caliber."
The
Rich Don't Need a Free Ride - The Coffee Party
"And that may be true of entrepreneurs who start businesses, seek investors, and
then sell off their creations and start all over again. But I don't do any
of those things, and there are millions of rich people like me who don't either.
Like a lot of them, I inherited stock in big companies like IBM and General
Electric. I support myself primarily by going to my mailbox, picking up dividend
checks, and depositing them. Occasionally I sell some shares at a profit. And
conservative tax reformers believe I should be rewarded for this great exertion
by exempting me entirely from taxation."
Islamic Rioters Attack Christian Shops in Northern Iraq
- Compass Direct
"The rampage threatens the frail security of Iraq’s dwindling Christian
population, sources said. After mullah Mala Ismail Osman Sindi’s sermon
claiming there was moral corruption in massage parlors in the northern town of
Zakho on Friday (Dec. 2), a group of young men attacked and burned shops in the
town, most of them Christian-owned. The businesses included liquor stores,
hotels, a beauty salon and a massage parlor, according to Ankawa News."
Bomb Buried in Obamacare Explodes - Hallelujah! - Reader Supported
News "So, can private health insurance companies manage to
make a profit when they actually have to spend premium receipts taking care of
their customers' health needs as promised? Not a chance - and they know
it. Indeed, we are already seeing the parent companies who own these insurance
operations fleeing into other types of investments. They know what we should all
know - we are now on an inescapable path to a single-payer system for most
Americans and thank goodness for it."
More
details emerge on DuPage forest preserve probe "An invoice from JRM details that four
employees spent nearly 125 hours between July 27 and Sept. 23 examining invoices
and other records, as well as interviewing forest preserve district officials
and information technology staff. The group spent nearly five hours more than
its contract with the forest preserve district allowed, but did not bill the
district the $150 per hour it was charging."
Suburbs
offer holiday lights recycling "Several suburbs are partnering with Elgin
Recycling to collect old lights and keep them out of landfills. Residents can
recycle strands of incandescent, LED lights, and extension cords. They can be in
any condition. Elgin Recycling will collect the lights and recycle the
copper and plastic parts. There's no limit to the number of lights that
can be recycled by any one person or business."
[I suspect this is the larger program mentioned in city news release, "Free
Holiday Light Recycling in West Chicago", that listed drop off points. -
Bob]
Quinn: Sears help 'more than adequate' "Ohio is holding out $400 million in
incentives to lure Sears’ corporate headquarters away from Illinois. In the
meantime, Illinois lawmakers are struggling to pass a major package of tax
breaks that includes $15 million a year for the next decade for Sears."
Poverty up among school kids "Poverty rates among school-age children have increased
in Kane, Kendall, DuPage and all of the collar counties since the start of the
recession, according to U.S. Census data released this week. Of all the
counties in the Chicago area, Kane saw the biggest jump in poverty rates among
children ages 5 to 17 — from 9.7 percent in 2007 to 15.4 percent in 2010."
Rail strike that would have idled Metra averted
"The railroads announced tentative contract agreements with two rail unions, the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the American Train
Dispatchers Association, which together represent about 26,500 employees in
collective bargaining."
Crews
douse small fire at west suburban hospital "The
fire began about 6:20 p.m. Fire crews were dispatched to the hospital, 300
Randall Road in the west suburb. The fire was out by 7 p.m., according to the
Geneva Fire Department. The fire was in an area that does not house
patients, said Laura Jacobs, a spokeswoman for the hospital."
Proposed EPA ballast water regulations criticized ""It is not like this is a
smokestack where you can scrub out 90 percent of the mercury or carbon dioxide
and then feel pretty good about yourself," said Thom Cmar, attorney for the
Natural Resources Defense Council, a national environmental advocacy
organization based in New York. "Here you have a living pollutant that can breed
and reproduce.""
The Boeing Co. considered several other locations before it announced this week
that it will build its new generation 737 MAX at its Renton, Wash., facilities
where skilled members of the SPEEA/International
Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 2001 and
Machinists (IAM) District 751 have produced
high quality aircraft for decades."
Swearing can beat pain: research - The Telegraph,
UK
"Researchers at Keele University found that people who do not often swear in
their everyday life could hold their hands in ice-cold water for longer when
they did succumb to foul language than those who regularly pepper their
conversations with curse words."
The politics of the unemployment rate — in one chart! - Washington
Post "But, for the average voter who
doesn’t have the time (or the inclination) to dive too deeply into the numbers,
the unemployment rate — or, more specifically, the trend line of the
unemployment rate over time — is the key indication of whether things are
getting better or worse with the economy. And that’s why today’s November
jobs report is such good news for President Obama."
Stop
marketers from being able to call your cellphone! - Credo "A bill being considered by the House
Energy and Commerce Committee would end 20 years of consumer protection
preventing marketers from endlessly calling your cell phone--and using up
minutes that you pay for."
Reminder for Market Day
Orders "Please help support our student
organizations by placing orders
with Market Day. December’s Market Day
profits will benefit our Awesome Choir group. The next Market Day pick up
will be Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 5:00 pm. You must place your order by:
Monday, December 5th at 11:00pm CST. Pick up time is 5:00-5:45 pm in
Commons... Click on the following website to access Market Day to place your
order: http://www.marketday.com/. Our
School is listed as Community High School Activities - Account #6816.
Grades 3 & 4:
Anna Fortelka - Turner School (4th grade)
Grades 5 & 6:
Adamary Nuñez - Currier School (5th grade)
Brianna DiCicco - Norton Creek School (5th grade)
Toys for Tots Brings Hope to Less Fortunate "On behalf of the U.S. Marine
Corps Reserve, the West Chicago Police Department will be collecting new,
unwrapped toys now through December 23, 2011. These toys can be placed in the
box in the front lobby of the police department located at 325 Spencer Street.
Any questions about the program can be directed to Sgt. Mike Zepeda at (630)
293-2222."
Wonderful & Wearable
"December's artist series features jewelry and accessory artisans in time for
holiday shopping. Meet the artists at a free Opening Reception on Friday,
December 2, 2011, from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m."
Free Art Classes at Frosty Fest
"Stop in to Gallery 200 during Frosty Fest, Saturday, December 3, 2011 and enjoy
learning the art of stringing a pop top bracelet with artist Marge Hall at 5:00
p.m. and creating folded paper ornaments with artist Heide Morris at 6:00 p.m.!
"
"A Gift Worthy of Giving" Returns to Gallery 200/STUDIO
"Celebrating its first year anniversary, Gallery Theater will present "A Gift
Worthy of Giving." There will be four performances: Saturdays, December 3 & 10,
2011 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, December 4 & 11, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. All
performances will be at the Gallery 200/STUDIO, 203 Turner Court, West Chicago."
Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi don’t fear Walsh "Democratic candidates in the
8th Congressional District race Wednesday said they were undaunted by the
possibility of Republican incumbent Joe Walsh changing his mind and running for
re-election in the redrawn district... “It’ll probably help me raise money,”
Duckworth said with a laugh, adding that her campaign message is the same
whomever she’s running against."
COD board
to vote on deannexation from Glen Ellyn "The village has said it would still provide COD
with water and sewer service “at the same unincorporated rates as the village's
neighbors pay” if the two sides are able to put together an annexation
agreement. If there's no agreement, the village could charge up to double the
incorporated rate, according to the village's policy statement. COD
officials have said they could consider connecting the college's utility system
to an outside provider, such as Illinois American Water."
COD board votes to de-annex from Glen Ellyn "The two parties have been locked in a two-year
long battle over replacing a 2007 intergovernmental agreement, with the core
issue being whether the college was a part of a state education system and
obligated to submit to Illinois Community College Board, or a separate unit of
government that fell under village jurisdiction."
Assembly votes to restore shelter funds "“It was overwhelming,” Dowd said. “Shelters
had already started scaling back the number of people they could take or the
number of days they were open.” The restoration of funding, which passed
overwhelmingly, came just as some state shelters were on the verge of having to
close, Dowd said."
Judson's Burke national player of the year "On the eve of his team’s quarterfinal game in
the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association soccer tournament, Judson
University senior Corey Burke was named the NCCAA player of the year.
Burke, of West Chicago, also was named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-America
Tuesday by the NAIA sports information directors. He is the first Judson men’s
soccer player to gain that recognition."
Illinois court to mull '95 parental notification law - Tribune "The law requires a
physician to tell a parent, grandparent or legal guardian at least two days
before someone younger than 18 gets an abortion. Waivers could be granted if
notification were ruled against a female’s best interests, such as cases of
sexual abuse. The law left it to the state Supreme Court to draft rules to
govern how minors could seek a waiver from a judge and appeal an adverse
ruling."
Panel named to analyze Bill O'Reilly's "Killing Lincoln" "Four local historians and a former journalist
will make up the panel that will discuss "Killing Lincoln," Bill O'Reilly's (and
co-author Martin Dugard's) book on the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Some
reviewers, including a historian at Ford's Theatre, have challenged
a number of facts in "Killing Lincoln.""
BIRTH CONTROL: IT'S NOW PART OF OUR NATIONAL HEALTH POLICY.
CURIOSITY ROVER: WHY PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO MARS.
PU-238: RADIOISOTOPE THERMOELECTRIC GENERATORS.
SPEED OF LIGHT: IT'S STILL THE SPEED LIMIT.
Who Is Behind Secret Phone Tracking Software ‘Carrier IQ’? - TPM
"Your smartphone is probably
spying on you, unless you’re a Windows Phone customer. That’s the
unfortunate conclusion of a number of tech bloggers and security researchers
over the past two weeks who have stumbled upon the whopper of all real-life tech
conspiracies: That a piece of what appears to be remote, real-time tracking
software called “Carrier IQ,”
made by a company of the same name, is installed on upwards of 140 million
handsets worldwide, including many popular Android, iOS, Nokia and BlackBerry
devices in the U.S."
Crystal Sugar
seeking temps - Star Tribune "Since the lockout
began Aug. 1, Crystal's plants have been mostly manned by out-of-town
replacements hired by an outside contractor, Strom Engineering of Minnetonka.
Strom specializes in providing labor for companies experiencing strikes or
lockouts. Most of Strom's workers are paid per-diems for lodging and
meals, expenses ultimately picked up by Crystal Sugar."
Union leader objects to restrictions on collecting signatures on recall petition
- Tribune "Wisconsin State Employees
Union director Marty Beil sent a letter of complaint Wednesday to the secretary
of Walker's Department of Administration. Beil takes issue with the Walker
administration telling state employees they are forbidden from collecting
signatures while on state property, or during work breaks or their lunch hours.
Beil says that is a violation of the workers' free speech rights and asked that
the policies be rescinded."
Angry Over Unfair Mortgage Practices, Churches Pull Money From Wall Street Banks
- Think Progress "“In a way, the banks
have divested from our communities, especially communities of color,” said the
Rev. Ryan Bell, a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Los Angeles. “So we’re
basically telling Bank of America that we want them to invest in our
communities, and until they do that we’re not going to give our money to them.”"
What Has Obama Done For Me Lately? - 538 Refugees "Republicans don’t even say the words Obama
administration without putting the word ‘failed’ in front of it. And it echoes a
growing perception amongst Democrats and independents... The accomplishments of
the first two years of the Obama Administration:..."
Inside Job. The documentary. Online. For free. -The Other School of
Economics
"Charles Ferguson’s film –
Inside Job – won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2011.
It narrates the conflicts of interest between the finance industry, politicians,
academics and regulators, which eventually led to the trillion-dollar collapse
of 2008. Narrated by Matt Damon."
[Yes, this streams the entire hour and a half long Academy Award winning movie.
- Bob]
All rights reserved by:
WegoNews, Inc. Robert
Lemon
527 Claremont, West Chicago, IL 60185-2107
ph 630-231-3152
Unless specifically attributed to WegoNews,
ALL items here express the opinions of their authors.
I disclaim any responsibility for opinions expressed by others.
"A bill being considered by the House
Energy and Commerce Committee would end 20 years of consumer protection
preventing marketers from endlessly calling your cell phone--and using up
minutes that you pay for."
