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Recently, I read a guest commentary by Bret Conway concerning the banning of books in school libraries. He states there were attempts to censor 4,240 books in schools and public libraries in 2023. He labeled Moms for Liberty and Awake Illinois as extreme groups. Fortunately, we have free speech protected by our U.S. Constitution. Additionally, the 14th Amendment protect the rights of parents to make decisions for their children. The recent passage of HB 2789 makes it difficult for parents to object to certain books that...
They say you should never meet your heroes, but what if you meet someone who you don't know is your hero? That was the case with Byron (fake name). I met Byron some 12 years ago at a place where I knew no one. I was trying to learn how to shoot skeet, having never really shot guns. The people who shot together when I started were all men, all knew each other and no one was concerned about getting to know the new guy. Over time, I started to meet people, but I felt like an...
I couldn’t agree more with your guest commentator, Bret Conway, especially during September, National Library Card Sign-up Month. We should be encouraging the use of libraries and ensure students (and everyone) have access to books of their choosing. I taught for over 30 years; during those years I am proud to say that I have introduced students to many of the books that show up on Banned Books Lists: “The Merchant of Venice,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Animal Farm,” and on and on. During September (duri...
"Sisterhood, oh sisterhood, it means so much to us. It lasts a long, long, time. It lasts forever." Forty years ago I went through Rush at Illinois Wesleyan University, pledged the Sigma Kappa House and soon after learned that chant. On Bid Day, I didn't know a single one of the 20 or so girls in my pledge class. Two weekends ago, nine of us got together for a mini-reunion in Edwardsville. Only one regular attendee was missing - celebrating her mom's birthday. One came all...
At an April D181 board meeting, two concerned parents of Hinsdale objected to LGBTQ-related books from school libraries, including Monroe. One speaker referenced such 25 books, including “history books that feature Harvey Milk and the pride flag.” The other demanded removal of the books. You can probably already guess their other talking points (indoctrination, pushing woke gender ideology, etc.) during public comments. Downers Grove District 99 dealt with a similar moral pan...
Covering the final Uniquely Thursdays concert last week for the final installment of our Summer Days series brought back lots of memories. Since I've worked in Hinsdale forever, I was around when the concert series launched in 2002. That year, and for the five summers that followed, the event took place on First Street between Garfield Avenue and Washington Street. I remember those early concerts well. So does Washington Street resident Lynette Lovelace, who was involved with...
We typically don’t write editorials about taxing bodies we don’t cover. But with all that has transpired concerning the proposed TIF district along 55th Street in Clarendon Hills — and its potential impact on Hinsdale school districts — we feel compelled to share a few observations. First, a tax increment financing district — or TIF — is a complicated mechanism Illinois law allows local governments to use to redevelop a certain area to eliminate blight or prevent its onset. Without going into all the details here, the T...
Growing up some of my favorite books were the "Little House on the Prairie" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. The author and I had the same name. As a third-grader, that was enough to pique my interest. It grew beyond that as I read with fascination about the family's adventures and their day-to-day life. Building your own house, cooking over a fireplace, reading by candlelight. Even as an adult, I love to learn about life in those times. Perhaps that led to my many years as a G...
Summer 2024 is over, if you’ve headed back to school, or about over, if you listen to meteorologists. This week I wanted to reflect on some of the highlights that I’ve enjoyed — or plan to enjoy — before summer officially ends Sept. 22. • visiting family After a few years of texting and Zooming, I had the chance to meet my birth mom’s older sister, Barb, while we were in Maryland in June. We traveled there for my birth mom’s husband Steve’s memorial service, which was beautifu...
Class is back in session for Hinsdale students, which means youth and families making their morning and afternoon school commutes — often on foot or by bicycle. The urge to hurry often vies for our state of mind when there are tasks to tend to. But let us this season instead tend to the safety of our community’s most precious resource by slowing down, yielding to pedestrians and obeying crossing guards who are depending on us to pay attention — i.e. off our phones — and comply as they escort students. Those driving to and...
The clock just clicked over to 7:54 a.m. and I sit alone at the kitchen counter planning my day. It's a pretty average Monday (tennis carpool, grocery store for basics, Costco for bulk items, Kramer's for special stuff, playdate/thunderdome followed by family dinner) but something feels off. It's now 8 a.m.. I kick into a higher gear - answering emails, preparing breakfast and sharing a few memes with my mom bruhs - but the silence is unusual. Deafening, even. I'm sliding scra...
Make no mistake. The Hinsdalean’s Page 3 article (Aug. 8) about criticism of library books is about banning books. Do you want Kristina McCloy and Concerned Parents of Hinsdale deciding what your kids read? As a father of two in D181 with a third joining in a year, I don’t. — Jeff Schieber, Hinsdale...
Every two years I, like so many others across the country and around the world, love watching the Olympics. Two seasons of basketball poms were the extent of my athletic endeavors, so it's not an affinity with the athletes that draws me to the television set each night for 17 days. I do love watching people perform at their absolute best - and hearing so many inspiring stories about the athletes. NBC broadcasters and TV personalities (mainly Jimmy Fallon) seem to agree that...
Some approach heading back to school with a sense of anticipation and excitement. They’ve already color coded their school supplies, picked out their outfit for the first day and gotten up early for a week to make sure they are ready for classes to begin. Others are a little less enthusiastic. Their school supplies are still in the Target bag, they have no idea what they will wear the first day of school and they’re still sleeping in until 11 a.m. But heading back to school is an amazing time, whether students are able to...
Late summer, the evening light shifts, almost incandescent. I love that the sun always lets us know where we are, on the planet and in life. I’m sitting in my backyard. String lights illuminate a graying wooden fence and red Adirondack chairs underneath the maple tree. On hot days, a squirrel lounges on the chair arm, flattening himself so completely in a shockingly unsquirrel like way, that if I notice, I’m compelled to check on him, make sure he’s OK. I approach, he scramble...
I miss the days when Ainsley was little and Friday night was pizza and movie night. We’d watch the latest Disney release or sentimental favorites like “Because of Winn-Dixie” or “Fly Away Home.” Every Friday I still suggest a movie night — and we still have pizza. But now that Ainsley is older, it seems she has better things to do, like go out with friends or babysitting. Some nights she even prefers hanging out in her room alone to spending time with me and her dad! Earlier this summer she agreed to a series of throwback m...
August is National Wellness Month, a designation aimed at inspiring self-care, healthy routines and reduced stress for a more fulfilling life. Hinsdale and neighboring communities are rich in business and nonprofit organizations offering a full gamut of wellness activities. Check out this issue’s Out & About listing (starting on Page 16) to get information on the tai chi chuan and chi gung morning class on Aug. 10 & 24 at The Community House, 415 W. Eighth St., to improve balance, develop posture and alignments, improve m...
This column was supposed to be about my epic hot air balloon ride. A beautiful, adventurous ride providing the perfect counter balance to the chaotic ugliness of traditional travel. A majestic, joyful ride helping me shed the bitter aftertaste of travel delays due to unpredictable summer storms, software malfunctions, missed connections and last-minute car rentals with flat tires. The ride got canceled due to an unpredictable summer storm. How does one pivot from a planned hum...
One of my favorite episodes of The X-Files is called "The Field Where I Died." Usually the show is about aliens (which might or might not exist, depending on which season you're watching), but this one is about an investigation of a local cult that supposedly has a cache of weapons and is abusing children. During the investigation, FBI special agent Fox Mulder experiences deja vu, which leads him to find the cult leader and his six wives, hiding under a trap door and...
Did three Hinsdale High School District 86 Board members discuss board business when they met for dinner at Taco Grill in Westmont a few weeks ago? We’ll never know. The three — board President Cat Greenspon and members Peggy James and Jeff Waters — contend that they were not discussing any board business. And we have no proof to counter their claim. But we have attended meetings ourselves, at work or at church or somewhere else. And we’ve talked about them afterward. That seems to be the natural progression — you and other...
The moving truck pulled up earlier than expected. I felt a jolt of adrenaline and dread, knowing it was really happening. This year would be our 21st, and last year, living in Hinsdale. Three big moving guys descended on our home. They were nice but no nonsense as they inventoried our things. They slapped down reams of packing paper and got to work. I cringed as they picked up our special things - crystal from my mother-in-law, Christmas decorations passed down and collected,...
I am sorry to report Hinsdale once again has fallen short of the North Shore. One of those fancy "W" towns - Winnetka - beat out Hinsdale for the No. 1 spot on the latest list published by HomeSnacks. What is HomeSnacks, you ask? We're not entirely sure, but it produces lots of lists - safest states, most dangerous states, even dumbest states. You can read all of these lists on its Facebook page (which contains no information about who is preparing them or why). And what does...
The greatest athletes in the world have assembled in the French capital to compete for gold at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games. In anticipation of the pomp and pageantry of the opening ceremony and the emotional roller coaster tracking the exploits of Team USA, we couldn’t help but let our imaginations run wild with the notion of what an Olympics might look like right here in Hinsdale. Granted Salt Creek may be a bit tighter to navigate than the Seine River for water sports events, and the carillon cupola atop the M...
When I heard of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, I mentally ticked off the same list many others did - Lincoln, JFK, RFK Jr., Reagan. Then I heard a news report about an attempt on former President Teddy Roosevelt's life as he sought another term. I was surprised to hear about an assassination attempt that I didn't remember learning about in school. Then I did a little research online and discovered the list of assassination attempts on presidents...
Camps. Lessons. Team practices. Trips to the pool — or maybe summer school. Appointments at the DMV. All of the above can leave us wondering — just where are those lazy days of summer that they sing about? And with the Fourth of July well behind us and the first day at Hinsdale Central less than a month away, summer seems to be quickly slipping from our grasp. But there is plenty of summer left and plenty of activities to enjoy before it’s time to pull out the wool slacks and cashmere sweaters. Residents have six more oppor...
