It’s a mine eld out there for dogs

Seemingly every year, Wednesday Jour nal runs a kindly letter to the editor encouraging people to use pet-friendly ice melt (PFIM) when de-icing their sidewalks. And yet after each snowfall, Nolan and I go for a walk and it’s a goddamn minefield out there. Do you have any idea how heartbreaking it is to see this dinky donky dog debilitated by mineral shards lodged in his paw? Bambi’s mom dying is downright hilarious next to this devastating scene

Dan Stark, Oak Park

E Time To Move Forward Is Now

What are we waiting for? The time to move forward with District 200’s Project 2 is now. Any call for a referendum is call for more delay and more cost. It is time to embark on this urgently needed project for not only our children, but for our home and property values I urge the OPRF school board and the Community Finance Committee to move forward with Funding Plan No. 4.

I hoped to see more explanation of what happened that led to Michael Romain and GCM parting ways. I’m sure you know what a loss this is to your papers. Michael’s thoughtful, smar t, insightful re porting was the highlight of the newspaper. He has hear t and persistence and respect for all those trying to make their communities a better place to live.

I feel we in Proviso are particularly left adrift. Michael star ted the Village Free Press, and I don’t know what your deal was to bring it into the fold of GCM papers But here we are in Westchester, in the middle of election season with five candidates and a bunch of writeins running for village president, and all we have for infor mation is the algorithmic, dicey, no-fact-checking speculation on Facebook. We have a village that is still undergoing a forensic audit, a slew of positions to be filled in gover nment, a new site for a village hall we may or may not move into — and no substantial re porting these last few weeks from GCM.

Beyond the lack of coverage out here in Proviso, I find the terse notice you emailed/printed about Michael’s de par ture to be not enough. And until I believe that Michael and other employees are treated fairly, I will pause on my donations to GCM.

I say this with great reluctance on my part. I love newspapers. I love small newspapers. I love community newspapers. But I think your readers and suppor ters are owed an explanation if you expect our continued suppor t.

Diane Scott, Westchester

D200 has prepared a detailed plan for critical improvements to OPRF’s physical campus. Our property values depend on this critical infusion of development. This is not a “nice to have” project; this is a “must have” project. There is consensus that this dilapidated building must be rebuilt. Of course, no one wants to pay more for this crucial work We all watch the bottom lines of our tax bills. This project was already delayed years ago and the impact of that delay was that the cost for this project has increased. It is no surprise that any additional delay for this work will increase the cost. In fact Elizabeth Hennessy, Raymond James Public Finance managing director, detailed this fact in her presentation before D200’s Community Finance Committee Each year costs can be expected to rise.

Ms Hennessy’s plan has laid out five scenarios and the least cost to the taxpayer is Funding Plan No. 4. The money to be borrowed would be serviced from the annual budget of D200.

Referendum equals more delay and more cost. The board and the Community Finance Committee must proceed with Funding Plan No. 4.

Michele Batra, Ri v er Forest

A kindness recognized

Today I dropped my car key outside a restaurant in Oak Park. A kind soul saw the key and placed it on a visible ledge where I was able to find it (after frantic searching) and get my car. This small act of everyday kindness was a lovely reminder that people still have a sense of community and ethics. It meant a lot to me. My thanks!

S ara Buehler, Oak Park