Letter: Suburban Cops Allowed to Work Half Drunk

The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists finds it utterly unacceptable any police agency would knowing allow their officers to report to work with any level of alcohol in their system.

  In response to NBC-TV news story “Many Suburban Cops Allowed to Work Half Drunk” which aired on local news February 14, 2013. The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) finds it utterly unacceptable that any police agency would knowing allow their officers to report to work with any level of alcohol in their system. We feel that departments that have a written clause in their union contracts that have an allowable illegal BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 0.08 with any blood alcohol content and permit officers to report for duty should rethink their policy. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) legal limits do not define a level below which it is safe to operate a vehicle or engage in some other …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (2)

Letter to the Editor: GOP Coroner Endorses Tao Martinez as Kane Coroner Candidate

Recently retired McDonough County coroner throws his support to candidate in Kane County race.

To Whom It May Concern: I am wrting to encourage all voters to become aware of one of your candiates for the Office of Kane County Coroner. I am a recently retired county coroner after serving for 28 years as coroner. I have had four county coroners serving in two different counties since 1972. I served as President of the Illinois Coroners & Medical Examiners Association in 1992 and served over 20 years as a board member.. I have served on the Necropsy Board that oversaw the conduct of coroners offices across Illinois. I am a past member of the International Coroners & Medical Examiners Association. During this time I have had the pleasure meeting and working with numerous coroners. Each elected or appointed official operates his or her …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (3)

Letter to the Editor: Don't Allow Mountain Biking in Forest Preserves

Can Kane County possibly be serious about allowing mountain biking in a forest preserve?

Dear Patch Editor, There seems to be more interest in the Fabyan Forest Preserve Woods than the old oak trees have seen in many years. The trail leading into the woods on the east side of the forest preserve in Geneva has a sign posted: "NO BIKES ALLOWED." Yet, as we walk the woods, some walking slower than others, we are frequently forced to move quickly to the side of the trail because mountain bikers are riding these woods illegally. Now the Chicago Area Bike Club (CAMBr) is asking the Kane County Board to construct mountain bike trails in these woods. And yes, CAMBr members speak publicly about riding in these woods.  Can the Kane County Board possibly be considering rewarding this illegal behavior? That is not what we teach our …

•  24 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor: Algonquin Resident Supports Leslie Coolidge for Congress

Do you have a letter to the editor you would like to share with the community? Send to Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch Editor Amie Schaenzer at amie.schaenzer@patch.com.

To The Editor:  Ms. Leslie Coolidge is a Democrat running for Congress in the newly redistricted District 6. I am enthused about having such an intelligent woman represent me in Washington. Coolidge is a CPA and retired partner with KPMG, an international accounting firm. She understands how to provide the financial incentives that will support President Obama’s plan to invest in our infrastructure. The plan will revive the middle class by putting money back into the economy, growing jobs and getting banks to lend again. She is an environmentalist, and favors the wealthy paying their fair share of taxes.  Her Republican opponent, radical right-wing incumbent, Peter Roskam, is a participant in Congress’ War on Women. We have an …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor: Burns' Experience Makes Him Right for the Job

Mike Donahue: Consider the analogy of the CEO job candidate, and you'll see why Kevin Burns is best qualified to serve as Kane County Board chairman.

To the Editor: I am one of six Kane County Board members who endorsed Kevin Burns for County Board chairman. I did so because I have known Kevin as a friend and colleague for more than 20 years. But my endorsement is supported by a more practical consideration than that; he is the most qualified candidate for the job. Why? Consider this simple analogy: An organization with a $230 million annual budget is looking for a new CEO. The CEO’s primary responsibility is to run day-to-day operations in a responsible and cost-effective manner. There are two top candidates for the job. Candidate A is the CEO of a smaller, but very similar organization. He is responsible for day-to-day operations and by all measures he has done an outstanding job …

•  24 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor: How Did Burns/Lauzen Race Get to Be So Nasty?

Journalism major and Geneva Patch contributor Tara Knott asks why a primary race between two nice guys had to get so low.

To the Editor: Hi, boss! I know I’m completely unqualified to write this letter to you, but I’ve been monitoring this Kane County Board chairman race all the way from Nashville, and I have a question for you. In the interest of full disclosure for readers who don’t know, I’m a journalism major at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, but I grew up in Geneva, and I honed my reporting skills interviewing both of the candidates in this race. During my senior year at Geneva High School, I was a student correspondent at The Beacon News (also under your supervision, Rick, though I’m sure I wasn’t on your radar screen then!) For one of my first articles, I covered a city meeting where state Sen. Lauzen spoke against opening a controversial …

•  3 Comments
• Photos (1)

Letter to the Editor

Feeding the Hungry in Lake in the Hills

The Lake in the Hills Rotary Club's Interact Youth Group hosted a mobile food pantry on Nov. 18 and served 100 people in need at village hall in Lake in the Hills.

What does the face of hunger look like in a community like Lake in the Hills?  Would we know the face of hunger if we saw it? No, their faces are as varied as the community in which we live.   On Friday evening, November 18th, over 100 hungry faces lined up at the LITH Village Hall to receive food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank Mobile Pantry sponsored by the LITH Rotary Interact Youth Group and the LITH Rotary Club.  While their faces differed, their thankfulness for the food was universal as expressed by one client who upon hearing his number called, put his hand over his heart, and extended that same hand to those serving. - Carol Gates, Lake in the Hills Rotary Club member

• Photos (4)

Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Riverview Restaurant Continues To Survive Despite Challenges

As Algonquin grew and the economy crashed, the restaurant is trying to keep its doors open for its employees and loyal customers.

To the editor:   I have worked for The Riverview for nearly two decades now.  In my early years, at the original location across from Port Edward, we were accustomed to lines of people waiting on Thursday nights for our Prime Rib, Friday nights for our fish fry and Saturday nights for our Beef Ribs.  We were always involved in and very crowded during the Founders Days Celebrations, primarily due to our loyal customers and our central downtown location.  As the town grew and the traffic became nightmarish, the village decided to tear down our building and install a turn lane to ease traffic congestion.  Not only did we voice our objections over this but so did our customers.  Being the building was the first hotel in McHenry County, one …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)