Odds & Ends

I have several tabs open of things I’ve been meaning to write about, so here ya go:

+My good friend Dru Clark wrote an article on microbreweries in Chicagoland. No mention of Prairie Rock, but oh well. I plan on giving some of those breweries my full support this weekend!

+This car/bike crash happened weeks ago, but I can’t stop thinking about it. If the info in the report is correct, the motorist was at fault yet no citation was issued. Not too sure what I can do about it especially considering I just missed a community police meeting. Any ideas?

+Many members of the Courier News staff won awards recently. Congratulations ladies and gentlemen!

+Tonya of the DNA is going to spend a day a week working at a different downtown Elgin business. Sounds like fun!

+This arrogant Valley View blaming Chicago parents for their children’s poor academic achievement made my blood boil. This one advocating U46 rid itself of bilingual classes definitely didn’t calm me down. Maybe I’ll write a letter to the editor.

Tags: bicycling, bikes, bilingual, cars, Chicago, CMAP, Courier News, crash, DNA, Downtown Neighborhood Association, Dru Clark, Elgin, IL, Illinois, language, spanish, U46, Valley View
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This sounds great but I’ll be out of state

Dr. Vincent Gaddis, chair of the Department of History, Philosophy and Religious Studies at Benedictine University and pastor of the New Generation Christian Center in Aurora, will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at 729 S. McLean Boulevard, Elgin. Topics to be addressed include, “Is America a Post Racist Society” and “What happened to Martin Luther King’s Dream?” and “Revolution in Values: Why we must embrace Martin Luther King’s call for the Beloved Community.” There will be time for questions and discussion after the talk. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. Gaddis’ talk is sponsored by the Elgin chapter of Rainbow Push and the Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice. Please call Mary Shesgreen at (847) 742-6602 for more information.

Tags: Courier News, Elgin, Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice, IL, Illinois, racism, Rainbow PUSH, Vincent Gaddis
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Nominate your favorite Elgin business!

If you know of an awesome Elgin business that consistently provides good service, nominate them for the Better Business Bureau Torch Award! The publicity would be good for the business and Elgin in general. This is open to all for-profit businesses in Northern Illinois.

To nominate a company, go to www.chicago.bbb.org or e-mail sbernas@chicago.bbb.org or write to BBB Torch Award, 330 N. Wabash Ave., #2006, Chicago, IL, 60611. Deadline for completed entries is Sept. 5.

Tags: BBB, Better Business Bureau, Chicago, Courier News, Elgin, IL, Illinois, Torch Award
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Please stay in Sleepy Hollow

Here’s a direct quote from Linda McDaniel-Hale, a Sleepy Hollow resident, in reference to Elgin’s streets:

Maybe we could play “dodge the bike riders” with our cars or see how many of them we can hit.

It was in today’s Valley View, a new resident-written blog by the Courier News.

Tags: Courier News, Elgin, Linda McDaniel-Hale, Sleepy Hollow, Valley View
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It’s getting hot in here

1) An e-mail from Dave Kaptain to the Courier refutes what Mike Powers originally wrote about his deal with the Bandits, removing any doubt that it was just a mistake. Powers bought his home from the Bandits’ owner, which may or may not be related.

It seems obvious that Powers’ actions weren’t kosher. He’s already resigned. What is usually done next in this type of situation? I honestly don’t know.

2) A former Larkin guidance counselor writes in about the lawsuit against U46, arguing that the plaintiffs are misunderstanding the situation.

The more pieces of the puzzle I obtain, the more I’m agreeing that the lawsuit is misguided.

Tags: city council, Courier News, Dave Kaptain, education, Elgin, IL, Illinois, lawsuit, Mike Powers, school, U46
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I love reading the newspaper

+Here’s an article about the western expansion of RTA not being a priority. Essentially the demand is there, but the money isn’t. What’s new?

+Here’s an article on religious diversity in the area. Maybe I’ll start visiting different places of worship. I’ve never been to a Buddhist temple or a Jewish synagogue. Really I’ve only been to a smattering of Christian churches and a Unitarian Universalist congregation.

+Someone threw acid onto someone’s car. That’s terrible. Where do people even get acid?

+I was interviewed for an article on Bike-to-Work week. It was surreal to read about myself in the paper. I was misquoted a couple times, but the overall gist is correct. One quote does make me look like I have bad grammar–not true! Two days later my photo was in the paper, also for bike stuff. Someone called me a “media maven” that week.

Tags: Courier News, Elgin, IL, Illinois, news
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