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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 ›

Teen With Air Rifle Incident Sparks Reader Comments

Some think police overreacted, others declare it was the right move. Here's what everyone had to say about the Christmas incident on Route 31.

The police response to a teen walking on Route 31 Christmas Day with an Airsoft rifle elicited strong reactions from Patch readers. Some residents thought charges against the teen would be excessive; others thought the response was appropriate following the Dec. 14 school shooting in Newtown, Conn. In the days following the shooting, schools reassured parents that their children's safety was an ongoing priority for them. At about 11:35 a.m. on Dec. 25, Geneva police began to receive calls about a male of an undetermined age that was near First and Stevens streets with a firearm. Police caught up to the 15-year-old boy and took him into custody. His gun was determined to be an Airsoft rifle. The Airsoft guns shoot plastic BBs and other …

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Beth Bales: Cohen's 'Naked Roommate' Talk Is Must-See May 3

"The Naked Roommate: and 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College" offers great advice for seniors ready to make the leap.

Here’s a complete stranger: Live with this person for a year, in very close quarters. That’s essentially what college freshmen face when they head off to college. The sole thing they have in common with the person or people with whom they share dorm space is the school. So it’s no surprise that roommate horror stories abound: My freshman-year roommate was wildly different from me: She was worldly, from California, poised, quite proficient with makeup and clothes, popular with boys and I was ... not. Yet we got along well, probably because we both shared an important quality: respect for each other. Consequently, I told all three of my girls when they headed off to college that as long as roommates respected each other, they’d do fine. Let’…

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Jack

2:43 pm on Tuesday, May 1, 2012

The college roommate problem is no different than anything else in life. You get what you are willing to put up with. Don't be shy about taking direct action to solve the problem. If it is illegal behavior, warn the roommate once, and then report it to authority if the behavior continues. If it is socially disruptive behavior, which is generally disallowed in any organization, the same rule …   more ›

Best of Jeff Ward: Do As I Say, and No Genevan Gets Hurt!

Eight pet peeves, Geneva style. Some of you folks are trying my limited patience.

  I think I’ve finally learned something from Fox News. Don’t worry! It certainly wasn’t anything factual. It’s this: What’s the point of having a voice if you don’t use your journalistic pulpit to advance your own agenda? So, in the spirit of that “news” service, and since I’m nothing if not “fair and balanced,” and in the interest of making the world a better place for, well, me (who else really matters?), here’s a few things I’d like you all to cease and desist immediately! Stop putting a little stick figure sticker representing each of your family members on the back window of your minivan. I saw that sad sight again last week at Peck and Keslinger Roads and it drives me nuts. I understand you’re proud of your capacity to procreate, …

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Noel G. Rooks

10:00 am on Thursday, May 3, 2012

I have a few to add. If you're at a light, please pull up to the line. If you don't, and you sit there, 3 feet back from the line, THE LIGHT WILL NEVER CHANGE. This happens to me all the time at Fabyan and Viking Drive. Gah! I grew up in a town where the "california stop" - the rolling slowdown through the stop sign - was the rule of the masses (and we called it something different, in honor of …   more ›

Bows and Arrows: A Review of Monday's School Board Meeting

There were some very good moments and some not-so-good at Monday's School Board meeting.

I think it might have been the great Joe Gillette who brought to The Beacon-News editorial page a fun feature called "Bows and Arrows." It was an opinion piece in which The Beacon's editorial board handed out "bows" for good works, good deeds and good behavior and "arrows" for not-so-wonderful works, deeds and behaviors. As I recall, there was a cute "bow" (as in a tied ribbon) graphic and an "arrow" (pointy projectile) graphic that went with each item. There are a few bow-and-ribbon moments from Monday's School Board meeting that I'd like to highlight, just for the record and to make note of moments that didn't make the "QuickStory" that followed. Please envision the little "bow" graphic and "arrow" graphic before each bullet point and …

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John R

4:52 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012

Danny, Well said and thank you for posting. If your compelled to speak up at the next school board meeting by all means do so. You can email me if you like at district304.geneva@gmail.com Myself and a few others will be making comments in support of our school board at the next meeting. They need to hear that the community supports them. Have a great weekend, John   more ›

Letter to the Editor: Why Do Parents Feel the Need to Control Kids' Sports?

Kerri Reese: A coach and official wonders why so many parents can't simply enjoy the game.

What is wrong with parents in today’s youth sports? Why is it that they feel the need to try and control everything their children do? As a volleyball coach and official for over 20 years, I get to see it from both sides. You have the parents who sit in the stands and scream at their kids and/or the officials and officiating crew. And parents who rush up to an official after a match and tell them how they feel about them and the job they did. Then there are parents who embarrass their children to no end with constant criticism and ridicule in front of an audience. You also have the parents who continually e-mail a coach questioning why their child isn’t playing over another. Or worse, there is the parent who belittles the coach and their …

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Kerri Reese

9:10 am on Thursday, April 12, 2012

I could not agree more Rick! Seems that too many are focusing on the wrong part of their lives as how many really do make it to the professional sports level? You are right they should be cheering them on in the classroom but you know how hard it is for people to place the blame on anyone but themselves!   more ›

Pure Oil Meeting Not Geneva's High Note

The activism is wonderful but the decorum not so much in Monday's Pure Oil meeting.

I'm not going to lean to hard on this point for fear I might get punctured, but in some ways, Monday's City Council meeting was not Geneva's finest hour—at least, in terms of civility and decorum, with a little curve ball on Robert's Rules of Order thrown in for good measure. Before I get too far into this, I should preface by saying that Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns generally runs a good meeting. In fact, I think he's among the best I've ever seen. By that, I mean he's very familiar with Robert's Rules, he keeps things moving at a good pace but he's generous with allowing time for members of the community and City Council to comment. He has a terrific sense of humor, and he keeps the conversation lively, even entertaining. When he does get …

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Jason

10:38 am on Monday, April 9, 2012

Rudy and Ken, I think you both make very good points. Rudy, I think you do throw the "greedy" word around a little much when speaking of capitalism. That said, in the particular case of the Pure Oil building, I couldn't agree more that it makes absolutely no sense to tear down this charming structure that currently houses a thriving business to build another (boring) bank when there is an empty …   more ›

Visions for Vacancies

What Should Go Into the Former Borders Bookstore Building?

Visions for Vacancies: The former Borders bookstore along Randall Road is still vacant after the company was liquidated in 2011. What would you like to see in that building?

The former Borders bookstore at 1660 S. Randall Road was a wonderful place to go to find a good story. Now, the story of the bookstore's former home needs a happy ending. The 24,000-square-foot building has been vacant since the Borders group was liquidated in the summer of 2011. The property, which includes about 3 acres of prime Randall Road real estate, is for sale for an unknown asking price, according to LoopNet. Having that building in play would be a great boost for city sales tax revenue and the health of the local economy. The big question is, what should go in there? Is there a major retailer you'd like to see? Are there other uses for the building that would be attractive to the surrounding businesses and west-side homeowners? A…

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Visions for Vacancies

What Should Fill the Former US Bank Building?

Visions for Vacancies: A grocery store? Another bank? The library, perhaps?

Part of the discussion about downtown Geneva includes ideas for what kinds of business to promote and encourage. Real progress, of course, is predicated by the market. You can make all the wish lists in the world, but in the end, there has to be a buyer—and in this economy, that's a tough prospect. That said, there is nothing wrong with making a wish list. And there is something positive—even healthy—in gathering creative ideas from the community. In that spirit, what do you think would be the right uses for the former US Bank building at 21 N. Third St." The asking price for the property has dropped from more than $3 million to under $2.4 million, according to LoopNet.com. The building has been on the market since the bank moved to its …

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John R

2:18 pm on Wednesday, April 4, 2012

I would suggest a bank and the first one that comes to mind is the St. Charles Bank and trust. We could also use a Chase Bank downtown or over on the east side. It drives me nuts that I have to go all the way over to Randall to find a chase. Maybe the Pure Gardner would be interested in the space or a florist.   more ›