2015 Community Banner Art Project

Banners will hang on Main Street in downtown West Chicago from West Washington Street to Sesquicentennial Park from May until September 2015. An interactive mobile map to identify exact banner locations, along with a statement from each artist about their inspiration, is now available here or by using the QR code at the right. A Walking Tour Map is also available at www.westchicago.org. 

The community is encouraged to vote for its favorite banner by picking up a ballot at the City Museum, Gallery 200, the West Chicago Public Library, or City Hall. A People's Choice Award will be presented to the winning artist at the conclusion of the outdoor art exhibit in September.

The City of West Chicago is undertaking a community planning process that will result in the creation of the West Chicago Strategic Plan which will guide City leaders and have a direct impact on the future of the community. The Strategic Plan will be a visioning and strategic planning document. At its core, the Strategic Plan will focus on what the City of West Chicago can be in the future, establish the community's long-range goals, and identify strategies on how to achieve them. The Strategic Plan addresses where the City is now, where the community wants it to go, and how the City will get there.

The Strategic Plan will be driven by the community. The vision and policy recommendations incorporated in it will be grounded in community outreach and public participation. An advisory committee comprised of elected officials, as well as local residents and business owners, will help guide the planning process in partnership with the City and a planning consulting team. The Plan is expected to be completed before the end of 2015.

Over the summer, there will be a number of opportunities to participate, both in-person and online. The City is seeking participation from all members of the community who wish to be involved. The following two forums have been scheduled:

Business Forum (for business owners and operators)

Tuesday, July 21
City Hall

475 Main Street

8:00 a.m.

Community Forum (for citizens and community stakeholders)

Tuesday, July 21

City Hall

475 Main Street

7:00 p.m.

For more information, a project website, www.hlplanning.com/portals/westchicago, has been created for residents to provide input, receive updates, and review documents produced throughout the planning process. The project website is also available from the City's website homepage, www.westchicago.org. We look forward to the opportunity to define the future together.

Respectfully,

Ruben Pineda

Mayor

City Services

Brush Collection Program 

The City's Monthly Brush Collection program (the first full week of each month, May through November) is designed for the collection of branches from trimming of trees and shrubbery for enhancing yard appearance, not removal of whole trees. Brush piles will be rejected if they contain limbs over eight inches in diameter, root balls, or any foreign materials such as metal, lumber or fence posts. Material bundled with rope or twine, or placed in containers, will also be rejected. Small twigs and rakings from yard clean up should be disposed of through the yard waste sticker collection program.

Items noted above as not complying with the program shall become the resident's responsibility for disposal and must be removed from the parkway. Brush pick up crews will not return for pickup of these materials.

Questions may be directed to the Street Superintendent at (630) 293-2250.

Tree Care - Tips for the Critical First Growing Season

Whether you have a newly planted tree or trees that are well established, there are a few ways you can ensure that they will live a long, healthy life.

• Do not over water your new tree. The tree needs to be watered down to the root base every seven to ten days for the first season. The best method is to place the hose by the trunk and allow a slow trickle to penetrate into the ground for an hour.
• Fertilization is not recommended in the first year for trees and shrubs. Some fertilizers can damage the new and delicate root system of your tree. In subsequent years, it should be done in early spring or late fall.
• Do not trim your new tree. New parkway trees will be pruned by the City, usually a few years after planting. More branches means more leaves. This aids in the development of taper, which strengthens the trunk and helps produce energy by photosynthesis.

Improper mulching is the number one preventable killer of trees. Not many people are aware of the devastation this can cause. The Illinois Landscape Contractors Association offers the following tips:

• Don't let "volcanoes" form around your tree. Dirt and mulch can pile up against trees, forming mounds that cover some of a tree's bark. The wood found in tree roots is, by way of nature, designed to be covered with soil. The wood found in the bark of a tree is not. Over time, the bark rots away and, in effect, girdles the tree, stopping the flow of water up to the leaves and blocks the flow of nutrients down to the roots.
• Mulch supplies rodents with the perfect winter home, where they can enjoy meals of tree bark.
• Even a few inches of soil or mulch against the tree trunk can have a detrimental effect over time. The natural root flare (the part of the trunk at the soil line that "flares" out to form the root structure) should never be covered.

2014 Water Quality Report

Residents should expect to receive the City of West Chicago's 2014 Water Quality Report by the first of July. The report will also be posted to the City's website at www.westchicago.org.

Call J.U.L.I.E. Before You Dig

According to state law, anyone planning an outdoor project that requires digging, regardless of the depth or the size of the project, must call JULIE first.  Today, more utility members that supply power, gas, water and telecommunications are delivering these services underground. Now it's even easier to reach JULIE simply by dialing 811.  This three-digit number is easy to remember.  In addition, callers can still contact JULIE using their traditional toll-free number 1-800-892-0123. The following APWA Uniform Color Code illustrates the colors each utility will use when staking, painting and/or flagging the location of a buried utility facility.

Watering Restrictions

During the period between May 15 and September 15, the outside use of unattended running water from a hose or sprinkling system, for the use of watering/sprinkling of lawns and gardens, is limited to odd numbered days for buildings/residences that bear an odd numbered street address and on even numbered days for those which bear an even numbered street address. An exception may be granted by the Utility Superintendent for a two-week period of watering for sod and/or newly seeded lawns. For more information, please call (630) 293-2255.  

Vegetable Oil for Recycling

Winfield Township Road District Facility

30W575 Roosevelt Road

(630) 231-8850

What happens if you pour grease down the sink? If you have public sewer service, grease and oil collects in grease traps in the sewer system. Over time, it accumulates causing backups in your home or business' water system, or worse, full-on blockages of the entire sewer line. If you have a septic system, grease and oil can collect in your septic lines and tank, causing pipe blockages and expensive pump-outs by a service company. Pouring your used cooking oil outside can attract vermin and can runoff into streams and rivers. The answer is recycling. Winfield Township Road District accepts used vegetable cooking oil in plastic containers for recycling on Mondays, from 7:00 - 11:00 a.m. (excluding holidays).  Please note: Animal fat is not accepted.  

Police News

Telephone Scams

 

The West Chicago Police Department has seen an increase in reports regarding an aggressive telephone fraud targeting taxpayers. Callers claim to be employees of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), but are not. These callers are actually con artists who sound very convincing when they call; they use phony names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. Scammers may have acquired personal information about their victims and usually alter their caller ID to make it appear as a legitimate call from the IRS.

 

The scam involves the caller informing the victim that they owe money to the IRS, and that payment is due immediately using a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the person refuses to cooperate, they are threatened with arrest. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile.

 

Alternatively, the person may be told they have a substantial refund due, and attempt to trick the person into sharing private information such as their social security number.

 

If the phone is not answered, the caller often leaves an "urgent" callback request.

 

According to the IRS, they will NEVER:

 

1.  Call to demand immediate payment.

2.  Call regarding taxes owed without first mailing you a notice/bill.

3.  Demand you pay taxes without giving you the right to question/appeal the amount owed.

4.  Require the use of a specific form of payment.

5.  Ask for credit/debit card numbers over the phone.

6.  Threaten to bring local police to have you arrested.

 

For more information, please visit http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts. 

 

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

  

The West Chicago Police Department will join the Illinois State Police and hundreds of police and sheriff's departments throughout Illinois in a statewide enforcement effort that begins June 22, 2015 and runs through July 5, 2015. To avoid a potential crash or drunk driving arrest, West Chicago Police personnel recommend designating a sober driver and not letting friends or family members drive drunk. Other important tips include:

• Plan ahead. Designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your keys;
• If you are drunk, call a taxi, use mass transit or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely;
• Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement by pulling over and dialing 911; and
• Make sure everyone in your vehicle wears their seat belt. It is your best defense against a drunk driver.

The law enforcement crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds through IDOT.

 

Vacation Watch Program

This free program makes residential security checks for vacationing or hospitalized residents of single-family homes or duplexes available. Uniformed members of the West Chicago Police Department periodically check registered homes during the homeowner's absence. During the security check of a residence, the members of the Department conduct a foot patrol on the property to insure the home is secured and that windows and doors are locked and undamaged. A careful log is kept of what activity is conducted on the property while the resident is away. If, by chance, a burglary occurs at the residence, the individual designated by the homeowner as an emergency contact, will be notified. The Vacation Watch Request Form is available at www.westchicago.org under Residents/Forms and Applications.  

Cultural News

City Museum 

Late Nights at the Museum

Exhibits

Be Well: A Dialogue of Health and Wellness through History will explore the notions of health and wellness and how they have changed through time.

Summer Camp

The City Museum will be offering half-day summer camps again this summer. Children ages 6 through 12 can attend a monthly half-day camp by registering with the City Museum at museum@westchicago.org or (630) 231-3376. Half-day camps will be held on July 15, 2015 and August 12, 2015. Registration is free to resident children or $5 for non-residents. 

Depot Days

The City Museum will have the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 1860s Depot open for Depot Days on July 11, 2015 and August 15, 2015 from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Stop in during these days to see some of West Chicago's railroad history - it's FREE. Kids are also invited to make a craft and take part in the hands-on activities that will be taking place at the Depot.  

 

Historic Essential Oils + Modern Health

Attend a presentation on the modern use of essential oils to promote a healthy lifestyle on Thursday, July 30, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. The program will also include a historical overview of essential oils.   

 

Green Red Feather By Kathy Steere

 

July Featured Artist:

Gallery 200 showcases the amazing and diverse artworks of Kathy Steere: Feathers and Foods. The exhibit will be available through July, with an opening reception on July 3, 2015 from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

 

Summer revolves around food (corn, barbecues) and outdoors, as we deal with our feathered friends. Kathy shows us the many facets of both in her Feathers and Foods exhibit. Her show will use assorted media to represent the theme - ranging from acrylic paint to water-soluble crayons (not quite a-z), plus more.  From realistic to whimsical, with a little practical thrown in, featured works will reinforce that there are indeed many facets to Kathy Steere.

  

Tiger   By Mike Smith

 

August Featured Artist: 

Gallery 200 is proud to present the art of Mike Smith in August. Childhood Fantasies will open with a reception on August 7, 2015 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. and remain on display throughout the month.

Mike's photos are whimsical, insightful, challenging, visually stunning, and always intense. His tiger has a sense of humor. The artist writes, "You know he understands you, and as more than just a midnight snack. And when you were five, you wanted to take him home with you, but your dad said 'no'". Mike's work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, greeting cards, books, TV, educational training programs, and has received many awards.

Classes

Gallery 200 is proud to start a program of classes offered to the community to help get them engaged in ART. These classes are for a wide variety of ages with no previous skills needed to participate. Find the July/August class offerings below:

Mixed Media: acrylic & watercolor painting, collage, photography, sculpture, and more. 

The cost is $20 per session (or $50 for three classes booked in advance), with supplies included. Maximum number is three students (ages 6+ with adult accompaniment) per class. Friday afternoons in July & August - must book in advance. Sign-up at Gallery 200 or contact the instructor from First Star Art, firststarart@gmail.com.

Acrylic Painting classes for all skill levels with step by step instruction. No previous experience needed and a wide variety of ages accepted. Learn how to blend color, create a good composition and various painting techniques. Materials are provided and a painting can be completed in each 2 hr. class. All classes held Saturdays, 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Remaining Session 1 - July 11, 2015

Session 2 - August 1, 15 & 29, 2015

Cost: $30.00 per class, includes materials

Contact Instructor: Dayna Schaffer, artgaldayna@gmail.com.

Join a MAKE and TAKE Jewelry Class on Friday nights, July 31, 2015 and August 28, 2015 at 6:30 p.m. Choose from various projects - Cost $20.00-$48.00 each.

Contact instructor Britta Renwick: brittarenwick@gmail.com or stop at Gallery 200 to register.