So just how many deer does it take to stop traffic around here?
Oh, deer. Ohhhhh ... DEER! And lots of them. If there was any doubt we've blended suburbia and the once-rural landscape of the Fox Valley, just take a look at George LeClaire's photo of what can only be described as a herd of deer crossing the road right down the street from Lake in the Hills police headquarters.
As breathtaking as they are, they're a reminder, as George notes, to be extra cautious on those roads. Both McHenry and Kane counties consistently have ranked among the top 10 Illinois counties for deer-vehicle accidents. A Kane County woman died last week in the type of crash that's all too frequent around here.
Traffic experts urge us to always be deer vigilant and to be extra cautious at dusk and dawn because that's when deer are most active. They also urge us to always be prepared to stop, especially when we're near streams, rivers, farm fields, wooded areas -- pretty much anywhere in this region.
And they warn us to watch for more than one deer crossing that road. You can clearly see why.
Top that!
So this was the most deer I've seen in one spot in suburbia. I thought the five deer cleaning out my backyard birdfeeder one night was pretty impressive, but nine! Can you top it?
Fish wait
You folks do love a fish fry! Apparently that recent column item about the wonderful West Dundee VFW Post 2298 fish fry spurred so many of you to check it out last Friday that they were a bit, let's just say, overwhelmed. Fish fry specialist and server Sharon Robinson tells me they'd like to apologize to anyone who had to wait. They've added some tables, a server and some more kitchen help, so give them another try this Friday. They're ready for us!
It's from 5 to 9 p.m. at the VFW, 117 S. First St. (across from the Ace Hardware). They have beer-battered fish, fried jumbo shrimp, catfish, scallops and more. You can order carry-out or get details at (847) 428-9006.
My 2 cents
Carpentersville village trustees just OK'd a 2-cent-per-gallon gas tax. The move makes a gal wonder. Don't you think the move will likely only boost sales at neighboring towns' gas stations? Simply put, no one else is asking for my 2 cents ...
Your 2 cents
If you live in the 14th Congressional District, don't forget to vote Saturday. I know. You thought you already did. But one more time, this time to choose the temporary replacement for the seat long held by Dennis Hastert. The primary vote last month was to pick each party's candidates for the November ballot. This vote fills the seat until then. Your choices are Bill Foster for the Democrats or Jim Oberweis for the Republicans.
Don't you miss Denny?
First time I met the man who would go on to be the speaker of the House, I was a relatively new reporter at a Crystal Lake paper and he was a newbie to the political game more than 20 years ago, just making the rounds to say hello. Genial, homespun and real. Last time I saw him I was struck by how little he'd changed. Some folks rub elbows with the elite and become them. Not this man. If you haven't thanked him for what he did for this region, you might want to. No matter what happened in the unruly world of politics, he truly made a difference for us.
Ciao, baby!
Hey, I hear a new Italian restaurant is soon coming to East Dundee. Dee Basso and Carlo Paredes, who owned Pizzeria DeCarlo, hope to hold a grand opening for CIAO, 310 N. River St., in April. It'll be casual, Italian fare, Dee tells me, with pizza, pasta, salads and sandwiches, all homemade from their treasured family recipes. We'll keep you posted.
It's starting to look like East Dundee is going to be a diner's delight. Don't forget to stop by Abanazz, 102 N. River St., when it opens March 13. It's great to see independent restaurants in the area, isn't it?