Journal & Topics Media Group

Speak Out!


Speak Out

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The following Speak Out! messages appear in August 14-19, 2019 editions of the Journal & Topics.

Chickens, Got It?

To the people concerned about chickens in the backyard. Let me point out something to you. It’s chickens we want, not roosters. You don’t need a rooster for the chicken to lay an egg. Nowhere is it stated that we want roosters. We want chickens.

Has Hope

Like so many Americans my summer plans included visiting friends and family and enjoying summer festivals and activities. Visited four different states and spoke to individuals from all walks of life who were doing the same. Attended parades, county fairs, and numerous festivals at which our country’s flag was displayed and the national anthem played. Everyone stood with respect, hats removed and hands over heart in silence. No one “took a knee.” Made me realize that there is hope for our country.

Who’s Jebediah

Hi, this is an answer for “Who is That?” In Speak Out. Jebediah Springfield is the man that Springfield was named after in the animated Simpsons.

Good Luck

I believe State Senator Laura Murphy’s article is out of touch. Is she going to monitor throughout the state? She’s going to monitor the three drug rings in the City of Chicago, also known as Hispanic cartels. Good luck with that.

Is That A Pig?

Good afternoon, this is Don. Is someone missing an exotic pet? I spotted something along Willow Creek in Rosemont on Sunday. It’s a very small animal. All black, arched back…looks like it could be a miniature pig. I was walking around Willow Creek in Rosemont. You might check that area out. Okay? Thank you, bye.

Good With Bad

Hi Speak Out. I’m delighted that River Road is going to be finished starting tomorrow. However, I’m very sad to think that I’ll have to wait in line at the traffic light again, but you have to take the good with the bad. It will be great to have River Road open again. Thanks so much. Have a great day. I really like your column. You guys do a lot of good work. Thank you so much for working so hard. Bye.

Use As Sled Hill

Hello, this is a message to the Des Plaines Park District and the board of directors. There is a lot of dirt behind the new construction of the pool at Prairie Lakes. It is just south of the new building. I would suggest that they convert that large mound of Earth into a sledding hill for the kids in the winter months. Prairie Lakes has always lacked a sledding hill and it’s there. Why waste the expense to move it. It’s there, just convert it into a sledding hill. Attention park district commissioners. It doesn’t have to be a large hill like the one in the park over by Mannheim Road, by Howard. But the small hill would serve the small kids very well and it would be something for them to enjoy during the winter months and also maybe even during the summer. At least it’s not flat like the rest of the area. Thank you. Bye.

Elevator Needed

Just wondering. They are building that new swimming pool and everything over at Prairie Lakes. I was just wondering if they are going to put an elevator up to the walking areas for us seniors so that we can get up there. It’s a beautiful building but us seniors can’t climb those steps. Thank you.

Be Ready…

Hey, Speak Out. If you’re going to allow chickens, you’re going to have to be ready for mice and coyotes.

Nice Night

Hello, this is Don for Speak Out. Friday, July 26 was a beautiful night for the Optimist Club movies at the Park at Lake Opeka. We had representatives from the Des Plaines FIre Dept., American Legion Post 36 of Des Plaines and others.

Where’s Work?

This is Jerry Brown. I was reading Speak Out. I live off of Palatine Road and they said they were going to do work at night in the Palatine area. I don’t understand why they aren’t working at night any more. Traffic is backed up forever. People are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars because of the time it’s taken. Maybe you can look into this.

Be Nice

I’d like to comment on the article on National Flaw Day. It seems to me that people are already celebrating rudeness and are happy to point out the flaws of everyone else. Why not have something nice like a National Politeness Day?

See Kickbacks?

Well it didn’t take long for members of the TNC to cash in on the cannabis trade look at how many are getting kick backs on the deal. What a shame.

Don’t Be Rude

To the people who live Scott Street near Pratt, have some respect for your neighbors when you have your outdoor parties. No one wants to hear your drunken screaming, laughing and carrying on all night. Several of your neighbors are getting irritated by your obnoxiousness, but wanted to give you one last chance before making a formal complaint. Take your party inside after 10 p.m. Some of us work various hours and should not have to be subjected to your rudeness.

Feels The Hate

Where did the hate come from? If you turn on the nightly news it is one mass shooting after another and politics is no longer a respectful debate of opposing views, but a case of inflammatory name calling, unsubstantiated accusations and shouting matches. This harsh reality can even be seen in our local government. Maine Township was always such a nice place to visit, but now it has turned into a war zone. The three new trustees Sweeney, Carrabotta and McKenzie govern with such an air of arrogance even though they have the least amount of experience they feel they know everything. Their hostility against Supervisor Laura Morask, Trustee Kim Jones and Assessor Susan Moylan Krey is completely unjustified, especially when you take into account the devoted service Morask, Jones and Moylan Krey have given to the community and the positive changes they have made to benefit us all. The treatment they are receiving from the new trustees is nothing less than deplorable. Good government is hard to find and should be appreciated and supported. Is the elimination of township government the true goal of trustees Sweeney, Carrabotta and McKenzie, if so they do not represent me.

Wants To Know

OK, so let me make sure I have this right: 1) The Village of MP owned the Maple Street Metra lot which accommodated 285 cars; 2) They sold the major portion of this lot to Nicholas & Assoc. (the developer) for a below market price; 3) They then contract with Nicholas & Assoc. to build a 222-space parking garage for $6MM+; 4) The village then floats an $8MM bond issue to fund this and other projects which will be paid for by property tax revenues. Just want to make sure I understood all this. When I first read about this it almost sounded like it made no sense at all.

Anyone Caught?

How are the municipalities and the state troopers catching people using cellphones while driving. I have never seen anyone being caught, despite the illegality of it. I’ve seen far too many people still on their phones while driving. I almost was in an accident caused by a distracted driver on my way to work because she wasn’t paying attention to where she needed to go and cut me off. I want results not empty promises from politicians who enacted this law.

Slow Down

Due to the popularity of Des Plaines’ Centennial Park, located on Center Street, I think it would be a good idea to install a speed bump on Center Street. Despite the signage by the park encouraging traffic to slow down, I still see vehicles speeding down that street. A speed bump would force the vehicles to slow down.

What Gives?

I believe that God speaks to people all the time. But I’ve wondered why He so often neglects to tell them to get a building permit.

Lutherans ‘Left-Leaning’

There are a lot of Lutherans here in Des Plaines along with, of course, many other fine faiths. The largest Lutheran body is the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) headquartered on Higgins Road across the street from Park Ridge. At its annual Churchwide Assembly this week in Milwaukee, the ELCA declared itself a “sanctuary” for immigrants irrespective of their legal status. Further, the leadership sponsored a protest march on the Milwaukee ICE office. This just represents one more embrace of “left-leaning” policies by the denomination. What’s next — the Green New Deal, Medicare for all, universal basic income, open borders or late term abortions? The ELCA continues to shrink in membership and is now down over 2 million members since its founding in 1988. If leadership continues to tack to the left, there will literally by no one left to lead. Thanks.

Can Do Better

Does it bother anyone that lower income neighborhoods (generally) have less trees? I live in Boxwood which consists of only apartments (four stories at tallest) and townhouses and I could count the amount of trees taller than our homes on one hand. I used to live near the south end which has beautiful lawns and big strong oak and maple trees. Then we moved to the north end. To our right is a smelly plaza (no big oaks) facing our row of townhouses only four car lengths away is another two-story row of houses. It’s a drab view compared to the south side. To my left and behind there’s two strong tall trees and I cannot express how serene they look every hour, every limelight of the day. My point is, world wide there’s a climate crisis, but it’s hard to change the world when one can’t even change ones home. Much of the surrounding area we don’t own so I can plant a tree to get a breath of clean air like I smell at the forest. But as I’m walking by, empty “yards” that the buildings and townhouses share, accompanied by the smell of the plaza and exhaust from numerous parking lots scattered all over Boxwood I think we could easily make a community garden right there, or plant a reading tree there. Or a huge sound barrier near the plaza cascading with pink oakleaf hydrangeas. Voting to do something with the lawns makes sense for the landowners because it could make there property seem elegant (less like a ghetto), it’s one more reason for people to move there, and it could smell better.

Likes Bands

It was great to see a picture of the Wheeling High School Band marching in the Arlington Heights 4th of July Parade. Also, the other bands that participated including Prospect and Buffalo Grove. A shout out to the 15 kids in the Palatine 4th of July Parade that played as a “District 211 Band”. It amazes me every year that the Fremd and Palatine band directors do not have their kids march in the Palatine 4th of July Parade. It is probably the biggest audience they would play in front of all year to showcase their hard work and skills. Not to mention a great way to show their community pride. They do play in the Memorial Day parade which is about a tenth of the people, but they alternate year. Activity and band directors, let the kids show their skills and be committed to your towns biggest event.

Speaking Out On Possible ‘Pot’ Sales

The following Speak Outs were received in response to Des Plaines City Council consideration of legal marijuana sales, or whether those sales should be banned in Des Plaines when the state’s new legal marijuana law takes effect Jan. 1. Other towns are giving similar thought to the issue:

I find it hypocritical that those who are against the sale of cannabis in Des Plaines were the same individuals who competed with several neighboring areas for the Rivers Casino. Gambling addiction has led to homelessness, job loss, marriage and family dissolution and crime — yet there was no outcry against the casino. Alcohol addiction also leads to a myriad of problems but yet I have seen an addition of liquor stores during the time I have lived here. Unlike alcohol, cannabis has been used in treatments for PTSD, side effects of chemotherapy and other illnesses. I also know that cannabis has its drawbacks, but I do not feel that they are any worse than addiction to gambling and alcohol which are available in Des Plaines.

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Denise Rodd, I’m appalled that you cannot make up your mind on dispensaries of marijuana in the City of Des Plaines. My concern was that there was one accident in February where someone got killed due to drugs.

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Des Plaines City Council should vote against marijuana licensing in Des Plaines. As a parent of elementary school children in the Des Plaines school system, I’m totally against marijuana licensing in the town. We can’t count on parents being responsible with their legal marijuana. If their children bring that to school and other children are exposed or coerced into trying it, people will get hurt and there will be lots of harm followed by lawsuits. Chief Kushner and Alderman Brookman are 100% correct in their assessment of this. Des Plaines should be seen by families as a safe haven from marijuana and a conservative place to live. We don’t need to follow suit of what other towns do. I hope our Des Plaines City Council leans conservative on this decision. Safety is more important than profits. Thanks.

***

Please aldermen, do not bring pot sales to Des Plaines. Making it easier to get is going to cause more problems. Read up on Cannabis Induced Psychosis. It’s very real and happening more and more. Look at how many Marijuana Anonymous meetings they have in Colorado and you will see that this is a problem.

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I agree with Carla Brookman and Chief Kushner about not permitting the sale of recreational marijuana. Our city manager wants it along with a few other aldermen. We have enough problems with people driving drunk, no license or insurance. We are going to add an additional problem. You have to understand when we get hit the legal driver is paying for it as underinsured or no insurance which causes our rates to go up. There was an article about Buffalo Grove legalizing it and their city manager stated it’s hard turning down $400 thousand a year which is what our city manager is looking at. Again he has a vision about money and that’s it. We always promoted “Say No To Drugs” but here that saying means nothing. I agree with the medical sale. There is no way to regulate the sale and usage along with if a person is pulled over how will not person be tested for excessive use like drinking. Is it worth the life of one person for the money. The other towns are looking at the income so they buy it there and bring here. We are going to have the problem here when bought someplace else.

***

This is to Alderman Brookman who seems to be mostly concerned about pot-laced cookies. First of all, sales to minors would be prohibited like alcohol is. How often are you concerned that kids are spiking their water bottles? Could it happen? Sure. Is it an epidemic? No and it isn’t going to be. In the article I read, you mentioned your daughter back in high school. Pretty sure she knew kids that were smoking pot back then. Doesn’t matter if it is legal or not. They will find a way to get it if they want it. Just like alcohol or cigarettes. Actually, the reason they want it more is because it is illegal. Anyway. I don’t even like pot or any kind of smoke. I don’t really want to smell the wacky-tobacky coming from my neighbor’s yard as they sit around their also stinky fire pit. But what they do in their house behind closed doors is none of my business and if it involves legally purchased pot and they are adults, good for them. Besides, look how prohibition turned out.

***

Some aldermen are all opposed to pot sales here in Des Plaines yet they love having their bars and liquor stores here. More deaths to DUIs then pot smoking.

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