Patch Roundup: Accused Killer To Be Own Counsel, Geneva Mom Fights Privacy Invasion

Another Batavia police officer suspension and a controversial St. Charles development gets approval from P&D committee.

The Batavia Police Department might want to consider requiring their officers to  take a driver’s ed class, as a second officer is suspended for involvement in a car crash.  And one Geneva mom gets national attention from MSNBC with her blog criticizing her daughter’s school for forcing her to expose her Facebook page. What follow is a lot of discussion on just how far school officials should go and are legally entitled to go in questioning kids and checking cell phones.  More news from around the ‘burbs this week:  Batavia —Second Batavia Police Officer Suspended for Separate Crash — An officer was suspended for two days following his collision with a police vehicle in April. Another officer received a suspension for an unrelated crash on…

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Great Strides Walk For Cystic Fibrosis Sunday in St. Charles

Western Springs residents Don and Maureen Vear will be walking for their niece Kate, who is fighting Cystic Fibrosis.

Don and Maureen Vear of Western Springs will be leading the way this Sunday, May 20 for the Fox Valley Great Strides Walk at Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. and the walk steps off at 10:00 a.m. This is the 6th Annual Walk organized by the Illinois Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.   Don says he walks for his niece, Kate, a young mother of two, who is fighting Cystic Fibrosis. She was always very active and worked out, but when she had a hard time breathing, it was discovered she had the disease. Kate is no longer able to teach fourth grade because of problems of contracting diseases in the classroom. He said she will eventually need a lung transplant. If you would like to join Don and Maureen's …

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Western Springs PD Ready, 'Just In Case' During NATO Summit

Suburban police departments have been working together planning and training for several months preparing for anything unexpected that might happen in the suburbs relating to the NATO Summit in Chicago this weekend.

As the city of Chicago braces for the protesters and worldwide visitors attending the NATO Summit this weekend, the suburban police departments, particularly those along the commuter train lines, have been training to be prepared for the unexpected.  Deputy Chief of Police Brian Budds wanted to make clear that there is no specific intelligence or information to suggest there's anything to worry about in Western Springs.  "It's a complex situation," he said. "The local suburban [police] departments are prepared. So we're ready. We have no reason to believe anything will happen, but failing to prepare is preparing to fail as I say." Budds said the business association and local banks, especially those in the central business district, have …

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Jeff Ward: DuPage County Needs to Do Some Political House Cleaning

Ah! But my esteemed Kane Countians get to take the week off!

My fine Kane County compatriots! You’ve done well. Political perfection may be a pipe dream, but I have to say that things are looking a little better out here because of your recent voting proclivities. The sheriff who thought he was king is long gone and Pat Perez has done a phenomenal job in his place. In fact, he’s done so well that I’ve been encouraging him to consider a third term. You might want to do the same thing. Once stripped of her County Board cronies, Chairman Karen McConnaughay fled for Springfield faster than a Rush Limbaugh advertiser jumped ship. She’ll do far less damage down there and fit in perfectly with that group of ineffectual state senators. You saw right through Cathy Hurlbutt’s court clerk makeover attempt, you…

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LT Kicks Off Film Festival This Weekend

Lyons Township High School's student film festival, the 4th Annual Media Arts Night of Entertainment, runs tonight from 6-9 p.m. at the Reber Center, located at LT's North Campus, 100 S. Brainard Ave.

Retiring Teachers Honored Tonight

Western Springs School District 101 tonight will honor three staff members facing retirement along with other long-time employees reaching employment milestones.

Two teachers and a long-time program assistant will be honored at a dinner this evening as they retire from Western Springs School District 101. Laidlaw Elementary School teachers Kathi Frontier, a first grade teacher for 10 years; and Mary Walsh, a kindergarten teacher for 13 years; along with Special Education Program Assistant Wendy Mathieu, retiring after 23 years, will be recognized for their service. Superintendent Brian Barnhart said the retirees will be recognized and given a parting gift to "thank them for all their work on behalf of the children." Walsh said it's been a privilege for her to work in District 101. "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here teaching both first grade and kindergarten," Walsh said. "We are blessed to …

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LT's Lion Newspaper and WLTL Radio Earn National Recognition

A staff member on Lyons Township High School's Lion Newspaper and the school's WLTL radio station each won national recognition recently.

Two of Lyons Township High School's media clubs received national recognition recently. A student staff member of the school's Lion Newspaper received a national award and the school's radio station, WLTL, was honored again at the Communication Awards. Mary Cate Most Takes 3rd Place for the Lion Newspaper LT junior Mary Kate Most earned third place in the Environment Category of the 2012 National Federation of Press Women High School Communications Contest. Her in-depth story, Drug Drive Prevents Abuse, Pollution, also recently won first place in the first round of the contest between students in Illinois. Most will be honored at the High School Communications Contest Awards Luncheon in September at the federation's national conference in …

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