Category: Government

Reader’s Commentary: Concern: Taxes for Casino move

By John Laesch, Aurora, Ill. A growing coalition of concerned residents and community leaders will be speaking out against the Irvin-led initiative to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize the move of the Aurora downtown casino to the prime real estate at the interchange of I-88 and Farnsworth Avenue. Aurora Grassroots

Drivers must know their rights when stopped by police

By John & Nisha Whitehead “You know, when police start becoming their own executioners, where’s it gonna end? Pretty soon, you’ll start executing people for jaywalking, and executing people for traffic violations.”—“Dirty Harry” Callahan, Magnum Force When I say that warrior cops, hyped up on their own authority and the

Aurora breaks ground on two affordable housing units

After sitting vacant for 13 years, Lincoln Elementary School will soon be filled with new people and good energy under a different name. The City of Aurora held a Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Fox Valley Apartments, an affordable apartment complex located at both the former Lincoln Elementary School and

Debate: State AG

By Peter Hancock Attorney General Kwame Raoul accused his Republican challenger Thomas DeVore of making “dangerous” remarks, while DeVore accused the Democratic incumbent of failing the State’s school students by not challenging governor JB Pritzker’s COVID-19 mitigations. The charges and countercharges came during a nearly hour-long debate organized by the

Aurora Crime Stoppers shares success at City Council

By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council members listened to success stories and a request of funds for Aurora Crime Stoppers, at the Tuesday, Oct. 11 City Council meeting. Board president of Aurora Area Crime Stoppers, Vernon LaVia, and Board member, Mike Funkey, reminded the City Council the 501(c)(3) non-profit

Reader’s Voice: Bill Foster protects rights

September 29, 2022Dear editor; In July, U.S. representative Bill Foster (11th Dist.) cast a “yes” vote in support of the Right to Contraception Act (HR 8373). As background, June 24, a reporter asked U.S. representative Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). “Justice Clarence Thomas said he wants to revisit the Supreme Court’s earlier

First Amendment, Bill of Rights, key to democracy

By John & Nisha Whitehead Anti-government speech has become a four-letter word. In more cases, the government is declaring war on what should be protected political speech whenever it challenges the government’s power, reveals the government’s corruption, exposes the government’s lies, and encourages the citizenry to push back against the

Naperville’s Sanvi Maganti in elite U.N. group

A member of the Youth Advisory Council of Illinois State representative Stephanie Kifowit has received the honor of being part of an elite group selected as a delegate with the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly. Sanvi Maganti of Naperville, who attends Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, was selected along

Aurora’s Bob O’Connor remembered

The Aurora community mourns the passing of longtime alderman and the 58th mayor of Aurora, Robert J. O’Connor. Robert James O’Connor (Bob) died away at home September 15, 2022. “Aurora has lost one of its most dedicated public servants,” said Aurora mayor Richard C. Irvin. “With a heavy heart, we

Aurora City Council reflects on the late Bob O’Connor

By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council members shared heart-felt stories and reflected on their experiences with the late alderman-at-large and the 58th mayor of Aurora, Robert (Bob) J. O’Connor, at the Tuesday, Sept. 27 Aurora City Council meeting. A moment of silence was held for O’Connor who received a

‘We the people’ in charge, not psychological warfare

By John & Nisha Whitehead The U.S. government has become a master of deceit. It’s all documented, too. The government lies, cheats, steals, spies, kills, maims, enslaves, breaks the laws, overreaches its authority, and abuses its power at almost every turn and treats its citizens like faceless statistics and economic

Casual meetings with Keith Wheeler next week

State representative Keith Wheeler will be host to three casual meet-and-greets next week to have conversations with residents on state issues important to families here in the Fox Valley. He be in North Aurora, Bristol and Geneva to make it convenient for all to attend. Please feel welcome to stop

Aurora COW discussions’ range: Specific to general

By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council discussed attendance requirements for volunteer board members at the Aurora city government Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20. Eighth Ward alderwoman Patty Smith asked “Are we looking at the attendance records for all of our committees? All of our people?