Copyright 2013 Daily Herald, Paddock Publications, Inc. http://www.dailyherald.com/community/winfield/ en-us Tue, 12 Feb 2013 03:18:55 -0500 http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130210/news/702109909/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130210/news/702109909/ Sun, 10 Feb 2013 01:07:19 -0500 Voters in several DuPage County communities will weigh in this spring on an array of ballot questions from governmental entities, including five that are seeking more tax money. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079954/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079954/ Sat, 9 Feb 2013 11:04:37 -0500 West Chicago Elementary District 33 began calling parents overnight to tell them classes will be back in session this morning after a tentative contract deal was reached just after midnight.Parents Thursday said they were relieved their students could go back to their normal schedule after a three-day teachers strike. "I'm just happy it's over with and they figured it all out because the kids need to be in school," parent Stacy Rachus said. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/business/702079792/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/business/702079792/ Fri, 8 Feb 2013 07:18:51 -0500 When Michael Zalokar of Winfield opened his Comcast cable TV bill this week, he suddenly noticed extra charges; two digital adapters, which had been free, now cost $1.99 each. "That bites the wallet," he said. Like Zalokar, other customers also noticed the additional fee for the digital transport adapter. When we contacted Comcast's Midwest headquarters in Schaumburg, the company said the new charges are justified. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069594/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069594/ Fri, 8 Feb 2013 11:02:37 -0500 The teachers strike is over, a tentative contract has been reached and classes have resumed, but financial challenges in West Chicago District 33 remain, officials said Thursday night. "It took a long time to work through them, but we're glad we finally did," school board spokesman Dave Barclay said. "Now we can look forward and get back to our mission of teaching our children." http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069756/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069756/ Wed, 6 Feb 2013 16:44:32 -0500 There were signs of possible progress in contract talks Wednesday in West Chicago Elementary District 33 as teachers walked picket lines for the third consecutive day. The school board and teachers union returned to the bargaining table with a federal mediator at 1 p.m. and were meeting into the evening. Mary Catherine Kosmach, the union's chief negotiator, said both bargaining teams are "close" to coming to terms on some issues, but nothing is official. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119723/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119723/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:02:45 -0500 A 36-year-old professional orchestra that appeared to be playing its last note at the College of DuPage is getting an encore. College officials have agreed to give the New Philharmonic orchestra a 3-concert season in 2013-14 after receiving letters and emails from patrons upset that the 80-member ensemble might have given its final curtain call at a January concert. The orchestra had been performing at the college's McAninch Arts Center in Glen Ellyn until this season, when a $35 million renovation project began that forced the orchestra to schedule concerts off-campus. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/sports/702119667/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/sports/702119667/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 21:40:51 -0500 Here's a look at the Class 3A and 4A girls basketball postseason, from the perspective of teams in DuPage County. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119738/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119738/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:32:41 -0500 West Chicago police are warning residents about a spike in car burglaries in the past week. The burglaries primarily took place during late night and early morning hours in residential parts of downtown, generally between Washington and National Streets and Arbor Avenue and Route 59. All of the burglarized vehicles had been left unlocked, police said Monday. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130212/news/702129956/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130212/news/702129956/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:19:02 -0500 A federal jury awarded a $1 million settlement Monday to a DuPage County deputy who filed suit against the county and Sheriff John Zaruba. The jury agreed that politics played a part in the lack of promotions Susan Lakics received over the years. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119774/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702119774/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:22:56 -0500 A 35-year-old man is charged with DUI and aggravated reckless driving after crashing into a utlility pole Sunday in North Aurora, critically injuring his passenger, a 39-year-old West Chicago man. Victor M. Alvarez is due in court on Feb. 21 and has had at least one previous DUI conviction, records show. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702109928/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130211/news/702109928/ Mon, 11 Feb 2013 05:36:24 -0500 Lana Brozik is a master teacher, a model educator and a lifelong learner. She teaches students English and language arts at Eastview Middle School in Bartlett but reaches beyond her eighth-graders to improve the quality of education districtwide. A ripple effect from Brozik's mentorship means she will continue to affect student learning long after she retires at the end of this year. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130210/news/702109813/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130210/news/702109813/ Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:29:53 -0500 Dozens turned out for a bowling fundraiser Sunday that will help a West Chicago-area family with medical expenses for 6-year-old Owen Payton, who's waiting for a heart-transplant operation. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130209/news/702099923/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130209/news/702099923/ Fri, 8 Feb 2013 23:51:37 -0500 DuPage Forest Preserve Commissioners quietly have launched their own investigation into claims of mistreatment of horses at Danada Equestrian Center in Wheaton. The new probe comes 10 months after the issue apparently was settled when a veterinarian told forest officials that his assessment of the 25-horse herd found no signs of abuse. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130208/news/702089926/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130208/news/702089926/ Fri, 8 Feb 2013 14:06:14 -0500 Elgin Area School District U-46 will offer tuition-based, full-day kindergarten to students districtwide next year in a pilot program that could see future expansion. Julie Kallenbach, director of early learner initiatives, said the pilot program will be open to 80 students across four classrooms — two on the west side of Elgin and two in the Bartlett area. As the district expects far more interest than available spots, the kindergartners will be selected by lottery. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130208/news/702089840/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130208/news/702089840/ Fri, 8 Feb 2013 10:56:34 -0500 Owen Payton has spent almost one entire year of his six years on Earth on a transplant list, awaiting a new heart to replace the defective one he was born with. Owen will be the beneficiary of a bowling fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Bowling Green Sports Center, 243 Roosevelt Road in West Chicago, as his family aims to raise $60,000 for costs associated with a heart transplant. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079641/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079641/ Thu, 7 Feb 2013 21:12:31 -0500 A fire overnight Wednesday destroyed a single-family home near Warrenville, authorities said. It took fire crews from eight departments four hours to fight the blaze at 27W173 Galusha Road before it was brought under control, according to Lt. Judd Weber of the Warrenville Fire Protection District. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079701/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079701/ Thu, 7 Feb 2013 19:02:00 -0500 A 22-year-old Naperville man filed suit Thursday against Life Time Fitness, alleging a personal trainer molested him at the club's Warrenville location when he was a teenager. The complaint filed in DuPage County Court by "John Doe" also names former trainer Robert Theodore who is already facing criminal charges stemming from the same allegations. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079833/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079833/ Thu, 7 Feb 2013 11:51:01 -0500 Last May, when longtime West Chicago alderman Ruben Pineda was appointed to replace the late Mike Kwasman, he became the city's first Hispanic mayor. Pineda said being Hispanic, in a town in which more than 51 percent of its 27,000 residents are also Hispanic, certainly hasn't hurt his cause but in a recent Daily Herald endorsement interview, each of three mayoral candidates discussed the importance of Hispanic leadership. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079885/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130207/news/702079885/ Thu, 7 Feb 2013 09:20:48 -0500 A 19-year-old caretaker at a Batavia assisted-living facility who was arrested in December on charges that she stole and forged a $1,000 check from a resident now faces a new batch of charges. Batavia police say Teejana S. Perry of Warrenville stole from four other victims at the center. Warrants have been issued for the new charges; Perry is next due in court on Feb. 21. http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069730/ http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20130206/news/702069730/ Wed, 6 Feb 2013 16:18:02 -0500 It wasn't enough to have Wheaton's electoral board remove Frank Garcia's name from the spring ballot. Officials now are seeking a court order to prevent the city council candidate from pursuing a write-in campaign. They say the step is necessary because Garcia failed to prove he's lived in Wheaton long enough to legally qualify to serve on the council. But Garcia is refusing to abandon his bid for an at-large seat against former Councilman John Prendiville.