The Belmont railroad crossing closed to traffic today at 5 a.m. and will remain closed until August 12. The closure is due to work on the Belmont underpass, which was postponed last month due to a strike by Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. Expect traffic snarls in central Downers Grove to [...]
Entries Tagged as 'District 58'
Traffic stops
July 28th, 2010 · 13 Comments · District 58, Neighbohoods, Public Safety, Signs, Traffic
Hero or goat?
June 2nd, 2010 · 9 Comments · District 58, District 99
What do we think of this? The New York Times is reporting that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the city will drop planned pay raises for teachers for the next two years in an effort to save 4,400 public school jobs. In Illinois, budget shortfalls have led to the dismissal of some 17,000 teachers, [...]
Tags: layoffs·state budget·teacher pay
Bandaid medicine for major surgery
May 23rd, 2010 · 12 Comments · budget, District 58, District 99, Taxes, Uncategorized
The state’s unfunded pension debt passed the $85 billion mark this summer. That unfunded liability is squeezing out money for other valued needs, such as education and health care. It means the state has less money for things like child-care aid and fixing roads and schools, or paying some of the $1 billion it owes [...]
Tags: budget·local government·municipal budget·school board·Taxes
Other applicants
May 11th, 2010 · 2 Comments · District 58, District 99, Park District, Village Council
The process for filling the vacant D99 board seat is well underway, with a deadline of 4:30 p.m., Thursday, May 13 for applications. On Monday, May 17, the board will meet in closed session to winnow the field to three candidates. It remains to be seen whether the names of the three finalists or the [...]
Tags: appointments
Safety scare at Herrick
March 22nd, 2010 · 24 Comments · District 58
Herrick Middle School Principal Jason Lynde placed a robo-call to parents today alerting them to a “safety issue” this morning before school. A student found an “old bullet” on the walkway leading up to the school, he said. The child didn’t touch the bullet, but reported the discovery to Lynde, who immediately called Downers Grove [...]
Tags: Herrick Middle School
D58 board to hold hearing
March 8th, 2010 · 1 Comment · District 58
The D58 school board will hold a public hearing tonight on the limitation of administrative costs, as required by state law. Following the hearing, the board is expected to approve the district’s application for waiver of the limitation, which holds school districts to a five percent annual increase in certain administrative costs. The meeting is [...]
Tags: administrative costs
Half days stymie some D58 parents
February 11th, 2010 · 26 Comments · District 58
In an effort to trim costs and reduce the use of substitute teachers, D58 began holding half-day staff development sessions for teachers this year. However, as the school board heard at its Feb. 8 meeting, not all parents welcome the change. Some parents, including board member John Miller, questioned the practice. “It seems kind of [...]
Tags: teachers institute days
O’Connell Island?
February 9th, 2010 · 4 Comments · District 58
Member Steve Funk proposed at Monday’s D58 school board meeting to remove maverick Scott O’Connell from participation on the board’s legislative committee, of which he has been a member since 2007. “Being on a committee is a privilege when you’re a member of the of the board,” Funk said. “He shouldn’t be part of a [...]
Tags: Elizabeth Davis·Gary Lester·John Miller·Scott O'Connell·Steve Funk
Parents tour Kingsley
January 21st, 2010 · 54 Comments · District 58
Between 30 and 40 parents joined the D58 school board in touring Kingsley School Jan. 19. Kingsley’s leaking roof has figured prominently in discussions of the district’s planned issue of $10 million in life safety bonds — an action that has twice been thwarted by member Scott O’Connell’s threat of litigation. One mother who was [...]
Through the roof
May 3rd, 2010 · 7 Comments · Commentary, District 58, District 99, Education, state politics, Taxes, Village Hall
Our 2009 tax bill is officially through the roof, breaking through the $6,000 barrier for the first time. That’s right, $6,000-plus for an 1,875-square-foot, 85-year-old residence on a 50-foot lot. And that’s it for me. This year, I finally will file the appeal I’ve threatened so many times in the past. This year, I’ll stay [...]
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Tags: property taxes