I have lived in Long Grove for 17 years and am writing in support of George Yaeger, Lori Lyman and John Marshall for Long Grove Trustees in the April 9th election. This election is of extreme importance due to the village issues at hand. All three of these individuals have proven their commitment to our community. They received the Endorsement from the Daily Herald, which states: “All three candidates…are experienced, knowledgeable, articulate and dedicated to the community.” They have the necessary experience to help revitalize our downtown. Combined they have lived in Long Grove for 62 …

We are honored and privileged to be able to send our children to School District 96. Our School Board endlessly volunteers their time to ensure that all children achieve maximum success every day. The extraordinary achievements and reputation of our District are due in no small part to the passions, collaborations and inspirations of current Board members such as Jim Strezewski, Bob Gauthier, Renee Klass & Marc Tepper. It is not a coincidence that District 96 is visited by hundreds of educators from around the nation each year to see first hand our model of how to create 21st century learners…

In response to NBC-TV news story “Many Suburban Cops Allowed to Work Half Drunk” which aired on local news February 14, 2013. The Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) finds it utterly unacceptable that any police agency would knowing allow their officers to report to work with any level of alcohol in their system. We feel that departments that have a written clause in their union contracts that have an allowable illegal BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of 0.08 with any blood alcohol content and permit officers to report for duty should rethink their policy. According to the Center …

The pension mess is clearly an impediment to the operation of our state and calls for action immediately. The cause of the 97 billion dollar hole and current 5 billion dollar annual price tag which continues to grow is multi faceted ranging from countless failures of the state to pay what was due each year to the economic downturn that reduced the returns on investments and actions both in Springfield and locally that spiked the benefits to unreasonable levels for some. Failure to act will deprive the state of the ability to act on other challenges facing our state and puts in jeopardy the …

The tragedy of [Dec. 14] at Shady Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn was horrific and beyond belief. Our hearts should grieve and we should pray for the families who have to deal with the loss of all of their loved ones and the especially sad and tragic loss of so many innocent young children. We all need to hug our own kids and grandkids and our own loved ones every time we can since unspeakable things do happen that in our wildest dreams we could never imagine. Though we can probably never do anything that will completely prevent tragedies like the one of yesterday we need to think of …

I want to extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who has entrusted in me the ability to serve in so many different capacities.  Beginning as a member of the Buffalo Grove Zoning Board of Appeals almost 30 years ago, I volunteered to "give back" to our community and to demonstrate to our two young sons the importance of community service. After that, I was privileged to serve as Buffalo Grove Village Trustee, Buffalo Grove Village President, and Illinois State Representative for both the 51st and 53rd districts for the past 14 years. We have all seen many changes in our community…

I’m proud to write this letter in support of my friend Sid Mathias for State Representative.  I am not happy with the direction of my home state. I can’t take it anymore. I cannot vote for someone whose first vote in Springfield will be to reelect Mike Madigan as Speaker of the House. All that will do is continue the exact same policies that have led us into this mess.  Instead, I want the guy who continues to ignores the partisan bickering and political gamesmanship and instead works quietly to try to get things done. We’ve already seen how things can grind to a halt when we don’t have …

For the past 10 years, I have had the honor and privilege to work closely with Jeff Braiman. Given my up close and personal experiences with Jeff, I can unequivocally say that he will be an outstanding Judge for Lake County.  If there were two words to describe Jeff and to demonstrate why he would be an exceptional Judge, those words would be Independence and Integrity. During Board deliberations, Jeff always listens to the facts at hand and never comes to the table with a preconceived opinion. This is a critical trait for someone who will be entrusted with the responsibilities of justice and…

I have had the privilege to know Jeff Braiman for many years in a variety of capacities – as an attorney, as an elected official and as a friend. I have observed first-hand that Jeff is well-equipped for success as a Judge. He has shown himself to be an outstanding professional. He is intelligent, a creative thinker and a strong communicator. He is a patient man of impeccable character and integrity.  Jeff has been a highly effective public official, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the betterment of our community. He has a record of literally decades of exceptional public service. He …

There is only one truly independent and common sense candidate for Illinois’ 59th House District; that candidate is Sidney Mathias. Mathias works together with members of both parties to accomplish things for our district and for the people of Illinois. He has worked to bring public transportation service to our area, promote a fiscally conservative agenda, and bring help to Lake County in its struggle to reduce traffic gridlock. On the other hand, Carol Sente is just another Michael Madigan rubber stamp. If Sente is elected Illinois will continue on the road to bankruptcy and higher taxes. …

I personally know both Carol Sente & Sid Mathias and have worked with both. They are both decent, hard working, family oriented people. They both care deeply about our community and are not seeking political office for any individual profit or gain. Since they are both incumbents in the State Legislature and are now running against each other in the newly drawn 59 th District, I have to make a choice. I choose Carol Sente to continue to represent me in Springfield.I choose Carol because I believe she embodies all of the qualities that I look for in an elected official. Carol is a leader. …

Sid Mathias is an independent, thoughtful representative who deserves your vote for re-election. He has the guts to disagree with his party on issues important to him and his constituents.There is no question that he advocates for fiscal responsibility and has been fighting for a true balanced State of Illinois budget. He is for quality education in our schools, and is a sponsor of legislation to reduce our taxes. Mathias is opposed to increasing our property taxes by shifting the State's obligation to fund teacher pensions to local school districts.There is no question that he has earned the…

With the election just days away, it is vital that we work to put the right people in office. One of those right people at the state level is Sid Mathias. He is dedicated to addressing the issues that affect us while many of his peers look for the next special interest campaign contribution. Sid is one of us, someone trying to make a difference, someone trying to improve things for the next generation of residents in this state. Sid wants to make sure there are good jobs here, that all schools in this state prepare students for the challenges that lie ahead, and that state government doesn't …

Judge Daniel B. Shanes — the real deal.  Every once in a while you meet the real deal. A Judge earning the honor of receiving the highest recommendations of his peers at the bar associations. A father committed to being actively engaged in the lives of his children — baseball coach as well as midnight madness master of homework assistance. A dedicated husband of over 20 years. A supportive and friendly neighbor, who is interested in building a sense of community.  His commitment to justice and the community does not end on the bench. Over the past several years, Judge Shanes developed …

As the Mayor of Prospect Heights I have struggled through some very tough problems and while we are all not yet out of the difficult times there is one constant that has been a great comfort to me these past two years. That constant is Sid Mathias. When you think of Sid Mathias you think of responsiveness, dedication, and intelligence. In this world of made for TV candidates, Sid represents all that is good in a public servant. He fights for what is right. He battles those who are in government for all the wrong reasons, and he has the courage to act when others do not. Sid has been a great …

Judge Daniel B. Shanes is the clear choice for Lake County Circuit Judge to be elected on November 6. Since his judicial appointment in 2007, Judge Daniel Shanes quickly rose through the judicial ranks and now presides over a felony courtroom, where he hears and administers justice in the most complex and serious criminal cases in Lake County. Judge Shanes is a recognized legal scholar, having published dozens of articles in legal journals and been selected (as the only judge in Lake County) to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee on Education where he literally teaches other …

Sid Mathias has earned our vote with his years of outstanding public service in our community. He reflects our independent values by consistently working across the aisle with both Democrats and Republicans. Sid has a history of working tirelessly to help our community, specifically by bringing Metra commuter trains to our doorstep. He has continued his efforts by working on an expanded train schedule. Sid is on focus for pension reform and recognizes that our state needs to address pension system shortfalls now! Additionally, Sid is a supporter and legislator that who looks out for all of …

I have known Sid Mathias, District 59 candidate for State Representative, for over 20 years, but due to redistricting, this is the first time I have been able to vote for him. As a long-term member of the Stevenson High School Board, I know that Sid has represented well other parts of the community within the Stevenson district. He has been a strong supporter of what's right for local education, both as a legislator and as a parent.  The State Legislature has been considering a bill to force schools to pick up the costs that are currently the State's responsibility for pension payments, …

There seems to be much public sentiment that political campaigning is more negative and unethical than it has ever been. Whether this is true or not is the subject of some debate. Politicians have long thrown mud at each other and the history of negative campaigning reaches back to the earliest days of this nation. Even today, rumor and gossip feed a press and public hungry for scandalous tales while candidates and their supporters seemingly can't resist the siren's call of attack ads. That does not make it right!The most laughable negative campaign tactic I have seen, is Sid Mathias and his …

This election is not just important on the national level. It is important on the local level as well. State Rep. Sid Mathias needs your support to ensure that our area has a strong voice in the state capital. Voters sending Mathias downstate as our representative guarantee that we have someone in Springfield fighting on our behalf. As the Daily Herald said in its endorsement of Sid for the 59th District State House seat, “We admire Mathias’ gusto and we see a need to keep moderate Republicans like him in the legislature to fight head-on the power structure that has produced our current state…