Pay now. Or pay later

OUR VIEWS Fifteen years ago - when a kid in the villages acted like a jerk, a bully or a criminal wannabe - the choice was to bring in the cops, or, more frequently, to throw up the community's collective hands in a lament. Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Consolidation buzz

OUR VIEWS In our conversation with the three school superintendents last week, the concept of school consolidation came up. What would be the pros and cons of merging Oak Park and River Forest's elementary school districts and then adding in Oak Park and River Forest High School to create a K-12 district for the two villages? Tuesday, August 24, 2010

For sale: Mexican restaurant. Motivated seller

OUR VIEWS This is ground we have covered before. So excuse our teeth gnashing. Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Abdicating responsibility

OUR VIEWS River Forest is about to get a new village administrator. This is important. Regular readers know our view that elected officials make no more important decision during their tenures than choosing a top administrator. Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Playing on fears

Editorial

The plan to build affordable housing in the so-called Comcast building on Madison Street is a credible one. The three organizations backing the proposal are experienced in such efforts. Local connections and sensitivities are built into the project through the Oak Park Housing Authority. Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Lawsuit KOs Oak Park cop?

Editorial

Like a family turning once again to noodles and beans for dinner because of a balky and unbudgeted transmission, the Village of Oak Park has just fired a veteran deputy police chief because of a balky and unbudgeted lawsuit. Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Crossing to safety and savings

OUR VIEWS The working premise is that we need to rethink how local government operates because we simply can't afford the way it used to run. So let's look at the crossing guard situation in Oak Park and offer praise. Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Tough choices to open schools

OUR VIEWS There aren't many bigger barrels to be over. School districts' in the middle of a summer's worth of major construction projects. The timetables are always tight. School opening looms. And then a construction strike. Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sure, just sue everybody

OUR VIEWS Who's running Oak Park and River Forest High School? Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Welcome. Now get to work

OUR VIEWS Maybe it has happened before that new school superintendents have started on exactly the same day at both Oak Park and River Forest High School and the District 97 elementary schools. Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Gun culture

OUR VIEWS When Oak Park passed its ban on handguns in 1985 it was intended to be a harbinger of stricter gun control in cities, urban suburbs and progressive communities across America. And for a time it was. Evanston, Wilmette, Winnetka and Morton Grove all passed bans in that era. Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Crossing guard follies

On Tuesday, Aug. 24, the first day of classes in River Forest Elementary School District 90, there will be some sort of organized, adult presence designed to get River kidlings across busy streets without being squished. You can count on it. Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Consolidating fire

OUR VIEWS Big ideas, notable change, can always get derailed when you start by looking at the niggling details. So it is as the concept of consolidating several local fire departments into a single more efficient, less costly fire district gets the first hint of traction. Tuesday, June 15, 2010