MY SUN DAY NEWS
Dad and I were always close, and he had a big impact on the way I think today. For example, Dad instilled a strong respect for truth in me at an early age — because honesty didn’t come naturally to me at first. When I was little, my philosophy was “Let someone else break it.” It worked like this: If I was tossing a ball around in the house and broke a lamp, I would painstakingly reassemble the pieces and then tiptoe out of the room. The next time somebody walked through the house, the lamp would rattle apart, right before their eyes. Son of a gun. And I was nowhere in sight.
Dad and I were always close, and he had a big impact on the way I think today. For example, Dad instilled a strong respect for truth in me at an early age — because honesty didn’t come naturally to me at first.
When I was little, my philosophy was “Let someone else break it.” It worked like this: If I was tossing a ball around in the house and broke a lamp, I would painstakingly reassemble the pieces and then tiptoe out of the room. The next time somebody walked through the house, the lamp would rattle apart, right before their eyes. Son of a gun. And I was nowhere in sight.
November 2, 2020, marked the 100th anniversary of the first commercial radio broadcast. Radio broadcasts have delivered lifesaving information during emergencies, entertained us with music and stories, provided us with broadcast sports, and made us feel connected to our communities, listeners have always counted on the radio to be there for them. FDR’s Radio ‘Fireside Chats’ kept Americans informed and connected.
Huntley Community Radio (HCR) is celebrating its own anniversary this year. James Eggers, Executive Direct of HCR, said, “We are rolling out an entirely new music format. We have changed our music library to specifically cater to the 45-year-old and up demographic. Basically, we are playing all the songs most people will actually recognize.”
Our ritual each morning is this: he pads barefooted to the kitchen. He is a fast waker-upper; I am not. Even though my eyes are still closed, I follow along by listening to the sounds he makes. I hear the shoosh of the water from the tap going into the tea kettle, and the click of him turning on the stove. He tends to favor the burner at the back of the stove to the right, while I am partial to the front burner on the left. With the water set to boil in a bright turquoise-colored kettle that I bought one day when I was feeling sad and drab, he crosses over to the far end of the living room where I hear him lower himself to the ground where he does pushups on a mat.
The intersection of Jim Dhamer Drive and Illinois Route 47 may be getting a new look. A 729,600 square foot speculative warehouse and distribution building on the northwest corner of the 44-acre site has been presented to the Huntley Planning commission. The building will be constructed by Venture One Real Estate. It might be divided into two tenant spaces if a sole tenant is not found. No users of the building have been identified.
The intersection of Jim Dhamer Drive and Illinois Route 47 may be getting a new look.
A 729,600 square foot speculative warehouse and distribution building on the northwest corner of the 44-acre site has been presented to the Huntley Planning commission. The building will be constructed by Venture One Real Estate. It might be divided into two tenant spaces if a sole tenant is not found. No users of the building have been identified.
Columbine High School shooting took place in 1999. More than 1800 kids in the school that day; 13 were killed and another 20 injured. Since that shooting, more than 23 years ago, more than 311,000 students have experienced gun violence at school, according to an analysis done by The Washington Post. Esther Bell, Sun City resident, was unfortunate to feel that fear. Bell said, “My granddaughter is a student at Oshkosh West High School. Last year the school was evacuated during a threat. It was terrifying for her parents and myself. A teenager had stabbed the school’s resource officer in a struggle for his gun. The officer managed to keep the gun away from him by shooting the teen while being staffed.”
Columbine High School shooting took place in 1999. More than 1800 kids in the school that day; 13 were killed and another 20 injured. Since that shooting, more than 23 years ago, more than 311,000 students have experienced gun violence at school, according to an analysis done by The Washington Post.
Esther Bell, Sun City resident, was unfortunate to feel that fear. Bell said, “My granddaughter is a student at Oshkosh West High School. Last year the school was evacuated during a threat. It was terrifying for her parents and myself. A teenager had stabbed the school’s resource officer in a struggle for his gun. The officer managed to keep the gun away from him by shooting the teen while being staffed.”
With our country’s two mass murders having taken place very recently, the discussion about mental health issues has become a primary subject on social media (itself even possibly thought to be a contributing factor for loneliness). All forms of printed or computerized/televised press have weighed in on the subject. Stiffer laws for the prevention of lethal weaponry usage are now being discussed and, hopefully, passed. The background of a world and country suffering from extreme difficulties has brought mental illness to new raging proportions with the critical need for daily conversations. The Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian/ Russian malaise, and the U.S.’s own economic decisions are just a few of these problems. Both public and institutionalized stigma for mental health are affected during these difficult times in history.
After the drought last year, the rain this year has been a welcome relief. With the rain, though, has come a proliferation of weeds throughout planting beds and lawns. Although I don’t abide by the belief that a lawn has to be completely free of weeds, a well-kept lawn and maintained planting beds do enhance the look of a property and lead to more enjoyment from its owners. There are no strict guidelines of what is a weed or what is an acceptable plant. A plant that is growing where it is not wanted is considered a weed. Weeds, when given the opportunity, multiply, often stealing nutrients and moisture from the soil, from other more desirable plants. They can crowd out good plants resulting in the stunted growth of the good plants.
After the drought last year, the rain this year has been a welcome relief. With the rain, though, has come a proliferation of weeds throughout planting beds and lawns. Although I don’t abide by the belief that a lawn has to be completely free of weeds, a well-kept lawn and maintained planting beds do enhance the look of a property and lead to more enjoyment from its owners.
There are no strict guidelines of what is a weed or what is an acceptable plant. A plant that is growing where it is not wanted is considered a weed. Weeds, when given the opportunity, multiply, often stealing nutrients and moisture from the soil, from other more desirable plants. They can crowd out good plants resulting in the stunted growth of the good plants.
People use a lot of adjectives to describe Nancy and I, some are even complimentary. The adjective smart is not one of them, let me explain why. We headed out at 5 p.m. one Friday night to review a restaurant. We said to ourselves, it’s pretty early, we don’t need no “stinking reservations.” We proudly walked in and were asked if we had reservations. Since we had none, we were informed that the next open table was at 8:30. Of course this was my fault judging from the explicit phrases coming from the mouth of my loving bride. We returned to our car and started searching our restaurant “hit list” for something nearby. We picked a restaurant and called for a reservation at Al’s Café in Elgin. I told you we were smart.
On the surface, scary movies seem rather basic. Like comedy, they only require a simple formula to work. A monster or killer plus victim equals gold. As these films have changed, it has taken on more philosophical aims. Subversion is the true nature behind what we fear. Works by Jordan Peele, Mary Harron and Alex Garland come to mind. The latter’s latest, Men, I failed to see before it left the theaters. However, another provocateur has made his return after a long hiatus.
Senate Bill 1975 was originally introduced on February 26, 2021. It became Public Act 102-0895 some 15 months later on May 23, 2022. What’s the significance?
I’m a very concerned daughter writing for advice about her older parents. My parents, in their mid-70s, have significantly changed their eating habits over the last few years. They used to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Recently, I’ve noticed that their plates are usually filled with carbohydrates and red meat, with very little else. My dad loves bananas, and my mom enjoys potatoes in all forms. Yet, aside from an occasional carrot stick, they eat at my house, I don’t think they’re eating much variety of produce.
Sew N Sews of Sun City presetented quilts to veterans of Korea, Vietnam, and Afghanistan to honor their service to this country.
Before Covid, Sun City residents and the community enjoyed the elaborate model train layout during the holidays at Prairie Lodge. Trains pass through a bustling small town; passengers wait and wave. Children and adults alike marveled at the model train set, the towns, buildings, even a sign advertising Jameson’s Restaurant during the annual train display. Larry Rostis, club president, said, “Even with everything opening up, at this time we probably won’t be able to set up the train at Prairie Lodge this holiday season. It takes a lot of manpower to move all the set up and do maintenance on the trains. Our membership has aged and we are not capable of lifting and transporting the boards and equipment.”
Before Covid, Sun City residents and the community enjoyed the elaborate model train layout during the holidays at Prairie Lodge. Trains pass through a bustling small town; passengers wait and wave. Children and adults alike marveled at the model train set, the towns, buildings, even a sign advertising Jameson’s Restaurant during the annual train display.
Larry Rostis, club president, said, “Even with everything opening up, at this time we probably won’t be able to set up the train at Prairie Lodge this holiday season. It takes a lot of manpower to move all the set up and do maintenance on the trains. Our membership has aged and we are not capable of lifting and transporting the boards and equipment.”
Summer hasn’t even started, officially. But school is out, and as I’m writing this, my teen daughter is waking up on her first day of summer break. Her alarm clock went off at 6 a.m., a leftover relic of our automated life that cruises along during the school year. Instead of hitting snooze, she gets to hit “off.” In less than 24 hours, the clock has suddenly lost its authority.
On Aug. 10, 2021, law enforcement responded to the 5N block of Pearson Drive in Wayne for a reported shooting incident that involved a Dogo Argentino named Ludwig. The dog was shot and killed by Hal Phipps, who is the husband of current Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps and the neighbor of Ludwig’s owner, Joe Petit.
On Aug. 10, 2021, law enforcement responded to the 5N block of Pearson Drive in Wayne for a reported shooting incident that involved a Dogo Argentino named Ludwig.
The dog was shot and killed by Hal Phipps, who is the husband of current Wayne Village President Eileen Phipps and the neighbor of Ludwig’s owner, Joe Petit.
A couple weeks ago, I chatted with a guy at O’Hare Field that looked like a living Ken doll. He was maddeningly good looking — medium height, blond hair, blue eyes, fit and trim and impeccably dressed — and I wondered which Ken doll he might be. Because it turns out there are more than 50 varieties of Ken dolls out there — Cali Cool Ken, Tropical Vibes Ken, Hip Hoodie Ken, and more. And now they come in a variety of skin tones and body shapes that include slim, broad and original.
A couple weeks ago, I chatted with a guy at O’Hare Field that looked like a living Ken doll. He was maddeningly good looking — medium height, blond hair, blue eyes, fit and trim and impeccably dressed — and I wondered which Ken doll he might be.
Because it turns out there are more than 50 varieties of Ken dolls out there — Cali Cool Ken, Tropical Vibes Ken, Hip Hoodie Ken, and more. And now they come in a variety of skin tones and body shapes that include slim, broad and original.
The world watches the current events in Ukraine and complains about the price of gas and goods. Some Sun City residents remember their ancestors that lived through harder times; grandparents who survived the depression and World War II. We watch as Holocaust survivors who fled the Nazis as children must now run from Russians. Adrianne Kaplan, Sun City resident, recalls a woman in her life that survived the Holocaust, Magda Brown. Kaplan thinks of a woman she grew up calling “Aunt.”
The world watches the current events in Ukraine and complains about the price of gas and goods. Some Sun City residents remember their ancestors that lived through harder times; grandparents who survived the depression and World War II. We watch as Holocaust survivors who fled the Nazis as children must now run from Russians.
Adrianne Kaplan, Sun City resident, recalls a woman in her life that survived the Holocaust, Magda Brown. Kaplan thinks of a woman she grew up calling “Aunt.”
Sun City resident Jim Hanekamp has designed a new app called Sharemystories, focused on preserving memories using photos, written word, and audioclips in a timeline format. Hanekamp, 66, grew up outside of Chicago in a large family. During the pandemic, the six adult siblings, separated by geography, enjoyed regular Zoom calls to reminisce about family vacations and forgotten family lore.
Sun City resident Jim Hanekamp has designed a new app called Sharemystories, focused on preserving memories using photos, written word, and audioclips in a timeline format.
Hanekamp, 66, grew up outside of Chicago in a large family. During the pandemic, the six adult siblings, separated by geography, enjoyed regular Zoom calls to reminisce about family vacations and forgotten family lore.
What percent of the world was experiencing mental illness in 2021? According to Google search, 19% of adults, translating into over 47 million Americans, had the disorder with 4.55% suffering from a severe mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) informs us that more than half of mentally ill individuals don’t seek help for their disorders. Why? The association states “Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.”
At the May 12 Village Board meeting, Charles Nordman, Director of Development Services for the Village, introduced a request by More Brewery for a conceptual review of their plan to expand their brewery operations and to add a 4-story, 89 guest room hotel on the property south of their existing building.
Lennar builders submitted a proposal, at the May 12 Village Board meeting, to develop the 63 acres located at the west end of Reed Road as the location of 129 new single-family homes. Accord to Charles Nordman, Village Director of Development Services, reported that “there are seven different floor plans being offered. These are the same homes offered in other sections of Talamore.”
They say everything is bigger in Texas. Distances definitely play into that picture. It’s so large that its flag only needs one-star, perfect for the Lone Star State. Texas also has five, yes five, of the largest cities in the US: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, and Fort Worth.
History is, basically, the stories we tell ourselves. Fact is muddled somewhere in it, but it is some human element that binds it together. Much of historical dramas operate on this principle. No film could completely depict the events as they unfolded. However, we don’t expect it to be created from whole cloth either. A balance is struck between the machine of Hollywood filmmaking and the adherence to the truth. In some ways, this can yield middling results. Much of Netflix’s latest Operation Mincemeat falls into this region.
Panera Bread has submitted a new conceptual plan for a 3,480 square foot restaurant, with a drive through lane, located on the southeast the corner of Route 47 and Kreutzer Road. The permits for the previously approved plans had expired and Panera is required to reapply for permission to build.
We had a very enjoyable New Year’s Eve celebration partying with new friends Rich and Melody. At that time, we agreed to go out to dinner in the new year. Five short months later, we finally got together and met them at Jurin Sushi-Teppan in South Elgin.
Natural gas prices are at an all-time high. In May of 2021, the average price of natural gas in Northern Illinois was 53 cents per therm. By May 2022, that price had risen to 111 cents per therm. This is a 109% increase. ComEd recently proposed a 199-million-dollar rate increase for 2023. We depend upon natural gas to heat our homes, electricity to run our appliances, and our utility bills continue to escalate.
“Going Once – Going Twice – SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER! Nick Koplos’s voice rang out loud and clear repeatedly as he auctioneered the 8th Stingrays Annual Charity Auction on May 14.
Letters for the week of June 2.
My family and I plan to visit my parents over the summer. We live out of state and usually get together about four times a year. Since COVID, our visits have spread out. They haven’t been out to visit us yet, stating they’re concerned about variants of COVID as they travel. My parents are approaching their 80s. I noticed during our last visit that they seem to be struggling. My sister lives nearby but doesn’t appear too concerned for their health. She also heavily relies upon them, specifically my mom, to watch her children while she works.
What happened after Cinderella tucked her foot into that glass slipper? Did she and the prince live happily ever after? Sun City resident Cathy Kwon has the answers in her book “Cinderella the Next Chapter.”
What happened after Cinderella tucked her foot into that glass slipper? Did she and the prince live happily ever after?
Sun City resident Cathy Kwon has the answers in her book “Cinderella the Next Chapter.”
