La Grange Police Chief Receives Award

La Grange Police Chief Michael Holub was the recipient of an award from the Illinois Bar Association on Monday evening at the village's board of trustees meeting.

Michael Holub, chief of police in La Grange, received a round of applause on Monday evening at La Grange's Village Hall as the recipient of an Illinois Bar Association award for distinguished service. The award was announced by the West Suburban Chiefs of Police Association on May 2 and was presented to Holub by Dave Anderson, associate executive director of the Illinois Bar Association and by Judge Russ Hartigan, who recommended Holub for the award. “I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award than Mike Holub,” Judge Hartigan said. The award is given each year to a sworn officer who promotes justice and whose public service brings honor to the entire criminal justice system, according to the Illinois Bar Association. Upon …

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House OKs Higher Health Insurance Costs for State Retirees

Here is a wrap-up of some of the latest political news.

State retirees should brace themselves for higher health-care premiums. Illinois House lawmakers voted May 9 to reduce the $800 million annual cost of insurance for retired state workers by making them pay more for health care that some now get for little or nothing. Under the legislation, retired state workers, judges, lawmakers and university employees would have premiums for their group health insurance program set each year by the Quinn administration. The bill went to the Senate on a 74-43 vote. The Chicago Tribune reported that the action unfolded as House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, implored colleagues to make the legislation part of a major effort to rein in billions of dollars in …

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Local Focus

Obama Backs Gay Marriage a Day After North Carolina Bans It

What do you think La Grange? Will it help or hurt Obama's chances in November?

A day after North Carolina passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman in that state, President Barack Obama has become the first sitting president to announce his support for marriage equality, according to the Huffington Post. In an interview today with ABC's Robin Roberts, the president explained his evolving stance on the issue. "Over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, …

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Refresher: First Public Hearing on Electrical Aggregation Tonight in La Grange Park

The first of two proposed public hearings on the issue of electrical aggregation will be held tonight at Village Hall in La Grange Park at 6 p.m. Need some information? Read our article on what's at stake.

The first of two public hearings on whether the village should join with other municipalities to purchase electricity as a group on behalf of residents will be held tonight at Village Hall in La Grange Park, 447 N. Catherine Ave. Tonight's meeting will be held in the village's conference room at 6 p.m. and will offer a chance for residents to ask questions and get more information about plans to purchase power on their behalf. In March, 68 percent of voters supported a referendum in favor of electrical aggregation. Trustees have said at past meetings that they hope purchasing electricity as a group will save residents between 20-30 percent off their electrical bills. Background Information The issue was first discussed at a Village Board …

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Matthew Hendrickson

1:07 pm on Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Thanks Joe, will we see you at the meeting tonight?   more ›

Democrats Get Top Billing On November Ballot

Cook County Clerk David Orr explains how ballot position is determined.

Here is one competition in which Pres. Barack Obama has beat out probable Republican challenger Mitt Romney. Democrats were selected for the top ballot position in the Nov. 6, presidential election in a drawing conducted today by Cook County Clerk David Orr and Director of Elections Jan Kralovec. At 10 a.m. May 2, Orr displayed slips of paper with the parties' names written on them, one for Democrats and the other for Republicans. Orr and Kralovec each folded one slip of paper and inserted it into its own yellow pill bottle. The bottles were placed into a large fish bowl. Kralovec held the bowl and Orr stirred the bottles. Orr then pulled out a bottle to determine the first position, and unfolded the card reading "Democratic Party." For …

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Illinois Could Have Country’s First Plastic Bag, Wrapper Law

Here is a wrap-up of some of the latest political news.

Illinois lawmakers are pushing for a statewide plastic bag and wrapper recycling program, the first of its kind in the country, according to Illinois Statehouse News. The bill requires plastic bag and wrapper manufacturers to establish collection sites within 10 miles of Illinois residents in 90 percent of counties by 2014. “We could do nothing and recycle 2 percent of our bags next year, or we could put in a statewide program and make it to 13 percent,” bill sponsor State Rep. Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake) told the Statehouse News. This collection program would evaluate plastic bag and wrapper recycling rates. It would expire in four years, unless the General Assembly renews it. The bill also would bar local governments, except Chicago …

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How Much Will Your Water Rates Go Up?

You can blame Chicago for higher bills this year. La Grange Park approved new water rate increases beginning in March and new rates to into effect in La Grange today. What are suburban leaders doing about it?

Water from Lake Michigan is getting more expensive for residents of La Grange and La Grange Park. We aren't the only ones: communities all over the Chicago suburbs will be paying more, thanks to a 70 percent increase in the cost of water from Chicago over the next four years. Both villages have taken steps to bring their water rates in line following increases from Chicago that began this year. Here's how much more you can expect to pay for water in La Grange and La Grange Park. La Grange Park In the village of La Grange Park, trustees approved a 12.5 percent increase in the water rate at a Village Board meeting on Feb. 28. The increase was approved unanimously and went into effect on March 1. "[The rate increase] is almost exclusively a …

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No More La Grange Highlands? Board Proposes Eliminating Unincorporated Cook

The proposal, announced Monday by County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, recommends the annexation of all unincorporated areas in Cook County into existing municipalities—like La Grange.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is calling for the elimination of all unincorporated areas in the coming years in order to relieve the county's strained financial resources. Under the proposal, nearby municipalities would annex the county's 62 square miles of unincorporated land, leaving towns and villages to pick up the cost for services like police protection and code enforcement. Preckwinkle appointed a task force in November 2011 to investigate the provision of services to unincorporated Cook County, as well as the associated costs. The study was completed and results were announced during a press conference Monday morning. According to Preckwinkle, recent budget reviews have shown that providing "municipal-type" services …

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Wolf Road Crossing Closed for Next Seven Days

Starting today, Western Springs' major downtown crossing will be closed (including for pedestrians), delaying traffic going through the heart of the business district, and parents on their way to Lyons Township High School's South Campus.

Driving down Wolf Road through the Western Springs downtown can involve long delays even under ordinary circumstances—the dual intersections with Hillgrove and Burlington Avenue can be exercises in guesswork—and they’re about to get worse for a little while. For the next seven days starting today and continuing through May 4, the Wolf crossing over the BNSF Railway will be closed so that railroad staff can repave the grade between the rails. The project was original scheduled for one week earlier, but was reassigned to this week. Traffic will be reassigned east to the crossing over Gilbert Avenue at the board of La Grange and Western Springs. The crossings at Lawn Avenue and Grand Avenue will also remain open. The pedestrian crossing will …

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