The following Speak Out! messages appear in April 27-28, 2022 editions of the Journal & Topics.
Great Job, DPFD
Thank you to the Des Plaines Fire Department, who did a fantastic job in clearing my home of plastic fumes that was caused by a container that melted in the oven. An awesome team of firefighters.
Liked Event
I went to Maine Township shredding event last Saturday and I just want to say “thank you.” This event is truly needed to get rid of old documents. The staff there were all friendly and professional. See you next year.
Violence Must End
An 18-year-old shot and killed my great-nephew. When does this violence end? In the Journal, they are being referred to as men. In my reality, they are barely men but are still children, playing in an alley. I do not know if there is a point where this violence ends. When our kin die, we are left with the pain.
Calls For Dog Park
“Dog park In Des Plaines? Resident says one is needed.” We’re waiting for your approval.
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We need a dog park in Des Plaines!
She Had Courage
I am sad to see Mount Prospect Trustee Peggy Pissarreck leaving the board. She has always been well-prepared for meetings, clearly having done her homework. She has approached the role thoughtfully and often asked insightful questions. She has clearly stated her rationale for a position. She has demonstrated the courage to be forthright even when her position was unpopular. Her positions after election have been consistent with her positions when campaigning. She treats her constituents with respect (never pandering) and seeks to hold village staff accountable. These are traits I look for in an elected official and don’t find often enough, including among many of her colleagues and most of her predecessors on the Mount Prospect board. She has been a breath of fresh air. I may not have always agreed with her, but I never doubted her integrity. Thank you for serving, Trustee Pissarreck. I wish you and your family all the best.
History Ignored?
An old saying. If we ignore history, we are bound to repeat it. It seems we have forgotten Hitler and WWII. It appears we are on the brink, because of the Russian Hitler. I hope I am wrong and somehow the world can solve this problem.
Improve Plan
Transit oriented development is about connections to mass transit, and downtown Des Plaines is an excellent location for such development with its train station and bus routes. Transit oriented development, however, relies on pedestrian connections to be successful. Unfortunately, the proposed high rise apartment building at Graceland and Webford, as currently proposed, utterly fails the pedestrian. Plans submitted show no improvements to the pedestrian crosswalk across Graceland to improve pedestrian safety, and unbelievably, no shelter for the bus stop right at the property. Space for pedestrians surrounding the proposed development hasn’t increased but actually decreased along with decreased landscaping. What is most concerning is the proposed development eliminates the public parkway and public sidewalk along Webford, used by the existing residential neighborhood as their transit oriented connection to downtown, and replaces this parkway and sidewalk with expanded pavement for street, privately controlled parking and truck maneuvers. Instead of expanding the public sidewalk along Webford to downtown width standards, a small replacement sidewalk between car bumpers and a wall of parked cars is shown. So how can this plan be improved? 1) Demand that if the developer wants to take 8 feet of the existing parkway to expand the street, that he dedicate 8 feet to the city to retain a parkway with an expanded sidewalk along Webford; 2) delete the unnecessary Webford street parking.
Made In Shade
It would be fantastic to have a micro-Target in downtown Des Plaines. What more could we want with respect to actual foot-traffic retail? Couple that with new restaurants (and even a pot shop nearby) and we’ll have it made in the shade.
Relief For Us?
Now Biden is sending another $800 billion to Ukraine, how about some of this giving money to American corporations and taxpayers like myself? These bogus giveaways do nothing but extend wars/conflicts and we eventually quit and pull out after spending our blood and capital as we did in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, nobody abroad or here really believes we will stand tall and really stay in for the long run. Give it up, sad to say, the Ukrainian need to find a way to win or surrender.
What Not To Do
The Historic Methodist Campground in Des Plaines is a perfect example of what not to do with a historic site. It is the Homer Simpson of historic preservation. I say bulldoze it and turn the place into a marijuana park — the first in the country — or a dog park or both. Dopers and dogs love “trees”.
Stunning, Free
Last night (4-20-22) Ron Onesti brought the Bartolluci Choir (aka the Vatican Choir) to our beloved new Des Plaines Theatre. This concert was given free of charge to attendees and was a stunningly beautiful evening of music. The concert was not only a tremendous cultural bridge to the inspiring music of Cardinal Bartolucci, but also a fund raiser for the suffering people of Ukraine. I will remember this evening for as long as I live, breathtaking beauty that was indescribable. As citizens of DesPlaines we should all be very grateful to have Mr. Onesti as a partner in growing community and the performing arts in our city. Please go to OShows.com and take a look at the many shows coming to our new Theatre. By the way the pizza Ron serves in the theater is extraordinary and very reasonably priced. Let’s all support our new theater and Mr. Onesti.
Quick Exit
Peggy Pissareck stepping down after one year on the board. Great example of single issue candidates. She got her DEI consultant hired and booked as she had no other interest in the rest of the Village.
Airport Loud In A.M.
Dear Chicago Executive Airport, your neighbors appreciate the increased 5-6 a.m. flights over our homes while our families sleep. Seems like a great decision to wake up thousands of neighbors so one rich person can save 12 minutes of driving to Ohare. #No Leadership #Blight of Wheeling.
Going Cold?
Did police ever make an arrest after the murder February on Grace Street in Park Ridge? If not, the investigation must be getting really cold.
Stats Alarming
This is written in response to your recent Speak Out titled “What If?” concerning weapons and Ukraine. Comparing Ukraine’s use of civilian weapons in their war with Russia with the need for our own civilian gun ownership is a ridiculous argument. Our military has plenty of weaponry to defend this country. We do not need the insane amount of guns that are in the hands of civilians. We have 334 million people and nearly 400 million guns in this country. Your reader asked for a definition of an assault weapon. Federal and most state laws define them as semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns that are able to accept detachable magazines. Not counting the pistols and shotguns, there are 20 million assault rifles currently in the U.S. These statistics are alarming and are the big reasons that gun violence in this country is totally out of control. Our very weak federal gun laws keep this never ending cycle of gun violence intact.
Ticket Them
If Niles wants to increase revenue, why is the police department not ticketing those vans and trucks that are business or franchise owned that are parked on the side streets every night? Or has there been a change in the ordinance that prohibited this? Just wondering.
Enough Money?
Hi, Mary M. from Des Plaines again in response to the “Bring Back Stickers” from April 6, 2022. I worked in Park Ridge for years and even in their parking lots it was a three-hour limit, so everyone had to move their cars every three hours, and they had someone out their chalking the tires and then rechecking later. On some of the streets in Des Plaines there are signs posted: three-hour limit from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. except on weekends and holidays: not enforced. During the fall season DP employees post signs for leaf pick up from 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. so no parking: not enforced. No parking between signs posted and curbs are painted yellow because of fire hydrants: not enforced. With the amount of money Des Plaines can make on parking violations alone, that should be enough money to cover the expense for stickers for every DP resident but, will that be checked and enforced?
Why Move?
I echo the sentiment that another speaker in Speak Out did. Why was the FAA moved away from O’Hare Airport?
Suspenseful Situation
The drama continues at the Niles-Maine District Library. I’m just sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for next week’s episode.
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