Morton Grove Champion

Morton Grove buys land for new police station

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:46:00 -0500

Village trustees approved a $1 million loan May 29 to buy land for a new police station. The former General Bandage industrial site at 8300 Lehigh Ave. is now owned by Morton Grove, but Village Administrator Ryan Horne said the property will be used for light storage until at least 2015.

Study: Chicagoans spend $300 million yearly on unused data for cellphones

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:03:34 -0500

Chicagoans pay nearly $300 million every year on unused data for their cellphones, according to a new report. The study, from the Citizens Utilities Board and Texas-based wireless research firm Validas, said that Illinoisans each spend about $30 a year on unused data on wireless phones and almost $200 a year on unused data on smartphones, totaling more than $1 billion a year on data that no one uses. “Illinoisans are spending more than the combined team salaries of the Cubs, White Sox and Cardinals,” said CUB executive director David Kolata. The research is based on data collected through Validas’ …

Report: 9 percent of Illinois’ bridges ‘structurally deficient’

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:38:37 -0500

Nearly 9 percent of Illinois’ bridges are “structurally deficient” and in need of serious maintenance or replacement -- an uptick of 1 percent from two years ago, a new report on the state of the nation’s bridges indicates.

Buyer saves Long Grove Confectionery days before closing

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:38:42 -0500

LONG GROVE — The Long Grove Confectionery Co. was days away from closing when its founders, John and Heidi Mangel, negotiated its sale last week to Arway Confections, Inc. of Chicago.

Park District seeks suggestions on replacing whirlpool

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:24:00 -0500

The Morton Grove Park District is looking for residents to join a focus group that will help determine what replaces the old whirlpool at its main building. The whirlpool is out of service due to a broken heater and because it needs a new liner. Les Preuss said the park district spent around $21,000 in whirlpool repairs over the past seven years. Park commissioners recently decided to forgo this latest request for repairs and instead build something new. They said use of the whirlpool was too infrequent to justify the repair expense. Members and non-members are encouraged to sign up …

New member joins District 63 school board

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:56:12 -0500

Another new face is joining the East Maine School District 63 Board of Education come July 1. Angelo Scarsella, of Des Plaines, is expected to replace outgoing Board Vice President John Jekot. Jekot expressed his intent to step down last month after having been elected trustee with the Village of Niles. In his letter of resignation he said sitting on both boards would be considering serving with “incompatible offices.” District 63 received two applications for his open seat, including one from former school board member Donald Weiss. Board officials ultimately selected Scarsella to fill the vacancy in closed session June …

Lifeway Foods expanding in Wisconsin, but not moving from Niles

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:55:42 -0500

Julie Smolyansky says Morton Grove is still home, even though her Lifeway Foods just bought a new facility in Wisconsin. Lifeway bought the bankrupt Golden Guernsey Dairy LLC and its 170,000-square-foot facility in Waukesha, Wis. for $7.4 million on June 10.

Low income, no problem: Morton Grove Farmers’ Market opens up to food stamps

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 21:52:54 -0500

Food stamps are now accepted at the Morton Grove Farmers’ Market, but the organization’s volunteers are fighting an uphill battle in trying to spread public awareness. “A lot of people think we’re well off because we’re on the North Shore, but Morton Grove is a group of people with all sorts of economic situations,” said Elaine Monterola, spokeswoman for the market. Organizers say that stigma breeds a strong fear of being labeled or judged. To help with that, patrons using food stamps — or more accurately, a Link Card loaded with food stamp benefits — buy colored tokens that work …

MG Library has new friends

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 13:24:01 -0500

Three longtime residents have revived the defunct Friends of the Morton Grove Library nonprofit organization. At its inaugural board meeting on Monday, June 3, the group said it would put all focus on rebuilding membership and discovering library needs. One immediate suggestion was to help the library get a renovation for the Baxter Auditorium. President Patrick Kansoer said volunteers from the friends of the library could mingle with local corporations and lobby for financial donations. Another suggestion was to have themed gardening or automotive programs sponsored by prominent local companies. Doing some of that legwork would be a load off …

Skokie Farmers Market signals start to season

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:36:53 -0500

SKOKIE — Some had been counting the days, others came for the fresh air and still others wanted to stock their kitchens with fresh and healthful foods.

Morton Grove Park District seeks new revenue for fitness classes

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:18:02 -0500

Fitness classes at the Morton Grove Park District have been subsidized for years, but park commissioners are taking another look at how to pay for them. Park management recently gave three options to the board.

Gurnee looks ahead to digital streaming

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:26:01 -0500

Libraries long ago stocked more than books as they evolved with modern media, adding vinyl record albums, cassette tapes, laser discs, and then CDs and DVDs.

Checking out the future: Libraries look beyond the shelves

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:28:14 -0500

Jeff Weisensel doesn’t have a job, not for the past 14 months anyway, since Kraft Foods restructured him out the door after 22 years. But he does have a library — the $28 million Glenview Public Library, opened in 2011 — whose inviting lobby is part art gallery, part cafeteria — patrons are welcome to eat and drink there — and part social center.

Morton Grove man explores war-torn Syria

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:50:01 -0500

Tyler Smith wanted to see the Syrian conflict with his own eyes. When the Morton Grove native arrived earlier this year, he wasn’t with the Red Cross, Greenpeace or the United States military.

Glenview man dies after Morton Grove motorcycle crash

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:58:55 -0500

A 24-year-old Glenview man has died after he was involved in a motorcycle crash Wednesday in Morton Grove.

Metra cops will be spending more time on trains, platforms talking with riders

Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:28:02 -0500

The new safety initiative merely redeploys the existing 100-person Metra police force and is not a response to a specific crime concern, Metra officials said.