GLENVIEW TEENS ARE HEROES 

Thomas Foust, Tyler Brown and Zach Demertzis started the weekend as everyday guys and ended it as heroes.  The three were riding along Chestnut Road Saturday night when they saw an 83-year-old woman drive her 2006 Lexus onto the railroad tracks just east of Lehigh Road.  Midway across, thinking she had reached Lehigh, she turned onto the tracks, and her car got stuck.

“I saw the train lights coming, and I thought this is a big problem,” Foust recalled. 

He put his car in park, and – along with Brown and Demertzis – rushed over to the woman’s car – shouting and pounding on her window.  When she opened the door, Foust unclipped her seatbelt and pulled her to safety just seconds before a northbound Amtrak train slammed into the vehicle, sending metal and glass flying. 

A short time later, a southbound train also hit the car. No one was hurt, although one of the trains was damaged.  Foust, a senior at Glenbrook South High School, was hailed as a hero by CNN on Sunday.  He, Brown and Demertzis (both sophomores) received special thanks from school administrators Monday morning and were to be honored by the board of education Monday night.

VILLAGE OFFICIALS SLAM COMED

Local leaders heaved a sigh of relief last week as power returned to most homes in Glenview and downed trees were carted away, but they pointed an accusing finger at Commonwealth Edison, contending the utility did a lousy job of informing local government about problems and prospects for restoring power.

Village Manager Todd Hileman said he was “very disappointed” with the lack of information Glenview got from Commonwealth Edison. “We decided to set-up a call center for residents, so my employees were basically subsidizing ComEd’s staff,” he said.  “I’m going to ask ComEd to do a diagnosis of the situation.  How do we improve the process next time? Because the informational updates to our residents have been poor. There’s definitely room for improvement.”

State Senator Susan Garrett arranged a public hearing so residents could speak directly to ComEd.  Garrett complained that people who called 1-800-EDISON-1 had to wait 15 or 20 minutes just to get a response. 

“There were clearly glaring gaps in communication between Commonwealth Edison and the government on the progress that was being made,” said State Senator Jeff Schoenberg.  “Those of us who’ve spent the last few months in the state capital have seen how effectively Commonwealth Edison can deploy resources in order to communicate its message,” he said, referring to ComEd’s recent efforts to raise rates.  “I’m very disappointed that the same speed and effectiveness was not used to communicate with specific neighborhoods about what was happening on the ground.”

State Representative Beth Coulson, who saw a large tree in her front yard uprooted by high winds praised the village and neighbors who helped one another during the extended power outage.

“It was a miracle there was no loss of life,” Coulson said, “but we’re in big trouble if something more serious happens, and we don’t get a better response from ComEd.”

COMED RESPONDS

George Williams, senior vice president of operations for Commonwealth Edison, said he understood the frustration customers felt. “This is one of the worst storms that we’ve seen in more than a decade, and it’s been a very big challenge for us.”

Williams said he had worked for five other utilities in his career – one of them serving New Orleans during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. “I felt they did extremely well at Entergy, but the performance that was demonstrated here by ComEd, its contractors and crews from other communities, far exceeded the performance that I saw there.”

He explained that more than 650,000 households and businesses (15,500 in Glenview) lost power during the storm, and most got power back within 48 hours. Four days after the storm, however, 4,600 customers – 1,200 in Glenview -- were still without power.

ComEd called for mutual assistance from as far away as Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. About 1,000 professionals who were not ComEd employees responded.  “It’s a monumental effort.  We had people working 16-hour shifts, 24 hours a day.  We had a lot of tree damage, a lot of flooding, and it takes a lot just to get access to our equipment,” Williams explained.    

The utility executive acknowledged complaints about communications but said the company had received more than 350,000 calls. “After every storm we do a ‘lessons learned’ to find out what we could have done better, and that is one of the areas we’re going to be looking at.  I’m going to look further into the legitimacy of this concern, and we will address this on an on-going basis. There is always room for improvement.”

PLENTIFUL PRAISE FOR THOSE WHO HELPED OUT

Village President Cummings offered high praise to the department of public works, the police and fire departments, park district staffers, managers, volunteers and to Glenview’s communications director who, in the absence of power in many homes was reduced to making up flyers that were passed out by hand to residents. Cummings added that lightning knocked out the phones at Village Hall for a time.

Public Works Director Bill Porter collected kudos from Cummings and the village manager.  He, in turn, thanked fellow managers, his staff and one veteran employee – Gerry Maneck who retired last Friday. Maneck, who had worked for the village for 34 years said this was the worst storm he had ever seen and advised his colleagues to think of the clean-up effort as a marathon, not a sprint.  “All previous events were a practice for this one,” he concluded.

GOT DAMAGE?

Storm victims in disaster areas can get low-interest loans from the state while they wait for insurance settlements or other aid programs to take effect. For more information, go to www.treasurer.il.gov:80/PR23Aug2007.htm or call 312-814-1700.

More than 1,000 residents who were not insured for flooding have submitted damage assessment forms that should help Glenview qualify for disaster funding from the state.  They reported damage estimated at up to $25,000, and about 25 had structural damage caused by falling trees.

So far, more than 1,300 truckloads of tree trunks and downed limbs have been removed – taken to the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy at The Glen for grinding and disposal. The village lost about 100 trees on public property and is asking residents to call if they see limbs still hanging from trees on the public right of way.

There were 12 water main breaks attributed to pressure surges during and after the storm, and about 3,000 basements flooded.  The fire department fielded 461 calls, and the police heard from 777 residents – many reporting alarms going off as power came and went.  There were also disputes between neighbors who complained about noisy generators or said the people next door were funneling water into their yards. Police officers logged 300 hours of overtime.

THE GREEN SCENE                                                                                                                                                                                                   

-- If you’re wondering whether last month’s storm was a sign of things to come in the age of climate change, give a listen to Watch Editor Sandy Hausman’s two-part report on Chicago Public Radio: http://www.wbez.org/Search.aspx?search=sandy%20hausman                                                        

-- The Glenview Park District has hired an insider -- Judy Ksiazek -- as the new environmental education supervisor at the Air Station Prairie, 2400 Compass Road.  Ksiazek has a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in education, with certifications in biology, chemistry and physical science. She has worked at The Grove for nearly 10 years in animal care, restoration, program instruction and camp supervision.

-- Air Station Prairie's trails and exterior exhibits are open daily from dawn until dusk. The Tyner Interpretive Center building is open weekends 10 a.m.-2 p.m. through October and on Saturday only starting in November. For more information call 847-901-6828 or 847-299-6096.

-- The park district will offer two new programs on prairie ecosystems (one for kids and one for adults) plus an adult program on eco-friendly design this September and October. Registration can be done online at www.glenviewparks.org or in person at Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave.

-- Volunteers are needed for restoration work days to help maintain the prairie. For a schedule go to www.northbranchrestoration.org

GROVE TO GET SOUND BARRIER                                                                                                                                                                        

Birdsong and whistling winds may soon be heard again at The Grove.  The Illinois Tollway Authority has finally agreed to erect an eight-foot high berm to    block traffic noise from neighboring I-294.                                                                                                                                                                        

Park District Director Chuck Balling said the state understood that The Grove is the “crown jewel of Glenview – an environmentally-sensitive area.” Grove officials have been trying to years to get a sound barrier, and the current widening of I-294 has created an opportunity to make it happen sometime next year.

The park district preferred a berm to a 45-high concrete wall.  Grove Director Steve Swanson explained that the natural sound barrier would look nicer,     and the state will dig a ditch at the base of the berm to funnel storm water into a new wetland.                                                                                            

The tollway authority has agreed to pay for up to $120,000 worth of native prairie seeds and trees that the park district will plant on the berm and will let    Glenview put up a sign identifying The Grove.                                                                                                                                                                    

ABT MAY INSTALL ELECTRONIC SIGN                                                                                                                                                              

Abt Electronics has asked the village to let it install an electronic sign along I-294, but a group called Scenic America is weighing-in against the idea.  “The issue is becoming increasingly urgent as billboard companies move aggressively to convert traditional billboards to digital technology in communities across  the country,” wrote the group’s president Kevin Fry.                                                                                                                                                         

The Federal Highway Administration is also planning to issue a policy on the use of the eye-catching signs but has said it won’t decide until after a safety study is complete.  Fry expressed disappointment, saying that study won’t be done until 2009.  “By then, hundreds, if not thousands, of new digital billboards will have been erected,” he wrote in a letter to the FHA. 

Scenic America suggests the signs could create a hazard, distracting drivers, and they may contribute to traffic congestion as drivers slow down to watch the changing images. The organization believes existing federal regulations prohibit such signs and has asked the FHA to impose a moratorium until results of the safety study are in.

Glenview’s sign ordinance prohibits moving, flashing signs, but Abt is asking for special permission.  The matter is expected to come before the zoning board of appeals on Monday, September 17 at 7 p.m., but some critics say Abt cannot get a variance from the current regulation and will have to ask the   trustees for a change in the law.                                                                                                                                                                                         

BRIDGE WATCH                                                                                                                                                                                                        

A Sunday inspection of the Milwaukee Avenue bridge that arches over railroad tracks just north of Glenview Road found no serious problems.  The Illinois Department of Transportation says it will be replacing beams and resurfacing the road next year, at which time Milwaukee will be down to one lane in each direction. 

FIRE DESTROYS TRAILER, MELTS NEIGHBORS

For the second time in just over a week, a trailer at the Sunset Ridge Mobile Home Park  caught fire September 1.  Someone called the fire department shortly after noon, but when firefighters arrived, they found a hydrant owned by the trailer park didn’t work.  Crews were forced to fight the blaze with water from two engine tanks and a hydrant on Waukegan Road, 600 feet away.

Flames were extinguished in about 20 minutes. Because they had a smaller fire on August 23, the mobile home’s residents were staying with a friend, so no one was injured, but the heat melted vinyl siding on several trailers nearby.

The fire department saw no relationship between the two fires but turned the matter over to Glenview police for further investigation. 

POLITICAL PATTER                                                                                                                                                                                                  

-- State Senator Susan Garrett, who represents a portion of Glenview in Springfield, has begun gathering signatures for her re-election effort in 2008.  A change in the law makes it necessary for Garrett to gather over 3,000 signatures, and she’s asking residents to help by circulating petitions.  If you’d like to assist the incumbent Democrat, send your mailing address by e-mail to susan@garrett98.com, and Garrett will send you a petition. 

-- The 10th Congressional District Democrats organization has begun accepting applications for fall semester internships. Interns work flexible hours and can focus on areas that interest them. Applicants should be college or high school students (juniors or seniors). Computer skills are desired, and a commitment to work at least eight hours a week after school or on weekends is required. Course credit is available with cooperating high schools and colleges. Students can apply for a one-semester internship or for the full year. For more information e-mail info@tenthdems.org or call 847-266-VOTE (8683).

HEALTHCARE HAPPENINGS

With the population of uninsured Americans growing, public hospitals face greater challenges, and Glenview’s County Commissioner Gregg Goslin has agreed to chair a new task force set up by the National Association of Counties.  That group will identify the best practices of public health care centers around the nation, note common issues and solutions, then make recommendations to the association’s board. Cook County Hospital serves about a million patients each year.

THE EAT BEAT

We’re a tad tardy on this one, but it’s worth noting that the old Burger King at 9850 Milwaukee Avenue has been replaced by a new Mexican place called El Sueno – The Dream.  It’s owned and operated by 72-year-old Luis Gorbena who became a multi-millionaire when he sold his previous business, Brooklyn Bagel Boys.  

No kidding! Gorbena was a master bagel baker who to this day peppers his conversation with Yiddish words and phrases.  Born and raised in Veracruz, Mexico, he set out for the United States at the age of 16 after receiving a severe beating from his father when he returned home a few minutes late.  Gorbena boarded a bus bound for Mexico City,  pawned his watch, gold chain and crucifix, proceeded to Tijuana and crossed the border into California.

Three times, West Coast officials deported him, so the fourth time he sneaked into America, Gorbena headed for New York.  He had met a Jewish girl from Long Island on the beach in Acapulco.  In 1959 they married, and Gorbena was offered a job in the family business – baking bagels.  “I was the first non-Jewish member of the bagel bakers’ union,” he recalled, “And since half of my fellow workers spoke no English, I had to learn Yiddish.”

Eventually, he would open the first bagel shop in Las Vegas and seven more in Chicago.  His products attracted the attention of buyers at Jewel who invited him to supply their stores. Gorbena said he added Dominick’s and other grocery chains to his list of customers, building two factories to keep up with demand.  By 1993, when he sold the business for $10 million, his bagels were available in 45 states.

But retirement didn’t suit Gorbena who opened El Seuno five months ago with one of his sons.  The chef specializes in food from Veracruz, a Mexican seaport, and dishes such as  poblano mashed potatoes, sweet potato fries and goat cheese quesadillas.  You’ll also find some of Gorbena’s favorites – an authentic Spanish flan and fruit with a Mexican eggnog liqueur.

A vegetarian menu is available on request, and there are three items just for kids.

-- Matty’s Wayside Inn on Waukegan Road is now open for lunch.  The long-time local eatery has a tidy new look and a new owner – the former proprietor of Kokonuts in Niles.  Lunch specialties include a pierogi plate, potato pancakes, roast port and fettuccini alfredo with broccoli, a good selection of sandwiches, salads, soups and desserts.

FAST FOOD – FAST TALES

Glenview police report at least two bizarre incidents at local fast food joints this month.  On September 2, an employee of Taco Bell on Milwaukee Ave. called about a guy kicking at the front door.  He was said to be upset because employees would not serve him at the drive through window without a vehicle, and the restaurant was locked.  Restaurant employees declined to press charges, and the troublesome customer was sent back to his room at the Motel 6.

On that same night, a 16-year-old guy heard a drunken Anglo woman at Wendy’s yelling at a Hispanic woman who had ordered her food in Spanish.  The man stepped in to defend the Spanish speaker.  Moments later, a large man approached the counter, grabbed the victim by the throat and pushed him up against a wall. The brute then released the young man, ran to the parking lot with the loud-mouthed woman and fled westbound on a “Chopper” motorcycle.

SAVE THE DATE

-- Cook County Commissioners Larry Suffredin and Gregg Goslin and Northfield Township Assessor Patricia Damisch will host a property reassessment seminar at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18 at the Greenbriar Lane Elementary School auditorium, 1225 Greenbriar Lane in Northbrook.  Bring your assessment notices, or – if you can’t make it -- call 847-864-1209 for assistance. 

-- Like to know how your village tax dollars will be spent next year? Village Hall hosts the capital improvements budget meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 26.

---- Experts say 80 percent of child car seats are improperly installed, so families may want to stop by the Glenview Police Station, 2500 East Lake Avenue, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, September 15 when a certified safety technician will take a look and let them know if they’ve got it right.   

-- On Tuesday, September 11, the Glenview Freedom Memorial Committee will formally dedicate the site for its 2,000-square-foot Glenview Freedom Memorial on the west side of Gallery Park along Patriot Boulevard. The ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. The committee was founded by family and friends of fallen U.S. Marine Corporals Christopher Zimny and Brian Kennedy. The village donated land for the memorial and will pay for landscaping. It should be completed by November 11 – Veterans’ Day.

-- The North Shore Professional Women’s Association is hosting a networking dinner at 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 11 at the Mission Hills Country Club. This month’s topic: Fall Fashion: Translating Trends to Your Closet! The cover charge is $28 payable in advance through the group’s website or $35 at the door. The club is located at 1677 Mission Hills Road in Northbrook. RSVP at www.NSPWA.net or to Rebecca Witek at 847-919-7962 by September 10, 2007.

READERS WRITE

Patty Avila offers this money-saving advice to area customers of Comcast: “We were without power or cable service from Thursday to Sunday and assumed we would be credited.  Today I was paying my Comcast bill and decided to call to find out when my credit would apply, since the services are prepaid for the upcoming month. Comcast told me the credit is not automatic during the outage. You have to call them and ask for it.”

Cathy Cascia “was outside when the storm first began and can't recall hearing any warning sirens. Did I miss hearing them, or were they never sounded?”

The Watch replies:  Village Communications Director Janet Spector Bishop says sirens are sounded only if a tornado is spotted within 10 miles of Glenview and is heading this way.  “This was not the case during the storm,” she writes. “Generally, it is standard policy not to sound sirens unless this condition is met – otherwise people stop paying attention!”

YY was not happy with the treatment his neighborhood got as floodwaters rose nearby: “I live in Sunset Village just to the east of the rising Techny Basin. The people here were informed at 8 p.m., August 20 that the basin could crest, and once again this area could be in trouble! Wasn't the basin made to control the flooding problems? Isn't the basin able to have controlled releases by the village to prevent flooding? Or is it that the residents of Sunset Village just don't matter? Was Heatherfield advised that the basin could crest, and that they could flood? Is the village not releasing some of the water because Valley Lo is to the south, and they could end up getting wet?

“The standard village letter was particularly insensitive.  It advised us to ‘remove any valuables or possessions from basements or lower levels of homes, until such time as the danger of flooding has passed.’ We live in mobile homes! We don't have basements! 

“Kudos to the Glenview Fire Dept. who served us our evacuation notice at 1:30 Friday morning. Those men had worked for hours to help clean up after the storm, and they we out here diligently going door to door to advise us!

“Most of us who live closest to the basin decided to stick it out. I called public works and asked if they could send someone out and have a small meeting with us to give us some insight. The woman who answered the phone said we had been served with notices and should follow that advice. She added that we should sand bag near our homes to help with the flooding. Sand bags? We hadn't gotten any sand bags! She put me on hold, and when she came back she said, ‘Oh you're not getting sand bags.’  

“Well, we were lucky, and the storms stayed south, but we do feel the village needs to get their act together!”

The Watch replies:  While village communications could have been better, the fact is that Glenview does not decide when water is pumped out of the Techny Basin.  That’s a decision left to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), based in part on the likely impact downstream.  We believe the village asked, repeatedly, to have water pumped out, and as soon as the MWRD felt it was safe, pumping began.

JAS is grateful to Glenview’s public safety personnel: “I would like to say a big thank you to all the service people who have done so much to relieve the damages of the storm.  The police, the fireman, public works and the oft-forgotten but always there-for-us dispatchers who work behind the scenes.  It is such a comfort to know that we have all these highly trained and diligent, caring people covering our backs.”

HD was “very favorably impressed with the notes left in mailboxes by the village.  We had no power for several days but were pleased that ComEd answered their phone when we called without too long of a wait.”

Michael Jortberg wondered “where to dispose of dead sump pump batteries, battery acid packing and remnants as well as oil from generators?” 

The Watch replies:  You can take the batteries to any Sears Automotive Store for recycling, and drop the oil off with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County.  Visit their website for times and places: http://www.epa.state.il.us/land/hazardous-waste/household-haz-waste/hhwc-schedule.html

 And Bob Sherman worries about what was lost to the storm: “As I drive around, I see piles of water-logged household items piled on parkways.  It bothers me to think that people might be throwing out old letters, photo albums, and other irreplaceable items of historic or sentimental value.  I have heard that photos and papers that have been under water can be saved by freezing.  Do any Watch readers know how that works?”

ERL was astonished to see that the village may add bike lanes on Glenview Road: “What next?  I cannot believe the plan commission approved that idea. The roads in this town are a laugh, and now they want to designate bike lanes on each side of Glenview Road.  It could be dangerous to put cyclists that close to drivers who have a phone stuck to their ear and are not looking both ways. I only pray that some poor kid does not get hit by one of the drivers who go 40 or 45 in the 35-mile speed zone. I agree with Peter Brinckerhoff, one of the common sense commissioners on the board.”

BA is glad to see Glenview putting more emphasis on bicycle safety: “I read with interest your article about bicycle routes in Glenview. I was nearly killed on April 14, 2005 by a driver who went through a stop sign at Lehigh and Washington by the train station and struck me in the crosswalk. If I didn't have a bike helmet on, I would have been killed instantly. As it was, I was off work for a month, spent four months in rehab and am still suffering from those injuries. I think more driver education is needed, particularly since many drivers think ‘right-turn-on-red’ means that, if the traffic is clear, they don't have to stop. Many pedestrian accidents and ‘near misses’ have occurred around high traffic areas, such as the downtown train station. The thought of bike riders in the street lanes is terrifying to me.  You're not even safe in pedestrian crosswalks, let alone riding right next to vehicles on the street. Before any master bike route plan is adopted, safety for bikers should be the driving force before anything is finalized.”

Editor’s note:  By law, motorists must share the road with cyclists, and experts say adding a bike lane will not only make the situation safer for people on bikes but will prompt many drivers to be more careful. What’s more, accident reports suggest people riding bicycles on the sidewalk are in greater danger than those on Glenview Road, since people pulling out of driveways don’t expect to find them there.  They’re too busy watching for on-coming cars and can’t always see what’s coming, because their view is blocked by bushes and trees.

JV started a fascinating conversation on The Glen’s Intranet last month: “As a parent I am sick and tired of all the talk about healthy meals at school,” he wrote. “One look at the school menus, and it’s clear the kids are eating junk. Why doesn’t the school board switch to a vendor who will provide healthier fare. The first week's menu included hot dogs, chips, chicken nuggets, fries, cheese pizza and hamburgers. With foods like that, it is no surprise that 30 percent of U.S. kids between 7-14 years old are overweight. I never see fish, soups or other normal, healthy, non-processed food in the cafeteria. It is no more expensive to make (and buy) healthy food than junk.”

To which one neighbor replied, “I hear Lake Forest has food catered from Whole Foods,” and another said, “The current offerings are junk. By high school, you probably need to serve Lipitor as an afternoon snack.”

BP defends spraying for mosquitoes in Glenview: “I personally know 2 people who have contracted West Nile Virus, one of them in Glenview. Both developed serious health issues. We are talking life threatening illnesses here. Is there any reporting of the number of cases that have been found in Glenview? This year and in the past?   Are these numbers available anywhere?  If not, why not? What can you find out?  If there are numbers to post, I think more people would recognize the threat and take personal precautions to prevent being bitten.”

The Watch replies:  Illinois’ Department of Public Health reports four cases of West Nile in suburban Cook County this year out of 19 cases statewide, and there’s been one death in the county.  You can find more on this subject on the state health department’s website:  http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/wnv.htm   Keep in mind that while mosquitoes appear to be far more numerous following last month's flooding, the bugs we tend to see now are not the ones that carry west Nile. 

Granny Green writes to protest neighbors burning trash:  “I have on several occasions been smoked out by neighbors who seem to be burning yard refuse in outdoor pits (fireplaces) and also indoor fireplaces. It has been necessary to close all of our windows, because the smoke and smell come in quickly and then linger.  The whole neighborhood smells of smoke, so one cannot even go out for a walk.  I know that burning leaves has long been forbidden because of the air pollution it creates.  Is there any ordinance dealing with the burning of things other than logs? I'm concerned because the county we live in is one of the worst in the nation for air pollution.  I don't know if burning logs in fireplaces indoors contributes to this, but I'm thinking that it may.  I'd hate to think that our community would be adding to an already bad situation.  To find statistics on county air pollution you can check www.scorecard.org/”

The Watch replies:  While backyard cookouts are a-okay, it is illegal to burn anything in an outdoor fireplace in Glenview, so if your neighbors are smoking you out, call the cops. As for indoor fireplaces, they do contribute to air pollution.  That’s why those trend-setters out in California are pushing to replace them.  The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is offering residents $100 to retrofit an existing fireplace to burn natural gas, and $300 to replace a woodburning stove with a new gas appliance. 

Bob Danon writes about his favorite customer at Charlie’s in Wilmette: “Kira Arney was thirteen years old. Her eyes were bright, her smile was winning and her heart -- well her heart was as big as they come. She cared so much for those around her, wanting them to be strong, to carry on. On July 31, after a two year battle, Kira died of a malignant brain tumor at home with her family around her.  She was the eldest daughter of a Wilmette family I have come to know, admire and, at times, cry for.

“Kira Arney was the toughest kid I ever met. Yes, I’m quite sure there were terrible moments behind closed doors -- moments of discomfort and pain when all seemed lost, but Kira, on the outside, made us all feel better. She gave us courage, she gave us hope, she gave us that great smile. She did her best to ensure a normalcy in her life that was more than admirable, it was most heroic. She carried on in her day-to-day life with courage and perseverance until the end.

“There are many wonderful causes we can support. There are, certainly, numerous and worthy cancer research funding causes. But today I am asking you to support this one because it is about children; it’s about their future, it’s about our future. Pediatric cancer research needs your help.

“At the Falk Brain Tumor Center at Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital they see more children with brain tumors than any other hospital in the Midwest. There, they are committed to participating in innovative investigations and treatment protocols for children suffering from brain tumors. Nationally, less than 3 percent of all government-funded cancer research dollars goes to pediatrics, and unfortunately only a small percentage of that funding is used for brain tumor research.

“Children are not supposed to die before their parents, but Kira Arney did. Other children have, and other children will. Kira, like many other children, came to understand that it would take a miracle for her to survive, but she never gave up hope. My hope is that you will think of Kira or others you have known, or others you have heard of, and make a donation to the future.

“Donations may be sent directly to Tara Noronha, Children's Memorial Hospital, 2300 Children’s Plaza, Box 4, Chicago, IL 60614. Please make your check payable to Children’s Memorial Hospital and include the code KA-M2M on the Memo line to ensure the money is credited to this fundraiser, or donate online at www.childrensmemorial.org/friends/foundation/M2M.asp.”

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