Letter to the Editor

Thank You, Geneva, for Coming Together to Aid the Herrington

Letter to the Editor: "The volunteerism and community spirit is truly inspiring."

Dear Geneva Community, We are sincerely grateful for those of you who came to the aid of the Herrington last week! With the teamwork of the countless volunteers, we were able to save the hotel from flooding. The amount of community support was overwhelming, and we thank everyone who came together to assist wherever needed. The volunteerism and community spirit is truly inspiring. Thank you! Paul Ruby The Herrington Inn & Spa

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Letter to the Editor

Mike Bruno Is Ideal Candidate for 1st Ward

Letter to the Editor: "We are truly fortunate to have a candidate of Mike Bruno’s caliber."

  To the Editor: As a resident in Geneva’s 1st Ward, I am so thankful that Mike Bruno time has finally come. For years, we, as neighbors, have been encouraging Mike to run for public office. We have always felt that he had the skills, personality and most of all, the heart to do a great job for Geneva as an alderman.   Mike’s love for all things Geneva is well known. Combine that love and passion with personal attributes of honesty, integrity along with professional skills of an engineer and businessman, and you’ve got the ideal candidate for the 1st ward.  Thirty years in the city, 11 serving on the Historic Preservation Commission, indicate that he is here for the long haul. Years ago, our house was struck by lightning. Within minutes, …

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Letter to the Editor

Retired Geneva Teacher Says, 'Re-Elect Mark Grosso'

Gib Thostenson: "Geneva has continued its tradition of excellence with his support and leadership."

Dear Editor: My wife, Kathy, and I are long time Geneva residents (37 years); and I’m also a retired Geneva High School English teacher and department chair.  We strongly support the re-election of Mark Grosso, current District 304 School Board President. We have known Mark for many years as a friend and neighbor and have worked with him on various committees for the Pepper Valley Homeowners Association. Four years ago we endorsed and supported Mark when he was running for the school board for the first time. We said, “Mark works hard, cooperates well with others, listens carefully, pays close attention to details, and uses common sense. He will bring the same leadership and problem solving skills to the school district.” He did not …

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Letter to the Editor

Oberweis: 'Quite frankly, I’m Getting Fed Up' With State Pension Fiasco

Letter to the Editor: "I think it is time we follow private industry’s lead, and move government pensions to a defined contribution plan."

Dear Editor, Illinois faces a pension liability conservatively placed at $95 billion. Gov. Pat Quinn and his legislative leaders have finally recognized the problems caused by years of offering too many pension sweeteners without meeting state funding obligations. It is unfortunate that their rhetoric has — so far — not been accompanied by action. Quinn has neithe rproduced his own plan nor rounded up votes for other plans and, quite frankly, I’m getting fed up. Further clouding the issue are claims by House Speaker Michael Madigan that suburban and downstate school districts are receiving a “free lunch” from the state in terms of paying teachers’ pensions costs. The Speaker and other Chicago leaders are pushing a proposal to shift those …

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Letter: Forums Put K12 Virtual Charter School in False Light

A Chicago parent of three students calls the virtual charter school "the best decision we’ve ever made" and urges parents to support the proposed Illinois Virtual Charter School in the Fox River Valley.

My name is Chris Boyle, and I attended the forum Sunday afternoon at Congregational Church of Geneva regarding K12’s initiative to establish an Illinois Virtual Charter School in Fox River Valley which would encompass 18 school districts. In regard to the remark that charter schools that use the K12 curriculum are consistently behind their peers of traditional public schools, I invite you to view the article from Chicago Magazine. Chicago Magazine identified the top public schools in Chicago; Cook, DuPage, Lake and Kane counties. Chicago Virtual Charter School ranked 14th in the city, which included the selective public powerhouse high schools of Northside College Prep, Walter Payton College Prep and Whitney Young Magnet. CVSC is a non-…

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Joules

9:55 pm on Monday, April 8, 2013

Ok, so you are old and want the best for your community and grandchilfren. I get that. But do you want your tax dollars to go to a for-profit Wall Street traded company who pays it's CEO upward of five million dollars? With a bunch of other officers earning millions too. And let's remember, no oversight. A bunch of money going to advertising. And really poor outcomes. This is junk education paid …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Liberal Bullies and Their Phony Outrage Make My Patriotic Heart Beat with Vigilant Pride

In a response to Jeff Ward's Jan. 17 column, Geneva resident Andrea Cladis defends the Pledge of Allegiance and says "disdain for America is perpetuated by a far-left mentality."

Mr. Jeff Ward: Thank you for making me a Patch news headline. Thank you for chastising my letter to the editor. Thank you for demonstrating to my students that bullying is ambient outside of the classroom, as well. And most importantly, thank you for so graciously proving my point that disdain for America is perpetuated by a far-left mentality. The progressive model of education requires that students take courses to address the challenges of bullying in our schools. Not only do they learn how to fight bullies, but they learn how to be bullies. This backward logic aimed to be an infallible solution to the problem is abominable and has only served to increase the severity and frequency of bullying. For this wonderful development, we can …

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Jack

11:29 am on Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Yes, he acted like a jerk, and yes, a whole lot of people over-reacted (like jerks). Every bump in the night is not the sky falling. Shine a little light on things and look at the situation from a couple of angles before complaining. The Pledge survives, McGroarty is barred -- so get on with life. Progressivism does not always prevail, though recent events demonstrate a disturbing trend toward …   more ›

Letter to the Editor: Gun Control Equals Better Schools

After the tragedy at Sandy Hook, a Fox Valley area teacher calls on teachers as well as public officials to demand gun control.

Safe schools lead to safer students who are more likely to be better learners. The Connecticut shooting last week shattered the families of 20 little first graders. Colorado’s theater shooting a few months ago claimed the lives of several college students. Chicago neighborhood teens routinely risk their lives en route to their middle and high schools. Gun violence accounts for a significant number of deaths of children under the age of 18- our students. Gun Control would facilitate students getting to and from school in one piece and focus their attention during the school day on learning instead of safety. New York’s Mayor Bloomberg recently challenged police officers to demand gun control. “Others run away when they hear gunfire, but …

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Mike Bruno

3:51 pm on Friday, January 4, 2013

The U.S. is a gross gross outlier for 1st-world countries for per-capita gun violence. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_firearm-related_death_rate I would at least appreciate the acknowledgement of that fact by the pro-gun lobby and if the "no-gun-control" side would just say that out loud. At least I could respect the argument that that violence is a fair price for the freedoms …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Pierog Would Be Open-Minded Voice in State Senate

Letter to the Editor: Batavia resident endorses St. Charles School Board member over Jim Oberweis in the Nov. 6 General Election.

To the editor, I have the pleasure of knowing Corrine Pierog, a candidate for the Illinois Senate in the 25th District, and heartily endorse her for that position. Corrine offers a fresh new alternative to the usual list of political candidates. Her experience working with nonprofit organizations has taught her about being a prudent money manager when funds are limited, a much needed trait to bring to Springfield. Her experiences as a current member of the St. Charles School Board, a businesswoman, a former teacher and a Director of an organization that supports opportunities for children with developmental disabilities, make her a well-rounded individual who will empathize and relate to a broad range of constituents. With all the news …

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Letter to the Editor

LOWV: Vote 'No' to Constitutional Amendment Question on Nov. 6 Ballot

Letter to the Editor: The League of Women Voters suggests not fiddling with the state's constitution because the amendment proposed on the Nov. 6 ballot would cede authority to the minority.

To the Editor: On Nov. 6, Illinois voters will vote on a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution. This proposal would amend the constitution to require a three-fifths majority vote of each chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, as well as the governing bodies of any unit of local government, school district or pension or retirement system in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system. The League of Women Voters of Illinois opposes this proposal and urges voters to vote no. The league’s opposition is unrelated to the pension issues the proposal raises but rather focuses on the  three-fifths majority requirement. The League of Women Voters strongly supports governmental systems that are transparent, …

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Letter to the Editor

Parent of Autistic Son Endorses Corinne Pierog in 25th District State Senate Race

Letter to the Editor: Pierog "will honestly fight for a better life for people with disabilities."

To the Editor: As a parent of an autistic son, it’s hard to find a state legislator, who is willing to understand the issues that special needs parents face on a daily basis and has the experience to provide solutions on how to help families, not continue to live in a state, which is ranked near the bottom in the nation, in providing education and services to people with Developmental Disabilities. I first met Corinne Pierog, when she ran against John Milner for State Senate in 2008. As a parent advocate for my son, on things related to autism, what I immediately noticed and liked about her, was her experience and knowledge about disability issues and her passion to help families like mine, even though she has no children with disabilities…

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