Niles Bugle 5-2-12

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NEWS Village manager talks about offered buyout

SPORTS Ross on ďŹ re for Niles West

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MAY 3, 2012

Vol. 56 No. 30

LET THE BIDDING BEGIN...

MORTON GROVE, PARK RIDGE TO BID ON ELECTRICAL RATES IN MAY

By Rick Kambic Staff Reporter

W

ith public hearings finished, residents of Morton Grove and Park Ridge can expect to see some savings on their electrical bills soon.

Both towns are expected to bid electrical rates in May, looking to lower costs for their homeowners and small businesses after referendums passed on March 20.

Municipal aggregation of electricity, which was created to help consumers flood the newly deregulated power market, was approved in Morton Grove by a 62 percent to 38 percent margin and in Park Ridge by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin.

Morton Grove and Park Ridge will sort through offers from 25 companies that supply electricity to ComEd.

The logistics The local governments are now responsible for finding rates lower than what Commonwealth Edison currently offers. If that is not possible, residents will remain with ComEd. However, residents do not have to participate. Morton Grove Village Administrator Ryan Horne emphasizes awareness during this final phase.

As the village seeks competitive prices on behalf of its residents, other electrical companies will try to sway

residents: some will do so in legitimate ways and others through unethical means.

At any point, residents can choose their electrical provider, something Horne said is commonly misunderstood. Horne said most people think ComEd supplies their electricity. “ComEd is absolutely indifferent

See ELECTRIC, page 3

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THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

News

Merit-based bonuses set for village officers

By Rick Kambic Staff Reporter

Niles trustees approved employee raises for fiscal year 2013 days before it started, per usual, but this time the 10 department heads did not get raises.

In accordance with Village Manager George Van Geem’s annual goals, which were issued on Aug. 30, a merit system was established for department heads.

“This is the first year we’ve done that,” Van Geem said. “The full-time employees received a flat 2 percent raise, but the Village Board wanted the department heads to be compensated based on performance.”

Union employees received their contractual raises, as parttime non-union employees received 1 percent raises.

Van Geem met individually with the department heads last year and created their goals, and then immediately giving copies to trustees.

After trustees reviewed Van Geem’s recently written evaluations, approximately $33,000 was split among the 10 department heads – in addition to their frozen salaries. Trustee Rosemary Riordan Palicki voted against the recommendations, but declined to explain why.

“I believe that ‘pay for performance’ is a much better program than just giving people a flat increase based on another year coming off the calendar,”Van Geem said. “We’d like to get this in place for all of our employees but we’re starting slow and only going with the department heads this year.”

No timeline is set for when regular employees will be on merit-based pay. Village officials have commenced negotiations with the three employee unions, and that process will probably set the tide.

However, the non-union employees may not actually see much of their pay increases.

The Village Board also

fyi Village officers evaluated for merit bonuses instead of a flat 2 percent raise.

Seth Knobel Family Services Director

Scot Neukirch Finance Director

Scott Jochim Public Services Director

Charles Ostman Community Development Director

Joseph Annunzio Village Attorney

Carl Maniscalco Family Fitness Director

William Shaw MIS Director

Steve Borkowski Fire Chief

Kelly Mickle Senior Center Director

Dean Strzelecki Police Chief

approved a 50 percent increase in employee contribution to insurance premiums. Union employees continue to pay their contractual amount until a new agreement is reached.

Van Geem said employees previously paid 10 percent of the insurance costs, but nonunion employees will now pay 15 percent.

“That’s an important part of our salary adjustment this year,” Van Geem said. “It’s a result of a combination of things. Insurance costs us about $5 million and we want

to make sure we’re making it as affordable as possible, but we need employees to pay at least 15 cents on the dollar.”

Trustee Joe LoVerde said

the Finance Committee was concerned about such a drastic increase. rkambic@buglenewspapers.com

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

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Warm winter weather leads to salt surplus

By Rick Kambic Staff Reporter

Though temperatures still fluctuate from week to week, the threat of snow has pretty much passed.

With no further need to reduce or prevent ice, the Village of Niles found itself with too much salt remaining from fiscal year 2012.

Fortunately, before the Board of Trustees approved next year’s purchase, the vendor offered a deal.

The annual contract with Morton Salt is good for 5,000 tons, with a minimum purchase of 4,250 tons of salt. Before a new contract could be signed, Niles had to complete this year’s contract, which ended April 30.

However, Niles did not have enough room in its salt dome to store even the minimum purchase.

Niles would have 1,913 tons of extra salt with nowhere to house it, but Morton Salt offered to waive any purchase requirement so long as the village agrees to a 2.6 percent increase in next year’s rate.

According to Scott Jochim, director of public works, the increase would cover additional fuel expenses Morton anticipates in production.

ELECTRIC Continued from page 1 as to who your electrical supplier is,” Horne said. “They are responsible for the physical transmission of electricity and the upkeep of supply lines. They charge a fee for all that; they are not in the business of generating electricity.”

However, ComEd does act as a billing agent when customers do not seek out individual companies on their own.

David Hoover, executive director of NIMEC – a municipal consulting agency with expertise in electrical sales – said the Illinois Power Agency negotiates prices from 25 suppliers and tells ComEd how much to charge indecisive consumers.

The IPA works in a broad spectrum, Hoover said, whereas municipal aggregation allows for more localized, direct representation of consumers. He said prices could vary depending on production methods and

Morton initially charged Niles $73.97 per ton when the contract was signed in 2009, but the price fell to $59.64 per ton this past winter. As of May 1, the rate is $61.19 per ton.

The odd predicament Niles found itself in came after an extreme winter the year before.

Jochim said the unusually warm and light winter led to approximately 2,044 tons of salt being distributed during 1,300 snow-related man-hours.

The 2010/2011 winter, which is more commonly known for the 20-inch February 2 snowstorm, required 4,900 man hours from public works to plow and drop approximately 4,700 tons of salt.

But Jochim said nothing compared to the 2007/2008 winter when about 8,600 tons of salt was used to clear more than 40 major snow events.

While the trend is showing a pattern of increasing warmth, Jochim said he still does not trust mother nature to be predictable and would prefer to keep the salt dome completely full and plows in service just in case.

Jochim kept public works crews organized and assigned to routes throughout the end of March and all of April, but instead of snow then got 80-degree days.

where a provider is located in relation to its customers.

Sending power from Milwaukee to Morton Grove uses less hardware – that ComEd charges a fee for the use of – than going from Milwaukee to Plainfield, Hoover said.That extra fee gets included in rates.

Decision time Residents can choose not to participate in the aggregation program and instead select their own providers, in which some companies will begin sending literature to residences starting next week to catch impulse buyers.

However, Horne said residents should not be receiving phone calls.

“You may receive a phone call from someone saying‘Hi,I’m from your village’ or ‘The referendum passed and we’ve been hired to help residents in your area with electrical deregulation and I need your account information for verification,’” Horne said.

“Hang up immediately.”

Rick Kambic/Bugle Staff

Unlike the harsh winters of 2010/2011 and 2007/2008, the warm weather and few storms this year have left a salt surplus.

Neither ComEd nor village officials will call homes regarding any aggregation subject. Only physical mail will be sent with 1-800 phone numbers for residents to call for more information. Mailings will begin late May to early June once a provider is selected.

“If you never answer your phone again or go to Florida for a six month vacation, you’re automatically in the program,” Horne said.“Residents don’t have

to do anything.Your consent and information is only needed if you want to opt out and choose your own provider, and even then you are the one making phone calls.

Do not answer questions from anyone who calls you.”

Hoover said these fraudulent phone calls are sometimes predators looking to steal identities, but are mainly other electricity providers looking to switch uninformed residents.

“There are some less than

reputable suppliers who will prey on the buzz of the conversion and will say ‘Yeah, we’re with that winning supplier. Just send us your account information and we’ll take care of you,’” Hoover said. “That will not be the case.

You will not need to field any calls. If you give your account number to a fraudulent caller, they can switch your account over to their company.” rkambic@buglenewspapers.com

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Police

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

The following items were compiled from the official reports of the Morton Grove, Niles, and Park Ridge Police Departments. Appearing in the police blotter does not constitute a finding of guilt, only a court of law can make that determination.

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Morton Grove

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Spearo Johns, 26, of Niles, was arrested on April 20 near Dempster and Waukegan and charged with driving on a suspended driver’s license.

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Nico Stirbu, 25, Chicago, was arrested on April 20 near Church and Mansfield and charged with driving on a suspended driver’s license.

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Clifford Ham, 23, of Hinsdale, was arrested on April 21 in the 9200 block of Central for possession of a controlled substance. Subject was stopped for traffic violations and found to be in possession of a plastic bag containing suspect ketamine.

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Elroy Dawson, 35, of Skokie, was arrested on April 21 in the 7800 block of Dempster. Subject was stopped for traffic violations and found to be driving under the influence.

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Salvador Garcia, 37, of Skokie, was arrested on April 21 in the 6500 block of Palma for DUI. A witness observed the subject driving erratically, and when officers arrived they confirmed he was driving under the influence.

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Omolar Lawal, 23, of Chicago, was arrested on April 22 for driving with a suspended driver’s license.

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Biljana Stanojevic, 21, of Niles, was arrested on April 23 near Washington and Golf for driving without a valid driver’s license after police were called to a traffic collision.

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Johnathon Moore, 22, of Chicago, was arrested near Dempster and Central on April 24 for driving with a suspended driver’s license during a traffic stop.

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Rigoberto Ortiz, 21, of Chicago, was arrested on April 24 and charged with driving on a suspended license after a traffic stop in the 8600

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block of Waukegan.

Arkaday Peck, 59, of Glenview, was arrested on April 24 in the 6300 block of Oakton. Subject was involved in a crash in a parking lot and left the scene, and later charged with leaving the scene of an accident.

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Niles William White, 42, of the 5000 block of W. Erie, Chicago, was arrested at 1:13 p.m. April 19 at a retail store in the 9600 block of Milwaukee.

An employee related that they observed the offender remove 41 “5 Hour Energy” bottles valued at $231.89 and left without paying for the items on April 11. When the employee observed the offender enter the store again on April 19, police were identified and the offender was taken into custody.

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Cesar Garcia, 31, of the 9900 block of Linda Lane, Des Plaines, was arrested at 2:30 a.m. on April 21 for DUI after a traffic stop in the 7100 block of Harlem. He was also cited for disobeying a traffic control device, screeching tires, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

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Eval Velazquez-Montesinos, 21, of the 7500 block of N. Ridge, Chicago, was arrested at 2:06 a.m. on April 22 for DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. Officers responded to a motor vehicle accident in the 9000 block of Churchill with the involved vehicle attempting to leave the scene.

Officers detected a strong odor of alcohol on Velazquez’s breath, and observed a black plastic bag on the passenger’s seat, which Velazquez said “may be a bottle of Jack Daniel’s.” Velazquez was placed under arrest for DUI, and

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cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and failure to wear a seatbelt.The owners of the five vehicles Velazquez struck were provided with accident reports.

Marius Reut, 24, of the 8200 block of N. Oleander, Niles, was arrested at 10:48 p.m. on April 22 for possession of cannabis. A Niles police officer observed a suspicious vehicle in an alley, and confirmed the identities of the two passengers to be Reut and another 24-yearold male from Niles. Reut admitted to having an amount of cannabis in the vehicle, stating there were approximately four baggies which he believed to weigh approximately 12 grams.

No other contraband was found in the vehicle other than what was initially discovered.

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Gabriel Bandy, 24, of the 5200 block of W. Sunnyside,

Chicago, was arrested in the 900 block of Civic Center Drive at 1:30 p.m. on April 22 for retail theft. A loss prevention agent for a home repair retail store observed the offender removing a UPC code off a tape measure valued at $9, and placed the UPC sticker onto a laser shelf level valued at $169.The offender paid at the self-checkout, and was stopped outside the store and held for police.The offender was placed into custody and charged with retail theft.

George Benavente, 51, of the 8100 block of Oriole, Niles, was arrested at 3:12 a.m. on April 22 for domestic battery.

Police were called to a domestic dispute, in which the offender struck the victim, his 53-year-old wife, several times on her chest and arms.The offender was taken into custody and held pending a

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See POLICE, page 6

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Village manager speaks on trustees’ buyout offer

By Rick Kambic Staff Reporter

The rumor was confirmed during an April 18 public meeting when Niles Trustee Andrew Przybylo mentioned his fellow trustees’ efforts to fire Village Manager George Van Geem.

Now, Van Geem himself confirmed the rumor and elaborated on what trustees have been up to since the new year began.

“Five trustees, not including Andrew, drafted a voluntary separation agreement and presented it to me in late January,” Van Geem said.

While trustees hide behind the privilege of executive session, saying personnel matters are private, Van Geem said they gave him no reason why they wanted him out.

“That’s been a little frustrating for me,” Van Geem said. “I asked them straight out ‘Why are you doing this?’ and nobody gave me a reason. They’ve never expressed any dissatisfaction with my job performance.”

Though he considered it, Van Geem eventually rejected the offer. After 20 years with the village, 13.5 years as the finance director and 6.5 as the village manager, Van Geem said he has no plans to retire.

“We talked back and forth over the terms of the agreement, but in the end I decided to reject the agreement,” Van Geem said.

“It was hard to tell from one day to the next how I felt about it.

Obviously it was stressful. In the end, I felt it would be better for me and my family if I stayed.”

Defending this decision was Mayor Robert Callero. In his duties as mayor, Callero appoints village officers, with consent of the Village Board. If the two sides disagree, Callero can repeatedly appoint the same person to 30day terms until a new mayor takes office.

However, after threatening that tactic to defend Van Geem, Callero believes trustees are trying to hire an outside attorney

to modify the mayor’s duties to prevent Callero from appointing the same person more than once in a year.

On April 20,Callero held a press conference in which he outlined the potential scheme, saying the April 18 special meeting hired the attorney that would fight the legal battle and would have also changed his job description if he didn’t strip that item off the agenda on a technicality.

Callero says only a referendum can change the roles and responsibilities of elected officials. The mayor annually appoints department heads during the May village board meeting.

Trustee James Hynes, the most vocal member of the trustee faction, said there is no mission to usurp the powers of the mayor, and gave no insight on whether trustees will reject Van Geem’s appointment next month.

Neither Callero nor Van Geem would comment on whether these five trustees are trying to clear employees who remain from former Mayor Nick Blase’s administration, but both agreed that a political struggle for power is at the heart of the conflict.

“This is beyond George Van Geem. This is an attempt on the trustees’ part to establish more power than the state statute gives them,” Van Geem said. “It’s a political thing and now a legal thing, both of which are out of my control.”

When asked if he’s considered accepting the buyout and running for the Village Board, Van Geem said “the thought has never crossed my mind.

I’m focusing on doing my job to the best of my abilities.” Van Geem was a member of the Mt. Prospect Village Board from 1983 through 1991.

During Callero’s April 20 press conference, he hinted that others might be involved in buyouts.

“I back the people in the positions being challenged who have given Niles these services and low taxes,” Callero said.

However, Van Geem denied

that series of rumors.

“It’s just me,” Van Geem said after conferring with Callero and other department heads. “You can kill all the rumors about anyone else. Right now, I’m the only person in this situation. I think he was trying to paint a broad picture, maybe because he’s trying to prevent anyone from being treated this way in the future.”

Callero declined to comment on whether he’s been asked by trustees to remove any other department heads.

The ordinance that hired an attorney for trustees use had indicated a payment retroactive March 1, shortly after Van Geem rejected their offer. Trustees voted to strike that payment from the ordinance, saying the attorney provided that unknown work for free.

The main purpose for hiring the lawyer was attributed to potential conflicts of interest Village Attorney Joe Annunzio may come across with tasks trustees might give.

Timeline The immediate timeline includes Van Geem’s buyout being offered in January; the lawyer apparently being first consulted in March; and an April 18 attempt to pass legislation geared toward officially hiring that attorney and changing mayoral duties.

Going back through 2011, the village manager, village attorney and mayor were all subject to review or changes.

During the April 26 board meeting,Van Geem was criticized for eliminating four full-time village jobs and authorizing severance pay without board approval.

Van Geem said eliminating jobs was mentioned during a budget hearing and rumors were negatively affecting the organization, requiring swift action to return productivity to normal.Trustees were displeased with the confusion over who

had the authority to hire and fire: the board or Van Geem.

On May 24, for the first time that anyone can remember, trustees voted items onto an agenda. Trustees Louella Preston, Chris Hanusiak and Rosemary Riordan Palicki approved five items onto the June agenda – Trustee James Hynes was absent for that meeting.

Hanusiak later said he was not going over Callero’s head and that trustees also have the right to form the agenda – no matter how infrequently it’s happened.

Preston, however, did confirm that Callero denied her private requests to put those items on an agenda.

Such votes have occurred numerous times since then.

On June 28, Callero vetoed a $232,914 budget line item sponsored by Preston – only to watch trustees override his veto on July 26. Both the veto and override were also firsts on record.

A conflict of interest was identified in Annunzio’s job, as an Aug. 17 Board of Ethics meeting discussed how Annunzio is both the ethics compliance officer and corporate council – making employees cautious to approach their legal council when he was also the proverbial ‘police officer.’

At that same meeting, Hynes – also the Board of Ethics chairman – formed a two-person

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subcommittee to review the duties of the village attorney and another two-person subcommittee to review the duties of the village manager.

Reviewing both jobs was part of the board’s overall mission as established by Callero in 2009.

Van Geem was given his first ever set of job-related goals on Aug. 30, the 10 items written by Preston and Hynes and included a goal that required Van Geem to develop performance standards for department heads as part of a new merit pay raise system.

Trustee Joe LoVerde asked for clarification on Sept. 27 as to whether trustees can review executive session minutes of subcommittees they are not part of, as well as whether or not individual trustees can be asked to leave a Village Board executive session.

No elaboration was offered.

LoVerde said his inquiry was a “just in case” situation.

On Oct. 18, the Board of Ethics presented its findings regarding the village attorney and village manager duties.

The board said the confusion exists over who Annunzio serves: the mayor or the village as a whole.They suggested the Village Board make Annuzio responsible to the village as a whole and no individual. The Board of Ethics also recommended Van Geem is given the power to hire and fire.

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Calendar

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

ONGOING Stroke Club. 3-4:30 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Center for Advanced Care, Room 1220, 1700 Luther Lane, Park Ridge.This is a free program for stroke victims and survivors (plus a guest). Free parking is available in the attached parking garage. For more information contact Meg Potterfield, 847-7234765 or Dorene Wlodarski, 847296-2470.

TOPS Club. 8:30-10 a.m. every Tuesday at the Feldman Rec Center, 8800 W. Kathy Lane, Niles.

Lose weight with TOPS: Take Off Pounds Sensibly. Everyone is welcome. Call Dorene Wlodarski, 847-296-2470 or Lenore Lunquist, 847-729-2530 for more information.

Old Time Movies. Sundays at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Niles Historical Society. Come watch the films of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Laurel and Hardy.

Teddy Bear Time. 9:30-10:05 a.m. at the Park Ridge Library.

Drop in for stories, songs, and fingerplays for infants through 23 months with an adult. Siblings are welcome.

Knitting club. Mondays 4-5 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. No registration required.

Bring a project or learn a new one. Ages 6 and up. Rated PG-13. $6 members, $8 non-members.

Advance registration required.

MAY 5 Free Comic Book Day. Noon to 3:30 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. The Teen Advisory Board

POLICE Continued from page 4 bond hearing.

Park Ridge Timothy Rabeler, 46, of the1100 block of Meadow Road, Northbrook, was arrested at 1:27 p.m. on March 7 in the 200 block of S. Vine and charged with burglary.

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Vidal, 26, of the 2100 18 Aaron block of S. Tonne, Arlington Heights, was arrested at Luther and Dempster at 7:41 a.m. on April 22 and charged with

and the Anime will distribute Niles patrons. library or on org.

and Manga Club free comics to Register at the parkridgelibrary.

Travel Savvy. 2-3 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

Travel broadens an individual’s horizons, but it also brings risks, costs, hassles, health issues, and other considerations.

Learn travel tricks, products, guidelines, and resources from veteran international traveler, author, and photographer Cynthia Clampitt. Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

MAY 6 Houdini: His Life and Legend. 2-4 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. Who was Harry Houdini? William Pack presents the life and times of Houdini through dramatic storytelling, historical magic, and Houdini ephemera. Pack will also recreate some of Houdini’s magic and escapes. Register online at www. nileslibrary.org.

MAY 7 Little Miss Ann singalong.

10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Calling all preschoolers who like to dance, sing, and have a good time.

Popular Chicago musician Little Miss Ann will rock your socks off.

Yarn Gang. 4-5 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. For grades 1 and up.Want to learn to knit or crochet? Have some skills and want to figure out what to do next? Drop in, no experience needed.

aggravated DUI, blood alcohol content over .08, driving without a valid license, and driving in the wrong lane.

Aristidis Kastrantas, 36, of the 4100 block of W. Belmont, Chicago, was arrested in the 1500 block of Cherry at 1:15 p.m. on April 23 and charged with obstructing a peace officer.

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Elena Samara, 34, of the 4100 block of W. Belmont, Chicago, was arrested in the 1500 block of Cherry at 1:30 p.m. April 23 and charged with driving with a revoked driver’s license, the illegal transport of alcohol, improper lane usage, failure to give information after a crash, and damage to city property.

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MAY 8 Movies, munchies, and more. 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

First up is “The Secret World of Wellness: Ancient China” (2007, NR, 52 min.), about the Chinese practice of health and wellness, based upon the observation and understanding of chi in the human body. Then, at 12:30 p.m., watch “Good Night with the Sleep Doctor, Michael Breus, PhD” (2007, NR, 79 min.), where noted sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus explains how genes, environment, job habits, and physiology may be hampering your sleep and dramatically affecting your waking life.

YA Pizza and Pages. 5-6 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library.

Stop in the second Tuesday of each month for pizza and a chance to share your current favorite books. For grades 6-12.

Math Club: Battleship Sunk.

5-6 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. For grades 3-6.

Learn tips, tricks, and activities to get math to make sense. This month, discover coordinate geometry through games and art.

Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

Library Health Resources.

7-8:30 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. There are many premium health resources accessible from the Library. Learn how to use Consumer Health Complete and Salem Health to research health information.

Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

Volunteer

information

session. 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. Share a few hours a week volunteering at the library. Attend this informational session for specific details about opportunities. For ages 18 and up. Register at www.nileslibrary. org or call Cyndi at 847-6636614.

MAY 9 NSDAR meeting. 11:30 a.m. at the Park Ridge Country Club, 636 N. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge.

The Twenty First Star Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is holding their final meeting of the 2011-2012 year.

Regent Joy Martin will present “The Year in Review,” delegates to the State Conference will have a report, and the newly elected officers will be installed.

Past Regents will be recognized.

Women in the Northwest area interested in and eligible for membership can contact Dorothy Wilson at 847-3286946.

Teen Library Council. 5-6 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. It’s the last Teen Library Council meeting before summer.

Share program ideas, meet new teens, and enjoy snacks and drinks.

MAY 10 Senior Coffee Hour.

10:30-11:30 a.m. at the Niles Public Library. For the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, RJ Lindsey, living history impersonator, comes to the library as New York Times Editor Carr Van Anda to talk about this historic event. Register online at www.nileslibrary.org.

WTTW fundraiser. 12 p.m. at The Summit of Uptown in Park Ridge. Elizabeth Brackett, correspondent and substitute host for WTTW 11’s nightly affairs program Chicago Tonight, will speak at a fundraising luncheon.

Tickets for the event are $20.

Reservations are required by May 7 and can be made by calling 847-825-1161, ext.129.

Travel Film. 2-3 p.m. at thr Park Ridge Public Library. Journey off the beaten path to the world’s most unforgettable places. This week’s destination is Australia and the colorful Great Barrier Reef.

Morton Grove Library Board of Trustees Meeting.

7-9 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. The Board of Trustees meets the second Thursday of each month. The public is invited to attend the meetings.

Screen Deco Film Series.

7-8 p.m. at the Park ridge Public Library.“The Black Cat” (1934, 65 min.) excursion into Modernism and the macabre with horror icons Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff squaring off in a game of death. The Screen Deco film series is hosted by Matthew C. Hoffman.

MAY 11 Bibliobop dance party. 10 a.m. at the Niles Public Library.

Families with babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kids, come to the library for DJ Miss Cate spins up all the best tunes from the library’s music collection.

See CALENDAR, page 23

valid driver’s license, DUI, blood alcohol content over .08, and illegal transportation of alcohol.

no valid driver’s license, and fleeing/attempting to elude police.

A 16-year-old male, of the 400 block of S. Lincoln, Park Ridge, was arrested at 10:06 p.m. on April 27 for zero tolerance.

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Andrew Barca, 39, of the 0-100 block of N. Dee Road, Park Ridge, was arrested in the 200 block of Vine at 11:03 a.m. April 24 and charged with a DuPage County warrant and driving with a revoked license.

Valerie Figueroa, 17, of the 700 block of N. Western, Park Ridge; Elizabeth Bolin, 18, of the 700 block of Ottawa, Park Ridge; and Caroline Ziminski, 18, of the 300 block of N. Knight, Park Ridge; were all arrested in the 400 block of S. Lincoln at 11:48 p.m. on April 24 and charged with zero tolerance and possession of alcohol by a minor.

Florencio Castro, 34, of the 9400 block of N. Parkside, Des Plaines, was arrested near Courtland and Stewart at 11:29 p.m. on April 29 and charged with driving off the roadway, no

Santos, 48, of the 2800 25 Jose block of N. Leavitt, Chicago, was arrested in the 700 block of Edgemont at 4:54 p.m. April 27 and charged with retail theft, leaving the scene of an accident,

John Bertolli, 24, of the 700 block of Parkwood, Park Ridge, was arrested in the 1100 block of S. Dee Road at 11:14 p.m. on April 23 and charged with expired registration, no valid insurance, and driving with a suspended license.

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Badral Naranknuu, 31, of the 10000 block of Linda Lane, Des Plaines, was arrested in the 1900 block of S. Cumberland at 6:24 p.m.April 28 and charged with retail theft.

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Igor Popadynec, 54, of the 1600 block of S. Crescent, Park Ridge, was arrested in the 1700 block of W. Dempster at 4:25 p.m. April 29 and charged with aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.

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Forum

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Letter to the Editor

Guest Columnist

On behalf of the citizens of Park Ridge, I urge their alderman to acknowledge the countless hours of remarkable commitment from the staff and volunteers of The Center of Concern and accept the City’s responsibility to address human service needs by allocating just .0007 of next year’s budget to this important agency.

The mayor’s hard line stance on offsetting financial shortfalls in the City’s proposed $64.893mm budget may be well intentioned. However, by exercising his veto privilege this May 7th to remove $49,500 in funding for The Center of Concern, he is essentially denying any responsibility on the city’s part to support human services needs. His actions translate into a 100% elimination of human services funding by the City of Park Ridge as they turn away a non-profit agency serving the community for 34 years.

Park Ridge residents have real needs just like residents of any other city. Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, job loss and home foreclosure are just as relevant here as in neighboring communities. How can our elected officials deny needs associated with longer life

A three year investigation

by Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to show that torture doesn’t work. Conservatives have been dismissive of the report as unnecessarily political, but even if the truth comes wrapped in a dirty rag, it is still the truth. Torture is wrong and conservatives shouldn’t shoot the message just because they don’t like the messenger.

The US Army’s own field manual 34-52 Chapter 1 states: “Experience indicates that the use of force is not necessary to gain the cooperation of sources for interrogation.

Therefore, the use of force is a poor technique, as it yields unreliable results, may damage subsequent collection efforts, and can induce the source to say whatever he thinks the interrogator wants to hear.” The CIA’s interrogation manual (1963) states: Intense pain is quite likely to produce false confessions, concocted as a means of escaping from distress.A time-consuming delay results, while investigation is conducted and the admissions

7

The buck stops where? Torture is un-American expectancy, increasing medical costs, unemployment and high foreclosure rates? Our neighboring communities have all provided for their residents’ human service needs - $1,400,000 in Niles and $450,000 in Des Plaines.

Why should we as residents be denied the same?

The Mayor’s recent suggestion that past city funding be replaced with increased fundraising efforts is both impractical and a convenient excuse to deny the city’s responsibility. Securing public, private and individual support in a difficult economy is challenging for the agency’s small staff. While additional fundraising efforts are being pursued, the proposed elimination of all city funding will compound the effects of a forced reduction in staff hours and salary after the city’s 20% reduction in funding over the last two years.

Your voice is needed before May 7th to especially convince Alderman Knight, Raspanti and Maloney on the importance of funding human services at a fraction of the cost of a city run program.

John McNabola Park Ridge

Opinions printed on this page, whether in Letters to the Editor or in columns or cartoons, are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily of this newspaper, its publishers, editor or employees. Only editorials reflect the views of the newspaper.

Publisher Rich Masterson publisher@buglenewspapers.com Managing Editor Matt Honold mhonold@buglenewspapers.com Reporters Sherri Dauskurdas Rick Kambic Laura Katauskas Debbie Lively Jonathan Samples Sports Reporters Mark Gregory mgregory@buglenewspapers.com Scott Taylor staylor@buglenewspapers.com Editorial Deadlines Calendar & News: 3 p.m. Monday, three weeks before date of publication Letters to Editor: 9 a.m. Friday www.buglenewspapers.com

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are proven u n t r u e .

During this respite the interrogatee can pull himself together. He may even use the time to think up new, more complex ‘admissions’ that take still longer to disprove.

If as some claim torture is so effective why don’t we let our police use it? Why don’t we convene courts of inquisition to solve our toughest crimes? As a practical matter veteran police investigators know better.

Police get all kinds of confessions through gentle, sometimes even sympathetic, questioning. A cup of coffee and a kind word go a lot further than you’d think. One very successful Chicago Police detective had a “brother” who was variously a thief, drug dealer, rapist, child molester or whatever was needed to evoke sympathy in a suspect and gain a confession. We don’t use

Illustrated Opinions

torture because it doesn’t work.

If it did we wouldn’t have had to waterboard Khalid Sheikh Mohammed 183 times. Torture is fundamentally ineffective.

Yet, even if it were effective it flies in the face of Christian teaching and America’s fundamental principles – human liberty and republicanism.

We don’t want to be ruled by tyrants, but by laws. Torture contravenes the laws set out by God and Jesus Christ to which all Christians, by their own confession as Christians, agree to adhere.

As Americans we agree to be ruled by clear and objective laws. It is true, terrorists aren’t civil criminals, but violently dangerous threats. Dealing with them in a combat setting shouldn’t dehumanize us or reduce us to fighting fire with fire. As Americans we’re better than everybody else because we won’t stoop to their level.

Our standards have become the world’s standards precisely because of that. If we lower ourselves to the wickedness of our enemies we lose all that we hold most dear.

8

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Schools

District 219 Briefs Banner year for chess It’s been a banner year for the Niles North Chess Team, the 2012 Illinois state champion and Monday, May 7 will be a banner day for the team. The team, which won its third state chess championship in the last six years, will commemorate its remarkable achievements with a banner on the side of the school building at 9800 Lawler Avenue, Skokie, that faces the Edens Expressway. Niles North’s attention-getting banners have caused quite a few motorists to gawk and rubberneck when the first banner debuted in 2007,after District 219 was named the top fine arts program in the nation.

Now, commuters along the expressway will take note that Niles North chess champs are the state’s top team. Niles North also won the state championship in 2006 and 2010.

This kind of attention is usually reserved for sports teams, and royalty,but Niles North has always treated its chess team like rock stars. The last two Homecoming Kings have been members of the chess team, and the team always gets rousing cheers and applause at school assemblies. The school community is invited to come out and support the team at the banner unveiling on May 7.

The ceremony will begin at approximately 3:45 p.m. outside of the school’s Black Box Theatre facing the Edens Expressway.

Principal Dr. Ryan McTague, Head Coach Harry Kyriazes, and Eric Rosen, the nation’s 2011 K-12 Chess Champion, will make a few brief remarks.

The chess team and coaches will also be honored by the Village of Skokie and the Board of Trustees at a Board meeting later that evening.

Schools putting on fashion show See what’s haute in the hallways or what’s current in classroom couture. Talented fashion designers from Niles North and Niles West High Schools invite the community to attend the Niles Township Fashion Show, held at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 14 at the Holiday Inn Chicago North Shore, 5300 W. Touhy Avenue, Skokie (doors open at 6:30 p.m.). Students in Fashion Workshop and Fashion Design, Construction and Merchandising have worked

hard to produce this show, by organizing the models and clothing, coordinating publicity and promotions, selecting music and choreography and producing the program booklet. Models will wear student-designed casual wear, looks for spring, summer and fall, men’s wear, as well as formal wear.

Admission: bring a gently worn prom dress or accessory to donate or pay $2 at the door.

Proceeds go to the Glass Slipper Project, a non-profit organization that gives away prom dresses and accessories to high school juniors and seniors in the Chicagoland area who are unable to purchase their own prom attire.

Fashion students are taught by Kay Coughlin at Niles West, and Julie Lear at Niles North.

D219 auction raises $6000 for charity Autographed Pro Bowl memorabilia, a scooter ride through Niles West, restaurant and shopping gift certificates, and cookies baked by a favorite teacher were just a few of the sought-after items that Niles Township High School District 219 teachers, staff and students donated for the schools’ popular tBay auction held last week.

Like the items offered by online auction giant eBay, there were many unusual and popular objects/experiences to be purchased. A chance to throw a pie in a teacher’s face? Sold! A primo locker location next year?

Sold! Prom tickets and a limo?

Of course, it sold! All in all, the fourth annual tBay brought in more than $6,000 for this year’s School Chest beneficiary, Special Gifts Theatre, an organization dedicated to helping students with special needs to develop and grow through musical theatre.

School Chest, the umbrella organization for Dance Marathon (DM), was created to coordinate the fundraising efforts of Niles North and Niles West into one unified goal: to raise awareness and money for a common cause.

Students are involved in all aspects of School Chest,including: identifying and interviewing applicants from charities; selecting the final beneficiary; and planning all the details for DM and other fundraising events throughout the year. This year’s Dance Marathon will be held from 5 p.m. to midnight

on Saturday, May 26 at Niles West High School and attendees will dance, sing and party with District 219 students, while they fundraise for Special Gifts Theatre. Community members are invited to join in the DM kickoff at 4:45 p.m. at Niles West to support the fundraising efforts for Special Gifts Theatre.

DM sponsors include Niles North teachers Pankaj Sharma, Hyun Briski, and Charles Pratt, as well as Niles West Student Activities Director Jessica Ogulnik and Niles West teacher Dena Lichterman.

Papich honored with achievement award Niles Township High School District 219 Interim Director

of Fine Arts Mary Jo Papich has received the 2012 Downbeat Magazine Jazz Education Achievement Award, along with Dr. Lou Fischer, for their work as co-founders of the Jazz Education Network (JEN). This major award is given annually to those who excel in the field of jazz education.

Papich and Fischer founded JEN in 2008, as a brand new organization dedicated to serving the jazz arts community by advancing education, promoting performance and developing new audiences. JEN is active in all 50 states and in 20 countries, providing student scholarships, mentoring programs for children, and school outreach programs for students of all ages.

At the third annual Jazz

Education Network Conference held in Louisville, KY, the Board of Directors created and awarded the “Mary Jo Papich JEN Co-Founder Women in Jazz Scholarship.”

From Southern Iowa to South Africa, Papich has been an arts advocate with a passion that has inspired her students and staff for over 37 years in public education. She was recognized this year at her alma mater when she was inducted into the Albia (Iowa) Community High School Hall of Fame.

Papich will retire from District 219 this year and continue to do volunteer work for JEN in the educational and development programs. She plans to continue her involvement in the arts locally and globally.

Take 5

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

H o ro s c o p e s

Across

1 Golden Fleece seeker 6 Disputed strip 10 With 42- and 66-Across, words to an old friend, the end of which is a hint to this puzzle’s theme and grid 14 Nimble 15 Offenbach’s okays 16 Kentucky border river 17 The world according to Arp 18 Sailing attire for 1-Across?

20 Miracle Mets star 21 “From __ Zinc”: vitamin slogan 22 Gives a facelift 23 Dearth of frost?

26 Rowan Atkinson character 27 Understood 32 Antenna shelter 35 Hosp. test 37 PayPal owner

38 Celebrated Talk Like a Pirate Day? 40 Regional poem?

42 See 10-Across 43 Funnyman Kinison 45 Run in 46 Comes down hard?

48 Sole man 50 Do some tweezing?

55 Players try to hit triples with them 59 Mama bear, in Madrid 60 First name in courtroom fiction 61 “I’ve completed the flag”?

63 Had a homecooked meal 64 Smack 65 Pate base 66 See 10-Across 67 Sounds of disapproval 68 Cans 69 Touch and shuffle

Down

1 Jazz pianist Ahmad __ 2 Disco era suffix 3 Tough tissue 4 It’s often traded in 5 Alumna identifier, perhaps 6 Chin hider 7 Sky lights 8 Turn sharply 9 “__ of Homecoming”: U2 song 10 Put in a clip 11 “Think I’m kidding?”

12 Evening, in ads 13 Former CIA director Porter __ 19 Glance 21 Some ales 24 “__ la Douce” 25 “Diana” crooner 28 Second or third, for instance 29 The orchestra tunes to one 30 Bankrolls 31 Dmitri’s denial 32 “The Book of __”: Jane Hamilton novel 33 Aral Sea locale 34 Starting half?

36 The old man’s old man 39 “Is there any group I haven’t offended?” satirist 41 Ranch addition?

44 French art song 47 Erupt 49 Ballets __: early 20th-century dance company 51 Yank’s home, briefly 52 Playground retort 53 “Well ... not exactly” 54 Magritte and Descartes 55 Queue before U 56 Pulls along 57 Writer Dinesen 58 WWII craft 62 Colorado sports nickname, with “the” 63 Singer DiFranco

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Minor mishaps can be easily rectified - but if left unchecked could balloon into a major headache.

Spending should be kept in check in the week ahead.

We all need someone we can lean on. Count your blessings for having a dear friend upon whom you can rely. Sage advice in the week ahead could prove insightful and solve a perplexing problem.

If your ship is headed toward a storm, you would do well to change course. If it is increasingly difficult to find the bright side in a relationship in the week to come, it may well be time to move on.

Don’t berate the inefficiency of others when you don’t have your own affairs in order. Playing the blame game is childish, so own up to shortcomings rather than passing the buck during the week to come.

Show your caring, compassionate nature. You’ll find that it’s easier to be sympathetic and generous towards others than it is to be selfish in the week ahead. Others will rely on your coolness under fire.

It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. The results may not turn out exactly as you hope in the week ahead, but it’s your work ethic that will draw the attention of the higher-ups.

Take things as they come. Adapt to the flow of events early in the week, as plans are likely to change and schedules could fall by the wayside. Keep working on current projects, but delay new contracts.

Look up to find the silver lining. No matter how gloomy the outlook appears, there is a positive side to everything. Don’t be too rigid in the week to come, as you may need to deal with a change in plans.

Order from the light menu. Use a brief respite to recharge your batteries and prepare for the week ahead.

Find enjoyable ways to pass the time and make time to handle the heavy workload.

Don’t get caught up in the hype. You may feel pressure in the week ahead to buy something you don’t need just for the sake of fashion. Hold onto your pennies for something that you actually need.

A good deed needs no reward. Be generous and helpful to others, even if there’s no chance of getting anything in return. When possible, put the needs of others above your own in the upcoming week.

Good poker players never shows their hand too early, even when holding all the aces. In the week to come, problems will go away if you can feign ignorance.

SUDOKU

©2012 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Previous puzzle ’s answers

Previous puzzle ’s answers

Previous puzzle ’s answers Jumbles: • CRACK • TESTY • BARREN • PUNDIT

Answer:

Training for submarine duty has to be -- UNDERTAKEN

9

10

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Bugle Kids

INSIDE: Notre Dame lacrosse take down Montini, page 12; Maine South baseball rolls behind Saaverda, page 13

www.nilesbugle.com

By Mike Sandrolini Sports Reporter

Niles West, off to one of its best starts ever in Garry Gustafson’s 21 years as head baseball coach, boasts a batting order that rattles the nerves of opposing pitchers and coaches alike.

Quinn Winkler sports a .326 average through the Wolves’ first 22 contests. Erik Stojanoff leads the club in RBIs and checks in with an average close to .300.

Jason Meger (.288), one of the Wolves’ top pitchers, also is among the team leaders in RBIs. (All of the above are seniors.)

Junior Kyle Colletta, a vital part of the Wolves’ rotation as well, hits around .290. And Colletta’s classmate, Seth Rosenberg, who transferred from New Trier, is one of five Wolves with 10-ormore RBIs. But the heart of the Wolves’ lineup features Kevin Ross.

There’s a trio of student-athletes walking the halls of Niles West these days who are, safe to say, in a league of their own. Jewell Loyd, the Notre Dame-bound allAmerican guard; Jeremiah Jordan, the Wolves’ electrifying kick and punt returner; and Ross, whose talent has caught many a Major League scout’s eye over the past few months.

Ross transferred to Niles West from Mather after his sophomore year, and proceeded to hit .436 with four homers and 30 RBIs in his first season with the Wolves last spring. His stock has been soaring ever since.

The senior shortstop is ranked among the top 100 prep players in the country by ESPNHS— one of only two Illinois players mentioned in the rankings. He secured a scholarship to Michigan last year after Michigan coaches saw him play in a tournament at Ann Arbor with his travel team, the Chi Town Cream.

“I did pretty good in the tournament so they noticed me there,” said Ross, who’s hitting

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

REMARKABLE ROSS

Kevin Ross from Niles West is headed to Michigan next year.

See ROSS, page 14

11

Mike Sandrolini/Bugle Staff

12

Sports

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Notre Dame lacrosse wins big over Montini

By Mike Sandrolini Sports Reporter

Notre Dame’s lacrosse team was 1-8 going into Saturday’s non-conference matchup at Montini, but the Dons’ record is not indicative of the way they’ve played throughout the season.

Six of Notre Dame’s losses have been decided by three goals or less.

ROUNDUP But the Dons were able to breath easy vs. the Broncos. Notre Dame tallied seven first-half goals en route to a 7-2 victory.

“I would say the first half we played is definitely our best half of the year,” said Notre Dame coach Chip Seiple. “We were really passing the ball well and we were working the ball around. We were playing good offense; we were playing good defense.”

Joe Ausmann netted a hat trick, including scoring the final two goals of the first half. He opened

the Dons’ scoring at 7:30 of the first period.

Anton Mueller also scored two goals in the first period to make it 3-0. Dylan Hunt and Patrick Leen added goals during the second period.

Leen picked up three assists, while Hunt, Ausmann, Sean Rellinger and James Maibuecher each had an assist.

SOFTBALL On April 24, the Wolves’ Krista Dawson pitched a shutout, scattering four hits in their 4-0 victory over Glenbrook South— Niles West’s first CSL South win of the year.

Dawson and Jessie Simkins each had a double, with Dawson driving in two runs and Simkins one.

•Sophomore pitcher Jenna Christie turned in a solid effort April 24, but the Hawks fell to New Trier, 3-0. Kaitlyn Mullarkey had a multiple-hit game for the Hawks, and catcher Chrissy Polka also picked off a runner.

Two days later, Maine South’s offense rebounded and helped the Hawks roll past Evanston, 8-2. Christie picked up the win this time around and struck out seven. Mullarkey tripled, singled and had three RBIs. Nina Anderson also chipped in with two RBIs. •Maine West blasted Maine East 20-3 in five innings in a CSL North contest played April 26. Megan Mitchell drove in the Demons’ first run with an RBI single, and Alyssa Matej added a two-run single to account for the other Maine East runs.

•The Bandits fell behind 7-0 after 2 ½ innings on April 23 to Trinity—all the runs were unearned—and ended up losing, 8-1. Pitchers Sami Comiskey and Yenessa Meneses limited Trinity to six hits. Nicole Raia had a twohit game for the Bandits; Emily Bernath added a run-scoring single.

Resurrection played three games on April 27 at the See WINS, page 13

Mike Sandrolini/Bugle Staff

Sophomore attacker-midfielder James Maibuecher takes the ball upfield while looking for an open teammate. Maibuecher had an assist in the game.

Sports

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

13

Saavedra continues hot play for Maine S. baseball

By Mike Sandrolini Sports Reporter

Rocky Saavedra, who had thrown a no-hitter the week before,did a little bit of everything in Maine South’s 2-1 extra-inning triumph over Evanston on April 24.

ROUNDUP Saavedra led off the ninth with a walk, stole second and eventually crossed home plate thanks to two Evanston errors.

He then pitched the bottom of the ninth in relief of starter Patrick Aloisio and struck out the side to earn a save.

Jesus Saavedra’s single drove in Kevin Kelly with the Hawks’ first run of the game On April 26, The Hawks won their 17th contest of the year and remained undefeated in the CSL South by squeaking out a 4-3 victory over Evanston in a game that went nine innings.

Jimmy Frankos’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth plated Mike Virgilio with the winning run. Virgilio delivered a safety squeeze bunt to score Keenan Kelly in the bottom of the sixth that eventually would send the game into extra innings.

Rocky Saavedra was again the pitcher of record for Maine South, going the final two innings in relief. He also had two hits and an RBI. •The Dons were winners in three of their four games last week.

Notre Dame started the week with a 9-5 victory over St. Patrick, jumping out to a commanding 8-3 lead after three innings. Nick Pieruccini and Matt Walsh each doubled, singled and drove in three runs. Kevin Stahmer hit a solo homer and had a single.

Keenan Connelly also singled

WINS Continued from page 12 Romeoville Cancer Awareness tournament and unfortunately lost all three—to Breman (97), Rosary (6-5) and Hinsdale

and drove in a run.

Adnan Sator went five innings for the win, striking out five and walking just one.

The Dons faced St. Patrick again on April 27 and posted a 6-3 win thanks to a five-run fifth inning. Walsh and Ryan Czachor led the way offensively with two hits and two RBIs apiece. Stahmer and Pieruccini each drove in a run. Danny Hyde picked up the victory, going 4 2/3 innings, and Tony Marcellino struck out the side in the seventh to earn a save.

Notre Dame split a doubleheader with Marian Catholic on Saturday, dropping the first game 5-3, but winning the nightcap, 7-6.

Stahmer recorded the only multiple-hit game for Notre Dame in Game 1 with a double and single. Zach Ryan and Dion Ursino each hit a double, and Pieruccini had an RBI. The Dons, who trailed 6-0 at one point in Game 2, made it 6-4 in bottom of the fifth and then scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win it. Stahmer delivered a two-run single in the seventh to tie the game 6-6.Then, Erick Zepeda came through with a walk-off single.

Connelly keyed the Dons’ fourrun fifth with a bases-clearing double off the left-field fence.

Stahmer, Connelly and Walsh each finished with two hits.

Marcellino pitched the final inning and got the victory.

GIRLS SOCCER The Hawks held a 2-0 lead at intermission, but Glenbrook South held Maine South scoreless during the second half and tallied three goals to win, 3-2 on April 24.

Alli Curry, set up by Christina Kiotis, netted the Hawks’ first

Central (10-5).

Bernath helped the Bandits bounce back from a 9-0 deficit vs.

Breman to make the game close.

She had two hits and three RBIs. The lead changed four times in the contest between Resurrection and Rosary before the Bandits succumbed. Olivia Babusci

goal, and Britt Bruce scored the second goal with an assist from Lexi Kiotis. Emily O’Grady made 12 saves in goal.

On April 27, Chatham Glenwood edged the Hawks, 2-1.

The only goal for Maine South was scored by Georgia Petrovas.

•The Bandits took on St. Ignatius April 24 after defeating Northside,2-0, in their final game of the Niles West tournament April 21 on goals by Kristy Getty and Rachel Cunningham,.

St Ignatius, which scored two goals in the first half, ended up winning,3-1.Rachel Cunningham scored the Bandits’ only goal on a penalty kick.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL Maine East and Niles West each posted victories on April 24.

The Demons earned their 10th victory of the year by beating Niles North, 25-21, 2517, behind nine kills from Greg Siemienczuk and seven kills by Artur Theil. David Coldea added 16 digs.

Maine East also placed fifth over the weekend at the Libertyville tournament. The Demons knocked off Lake Forest in the fifth-place match 25-22, 25-21. They also upended Lake Forest and Oak Forest in earlier pool play. David Coldea and Jon Coldea were both named to the all-tourney team.

•Niles West got six kills apiece from Daniel Gillespie and Nathan Celinski in its 25-21, 25-19 win against New Trier. The Wolves also upended Evanston, 20-25, 25-20 and 25-18. Nick Hester had 10 digs while Alvin Lee dished out 18 assists.

•Meanwhile, Maine South coasted to a 25-15, 25-15 victory over Glenbrook South April 25, and then bowed to New Trier, 25-20, 25-21, the next night.

pitched a complete game in her first varsity start. Courtney Grasz led the offense with three hits; Bernath, Kat Angelini and Kate Moriarty added two hits apiece.

Liz Jimenez collected three hits vs. Hinsdale Central, and Bre Sobotka had two hits. mike@buglenewspapers.com

Matt Garvey collected 24 assists in Maine South’s win, and Scott Adamczyk had eight kills while Ivan Zelic chipped in with five. Zelic and Adamczyk each recorded five kills vs. New Trier.

BOYS GYMNASTICS Niles West’s Ari Lazar tied for second on the pommel horse

with a score of 8.7 at the Central Suburban League meet held April 26. He was the Wolves’ highest individual finisher at the meet, won by Glenbrook North.

The Wolves’ 23.70 in the pommel horse was the top team score for that event. Josh Nicolasin also finished third on rings (8.2). mike@buglenewspapers.com

14

sPorTs

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

BASEBALL BASEBALL 1. Plainfield North 2. Niles West 3. Joliet Catholic 4. Maine South 5. Downers South 6. Minooka 7. Lockport

SOFTBALL 1. Benet 2. Lockport 3. Downers North 4. Minooka 5. Downers South 6. Plainfield South 7. Plainfield Central

GIRLS SOCCER 1. Plainfield North 2. Downers South 3. Benet 4. Lockport 5. Plainfield Central 6. Maine South 7. Plainfield South

BOYS VOLLEYBALL 1. Downers North 2. Benet 3. Minooka 4. Downers South 5. Maine South 6. Notre Dame 7. Plainfield South

BOYS TRACK 1. Plainfield South 2. Minooka 3. Maine South 4. Niles West 5. Plainfield North 6. Joliet West 7. Benet

GIRLS TRACK 1. Minooka 2. Plainfield North 3. Downers South 4. Downers North 5. Bolingbrook 6. Lockport 7. Benet Rankings are compiled by Mark Gregory and Scott Taylor.

Homers

Batting Average

Chris Tschida, JCA Derek Bangert, Lockport Kevin Ross, Niles West Mario Cerda, Joliet Central Kyle Richardson, Maine South Tom Vachon, Plainfield East Scott Foltz, Bolingbrook Dan Sullivan, Lockport Keenan Kelly, Maine South Joe Sparacio, Plainfield Central

.556 .508 .492 .457 .456 .433 .429 .419 .413 .411

Runs Steve Heffernan, Plainfield Central Nick Sharrow, Plainfield East Tom Vachon, Plainfield East Matt Underdown, Downers North Ryan Peter, JCA Chris Tschida, JCA Joe Sparacio, Plainfield Central Mike Rogala, Plainfield East Matt Walsh, Notre Dame

25 21 21 21 20 19 19 19 18

Hits Derek Bangert, Lockport Tom Vachon, Plainfield East Ryan Czachor, Notre Dame Chris Tschida, JCA Danny Hyde, Notre Dame Scott Foltz, Bolingbrook Matt Walsh, Notre Dame Ryan Peter, JCA Zach Melone, JCA Nick Sharrow, Plainfield East

31 29 26 25 25 24 23 22 22 22

RBI Joe Sparacio, Plainfield Central Nate Searing, JCA Matt Venn, Romeoville Keenan Kelly, Maine South Matt Koran, Joliet West Danny Hyde, Notre Dame Jeff Gersch, Joliet West Mike Bentson, Plainfield Central

25 23 21 19 19 17 17 17

ROSS Continued from page 11 .492 with two homers and 12 RBIs through 22 games in spite of foes’ efforts to pitch around him. “I love everything about Michigan. I love the field and the coaching. They’ve got a great program, so I just felt that was the place for me to be.

“They (Michigan coaches) told me I’ll play either shortstop or third base and I should be hitting in the middle of the lineup (next season).”

However, Ross’ college career could hinge on the likely possibility that he’ll be selected in the June Major League draft, and whether he decides to forego college and sign with the club that drafts him.

Ross has said that his dream is to play in the major leagues and told ESPNHS, “I’m going to do everything I can to get there.”

“Kevin’s got a bright future in

Kyle Richardson, Maine South Eric DeLoach, Plainfield Central Matt Venn, Romeoville Alex Voitik, JCA Matt Koran, Joliet West Matt Underdown, Downers North Matt Kramer, Plainfield East

4 4 3 3 3 3 3

Doubles Joe Sparacio, Plainfield Central Tom Vachon, Plainfield East Nick Sharrow, Plainfield East Matt Underdown, Downers North Max Gawenda, Joliet Central Derek Bangert, Lockport Scott Foltz, Bolingbrook Tevin Brown, Bolingbrook Matt Walsh, Notre Dame Danny Hyde, Notre Dame Troy Southard, Downers North

16 9 7 7 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

ERA Kevin Duchene, JCA Jake Herron, Joliet West Joe Lewicki, Plainfield East Danny Hyde, Notre Dame Troy Southard, Downers North Nick Davito, Lockport Tim Blake, Plainfield Central Brad Elmore, Bolingbrook

0.26 0.64 1.08 1.14 1.27 1.62 1.74 1.81

Wins Brian Glowicki, Downers South Nick Davito, Lockport Kevin Duchene, JCA Tomas Aguilar, Plainfield Central Adnan Sator, Notre Dame Jake Herron, Joliet West

5-0 5-2 4-0 5-2 4-2 4-3

Strikeouts Jake Herron, Joliet West Brian Glowicki, Downers South Kevin Duchene, JCA Tomas Aguilar, Plainfield Central Brad Elmore, Bolingbrook

58 48 44 43 41

baseball,whether as a professional or it’s going to Michigan and going as a collegiate player,” Gustafson said.“He’s got an awful bright future, no question.”

Big league scouts have been showing up in droves at Niles West’s games—Gustafson estimates anywhere from eight to 15 at a time. Yet the coach says Ross isn’t allowing all the attention to distract him.

“That’s tough on a 17-year-old kid knowing that he’s getting a lot of attention in the Major League draft,” Gustafson said. “Just about every (Major League) club has been represented out here. A lot of these teams have sent their Midwest scouts and their head of player development out to look at Kevin.

“He’s got a Division I scholarship and he goes out and performs game in and game out.

He doesn’t let the little things bother him. I think that is one of his biggest attributes. Whether he has a good day or not-so-good game, things don’t affect him and

Tim Blake, Plainfield Central Steven Waldrop, Bolingbrook

38 30

SOFTBALL .618 .543 .538 .514 .488 .475 .462 .458 .455 .452 .443 .441

Runs Maeve McGuire, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet Julianne Rurka, Benet Marissa Panko, Benet Nina Maggio, Plainfield East Stephanie Abello, Benet Morgan Vogt, Plainfield Central Ali Michalik, Benet Jessica Rio, Plainfield East

48 36 31 31 31 27 26 24 21

Hits Maeve McGuire, Benet Marissa Panko, Benet Emily York, Benet Julianne Rurka, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet Morgan Vogt, Plainfield Central Cailey Baker, Plainfield Central Stephanie Abello, Benet Jusse Bunn, Plainfield East

47 42 38 38 38 36 35 34 33

RBI Emily York, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet Maeve McGuire, Benet

32 32 29 24 21

Homers

Batting Average Maeve McGuire, Benet Julianne Rurka, Benet Marissa Panko, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet Kelli Holstine, Minooka Emily York, Benet Morgan Vogt, Plainfield Central Tresa Fahrner, Joliet West Cara Debenedictis, Maine East Jusse Bunn, Plainfield East Cailey Baker, Plainfield Central Michelle Spillman, Romeoville

Stephanie Abello, Benet Julianne Rurka, Benet Jusse Bunn, Plainfield East Cailey Baker, Plainfield Central Marissa Panko, Benet

48 40 33

he just comes out and plays great baseball.”

Needless to say, the Wolves are playing great baseball. Although Niles West lost consecutive games for the first time this season last week—3-0 and 1-0 vs. New Trier on April 24 and April 26, respectively—it had won eight in a row prior to the skid.

“He (New Trier’s Austin Zimmerman) was throwing first-pitch strikes a lot (in the 3-0 defeat) and we didn’t really capitalize and be aggressive at all like we usually do,” Colletta said. “But I’m sure if we face him again we’ll be changing our approach.

In addition to pounding the baseball, Niles West’s pitching has been lights-out. Colletta, who had six victories, took a nohitter into the seventh inning of the Wolves’ 6-0 victory April 12 over Maine East. Meger owns a 1.08 ERA—almost identical to the team’s 1.09 ERA—and leads the Wolves in strikeouts with 43.

Maeve McGuire, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet Stephanie Abello, Benet Sam Yeager, Downers North Dale Ryndak, Downers North

9 7 7 7 5

Doubles Maeve McGuire, Benet Carly Dundee, Lockport Jusse Bunn, Plainfield East Sam Yeager, Downers North Rowan McGuire, Downers North Angelina Medo, Plainfield South Julianne Rurka, Benet Kendall Duffy, Benet

20 10 9 8 8 8 8 8

ERA Elaine Heflin, Downers North Dale Ryndak, Downers North Taylor Weissenhofer, Lockport Sara Novak, Minooka Jackie Lilek, Minooka Kaleigh Nagle, Plainfield Central Carly Dundee, Lockport

0.43 0.75 1.05 1.14 1.34 1.37 1.45

Wins Molly Moran, Benet Jordan Harbacek, Plainfield South Annie Molek, Plainfield East Taylor Weissenhofer, Lockport Elaine Heflin, Downers North

21-3 15-4 13-7 11-3 10-3

Strikeouts Taylor Weissenhofer, Lockport Elaine Heflin, Downers North Sara Novak, Minooka Jordan Harbacek, Plainfield South Annie Molek, Plainfield East Molly Moran, Benet Dale Ryndak, Downers North

150 147 123 106 98 99 72

Nick Reyes also sports a nifty ERA (1.56).

“Without a doubt we’ve gotten very good pitching,” Gustafson said. “Our pitching staff has thrown strikes and gotten ahead of hitters. We play good defense, and when you play good defense and get good pitching you’re going to stay in all the games.”

Ross and the Wolves are hungry to add to their already impressive win total. He said he feels that a CSL South championship and a trip to the Class 4A state tournament are within Niles West’s grasp.

“I just want to do as much as I can for the team and help out as much as I possibly can,” he said.

“Just go as far as we can together as a team.”

“I think we’re as good as anybody in the area,” Gustafson said. “The sky’s the limit for us as far as I’m concerned. Once the postseason starts, I feel like we can go in there and play with anybody.” mike@buglenewspapers.com

www.buglenewspapers.com/outdoors

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

15

Hunting success is all about the setup

By Dan Stefanich

A thundering gobble broke the pre-dawn silence. “They’re close,” I whispered “They’re real close.” I let out another owl call and was answered by three gobbles as we stared into to darkness trying to pinpoint their location. I was hunting with my son Kyle on the second day of the Illinois Youth Wild Turkey Season. It also happened to be Easter Sunday. But bunnies and easter eggs were the furthest things from our minds.

The day before, we had set up and called three beautiful toms within 35 yards of our blind, but the birds hung up on a row of briars and wouldn’t come any closer. We could see them strutting back and forth on the far side of the briar row, but that was as close as they would come. After an hour of calling, the birds moved off in another direction— prooving that the setup is one of the most important factors in hunting wild turkeys.

Turkey hunting is tough, with little margin for error. When setting up on roosting birds in the morning, follow these steps to increase the odds of putting a bird on the ground.

• Get close. Try to set up as close to the roosting birds without giving away your location. Sneak in early, at least an hour before it gets light, and set up.

• Know what lies between you and the roosted birds. It’s important to make sure there are no obstacles that might impede the birds approach. Creeks, fences, and as in the previous

example, a briar patch or thick cover can cause the birds to “hang up”. Once turkeys get on the ground and start strutting, they tend to take the path of least resistance so make it easy for them to get to you.

• Get in their way. Try to get between the roosted birds, and where they may be going once they get on the ground.

• Make sure you have clear shooting lanes. Turkeys are constantly moving, so it’s important that you be patient and wait for a good shot. It helps to have plenty of openings so when the big boy puts his head up, you’re ready.

Back to the hunt. The treed toms continued to announce the coming Easter sunrise in a symphony of gobbling. But we didn’t make the same mistake as the previous day. We set our blind closer to the roosted birds, and without a row of briars between us.

After they flew down, a few clucks on my slate call had them coming in on a string. I told Kyle they were in range and take the shot when he was ready. Boooom! The woods reverberated in an echo of 20 gauge aftershock. “I got him!”

Kyle yelled as he jumped out of the blind and made the 23-yard dash to his downed tom.

By pinpointing the roosting birds and knowing the natural obstacles, we ended the hunt at 6:48 am of the second day. We still made it to Grandma’s house for ham.

Not a bad way to spend Easter Sunday.

For more turkey hunting tips, visit www.danstefoutdoors.com.

Photo courtesy of Dan Stefanich

Kyle Stefanich took this dandy gobbler in Will County on Easter Sunday, the second day of the Illinois Youth Turkey Season.

#4 - Rick Nelson, Director of Instruction, Bolingbrook Golf Club & Rabito Golf

True golf fans have to be enjoying the new wave of play on the PGA Tour.

Gone are the days of

By Scott Taylor watching a golf tournament, knowing Tiger Woods was going to win.

The competition level the past two years has been raised and this year has seen a bunch of different strong champions in a bunch of competitive tournaments.

That again was the case this past weekend at the Zurich Classic.

There were a handful of different golfers, a lot with big names, in contention throughout the weekend.

In the end, it was Jason Dufner who beat Ernie Els in a playoff to win.

It was great redemption for the man who finally won his first tournament in 164 tries.

He held a four-shot lead over the closing holes last year at the PGA Championship and was in the lead in the third round of the Masters.

The man with the stoic look held off the pressure and got the job done, which was great to see.

He is playing red-hot right now and don’t be surprised to see him in contention again soon.

Speaking of coming up, the next two weeks have loaded fields at the Wells Fargo and at the Players.

Phil Mickelson and Woods are slated to be at both and it should be a couple of fun tournaments to watch. staylor@buglenewspapers.com

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THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Travel

Adventure Travel

Thrill-seeking in Europe a major trend in tourism Adventure travel continues to be a major trend in the tourism industry, and while I’m not going to suggest you drop everything to climb the Matterhorn, Europe has plenty of thrills and chills to carbonate a stodgy vacation.

Over the years, I’ve tried windsurfing at Spain’s Costa del Sol, mountain biking in Switzerland’s Berner Oberland, surfing in Munich’s English Garden, glacier-walking in Norway, and hut-hopping in the Italian Dolomites.

Last summer I learned that - even if I wasn’t blessed with wings - I’ve got an abundance of hot air, and you can fly quite well with little more than that.

I’ve always loved Cappadocia in central Turkey, so I took a majestic hot-air balloon ride over the fairy-chimney formations of that exotic landscape. From the moment our basket slipped from the land into the sky, I gazed in wonder, mesmerized at the erosion-shaped countryside.

Arguably the best hot-air balloon experience in the world is reason enough to get up at 4:30 a.m.,spending $200 for a morning float above the rock formations.

As I stood in the basket of my balloon, the rhythmic bursts of flame punctuated the captain’s jokes while warming my wide eyes. Illogically, the stripes on his epaulets made me feel safe as we lifted off.

If you want to be more grounded, go to the Alps to take a wild ride on a summer luge (“Sommerrodelbahn,” summer toboggan run).It’s a quintessential alpine experience. You take a lift up to the top of a mountain, grab a wheeled sled-like gocart, and scream back down the

mountainside on a banked course made of concrete or metal. Then you take the lift back up and start all over again.

Operating the sled is simple: Push the stick forward to go faster, pull back to apply the brake. Novices find out quickly their personal speed limits. Most are cautious on their first run, speed demons on their second ... and bruised and bloody on their third. A woman once showed me her travel journal illustrated with her husband’s dried, fiveinch-long luge scab. He had disobeyed the only essential rule of luging: Keep both hands on your stick. To avoid getting into a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam, let the person in front of you get way ahead before you start.

You’ll emerge from the course with a windblown hairdo and a smile-creased face.

A handy summer track, the Tegelberg Luge, is near Neuschwanstein, “Mad” King Ludwig’s castle in Bavaria (www. tegelbergbahn.de). In Austria, try the Biberwier Sommerrodelbahn between Reutte and Innsbruck (www.bergbahnen-langes.at), which has the longest run in Tirol.

Even veteran travelers can find new thrills. Visiting my favorite village in the Swiss Alps, it occurred to me that I’d already ridden the lifts and hiked all the trails around Gimmelwald.

But there was one experience listed in our book that I had yet to do personally: traverse

Submitted Photo

For the thrill of a lifetime in Switzerland, try hiking along a via ferrata, a mountain route with fixed cables, metal loops, and ladders.

a cliffside cable-way known to mountaineers as a “via ferrata.”

These are extremely steep routes with fixed cables, ladders, and metal rungs for steps. So, my friend Olle and I pulled on mountaineering harnesses and clipped our carabiners onto the first stretch of a two-mile-long cable, setting off with a local guide on the “iron way” from Murren to Gimmelwald (www. klettersteig-muerren.ch).

The route takes you along the very side of the cliff, like a tiny window washer on a geologic skyscraper.The“trail”ahead of me was a series of steel rebar spikes jutting out from the side of the mountain. The cable, carabiner, and harness were there in case I passed out. For me, physically,

this was the max. I was almost numb with fear.

After one particularly harrowing crossing - gingerly taking one rebar step after another - I said to the guide,“OK, now it gets easier?” And he said, “No. Now comes ‘die Hammer Ecke’ (Hammer Corner)!” For about 500 feet we crept across a perfectly vertical cliff face - feet gingerly gripping rebar loops, cold and raw hands on the cable, tiny cows and a rushing river 2,000 feet below me, a rock face rocketing directly above me - as my follow-the-cable path bended out of sight. When we finally reached the end, I hugged my guide like a full-body high-five, knowing this was an experience of a lifetime. For the next several

nights I awoke in the wee hours, clutching my mattress.

While hiking a via ferrata might not be your ideal vacation experience, thoughtful, rewarding travel goes way beyond collecting famous sights.

It’s leaving our comfort zones to have experiences that surprise, challenge, enrich, and inspire us. Try a European thrill; it will create memories that you’ll treasure forever.

(Rick Steves (www.ricksteves.com) writes European travel guidebooks and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio. Email him at rick@ricksteves.com and follow his blog on Facebook.)

(c)2012 RICK STEVES DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Business & Real Estate

Where Does the Time Go?

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

17

Quick time management and life balance tips There are so many articles, books, seminars and tools on time management that we can spend so much time on it that we never get anything done… right?

We all have our sometimes overwhelming “To Do” lists including projects at work, home, our health, church, civic and social commitments, juggling the kids’ schedules, and trying to somehow find some “downtime”. Pondering this ongoing struggle, I thought I’d share two personal strategies; One I’ve used previously, and a new one I’m just starting.

Most of us in business don’t like the overused term, “micromanagement”, but sometimes that’s what we have

to do with ourselves so someone else doesn’t have to.

I made an Excel worksheet (You can use a calendar, a piece paper, or whatever works for you.) of all the waking hours in the week in half-hour increments, like a “Week-at-a-Glance” if you’ve seen that tool. Then I shaded in all of my weekly appointments in one color, my meal times in another color, my scheduled office hours in another color, and personal family time in another.

I put totals at the bottom to see the numbers in determining

Self-confidence unnecessary for stellar success Q. I keep getting reviews lately that I need to work on my selfconfidence. I agree that I’m not the most self-confident person on the planet, but I have no idea how to change my attitude. My boss keeps trying to give me projects I’m not certain I can do, and I’m turning down.

Am I stuck at my current level of achievement?

A. No, self-confidence has absolutely nothing to do with success. Success is determined by what you do in your external world, not in how you feel in your internal world.

We can all thank the stars that no one in our workplace can read our minds. The only way someone can guess how we feel is by what they see in what we say and do. The quickest route to success in the workplace is to learn to act self-confident even when you are quaking with insecurity.

Mostly acting self-confident means you don’t “share” your inner insecurities with your team and boss. The other important factor is to be willing to fail

and make mistakes. Many of my clients are concerned they will get fired if they make mistakes.

What will get you fired is never taking on the projects your boss is asking you to do.

Once you are on the payroll, companies expect you will have a learning curve on new skills.

What companies and bosses won’t tolerate is an employee See EDGE, page 21

life balance. This can be as detailed or as simple as you like.

I dressed it up with a picture of a rowing team to make it look inspirational, gave it the title “Mike Row Management” (get it?) and put it in prominent places in my workspace, my home office, and my Franklin Planner I carried around at that time. Now I guess I’d make it my screen on my cell phone. A couple of my associates at the time noticed it was working for me so I helped them make theirs. One had the initials “SAV,” so we made his “SAVe Time” with a picture of a clock.

My newest idea came to me after discussing this topic with my first mentor, my wise ole (not old) dad. He said that as a

school teacher, he didn’t have to worry as much about time management during the day because he worked from bellto-bell. So a bell went off in my head (or maybe it was my wife ringing my bell?) and I’ve started using the alarm feature on my cell phone. Because I’ve had the bad habit of working right up to the time of my next appointment, making me late, I now set an alarm in enough time for me to get to a stopping point with what I’m doing and travel to the appointment. Because I’ve had a bad habit of working through the normal lunch hour, when most people are unavailable for phone calls and questions anyway, then eating late or not eating at all, I set an

alarm for lunch at noon. Because I’m in outside sales, which my boss reminds me are two words: “outside” (as in out of the office) and “sales” (as in selling, not shuffling papers), I set an alarm in the early afternoon with a reminder popping-up on my screen. Last but not least, because I tend to be a workaholic, I set an alarm for 6 p.m. that says “It can wait ‘til tomorrow – go home!”

Now if I could just get out of the bad habit of hitting the “Snooze” button, like I do for the 6 a.m. alarm…

Mike Reid is a Registered CPA and full-time Advertising Consultant for Bugle Newspapers and Voyager Media Group. His monthly business series is available on buglenewspapers.com in the Features section.

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THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

Senior Lifestyle PROPERTY FOR SALE

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

19

The value of not giving up your day job

By Jill Schlesinger Tribune Media Services

“I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t work,” said a 72-yearold family member recently. She is not alone.

Because we are living longer and healthier than in previous generations, the employment of workers over 65 has increased dramatically. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of workers 65 and over increased 101 percent between 1977 and 2007, compared to a much smaller increase of 59 percent for total employment (16 and over). In the past 10 years, the number of employed people age 65 and older rose from 4.3 million in 2002 to 7.2 million this year.The number of working seniors age 75 and older is now 1.3 million, up 41.2 percent from a decade ago.

As noted in a previous column, the 2012 Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) Retirement Confidence Survey found that in 1991, 11 percent of workers said they expected to retire after age 65. In 2012

Niles Senior Center Information about the Niles Senior Center can be found on the Village of Niles Website at www.vniles.com. Click on “Departments” (upper left), and then Click on “Senior” You can now see what’s new at the Senior Center.

Advanced registration is generally required for programs.

May /June Naturally Active Registrations for members have begun.All programs require advanced registration.

Individuals must be a registered member of the Niles Senior Center to receive the member price. Membership application forms are available at the Front Desk, Membership Service Desk or on-line. For more information about program eligibility, contact one of our program coordinators.

WANTED: Houses Seeking Curb Appeal The 25th Annual Community

that number has grown to 37 percent.

While many retirement age people keep working or anticipate that they will need to work due to economic need, you may be surprised to know that older workers head to the office for lots of other reasons.

The EBRI found that 92 percent of those who worked beyond the traditional retirement age of 65 did so because they wanted “to stay active and involved,” and 86 percent say they “enjoyed working.”From my conversations with family and former clients, it seems like going to work every day for three or four decades brings with it an appreciation for the social interaction and skills development that a career in the workplace provides.

The problem for some people is they may not realize that they’re not ready for retirement until it’s too late and they have already given up their jobs.

Many retirees become a bit lost without work as an anchor in their lives. Even with rich social lives and outside interests, it’s difficult to suddenly downshift from a life dominated by work

Paint-A-Thon will be held on Saturday, September 8th.

Applications are now available.

If the exterior of your house needs to be painted due to peeling, fading or worn paint, consider applying. The program provides for the painting of the exterior of a single family home at no cost to those who qualify.

To qualify, homes must be owned and occupied by people with limited financial resources and the owners must be at least 60 years of age. If you or someone you know could benefit from this community-wide project, please call the Niles Senior Center 847 588-8420.

Annual Health Fair, Wednesday, May 23, 9AM-12Noon Over 30 exhibitors will be on hand with free health screenings and information. Demonstrations open to all adults. Tomato Plants will also be sold. Full lab work is available for a fee provided

by Swedish Covenant Hospital.

Women $50M/$55NM and Men $60M/$65NM. You must make a reservation and pay in advance at the Niles Senior Center (847 588-8420). Call for more information.

into one that is unstructured.

One thing is clear: Once you give up your job, it’s hard to land the next one. With 12.7 million Americans seeking employment, the competition is stiff. As of March, there are 3.6 unemployed people for every job opening available. While the ratio has dropped as the labor market has improved over the past three years, the ratio is usually 2 to 1 in a healthy job market.

This means that, like most job seekers, the post-retiree set will likely face a big pay cut if they choose to re-join the labor market. According to a recent Rutgers University study, just 7 percent of those who were let go during the recession have regained their previous income.

A little over half reported taking a pay cut, and of those, 29 percent took a reduction in salary of 30 percent or higher.

So, what’s the answer? I learned a lot from one of my former clients, who navigated the worker-to-retirement period by suggesting a novel plan to his boss. He said, “I want to move from the starting rotation to being a closer.” This is an apt baseball

analogy - as a pitcher ages, he knows that he has tremendous experience, wisdom and a strong work ethic, but his body simply can’t do what it once could. At age 65, my client suggested that he reduce his schedule to three days a week and help train the younger staff, and as a bonus, he would gladly be a “consultant” with no benefits. This worked perfectly, since he was eligible to get health insurance through Medicare.

While there are tangible benefits to working, like money and keeping your mind active, there are also intangible benefits, like being part of a team and being the “go-to” person for advice of all kinds. Before you give up your day job, carefully consider what you could be losing in the bargain.

Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is the Editor-atLarge for www.CBSMoneyWatch.com.

She covers the economy, markets, investing or anything else with a dollar sign on her podcast and blog, Jill on Money, as well as on television and radio. She welcomes comments and questions at askjill@moneywatch. com. (c) 2012 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Obituary for Stefan Grajny Stefan Grajny, age 69. Beloved Husband of Halina nee Kulig.

Loving Father of Agatha (Bogdan) Romanik and Alicja (Ted) Przybylo. Cherished Grandfather of Michelle, Alexander, Jack and Pinto. Dearest Brother of Jozef (Janet), Mieczyslaw (Julia), Edward (Jozefa), and Stanislawa (Marian) Sanek. Beloved Uncle of Renata Babiuch. Visitation Monday 4pm until 9pm at SKAJA Terrace Funeral Home 7812 N. Milwaukee Ave. Niles, IL. Funeral Tuesday 10am to St. Constance Church for an 11am Mass. Interment Maryhill Cemetery. He received a gold medal for many years of distinguished service from P.R.L.

Clean Air Counts- Energy Savings Program, Monday, June 4 11am-12noon FREE Presented by Craig Shuttenberg from Clean Air Counts. Learn about ways to clean up the air around you while saving money.

Hear about energy options, CFL light bulbs, and how these programs really do help clean the air around you.

Taste of Geneva, IL Trip, Tuesday, June 12, 8:30AM-5:00PM $71M/$76NM Join Maryann as we spend a day with About Tours in the picture-perfect village of Geneva IL, located in the Fox River

Valley, west of Chicago - a village full of Victorian homes and buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright, unique shops, and community spirit. Our day will include a tour highlighting the history and architecture of Geneva by a local expert with a stop at the Geneva History Museum.

Stops along the way will include Graham’s Chocolate, one of Oprah’s favorites, where we can watch candy being made; the Spice House, with a presentation on the spices available; and a wine tasting at the Galena Cellars Winery. Lunch will be See CENTERS, page 20

20

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

CENTERS Continued from page 19 a real treat at the picturesque Villa Verona. And finally, no trip to Geneva would be complete without some time to browse at the Little Traveler, where many small boutiques are located within one historic house. Make your reservations early as there is limited space available.

A Taste of Poland, Wednesday, May 30, 5:00-7:00PM $15M/$20NM Join us for an evening of fun and food! We will all enjoy “Polonia” – the Polish Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of Chicago and have a delicious tasting of some of the finest authentic Polish food around. Advanced registration is required. Dobrej Zabawy!!!

The Polish Initiative, Wednesday, May 30, 4:00PM Free with advanced registration This is a special Polish speaking event. Join a member of the Polish Initiative of Chicago who will discuss issues and concerns of the Polish community and problems that Polish immigrants are facing. Learn about educational opportunities, immigration reform, healthcare reform, voting options and more.

SPECIAL SATURDAY COMMUNITY PERFORMANCE – Which Way to Stage Left?”

Saturday, May 19, 1:00-2:30PM Tickets: $8 in advance or $12 at the door call 847 588-8420 for more information.

This live play is presented

by Still Acting Up a Skokie Park District-sponsored performance troupe of talented seniors over the age of 60. Light refreshments will be served after the show.

Open to all ages!

Cooking Lite, Wednesday, May 16 10:30-11:30AM $15M/$20NM Instructor: Kelly Donlea, author and owner of Organizing Dinners. Get a feel for “cooking lite” with some essential tips and advice that can make you meals tastier, easier, and healthier. This class will be held in the NSC kitchen , allowing for close-up cooking instruation. Advanced registration is required.

Yoga in Chairs, Instructor Andrea Lubershane, Thursdays, 10:45-11:45AM

You provide the body, and we’ll provide a way to increase your flexibility, strength and balance.

Yoga is all about flexibility, and we can be flexible whether we sit in a chair, hold on to a chair to do standing poses, or even if we use the chair to do supine poses June 7-28 (4 classes) $24M/$29NM July 5-26 (4 classes) $24/$29NM NEW Computer ClassesRegistration Now Open.- Do not wait too long to register. These classes fill quickly. For more information about any of the computer classes, contact Jaymi (847 588-8420).

Introduction to Ebay with Jane Washburne,Tues.&Thurs.May 1524 3:30-4:30PM $25M/$30NM Picasa/Photo Editor,Tuesday & Thursday, May 29 & 31st 3:304:30 $25M/$30NM NSC’s WEEKLY EMAIL CONTEST!!!

Make sure you’re on our email list! Every week, there will be a drawing for a $5.00 gift certificate toward any program, class, or trip. All you need to do is make sure you’re on our email list. You will receive info on our newest trips, fantastic programs and variety of classes! Please call (847)588-8420 to get into the weekly drawing!

North Shore Senior Center North Shore Senior Center offers programs,classes,activities, and travel opportunities for adults at the American Legion Memorial Civic Center at 6140 Dempster Street.

You may register for all programs at the Center or call 847-470-5223.

Lunch & A Movie: Oscar Series~ War Horse Thursday May 3, from 12:30 – 3:30 Enjoy a delicious lunch and the Oscar nominated film War Horse. Set against a sweeping canvas of rural England and Europe during the First World War,“War Horse” begins with the remarkable friendship between a horse named Joey and a young man called Albert, who tames and trains him. When they are forcefully parted, the film follows the extraordinary journey of the horse as he moves through

the war, changing and inspiring the lives of those he meets— British cavalry, German soldiers, and a French farmer and his granddaughter—before the story reaches its emotional climax in the heart of No Man’s Land.

The First World War is experienced through the journey of this horse—an odyssey of joy and sorrow,passionate friendship and high adventure. To register, or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Zumba Gold Wednesdays, May 9 to June 20 from 1- 2 p.m.

Zumba classes feature exotic rhythms set to high-energy Latin and international beats. Zumba Gold takes the elements and exercises of Zumba and modifies the moves and pacing to suit the needs of older adults and those just starting their journey to a fit and healthy lifestyle. It’s a dance-fitness class that feels friendly, and most of all, fun.

This session of Zumba Gold runs each Wednesday, May 9 - June 20, 1- 2 p.m. and features Instructor Diane Garvey. Fees are $65 member; $79 non-member. To register or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Hairspray at Drury Lane Theatre Thursday, May 10 from 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Hairspray is the story of pleasantly plump teen Tracy Turnblad, who does whatever it takes to fulfill her dream of appearing on the popular Corny Collins Show. Join us on May 10 from 10:30 – 4:30 p.m. to see if Tracy can vanquish the program’s reigning princess, win over heartthrob Link Larkin, and integrate a television show without denting her fabulous‘do?

Fees are $89 member; $105 nonmember and includes theater ticket, lunch and transportation.

To register or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Create Your Own Butterfly Paradise!

Thursday, May 10 from 1 – 2p.m.

Attract Illinois beautiful butterflies to your yard! Join Certified Naturalist and Master Gardener Marion Thill on May 10 1-2 p.m. to learn simple tips to attract butterflies using permanent plantings or container gardening. You will leave this session with a wealth of knowledge and a butterfly

friendly plant to build your butterfly habitat. Fees are $6 member; $8 non-member and include the class and a take home plant. To register or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Rome:The Eternal City Monday, May 14 from 1-2:30 p.m.

Take a quick trip to Rome with Joe Cunniff on May 14, 1- 2:30 p.m. The legendary city of Seven Hills, of Caesar, of St. Peter’s Church and the Coliseum. With fabulous shopping and the art of Michelangelo, with the Roman Forum and refreshing fountains, Rome has been called a giant outdoor museum. Rome is the city of cappuccino, of Fellini, of fashion, and of “La Dolce Vita.”

Join us and see why travelers say, “In Rome, a lifetime is not enough.” Fees are $7 member; $9 non-member. To register or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Movie Memories Tuesday, May 15 1-2:30 p.m.

Why are certain movies worth watching over and over again?

See for yourself Tuesday, May 15, 1- 2:30 p.m. in this clip-filled original video featuring some of movies’ best memories. From Chaplin to Connery, from Capra to Spielberg, they’re all here to see and enjoy once more.

After viewing the video, take part in the “Movie Memories” Trivia Contest, and join in a conversation about your own fondest “Movie Memories”!

Fees are $7 member; $9 nonmember. To register or for more information, call 847.470.5223 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Clubs and Special Interest Groups Morton Grove Campus offers many clubs and special interest groups that meet weekly, such as bridge, Mah Jongg, Bingo, Canasta, Humanities Treasures, Needlework, Poker, and more. New members are always welcome. Most clubs have a $8 MG member and $10 non-member fee per term.

Registration required for all clubs and special interest groups.

To register for Morton Grove Campus programs, contact 847470-5223 Senior Center Membership Become a member of North Shore Senior Center’s Morton Grove Campus and enjoy

opportunities to live longer, happier,healthier lives through an array of programs, activities, trips and services. Members receive a discount on all programs, activities, and trips, Lifelong Learning Program Catalog, information on local, state, and federal issues affecting seniors, and invitations to special events and presentations. Membership dues are $20 for an individual and $35 for a couple/household for a full year. Everyone welcome!

Call North Shore Senior Center’s Morton Grove Campus at 847470-5223 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or stop by the Senior Center, 6140 Dempster Street in Morton Grove, to become a member.

Health Screenings Morton Grove Family and Senior Services Department offers health screenings available at the American Legion Memorial Civic Center, 6140 Dempster Street. Diabetes Screenings will now be held everyTuesday from 9 -10am. Blood Pressure Screening will be held every Tuesday and Friday from 9 -11am. Both are free of charge.

Cholesterol Screening will be held the first Wednesday of each month. Cost: $10 for residents over age 65.

There is a $12 fee for residents under 65 and for non-residents.

Prime Care Resources will be providing the health screenings.

Appointments are necessary for cholesterol screening. Call 847470-5223 for an appointment.

Podiatry Screening and Nail Care Dr. Jeffrey Garrard will provide basic foot care and nail clipping on the first Tuesday of each month between 10 am and noon.

Cost: Medicare will be billed.

Non-Medicare clients will be charged $35.00. Appointments are required. Call 847-470-5223 for more information or to make an appointment.

Park Ridge Senior Center At 11am on Thursday, May 3, the Park Ridge Health Care Forum will host a monthly presentation of Stroke & Stroke Rehab. This is a collaborative group of health and wellness professionals and community partners working to bring health education to the community.

Topics will address a variety of See CENTERS, page 21

THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

EDGE Continued from page 17 who is unwilling to assume new responsibility.

I promise you that the only difference between you and the people you see as confident is that those “confident” people are more willing to screw up. In a long career, you’ll get many cool opportunities to do things that you’ll have no idea how to do. If you are willing to be afraid and give the new skill a whirl, you’ll pick up a new talent and reason to promote you.

Even if you turn white, stutter and have trouble breathing while you try these new projects, people will focus more on the fact you are trying than on the fact you are scared. In the long run, you’ll even get more comfortable and less obvious about the fact you are terrified.

If you’d like confirmation of the effectiveness of what I call

CENTERS Continued from page 20 health issues related to different diseases, prescription drugs, depression, Medicare scams, new Medicaid changes, health screenings, how to prepare for your next doctor’s appointment, brain health, and ideas on how to navigate through the health care process. Attendance is free … refreshments will be served.

A “Meditation Excursion” with Hemi-Sync will be presented from 7-10pm on Thursdays, May 10-June 7 at a fee of $100.00.

This is unlike any meditation class you’ve ever taken. It will strengthen your focus, deepen your connection to your core, and enhance our creativity and intuition. This is a participatory workshop. Each exercise is followed by lively discussion and the practical applications to daily life. The number of participants is limited in order to create an inviting place for you to experience a state of awareness. Facilitator is an accredited Monroe Institute Hem-Sync Facilitator, has a Master’s in clinical professional psychology and is a Licensed Professional Counselor.

The next Park Ridge Police Breakfast Club will be at 9am on

“workplace theater,” (acting as if you can do something until you can) interview people you admire. They will tell you stories about getting offers to do projects they were certain were over their heads. They will also confirm that they grew taller for having taken the chance.

My clients often comment that they find it ironic that human beings don’t build confidence by hiding under their desks hoping one day they will feel bold.

We build confidence by going out into the world and taking reasonable risks.

Instead of waiting to wake up one day and be self-confident, aim to find ways every day to develop courage as if it were a muscle. Let your coworkers hang out seeking the elusive bluebird of self-confidence, while you learn new skills, gain new responsibilities, and make more money. You’ll find results at work will always outshine personal confidence!

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The last word(s) Q. I want to get an MBA to guarantee that I can get a management position at my company.Will an MBA be certain to open up this door?

A. No, whether an MBA will open up the door to leadership depends on who is on the other side of the door. Get more information about the background of managers at your company before you commit to this degree.

(Daneen Skube, Ph.D., executive coach, trainer, therapist and speaker, also appears as the FOX Channel’s “Workplace Guru” each Monday morning. She’s the author of “Interpersonal Edge: Breakthrough Tools for Talking to Anyone, Anywhere, About Anything” (Hay House, 2006).

You can contact Dr. Skube at www. interpersonaledge.com or 1420 NW Gilman Blvd., #2845, Issaquah, WA 98027. Sorry, no personal replies.) (c) 2012 INTERPERSONAL EDGE

There is a bridge mixer at the front table of the Center.

Sundays, at 1pm, duplicate Collected labels have already bridge Fridays at 9am, as well as been donated to Park Ridge schools.

The Gamers at 1pm. Pinochle, Thursdays at 1pm and Saturday There are many ongoing at 1pm. activities available at the Center which include exercises classes The Discussion Group meets The latest fashions from Chico’s on Monday, Wednesday, and Wednesdays at 10am, Humanities The Center Women’s Club will in Park Ridge will be presented Friday at either 9am or 10:30. at 10:15 on Thursdays, present historical actor, Terry at the Park Ridge Senior Centers There is a fee of only $2.00 handicrafters on Fridays at 10am Lynch portraying the Leader of Annual Fashion Show beginning each time to cover the cost and much more. Come in for a the Band, John Phillip Sousa. As at 11:30am on Wednesday, May of replacing stretch bands visit and more information and the “March King”, Terry related 16, at Café La Cave in Des Plaines. and weights. Exercises cover even a tour of the facility. The stories of musicians with a The fashions will be modeled by movements from head to toe, latest newsletter is also available Chicago connection. Featured Center members. Guests are stretching, balance and strength which provides information on will be Benny Goodman, Burl welcome. Tables of 10 can be training. For those able, there is upcoming luncheons, day trips, classes, etc.

Ives, Billy Corgan and Phil Everly. arranged at the front desk of also mat work.

Menu will consist of chicken, the Center and will need a table Notary service has been potato salad and cherry pie. captain who will be responsible Wii bowling takes place on the discontinued at this time. Many Charge is $15.00. for filling a form and submitting first and third Wednesday of the local banks can provide this month at 1pm. No experience is it. Cost for the event is $40.00. service for those who need it.

May’s Just lunch will feature necessary and Hank Hughes will baked mostacciolli and fresh Two services continue at the be there to help those who need salad beginning at 12:30 on Center: pop tabs for Ronald it. No cost, just a good time.

Wednesday, May 7 for only $6.00. McDonald House and Box After lunch stay to play cards or Tops for Education. A list that Table tennis players meet just visit with friends. indicates what products have the Tuesday, Wednesday and labels and box tops is available Thursday at 1pm.

At 1:30 pm on Thursday, May 17, Roberta Randall, historic interpreter, will portray American operatic soprano, Beverly Sills.

Doors open at 1pm for snacks and sweet treats. Charge is $10.00.

Tuesday, April 17. This is a free monthly program brought to the Center by the Park Ridge Police Department. Topics are of current interest to seniors. Breakfast is provided free courtesy of Jewel and Panera. Let the center know of your plans to attend.

The May Monthly luncheon begins at 12:30 on Monday, May 21. The entertainment includes the Center chorus, The Choraliers and the Uketones

… giving their annual spring concert for members and guests. Lunch menu includes Italian beef, mostaccioli with meat sauce, gourmet salad and chocolate cake. Cost for all this is only $14.00.

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THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012

CALENDAR

95 min.) The best version of the H. Rider Haggard novel with the heroic Randolph Scott leading an expedition into the Arctic in search of the Eternal Flame.

Continued from page 6

Say it with flowers. 2-3:30 p.m. at the Niles Public Library.

Teens celebrate spring and Mother’s Day by making a small floral arrangement from the era of Queen Victoria – a tussiemussie.Teens will also be treated to a Victorian tea. For grades 6-12. Register online at www. nileslibrary.org.

Yu-Gi-Oh Open Dueling.

3:30-5 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Bring in your Yu Gi Oh cards and practicing your dueling skills with other players.

Register at the library or on parkridgelibrary.org.

MAY 12 Let’s make origami. 2-3 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. For grades 1-3. Learn how to make origami animals and other creations. Origami artist Ryoko Dowling will teach the class using step by step folding techniques that make origami easy even for young artists.

Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

Film: Hugo. 2-4:10 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

Screening of “Hugo” (2012, PG, 126 min.), the Oscar-winning film telling the take of an orphan boy living a secret life within the walls of a Paris train station.

MAY 13 Mom’s Day Fancy Nancy/ Handy Manny party. 2-3 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. Bring your mom, grandma, aunt, etc. to a special Mother’s Day program.

Enjoy treats and a craft, and be prepared to participate in your very own fashion show. Space is limited, for ages 3-9 with an adult. Register online at www. nileslibrary.org.

Mother’s Day Concert.

2-3 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Myles and Ray are back. Come to a concert of fun, sentimental, humorous, and beautiful music in honor of Mother’s Day.

MAY 14 Intro to Digital Cameras.

10-11:30 a.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Learn about basic digital camera features and how to transfer photos to a computer. If you have a digital camera, please bring it to class,

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Niles Songwriters. 7:30-8:30 p.m. at the Niles Public Library.

Songwriters are invited to bring original songs to play live and get feedback from others in the group. Register online at www. nileslibrary.org.

MAY 18

along with its manual and any cables that came with it. Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

Friends of the Niles Library. 7-8:30 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. All are welcomed to the monthly meeting of the Friends of the Niles Library. No registration is required.

MAY 15 Movies, Munchies, and More. 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Still Acting Up! performs their latest musical, “Which Way to Stage Left?” Still Acting Up! is a troupe of retirees who love composing and acting. Jill Shellabarger is the director.

Know the warning signs of Alzheimer’s. 2-3:30 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Early detection makes a difference.

The Alzheimer’s Association will focus on signs of serious memory loss, and discuss risk factors and diagnosis. Register at the library or on parkridgelibrary.org.

Pokemon Club. 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Play the Pokemon trading card game with other Pokemon players. Participants must have their own decks and know how to play. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult or caregiver.

Link Up with Linked In. 7-8:30 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Get connected to trusted business contacts through the world’s largest online professional network.

Register at the library or on parkridgelibrary.org.

Mother/Daughter Book Club. 7-8 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. This month’s selection is “Lowji Discovers America” by Candace

Fleming. Join Mrs. Glenn and her daughter Lucy for a discussion of this month’s selection. Pick up a copy at the Youth Services Desk, then share it with a female figure and bring it to the Library for a discussion of the story and characters. Other book-related activities are planned. Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

at the Morton Grove Public Library. Discussion topic is “How to Read the Air” by Dinaw Mengestu. Discussion materials are available on the book display located near the south entrance.

LitLounge: Gilead. 7-8:30 p.m. at the Curragh, 8266 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. Come to this book group co-sponsored by the Skokie and Morton Grove Public Libraries, and discuss “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson.

Feature Film: Warhorse.

2-4:30 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Screening of “War Horse” (2012, PG-13, 146 min.)

MAY 16 The Facebook Phenomenon.

10-11:30 a.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Learn how to use one of the biggest social networking sites. Learn how to set up a profile, find friends, and post to someone’s wall. Knowledge of the computer keyboard and the internet is required. Register at the library or on parkridgelibrary. org.

Scrabble for Adults. 2-4 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library. Exercise your mind and enjoy friendly games of Scrabble with other word-makers. Drop-in.

Gettin’ Dirty. 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

Discover the science behind things that grow. In this session, learn the dirt on dirt. For grades 2-6. Register by calling 847-9295122 or go to calendar.webrary. org.

Evening book discussion.

7-8 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Discussion of “Swamplandia!” by Karen Russell.

Register at the library or on parkridgelibrary.org.

MAY 17 Book discussion. 10-11 a.m.

Closed Captioned new releases. 2-3:45 p.m. at the Niles Public Library. Screening of “Johnny English Reborn” (PG).

Travel Film. 2-3 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library.

Travel to some of the greatest wonders of the world, including the Colosseum, Machu Picchu, Versailles, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower, and Mt. Rushmore.

Can You Dig It? 4-5 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

For grades 5-8. Learn hands-on gardening basics as you work in the library’s garden plot. Indoor activities will take place in the event of inclement weather.

Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

Screen Deco Film Series.

7-9 p.m. at the Park Ridge Public Library. Screening of “She” (1935,

Book Blend. 2-3 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

Looking for a mix of new book suggestions? Share what you’re reading with the group, and hear about other great picks from your fellow book lovers.

Open gaming for teens. 4-6 p.m. at the Niles Public Library.

Challenge your friends to Xbox, Wii, and PS2 games on the library’s big screens. Play any of the games available at the library, or bring your own.

Kids Flicks. 4-6 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

Screening of “The Adventures of Tintin” (PG, 107 min., 2011) in the Baxter Room auditorium.

MAY 19 Dangles and Bangles. 11 a.m. to noon at the Morton Grove Public Library. For grades 5-6.

Brighten and accessorize your summer with some chainmaille jewelry. Register by calling 847929-5122 or go to calendar. webrary.org.

Colorful Koi Art. 1-2 p.m. at the Morton Grove Public Library.

For grades 1-6. In honor of Asian/ Pacific American Heritage Month, guest artist Bernadette Foch will teach participants how to make a colorful picture of a koi fish with pastels and other materials.

Register by calling 847-929-5122 or go to calendar.webrary.org.

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THE BUGLE MAY 3, 2012