Your Take: Local Police—What Do You Appreciate?

It's Police Week in the United States; in that spirit, we asked our local readers in western Cook County what they appreciate most about their local force.

Did you know that this week—May 13-20—is officially Police Week in the United States? According to PoliceWeek.org:  In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice. In the spirit of the week, we reached out to our west Cook County readers on Facebook and asked what they appreciate most about their local police departments. Here’s some of what readers shared with us:  Dorothy Cole Domrzalski: “Many years ago, whenever …

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Western Springs: A Look at Metra Stops, Income Levels

Western Springs ranks 10th according to Crain's tracking of household income in the zip codes of Metra train stations.

A look at income levels in suburban towns with Metra stops provides a glimpse at the disparity in wealth throughout the area, according to a map by Crain's Chicago Business Journal.  Among all Chicago and suburban Metra stops, Western Springs ranked as the 10th highest income with an average income of $136,096, according to Crain's. Western Springs residents are in the top 10 percent for highest incomes, according to Crain's. Neighboring La Grange ranked as the 96th highest income with an average income of $72,727. La Grange residents make on average 30.1 to 50 percent of the highest incomes. The Metra station that ranked as number one was Kennilworth where the average income came in at $242,188, according to Crain's.  Read more and find …

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Lend a Hand at the NEAT Clean-Up Saturday

Grab a rake and some gloves and help make Western Springs beautiful!

The Neighborhood Environmental Appearance Team (NEAT) is hosting a Cleanup Day Saturday, April 13 (rain date is Sunday). All are invited. Check-in and registration is from 8 a.m. to noon at the Western Springs Recreation Center at 1500 Walker St. Volunteers should bring rakes, brooms and gloves to help with the cleanup. Yardwaste bags are provided. NEAT celebrates 28 years of community service in which community groups, families, neighbors and friends join together to clean litter and debris that has accumulated in and around the public areas of Western Springs.

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Improvement Projects on Tap for Western Springs

The Village of Western Springs announces its annual sidewalk shaving program and upcoming railroad reconstruction project schedule.

The village's annual sidewalk shaving program begins this week and will take approximately one week to complete. Sidewalk shaving will begin in the central business district and continue through the Old Town subdivision as funds allow. The village's contractor is Safestep, LLC. The sidewalk shaving utilizes a saw to cross cut sidewalk trip hazards that are greater than 1/4" and less than 1 1/4". The shaving of a sidewalk square generally takes between 10-15 minutes and disruption to residents should be minimal. The village's annual sidewalk replacement program will take place in early summer and consists of the replacement of broken sidewalk squares or those trip hazards which are greater than 1 1/4." Railroad reconstruction The railroad …

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Home Sale Prices Dip in Western Springs

In 2012, Western Springs homes sold for 0.3 percent less than they did in 2011, Chicago Magazine reports.

Home sale prices in Western Springs have dropped slightly, according to a recent Chicago Magazine article. The article profiled what homes cost in several suburbs and Chicago neighborhoods. Along with Western Springs, home sale prices are also down in neighboring Burr Ridge and Forest Park, but up in La Grange and Oak Park. The magazine’s data shows the median sale price for a Western Springs home in 2012 was $449,000, down 0.3 percent from 2011, and 17.2 percent since 2006. There were 158 home sales last year in Western Springs, with homes staying on the market an average of 121 days, the magazine reports. Most Chicagoland suburbs have experienced a decrease in home sale prices, making now a great time to buy, according to economists. …

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Historical Western Springs

Western Springs … A Nuclear Refuge for VIPs?

In the early 1970s, the U.S. was still in the grips of the cold war. And Western Springs’ new village hall had a special feature that was of interest to mayors and even presidents.

The Cuban missile crisis of 1962 brought the world to the edge of nuclear war. While tensions eased over the next ten years, planners were aware that this could change over time. As a result, new public buildings were often constructed with civil defense in mind. In the case of Western Springs, an emergency operation center was included in the original plans for the village hall.  See second picture.  Completed in 1970, the room was 21 feet wide by 68 feet long. It could serve as both a shelter and an auxiliary communications room in the event of a nuclear attack or other disaster. It was described as being radiation-proof and capable of housing upwards of 100 people with food and water supplies sufficient for two weeks. But, the big …

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Historical Western Springs

Western Springs’ Birthplace: Grand Avenue School

Residents always associate the historic Water Tower with the earliest days of the village. But, did you know that another building was the first home to our village government?

In 1885, the Grand Avenue School was built to replace a smaller schoolhouse that had been on the same site. Later that year, the residents of Western Springs voted to incorporate as a Village, which became effective in January 1886. Since there was no village hall as yet, the first meeting of the Board of Trustees took place in the school. This continued until 1892, when the town built the historic Water Tower, complete with two floors of office and meeting space. In 1906, the partial second floor of the school was expanded to a full floor, and the bell tower on the southwest corner was removed and a center belfry cupola was added on the new second floor roof. These additions matched the original structure, and the Palladium window motif …

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Born in Greece, Celebrating 50 Years at Garden Market Salon

George Beshilas of George's Hair Designs has spent half a century running the Garden Market salon after first coming to the U.S. with no experience.

As George Beshilas looks back at his now-50-year tenure as the owner of George's Hair Designs in Western Springs Garden Market, he remembers arriving in America in the mid-50s as a 16-year-old, the Suburban Life reports. According to the paper, Beshilas worked at a grocery store for five years and married a Lyons Township teacher, before going to Chicago's American School of Beauty and taking a chance buying what was then the Garden Market Beauty Shop with a loan from his in-laws. "I told them, 'I am not afraid of work. I'll work hard and do my best...' and with my family and God's help, I'm still there, nearly 50 years later," he told the paper. "This is a family atmosphere. I don't think I could have lasted all these years in a place of …

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With Contract Renewed, D101 Super Touts District's Status

Dr. Brian Barnhart will serve as the superintendent of Western Springs District 101 at least through the 2018-2019 school year.

As the outgoing Western Springs District 101 Board approved a contract extension that would keep him on board as superintendent through the 2018-2019 school year, Dr. Brian Barnhart said the District's current status sets it up well to tackle oncoming challenges, The Doings Western Springs reports. According to the paper, Barnhart, an 11-year veteran of the super's office, praised the Distrcit's academic performance and fiscal responsibility, saying the District's financial shape will help prepare for new burdens caused by pension and health-care reforms. “Things have gotten rolling. We have our technology initiative, we have curriculum work going on, we have the core assessment,” Barnhart told the paper, of recent District improvements. “…

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