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Des Plaines Patch welcomes letters to the editor. Submissions should include your name and contact information, for purposes of verification, and may be edited for clarity or profanity. Letters reflect the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of Des Plaines Patch or its staff.We are writing in response to the recent media coverage of traffic safety cameras in the area to express our support for this life-saving technology. Throughout the country, traffic safety cameras deter red light running, slow traffic on our streets and save lives. Our passion for traffic safety stems from the deep heart-felt sorrow and pain experienced in 2002 when our daughter, Sarah, was killed by a man who ran a red light and crashed into her car. We believe her death and the 30,000 deaths from fatal crashes every year should be a call to action for all Americans. Too often, the media …
CALL TO ACTION – SAY NO TO CELL TOWERS IN YOUR COMMUNITY The wired generation – should we be concerned? We are facing a serious threat, and with time, it will challenge our health and our future. It is no secret that the public is increasingly concerned about exposure. There is mounting evidence that Wi-Fi and cellular technologies are posing serious health threats that every parent should know about. WHY? Earlier: Des Plaines Aldermen Revisit T-Mobile Cell Phone Tower Proposal Mounting scientific and medical evidence points to the invisible danger posed by wireless radio high frequency …
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations United Nations Headquarters 760 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 May 6, 2011 Dear Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, This morning, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the United Nations. No, I donʼt mean the Secretariat or the General Assembly in New York City, Iʼm referring to Adlai Stevenson Elementary School in unincorporated Des Plaines, Illinois. This school is attended by students from approximately 68 different countries and are represented by every religion. The occasion for our visit was a celebration of …
Des Plaines, Illinois 60016 March 2, 2011 The Honorable Governor Pat Quinn Springfield, Illinois Dear Honorable Governor Quinn: I had the pleasure of meeting you briefly during the City of Des Plaines’ Fourth of July Parade, 2010. I am the retired Chief of Police for the City of Des Plaines, Illinois and I was the Chief Investigator and arresting officer of serial murderer John Wayne Gacy. I, along with many state legislators, witnessed the execution of Gacy. The sentiments of many of the individuals in attendance paralleled my own strong feelings supporting the death penalty. The age …
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed 2012 budget would continue a troubling pattern of slashing support for those in crisis, Life Span Executive Director Denice Wolf Markham said Friday. Life Span is a Des Plaines-based organization committed to the cessation of domestic violence and to the immediate relief of those who suffer from its consequences. Since its formation in 1978, Life Span has helped tens of thousands of domestic violence victims through a variety of counseling and legal services. A significant portion of Life Span’s budget comes via funding from the Illinois Department of Human …
These are difficult times and the problems we face in state government have no easy or pleasant solutions. I recognize that the action we took to raise revenue is difficult on families and businesses and that it is not popular, but it was necessary at this time in order to stave off even more dire financial consequences for all of us. The choices were not good - they were "bad" and "worse". Illinois was on the brink of fiscal failure. Our revenues were down 25% over the last two years due to the recession. Our bond rating was going to be downgraded to junk status in a matter of weeks (if …
