Burns' campaign needs to grow up
I knew the 14th Congressional District race would get ugly, but a press release this week from the Kevin Burns campaign is beyond ugly. It's just tacky. Just a few hours after GOP state Sen. Chris Lauzen announced his bid for the seat, Burns fired off a snarky response.
It starts off with the Republican Geneva mayor saying he "welcomes" Lauzen to the campaign. A nice gesture? More like a sarcastic put-down complete with Burns' trademark wink, given what comes next.
"I am honored that Mr. Lauzen is conducting a district tour just as we did last month," Burns is quoted as saying in the release. "It is proof positive that imitation is the greatest form of flattery."
Does the Republican Geneva mayor think he invented the campaign tactic of touring the district, meeting voters and shaking their hands? Or does he think that because he did it first, that makes Lauzen's tour less meaningful?
Burns was blasted by members of his own party for using Dennis Hastert's retirement announcement last month to launch his own campaign. Burns was the only GOP contender at Hastert's announcement, an appearance many interpreted as a sign of disrespect against the longest-serving Republican speaker of the House. Burns should've waited a day to send out a release announcing his own campaign.
Burns should realize he's running with the big boys now. It's time to start acting like it.
Just say no: Several neighbors of a proposed 13-home development in unincorporated St. Charles Township near Valley View voiced their opposition to the plans at Tuesday's meeting of the county board's development committee. Homes on the 8.4-acre site would sit on 13,800-square-foot lots, smaller than the preferred 20,000-square-foot lots of neighboring subdivisions, the neighbors pointed out.
The homes would range in size from 3,000 to 3,600 square feet, all with basements and most with three-car garages. The neighboring village of Wayne does not oppose the development, Kane County planner Christy Sabdo said. The site is now vacant.
The committee voted 5-2 to endorse the plans. John Hoscheit, who represents the area, and Barb Wojnicki dissented.
Sheriff in Colorado: Kane County Sheriff Pat Perez recently participated in a weeklong training program in Longmont, Colo. He was one of 27 sheriffs at the 93rd session of the National Sheriff's Institute Sept. 9-15. Topics discussed included homeland security, school violence, court security, leadership, drugs, disaster relief, jail operations and community relations.
The National Institute of Corrections, a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, sponsors the National Sheriffs' Institute along with the National Sheriff's Association, a nonprofit professional association.