Ackerman woods in Glen Ellyn

Glen Ellyn in the news (local Fox station video here)


Daily Herald: Despite the roughly 100 Glen Ellyn residents that expressed their discontent with the village and park district's plan to cut down 340 trees for a flood control project, the plan is expected to go forward.

Glen Ellyn leaders will move forward with a flood control project at Ackerman Park that entails cutting down 340 trees, despite much outcry from residents opposed to the project.

Bad bad bad decision. I sent an email yesterday to the Park District & local paper's letter to the editors. I'm already drafting another one email to the GE Park District... I think they are really going to come to regret this.


Background here

Jeff Zurawski & Sarah Hartfield update

Update on previous posts:

Well it looks like this is going to trial in June, unfortunately. (Chicago Tribune):

" Two DuPage County residents charged with disorderly conduct for displaying an anti-war sign over an expressway near Glen Ellyn last year will go to trial in June after a judge Thursday declined to dismiss their case.

Judge Ronald Sutter said there is sufficient evidence to show probable cause for the arrest of Jeff Zurawski, 40, of Downers Grove, and Sarah Hartfield, 45, of Naperville. For several hours on May 6, the pair placed a banner that read "IMPEACH Bush and Cheney—LIARS" on a footbridge on the Great Western Trail overlooking Interstate Highway 355.

The charge against them claims that they were seen making a throwing motion that alarmed and disturbed motorists. Zurawski and Hartfield contend they were only practicing their right to free speech as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

DuPage County State's Atty. Joseph Birkett has said "this has nothing to do with political expression" but rather that highways are dangerous places and that this is an issue of public safety.

The maximum penalty for misdemeanor disorderly conduct is 1 year in jail."

Its difficult for me to give the State's Attorney the benefit of the doubt and think this is NOT political, only a public safety issue!? I guess protesters who were counting on raising their hands and/or pumping their fists when they are exercizing their right to free speech won't be able to do that in DuPage county. ( I guess Birkett wants protestors to protest at a forest preserve or somewhere where there are no cars or people who can possibly envision a peaceful protest as a threat. Oh yeah, darn, there would probably be very few people there to hear them! ) Anywhere you would want to speak out to a reasonably sized audience will have roads and cars nearby! So anyone who raises their arms/hands must be assumed to have a rock or weapon in it? Jeez Louise. Idiotic. Look at the picture again... these are pretty high fences (~ >8ft) above the praire path bridge over I-355 -- it doesn't make sense to me that the protestors would throw something over it.

And finally, I just have to note that since this happened almost a year ago the Bush administration has admitted to lying about torture since last May. Their sign was absolutely 100% true - Bush & Cheney ARE Liars. (but even if the sign wasn't true- that's still not a reason to limit free speech protests. )

Since I was on a vent/roll ... I just submitted this to the comments section of the story in the Daily Herald:

I can only assume that Mr Birkett wants all protestors to protest at locations where there are no people around to erroneously assume a "threat" of rock throwing or some such nonsense if they happen to have their arm raised ... maybe he wants them all to go meekly to a forest preserve -instead of a road or street corner or interstate - where there are NO cars or people around to hear them? C'mon. This IS definitely political. No protestor in DuPage can make a hand gesture, raise their hand or shake their fists? ... maybe Jeff & Sarah were just waving at someone who honked in support of their protest - I would have honked if I'd seen them!

Maybe if there were MORE such peaceful protests in DuPage then people wouldn't get so freaked out when they see a protestor with their hand raised! I support Jeff & Sarah 100%. If Birkett doesn't back down I think he will see more protests in response to his chill on the 1st Amendment. DuPage is turning Blue and they better get used to some changes coming ....

DuPage turning blue

Progress Illinois

Foster's win certainly illuminates the Democrats' rising influence in Chicago's collar counties, townships where changing demographics and Republican missteps have drastically altered the political landscape. And for lefties on Chicago's periphery, the best may be yet to come.

My friend Amy Tauchman is quoted extensively in this article!

My first PC meeting is tonight!

Update on "Jane Doe" inquiry IDOC

Update on Previous Posts:

I received this email reply today from Roger Walker, the Director of the Illinois Department of Corrections:

" Dear Ms. Z___:

Thank you very much for your correspondence regarding the newspaper articles you reference in your note. Please know that I share your concerns regarding the safety of inmates in our custody. I would like to make one thing very clear, I do not and will not condone the type of behavior that is claimed in the Tribune story. During my tenure as director we have been aggressive in following up on allegations of sexual misconduct, we have also been aggressive in prosecuting these cases as well. I wanted to respond to your note to let you know I will not tolerate this type of behavior.

Sincerely,
Roger E. Walker Jr.
Director
Illinois Department of Corrections
1301 Concordia Court
Springfield, IL 62794 "

Here is my email to him, sent March 18th:

Dear Mr. Walker :

I have contacted Gov. Blagojevich and my local state Rep. Sandra Pihos (House district #42) and Senator Durbin to express my deep dismay at the atrocities alleged to be committed by male guards against female inmates at Dwight. I hope that you will do everything possible to ensure that this never happens again. I hope that you will act immediately to institute policies to safeguard women who make future allegations, instead of putting them in seclusion/segregation where they are even more vulnerable to abuse! Those guards need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. WHy do you want criminals working for you? This is a travesty and a shame upon our state. Please abide by the 8th Amendment of the Constitution, respect the taxpayers of Illinois and ensure that justice is carried out in a fair and humane manner.

Sincerely, L____ Z_____

forwarded
From: lz___

To: community@sandrapihos.comSubject: questionDate: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 11:22:25 -0600

Hi Sandy: I just sent this letter to the Governor, and a different email to Senator Durbin about an article I read in the Tribune on Tuesday:
" As chief executive law officer in our state I would like to bring this to your attention:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-prison-rape-04mar04,0,739400.story
Do you know this warden Mary Sigler, or Roger Walker the person who runs IDOC. Do you have confidence in their leadership? It appears that this tragic woman and perhaps many others are being illegally submitted to "cruel and unusual" punishment -- by that I mean, repeatedly gang-raped and impregnated (!) by state officers. Can you do anything about this?? This is beyond horrendous.... Please look into this and make sure that prisoners are not being tortured under the incarceration of the State of Illinois. This level of abuse IS torture, plain and simple. I beg you to clean up IDOC. I don't even know anyone in prison but there must be some basic level of sympathy and compassion for women who have had to endure this.
Sincerely,
L___Z____

Is there a committee in the IL House that has oversight on these kinds of issues? Can you please ask them to investigate this. It defies explanation. This topic is yucky to say the least, but I think as officials in our state you and your colleagues have a responsibility to ensure the safety of the citizen's in the State, ESPECIALLY if they are under the "lock & key" of the State! All of these guards need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, not just the one whose DNA matches the baby. The management of these facilities needs to ensure that there is NO ABUSE. ( Follow the law, the EIGHTH Amendment!). If the wardens and IDOC managers can't do that, then they need to be removed from those positions of authority.

Thanks,

L____

Precinct Committeeman

So I found out today that even though I didn't get all my write-in votes during the Primary on 2/5, that the Milton Township Democrats have officially appointed me to be the Precinct Committeeman for my precinct!

Yeah ! - I guess that at the next meeting there will be plans announced for our strategy to gain more Dem votes in the fall election. I'm excited to get started! I need to get an email contact list together. I already know at least 2 neighbors in my precinct who want to help out too.

Dwight Correctional Center - sexual abuse by guards

Update on previous posts

"For the second time in two weeks, a female former Dwight Correctional Center inmate has filed a lawsuit alleging prison officials failed to investigate sexual misconduct by male guards.

Shawntay Wright, 30, contends she was punished with six months in what she describes as solitary confinement after she reported a guard's sexual advances toward her in April 2006.

Prison officials apologized months later, after the same guard allegedly assaulted two other female inmates and was fired, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Chicago"

I hope there is justice with these cases soon!

Update on Jane Doe

Update on yesterday's post
In addition to the letter to the Trib, I sent emails asking my elected officials ( Blago, Pihos, Durbin) and the Midwest Chapter of Amnesty International asking them all to look into this crime. I also sent a letter of support to her lawyer.

I received a reply from Sandy Pihos- my state rep. She said she shares my concern, did not have any other info on the situation yet, but when back in Springfield " will question where they are in the process". Her lawyer said she's hoping to make this into a class action - -which just means there are going to be more horrible stories to come - but hopefully a higher awareness will help solve the problem sooner.

Another update: from Flying Hamsters of Doom ( Note to self -remember to include contact details like this so other people reading it can take action- duh!) I liked reading this blog.

Letter to Senator Durbin -Rule of Law?

Dear Senator Durbin:

In light of our recent correspondence regarding the Mukasey nomination and his subsequent legal support of President Bush's unconsitutional policies....Here's an interesting editorial I whole-heartedly agree with:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-turley4mar04,0,4839406.story

I don't know what you can do, but you must do something. We need to have rule of law, not a king who can have his minions tell us what the law is or is not.

"Check and Balance" the Executive branch!!! Tell your Democratic colleagues not to capitulate. Somebody needs to call them out and call "a spade a spade". Ask him to explain this paradox. Is there ANY situation in which he would find any hypothetical crime the President committed worthy of the Justice Dept's investigation --if the President's lawyers told him it was legal?

Speaking of rule of law back in Illinois... did you see this in the Trib? http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-prison-rape-04mar04,0,739400.story
Do you know this warden Mary Sigler, or Roger Walker the person who runs IDOC. It appears that this tragic woman and perhaps many others are being illegally submitted to "cruel and unusual" punishment -- by that I mean, repeatedly gang-raped and impregnated (!) by state officers. Can you do anything about this??

Sincerely,
L

DuPage Democrats

They did it!


" Operation: Turn DuPage Blue can no longer be considered an offshoot of the county's Democratic Party.

They're running things now.

The splinter group's chairman, Bob Peickert, handily defeated incumbent DuPage County Democratic Party Chairman Rob Bisceglie at Wednesday night's convention in Wheaton.
In all, 215 of the nearly 250 Democratic precinct committeemen showed up to vote for new party leadership.

"I think what this signifies is the Democratic Party is more united than ever before," Peickert said shortly after the results were announced. "This is a party to be reckoned with. This is the biggest turnout of elected Democrat leaders in DuPage ever."

Peickert's group was formed a little more than a year ago in an effort to grow the Democratic Party in DuPage County. Among the successes Operation: Turn DuPage Blue helped garner is the doubling of elected precinct committeemen and more voters picking Democratic ballots over Republican ballots in the Feb. 5 primary. That was widely regarded as a first in anyone's memory." (Jake Griffin- Daily Herald)

Jane Doe at Dwight IL Correctional facility

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

DuPage is turning Blue

Woo-HOO!!

I just got off the phone with Amy and she said the results of the PC "write-in's" will not be announced until Feb. 26. She said this story was in the Daily Herald-- Front Page-- above the fold today.

For the first time in anyone's recollection, Democratic voters have outnumbered their GOP counterparts at DuPage County polls.

Nearly 55 percent of all voters pulled Democratic ticket ballots Tuesday, according to the DuPage County Election Commission data. More than 132,000 residents voted Democrat to the GOP's 109,132 voters.

Very Cool. I guess I wasn't the only one feeling so much frustration. I'm really glad I joined the effort this fall. I am going to do my best to get everyone to come out and vote in my precinct this fall!

Super Tuesday

It WILL be SUPER if my man Obama pulls out a good night! (credit to cartoonist Mort Gerberg)

I voted today. It felt like a holiday to vote for someone I really like. I wish everyone in the world had this privilege. I'll find out soon if the PC (precinct committeeman) thing worked out or not. I called people on my registered democrat list last night...my friend BW pointed me to this show on the PBS show "NOW" with David Brancaccio this past weekend. I think voters in DuPage County would find this really interesting. Watch it here:

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/405/video.html

Yeah for Amy!! you go girl!! (her part starts about 11 min. in)

DuPage democrats

So last night at the O:TDB meeting I officially got my marching orders to start the process of becoming a Democratic Precinct CommitteMAN for #44 in DuPage County. A "PC" ! ;~)

I've got a bunch of postcards to hand out with my name on them, an address list and they'll be sending out more materials later.

These are the people I need to learn about so I can inform the precinct:
6th Congressional District:
http://www.jillmorgenthaler.com/
http://stanjaglaforcongress.com/

County Board, District #4
http://www.rldunn.com/

Also there is an A. Ghani running for Cronin's state senator seat in 21st Legis Dist- but I can't find a website yet.

This is what a precinct committeman does:

Precinct Committeeman

The grass roots and foundation of the political parties are its precinct committeemen. They serve as the foot soldiers to the most fundamental political unit of government, the precinct. The precinct committeeman helps shape party policy and participates in the selection process of candidates. A precinct committeeman is elected to a two-year term in the even-year primary elections.

Expectations of a precinct committeeman:

Represent the party's voters at the county central committee convention to elect the county central chairman and its officers. The precinct committeeman casts a total number of party votes, (weighted vote), as cast in the precinct at the recent primary election

Attend and become involved in the party's Township meetings

Become a voter registrar and register all qualified constituents

Appoint and fill vacancies of election judges for the precinct polling place

Provide candidate and election information to the voters

Circulate petitions for candidates prior to the primary election

Become familiar with the elected officials and legislatures so the concerns of the voters can be passed on to them

Gambling in Illinois -update

Regarding a previous entry on a gambling expansion bill in IL, and two emails I sent to my state reps on 12/18:

State Senator Cronin has a website that says to contact him at: Email:SenatorCronin@aol.com

This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification. Delivery to the following recipients failed. senatorcronin@aol.com

Apparently it did not go through... I just resent it again to see if the Caps matter? Strange that one would not want to be in constant contact with one's constituents?


This was Sandy Pihos' reply:

Thank you for your E mail. I am opposed to the expansive gambling proposal currently being negotiated. I appreciate your opinion, and it will be taken into consideration when the issue is presented in the House. Moving into the future, I do not know what will actually be proposed. I hope that we are able to find a reasonable solution that will not bring on its own set of social issues.

I wish you a very Happy Holiday.

Sincerely,
Sandy Pihos