If you attended Tuesday's Village Council meeting, you may have noticed the police officer posted at the public entrance to the Council Chambers. Mayoral candidate Martin Tully referenced the officer's presence on Twitter and noted that it wasn't the first time in recent memory police were posted at a Village Council meeting. "Based on recent events, the decision was made to start having a police officer stand by at many of the meetings," said Sgt. Dave Bormann of the Downers Grove Police Department. The action came in response to the Jan. 8 shootings in Arizona, which killed six and wounded …

When Linda Kunze learned Friday night that Santa was sick, she knew she was in trouble. With only two weekends left before Christmas, the downtown manager didn't want to leave Santa's house at Curtiss and Main streets unoccupied during his regular calling hours of noon to 3 p.m. But finding a substitute Santa in the middle of December is a tall order, especially with with no time to spare. "I called everyone I knew, starting with people with beards," said Kunze, who learned of Santa Rich Rey's illness at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10. "I contacted the police and fire guys, my neighbor with a beard. Then…

Mayor Ron Sandack has again used Twitter to announce some big news: that he is being sworn in as state senator Tuesday at Village Hall.  "I take the oath of office for the IL State Senate tomorrow @ 8:00 a.m., sharp, at DG Village Hall. Stop by & then it's off to Springfield!" the mayor tweeted earlier this afternoon. Sandack has made good use of the social messaging site during recent weeks, first tweeting his confirmation that he was interested in filling the senate vacancy resulting from Dan Cronin's election as DuPage County Board chairman, then the announcement that he had been chosen …

As hubby sat sorting through endless strings of white outdoor lights yesterday in preparation for sparkling up the Christmas garland, the familiar guilt started building. What to do about the annual tangle of failed lights?  The Village of Downers Grove has a very simple, very environmentally friendly answer this year. It will offer recycling of holiday lights and extension cords beginning Dec. 1 and continuing through Feb. 18, 2011. Residents can dispose of their frayed and burned out light strings and cords—including mini-lights, c7 lights, c9 lights, rope lights and LED lights—from 8 a.m…

Village Council candidate Mark Thoman will be in the top position on the April 5, 2011, ballot following a lottery this morning at Village Hall.  Thoman was one of four council candidates to file simultaneously on Nov. 15, the first day for doing so. Village Clerk April Holden said then that the process for determining ballot order would involve assigning a number to each candidate's name. Numbered ping-pong balls were placed in a hat and drawn out one by one.  The second-place candidate is incumbent Geoff Neustadt. Incumbent Sean Durkin is third and newcomer Dominic Scalzetti is fourth. Five…

Only days after Sun-Times Media announced it would close 11 suburban weeklies including the Downers Grove Sun, a new publication appeared in local mailboxes. Neighbors of Downers Grove is one of several community publications produced by Emerald Marketing, a marketing communications firm. The company's website describes its trademarked Neighbors brand as "a communications strategy dedicated to bringing a community together." The magazine is published six times a year and is delivered to every household, according to the website. The 46-page inaugural edition includes features on the Rotary …

For a very long time, I had no idea what all the buzz was about. Sure, I'd heard of Chick-fil-A from time to time, but I didn't even know how to pronounce the name. We don't go South much, so it wasn't until the summer of 2009 that we ate at Chick-fil-A for the first time. Okay, now I got it. The husband and kids raved about the peach shakes, but I was taken by the sandwich wrap (which, sadly, appears to have been dropped from the menu). For a quick-serve restaurant, the food seemed remarkably fresh-tasting. It wasn't long after we returned from our trip that we heard Chick-fil-A was bound …

Although the resemblance may be in name only, a new film set to film in Louisiana will bear the title, "Downers Grove." The thriller, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Hornburg, will be set in a high school. Hayden Panettiere, Nikki Reed and Rebecca De Mornay lead the cast. The screenplay is by Bret Easton Ellis, author of the novel "American Psycho," which was notable for its graphic violence. Nelson McCormick of "Prom Night" will direct. As for the movie's story line, nothing is certain when books are adapted for the screen, but here's the blurb from the back cover of my copy …

Downers Grove Mayor Ron Sandack apparently confirmed what many in Downers Grove have speculated about for months: that he is interested in succeeding State Sen. Dan Cronin once Cronin moves on to the DuPage County Board chairmanship. Sandack was among several possible contenders, including State Rep. Sandy Pihos and County Board Commissioner Jeff Redick, named in an Elmhurst Press story  Thursday. In a Twitter conversation later in the day, Jonathan Schuler, assistant managing editor of Suburban Life Publications which publishes the Press, asked Sandack, "Care to comment on your interest in …

Downers Grove South collected three times as many shoes as the school did last year through its annual Share Your Soles drive.Downers Grove South collected more than 266 pairs of new and gently used shoes. AthletiCo collected more than 1,000 pairs.The shoes were collected for the charity Share Your Soles Foundation. The donations are delivered to people in poverty-stricken areas around the world. The organization is located in Alsip, Ill.A variety of pairs were collected, ranging from athletic, cleats, work and children shoes.   South Athletic Trainer Heather Jenckes said the school collected…

Jill S. Browning  has assumed the newly created post of communications director for Community High School District 99. A nine-year resident of Downers Grove, Browning has three children in District 58. "I am thrilled to have the opportunity to not only do the kind of work that I'm passionate about, but also to serve the communities that I'm passionate about," Browning said in a press release. The district decided in September to end its contact with communications consultant Faith Behr and hire a full-time communications director. "Jill offers over 20 years of experience, which includes …

I'm not a bleeding heart where raccoons are concerned. Their penchant for upending my garbage cans has put emnity between our species–at least until I drove past a coon lying injured in the middle of the street. The scene was Gilbert Avenue. The animal's rear quarters had been clipped by a passing car and it was struggling to crawl to safety. I pulled into the lot at Gilbert Park, where a DuPage Forest Preserve Police vehicle was parked. I apologetically told the ranger about the distressed animal, not knowing what I expected him to do about it. All I knew was I wouldn't want to be the …

Was turnout higher than anticipated for the Nov. 2 mid-term election? Was it just my imagination, or were there a lot more young poll workers? And why is it that I never have to show an ID when I vote on Election Day? Patch has the answers, compliments of Doreen Nelson, assistant executive director of the DuPage Election Commission. Voter turnout Like many prognosticators, Nelson expected a larger-than-average turnout for Tuesday's election. The numbers, however, came in very close to those of the 2006 mid-term results, with 51.4 percent of DuPage County voters casting ballots, compared …

There is still time to donate your gently used or new shoes at South High School's Athletic Training Room, E141, and mailroom. Donations of kids' shoes, including soccer, baseball and other sport-specific shoes, are especially needed. This is the fourth year South's athletic trainers have participated in AthletiCo Physical Therapy annual shoe drive. Last year, the drive collected more than 800 pairs of shoes that were donated to The Share Your Soles Foundation in Alsip, which sends them on to economically challenged communities throughout the world.  The goal is to such provide such basic …

If you think spooky stories are just for kids, you haven't heard Grant Fitch bring to life the most fearsome tales of the past 200 years. Fitch will present readings from Edgar Allen Poe, Roald Dahl and Stephen King along with creepy classics that have chilled listeners for generations. The program is schedule for 7 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 21, in the meeting room of the Downers Grove Public Library. The program is geared to adults, although children may attend. Register online, by calling 630-960-1200 or by stopping by the circulation desk.

Mayor Ron Sandack told TribLocal he will run for his second term as mayor of Downers Grove. In today's story, Sandack cites as his successes infrastructure improvements, ethics reform, putting the brakes on spending, and bringing greater transparency to Village Hall. Like all village council candidates, Sandack must file nominating petitions and other documents between Nov. 11 and 25 in order to appear on the April 5, 2011, ballot. Sandack outpolled two-term mayor Brian Krajewski by two to one in the 2007 mayoral election. Prior to that, Sandack had served a term as commissioner. Krajewski …

Candidates for the U.S. Congress, Illinois statehouse and DuPage County Board will informally answer questions from voters at a Candidates Fair from 2-4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 17, at the Downers Grove Park District Recreation and Fitness Center, 45oo Belmont Road. The event is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Downers Grove/Woodridge/Lisle as an alternative to a candidates' forum, said Mary Ellen Matthies, local League president. Both incumbent Republican Judy Biggert and Democrat Scott Harper, who are vying for election in the 13th Congressional District, said they will attend the fair…

If you pass by Washington Park after dark you'll notice a splashy special effect. The three-tier fountain that was part of the park's recent facelift glows in the dark. In recent weeks, it was a lovely shade of lavendar. Park staffers have been experimenting with the fountain's LED software system to try out different colors, said Brandi Nice, public information supervisor for the Downers Grove Park District. "We will be running light displays for holidays, events or occasions as we become more acquainted with these new systems," Nice said. With Halloween just around the corner, Washington …

Residents have until Friday, Oct. 15 to complete a community survey that is the first step in the development of a revised strategic plan for Grade School District 58. Survey results will be used in the development of discussion points for an upcoming community engagement workshop, which in turn will assist the district in developing a stakeholder-driven strategic plan that will guide its future efforts. The board's goal is to adopt the strategic plan in Spring 2011. The survey is available online through Friday.  Paper copies are available at each school building and at the Administrative …

Sometime last summer, a questionnaire turned up in the mailbox. It asked for our names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, even information about our pets. The author of the questionnaire was a neighbor—and apparently, a nosey one—from down the street. As it turns out, the neighbor wasn't so much nosey as community minded. She took the information submitted by residents of our two blocks and published it in a tidy little booklet. I discovered mine in a seldom-used mail slot over the weekend and quickly read through it to discover the names of the new family up the street and other neighbors I'…