Elm Leaves

Proviso High School board president secures jobs for friends, family

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:27:22 -0500

With statements such as “Make it happen. I need her to be hired,” Emanuel “Chris” Welch has kept at least 19 close friends and relatives in jobs in Proviso High School District 209 where he is school board president.

Electric aggregation referendum fails

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:05:25 -0500

ELMWOOD PARK — Voters in Elmwood Park appear to have again turned back a referendum concerning electrical aggregation. With 15 of 15 precincts reporting, 3,275 people supported aggregation, while 3,613 were against, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office. Elmwood Park Village President Peter Silvestri said the second attempt at the referendum was to give the community the opportunity to save on electricity as a collective body. “We wanted to give the people an opportunity to save money through aggregation like other communities have,” he said. “I wasn’t for or against it.” The referendum asked if the …

Quigley commands in 5th Congressional

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 06:21:20 -0500

CHICAGO — Incumbent Mike Quigley retained a large lead over challengers Dan Schmidt and Nancy Wade Tuesday night for the 5th Congressional District. With 577 of 586 precincts reporting, Quigley had 168,052 votes, Schmidt 73,553 and Wade 14,501, according to unofficial election results. If Quigley indeed wins, he “is very honored to serve both Washington and the district for a third term,” he said Tuesday. If re-elected, Quigley plans to focus on job growth, environmental issues and health care. “I’m thrilled and excited,” he added. Green candidate Wade has been an activist since the mid-70s and became a community activist …

County commissioners give preliminary OK to new district map

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 16:26:16 -0500

A proposed map redrawing boundaries for the Cook County Board of Commissioners districts received overwhelming preliminary approval Friday. Fifteen of the 17 commissioners signed off on the plan, which is slated for a final vote Tuesday. The lone dissenting vote came from Commissioner Earlean Collins (1st District), who has voiced concerns that population shifts could result in the African-American community losing one of its five seats on the board, which has a total of 17 commissioners. Collins did not return calls seeking comment on Friday. Commissioner William Beavers (4th) did not vote on the proposal. If approved on Tuesday, the …

Preckwinkle offering rewards for wellness to Cook County workers

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:35:38 -0500

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced a “worksite wellness” program last week in hopes of steering county government employees away from the emergency room and toward the salad bar and gym.From free massages to music downloads, the county is using prizes to lure the 22,000 county employees to participate in health fairs, walking programs and even taking a health risk assessment questionnaire that are part of the program. For her part, Preckwinkle says she’ll participate in the “Walking Works” challenge that teams up employees of similar ages to compete, based on miles logged, for prizes each month. “I’m going …

Lilly landslide in 78th state rep race

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:39:50 -0500

Incumbent Camille Lilly cruised to reelection against challenger Michael Nardello in the 78th District state representative race. Unofficial vote totals said she took more than 77 percent of the vote: Lilly 5,558; Nardello, 1,654 (with 54 of 55 precincts reporting as of press time). Nardello had expressed belief that Oak Park would be a “battleground” in a competitive race. But the battle was decidedly one-sided. The results echoed Nardello’s 2006 campaign against State Sen. Don Harmon in the 39th Senate District race primary, in which he garnered only 21 percent of the vote. Nardello, a City of Chicago administrator, touted …

GOP leader endorses Democrat in primary

Mon, 21 May 2012 01:48:16 -0500

Democrat Emanuel “Chris” Welch got an unusual endorsement last week for his state representative bid: It came from a Republican. Illinois State Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano, R-77th, of Elmwood Park, isn’t just any Republican. Besides being Republican State Central 5th District committeeman, Saviano is also chairman of the House Republican Organization. That is the political fundraising committee of the House Republican caucus, responsible for electing and retaining House Republicans. The HRO, which has taken in nearly $500,000 in the past six months, states on its website: “If you have had enough of the Illinois Democrats’ tax-and-spend policies, sign our petition …

Welch campaign invoking Obama name

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:15:49 -0500

A U.S. president usually doesn’t endorse a state rep candidate in a primary election. But that doesn’t prevent some candidates from trying to ride on the president’s coattails. Obama-Welch campaign signs are promoting Barack Obama running for president and Emanuel “Chris” Welch running for state representative in the 7th District. They are popping up throughout Forest Park, Hillside, Broadview and Bellwood. A spokesman for the Obama campaign said they were not aware of the yard signs, and the campaign wasn’t inclined to get involved in state house primary politics. Proviso Township Committeeman Karen Yarbrough also did not endorse the signs. …

Proviso politician secures jobs, raises for friends, family

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:02:55 -0500

With statements like “Make it happen. I need her to be hired,” Emanuel “Chris” Welch has kept at least 19 close friends and relatives in good-paying jobs at Proviso High School District 209 where he is school board president. Most noteworthy is Welch’s brother, Billy Welch, who makes $56,760 annually as a janitor at Proviso West. And Welch’s best friend, Ron “R.C.” Anderson, who was best man at Welch’s wedding, makes $90,290 per year as a night foreman at Proviso Math & Science Academy. The average District 209 teacher salary is $61,972, according to the 2011 Illinois State Board of …

Welch’s libel settlement delayed

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:03:00 -0500

While Emanuel “Chris” Welch is negotiating a settlement for defaming a well-known Chicago lawfirm, a court hearing revealed a law clerk was not involved in the libelous blog post. Welch, an attorney, is Proviso High School District 209 board president and is running for state representative in the 7th District. Resolution of the lawsuit will occur after the primary election. In 2008, Burton S. Odelson, partner in the Odelson and Sterk law firm, filed a defamation lawsuit over comments Welch made on the blog called Proviso Insider. Cook County Judge Eileen Mary Brewer ruled Oct. 20, 2011, that Welch was …

Friends, family give back to Welch with cash, campaigning

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:02:54 -0500

Thirteen friends and family members are giving back to Emanuel “Chris” Welch by contributing to his campaign funds, directly campaigning or circulating petitions for his bid for state representative. The political contributors all work for Proviso High School District 209 where Welch, as school board president, helped them get jobs or promotions, sources told Forest Leaves. Ten — Ron “R.C.” Anderson, Angelo Calcagno, Tommie Miller, Carla Johnson, Terrase Craig, Brandon Gale, Daphene Walker, Billy Welch, Cynthia Daniels and Denise Daniels — of Welch’s friends and relatives at District 209 circulated petitions for his 7th District state representative candidacy. Daphene Walker …

78th District candidates set priorities at Oak Park forum

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:39:21 -0500

Camille Lilly and Michael Nardello, candidates for the 78th District state representative seat, spoke at the Oak Park and River Forest League of Women Voters candidate fair Saturday at the Dole Library in Oak Park. The event allowed just five minutes per candidate to outline their campaign platforms, but equally as important, allowed them serious meet-and-greet time with a large crowd of interested and engaged people certain to vote in the March 20 primary. Lilly touted her not-for-profit background and said she had a “passion to help people.” Saying she “was not a career politician,” she told the packed room …

Lilly goes door-to-door in new district

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 08:20:17 -0500

State Rep. Camille Lilly has been hitting the streets to get to know her constituents, old and new. On Feb. 24 she trudged through the snow on 900 and 1000 block of North Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park, knocking on doors. Since fall, she’s been meeting face to face with residents, handing them a community survey and inquiring about what’s on their minds. Rising taxes and economic development were on the minds of most. Oak Park resident Robin Basney is a stay-at-home mom with another child on the way. She told Lilly her family moved to Oak Park three …

League to host two candidate fairs

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:40:11 -0500

The League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest will host two upcoming events for the public to meet local candidates in the run up to the primary election on March 20. The first event is a Candidates Fair and Judicial Presentation to be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Dole Branch Library, 255 Augusta, Oak Park. Jim Nally, noted election lawyer, will talk about the election of judges. What are the different levels of state courts? How are judges appointed? What is retention? Get information and your questions answered at this event. …

Candidate Nardello introduces himself in town hall meeting

Sat, 24 Mar 2012 08:27:11 -0500

Michael Nardello, who is vying for the 78th District’s state representative seat in March, had his first in a series of town hall meetings on Feb. 16. The meeting took place at Royal Gardens, 2515 N. Harlem Ave., which is in Chicago’s Mont Clare neighborhood and is just east of Elmwood Park. Both areas fall within the 78th District, where he is running against his incumbent Camille Lilly. There were about 70 people in the banquet hall and were made up of supporters, friends and family, skeptics and curious residents. One major supporter in attendance was 34th Ward Chicago Alderman …

Direct access to physical therapists being sought

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 09:51:59 -0500

State Rep. Angelo (Skip) Saviano (R-77th) has introduced legislation amending the Illinois Physical Therapy Act that will allow health care consumers in Illinois to have direct access to physical therapist services. Under current law, a physician referral is required before a person can be treated by a physical therapist. The proposed legislation is aimed to: Provide patients with quicker and easier access to a physical therapist, because an appointment with a physician is not required to get the referral. This will be of special benefit to underserved constituencies. Lower health care costs by reducing the number of unnecessary doctors’ visits. …