Letter to the Editor

Letter: 'Friends' Slate Has Skills, Desire to Serve District 86

The following letter was sent to Patch by Willowbrook resident George Logan.

An important election campaign is now in progress for the District 86 school board. I would like to take this opportunity to complement candidates Claudia Manley, Victor Casini and Edward Corcoran for conducting a fair, clean and positive campaign. We can be proud of these three District 86 candidates. After reviewing articles in local newspapers, attending school board meetings, and hearing the candidates state their reasons for running and their platform, I believe these three candidates are well qualified. Their education, work history, leadership skills and desire to do a good job as a District 86 board member are apparent.  They have advanced degrees from excellent universities and a lot of work experience in finance, law, engineering…

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Letter to the Editor

Incumbent-Heavy Slate 'Behind the Progress in District 86'

The following letter was sent to Patch by Lisa Stafford of Hinsdale.

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 was the reason we moved here 20 years ago. We wanted a great public school system for our children. We have been delighted with the excellent education they have received. From academics to athletics to the arts, our schools are among the best in the country. Our high schools are the reason that well-educated, hard-working families want to move to this area. It’s why our communities prosper and it’s why our houses retain their value. For years there have been few changes to the facilities at Hinsdale Central. Last year was different. Last summer, science labs got a much-needed face-lift, the school entrance was updated and is now warm and welcoming, air conditioning was added and the auditorium was…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: 'Conservative' D86 Slate Will Bring Needed Change

The following letter to the editor was sent to Patch by Darien resident and former District 86 school board candidate Jennifer Babbington.

People are already talking about the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 school board election, and asking how a new slate such as Claudia Manley, Victor Casini and Ed Corcoran plan to change District 86. Why introduce conservative values into our "non-partisan" high school board?  Because we need to replace the current board and its in-fighting, overspending, and lack of basic project management. What is best for District 86 is a community-oriented board collaborating with students, parents, teachers and taxpayers, running the district efficiently and in a more transparent manner, serving the community better.   A school's purpose is to provide curriculum and competent teaching staff so the school's customers—the students—achieve …

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John Regan

12:13 pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Dear Ms. Wilton, would you be so kind as to elaborate on which thugs you are referring to? Oh, and are those pesky wackos rearing their ugly little heads in our quiet community once again? Isn’t that terrible? Mr. Casini should be ashamed for censoring the teachers because a parent of a minor shouldn't have the right to use the process created by school board policy to resolve the curriculum …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

2012 D86 Grad: Support 'Building on Excellence' Slate

The following letter to the editor was sent to Patch by Burr Ridge native Molly Hogan, a 2012 Hinsdale South grad who's now a freshman at George Washington University.

As a 2012 graduate of District 86, and current college student who remains positively impacted by my education in the district, I am voicing my strong support for candidates Dennis Brennan, DeeDee Gorgol, Kay Gallo and Roseanne Rosenthal.  These candidates have a record that speaks for itself. During their combined time served on the board, District 86 has had seven balanced budgets, maintained a triple-A credit rating, continually increased ACT scores, continued cost containment measures, and built new science labs at both schools in the district. They continue to look ahead at promising and viable ways to keep District 86 a leader in education. Last fall I was highly disturbed by an initiative suggesting the school board should control …

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Letter: 'Build on Excellence' in D86 by Voting Brennan, Gorgol, Gallo, Rosenthal

The following is a letter to the editor submitted to Patch by Hinsdale resident Sue Pircon.

District 86 voters will once again be heading to the polls on April 9 and I strongly ask for your support for candidates Dennis Brennan, DeeDee Gorgol, Kay Gallo and Roseanne Rosenthal.   Each brings an individual expertise to the board and will seek to continue balancing financial challenges while maintaining an excellent educational standard. They have a vested interest in the school, each having had children enrolled in District 86, and are committed to providing a curriculum that will challenge the students and provide the foundation for success in the future.  They are also committed to ensuring a diverse offering of extracurricular activities while always looking at the district's finances and operating within a balanced budget. They…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: D86 Board Needs 'New Energy, New Ideas'

Robert O'Hare of Hinsdale wrote to Patch in support of the Friends for District 86 slate of candidates.

The following is a letter to the editor submitted by Robert O'Hare of Hinsdale: I reviewed the candidate profiles for the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education published recently on Patch, and was surprised by the poor credentials of the incumbents. I have had significant experience with Mr. Dennis Brennan and the board, and like many District 86 residents, I am frustrated by his tactics. He has continually used bonds to fund his projects without substantive explanation. His refusal to be transparent on the $15 million air conditioning project and $4 million artificial turf project are just two examples. Mr. Brennan continually uses loopholes to push bonds and no-bid contracts without any accountability to  residents…

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Proud Teacher

9:17 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013

The reason the sole bids came in within budget is that the budget was pre-based on those figures. Where do you think the estimator got his numbers? The estimator went to his favorite contractor and asked him how much he'd want to do the job - and voila: a budget. And a bid within budget. How about that?   more ›

Lions Club: Darien Residents' Generosity 'Overwhelming'

The Darien Lions Club says thanks for all of the local help with Candy Day and the Needy Food Basket delivery.

Editor's note: The following letter was provided by the Darien Lions Club. The fall months saw the Darien Lions Club involved with two of its most important fundraising/community activities: Candy Day in October and Needy Food Basket delivery in December. In these challenging economic times the generosity of Darien area residents andbusinesses was simply overwhelming! Total funds raised surpassed $40,000–enabling the Club to serve 195 families with food baskets (and gifts providedby the Darien Park District, area schools and other sources) and donate over $21,000 to the State Lions Foundation, benefiting vision- and hearing-impaired persons throughout Illinois. Area businesses also truly stepped-up in theirsupport; donating nearly $13,000…

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Letter: Darien Police Chief Reflects on First Year

Chief Ernest Brown thanks community for warm welcome.

Dear Residents of Darien, November 16 marked the completion of my first year of service to the citizens of Darien. I would like to thank you for welcoming me into your community, and it has been a pleasure and an honor to meet many of you. This first year has been an evaluation period for the department, and I can certainly say the department has the resources to be successful in ensuring the hallmark safety Darien is known for. We must also continue to improve the department through changes to position us to face future challenges. The world is changing swiftly, as we can see in our own community and nearby cities. We must be vigilant to ensure Darien can confront any threats to our quiet and peaceful neighborhoods. Thank you for the warm…

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Letter: Pension Legislation Would Strip Authority From Governmental Units

On Nov. 6, Illinois voters will vote on a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution to require a three-fifths majority vote in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system.

Submitted by the League of Women Voters of Downers Grove, Woodridge and Lisle  On Nov. 6, Illinois voters will vote on a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution to require a three-fifths majority vote in order to increase a benefit under any public pension or retirement system. Raising such a benefit would require a three-fifths majority vote in each chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, as well as in the governing bodies of any unit of local government, school district, or pension or retirement system. The League of Women Voters of Illinois opposes this proposal and urges voters to vote no. The League of Women Voters strongly supports governmental systems that are transparent, representative, accountable, and responsive. By …

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Former Darien Mayor to President Obama: Our Founding Principles Are Not Stale

This letter to the editor was written by former Darien Mayor Carmen D. Soldato.

Darien Patch accepts letters to the editor, which will be posted on the site weekly. The following was submitted by former Darien Mayor Carmen D. Soldato. If you're interesting in submitting a letter, e-mail Darien Patch Editor Sabrina Wu at sabrina@patch.com. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To the editor: IT'S NO WONDER... It is no wonder that President Obama has been moving our Nation materially in the wrong direction over the past four years. This was evidenced recently as he expressed that the direction for our Country espoused at the Republican National Convention was based on old and "staled" policies that could have been watched on black and white TV in the 1960s. Free markets, self determination, government not for forcing U.S. …

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