SAUK VILLAGE | This is Sauk Village's year in Reveiw. There has not been a local paper in Sauk Village since the demise of the Community News. Since 2010, we have been keeping you informed and updated on news that matters about Sauk Village. We understand that some may not always agree with our editorial point of view and that is what makes the 1st Amendment such a wonderful thing! I get to voice my opinion on matters as many do likewise.
The top news stories about Sauk Village from 2013. You can CLICK the "Continue Reading" link to read the complete stories. The 2013 election dominated much of the first few months of 2013, however, there were many other interesting stories along the way besides politics that impact residents on a daily basis.
We lost many good Villagers, both current and former, this year including one of Sauk Village's original residents- Nadine Cook and also Mary Griegel, Nijola Lileikis, Dr. Milton Curry, James F. Stengel, Sr., Jessica Jane Glaze, John "John the Butcher" Wojcicki, Jr., Raymond Gavin, Matt Murphy, Adele Werner, Diontae "Red" Erwin, Robert Loveland, James Zagotta, Bobby Griegel, Doris Brannan, Patrick Haase, Margaret Tobin, and John P. LaRock, Sr.
Our Sauk Village Facebook page began 2013 with around 2,300 followers of our page and as we approach the end of the year we have added about 900 new friends throughout the year. Our TOP STORY occured September 7th but we have compiled the top stories for 2013 and here they are as they occurred:
January 4th:
Candidates Face Challenges to Remain on Ballot
SAUK VILLAGE | It seems that the influences of former Mayor Lewis Towers are alive and well and working through the campaign of Bernice Houston and Francine Anderson’s campaign.
January 5th:
FATAL ACCIDENT ON SAUK TRAIL
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | A fatal accident occurred Saturday
morning in the 2100 block of Sauk Trail just west of Orion Avenue. An
auto recovery vehicle driven by Shawn Brewster, age 36 of Crete was
involved.
January 6th:
FOUNDING TRUSTEE - MATT MURPHY DIES
by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Former Sauk Village Trustee Matthew Murphy passed away peacefully on December 17, 2012 at his home in Mesa Arizona. Murphy served from the Village's incorporation until 1973 after completing 4 terms on t...
SAUK VILLAGE | Former Sauk Village Trustee Matthew Murphy passed away peacefully on December 17, 2012 at his home in Mesa Arizona. Murphy served from the Village's incorporation until 1973 after completing 4 terms on t...
January 23, 2013:
ELECTORAL BOARD REJECTS ALL CHALLENGES
by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | The challenges against all candidates brought by what some are calling pawns of Bernice Houston and Francine Anderson's Citizens for Empowerment Party were all thrown out following Wednesday evening's electoral board hearing.
When Jacqueline Ford failed to appear for the hearing after being served notice, the Electoral Board dismissed all challenges brought against Lynda Washington who is running for Trustee. Coincidently, Washington...
SAUK VILLAGE | The challenges against all candidates brought by what some are calling pawns of Bernice Houston and Francine Anderson's Citizens for Empowerment Party were all thrown out following Wednesday evening's electoral board hearing.
When Jacqueline Ford failed to appear for the hearing after being served notice, the Electoral Board dismissed all challenges brought against Lynda Washington who is running for Trustee. Coincidently, Washington...
January 24, 2013:
SAUK VILLAGE LOSES DAWN FOODS
SAUK
VILLAGE | It seems like all of the Illinois-Indiana border
communities are losing out to Indiana these days, Sauk Village is not
immune. When it comes to economic development, it’s a dog-eat-dog
competition many local leaders say.
Dawn Food Products, headquartered in Jackson, Michigan announced that the will be consolidating their Crown Point and Munster, Indiana facilities into one distribution center. They announced that they will build a new 120,000 square-fo...
Dawn Food Products, headquartered in Jackson, Michigan announced that the will be consolidating their Crown Point and Munster, Indiana facilities into one distribution center. They announced that they will build a new 120,000 square-fo...
February 1, 2013:
44 Year Old Shot Dead
by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Sauk Village Police responded to a call at 2946 East 223rd Street with initial reports of a male subject down. Officers arrived and found a male subject with a gunshot wound to the body. The subject was...
SAUK VILLAGE | The Village Clerk Debbie Williams cried “politics” but many residents in the audience and one of her opponents Marva Cambell-Pruitt say that the Village Clerk has not been doing her job effectively.
For the second straight board meeting Williams had numerous minutes from executive sessions to be approved by the Village Board. Last night there were 28 sets of executive session minutes from May, 2011 to December, 2011 on the agenda...
SAUK VILLAGE | Sauk Village Police responded to a call at 2946 East 223rd Street with initial reports of a male subject down. Officers arrived and found a male subject with a gunshot wound to the body. The subject was...
March 13, 2013:
Village Clerk Takes 3 Years to Get Job Done
Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | The Village Clerk Debbie Williams cried “politics” but many residents in the audience and one of her opponents Marva Cambell-Pruitt say that the Village Clerk has not been doing her job effectively.
For the second straight board meeting Williams had numerous minutes from executive sessions to be approved by the Village Board. Last night there were 28 sets of executive session minutes from May, 2011 to December, 2011 on the agenda...
March 20, 2013:
VILLAGE TO RAISE TAXES AGAIN
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | The Village Board had a special meeting called by the acting-mayor David Hanks to approve 28 sets of executive session minutes from 2011. The minutes were the center of controversy at last weeks meeting prompting Village Clerk candidate Marva Campbell-Pruitt to recite State law that minutes should be reviewed twice a year to determine if there is resolution, if notice must be given at an open meeting as to why they are to remain confidenti...
March 30, 2013:
CAMPAIGN GETS UGLY - Altercation over Campaign Signs
By Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | An apparent verbal altercation took place late this morning at Sauk Plaza involving supporters of David Hanks and Enoch Benson, both of whom are seeking election next Tuesday. The incident apparently involved campaign signs.
Benson was placing his campaign signs in Sauk Plaza and Chuck Thompson, sometimes pastor of the controversial Sauk Village Baptist Church and campaign manager of Hanks’ campaign, apparently took exception to Bens...
April 9, 2013:
HANKS WINS
By Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | A 32 year quest by the Hanks family to win the office of Sauk Village Mayor proved to be successful as the fourth time turned out to to be the charm! With 19% of the eligible voters turning out to the polls on election day or 1,452 people casting ballots, less than the 2011 election just two short years ago, the people have spoken.
David Hanks was elected with 46%, less than a majority, of the vote or 654 votes over Derrick
Burgess 27% (390) the next nearest contender was Village Trustee Enoch
Benson with 203 vote or 14%, and Bernice Houston 177 votes or 12% of the
overall vote. Burgess will retain hi...
SAUK VILLAGE | The longest serving Trustee in Sauk Village history has passed away, Raymond Gavin passed away peacefully Sunday morning . Gavin served as Village Trustee from 1967-1986 he was instrumental in the Village’s inoculation clinics and served as Chairman of the Public Health & Sanitation Committee during his long tenure on the Village Board. “Ray was a good guy and he did a lot for Sauk Village and particularly the children of the villag...
April 11, 2013:
Longest Serving Trustee Ray Gavin Dies
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | The longest serving Trustee in Sauk Village history has passed away, Raymond Gavin passed away peacefully Sunday morning . Gavin served as Village Trustee from 1967-1986 he was instrumental in the Village’s inoculation clinics and served as Chairman of the Public Health & Sanitation Committee during his long tenure on the Village Board. “Ray was a good guy and he did a lot for Sauk Village and particularly the children of the villag...
May 1, 2013:
Davenport Elected D-168 President following Deadlock
By Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | District 168 School Board bid farewell to Maxine Towers, former first lady of Sauk Village who lost her re-election bid to newcomer Deloris Green was sworn-in as the newest board member tonight. The Board presented Towers with flowers and a plaque for her service to the district. Towers had worked with the school board despite the politics and direction of her husband, the former Mayor Lewis Towers had taken. The school Board and Villag...
May 14, 2013:
 |
| VILLAGE BOARD- 2013 |
Hanks takes Oath; Officials sworn-in
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | Village officials were sworn-in last night at a full Village Hall with what turned out to be too many reserved seats for guests of the new officials. Many residents were relegated to the back rows while the first several rows were blocked off and reserved, later in the meeting while members of the audience were left standing, they were invited to take the empty seats.
David Hanks was sworn in as 7th Mayor of Sauk Village quoting former Pre...
June 4, 2013:
SHOTS FIRED AT SCHOOL BUS
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | The window of a school bus carrying students of Wagoner Elementary School was shattered after being hit with what may have been a BB on Monday afternoon.
One window of a school bus was shot at
the end of the school day in the 22500 block of Jeffrey Avenue according
to School District 168 officials.
"It appears that a BB gun or a rock broke-out a bus window" District 168 Superintendent Al Travaglini said. The principal of Wagoner School Kat...
"It appears that a BB gun or a rock broke-out a bus window" District 168 Superintendent Al Travaglini said. The principal of Wagoner School Kat...
June 11, 2013:
Sauk Village trying "Speed Meetings"
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | In only what could be described as speed meeting the Village Board of Trustees flew through the agenda in just over 30 minutes. A definite contrast to what had become long and political rambling meetings of political posturing. While certainly not the fastest meeting ever held, it was short.
There were absolutely no questions from the audience, which could have only been specific to the actions of the village board last night. This in co...
June 28, 2013:
SOME VILLAGE EMPLOYEES GET NO PAY TODAY
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | When you are expecting your paycheck to be in your checking account and you find out there's no money to pay your bills, who do you turn to blame.
Village officials knew on Tuesday night at their board meeting that there was not enough money to cover payroll, yet nothing as discussed publicly regarding the matter. No vote was taken to transfer money from what has become the Village's piggy bank, the water fund, on Tuesday during the publi...
July 23, 2013:
TRAVELGATE SCANDAL BREAKS
RECAP By Joseph Wiszowaty
Sauk Village's Clerk Debbie Williams, and her daughter Village Trustee Rosie Williams, apparently took what she calls a "personal trip" on the dime of what she calls "sponsors" or village vendors.
Friend political supporter and Housing Commission Chairman, Gary Holcomb who video recorded the meeting was apparently asked not to post the video of July 23, 2013 as it was not flattering to Debbie Williams. A Freedom of Information Act request was essentially denied by the Village and a request for review has been filed with the Illinois Attorney General's office into the matter. Lisa Madigan's office continues their review at the time of this year end review, but details will be released as they develop... STAY TUNED!
August 22, 2013:
HANK ADMINISTRATION FAILING - FIRST 100 DAYS- FAILING!
I think David Hanks said this best when he said on March 20th “I believe people won’t take pride in their village until village government sets the example”. I couldn’t agree more! The Travelgate Scandal is a fine example of exactly what Hanks said. How can people take pride in Village Government when David Hanks won’t force the matter to be made open and transparent? Where is the leadership here? Where is the pride? ...
September 5, 2013:
CAMPBELL-PRUITT BLAMES POLITICS FOR RESIGNATION
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | When Marva Campbell-Pruitt started pulling weeds out of the overgrown flower beds with some residents 3 years ago, nobody complained. In fact, Campbell-Pruitt stepped up to chair not one but two Village Com...
SAUK VILLAGE | When Marva Campbell-Pruitt started pulling weeds out of the overgrown flower beds with some residents 3 years ago, nobody complained. In fact, Campbell-Pruitt stepped up to chair not one but two Village Com...
September 7, 2013: ***STORY OF THE YEAR***
Mother Charged with Murder of Son
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | On Saturday, September 7, 2013 at
about 12:16 p.m. the Sauk Village Police Department responded to a
reported stabbing incident at 1794 223rd Street. Diontae Erwin, age 17,
was transported to Saint Margaret Hospital in Dyer, Indiana and
pronounced dead at 12:41 p.m. by Cathleen McGovern M.D. Diontae Erwin
suffered a fatal stab wound to the chest.
The Sauk Village Police Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigations an...
The Sauk Village Police Department, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigations an...
September 24, 2013:
HOLEVIS RATIFIED AS POLICE CHIEF
RECAP By Joseph Wiszowaty
Timothy Holevis' appointment by Mayor David Hanks is ratified by the Village Board of Trustees with only Village Trustee Lynda Washington voting to abstain. Hanks' appointment of Holevis surprised some as he had only recently recommended hiring the R.E.M. Group to search for a police chief. Hanks now wants the R.E.M. Group to search for a Deputy Chief of Police and help the department implement "efficiencies".
October 11, 2013:
Village Receives Bids for Air Strippers, but still No Money
by Joseph WiszowatySAUK VILLAGE | Bids were open on Tuesday night for the permanent Air Strippers at all three wells. Well #3 has been shut down since 2009 since the levels of vinyl chloride continued to rise higher than what the IEPA thought was safe.
The air strippers will remove the vinyl chloride from the water by an aeration process of blowing air into the water and the vinyl chloride is released from the water into a gas form and released. The process thus far has been successful since the Village was forced to install the temporary air strippers on Wells #1 and #2 on Sauk Trail last summer....
Click HERE Continue Reading
October 15, 2013:
TRAVELGATE SCANDAL CONTINUES AS ATTORNEY GENERAL REVIEWS
SAUK VILLAGE | The Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office continues their review the Village's denial of information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) over what has become known as "Travelgate".
In July, 2013, Village Clerk Debbie Williams, Village Trustee Rosie Williams and now Police Pension Board member Patricia Couch attended a Building One America Organization's meeting in Washington D.C. raised money using the Village's taxpayer funded website and posted other material on the Village website as well. Williams claims that this was a "personal trip", however, some argue that the public does not have access to Village assets, like the village's website, to solicit village vendors and post their personal trip photos and video.
***CLICK HERE to Continue reading more***
November 12, 2013:
November 12, 2013:
VILLAGE FALLS SHORT ON CASH
by Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | The Village is once again coming up short and cannot pay the debt on the Village Hall and two other bond issues which were for the Village's 9-1-1 Center and a Fire Truck. The 2007 series A-B and C Bonds are considered “Alternate Revenue Bonds” and were to be paid back by monies other than property taxes which hasn’t worked out too well for the Village since 2011. The Village Board was scheduled to vote on moving funds around in order to pay the debt service on the bonds, however, the Village Clerk Debbie Williams forgot to put the Resolution on Tuesday’s agenda. Now the Village Board will hold a special meeting in order to vote on the resolution this Thursday...
November 27, 2013:
HANKS PLANS ON BORROWING MORE TO BALANCE BUDGET
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Just two weeks ago, Mayor David Hanks recommended that the village board borrow $449,206 from the Village’s water fund, a dedicated noise mitigation fund and funds which were from the Cell Tower agreement so it could pay its debt service on the Village Hall and other obligations. The Village voted at a special meeting to replace the money with the property tax installment by the end of March, 2014....
***CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING***
November 30, 2013:
HANKS FACES ETHICAL QUESTIONS
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Everyone remembers how former Mayor Lewis Towers, who still works at the Cook County Assessor’s office, filed for dual homestead exemptions on his house in Chicago and his house in Sauk Village. All of his political opponents pounced on him for ripping of the taxpayers and how wrong it was and how he should go to jail. Well, during the last election, a “stinky” flyer also came out making claims about David Hanks and some questionable matters as well....
***CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING***
December 10, 2013:
PROPERTY TAXES GOING UP AGAIN
By Joseph Wiszowaty
The amount of property taxes requested in the levy was $3.2
million according....
SAUK VILLAGE | Just two weeks ago, Mayor David Hanks recommended that the village board borrow $449,206 from the Village’s water fund, a dedicated noise mitigation fund and funds which were from the Cell Tower agreement so it could pay its debt service on the Village Hall and other obligations. The Village voted at a special meeting to replace the money with the property tax installment by the end of March, 2014....
***CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING***
November 30, 2013:
HANKS FACES ETHICAL QUESTIONS
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
By Joseph Wiszowaty
SAUK VILLAGE | Everyone remembers how former Mayor Lewis Towers, who still works at the Cook County Assessor’s office, filed for dual homestead exemptions on his house in Chicago and his house in Sauk Village. All of his political opponents pounced on him for ripping of the taxpayers and how wrong it was and how he should go to jail. Well, during the last election, a “stinky” flyer also came out making claims about David Hanks and some questionable matters as well....
***CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING***
December 10, 2013:
PROPERTY TAXES GOING UP AGAIN
SAUK VILLAGE |
Village officials took action at their meeting Tuesday to ensure the
Village will receive their property tax revenues in 2014. The board voted 5 to 0 for the 2013/14
Property Tax Levy. No residents or Village officials asked any questions about the Tax Levy Ordinance.
December 30, 2013:
RESIDENTS FILE CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST YRC AND LANDFILL
CHICAGO (CN) - Roadway Express and the owner-operators of an illegal
90-foot high, 40-acre landfill contaminated drinking water with
carcinogenic vinyl chloride, residents of a far south suburb of Chicago
say in a class action.
Lead plaintiff Kenneth Allen, of Sauk
Village, sued YRC Worldwide, Roadway Express, Arcadis U.S., and Lincoln
Limited, in Cook County Court....
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