Hey Mom and Dad: Would You Buy Your Kid a Car?

Parents, Patch wants to hear from you on the questions that get families talking.

A couple of weeks ago, we asked parents if they had any rules for their new teen drivers. Of course, before those teens can be drivers, they need something to drive! Having your own car is one of the ultimate teenage status symbols (as Marty in Grease sang in "Summer Nights," "Like does he have a car?), but every parent has his or her own rules on how their rapidly growing-up bundle of joy should obtain that coveted set of wheels. Which brings us to this week's Hey Mom & Dad question: Take a look at what people had to say and join the conversation in the comments section. Sharon Crowder: "They should buy the car on their own—or do as my wise husband told our kids. He told them that he would buy them a used car when they could pay for their…

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Renee Gough

12:16 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013

What, and miss out on the currency of loaning my car out to my kids? Nobody gets outta here with the keys to the car without picking up a few dishes, folding some laundry or at least giving Mom a big hug.   more ›

Darien Police Reports

Police: Man Faces Gun Charges After Shooting at Driver in Parked Car

John Kavan, 70, is accused of shooting at a man whose car had run out of gas, Chief Ernest Brown said.

Updated 9:16 a.m. Wednesday A Downers Grove man faces felony gun charges after firing a shot at the driver of a car near the intersection of Greenbriar Lane and Bailey Road in Darien on Thursday evening, Darien Police Chief Ernest Brown said at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.  John Kavan, 70, of the 500 block of Redondo Drive, approached a car that had run out of gas around 7:30 p.m. and confronted the man who was waiting with it, Brown said.  The man's friend had called his mother for assistance and left with her to get more gas for the car, Brown said. They didn’t get enough gas on the first trip and returned to the station for more. It was while the friend was on his second trip to the gas station that Kavan approached the car, Brown …

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Four Car Burglaries Reported on Sequoia Lane

Darien police are reminding residents to lock their car doors after a string of thefts last week.

Four car break-ins were reported Wednesday on Sequoia Lane, according to the Darien Police Department. Three of the four cars weren't locked at the time of the burglaries, which occurred on the 1400 and 1500 blocks of Sequoia, police said. The fourth car, though locked, did not show signs of forced entry. All of the thefts happened overnight. Police Officer Nick Skweres said the string of thefts is a good reminder that one of the best ways to prevent burglaries is simply locking the doors. He also advised that people either take their valuables with them or hide them out of view when leaving the car. Police said they don't have any suspects in the thefts. Items stolen during the burglaries on Sequoia included:

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