CONSTRUCTION FUMES CLOSE VON MAUR

Fumes from a day spa under construction at The Glen Town Center wafted through Von Maur Sunday afternoon, sending two employees to the hospital and forcing that store and a neighboring jeweler to close.

Firefighters traced the smell to a non-hazardous concrete sealant.  The Von Maur employees complained of lightheadedness and difficulty breathing. They were treated at Glenbrook Hospital and released.

ANOTHER KID BOUNCED FOR BRINGING A BB GUN TO SCHOOL

For the second time in a month, District 34 sent a gun-related note home to parents – this time explaining that a third-grader had brought his new air soft pistol loaded with plastic BBs to Pleasant Ridge School.  Principal Rosemary Lorenzo said there was no evidence the child intended to hurt anyone, and he was “extremely remorseful.”  The gun was confiscated, and the child suspended for 10 days.

Earlier this month, a 14-year-old brought the pellet gun he allegedly stole from Dick’s Sporting Goods at The Glen to Attea Middle School.  While there was no reason to think he planned to use the weapon, the school board voted unanimously to expel him for the rest of the year.

“Children see the use of weapons in violent video games, on TV and in the media and aren’t thinking it’s something unusual,” Superintendent Gerald Hill told the Pioneer Press.  “We as adults condone excessive violence, so how can we be surprised when we see our children acting out?”

Editor’s note:  While we do not condone students bringing weapons of any kind to school, these kids do not seem to have been “acting out.” Do you think District 34’s school board members went too far, applying the one-size-fits-all punishment of expulsion to the older boy and suspending a third grader?  Weigh in by writing to glenviewwatch@aol.com .

We’re also troubled by the fact that a child could steal an air gun from Dick’s.  Shouldn’t security be tighter if these weapons are dangerous enough to get you thrown out of school?

LOYOLA LACROSSE PLAYERS PUNISHED FOR HAZING

Two students have left Loyola Academy voluntarily while four others were suspended from school and kicked off the lacrosse team after a hazing incident occurred during an out-of-town trip. 

The students allegedly put a bar of soap in a sock and hit a new Loyola student as part of an initiation rite. The boys had been drinking rum and vodka.  Loyola would not say how seriously the victim was injured, but the school stressed that such conduct was “unacceptable” and “contrary to the Christian values that are at the heart of our school.”

GLENVIEW’S FITNESS GURU LAUDED BY TRIBUNE

Morning regulars at Glenview’s Park District have come to know personal trainer Bob Goldstein – a cheerful fellow who, at 76, was far more fit than many of his younger clients.  In addition to offering wise advice on exercise, Goldstein was a ray of sunshine – a familiar, smiling face and a fellow who was known to sing into the gym’s public address system when the spirit moved him.

So it came as something of a shock when Goldstein arrived one day, walking with a cane.  A few months later, he needed a walker and is now in a wheelchair.  He kept on working and didn’t complain, but clearly something was wrong.

On Sunday, Tribune reporter Lisa Black disclosed Goldstein’s situation. “His once booming voice, now raspy and fading quickly, requires him to use a microphone as he leads exercise classes at the Glenview Park Center,” she wrote on the front page of the Metro section. “Only 14 months have passed since the strong, lean, physically active Goldstein, who once had cannonball-size biceps, went to the doctor with a limp, and left with a diagnosis of the incurable neuromuscular disorder commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease.”

While friends call him a courageous role model, Goldstein says going to work early each morning is his therapy. “This is my support group. It's unbelievable," he said of the morning exercise crowd. 

“For 54 years, Goldstein was a bodybuilder who took a fistful of vitamin pills a day,” Black wrote. “[At Park Center], a plaque on the wall honors him for outstanding service and dedication. A photo collage beneath it includes a youthful picture of Goldstein flexing a bicep. ‘Seventeen and three-quarters inches. No steroids,’ he said, bemoaning that his arms are like ‘spaghetti’ today.”

”In Glenview, Goldstein leads senior fitness classes on Friday mornings, using the microphone. Just weeks ago, that same voice sang out a litany of show tunes as he marched his class around the gym. He knows the voice soon will disappear entirely as the illness attacks his throat muscles. It is a torturous disease, in which the mind stays sharp but degeneration of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord result in muscle weakness and atrophy. About 5,600 people are diagnosed each year, with about 30,000 Americans affected at one time.”

"There's only one drug that has proved to have any effectiveness against ALS, and it's just treating the symptoms," said Maura Junius, with the ALS Association's Greater Chicago Chapter. In Goldstein's case, friends have been especially shocked at how quickly the disease has attacked the man who used to sing them "Happy Birthday" over the center's public address system. Yet few have treated him any differently, saying that Goldstein--who cursed up a streak when he first revealed his diagnosis to co-workers--would never have it otherwise.”

“He is still trying to ‘wrap his head’ around what's happening to him,” Black wrote. “Despite bouts of anger, tears or depression, he remains a positive influence on the people around him.”

PARK DISTRICT SHAMED AGAIN

On the heels of public embarrassment over its parochial policy for choosing public art at Park Center, the Glenview Park District is back in the news.  This time, the Tribune writes that the park board cannot even be gracious with C.O.W.S as the group prepares to pack up its tent.  After more than a decade of fighting to save Wagner Farm, C.O.W.S wanted to use remaining funds to place a plaque at the farm. The park board approved the idea but worried about the wording of that plaque. Suggesting C.O.W.S might be trying to hog the glory, Park District Board President John Winand said the language would have to be carefully chosen so that no group or person felt slighted. 

Here’s what C.O.W.S had proposed the plaque say:  “The Wagner Farm is a treasured part of Glenview’s history, having been settled by John Wagner from Trier, Germany in the 1890’s.  When Rose, the last of the Wagner family, died in 1997, Citizens Organized for Wagners (C.O.W.S) joined with the Glenview Park District to preserve the last working farm on the North Shore. This effort led to a successful referendum in 1998, when the Glenview community voted to raise taxes to buy the farm.  In 2000 the park district became the owner, making the historic farm a favorite Glenview destination. 

STATE REP. WINS LONG-TIME BIKE BATTLE

State Representative Elaine Nekritz, who represents the far northwest part of Glenview in Springfield, won a seven-year battle last week, persuading fellow House members that Illinois’ roads should be officially designated for use by bicycles as well as cars and trucks.  If the Senate passes a similar bill, it would go to Governor Rod Blagojevich for a signature – then become law.

Nekritz believes the new law will remove barriers to building bike lanes around the state and making cycling safer.  Nekritz is a serious cyclist who worried that Illinois was “the only place in the nation where laws discouraged the development of bike facilities.”

VILLAGE BOARD BREEZES THROUGH ROUTINE BUSINESS

In their final meeting before new trustees are sworn in, the Glenview Village Board approved a series of resolutions:

-- Accepting the report of the Historic Preservation Committee designating the Glenview Historical Society’s house on Waukegan Road a historic landmark, making the property eligible for government assistance.

-- Requiring businesses with a liquor license to get a business license as well.

-- Approving plans for special events at Gallery Park this summer: a walkathon to benefit Pathways (June 4), a charity run for Youth Services (June 26), a park district soccer fest (June 18), kids’ fun run (July 30) and triathalon (July 31).

-- Refusing a request from Ben & Jerry’s to change Glen Town Center design guidelines so it could keep its current sign.  The ice cream shop had been warned, before the sign went up, that only three lights were permissible.  Nevertheless, they put up four. 

FACTS OF THE MEIER’S CASE

The board was equally tough with Meier’s Tavern – a business that has failed to fulfill promises it made to the village regarding lighting, storm water detention and other improvements. 

A neighbor of Meier’s Tavern tells the Watch, “Not only did Meier's fail to follow through, the owner installed 25-foot pole lighting at the west edge of the parking lot pointing southeast. This resulted in light shining directly into the homes of the adjacent neighbors until 5 a.m.  The lights were installed without a permit and violated village code.  Attempts to have the lights removed and landscaping problems corrected, to secure garbage containers and correct problems with signs at the entrance and exit prompted legal action by Village Hall.”

Meier’s settled the matter by paying about $10,000 to the village and the neighbors – money that will cover some legal and administrative costs incurred over the past three years.

“The village manager has suggested that he will revoke Meier’s liquor license if the owner does not properly complete his improvements within a certain time frame,” said our source. “Meier's Tavern had not been diligent in getting the work done. The village manager and his staff have been effective in getting this issue off the ground!”

ANNOUNCEMENTS ATTACKS UNITE GLENVIEW’S GRECO

The Pioneer Press has often defended the rights of private property owners to build, so last week’s editorial in support of plans for a new worship center to serve the Canaan Presbyterian Church should come as no surprise. 

What was surprising, however, was the willingness of Glenview’s entrenched newspaper to attack the chairman of the zoning board of appeals -- a power player in the old boys’ club known as Unite Glenview.  Ron Greco studied the church’s plan and thought the design could be improved if two existing buildings on the site were razed.  The church wants to keep using those buildings and said it did not have money to replace them.

“Property owners aren't usually asked to explain why they don't just raze what they have and start over when they petition the ZBA,” said the editors.  “Greco's remark probably was taken badly by members of this congregation, which has been rebuffed when it asked to build a larger education center, and later, a convocation center at the northwest corner of Greenwood and East Lake Avenue.”

The Announcements suggested neighbors were being given too much control over the fate of an entire congregation. “Although most property owners get to build homes, offices or other structures on land they own, protests from homeowners near the primarily Korean congregation's property have squelched its plans to build anything but a parking lot for a decade,” said the editors.

“Over time, Glenview has allowed other houses to be added along Greenwood Road, and local businesses and schools have expanded. That growth wasn't turned down because it might increase traffic, although it has. And the new construction hasn't decreased property values, which are rising throughout Glenview.”

“The ZBA should seek evidence of the harm the worship center would do if it were built, not just succumb to the fears of homeowners. After all, traffic is growing throughout the area, and will continue to, whether or not the worship center is built.”

The zoning board will hold one more public meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 25 in Village Hall before deciding whether to allow construction of the center.

GLENVIEW POLICE CLOSE CATHOUSE

Two employees of a Glenview business and two customers face prostitution-related charges as the result of a sting by Glenview police. A 54-year-old man from Fox Lake was charged with keeping a house of prostitution, and a 26-year-old woman from Schaumburg, was charged with one count of prostitution following their arrest Thursday at a massage parlor on N. Lake Terrace. Investigators also charged two men with solicitation of a sex act.

CALLING ALL BOOKWORMS

-- Classic Residence by Hyatt is looking for a volunteer to lead a monthly book discussions club. If you’d like the job, call Julie at 847-904-4600.

-- An afternoon book group meets at 1 p.m. Monday, May 2 at the Glenview library to discuss Reading Lolita in Tehran.  The Monday evening book group will chat about Crow Lake at 7:30 p.m. May 9.  Books are available at the circulation desk.

-- Northbrook’s library offers an interesting new exhibit on autism – a collection of photos of autistic children taken by Barrington’s Thomas Balsamo.  The show coincides with the arrival of about 100 books and tapes on autism from the Northern Suburban Special Education District.  The collection has been moved to make it more accessible to the public.

STATE SENATOR OFFERS HELP FOR LINCOLN LIBRARY VISITORS

With the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, State Sen. Susan Garrett says her office can help arrange visits for school groups and individuals. “I would highly recommend anyone, regardless of age, make the trip to Springfield and experience this interactive journey through the life of our country’s greatest president,” Garrett said.  The Library and Museum will be open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays.  It will be closed on all state holidays. For more information, or to schedule a visit, call Garrett’s Springfield office at 217-782-3650.

A NEW HOME FOR OLD SHOES

An effort to collect used athletic shoes for recycling into sports surfaces, fields and running tracks comes to Glenview this week from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday, April 28 and 29. Residents are asked to cut off metal zippers or eyelets, then bring used footwear to the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County’s collection site on the east side of Des Plaines River Road, one half mile north of Central.  For more information, call 847-724-9205.

READERS WRITE:

Despite state claims that little can be done to improve safety at the intersection of Willow and Pfingsten, Melissa Pappamichiel has an idea: “Perhaps adding a box to the traffic poles which shows pedestrians how many seconds remain until the light will change will improve safety at the intersection.  Last week I was stopped at a red light on westbound Willow at Pfingsten and saw four young (middle school aged) boys on bikes standing at the southeast corner of the intersection.  They had the green light to cross Willow, but were too busy talking with each other to notice.  Finally, one of them looked up, saw the light, and started to cross Willow.  While the light was still green for the first boy who crossed, it was yellow by the time the second boy entered the intersection and red when the last two boys crossed. Luckily, those of us stopped at the light were able to see the boys and waited for them to clear the intersection before proceeding through our now green light.  Maybe its wishful thinking, but I would like to believe that the boys would not have started across the intersection at all if they could have learned from looking at a display box that their light would turn red in a few seconds.” 

On reading in The Watch that residents hope Congressman Kirk will convene a town meeting on social security, EL wrote to say she’ll raise the question of drug purchases from Canada should Kirk agree to meet with constituents: “I recently wrote to my congressman and to Illinois’ two senators expressing outrage over a Bush administration move to stop Americans from buying prescription drugs from Canada.  I told them that my husband takes Dostinex every 10 days. That doesn't sound too bad, but we pay $34 per pill in Illinois.  I order from Canada, and it costs $18 per pill.  In September I placed an order with a drug company that gets its pills from English- speaking countries.  In place of the pills, I received a letter from the Food and Drug Administration telling me that they would not release the pills to me since the FDA considers this an unapproved new drug.  Dostinex is not new. My husband has been taking this drug for at least three years.  The FDA should at least keep up with the drugs on the market, and if Mr. Bush does not want U.S. citizens to go to Canada, why doesn't he get on the backs of the pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices?  We know Mr. Bush will not get after these companies because the pharmaceutical companies are very generous to his campaign.  I sent a note about this to Congressman Kirk. He thanked me for contacting him in regard to Social Security reform and went on to tell me in the coming months he will carefully review the details of Mr. Bush's agenda for strengthening Social Security. This was the cherry on the cake. This man cannot even reply on the correct subject.  How people like this get in office is beyond my comprehension! I did receive an intelligent reply to my concern from U.S. Senator Barack Obama."

The Watch replies:  We had a similar experience after writing to protest Kirk’s support for repeal of the Estate Tax.  He sent us what was clearly a form letter about how hard he’s been fighting to do away with the "Death Tax."  On the subject of prescription drug costs, we'd like to take this opportunity to warn readers that an e-mail circulating on the Internet regarding the actual costs of active ingredients in medications and the price of generics at Costco is a hoax.  The message was attributed to a U.S. Commerce Dept. budget analyst who begged us to let the world know she did not write the memo in question.  A source at Walgreens says the bogus information has been circulating for months.

 YOUR TURN:  Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.

To read past issues of Glenview Watch, Click Here