Hayden went to a speed drumming competition. He won second.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Who'd a thought? Trains use train tracks!
This is about the most ridiculous problem this community has ever generated. Trains use the tracks. It is a federal issue. The traffic will roughly double. Big deal. Those tracks have been there for at least 60 years. Get over it. You live next to train tracks. You knew that before you moved here. Bunch of whiners.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/1149698,3_1_EL07_A3RAILROAD_S1.article
What's at stake with CN's EJ&E purchase plan?
September 7, 2008Recommend
By DAN CAMPANA Staff Writer
Next stop: Aurora.
The series of Surface Transportation Board meetings on Canadian National Railway's proposed merger with the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway continues Tuesday night at West Aurora High School. If attendance at similar gatherings in other communities, including Barrington and Bartlett, is any indicator, the place will be packed.
Here's what you need to know whether you plan to attend, have already commented to the STB or are just plain unsure about what this could mean to the area:
What's going on? Last year, CN and EJ&E -- through its parent company, U.S. Steel -- announced an agreement for CN to buy nearly 200 miles of track from northwest Indiana to Chicago's northern suburbs. Those tracks create a semi-circle outside Chicago that give CN an opportunity to move its trains more quickly through the suburbs. Doing so means more frequent and longer trains through area rail crossings.
How does this affect me? If you live near EJ&E tracks, the sale could impact your property values, according to the STB study. If your commute includes traveling over the tracks, you could be late for dinner because of an increase in the number of trains at those crossings. The study also includes a variety of scenarios that could mean different things to different folks. Check it out yourself at www.stbfinancedocket35087.com/html/deis-report.html
What does CN say? The company says it is working with communities to minimize impacts on towns along the EJ&E tracks, has pledged to spend $50 million toward mitigation efforts, and touts a general perspective of greater safety and less congestion across the board because fewer trains will cut through Chicago and its nearest suburbs. At the same time, CN is demanding the STB rule on the competitive aspects by Dec. 31 -- the deadline for a CN-U.S. Steel agreement -- or face possible litigation.
Who's opposing this? The strongest voice has been The Regional Answer to Canadian National, or TRAC, a coalition of suburban leaders who suggest CN's plan is shortsighted and too costly. U.S. Reps. Bill Foster and Judy Biggert, as well as U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, have also panned the proposal.
So who's supporting CN? Recently, a new group -- Solution to Area Rail Traffic -- formed, combining officials from suburbs that appear to benefit from CN moving trains to a western line. U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski is backing the organization, saying some 60 communities will see fewer trains if the plan is approved. Lipinski, a member of the U.S. House board that oversees the STB, says his district and the region will benefit.
How can my opinions be known? By Sept. 30, you can get your comments on the record in one of the following ways:
In writing: Comment forms will be provided at the public meetings and will be accepted on site or by mail. Additionally, comment forms or written letters can be sent to: Phillis Johnson-Ball, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20423, Ref: STB Finance Docket No. 35087.
Recorded comments: Court reporters will be available at the public meetings for those who attend. Comments also may be recorded at any time during the comment period on the project hot line, (800) 347-0689.
Electronically: Comments may be filed electronically on the board's Web site, www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on the e-filing link. Refer STB Finance Docket No. 35087.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
We made the front page!
Water park emerging in College Green
ELGIN -- An unexpected sound could be heard when little 7-year-old Hayden Groesser jumped from a jungle gym onto the ground of the newly renovated College Green Park on the city's west side Friday -- splash.
That's because most of the playground area, which includes swings, a seesaw and two large slides, were surrounded by large puddles of water that were created as a result of Monday's heavy rainfall.
Areas not submerged were still difficult to negotiate, as the half-dozen children who came by the park in the early afternoon soon discovered, as feet quickly sank in seemingly dry patches.
Hayden's mother, Tracy Groesser, said she was impressed with the renovations performed on the park, but was a little disappointed her three children will have to wait a little longer to take full advantage of all its new features.
"I saw the playground equipment on the city's Web site so I wanted to come over and let the kids play," she said. "I'm a little disappointed by all the water, that it didn't drain, because the kids are really excited."
The park's site was moved closer to the street along College Green Drive. The old park is currently fenced-in until grass has completed grown over the space to allow for informal green space, according to Reopelle.
A grand opening celebration for the park was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. today, but has since been postponed, according to City Parks and Recreation Director Randy Reopelle.
Reopelle said the problem stemmed from a lack of a drainage system that would allow water to dissipate quicker.
As he explained, the soil below the old park site allowed for water to soak through at a faster rate, so a drainage system never needed to be installed.
"So typically we think that the soils are similar," Reopelle said. "And that the water would percolate through so when this one was designed no drainage was put in it."
Reopelle added the company contracted to renovate the park -- Bolingbrook-based The Kenneth Company -- was notified of the situation, and is expected to come back to install a drainage system. He could not estimate at this point as to when a makeup date for the grand opening would be determined.
College Green Park is one of eight park sites that underwent improvements this year.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/1099298,3_1_EL09_A1PARK_S1.article
I uploaded mht files to the post. They can be read by internet explorer. You may need to save the files and then rename them to .mht. For some reason the files aren't opened correctly nor saved correctly. Once they are renamed, they work fine. I think that there may be mapping application issues with some browsers.
Attachment: 1099336,EL09_A1PARK_P1.mht
Attachment: 1099338,EL09_A1PARK_P2.mht
Attachment: Water park emerging in College Green The Courier News News.mht
Attachment: 1099338,EL09_A1PARK_P2.mht
Attachment: Water park emerging in College Green The Courier News News.mht
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Surprised?
From http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/couriernews/news/1087838,EL02_WARRANT_WEB_080208.article
August 2, 2008
The Associated Press
CARPENTERSVILLE -- A Kane County judge has issued an arrest warrant for a Carpentersville woman accused of reckless homicide in a December 2006 Metra train-crossing crash that killed two of her sisters and her nephew.
Officials say 26-year-old Epifania Alvarez-Navarette failed to show up for a pretrial conference in Kane County Judge Timothy Sheldon's courtroom. Bond is set at $20,000. Alvarez-Navarette has pleaded not guilty. She faces three counts of reckless homicide in the Elgin crash.
Authorities say she drove around train barricades and warning bells into the path of the commuter train. The woman's attorney, Maria Najera, says attempts to reach her client were unsuccessful.
I guess that is to be expected from a judge sympathetic to illegal immigrants. For pete's sake, a $20,000 bond (actual cost $2000) for breaking a law (many) and killing half your family. The comments on the article are quite informative.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)