Search on for missing Buffalo Grove teen
Originally published Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Buffalo Grove police are searching for a Stevenson High School senior whose car was found Monday in Wisconsin.
Lee S. Cutler, 18, has been missing since Saturday. Police said he dropped a friend off at 9:50 a.m. that day and then didn't show up for his job at Rock America in Vernon Hills at noon.
His friends and family haven't heard from him since, which they say is out of character for Cutler.
Buffalo Grove Police Cmdr. Steve Husak said so far there is no evidence that foul play is involved.
However, the Sauk County Sheriff's Department in Wisconsin is doing an air and ground search after Cutler's gray 2007 Toyota Corolla was found near a corn field near Baraboo. The vehicle was locked and unoccupied.
"There doesn't seem to be any sort of a link," Husak said. "There's no family or friends who live in that area."
Daniel de Grazia, who is friends with the family, said Cutler's friends have started a Facebook group to get any sort of leads they can.
"He was supposed to be going to a new job that he loves," de Grazia said. "His cell phone seems to be turned off or lost or ran out of battery."
He said Cutler's voice mail is also full after his family started calling him over the weekend.
De Grazia said Cutler's friends said there was no indication that anything was going on that would make him go away.
"It's completely out of left field," he said. "No one had any inkling that he was dissatisfied or interested in taking a break."
De Grazia said Cutler seems to have taken a change of clothes with him and his parents and family still have high hopes that he can be found safely.
Anyone with information on Cutler should call the Buffalo Grove police at (847) 459-2560.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Stevenson teachers take history to blogosphere
Stevenson teachers take history to blogosphere
Curriculum includes podcasts, blogs and radio interviews with alumni
Originally published Sunday, May 21, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
When China's president came to the United States for a visit in April, the media jumped on the opportunity to discuss economics and the extent of this country's relationship with a communist nation.
In Lincolnshire, two teachers at Stevenson High School also put in their two cents using new media technology.
Andrew Conneen and Dan Larsen recorded their weekly podcast, called "The Regular Guys," which they put on their AP government class Web site for students to download.
In the broadcast, they discussed the significance of Hu Jintao's trip so their students could understand it in the context of their class discussions on China's government.
"We're always looking for projects we can utilize technology for," Conneen said.
Stevenson administrators, in fact, have lent laptops, digital cameras and iPods to the school's four government teachers so they can incorporate technology into their teaching.
"A couple years ago, the school encouraged us to think outside the box," Larsen said.
"They really encouraged us to integrate technology. They gave us training and encouragement to do it a little bit more aggressively."
Every Friday, Conneen and Larsen upload a podcast, an Internet broadcast that students can listen to online or on mp3 players, such as iPods.
They define relevant terms, such as a recent session on interest groups, and discuss current events to help students understand the ideas.
"You don't usually get a podcast that helps you study for your exams," said Corbb O'Connor, a senior who took both comparative and American government classes. "You get to expand what you learned in class that day."
The teachers also took advantage of their new technology tools earlier in the year, when they saw a potential classroom lesson playing out in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Conneen, Larsen, Jennifer Bouchard and Vanessa Lal flew to Washington, D.C., in February to film a documentary as the Supreme Court discussed the constitutionality of gerrymandering, or electoral redistricting for political advantages, in Texas in 2003.
"We captured some video outside the Supreme Court and interviewed some of the notables who stopped by," Conneen said.
After the court hands down a decision later this year, students can watch the firsthand account of the case.
Besides the documentary, all four teachers keep daily blogs that discuss current events. The Web sites allow students to discuss the news.
"(The blogs have) been most successful in getting those kids who might be too shy to participate in class discussions," Conneen said.
Paul Axel, a senior, said he's online so often anyway that he checks his class blog, www.citizenu.org, in his daily routine and often comments.
"It allows the teachers to talk about things they normally wouldn't get to talk about in class," he said. "They make it a lot more accessible for a lot of kids who don't watch the news or read the newspaper."
The teachers also bring relevant speakers to the school's radio station. They do a show during elections, and their students broadcast a forum with 8th Congressional Republican and 10th Congressional Democratic candidates before the March primary.
On May 15, the teachers did a 2 1/2-hour radio broadcast to review for the next day's AP government exam.
The show featured John Anderson, who ran as a third-party candidate for president against Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter in 1980; Dotty Lynch, senior editor for the CBS National News; Jay Matthews, education reporter for the Washington Post and Newsweek; and former student Brad Goodman, who works for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Plano Republican.
"It's such a great way to reach out and do things in a nontraditional and more exciting way," Goodman said about the radio show. "All too often people rely on methods that are just outdated. For today's youth, having a blog and having a radio show, it's so unique."
The teachers' connection to alumni, many of whom were inspired to political careers because of their classes at Stevenson, helps garner big-name guests.
"They really help communicate their passion for the subject," said Mosheh Oinounou, a 2000 graduate who works as a news researcher in Washington, D.C. "They really treat the students like mature adults and discuss the issues of our time."
Conneen said many of his students told him they were able to use the concepts guests brought up during the show on their AP exam, where they were encouraged to give examples during their free-response questions.
That's exactly the point of using different media to get the students talking about government.
"I think we envision a virtual interactive textbook to make it available for our students," Larsen said. The idea is especially important since in government class, the textbook is constantly changing with current events.
The teachers are slowly working toward that, for now interviewing political figures and having them define terms for their students.
For example, they have clips of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama talking about the 26th Amendment that allowed 18 year olds to vote, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk defining "constituent," and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin discussing "party discipline."
"The government curriculum is really vocabulary driven," Conneen said, "and students have to understand these terms."
The use of blogs and podcasts also helps to bridge the gap between generations.
"We call our students 'digital natives,' and the adults are 'digital immigrants,' " Conneen said. "This was a way to communicate using the technology."
Curriculum includes podcasts, blogs and radio interviews with alumni
Originally published Sunday, May 21, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
When China's president came to the United States for a visit in April, the media jumped on the opportunity to discuss economics and the extent of this country's relationship with a communist nation.
In Lincolnshire, two teachers at Stevenson High School also put in their two cents using new media technology.
Andrew Conneen and Dan Larsen recorded their weekly podcast, called "The Regular Guys," which they put on their AP government class Web site for students to download.
In the broadcast, they discussed the significance of Hu Jintao's trip so their students could understand it in the context of their class discussions on China's government.
"We're always looking for projects we can utilize technology for," Conneen said.
Stevenson administrators, in fact, have lent laptops, digital cameras and iPods to the school's four government teachers so they can incorporate technology into their teaching.
"A couple years ago, the school encouraged us to think outside the box," Larsen said.
"They really encouraged us to integrate technology. They gave us training and encouragement to do it a little bit more aggressively."
Every Friday, Conneen and Larsen upload a podcast, an Internet broadcast that students can listen to online or on mp3 players, such as iPods.
They define relevant terms, such as a recent session on interest groups, and discuss current events to help students understand the ideas.
"You don't usually get a podcast that helps you study for your exams," said Corbb O'Connor, a senior who took both comparative and American government classes. "You get to expand what you learned in class that day."
The teachers also took advantage of their new technology tools earlier in the year, when they saw a potential classroom lesson playing out in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Conneen, Larsen, Jennifer Bouchard and Vanessa Lal flew to Washington, D.C., in February to film a documentary as the Supreme Court discussed the constitutionality of gerrymandering, or electoral redistricting for political advantages, in Texas in 2003.
"We captured some video outside the Supreme Court and interviewed some of the notables who stopped by," Conneen said.
After the court hands down a decision later this year, students can watch the firsthand account of the case.
Besides the documentary, all four teachers keep daily blogs that discuss current events. The Web sites allow students to discuss the news.
"(The blogs have) been most successful in getting those kids who might be too shy to participate in class discussions," Conneen said.
Paul Axel, a senior, said he's online so often anyway that he checks his class blog, www.citizenu.org, in his daily routine and often comments.
"It allows the teachers to talk about things they normally wouldn't get to talk about in class," he said. "They make it a lot more accessible for a lot of kids who don't watch the news or read the newspaper."
The teachers also bring relevant speakers to the school's radio station. They do a show during elections, and their students broadcast a forum with 8th Congressional Republican and 10th Congressional Democratic candidates before the March primary.
On May 15, the teachers did a 2 1/2-hour radio broadcast to review for the next day's AP government exam.
The show featured John Anderson, who ran as a third-party candidate for president against Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter in 1980; Dotty Lynch, senior editor for the CBS National News; Jay Matthews, education reporter for the Washington Post and Newsweek; and former student Brad Goodman, who works for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, a Plano Republican.
"It's such a great way to reach out and do things in a nontraditional and more exciting way," Goodman said about the radio show. "All too often people rely on methods that are just outdated. For today's youth, having a blog and having a radio show, it's so unique."
The teachers' connection to alumni, many of whom were inspired to political careers because of their classes at Stevenson, helps garner big-name guests.
"They really help communicate their passion for the subject," said Mosheh Oinounou, a 2000 graduate who works as a news researcher in Washington, D.C. "They really treat the students like mature adults and discuss the issues of our time."
Conneen said many of his students told him they were able to use the concepts guests brought up during the show on their AP exam, where they were encouraged to give examples during their free-response questions.
That's exactly the point of using different media to get the students talking about government.
"I think we envision a virtual interactive textbook to make it available for our students," Larsen said. The idea is especially important since in government class, the textbook is constantly changing with current events.
The teachers are slowly working toward that, for now interviewing political figures and having them define terms for their students.
For example, they have clips of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama talking about the 26th Amendment that allowed 18 year olds to vote, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk defining "constituent," and U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin discussing "party discipline."
"The government curriculum is really vocabulary driven," Conneen said, "and students have to understand these terms."
The use of blogs and podcasts also helps to bridge the gap between generations.
"We call our students 'digital natives,' and the adults are 'digital immigrants,' " Conneen said. "This was a way to communicate using the technology."
No swan song here
No swan song here
Wheeling barber finds he's ready to close his doors after 45 years but he'll keep a hand in the barbershop quartet business
Originally published Sunday, Jan. 20, 2008
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
While trimming away his customers' hair, Craig Huotari maintains a friendly flow of banter.
"Mike here is one of my fun customers," he says of Wheeling resident Mike Segermark. "He's one of the ones I look forward to seeing."
Huotari creates a flat-top haircut for Segermark in his Wheeling barbershop, which has been at 251 E. Dundee Road for 45 years.
"Have I told you why this razor's so sharp?" he asks Segermark. "Because we're on the edge of town. A little barber humor there."
A news station -- one that he never turns off -- plays in the background as Huotari uses a straight-edged razor to cut the hair around Segermark's ears and neck. The technique isn't usually found at more modern hair salons, which is one of the attractions for Huotari's customers.
Segermark comes to Huotari because he knows just how to create the flat-top hair style of his choice. It's an art to get it not too long but also not too short.
"This kind of haircut is like sculpting," Huotari says.
You can tell that Huotari has been doing his job for a while, and you can tell he's good at it.
His customers have been coming to him for the years he's been in Wheeling because they know he's one of the few old-fashioned barbers still around. He even sings in a barbershop quartet, adding to his credibility.
But at the end of the month, they will have to find a new way to bring the good old days into their lives.
The 74-year-old, who lives in Wisconsin, will be retiring and spending more time with his three kids and on his boat, which is depicted in snapshots all around his shop. The building where his shop resides is being renovated, and an increase in the lease signaled it was time to retire.
He opened the shop in April 1962 after four years in the Air Force. Huotari and his friend had been playing baseball and trying to figure out what to do.
"Barber college paid $280 a month with the GI Bill," he said.
After some time at the Chicago college, Huotari realized he liked being a barber. He initially owned a shop in Des Plaines and then sold it to open one in Wheeling.
"When I was in the Air Force, I knew I had to be my own boss," he said. "When I first saw this place, it was dirt."
He opened up and waited for customers to come. Eventually, he built a solid base, employing a couple of other barbers. Now, he works alone, serving an average of 17 customers a day during his 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. work hours.
Those who walk in off the street will have a hard time getting an appointment, as most of Huotari's business is long-booked by his regulars.
Ken Brady, a trustee on the Wheeling village board, is one of those patrons who can't remember how long he's been coming to see Huotari.
"It's been about 35 or 38 years," he said. "He's turned into such a good friend, you'd almost look forward to having your monthly haircuts."
Brady said he's even gone to Galena to stay at the bed-and-breakfast Huotari owned with his wife before she passed away two years ago.
"I don't think you get that type of relationship with these larger shops," Brady said. "This sort of place is getting few and far between."
Brady's is the first appointment on Jan. 26, the last day Huotari will keep Craig's Barber Shop open.
"They're all friends now," Huotari says of the 1,200 names he has in his card file.
He's had his fair share of sports celebrities come in -- Mike Ditka even made a stop once -- but Huotari said it's the regular customers who he enjoys talking to.
"You get to know who your customers are," he said.
George Passolt, one of Huatori's first customers and the village manager in Wheeling in the 1970s, still comes by to talk to Huatori about what's going on in town.
On a recent Friday, Passolt was in the barber chair. As Mount Prospect resident Bill Richter waited, the three exchanged quips and had conversations about everything from the CTA to the time when the village refused to let Huotari's barbershop pole rotate because it violated a village code.
"It's a good atmosphere," Richter said.
Huotari said he's not ready to give up the business completely. He's gotten offers to work part-time at other shops but he's still thinking it over.
He'll also stay with Seriously, the barbershop quartet he sings with. The group sang with the group Monday night at Wheeling's village board meeting when the town honored his time in the village.
"I think it's time," Huotari said of retirement. "I've got a sailboat waiting for me."
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Political signs vs. clutter control
Political signs vs. clutter control
Wheeling sign rule draws fire from resident
Originally published Monday, Dec. 17, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
For Wheeling, it's about controlling clutter, but for Chris Shefner, it's a matter of retaining his constitutional rights.
Shefner, a Wheeling resident, said he plans to fight a $25 citation he received for having two signs supporting presidential candidate Ron Paul in his front yard. Such signs have been a common manifestation of Paul's grassroots organizing effort.
Wheeling ordinances don't allow any political signs out on private property more than 30 days before an election. Residents also only can have one sign up per candidate.
"It's for aesthetic purposes mainly, to prevent accumulation of too many signs," said James Ferolo, attorney for the village of Wheeling.
It's an issue that has inspired controversy in other suburbs over the years, and at least one has backed away from such an ordinance.
A couple of years ago, Wheeling looked at extending the 30-day limit to 90 days, but trustees ultimately decided the policy was fine as is.
Mark Johnson, who is with the community development department in Wheeling, said the village received a complaint about Shefner's signs.
He said the protocol is to send several warnings to residents who violate the village ordinance and then hand out a citation.
Before this case came up, "we've never had anyone not comply," he said.
Shefner, however, says it's his property, and he should be allowed to have signs up in his yard whenever he wants.
"There's absolutely no reason for this kind of law to be around," he said. "It's my personal property; I should be able to put whatever I want in the yard."
The American Civil Liberties Union agrees with Shefner.
"We're always concerned when there are efforts to limit the capacity and ability of people to engage in free speech," said Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the Illinois chapter of the ACLU.
Adam Schwartz, senior attorney for the ACLU of Illinois, said he's sent a letter to Wheeling informing it of the organization's view.
He said presidential campaigns don't start a month before the election, so it's not realistic to create an arbitrary limit to signage.
"If this was a sign that said, 'Lower my taxes' or 'Support the troops,' it doesn't matter," Schwartz said. "People should be allowed to engage in basic First Amendment political speech."
Just last month, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling's next-door neighbor, changed its sign ordinance to drop a 30-day time limit because a candidate brought up the issue during the 2006 elections.
Buffalo Grove Village Attorney Bill Raysa said at the Nov. 19 board meeting that there have been several cases statewide regarding freedom of speech and election signs.
While the constitutionality of such laws isn't clear, Raysa said the 30-day time limit could come under scrutiny, and he recommended removing it to stay on the safe side. In a memo sent to the village board when the issue was under discussion, Raysa wrote:
"Although the Supreme Court has not considered the issue, the overwhelming majority of courts that have reviewed sign ordinances imposing durational time limits for temporary political signs tied to a specific election date have found them to be unconstitutional."
Other towns have had their share of political sign flaps.
Most recently, Hawthorn Woods was challenged for its rules, which require candidates to submit names and addresses of all political sign locations. That issue is still being resolved, although a tentative oral agreement could mean the ordinance won't be enforced.
A proposal in Algonquin to impose a limit of only one candidate sign per lawn failed earlier this year.
Ferolo, the Wheeling village attorney, said now that the issue has come up, he'll recommend the village board take another look at its ordinance.
However, that doesn't necessarily mean anything will change.
"Aesthetic purposes have been upheld in court, so long as you let people get their message across," Ferolo said. "Most villages have felt that with the 30-day limitation, you were still doing that while at the same time preventing too many signs accumulating."
Interim Wheeling Village President Judy Abruscato said political signs have been getting out of control in the village, and she thinks 30 days is more than enough time to show support for a candidate.
However, she said if it's brought up, she's willing to give the issue a second look.
"We're always here to help residents so that people don't feel that their rights are violated," she said.
Shefner said he plans on fighting the ordinance. He hasn't paid the fine, but he also hasn't received a court date from Wheeling yet.
He said that besides contacting the ACLU, he is looking for an attorney who can represent him if Wheeling doesn't overturn its ordinance.
"This is political; this is very important to people like me," he said.
Wheeling sign rule draws fire from resident
Originally published Monday, Dec. 17, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
For Wheeling, it's about controlling clutter, but for Chris Shefner, it's a matter of retaining his constitutional rights.
Shefner, a Wheeling resident, said he plans to fight a $25 citation he received for having two signs supporting presidential candidate Ron Paul in his front yard. Such signs have been a common manifestation of Paul's grassroots organizing effort.
Wheeling ordinances don't allow any political signs out on private property more than 30 days before an election. Residents also only can have one sign up per candidate.
"It's for aesthetic purposes mainly, to prevent accumulation of too many signs," said James Ferolo, attorney for the village of Wheeling.
It's an issue that has inspired controversy in other suburbs over the years, and at least one has backed away from such an ordinance.
A couple of years ago, Wheeling looked at extending the 30-day limit to 90 days, but trustees ultimately decided the policy was fine as is.
Mark Johnson, who is with the community development department in Wheeling, said the village received a complaint about Shefner's signs.
He said the protocol is to send several warnings to residents who violate the village ordinance and then hand out a citation.
Before this case came up, "we've never had anyone not comply," he said.
Shefner, however, says it's his property, and he should be allowed to have signs up in his yard whenever he wants.
"There's absolutely no reason for this kind of law to be around," he said. "It's my personal property; I should be able to put whatever I want in the yard."
The American Civil Liberties Union agrees with Shefner.
"We're always concerned when there are efforts to limit the capacity and ability of people to engage in free speech," said Ed Yohnka, spokesman for the Illinois chapter of the ACLU.
Adam Schwartz, senior attorney for the ACLU of Illinois, said he's sent a letter to Wheeling informing it of the organization's view.
He said presidential campaigns don't start a month before the election, so it's not realistic to create an arbitrary limit to signage.
"If this was a sign that said, 'Lower my taxes' or 'Support the troops,' it doesn't matter," Schwartz said. "People should be allowed to engage in basic First Amendment political speech."
Just last month, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling's next-door neighbor, changed its sign ordinance to drop a 30-day time limit because a candidate brought up the issue during the 2006 elections.
Buffalo Grove Village Attorney Bill Raysa said at the Nov. 19 board meeting that there have been several cases statewide regarding freedom of speech and election signs.
While the constitutionality of such laws isn't clear, Raysa said the 30-day time limit could come under scrutiny, and he recommended removing it to stay on the safe side. In a memo sent to the village board when the issue was under discussion, Raysa wrote:
"Although the Supreme Court has not considered the issue, the overwhelming majority of courts that have reviewed sign ordinances imposing durational time limits for temporary political signs tied to a specific election date have found them to be unconstitutional."
Other towns have had their share of political sign flaps.
Most recently, Hawthorn Woods was challenged for its rules, which require candidates to submit names and addresses of all political sign locations. That issue is still being resolved, although a tentative oral agreement could mean the ordinance won't be enforced.
A proposal in Algonquin to impose a limit of only one candidate sign per lawn failed earlier this year.
Ferolo, the Wheeling village attorney, said now that the issue has come up, he'll recommend the village board take another look at its ordinance.
However, that doesn't necessarily mean anything will change.
"Aesthetic purposes have been upheld in court, so long as you let people get their message across," Ferolo said. "Most villages have felt that with the 30-day limitation, you were still doing that while at the same time preventing too many signs accumulating."
Interim Wheeling Village President Judy Abruscato said political signs have been getting out of control in the village, and she thinks 30 days is more than enough time to show support for a candidate.
However, she said if it's brought up, she's willing to give the issue a second look.
"We're always here to help residents so that people don't feel that their rights are violated," she said.
Shefner said he plans on fighting the ordinance. He hasn't paid the fine, but he also hasn't received a court date from Wheeling yet.
He said that besides contacting the ACLU, he is looking for an attorney who can represent him if Wheeling doesn't overturn its ordinance.
"This is political; this is very important to people like me," he said.
Teen sues Dist. 214 over new silence law
Teen sues Dist. 214 over new silence law
Originally published Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Acting on a promise made earlier this month, 14-year-old Dawn Sherman on Friday filed a lawsuit against Northwest Suburban Township High School District 214 to fight the state-mandated moment of silence.
The district is planning to implement the law on Tuesday during morning announcements. The suit is believed to be the first seeking to overturn the new law.
Sherman's father, Rob, said they will be seeking an injunction Monday to prevent that from happening. The lawsuit was filed through Rob -- an atheist activist -- since Dawn is a minor.
He said the law violates the separation of church and state because it requires a moment of reflection on a daily basis.
"People shouldn't be stopping my education for prayer that they could be doing any time in the 18 hours they have the rest of the day," Dawn said.
Although the law doesn't require children to pray, Sherman said the name -- Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act -- indicates that intent.
"The legislature does not have the authority nor the right in the constitution to promote religion in the public schools," said Gregory Kulis, Sherman's attorney. "It is clear by reading the act and the legislative history, the legislature is promoting religion."
Venetia Miles, spokeswoman for District 214, said she hasn't seen the lawsuit and can't comment on it.
However, she said the district will continue with the moment of silence unless otherwise ordered because it has a responsibility to obey state law.
Joseph Conn, a spokesman for Americans United, a group focused on separation of church and state, said the law seems to be a backdoor attempt to bring government-sponsored prayer into school.
"Teachers have the authority already to call for a moment of silence," he said. "When the legislature starts meddling in something like this, it's obvious they're doing it to appeal to voters."
However, he said it's up to the courts to decide where to draw the line on prayer and a moment of silence. Because the law gives prayer as only one option during the moment of silence, Conn said it's a little more complicated.
"It's hard to say where (the courts) will come down on this," Conn said.
State Rep. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, said when he sponsored the bill in the House, he never intended prayer to become an issue.
"If I for a second thought that the intent of the bill was to introduce prayers into public schools, I would not have sponsored the bill," he said. "It's definitely very clear that there has to be a line between church and state."
Crespo said the law doesn't give teachers a license to instill their beliefs into students. Instead, he said it's a chance to take a moment to pause in the midst of a busy day and reflect.
"I don't understand the merits of the lawsuit," he said. "Again, this is not asking (students) to pray."
Besides naming District 214 board members and Superintendent David Schuler, the lawsuit filed in federal court also names Patrice Johannes, principal at Buffalo Grove High School, which Dawn attends, Dawn's third-period teacher, Binh Huynh -- who would oversee the moment of silence -- and Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Blagojevich vetoed the bill but was overridden by the state House and Senate. Sherman said the governor is cited because he is responsible for enforcing state law.
If the judge doesn't agree to an injunction, Dawn said she would just sit at her desk and study for that moment. She's hoping, though, that eventually the law will be taken off the books statewide.
Originally published Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Acting on a promise made earlier this month, 14-year-old Dawn Sherman on Friday filed a lawsuit against Northwest Suburban Township High School District 214 to fight the state-mandated moment of silence.
The district is planning to implement the law on Tuesday during morning announcements. The suit is believed to be the first seeking to overturn the new law.
Sherman's father, Rob, said they will be seeking an injunction Monday to prevent that from happening. The lawsuit was filed through Rob -- an atheist activist -- since Dawn is a minor.
He said the law violates the separation of church and state because it requires a moment of reflection on a daily basis.
"People shouldn't be stopping my education for prayer that they could be doing any time in the 18 hours they have the rest of the day," Dawn said.
Although the law doesn't require children to pray, Sherman said the name -- Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act -- indicates that intent.
"The legislature does not have the authority nor the right in the constitution to promote religion in the public schools," said Gregory Kulis, Sherman's attorney. "It is clear by reading the act and the legislative history, the legislature is promoting religion."
Venetia Miles, spokeswoman for District 214, said she hasn't seen the lawsuit and can't comment on it.
However, she said the district will continue with the moment of silence unless otherwise ordered because it has a responsibility to obey state law.
Joseph Conn, a spokesman for Americans United, a group focused on separation of church and state, said the law seems to be a backdoor attempt to bring government-sponsored prayer into school.
"Teachers have the authority already to call for a moment of silence," he said. "When the legislature starts meddling in something like this, it's obvious they're doing it to appeal to voters."
However, he said it's up to the courts to decide where to draw the line on prayer and a moment of silence. Because the law gives prayer as only one option during the moment of silence, Conn said it's a little more complicated.
"It's hard to say where (the courts) will come down on this," Conn said.
State Rep. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, said when he sponsored the bill in the House, he never intended prayer to become an issue.
"If I for a second thought that the intent of the bill was to introduce prayers into public schools, I would not have sponsored the bill," he said. "It's definitely very clear that there has to be a line between church and state."
Crespo said the law doesn't give teachers a license to instill their beliefs into students. Instead, he said it's a chance to take a moment to pause in the midst of a busy day and reflect.
"I don't understand the merits of the lawsuit," he said. "Again, this is not asking (students) to pray."
Besides naming District 214 board members and Superintendent David Schuler, the lawsuit filed in federal court also names Patrice Johannes, principal at Buffalo Grove High School, which Dawn attends, Dawn's third-period teacher, Binh Huynh -- who would oversee the moment of silence -- and Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Blagojevich vetoed the bill but was overridden by the state House and Senate. Sherman said the governor is cited because he is responsible for enforcing state law.
If the judge doesn't agree to an injunction, Dawn said she would just sit at her desk and study for that moment. She's hoping, though, that eventually the law will be taken off the books statewide.
Towns point fingers over airport
Towns point fingers over airport
Originally published Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Wheeling Village Manager Mark Rooney, attacked by Prospect Heights officials last week, responded Monday by raising questions about hidden appraisals in a land deal that benefited Prospect Heights.
The Prospect Heights City Council sent a letter to Wheeling last week saying Rooney improperly pushed for a Wheeling fire station at Chicago Executive Airport, co-owned by both towns.
At Monday's village board meeting, Rooney -- who denies the accusations made in the letter -- said the issue stems from a meeting Nov. 28 between some officials from both towns.
At that gathering, Rooney said he wanted to ask Prospect Heights about appraisals for airport land that were never presented to the Federal Aviation Administration and Wheeling.
Last year, both Wheeling and Prospect Heights agreed to have the airport purchase 14 acres of land as a runway protection zone to buffer the airport's neighboring residents. An FAA grant made the deal possible.
Rooney said appraisals valued that property at between $10 million and $10.75 million. That report, from July 27, 2006, was given to the airport board and the FAA.
However, previous appraisals conducted on March 10, 2006 -- where the land was valued at $6.5 million -- and on May 16, 2006 -- where the property was given a $5.9 million value -- were never passed along.
Prospect Heights benefited from the higher price, since that land originally was part of a 28-acre tax-increment financing district created to bring an arena to the city. The arena plan fell through, and Prospect Heights was left with debt from the district.
Rooney recently discovered the discrepancy and said he wanted to give Prospect Heights officials a chance to explain.
"I was worried about the village of Wheeling's reputation," Rooney said. "We wanted to stay on good standing with the FAA."
Rooney said he was also worried about relations with the Illinois Department of Transportation, which plays a role in any acquisition of airport property.
"IDOT funds a great number of projects in Wheeling," he said. "We did not want to be held accountable by IDOT for the actions of Prospect Heights, which we knew nothing about."
Prospect Heights never responded to his question, Rooney said; instead, they sent the letter to Wheeling calling Rooney's conduct into question.
Pat Ludvigsen, acting Prospect Heights mayor, said the appraisals were done by the airport, so the city isn't involved in the issue.
"This had been reviewed by the FAA, so I have to make the assumption that everything was fine," he said. "This has been reviewed by so many people already; this is just an attempt by (Rooney) to smear somebody."
The Prospect Heights letter said Rooney threatened airport manager Dennis Rouleau's job if he didn't help push the fire station project.
Rooney said he's never threatened Rouleau's job and that the fire station proposal -- which Prospect Heights was well aware of -- is no longer on the table.
Rouleau said he didn't want to comment on the Prospect Heights letter and Wheeling officials said they wouldn't discuss personnel matters in open session.
"The only thing I will say is that I've had an outstanding career here at Chicago Executive," Rouleau said. "I've always been … professional in conducting my job, and I will continue to do so."
Originally published Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Wheeling Village Manager Mark Rooney, attacked by Prospect Heights officials last week, responded Monday by raising questions about hidden appraisals in a land deal that benefited Prospect Heights.
The Prospect Heights City Council sent a letter to Wheeling last week saying Rooney improperly pushed for a Wheeling fire station at Chicago Executive Airport, co-owned by both towns.
At Monday's village board meeting, Rooney -- who denies the accusations made in the letter -- said the issue stems from a meeting Nov. 28 between some officials from both towns.
At that gathering, Rooney said he wanted to ask Prospect Heights about appraisals for airport land that were never presented to the Federal Aviation Administration and Wheeling.
Last year, both Wheeling and Prospect Heights agreed to have the airport purchase 14 acres of land as a runway protection zone to buffer the airport's neighboring residents. An FAA grant made the deal possible.
Rooney said appraisals valued that property at between $10 million and $10.75 million. That report, from July 27, 2006, was given to the airport board and the FAA.
However, previous appraisals conducted on March 10, 2006 -- where the land was valued at $6.5 million -- and on May 16, 2006 -- where the property was given a $5.9 million value -- were never passed along.
Prospect Heights benefited from the higher price, since that land originally was part of a 28-acre tax-increment financing district created to bring an arena to the city. The arena plan fell through, and Prospect Heights was left with debt from the district.
Rooney recently discovered the discrepancy and said he wanted to give Prospect Heights officials a chance to explain.
"I was worried about the village of Wheeling's reputation," Rooney said. "We wanted to stay on good standing with the FAA."
Rooney said he was also worried about relations with the Illinois Department of Transportation, which plays a role in any acquisition of airport property.
"IDOT funds a great number of projects in Wheeling," he said. "We did not want to be held accountable by IDOT for the actions of Prospect Heights, which we knew nothing about."
Prospect Heights never responded to his question, Rooney said; instead, they sent the letter to Wheeling calling Rooney's conduct into question.
Pat Ludvigsen, acting Prospect Heights mayor, said the appraisals were done by the airport, so the city isn't involved in the issue.
"This had been reviewed by the FAA, so I have to make the assumption that everything was fine," he said. "This has been reviewed by so many people already; this is just an attempt by (Rooney) to smear somebody."
The Prospect Heights letter said Rooney threatened airport manager Dennis Rouleau's job if he didn't help push the fire station project.
Rooney said he's never threatened Rouleau's job and that the fire station proposal -- which Prospect Heights was well aware of -- is no longer on the table.
Rouleau said he didn't want to comment on the Prospect Heights letter and Wheeling officials said they wouldn't discuss personnel matters in open session.
"The only thing I will say is that I've had an outstanding career here at Chicago Executive," Rouleau said. "I've always been … professional in conducting my job, and I will continue to do so."
Airport board finds old conflicts die hard
Airport board finds old conflicts die hard
Originally published Saturday, Oct. 18, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Through talks of turning over a new leaf, the Chicago Executive Airport board on Wednesday still had the vestiges of past conflicts pop up.
Board members of the Wheeling-based airport, formerly known as Palwaukee, questioned its engineering firm on what information was passed along to a consultant.
The consultant, Airport Corp. of America, has caused problems on the board in past months. Several directors have questioned why John Kennedy, with that company, was hired and what work he had been doing.
Brian Welker, with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, Inc., the airport's engineering firm, said Kennedy was concentrating on land acquisition and noise regulations.
However, board members said they still don't have a full idea of why he was hired by the board's former chair, Kevin Dohm.
Dohm recently resigned from the board after several members took up the question of how the consultant was hired without their approval.
The board's vice chairman, L. James Wylie, also resigned a few weeks after Dohm.
Welker said the consultant situation "put us in an extremely awkward position" since the board as a whole wasn't and still isn't aware of what Kennedy was doing.
The board also changed to whom the airport's manager reports. Previously, the airport's bylaws had the manager reporting only to the chair, but he will now report to the whole board.
The group also had the responsibility of electing a new vice chairman after Wylie's departure. Secretary Ralph Shepstone will take over for the next few meetings; however, he said he wasn't interested in keeping the job permanently.
Darlene Ahlstedt also joined the board for her first meeting since the Prospect Heights city council confirmed her appointment Monday.
Ahlstedt was chosen by the city to take Wylie's open seat; both Wheeling and Prospect Heights co-own the airport and choose two members each to appoint.
The chairman position is chosen by both the Wheeling village president and the Prospect Heights mayor. Both are still discussing who to appoint as the chair.
The remaining members of the board said on Wednesday they'd like to put the consultant situation behind them.
"I just hope that tonight is the beginning of the future of the airport," said Pam Arrigoni, the Prospect Heights city administrator, who also has a seat on the board.
Originally published Saturday, Oct. 18, 2007
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Through talks of turning over a new leaf, the Chicago Executive Airport board on Wednesday still had the vestiges of past conflicts pop up.
Board members of the Wheeling-based airport, formerly known as Palwaukee, questioned its engineering firm on what information was passed along to a consultant.
The consultant, Airport Corp. of America, has caused problems on the board in past months. Several directors have questioned why John Kennedy, with that company, was hired and what work he had been doing.
Brian Welker, with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, Inc., the airport's engineering firm, said Kennedy was concentrating on land acquisition and noise regulations.
However, board members said they still don't have a full idea of why he was hired by the board's former chair, Kevin Dohm.
Dohm recently resigned from the board after several members took up the question of how the consultant was hired without their approval.
The board's vice chairman, L. James Wylie, also resigned a few weeks after Dohm.
Welker said the consultant situation "put us in an extremely awkward position" since the board as a whole wasn't and still isn't aware of what Kennedy was doing.
The board also changed to whom the airport's manager reports. Previously, the airport's bylaws had the manager reporting only to the chair, but he will now report to the whole board.
The group also had the responsibility of electing a new vice chairman after Wylie's departure. Secretary Ralph Shepstone will take over for the next few meetings; however, he said he wasn't interested in keeping the job permanently.
Darlene Ahlstedt also joined the board for her first meeting since the Prospect Heights city council confirmed her appointment Monday.
Ahlstedt was chosen by the city to take Wylie's open seat; both Wheeling and Prospect Heights co-own the airport and choose two members each to appoint.
The chairman position is chosen by both the Wheeling village president and the Prospect Heights mayor. Both are still discussing who to appoint as the chair.
The remaining members of the board said on Wednesday they'd like to put the consultant situation behind them.
"I just hope that tonight is the beginning of the future of the airport," said Pam Arrigoni, the Prospect Heights city administrator, who also has a seat on the board.
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