The City of Darien is pleased to be able to offer FREE BRANCH PICKUP for all residents within our boundaries.  To help keep the streets clean and our crews on schedule, please stack the branches neatly by the curb on the Sunday before the pickup week.  The chipper can accept branches up to 6" in diameter.  Please do not tie the branches or put them in garbage cans.  All other yard waste such as grass clippings and flowers should be disposed of through our yard waste program with Advanced Disposal.

All branches need to be out no later than the Sunday night prior to the designated pick up week. The chipping crew can make only one pass and may complete your street as soon as Monday morning.

Residents can also take their branches to the Municipal Services Facility, located at 1041 S. Frontage Road, and place at the designated location, labeled as "Branch". Branches will be accepted seven days a week from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. Landscape companies hired to help with your branches may also take them to Municipal Services.

The City would like to thank everyone in the community for their patience as we live through the 75th Street road improvements currently underway by DuPage County. The project, which fell behind schedule, is moving forward at an improved pace. The City staff continues to meet with DuPage County on a weekly basis to monitor the progress of this improvement.   We will continue to update the community with information we receive from DuPage County.

Given all of the current construction in the area, it is hard to imagine that over the next several months we will see the area of 75th and Cass Avenue transformed into a redeveloped area. The transformation includes the opening of the new Chase Bank, construction of Darien Pointe, improvements to the southeast corner of Plainfield and Cass Avenue which will include a park setting with a clock tower and water feature, and the landscape improvements throughout the area.  

The City of Darien will be conducting their annual Parkway Tree Trimming Program beginning in December, 2014 in the following areas:

The Woodlands of Darien         Farmingdale Heights

Clarefield                                  Marion Hills North

Marion Hills South                     Brookdale

Farmingdale Terrace                 Farmingdale Terrace South

Farmingdale Terrace West        High Point Circle

Portsmouth                               Brookhaven #1

Violet's Farm                             Reflections of Hidden Lakes

This year's program also includes contract pricing for the Private Property Tree Trimming Program to all residents. The price for the private property program is $70.00 per tree in the front yard, and $135.00 per tree in the back yard. Trimming is for standard maintenance only. There will be no shaping, topping or other detrimental trimming. The contract also includes unit pricing for private property tree removal and stump grinding. The price for tree removal is $27.50 per diameter inch for the front yard, and $37.50 per diameter inch for the back yard. Stump grinding is $50.00 for the front yard and $75.00 for the rear yard. Residents may contact Ryan P. Countryman, Homer Tree Care Inc. for private property work at 815-838-0320 or via email at RyanCountryman@homertree.com. Residents that would like to participate in the private property program will need to contact Homer Tree Care by March 25, 2015.

For additional information regarding the Tree Trimming Program please contact us at 630-353-8105.

The Indian Prairie Public Library will host its second annual Recycling Extravaganza, a recycling and shredding event, on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Hinsdale South High School football field parking lot (just south of the library). Cars must enter from Clarendon Hills Road.

The event will provide on-site shredding (limit of two banker's boxes, please) and the collection of many recyclable items, including: Altoid mint boxes, American flags, bicycles (and bicycle-related items such as parts, helmets, and accessories), books, buttons, cell phones, clothing, crayons, crutches, extension cords, eyeglasses, furniture, hearing aids, holiday lights, household items (gently-used), ink cartridges, keys, license plates, LP records, musical instruments, neck ties, rulers, safety pins, sewing machines, shower chairs, toys, typewriters, walkers, wheelchairs, and yarn.

This event is being co-hosted by the Indian Prairie Public Library, Hinsdale South High School, the City of Darien, School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education (SCARCE), the Darien Lions Club, and Working Bikes. For more information, contact Joe Popowitch at (630) 887-8760 x240

Voting for the November election can be done by absentee ballot.  Simply visit www.dupagevotebymail.com and file to vote absentee.  Those not registered to vote can do so by participating in Grace Period registration, which can be done at six locations in DuPage County as well as the DuPage County election commission.  Election day registration and voting is also available - voters who are not yet registered or who need to update their registration records may go on Election Day to any of the six DuPage locations and register or update their records and cast a ballot from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Click here for a list of sites.  Early voting is also available at six DuPage locations.  Voters who are registered may check their status here.

Have a question about the Ebola virus or Ebola symptoms? The Illinois Department of Public Health has created a 24-hour, seven days a week, Ebola hotline for Illinois residents to call with questions about the Ebola virus. The phone number for the hotline is 800-889-3931 The hotline is managed by staff from the Illinois Poison Center, and is able to answer questions about how the virus is spread, when someone should go to the doctor, and other frequently asked questions.

 All DuPage County families are invited to attend a FREE public forum in response to the growing heroin epidemic among suburban teens and young adults on Tuesday, October 28 at 7:00 p.m. at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, 155 E. Brush Hill Road in Elmhurst. (Use east entrance and park in green parking lot)

The forum, "Heroin: The Suburban Secret" is sponsored by State Rep. Patti Bellock (R-Hinsdale) and Elmhurst Memorial Hospital to bring community service providers and policymakers together to educate parents and families about how to prevent and respond to this public health threat in our community.

The forum, to be held at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital at 7:00pm on Tuesday, October 28, features a panel led by DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin and Rosecrance Health Network. The panelists will discuss various aspects of the local heroin crisis including prevention education, treatment resources, law enforcement response and analysis of the trends associated with the tragic local deaths resulting from a heroin overdose.

"Local families cannot afford to ignore the dangers associated with the skyrocketing growth in heroin use among teens and young adults," Rep. Bellock said. "Our heroin forum will pull back the curtain on the very real impact this epidemic is having on families throughout DuPage County and; most importantly, how we can respond."

The forum is free and open to the public. Parents, educators and students are all welcome and encouraged to attend.  

For questions or more information, please contact Rep. Bellock's office at (630) 852-8633.

DuPage County construction on the 75th Street improvements are continuing.  The construction schedule and updates are available on the County website.   

DuPage County Stormwater Management is encouraging residents and business owners to complete a brief survey regarding water quality in the County's waterways. Stormwater Management is conducting the survey to measure public awareness of stormwater runoff and its effect on local streams and rivers. In an effort to attain healthier waterways nationwide, public education about water quality is among activities mandated by the Clean Water Act. Responses will be used to create and modify water quality outreach materials, which are aimed at educating residents on ways to reduce pollution in the County's waterways. The end goal is to make local rivers and streams supportive of both aquatic life and recreational uses. The survey is available through the end of November at  www.surveymonkey.com/s/dpcwaterquality.

The State of Illinois has banned computers, monitors, printers, televisions, and other electronics from landfills. If any of these items are left curbside, they will not be picked up.  There are many options to responsibly recycle your electronics throughout DuPage County. Residents are encouraged to visit the DuPage County website or SCARCE for information on how to recycle electronics.

The Darien Lions Club will host its annual Halloween Part for area children on Friday, October 31 at the Sportsplex, 451 Plainfield Road, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The event features many fun games and prizes for all children attending along with a graveyard photo booth, magic shows and other attractions. A Sportsplex ice rink is also available for use by older children. As always-admission is free courtesy of the Darien Lions Club.

For more information on the Halloween Party please contact Hugh at 630-663-9609 or email hughhardman@msn.com

Everyone is invited to the Hinsdale South Post Prom Committee Fall Craft & Vendor Fair on Saturday, November 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Hinsdale Soth High School Cafeteria, 7401 Clarendon Hills Road.

Come and find unique treats ans gifts for the holidays!  Enjoy shopping with family and friends.

Come to a Fundraiser BBQ  on Sunday, November 9 at the Darien Swim & Racquet Club, 1001 Hinsbrook.  Doors will open at 5:00 p.m., Dinner (slow smoked pulled pork & beef brisket) will be served beginning at 6:00 p.m.  The Bears/Packers Game will be on, and there will be raffle prizes to be won.  Pre-sale tickets are $15.00, and can be purchased at Eisenhower Jr. High in the Office until November 4.  Ticket price at the door will be $20.00.  

Commander Matt Goodwin of Veterans of Foreign Wars Darien Memorial Post 2838 has announced the kick-off of this year's Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition. The contest is open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12 including home schooled students.

Students participate by writing and then recording a three to five minute audio essay expressing their views on this year's theme: "Why Veterans are Important to our Nation's History and Future." Students' recordings (CDs or cassette tapes) are first judged at the post level with winning recordings advanced for judging at district, state, and national levels.  Monetary awards are given at each level.  The top winner in each state earns a free trip to Washington DC and the first place winner in the national competition receives a $30,000 scholarship plus the awards issued at the post, district, and state levels.  

Student entries including the recording, typed copy of the essay, and a completed application form are due to our post by November 1. Complete information regarding this exciting opportunity and application forms are available at your local high school or by contacting Voice of Democracy Chairman, Nick Darien at 630-910-8552, email ndarien@comcast.net. Entries can be mailed to VFW Darien Memorial Post 2838, Voice of Democracy, PO Box 955, Westmont, IL 60559.