Celebrate Summer at

Railroad Days!

Railroad Days is back and better than ever with fun for the entire family. Railroad Days has been the signature community event in West Chicago for decades and continues to attract residents as well as visitors from around the State and beyond. Held at Reed-Keppler Park from July 10 - 13, 2014, it has become a popular event for all ages.

FREE entertainment on the main stage always makes Friday and Saturday evenings exciting, and don't forget to come early for fireworks on Saturday night. Then get a good spot for one of the best parades in DuPage County, stepping off from Ingalton and Elmwood Avenues at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Railroad Days has great amusements for kids and adults of all ages, with new rides added in 2014 and special ride pricing offered several times during the four-day event. No quality festival would be complete without great food and drink, and you can find plenty of both at this year's event.

Fresh-made German Bratwurst with authentic sauerkraut and spatzel (German noodles) are new in 2014. Funnel cakes, BBQ, corndogs, cotton candy, burgers, and Italian beef add to the variety of Mexican, Chinese and all-American summer cuisine. The Beer Garden will also offer refreshing cold drafts for adults and vendors will have plenty of fresh squeezed lemonade, Italian ice and other special drinks to help cool down.

DeWayne Hill returns by popular demand from Florida for his fifth year with amazing tricks and magic. Plus, the Model Train Show is back, as well as the group "Out of the Woods" with their handmade wood crafts designed and made by college students and instructors.

View the nearly complete ARC Center that will open in September and, of course, you can always make a day of it by spending time at Turtle Splash Aquatic Center; daily passes are available for both residents and non-residents.

So come on out and see what all the excitement is about; West Chicago Railroad Days. All Aboard!

For a full listing of activities, times and locations visit www.westerndupagechamber.com and follow the link to Railroad Days.

2014 West Chicago Railroad Days is managed by the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce located at 306 Main Street, West Chicago, Illinois 60185.

IMPORTANT DATES FOR ADULTS   July 4 .....................City Hall Closed July 10-13...............Railroad Days July 11....................Artist Reception July 11 ...................Late Night at the Museum July 18....................Local Music Night July 19....................Coffee with the Mayor August 1.................Artist Reception  August 1.................Late Night at the Museum August 5.................National Night Out August 15...............Local Music Night August 19...............Community Block Party August 30...............Coffee with the Mayor

IMPORTANT DATES FOR KIDS   July 1.............Make Your Own Pet Treats July 8.............Movie Makers Club July 9.............Cha Cha Chicas July 16...........Jurassic Park July 17...........Bedtime Math July 18...........Boredom Blasters July 22...........If You Give a Moose a Muffin July 22...........Movie Makers Club July 23...........Cha Cha Chicas July 24...........Stories in the Garden @ Cantigny July 24...........Reading to Rover July 25...........Boredom Blasters July 31...........Milk & Cookies Storytime August 1........Boredom Blasters August 7........Reading to Rover August 20......Getting Ready for Kindergarten    For details visit www.westchicago.lib.il.us, or call (630) 231-1552 ..............................................................   July 11............Flick & Float  July 25 & 26....Community Theater Performance   For details visit www.we-goparks.org or call (630) 231-9474

Thank you!

The City would like to thank the many talented volunteers who worked so hard to create another successful Blooming Fest. The event is a labor of love for the Committee, which has already begun planning next year's event. A special thank you to West Chicago Boy Scout Troop 33 for its service to the community in planting dozens of flats of colorful flowers downtown as part of Blooming Fest and overall downtown beautification! A slide-show of Blooming Fest highlights is now available at www.westchicago.org by following the YouTube link located at the bottom of the home page. 

Community Block Party

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

4:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Invitation - pdf or www.westchicago.org 

Join WeGo Together for Kids and the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago at a Block Party for the entire community. It's a celebration of the enhanced partnership which will bring United Way's Neighborhood Network model of resources in education, income and health to West Chicago. Together, they seek to enhance services and opportunities for all. Learn more about this incredible community-building, community-lifting partnership at its launch event - a community block party. All West Chicagoans are invited.

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The West Chicago Farmers' Market has been in full-swing since June and has received a great response from residents and visitors who are enjoying the freshest tastes of summer. Brought to the community by the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, the Market is open every Thursday, from 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., through October, at the northeast corner of Routes 59 and 64 (Mosaic Crossing Shopping Center). The Market is one of the elements of Healthy West Chicago, a community-based initiative that helps residents to "make the healthy choice, the easy choice".

Mayor Ruben Pineda

A new top 10 list recently surfaced for West Chicago, and it's something we all need to be roaring about. It's the welcome piece of good news coming from the office of District 94 School Superintendent Dr. Douglas Domeracki that asks the question "Why choose District 94", and answers it with 10 Great Reasons to Be a Community High School Wildcat.

As a Community High School (CHS) graduate myself, my alma mater holds a special place in my heart, but after reading through the list, and the accompanying multi-page, paw-print shaped brochure that touts impressive statistics on the credentials of its teaching staff, the rate of increase of students taking honors courses (it has doubled in the last five years) and the opportunities it offers to earn dual credit for college, I had to admit a newfound pride and respect. The brochure is filled with photographs of West Chicago students who radiate character and intelligence; they are our country's future educators, engineers, doctors, manufacturers, farmers, business people and service providers.

This list is so important to our community I am including it in its entirety below:

1. CHS staff and students are welcoming and accepting of diverse cultures and ideas.
2. CHS is a community where students can find their own voice and express themselves as individuals, and are comfortable having friends in multiple peer groups.
3. Service to others is a hallmark of our school's identity; it is interwoven into the curriculum and is evident throughout extracurricular programs.
4. An extensive dual credit program exists; CHS students can earn credit at College of DuPage while in high school.
5. CHS continually strives to deliver options to meet the needs of every student.
6. Opportunities abound for student involvement; CHS students may choose from 22 sports and 34 clubs/activities.
7. CHS students feel safe at school and feel united as a student body.
8. 87% of the CHS Class of 2013 continued their education after high school.
9. CHS offers unique courses including an extensive US Government Simulation, Interdisciplinary Studies, Critical Reading, and Community Leadership.
10. The learning family at CHS works tirelessly to help students find a path to success and make their high school experience positive.

I urge everyone reading this to pick up a copy from the High School or at City Hall in the brochure rack, and spread the word about the quality of the education our young people are receiving at our Community High School.

Do I sound excited? You bet I am, and you should be too!

Respectfully,

Ruben Pineda

Mayor

This is the time of year when keeping up with the growth of your grass can be challenging, but rather than lose heart, remember the other option - shoveling snow!  Keep grass or weeds under eight inches high.  Once your lawn reaches a height over eight inches, it could result in a notice being sent and potentially a fine if not corrected in a timely manner.  Make sure to keep your parkway mowed and maintained as well.

Before you fire up that grill and throw on the steaks, be mindful of the City's Code regarding BBQ grills.  For your safety and others, remember BBQ grills are not allowed on apartment/condominium balconies or within 10 feet of buildings.

Public Safety Matters  

National Night Out

Tuesday, August 5, 2014 

6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Reed-Keppler Park

Summer is a time for outdoor celebrations and on the first Tuesday in August, Reed-Keppler Park will be the neighborhood gathering place for a community block party in honor of the residents, business owners and local law enforcement personnel dedicated to reducing crime and drug use throughout the City. Known as National Night Out (NNO), the event occurs concurrently in communities nationwide and is an initiative of the National Town Watch Association to foster police/community partnerships and increase citizen involvement in the fight for a safer nation. Family-friendly activities include law enforcement displays, vehicles and demonstrations and fun give-away items. The event is free and open to the public. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Police Department at (630) 293-2222.   

Pet Safety

Please be aware of how deadly hot cars become for pets during summer months. Never leave a pet inside a closed vehicle, even in mildly warm weather. Temperatures rise rapidly and animals can succumb to heat-stroke within minutes.

Museum News

132 Main Street - (630) 231-3376   

The City Museum's new reading program, Historiography, will continue to honor the 100th Anniversary of World War I with the book Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark at its monthly meetings in July and August. The discussion group meets on the second floor of the Museum and light refreshments are provided. The Museum also has two copies of the book available for members of the public to come and read. The meetings are full of supplemental materials, activities and questions that are meant to further the discussion of the topics at hand. Participants are not required to have read the chapters, but are encouraged to do so. The following lists more details:

• Friday, July 18, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. Part 2 of the book titled One Continent Divided (Chapters 3-6) will be discussed.
• Friday, August 15, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. Part 3 of the book, "Crisis" (Chapters 7- Conclusion) will be discussed. 

In conjunction with the discussion group, the City Museum will be hosting a World War I lecture presented by Dr. Shereen Ilahi, Assistant Professor of History at North Central College on Thursday, August 21, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. at the Museum. Please contact museum@westchicago.org or (630) 231-3376 with any questions about this program.

The Cultural Arts Commission has chosen the winner of the 2014 arts scholarship: West Chicago Community High School graduate Natalie Farrell. Ms. Farrell will use the $400 scholarship to help finance her education at Butler University in Indianapolis, where she will be attending as a member of the flute studio and studying with members of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. Congratulations and best wishes, Ms. Farrell!

Artéculture, a brand new arts event held at Blooming Fest, was a success! Thirty-eight pieces of art from 22 artists filled Gallery 200/STUDIO and brought many to marvel at the fine work exhibited in a wide range of styles and media. Caterpillar Baby, an intricate piece of soft sculpture by artist Dianne Gage, took the prize for People's Choice and Honorable Mentions (chosen by the Commission) went to Colm Keeney and Judy Knaack. All will be honored at the August 4, 2014 City Council meeting and their work will be on display at City Hall through the summer.

The 2014 Banner Art Project, (Bi)Cycle of Life, is a delightful public art installation that will remain hanging on Main Street through the summer. A walking tour map is available here or at www.westchicago.org and there is still time to vote for your favorite. Ballots are available at the City Museum, City Hall and Gallery 200.  A new theme has been announced for next year's Project. Inspired by the City's Healthy West Chicago initiative, the Commission has chosen A Picture of Health as its subject. Artists are asked to submit entries earlier this year and has changed the deadline to December 12, 2014. The Commission is hoping for a "healthy" number of entries for a bigger display next year. Applications are available here or at www.westchicago.org under Forms.

The City is accepting nominations for the 2014 Brilliance in Business Awards. Consider nominating a worthy business and sharing your enthusiasm with others in the community. The positive attention is priceless for the business and the entire community. The process is easy, with the application and instructions linked below, or available at www.westchicago.org under Business/Brilliance in Business Awards. Businesses may nominate themselves.

Brilliance in Business Guidelines  

Community Service Award

Green Initiatives

Small Business of the Year

Community Image Award

Economic Development