The Harris Bank has joined Bravo Waukegan in supporting the Waukegan Middle School Spring Festival. Thanks to this partnership, this very large event will be held in the historic Genesee Theatre in downtown Waukegan. Committee members of Bravo Waukgan, a local non-profit supported primarily by Lake Forest and Lake Bluff residents, will serve as ushers and translators for the primarily Hispanic audience. Approximately 800 children enrolled in the district’s middle school band, orchestra and choral programs will perform. And 1,800 parents and friends are expected to attend the April 14th event.
Helping Others At ‘Let’s Have Fun’
March 28, 2011 By 4 Comments
Lucy Malloy is hosting a lemonade stand
Five-year-old Lucy Mulloy is hosting a lemonade stand to raise money for the Avon Cancer Walk and the people of Japan. To support her in her endeavor, please visit “Let’s Have Fun” in Lake Forest beginning at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 29; Wednesday, March 30; and Thursday, March 31. Lucy will sell lemonade and baked goods, and she’ll donate the proceeds to the Cancer Walk and agencies supporting Japan.
For more info and/or to contact the new store Let’s Have Fun, please visit www.letshavefunlakeforest.com
Endorsement For Emmanuele
March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: This Reader Forum article was written and submitted by Mary and Thomas Ritter of Lake Forest. Reader Forum articles represent the writer’s opinions and not necessarily those of GazeboNews. Please note: GazeboNews is not publishing comments on candidate articles in the Reader Forum. This change in policy applies only to candidate articles–we encourage you to comment and respond to Reader Forum articles that focus on issues (but please include your full name).
Dear Editor,
Hannah Emmanuele, LFHS Board of Education candidate, has our unequivocal and enthusiastic support and endorsement in the upcoming April 5 election. Among many strong assets, Hannah is a fiscal conservative, understands the need to do more with less, and is keenly interested in representing the community taxpayers on the LFHS Board of Education.
This current election cycle is reminiscent of the 2003 contested election when six community members ran for three open seats on the LFHS Board. Hannah Emmanuele’s skill set and intellect is very similar to that of the 2003 “independent” winner, Marilyn Harlow. Marilyn is retiring from the LFHS Board in May after serving 8 distinguished years. Like Hannah, Marilyn was not supported by the LF Caucus when she originally ran.
Hannah Emmanuele shares certain similarities with Marilyn Harlow. Hannah has a similar quick, keen, and nimble analytical mind. Both women understand and process the big picture as well as the micro level with clarity and thoroughness. They share a passion for achieving the highest possible level of education for each student in our community. We see in Hannah a similar work ethic for methodical preparation, due diligence and careful study expected of school board members. Hannah comes with no personal agenda except to move LFHS forward to be a Beacon of Excellence school district. At the same time she is a creative problem solver and will be of help as the Board seeks to alleviate the fiscal pressures LFHS currently is experiencing.
Achieving this balance is vital to ensure LF/LB/Knollwood property values are enhanced and vacant homes are filled with new families, which is one of Hannah’s goals Hannah Emmanuele has significant governing board and senior management experience with a billion dollar nonprofit organization. Her broad range of work and life experiences provide her valuable insights and understanding of the board’s role within the school district, including its relationship with the school administration. Hannah also possesses the necessary expert listening skills that are required to work in a collaborative manner with the Board, and with the community, faculty, and administration.
When elected, Hannah will bring a voice of reason, candor, openness, and passion for education, along with fiscal acumen. Hannah also will bring a fresh perspective because she possesses a younger world view, one informed by the advances taking place in our ever changing world and a knowledge of the skills our young students need to be successful in their adult lives.
The LFHS Board of Education needs to represent a cross section of our community, be well balanced and dynamic, represent the long view and a forward looking perspective, and consist of varied professional and work experiences. We also need a balance of men and women on the Board. An important quality Hannah will bring that no other candidate has is the personal knowledge of the programs at the middle school level, therefore understanding the continuum for students matriculating into the high school.
This is consistent with the best hopes and intent of the “new shared services model.” No other LFHS Board of Education member, past or present or even current candidates, has experienced this operational model at both districts first hand while sitting on the Board. This is a unique and important perspective for the Board as it weighs the school’s future, especially including the hiring of a new superintendent.
Hannah Emmanuele has been busy taking her inspiring message to the voters. Her campaign has been positive from the very start, dignified and clearly focused on our school and the best interests of our students. That’s the LF/LB way. Hannah, like her campaign, will represent the community on the LFHS Board of Education with the highest professionalism and ethical and moral standards.
Please join us in voting 4 Hannah Emmanuele 4 the LFHS Board of Education on April 5.
Mary and Thomas Ritter of Lake Forest
Lake Forest Blockbuster Sign A Bust
March 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A reader wrote to Ask The Gazebo about two very prominent signs that have recently popped up in Lake Forest, a sizable Going Out Of Business banner at Blockbuster and a large For Sale sign in front of the Barat Woods on Sheridan Road. The top of the Barat sign is about 7 feet from the ground and the sign itself is about 6 feet wide. Until very recently, it was bright red and yellow, but the sign was changed to maroon and white.
We asked Cathy Czerniak, director of community development, if the signs conform to city ordinances. Here’s her response: “The Blockbuster sign does not comply with City regulations. To date, Blockbuster has not complied with the City’s request to remove the signs. A Notice of Violation has been issued to both Blockbuster and the building owner and citations have been issued as well. This matter is now pending before the City’s Administrative Hearing Official. City staff is in consultation with the City Attorney since there is a Court Order relating to the bankruptcy proceedings in which Blockbuster is involved. Blockbuster has conveyed to City staff that they believe that the Court Order exempts them from the City’s signage requirements. The City will continue to monitor this issue.
“The previous marketing sign at Barat Campus, which was in place for over a year announcing the Barat Woods development, was recently replaced with a new marketing sign. The new marketing sign is the same size and is in the same location as the previous marketing sign, however the colors of the new sign are red and yellow, as opposed to the previous green and white, and have attracted some attention. The property owner has agreed to replace the sign with colors that are a bit more subtle. A replacement sign, maroon and white, is expected to be in place by early next week. For tracts of land over 20 acres in size, a marketing sign of this size is permitted.”
Lake Bluff Library’s Spring Reads
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
This list of great reads for spring break comes from the Lake Bluff Library.
By Eric Bailey, librarian at the Lake Bluff Public Library
Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
(Fiction, May 31 2011)
Summary: A continuation of “Shanghai Girls” finds a devastated Joy fleeing to China to search for her real father while her mother, Pearl, desperately pursues her, a dual quest marked by their encounters with the nation’s intolerant Communist culture.
My take: See (Snowflower and the Secret Fan) has been a big hit in Lake Bluff. This continuation of Shanghai Girls should be another winner.
Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark
(Fiction, April 20 2011)
Summary: Los Angeles D.A. Rachel Knight is grief-stricken over the murder of her colleague, Jake, as she takes over his toughest case, and finds her reputation–and her life–at stake as she digs deeper into Jake’s death.
My take: Yes, this is by Marcia Clark of the OJ trial. Regardless, the reviews for this book have been nothing short of stellar, and fans of legal thrillers should definitely consider picking it up.
How I Killed Pluto, And Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown
(267 p., Nonfiction, 2010)
Summary: In 2005, astronomer Brown made the discovery of a lifetime: a 10th planet, Eris, slightly bigger than Pluto. But instead of its resulting in one more planet being added to our solar system, Brown’s find ignited a firestorm of controversy that riled the usually sedate world of astronomy and launched him into the public eye.
My take: Absolutely hilarious! The astronomy is very approachable, but Brown writes with enough humor and verve to make this one worth a look by any nonfiction reader!
Neptune’s Inferno: the US Navy at Guadalcanal by James Hornfischer
(516 p., Military History, Feb. 2011)
Summary: Draws on interviews with veterans and primary sources to present a narrative account of the pivotal World War II campaign, chronicling the three-month effort to gain control of Guadalcanal as a battle that taught the U.S. Navy and Marines new approaches to warfare.
My take: Hornfischer’s ‘Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors’ was a fantastic take on the battle of Leyte Gulf. For military history buffs, this should be another big hit.
One Was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming
(Fiction, 4/14/2011)
Summary: A latest entry in a series by the Agatha Award-winning author of In the Bleak Midwinter finds five Iraq veterans struggling to adjust to life after brutal tours of service, an effort complicated by permanent injuries, PTSD and the murder of one of their number.
My take: Spencer-Fleming’s mystery series, featuring an Episcopalian priest named Clare Ferguson, is an unsung gem. This entry is particularly topical, and has gotten glowing advanced praise.
Tabloid City by Pete Hamill
(Fiction, May 5 2011)
Summary: When a wealthy socialite and her secretary are found murdered in a stately West Village townhouse, a flurry of seemingly unrelated people spring into action in this new thriller from the author of the best-selling ‘Forever and Snow’ in August.
My take: Hamill’s atmospheric novels are usually a safe bet, and this one looks to be a real find for fans of literary thrillers.
Lake Forest Caucus President Responds
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: This Reader Forum article was written and submitted by Mark Ventling, president of Lake Forest Caucus. Reader Forum articles represent the writer’s opinions and not necessarily those of GazeboNews. Please note: GazeboNews is not publishing comments on candidate articles in the Reader Forum. This change in policy applies only to candidate articles–we encourage you to comment and respond to Reader Forum articles that focus on issues (but please include your full name). Click here to read the GazeboNews comments and Reader Forum policies.
By Mark Ventling, President of the Lake Forest Caucus
At the risk of being falsely accused again of “attempting to use the politics of personal destruction,” I must set the record straight about the letter from Aimee Messner and Jennifer Neubauer.
The Caucus sent an e-mail alerting voters to a letter from Abbie Fassnacht regarding Mr. Finley’s campaign. We included a link to a radio program which featured Mr. Finley and Tony Raymond, leader of a group called the Northern Illinois Patriots. In that radio broadcast, when asked to describe the work Mr. Finley and Mr. Raymond had done together, Mr. Raymond stated, “Gary is among about 30 local candidates that we are developing…to get them connected with volunteers who can help support them, financially as well as walking, also helping them with templates on how to run a campaign…we’re bringing together some of those best learnings [sic] and equipping them with things like walk sheets…giving them what they need…and finally, once they’re in office, giving them a support network…” Mr. Finley was present and participated in that broadcast. He did not dispute any of these statements.
We sent the e-mail because we were concerned that Mr. Finley was identifying himself as an “Independent” candidate with no mention of his support from this group. We simply wanted the voters to have the truth. The e-mail did not make any attempt to link “Gary to the tea party movement.” In fact, the e-mail doesn’t mention the Tea Party at all because whether Mr. Finley is a member of any political party is not relevant to the Caucus.
In an e-mail exchange between me and Mr. Finley, he denied receiving “funding” from this group, but admitted receiving in-kind assistance in the form of training and walking lists, which are lists prepared by political organizations to assist candidates in identifying sympathetic voters. I asked him to clarify whether the statements made by Mr. Raymond were accurate. Mr. Finley did not respond to this request, but instead replied that he had told me the truth. Mr. Finley posted the following statement on his website: “I am not being supported or funded by any political organization outside of Lake Forest.” He made a similar statement and also stated that “the Caucus has chosen to portray my candidacy in an untruthful way” in a Reader Forum letter on this site.
We remain troubled that the public record and what Mr. Finley states regarding outside support for his campaign are not consistent. I urge voters to review this information and decide for themselves.
As to the assertion that the Caucus is ignoring important issues facing the schools, I also urge voters to visit http://www.lfcaucus.com/candidates/bdofedinfo.asp to learn more about all our candidates’ positions on fiscal matters. You will also find additional biographical information there, along with positions on other issues of importance to the School Boards. Further, you will find information on our selection process along with the names of the openly-elected residents of Lake Forest who chose the Caucus candidates and the names of others who support them. In other words, the kind of full, transparent disclosure we urge Mr. Finley to make.
The Caucus does not believe it is appropriate to accept support from an outside partisan political organization either before or after an election for a School Board seat. We believe these local offices should remain purely local. Voters may disagree, but we want them to have the facts before making that decision.
To vote for the Caucus candidates, remember to vote for the top 3 on each School Board ballot.
Mark Ventling, President
Lake Forest Caucus
Lake Forest’s Ebner On NYT Pay-To-Read
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Lake Forest’s Michael Ebner has some interesting things to say about the New York Times’ new online subscription plan and its efforts to communicate the plan with readers. He wrote a letter to the public editor of the New York Times, Arthur S. Brisbane, about the newspaper’s new policy. Here’s a link to the New York Times‘ orignal column: “Business News You Didn’t Read Here.”
And here’s what Mr. Ebner wrote in response to the column. (To read his letter along with other commenters, please visit the New York Times‘ “Letters: Too Little Information.”
Editor:
I appreciated your informative column this morning on the prospect of pay-to-read online.
I am willing to pay fees to read online. It is a necessity for me. I suspect that as a seven-day-per-week subscriber, I will retain a level of access that is differentiated from the fees charged to non-subscribers. I also am very much aware that this sea change looms and I also recognize why it is necessary to impose fees.
So none of the foregoing is of great consequence for me.
What surprised me – and your column unsheathed it superbly – is the fact that the Times has done next to nothing by way of reporting on pay-to-read-online.
I urge you to check on the NY Times coverage of the travails of the Chicago Tribune and its parent Tribune Company. I learned more about the ongoing backstory regarding the Tribune from the Times than any other new source. To be quite specific, when the Tribune’s hostile workplace environment for women was uncovered last year, it was front page news in the Times. Indeed, the Times coverage was the talk of Chicago.
Although pay-to-read online at the Times isn’t comparable to the foregoing matter at the Tribune, it is unquestionably newsworthy. Readers shouldn’t have to learn about it in the Wall Street Journal.
I commend the Public Editor for raising this matter for devoted readers of the New York Times.
Michael H. Ebner
Lake Forest, Ill.
Spring Break Reads From Lake Forest Library
March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Here’s a quick list of Spring Break Reads from the Lake Forest Library, submitted by librarian Jean Larson. It’s a mixture of popular fiction, mysteries, memoirs, and history. Most are recent releases. All have been published within the last 6 months.
- Auel, Jean M., The Land of Painted Caves (the conclusion to her popular prehistoric “Earth’s Children” series)
- Bradley, Alan B. A Red Herring with Mustard (newest Flavia de Luce mystery)
- Carroll, James Jerusalem, Jerusalem: How the Ancient City Ignited the Modern World (Publisher’s Weekly calls this “a broad and balanced account”)
- Coben, Harlan, Live Wire (10th novel in the popular Myron Bolitar series)
- DeWaal, Edmund The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Family’s Century of Art and Loss (a family memoir centering on the fate of a collection of Japanese netsuke during World War II)
- Frazier, Ian Travels in Siberia (discusses Siberia’s role in history)
- McCall Smith, Alexander, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party (A No.1 Ladies Detective Agency novel)
- McLain, Paula The Paris Wife (fictional romance between Ernest Hemingway and Chicagoan, Hadley Mowrer)
- Oates, Joyce Carol A Widow’s Story: A Memoir (reflections on her husband’s death)
- Picoult, Jodi, Sing You Home (once again tackles timely issues, offering an insightful mixture of hope and despair)
- Winspear, Jacqueline A Lesson in Secrets (latest Maisie Dobbs mystery)
Lake Forest Books: Spring Break Reads
March 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The weather says winter but the calendar says spring break. What are you going to read? Whether you stay in town or travel afar, hopefully you’ll have time to spend with a favorite book. Here’s a list of Great Spring Break Books from the Lake Forest Book Store. Please shop local when you purchase books!
Adult
Afraid of the Dark by James Grippando
Harper $25.99
“New York Times”-bestselling author is back with a sinister thriller that leads his ever-popular hero, Jack Swyteck, to secret detention sites and an underground video ring spanning the globe.
A Cup of Friendship by Deborah Rodriquez
Ballantine $25.00
From the author of the “New York Times” bestseller “Kabul Beauty School” comes a fiction debut as compelling as real life: the story of a remarkable coffee shop in the heart of Kabul, and the women who meet there–each with a story and a secret.
Drawing Conclusions by Donna Leon
Atlantic Monthly $24.00
Though there are some signs of a struggle, the medical examiner rules that a widow died of a heart attack. Brunetti can’t shake the feeling that something or someone may have triggered her heart attack. With the help of Inspector Vianello and the ever-resourceful Signorina Elettra, perhaps Brunetti can get to the truth and find some measure of justice.
Live Wire by Harlan Coben
Dutton $27.95
Myron Bolitar’s family takes center stage in this new Coben thriller. Former tennis star Suzze T and her rock star husband, Lex, are both clients, and now Lex has disappeared and a very pregnant Suzze is in tears. Myron is forced to confront deep secrets in Suzze’s past, his family’s mortality, and before Live Wire is over, his own.
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain
Ballantine $25.00
A deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, “The Paris Wife” captures a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people: Ernest Hemingway and his wife Hadley.
Rodin’s Debutante
By Ward Just
Houghton Mifflin $26.00
Lake Forest’s own Ward Just brings us his latest fantastic book. Lee Goodell’s life decisions–to become a sculptor, to sojourn in the mean streets of the South Side, to marry into the haute-intellectual culture of Hyde Park–play out against the crude glamour of mid-century Chicago.
Say Her Name by Francisco Goldman
Grove $24.00
In 2005, celebrated novelist Goldman married a beautiful young writer named Aura Estrada in a romantic Mexican hacienda. The month before their second anniversary, Aura broke her neck while body surfing. Francisco, blamed for Aura’s death by her family and blaming himself, wanted to die, too. Instead, he wrote Say Her Name, a novel chronicling his great love and unspeakable loss.
KIDS
Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull
Simon and Schuster $19.99
Jason Walker falls through a tunnel at the zoo and ends up in a new, utterly foreign world, a world with no heroes and no hope. Jason finds himself faced with the prospect of becoming the hero he never imagined he could be.
Best of the Best by Tim Green
Harper $16.99
Green returns to the world of Josh and his friends Jaden and Benji from the “New York Times”-bestselling Baseball Great.
Chime by Franny Billingsley
Dial $17.99
Another local author Franny Billingsley delivers a brilliant new novel for young adults. In the early 20th century in Swampsea, 17-year-old Briony, who can see the spirits that haunt the marshes around their town, feels responsible for her twin sister’s horrible injury until a young man enters their lives and exposes secrets that even Briony does not know about.
The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman
Harper $16.99
This family-friendly adventure caper set against the backdrops of funky American landmarks features tween twin siblings recruited into an organization that uses kid geniuses to solve the world’s problems.
Scorpia Rising: An Alex Rider novel by Anthony Horowitz
Philomel $17.99
Scorpia, the world’s most dangerous terrorist organization, has dogged Alex Rider for most of his life. Now Scorpia is playing with fire in the world’s most combustible land: the Middle East. No one knows Scorpia like Alex. And no one knows how best to get to Alex like Scorpia. Until now.
Young Fredle by Cynthia Voight
Knopf $16.99
Voigt crafts a novel about discovery, perspective, and the meaning of home–all through the eyes of an affable and worried little mouse. Illustrations.
No Time For Dreamin’ In California
March 23, 2011 By 1 Comment
Dear Readers:
Hello again from Berkeley, Calif. My head is spinning from all that I’m learning at the Knight Digital Media Fellowship. On Tuesday I learned some tricks about digital cameras and video cameras, which I then put to use when I walked around the campus with my fellow Knight Fellows to shoot video for a news feature (that’s not running on any TV stations!). After that we had a lesson in Final Cut Pro, an editing program, that was surprisingly approachable for non-techies like me. Today was all about maps and data visualization and photo editing programs … I could spend a year here and still not master all the tools that news organizations are using to enhance their coverage online. It’s been a great experience but I’m taking time to smell the lilacs and thyme, which grow in abundance here, along with lush jade plants, Meyer lemon trees and impatiens that are bigger than your average patio chair. Here’s a picture of me taking a picture of a meditation shop near the UofC campus:
There are many interesting stores in Berkeley, Calif.
