The school district says it must adopt a zero-tolerance policy these days, and understandably so. Should the boy be allowed to graduate, or be expelled? Aside from the school's right to administer discipline, was the arrest necessary? Should a child who breaks a rule by bringing a pellet gun to school face criminal consequences?
Tell us what you think.
]]>What does this say about Naperville police? Are they especially concerned about our safety, intent on generating revenue from ticket fines, or just driven to be No. 1 at every thing they do?
]]>Also Tuesday, representatives of the district and a group of parents who are suing the district and hoping to block construction of Metea on the Eola Road property met for a scheduled mediation conference that apparently proved fruitless. "I can only say that the mediation has concluded, there was no resolution, and there are no plans to meet again," said Shawn Collins, attorney for Neighborhood Schools for Our Children.
Both court cases continue in coming weeks. What's your reaction to the latest developments? What do you expect to happen next?
]]>What should be the response of the elder Birkett, a former Republican Party gubernatorial candidate who has been a tireless and ferocious prosecutor of narcotics dealers and drug-related crimes? If found guilty, what would be an appropriate punishment for the younger Birkett? What do you think of the arrest by Naperville police, who previously arrested Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar for DUI? (Claar was not convicted).
You can read the full Sun report here:
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/news/947738,na14_birkett_s1.article
]]>By Kathy Cichon
kcichon@scn1.com
The drive on Ogden Avenue may just become a little smoother.
Work to repair the potholes dotting state roads in DuPage County is slated to begin today, weather permitting. The Illinois Department of Transportation recently approved a $1.8 million contract for pothole patching in DuPage, part of a total $16.3 million recently approved for DuPage, Kane and Cook counties.
"It was a really harsh winter, with lots of snow and ice," said Mike Claffey, spokesman for IDOT. "The freeze/thaw cycle was extreme this year."
Among the major area roads to be repaired is a 3-mile stretch of Ogden Avenue from North Aurora Road to Route 59. Work there is scheduled to begin toward the end of the month.
"We could be working in that area for a week or two," Claffey said. "We'll close one lane at a time, so there will be one lane open to traffic."
Patching starts this week on 22nd Street from Butterfield Road to Route 38. Other area roads scheduled for patching include portions of Route 53, including the area from 75th Street to St. Andrews Road.
Portions of Butterfield Road include areas along a 10-mile stretch from Naperville Road to Route 25 in North Aurora.
"There are some sections in there that are deteriorating," Claffey said.
Work there will begin in mid to late June, he said. At times traffic will be controlled by a flagger.
The work in each location will last for several days with all projects expected to be complete by the end of June.
IDOT is in the process of awarding pothole patching contracts for three other counties, including Will.
But the state is not the only agency concerned with pothole repair. On Tuesday Naperville's City Council approved a nearly $1.3 million contract to resurface three city streets including Aurora Avenue from Washington Street to Ogden Avenue. That dollar figure also includes the cost of adding landscaped medians to Aurora Avenue, a project that was moved up a year in order to be done at the same time as the resurfacing.
"Aurora Avenue we were going to do next year," said Bill Novack, city engineer. "It wasn't in bad shape until that last week in January. The last week in January it just started to come apart ... We tried to get that extra year out of it. We just couldn't."
The other streets to be resurfaced as part of this contract are Shuman Boulevard between Washington and Mill streets and Eagle Street from Aurora Avenue to the West Branch of the DuPage River. This year Shuman would have received a layer of microsurfacing, extending its use by four years. But it became necessary for it to be repaved completely.
"It had such heavy deterioration, it's not even a candidate for microsurfacing," Novack said.
While the number of phone calls the city receives regarding pothole presence has decreased, the city's Public Works department continues to fix areas where they are present, said Christine Schwartzhoff, operations team leader with the city's Public Works Department.
In addition to taking its toll on the roads, the harsh winter also increased the amount of money normally spent on repairing the season's damage.
"Normally we spend $20,000 to $25,000 a year on potholes," Schwartzhoff said. "This particular season we probably doubled that and are close to $50,000."
Also seeing a sharp increase is the amount of salt used by the city during the winter to help clear the roads. This year the city used 22,000 tons of salt, while last year the figure was 13,600 tons. While the salt helps to melt the ice, it also contributes to the freeze/thaw cycle that results in potholes.
"Indirectly it does contribute to that, but the real culprit is the freeze/thaw," Schwartzhoff said.
How do your taxes this year compare to last? What about your assessment--how has the value of your home changed? A higher assessment can be a big part of the reason for higher taxes, though a taxing district's rate may have increased due to a referendum. How much are you paying, and are you getting your money's worth?
]]>Will mediation work, or will this suit end up being litigated in court? What would be an equitable solution to the situation? Will the NSFOC suit end up being dismissed and will the district proceed with construction in hopes of opening Metea in August 2009? What about the other lawsuit the district faces for backing out of efforts to buy Brach-Brodie? How much in damages and legal fees will the district end up paying because of its court battles with the Brach and Brodie trusts? When all is said and done, will it end up costing the district more to build on Eola than if it had paid the court-determined price for the Brach-Brodie land?
]]> Here's the Sun story:By Jennifer Golz
Staff writer
The Indian Prairie School District and the Neighborhood Schools for Our Children group will try mediation.
But if that doesn't work, both sides will be in DuPage County Court on May 23 before Judge Kenneth Popejoy, who will rule on the School District's motion to dismiss the suit brought by the parents group opposed to construction of Metea Valley High School anywhere but on 75th Street in Aurora.
Both parties will meet in mediation May 13 with former DuPage Judge Edward Duncan, as per the request of Popejoy.
In March, NSFOC filed a lawsuit seeking to block the district from building its proposed 3,000-seat third high school at any site other than the 80-acre Brach-Brodie land at the southeast corner of 75th Street and Commons Drive.
Because of the cost, school officials have abandoned plans for that site, in favor of property on Eola Road, south of Interstate 88.
Last month, the district closed on the sale of the 84-acre Eola Road parcel at a cost of $19 million -- more than $10 million less than the cost of the Brach-Brodie parcel.
But NSFOC says the new site is environmentally unsafe, and that a school tax referendum was approved on the premise that the third high school would be built on the Brach-Brodie site.
A groundbreaking on the newly acquired site off of Eola Road is scheduled for later this month, with foundation work slated to begin June 13.
]]>Andrew's post continues below.
]]> http://firstflooriowa.com/2008/05/02/prom-woes/Prom Woes
May 2, 2008 by Andrew
I have a friend that is a Senior in High School and tonight is his Senior Prom. When most of us think of our High School Prom we think of good or funny things - - Like the blue tux that your friend wore, the crazy night you had with your friends out until 5am, or that special kiss you stole at the end of the night. My friend, unfortunately, will not have these fond memories (Believe it or not this post is law related) because of a few strict administrators at Neuqua Valley High School and a contract the school had with the Banquet Hall chosen for the night, Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
So my friend's group rented their Tuxes, the Limousine, the trip to Geneva the next day all planned out, just one thing missing, the tickets. The deadline for buying tickets was Wednesday. Every male in the group got their tickets on time except one, he forgot until Thursday morning. He went to buy them on Thursday thinking no big, really only 12 hours late, and they denied him the opportunity to purchase tickets to his High School Prom. The Administrators served my friend with, what Aurthur Bonfield likes to call, "The Writ of Tough Bananas." To my understanding because of security concerns the school had to submit an approved list of attendees to the venue and if they changed that list it would create a breach of contract resulting in a set fee of somewhere around $500. My friend's group doesn't know what to do, how can they go without two of their friends?
How many times has something important gone way off your radar? As law students we like to think not many, but we're human just like everyone else. Just the other day I accidentally forgot about a meeting and it was a well needed reminder during finals time that I am indeed NOT a robot. Regardless of our margin of human error, yeah, the kid screwed up, big time. Still, this won't be one of those screw ups he'll be likely to forget.
One of the things I've come to learn repeatedly here in law school is that there is a notion of justice and equity that runs through all disciplines of the law. Sometimes cases are decided in a way that makes them entirely inconsistent with the law, many times because it is just or equitable to go against the principals in a specific case. To law students preparing for finals, these cases drive us mad, but during the semester it's a different story - to decide these cases consistent with the law feels wrong, like justice is not being served. This seems to be the case for my friend. It just doesn't feel right to disallow a high school senior entry into his prom- separate him from the community he has striven to be a part of for four years. If he came to the door expecting to get in without a ticket and no complaints prior, this would be a different story, but with several days advance warning? This is just one of those cases that doesn't sit right in my stomach.
]]>What do you think of the plan to seek bids from other companies? Given this experience and problems with red-light cameras reported in other communities across the country, how wise is it for Naperville to commit to a program at this time? What about the revenue the city expected from the program--no doubt it will be less, maybe lost altogether. How should the council address the revenue shortfall?
]]> Here's the full story from Thursday's Sun:
City may put brakes on program
Problems with company plague red-light cameras
By Bill Bird
The plan was to get Naperville's "automated red light photo enforcement" program up and running with all deliberate speed.
But after weeks of delay brought on by malfunctioning equipment and other technical problems, city officials appear poised to slam on the brakes and start the project up all over again.
City Manager Pro Tem Robert Marshall confirmed Wednesday he and his staff are recommending termination of Naperville's contract with Trafficpax. The company had been hired in September to install traffic law enforcement cameras at Aurora Avenue and Fort Hill Drive and 95th Street and Book Road.
Citing "nonperformance" on Trafficpax's part, Marshall said he thinks the city should seek a new provider of the cameras and other equipment needed to get the program up and running. Marshall said he will make that recommendation to the City Council during Tuesday night's council meeting.
Beginning today, careless drivers caught running red lights or rolling partially or completely through crosswalks at the two intersections were to have been issued $100 tickets for those transgressions.
But a "warning ticket" grace period for reckless motorists that began in March - and which was later extended through April - has been extended yet again. The grace period will now last until further notice.
City officials have said the photo enforcement effort aims to reduce right-angle traffic crashes and collisions that occur during improper turns. It is also designed to lower both the overall number of traffic-related injuries and the number of violations involving red lights.
A city "Automated Red Light Project Team" had been monitoring Trafficpax's progress at the two intersections.
Marshall on Wednesday did not discuss the team's findings, saying only the city was "still having technical difficulties and problems with the installation of the equipment" needed to get the project started.
Problems appear to be most acute at 95th Street and Book Road. Motorists and neighbors have reported seeing installation and repair crews working on equipment there on numerous occasions during March and April.
Other trouble has reportedly occurred with the electronic data feed into the DuPage County Circuit Court system in Wheaton, where court hearings will be held and fines collected from drivers violating laws at the two intersections.
License plate information captured by the cameras is transmitted to the Naperville police station, where police determine what type of violation, if any, has occurred. The appropriate data is then sent electronically to the courthouse, and a letter detailing the violation is mailed to the vehicle's registered owner.
Should City Council members concur with Marshall's recommendation, other companies will be eligible to bid on the photo enforcement program contract.
Marshall, a former Naperville police captain, expressed confidence the project will eventually come to fruition. He also encouraged motorists to obey traffic laws at all times.
"We still believe in the program," Marshall said. "In the meantime, there are still red lights to stop at."
We thought this story captured the spirit of the Naperville community. What's your favorite story about or example of Naperville's generosity? Tell about how you or someone you know shared their time, treasure or talents with others.
]]>He got a divorce, now he's jobless
Wheaton College professor refuses to discuss split
By Mary Houlihan Chicago Sun-Times
After 30 years of marriage and 20 years of teaching, Kent Gramm is getting divorced and losing his job at the same time.
But Gramm is not surprised. He knew when divorce proceedings started that unemployment was a possibility.
Gramm, a professor of English at Wheaton College, and his wife are in the midst of a split, and because he refuses to discuss the cause of the divorce with college officials - school policy requires the divorce be within acceptable parameters - he is resigning.
Otherwise, the college would have fired him.
"I feel a lot of sadness," Gramm said from his office on the Wheaton campus.
"However, I'm mentally prepared, because I was aware of the school's policy."
Teachers, students and employees of Wheaton, an evangelical Christian school, commit to live their lives according to a Statement of Faith and Community Covenant that spells out suitable behavior.
"You sign the statement when you accept employment at the college," said Sarah Clark, director of media relations. "Everyone knows it's part of the deal."
Wheaton is known as a conservative college where smoking, drinking and gambling are not allowed. Dancing became acceptable only four years ago, breaking a ban that had been in place since the Civil War.
Wheaton's policy acknowledges divorce can occur in a Christian marriage, and it does not consider divorce an "unpardonable sin." But college officials reserve the right to review the cause of a divorce, something that Gramm refused to discuss.
"I think it's wrong to have to accuse your spouse and to discuss with your employer your personal life and marital situation," Gramm said. "But I don't feel badly treated. There has been an attitude of compassion here."
Clark says a situation like this - a mutually agreed upon separation - is not a common occurrence at Wheaton and is always a very difficult conversation for those involved.
"We are a place of higher education, and that is certainly central to our mission," Clark said. "But we are also a faith-based community. So we tell all of our employees, whether it's a janitor or a dean, that it's about more than teaching. It's about being an example for our students in the entire scope of our lives."
Gramm will finish out the semester and then head west for the summer to research his next book. He has talked to his students about his reasons for resigning and hopes he leaves them with one last lesson.
"I want them to know that divorce happens," Gramm said. "That you aren't deserted by God because your life doesn't turn out the way you expect. I hope this helps them acquire a broader understanding of what Christianity is and what faithfulness means."
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