Wilmette Life

Canning thanks Village of Wilmette

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:26:00 -0500

In my Letter to the Editor following my election as village president in 2005, I wrote: “I am thankful that so many of you have placed your trust and confidence in me to lead the Village Board … With that trust comes a duty to serve the village and I will do my best to fulfill that duty as your village president.” Now, as my term as village president ends, I are profoundly grateful for the privilege to serve these last eight years and the opportunity to work to keep Wilmette a great place to live. When I ran for …

Why should anyone care about Wilmette Harbor?

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:44:00 -0500

With the exception of the 300 or so folks who keep a boat there, it’s easy to overlook the importance of Wilmette Harbor. But if you live in Cook County, you owe a debt of gratitude to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) Commissioners for recently approving a lease for management of the small north suburban harbor – even if you’ve never stepped foot on a boat. That’s because by approving the leasing agreement with the Wilmette Harbor Association (WHA) earlier this month, the MWRD will save Cook County taxpayers more than $500,000 in annual maintenance costs, reduce the risk …

Letter to the Editor

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:48:01 -0500

Reindeer shouldn’t be on display Two adult reindeer are displayed each year in the parking lot of Chalet Nursery as part of their holiday display. The reindeer live in a cramped pen alongside a busy parking lot, at the intersection of Lake Street and Skokie Boulevard, subject to a constant barrage of loud noise, car exhaust and people trying to touch them. This is cruel and not okay. Chalet claims the reindeer display is in the name of “imparting educational values and information,” that the reindeer “delight customers,” and are well cared for. Chalet is missing the point that this …

Letter: Cat Grandma to the rescue

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:08:45 -0500

To the Grey Lantern: Call me Cat Grandma. I am a super hero, too. As Cat Grandma, I bring wrongs to right. You know the texting fool in front of you who doesn’t move when the light turns green? I, Cat Grandma, am the one who uses her horn to get the line moving. Surely you are aware of people who lose their doggy’s doo on a neighbor’s lawn. I, Cat Grandma, return it to the owner’s front porch. Yes, I admit it, I’m partial to kitties, so when dogs roam the forest preserve bike trail unleashed, I confront the …

Green energy is cost efficient

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:16:40 -0500

When five of the seven Wilmette village trustees decided against committing Wilmette to 100 percent renewable green energy use, they basically chose to ignore the more than 850 petition-signers opposing the sevent percent state minimum in renewables the trustees chose as the village’s default position. Public comment ran at a better than 80-1 rate in favor of a higher percentage of renewables. Instead, the trustees opted for “individual choice” in which residents must contact MC2 and request 100 percent renewable energy for a slight additional cost. The board’s own energy consultant Mark Pruitt concluded that only three percent or so …

Circus shouldn’t run

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:25:42 -0500

I am disappointed to learn a circus with wild animals, including elephants (an endangered species), is scheduled to return to Wilmette, the only North Shore community that still hosts this kind of event. Increasingly, small towns, cities, and countries are banning wild animal performances, due to concerns about safety and animal welfare. All circus trainers use the same methods to train elephants and other wild animals. The tap from the elephant trainer’s “bullhook” reminds the elephant of past training terrors. Elephants are hit repeatedly with multiple weapons and are chained immobile for long periods to break their spirit and make …

Willow Road project could mar Winnetka’s Burnham Cabin

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 06:25:01 -0500

The picturesque view of the Burnham Cabin, nestled in the meadow of Crow Island Woods, may be obstructed from Willow Road drivers, based on a road project in the works. At a hearing last week village official confirmed that plans call for new roadside parking to be carved out along Willow Road in front of the Crow Island meadow for use by staff of the nearby Crow Island school. Crow Island School has millions in reserve for special projects, and sits on five acres of land, however the school wants the village to pay for parking to be created on …

Another great Wilmette House Walk

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 03:38:29 -0500

For several years the Wilmette Historical Society organizes its annual “House Walk” and, for a fee, people get a chance to tour four local structures of historical importance and/or architectural significance. My wife and I have been going on these tours since 2006 and this year’s tour, titled “Cooler by the Lake” was our favorite. I would like to thank The Historical Society for their diligence and research in putting these walks together, as well as the docents who guided everyone through these beautiful homes so ably. And from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the owners …

Letter to the Editor

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:04:50 -0500

Postal food drive In many ways, America is the land of plenty. But for one in six people living in this country hunger is still a reality. Today, nearly 49 million Americans, including 16 million children, are struggling with hunger. These are often hard-wroking adults, children and seniors who simply cannot make ends meet and are forced to go without food for several meals, or even days. Fortunately, the United States Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers will once again join forces when they conduct the annual Stamp Out Hunger food drive. On May 12, the nation’s …

Guest Essay: Efforts to end bullying

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:54:01 -0500

Efforts to end bullying Meredith Falk is the New Trier High School Student Senate secretary Throughout the week of March 12, New Trier’s Freshman Student Senate sponsored a completely student-led Anti-Bullying week as a follow up to the annual “Names” program. Back in December when “Names” visited New Trier, students discussed bullying issues ranging from seemingly playful but verbal abuse to LGBT harassment. However, the main focus was to help students accept and embrace others’ differences. Advisers encouraged their advisees to “lower the iceberg,” or see past their peers’ differences to their incredible uniqueness and talents, possibly masked by labels …

Affordable housing

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:09:43 -0500

On Election Day, 2,030 Winnetka voters voted No and 692 voted Yes on a referendum worded by the Winnetka Home Owners Association: “Should the Village of Winnetka expand our existing Affordable Housing Plan?” The question is, what direction does this provide the Village of Winnetka with regard to affordable housing? The answer is none at all. Winnetka voters received not one iota of information in advance of the election about the nature of the “existing affordable housing plan,” the definition of affordable housing or proposals for expansion. Moreover, the referendum, as a policy issue, is non-binding by state law. Winnetka …

Letter to the Editor

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:09:30 -0500

Clear distinctions And now the general election for the House of Representatives in the 10th Congressional District gets under way. The Democrats have voted for Brad Schneider and incumbent Robert Dold is the Republican candidate. On one of the key issues of the campaign, Dold continues to assert that he is “standing up for seniors by making sure that any changes to Medicare keeps seniors’ Medicare health care and prescription drug benefits intact without driving up premiums.” But what Dold doesn’t say in one of his latest mail-outs is that if Republicans get their way, they will give seniors a …

Letter to the Editor

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:09:30 -0500

Thanks for support I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all who supported me in the recent primary to elect a judge to Cook County’s 9th Subcircuit. Running for judge is an odd experience. You have to ask your friends, family and neighbors for help. While the initial ask may have been hard, the response was overwhelming. So many gave their time, money and support. At times, I felt like George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life.” I offer my heart-felt and most sincere appreciation for all of the support and understand that I will never be able …

Town destroyed a career

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:46:00 -0500

David Wartik was cleared by the Evanston Police. No charges were filed, the case is closed, and they characterized the incident as unfounded and uncorroborated. The Evanston police investigated and closed the case quietly. David’s rights and reputation were respected until the facts could be determined. Contrast that with Winnetka, where David worked and contributed significantly to the community and to our children. Unfiled charges were made public. David’s rights were trampled on; David’s career and reputation were destroyed. The difference in the way these two towns handled this situation is stunning. One was humane and just; the other was …

Letter to the Editor

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:33:04 -0500

Wilmette is great As the wife of a diplomat, I move constantly around the world with my family. Just a year ago we discovered our new destination would be in the Chicago area. My children were so happy when we moved to the United States, but the most important issue was to find excellent schools. This is the main reason why we ended up in this simply beautiful village of Wilmette. At that time, a year ago, we were living in Sultanate of Oman, in the Middle East and I researched schools on the Internet, noticing that some of the …