Good news, bad news. Hard-hitting news, lightweight news.
The Voice offers a voice to its readers and community members.
We are a conduit and not a scandal sheet. We aim to investigate and make readers think.
We offer a variety, both in content and in geographical reflection.
There is a serious side and an opportunity to see humor in the community and in planned content.
It is not uniformity, however, a commonality which brings our readers together.
We encourage feedback of both positive positions and understanding laxity, if any.
Readers should be better informed when finished reading each week. It takes effort by the readers.
• An example of information to be conveyed is the annual Batavia Chamber of Commerce Community Flag Design Contest. Batavia, through history, takes pride in its association with the United States flag. Batavian Bernard Cigrand was instrumental in developing the U.S. flag nearly 100 years ago. The contest is ongoing with a November 1 start and will run through March 1, 2023, The winning design will be announced April 1, 2023. There are no age restrictions, however, the contest is open only to Batavia residents. For rules and information please visit www.BataviaFlag.org and see the submission form. The Batavia project is a strong indication of the pride in both the U.S. flag and in Batavia.
• The 26th annual Cookie Walk in Plano will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 in the small dining room at the United Methodist Church at the corner of Clark and Hale Streets.
• We share in The Voice among the various sections. No room in sports, it is important to know that the Waubonsee Community College men’s basketball team is moving on up in the National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) rankings. The team with a 7-0 record has moved up to No. 12 in the national poll. Waubonsee will play the top-ranked team in the country, defending national champion, South Suburban College from South Holland, Ill., Tuesday, Dec. 20. Then we will understand more on the quality of the teams.
• DuPage County November 15 launched 211, a free, confidential information and referral service that will provide a central access point to health and human services in DuPage County 24-hours a day and 365-days a year. The services will include referrals to mental health services, addiction support and rehabilitation, crisis counseling, supplement food programs, shelter, affordable housing options, employment and education support, financial support, and what ever develops the next months and even years. The 211 can become a valuable tool. The network includes Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties. The DuPage County Board allocated $1.6 million from federal funds distributed to the County from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
• It is good to see the many names supplied as possible candidates to run for the Aurora City Council. It is only the beginning stages, however, choices among candidates in any election is a positive development. Bring it on and give residents choices. At the same time greater participation in any government is encouraged and, indeed, needed to keep democracy thriving.
• The Naperville Police Department recently completed a round of tobacco/alternative nicotine compliance checks, November 21-22. The compliance checks were performed at 73 Naperville businesses to determine if retailers are complying with the minimum age laws that prohibit the sale of nicotine products to persons under the age of 21. Nine of the 73 places failed the test with sales to underage requests. In part it is an education process.
• Tobacco must not be sold to any one under the age of 21. At the same time, there are requests to sell guns to minors under the age of 21. Both products are bad for the growth of youngsters.
• We will continue to have problems in our country until we find rational solutions to gun sales. The problem has continued to increase in the last few years to a point where we are in a crisis and will not be solved until the strong majority of our citizens see the crisis for what it has become. Mass murder at almost a daily rate should not be forgotten. Have we become numb to those news reports?
• Both joy and realistic living must be credible for our society to advance and not crumble.