Census assistance in Aurora
Maria Lindsay of the Aurora Census Outreach hands information to a resident on Pennsylvania Avenue in Aurora Tuesday morning.
Grant Wehrli, three fellow State Republicans, seek to restart meetings
By Rebecca Anzel Four Republican lawmakers implored the co-leaders of a bipartisan, bicameral and multi-branch panel designed to present ethics and lobbying reform proposals to restart meetings that have stalled since the novel coronavirus outbreak. The call, made during an online news conference Monday by the Joint Commission on Ethics
Montgomery candidate packets available
Notice is hereby given that the Montgomery Village Hall, 200 N. River Street, has candidate packets available by E-mail or regular mail. Please send to buchanan@ci.montgomery.il.us or call 331-212-9003 to obtain a candidate packet. From 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 through Friday, Nov. 20, and Monday, Nov.
Governor’s team missed newspapers’ capability in mask push
By Sam R Fisher Governor JB Pritzker hired a great deal of expert talent to guide his new $5 million “It Only Works if You Wear It” campaign to encourage Illinoisans to wear a mask. But the campaign apparently isn’t spending a dime on print advertising in newspapers. Instead, it’s
Reasons listed on census to those residents who need help
So many changes can happen in 10 years. The 1980s saw the first cellular phones, Nintendo Entertainment System, IBM and Macintosh computers, and compact disks. The 1990s exploded with the introduction of the world wide web, texting, and DVDs. Between 2000 and 2010, Facebook, YouTube, flash drives, and cameras in
Aurora City Council: Computers approved for Aurora Police, Fire, Departments
By Jason Crane The Aurora city government City Council meeting Tuesday, through the Zoom video conferencing platform, included more than 10 individuals concerned with the City’s plan to purchase 150 complete sets of riot gear for the Aurora police. Aurora resident Jordan Jeffries said he would like aldermen to vote
New Montgomery public works facility discussed
By Jason Crane At the Montgomery Village Board meeting Monday, the Board discussed and approved a third stationary food vendor license with Board president Matt Brolley’s breaking the tie 3-3 vote. Georgie’s Chicago Hot Dogs has set up a van and tent in the parking lot owned by U-Haul at
Future of ‘we the people’ fixed to hard work, Constitution
By John W. Whitehead And so it begins again, the never-ending, semi-delusional, train-wreck of an election cycle in which the American people allow themselves to get worked up into a frenzy over the misguided belief that the future of this Nation, nay, our very lives, depends on who we elect
Peach Recall Expands Due to Potential Health Hazard
The Kane County Health Department is advising that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local partners, is investigating an ongoing multistate outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis infections potentially linked to peaches packed or supplied by Prima Wawona or
Illinois Senate GOP demands governor open Department of Employment Security (IDES) offices
By Rebecca Anzel Ten frustrated Republican Party senators demanded governor JB Pritzker allow State offices tasked with processing unemployment claims to reopen in a letter sent exactly five months after Illinois’ first stay-at-home order was issued. The Department of Employment Security was widely reported to struggle with the historic influx
Illinois making final push to increase census participation
By Raymon Troncoso The Illinois Department of Human Services said the State is poised to have one of the top census response rates in the country despite two tumultuous months of changing deadlines as determined by the Donald Trump administration. Illinois sits at a 69.1% self-response rate as of Thursday,
Whither the Illinois GOP in a post-Jim Thompson world
The recent passing of Illinois Republican governor Jim Thompson (1977-1990) begs the question: Can the Illinois Republican Party ever again capture the governor’s office? The only answer I can come up with is, unfortunately: Not likely, but not impossible. Here’s why. Jim Thompson served four terms, twice as many as
Aurora Seeks Volunteers for Census Outreach Days in Hard-to-Count Neighborhoods
With only 40 days left until the deadline to complete the 2020 Census September 30, approximately 72% of Aurora households have responded. Mayor Richard C. Irvin is asking the community to work together to increase the response rate, particularly in hard-to-count neighborhoods. “This is a serious matter,” said mayor Irvin
34th Annual Crime Prevention Calendar Features ‘Best of the Best’ Artwork by Naperville Students
The artwork of dozens of Naperville students will appear in the Naperville Police Department’s 2020-2021 Crime Prevention Calendar. This is the 34th year the Crime Prevention Calendar has been created to share students’ artwork and crime prevention messages with elementary school families throughout Naperville. This year’s calendar is a compilation
DuPage County Complete Count Committee Encouraging Final Census Push
The U.S. Census is in its final six weeks, and the DuPage Complete Count Committee is urging residents to complete their Census forms. DuPage County’s self-response rate is currently at 78.8%, which ranks third in the Nation among counties with a population greater than 500,000. But officials hope to increase
Statehouse statues of Stephen Douglas, Pierre Menard to be removed from exterior
By Rebecca Anzel Statues of two slave-owning men with historical ties to Illinois will be moved from the Statehouse grounds in Springfield to a secure storage site, a panel of four officials voted Wednesday, Aug. 19 morning. The decision comes almost six weeks after house speaker Michael Madigan asked the
Free COVID-19 testing in Aurora Saturday, Aug. 22
Free COVID-19 testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22 at Cowherd Middle School, 441 N. Farnsworth Avenue, Aurora. There will be drive-thru and walk-up sites. Testing is free and open to all, regardless of symptoms. • Photo identification is requested. • A phone number
Pressing on with the USPS and the virtual Uke Fest
It may have been a bit unusual. We live in unusual times. Three members of the Illinois U.S. House of Representatives, on a break from convening in Washington, D.C., were in Aurora Tuesday afternoon. They were a part of the group which held a media conference for the press and
Kane County, Will County, added to COVID-19 Watch List
Two of Aurora’s four counties are on the State’s COVID-19 Watch List for increasing COVID-19 metrics. Both Kane and Will Counties were added to the list last weekend. The Illinois Department of Public Health Watch List designation occurs when two of the eight metrics identified by the State reach the
Emergency rental assistance in Aurora
The City of Aurora government has launched a $500,000 emergency rental assistance program to support Aurora residents who have overdue rent payments because of financial strain caused by COVID-19. If approved, residents can receive funds paid directly to landlords for up to two months of past-due rent based on the