Episode V: The Union Strikes Back

It's about time.

For the first time since teacher contract negotiations in Huntley Unit District 158 began in April, things are getting interesting.

The past week has seen a flurry of news releases and public statements from the district and the teachers' union.

Before that, it was mostly a one-sided affair. When the sides couldn't agree on the content of bimonthly updates, the district began issuing them unilaterally.

Naturally, these releases tended to reflect the viewpoint of the district, specifically the district's contention that the union's contract proposal would force the district into deficit spending.

During that time, the union pursued the Michael Dukakis strategy of not responding to negative attacks.

But now the union has started to fight back.

I probably shouldn't be cheering the recent developments.

If the sides are fighting their battles in public instead of at the bargaining table, it's likely the teachers will start school next month without a contract.

But at least the sides are giving the public insight into the progress of negotiations - at least, more than before.

Both sides seem to be playing the information game: that is, manipulating the flow of information to suit them.

When the district or the union wants to make accusations and claims about the other side, they readily violate the ground rules of negotiations and issue unilateral news releases and statements.

But when both sides are pressed for documentation to support their claims, they use those same ground rules as an excuse to withhold information from the public.

The district and the union need to return to the ground rules they agreed to and start issuing joint releases that inform residents and taxpayers - instead of using the system to their advantage.

A quality charity: Faith in Action of McHenry County tells me the Local Independent Charities of America has accepted the nonprofit organization as a quality charity.

The designation means Faith in Action, which serves seniors in the county, can receive donations through payroll deductions.

The new source of revenue will help the charity meet the needs of McHenry County's growing senior population, according to Executive Director Rhonda Anderson.

Faith in Action makes home visits, buys groceries and does household maintenance to help local seniors live independently.

Spread your wings: The District 158 Education Foundation tells me Monarch Watch has designated the butterfly garden at Chesak and Martin elementary schools a Monarch Way Station Site.

That means the garden contains the milkweed plants that monarchs feed on.

Monarch Watch includes more 2,000 schools and organizations that tag monarchs and track their unique yearly migration across North America.