Meet the candidate: Joanne Johnson

This is the first in a series of profiles of the five candidates for the three trustee positions on the Buffalo Grove Village Board. All candidates were sent the same questions. The answers are exactly as they were submitted.  Profiles are being presented in alphabetical order.  Candidate Gowri Magati’s profile will be posted tomorrow. 

Candidate's name 

Joanne Johnson

How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove?

33 years

Please provide brief biographical information

My husband and I moved to Buffalo Grove in 1988 to raise a family. We have two adult children. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism with a minor in Business. I am retired from a career in nonprofit public relations and marketing communications.

Are you affiliated with any political party?  If so, to what extent are you being supported by that party?

I am not affiliated with any political party. This is a non-partisan race and I am running as an independent. I have received no financial support from any political party.

What civic activities, if any, have you been involved with?

I have been involved in civic activities my entire life. Specifically, in Buffalo Grove, I have been a community servant for 30 years. I started volunteering as a room mom and worked my up to several positions on my PTO Board. My work wasn’t confined to the schools though, I also volunteered at other local charities. Eventually, I found my way to the Village. I worked on the Village’s 50th Anniversary Committee in which my main assignment was to edit an 88-page history book on Buffalo Grove. It was the first of its kind. Next, I joined the BG Days Committee. Today, I am a proud board member of local nonprofit GiveNKind. I also continue to volunteer at other charities in the area.

Why are you running for the Village Board?

To be blunt, things are going well in Buffalo Grove right now. Our operating reserves have nearly doubled in the last ten years. Sales tax revenue is up 20% in the last five years and 70% in the last 10 years. We were able to implement a $145 million infrastructure modernization plan that will improve our Village’s streets, water and sewer lines with NO IMPACT on property taxes. No more kicking the can down the road! We have a balanced budget and a AAA bond rating. And, this year, we passed a budget with NO property tax increase at all! We have accomplished a great deal and we are on the cusp of great things to come. I want to see these successes continue.

Have you served on a village committee or commission before? If yes, which one and how long did you serve and in what capacity?

I have been a Village Trustee for six years. Prior to that, I was on the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Buffalo Grove Days Committee, each for 5 years. I also served on the Village’s 50th Anniversary Committee for several years. As a Trustee, I have been a liaison to the following Commissions, Boards and Committees: Health Commission, Animal Control Board, Planning and Zoning Board, Emergency Management, Arts Commission, Electrical Commission, and Buffalo Grove Days. I was also proud to serve as the Village’s liaison to the Northwest Municipal Conference’s Legislative Committee which allowed me to represent the Village’s interests at a regional and statewide level.

How well do you think the Village has responded to the pandemic? Please explain your answer.

Not only did Buffalo Grove continue to serve its residents during the early stages of the pandemic, but we improved the delivery of our services to our residents and companies that are doing business within our boundaries. As an example, we built a walk-up window, complete with a doorbell and awning, for people to conduct business without entering the building. This has protected countless people, as well as our staff, from potential COVID exposure. Of course, if someone would prefer to do their business indoors, we have installed plexiglass at our front counter as a barrier to prevent the transmission of COVID. We also retrofitted our Council Chambers with plexiglass and an improved sound system so that we could safely hold board meetings in person and on social media platforms. I have never been prouder of our staff than in the early days of the pandemic. Other municipalities were coming to Buffalo Grove for advice and guidance, because we had control of the situation, and that’s because so many people worked very hard to get there.

What ideas to you have to support businesses in Buffalo Grove that are suffering because of the pandemic?

To lessen the financial burden on struggling businesses, the Village waived liquor license fees by 50% as restaurants have been closed or limited to indoor dining. We have also established a concierge service, where Village representatives meet with individual businesses and work one-on-one with them to address any specific issues and guide them through COVID mitigations. We have also established a new website that will launch mid-March. It will allow Buffalo Grove businesses to promote themselves and provides customers with information, such as outdoor dining or expanded hours. The goal is to assist in business visibility.

Which business development plan do you think should be a priority? Lake-Cook Road corridor, Dundee Road, Milwaukee Avenue or the Prairie View concept? Please explain your priorities.

All of our identified corridors are ready and available for development. Concept plans speed up the process and guide developers in the direction that our residents have chosen. Of the several areas, the Lake Cook Corridor may have a slight advantage over the others, in that there is a Tax Increment Financing District in place that can support development. The “priority” among the areas is in attracting willing developers and matching them with willing property owners.

Do you think the village should continue using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts to entice economic development?

Tax Increment Financing districts are effective for facilitating development under appropriate circumstances. Our current TIF district for the Lake Cook Corridor supports the redevelopment of underperforming properties along the Village’s Main Street, and works particularly well because it had a minimal effect on tax revenue for local schools and other taxing districts. The Village should consider the use of TIF districts, as well as all other options available, to facilitate development wherever it makes sense.

How do you think the village should encourage redevelopment of existing retail areas that are struggling?

To redevelop, we need three things: 1) A willing property owner who is currently selling or leasing, 2) A viable business, meaning a new, existing or expanding business that is looking to occupy a facility, and 3) A proactive municipality like Buffalo Grove that facilitates and regulates dealings between property owners and viable businesses. Additionally, our economic development staff works with the real estate brokerage community as well as local property owners to attract new businesses as well as to assist efforts to expand or reinvest.

Some of our volunteer groups (commissions, committees) have seen shrinking membership. What would you do to engage the community on a broader scale? Do you think the “Engage BG” initiative is an effective program to get residents involved? What would you do to encourage broader demographic participation?

To address the issue of shrinking volunteerism, we have formed a Community Engagement Committee, of which I am a liaison member to the Board. One of our goals is to broaden the demographic profile of our volunteer list to match that of our community. An initiative of the committee that is ready to launch is that of “Community Champions.” These are people who are involved in their neck of the woods, whether it be as a room mom, band dad or something else. They can be a voice for and to the Village. If they enjoy that role, perhaps they will elevate to a committee or commission. I am excited to see this concept take off and look forward to working with residents from all areas of the community.

Do you think the Village communicates well with residents? If not, how can it be improved?

A resounding yes! Buffalo Grove communicates very well with the community. Our weekly eNews is a terrific place to stay on top of local news. During road construction season, we also have weekly eNews specifically on that topic for the entire community or separate editions for neighborhoods undergoing road construction. We also publish a newsletter several times a year. We have a new and improved website that is easy to navigate and search. Our entire budget and every invoice we pay is available to view on our website. Our best form of communication is our Board meetings. No other taxing body in Buffalo Grove broadcasts their meetings like we do. Our meetings are available on Zoom, Facebook Live, our Website and on cable channels. If a resident wants to avail themselves to Village happenings, I believe it's easy to do.

 

 

Woman thwarts stranger's efforts to enter home

Unwanted visitor -- A Buffalo Grove couple told police that while they were sleeping, they heard somebody was knocking on the windows and door. The man told police he thought it was his son, but it wasn’t – it was an unknown male. Reports say the man noted that the man outside was trying to come inside through the basement door. He was stopped by the homeowner who called police. The man trying to enter was described as having cuts and bruises on his face. Reports say that while the homeowner was on the phone with police, the man was trying to come in through the front door. Reports note that the homeowner’s wife stopped the man from coming in and held him down until police arrived.

The couple declined to file charges. Police, however, noticed that the man who tried to enter the home had cuts and bruises on his face and he was intoxicated. He also did not have any shoes on or a jacket with him. When asked how he got hurt and where his shoes and jacket were at, the man said he did not remember.

Traffic stops yields multiple offenses -- A Hoffman Estates woman was charged with resisting a peace officer and a Buffalo Grove man was charged with multiple traffic offenses as the result of an incident March 7. The incident started when police noticed a car make a quick left turn on to Beechwood Road from southbound Arlington Heights Road.

Reports say the vehicle was observed traveling 36 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone. Police say an officer observed a male driver and female passenger in the vehicle. Reports say the vehicle was observed running a stop sign at Weidner and Beechwood as it continued to accelerate eastbound on Beechwood.

Police say the vehicle eventually pulled into a driveway in the 1000 block of Beechwood where the couple “quickly exited” the vehicle and ran towards the house.

The responding officer, reports say, pulled in the driveway behind the car. A short time later, reports say the female passenger exited the home. When asked where the driver was, the woman said that she was the driver. Despite being warned about the consequences of lying to a police officer and that she could be arrested for obstructing justice, the woman maintained that she was the driver.

When additional officers arrived, the officer who initiated the stop went to the front door and attempted to make contact with the driver. After knocking on the door, reports say a male subject exited the residence and said he was the driver. The male, David Speck, 28, admitted to being the driver. This resulted in the female, Kristina Ball, 28, being placed under arrest for obstructing a peace officer.

Reports note that officers observed that Speck’s speech was slurred, and eyes blood shot and watery. Police say he had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. He admitted to drinking "thee or two beers".

Speck was charged with two counts of DUI, one count of speeding and once count for disregarding a stop sign

Two charged for damaging property -- A Wheeling man and Buffalo Grove woman were charged with criminal damage to property by Buffalo Grove Police following an incident March 5 in the 700 block of Grove Drive.

Police were summoned to the location in response to reports of a glass door being shattered and a tire being punctured.

Surveillance cameras revealed that the couple, Robert Walrod III, 19, and Lilianna Dobrowski, 18, go through the parking lot where they allegedly punctured a tire. Moments later, surveillance cameras showed the man, throw two objects at a front door causing it to shatter. Walrod as charged with two counts of criminal damage to property, Dobrowski with one count.

Bike theft – A resident in the 900 block of Beechwood told police that a gray/green mountain bike valued at $600 was taken from outside the garage.

Secret shopper fraud – A resident told police she was scammed out of $2000 after receiving a text offering a chance to be a secret shopper. After agreeing, the woman said she received a check for $2390.73 and a letter with instructions on what to do with the money. She said she was told to purchase four $500 American Express gift cards. She contacted the person who called and gave him the numbers on the four gift cards. She was then notified by her bank that the check was not valid and took the money out of her account.

Not the cable guy – A resident told police he received a call from a person claiming to work for Comcast-Xfinity. The man said the caller claimed to work for Xfinity and told him they wanted to upgrade his service, and asked him to send them $200. When the man asked the caller if there was an address he could send a paper check to, the caller got nervous and abruptly ended the call.

Not the friendly skies – A man contacted police regarding online fraud, telling them searched on Google looking for a way to purchase an airline ticket. After he connected with someone, the man was told to purchase Google Play gift cards in the amount of $350 for a plane ticket. The man provided the Google Play gift cards and was told there was an error and to download an app in order to provide a refund to his bank account. The man was told to quick pay $500, reset his phone, and the full amount would be put back into his account. However, reports say when the man restarted his phone, he saw another fee of $998.62 taken out of his account. He was able to have the charges reversed.

Woodman’s theft – A man admitted to police that he was "stupid” after a series of thefts from Woodman’s Market, 1550 E. Deerfield Parkway. Reports say store security observed “a frequent shoplifter.” Officials say the man would steal items by failing to scan them while making a purchase using the self-serve stations. He was not charged, but was issued a trespass warning.

Credit card fraud – A resident told police that a credit card she opened three years ago was recently used by unknown people. She told police that more than $1,300 in purchases were charged to the card. The woman is working with the issuing bank to resolve the situation.

Charges filed following fight -- A month-long investigation has resulted in battery charges filed against a 19-year-old Arlington Heights man, following a fight with another employee at Lou Malnati’s in February. Police say that Angel Velasquez allegedly struck another man in the face with a tire iron during an altercation in the parking lot.

Bad check -- A resident who told police he sells strollers through his business, said a customer paid for a stroller using a check written on a closed account. The total of the bogus check was $591.97.

Out of sight -- A resident in the 400 block of Glendale that she noticed a man sitting in a car in her driveway. When she asked why he was there, reports say the woman said he acted shocked and said he was there to visit her neighbor. But wait, there’s more. The man reportedly told the woman that his friend used to live next door and he wanted to see if they have a basement. Reports said he got back into his vehicle and left in an unknown direction.

Here’s the clincher – the woman told police that her neighbor hasn’t lived there for over 18 years.

Trash talkin’ – A man told police that he needed to take his boxes and tires out of a trash dumpster that wasn’t his. The man also apologized.

Stupid is as stupid does -- On the traffic front, Buffalo Grove police report two arrests for DUI, one for driving without insurance, three for speeding, one for driving without a license and four for driving on a suspended license.

 COMMUNITY NEWS

Village partners in vaccination event

Residents over 65 years of age can register to get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine through a partnership with Jewel/Osco and the member communities of JEMS (the Northwest Suburban Illinois Joint Emergency Management System), which includes Buffalo Grove

The first dose will be given Wednesday, March 17, with the second dose to be given Wednesday, April 7. Those who register for this event must be available on both dates and must show proof of both residency and age (65 and over) to receive the vaccine.

Registrations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis, and can be completed by clicking here. Please note that appointments are required, and walk-up registration is not available. You will be turned away if you do not have an appointment. Telephone registration is not.

For more detailed information about this event, including what you need to bring with you, visit the village's website here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Meet the candidates” starts Monday, March 15

      Buffalo Grove News and Information will provide profiles of five candidates who are running for Village Board in the April 6 election starting Monday, March 15. Each candidate submitted answers to questions about issues facing the village. Their answers will be posted here as submitted to BGNI. Profiles will be posted in alphabetical order starting with Joanne Johnson.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Food bank open Sunday

Congregation Beth Am, 1370 Abbott Court, will have its food pantry open from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14.

No identification or financial verification needed. Each household will receive three bags of non-perishable food. This is available to all residents, regardless of religious background. The congregation’s food pantry is open the second and last Sunday of every month, but will not be open on Sunday, March 28 due to observance of Passover.

More cash for trash?

The Daily Herald reports that residents could be paying .50 cents more a month for trash collection. The rate, reports say, is to cover cost associated with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, better known as SWANCC.

Schneider visits vaccination site  

 U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-10) visits the Lake County Fairgrounds mass vaccination site in Grayslake. Schneider visited the site last week.

Village Board meets Monday

The Village Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 15. Residents can participate in this meeting by going to this this link.

The agenda for the meeting, which is expected to include a discussion about summer events in the village, can be found here. The complete packet of information is available at this link.

Due to Centers for Disease Control guidelines for social distancing, physical attendance is limited to 20 people in addition to elected officials and Village staff.

All seats for the public will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Anyone attending in person must wear a face cover, observe safe social distancing during the meeting, and is required to undergo a temperature scan before entering.

The Village reserves the right to deny entry to any person displaying COVID-19 symptoms, or those who have a temperature exceeding 100.4 degrees. For questions about this meeting, email info@vbg.org.

 

Village to survey residents

      The village will be surveying 1,700 of Buffalo Grove’s 15,500 households by mail throughout March. The feedback obtained from this survey helps the village to plan for its future. For more information, contact Assistant to the Village Manager Evan Michel at emichel@vbg.org.

 

Voter registration deadline is March 21

Residents who are not registered to vote and plan to vote in the April 6 consolidated election, you have until Sunday, March 21 to register online. Cook County residents can visit the Cook County Clerk website for additional election information, and check voter registration status here.

Lake County residents can check here for voter registration status and visit the Lake County Clerk website for election resources.

 

BGPD participates in DUI enforcement program

Buffalo Grove Police will be participating in the St. Patrick’s Day ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign through March 18.

Funded by federal traffic safety funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation, Buffalo Grove Police will be patrolling for alcohol and drug-impaired drivers, in addition to stepping up seat belt enforcement, particularly at night when usage rates are at their lowest. Speed limit and distracted driving laws will also be strictly enforced.

“We understand people are looking for a reason to celebrate, but we urge you to do so safely,” said Michael Rodriguez, Administrative Services Lieutenant for the BGPD. While festivities may look different this year, the basics remain the same: If you’ll be drinking, using cannabis, or another impairing substance, make the right choice to find a sober driver to get you and your friends home safely.”

 

Northwest Chabad offering “Seder in a Box”

Northwest Suburban Chabad is partnering with a Kosher caterer, to provide families their seder needs during Passover which starts Saturday, March 27. Click here for more details, and to order your seder kit today. Orders musty be placed before Tuesday, March 16. Additional information is available from Chabad at by phone or 847-808-7770 or online at NWSChabad.org

 

It was all “in vein”

      The village blood drive on March 6 attracted more than 50 residents who rolled up their sleeves to donate. According to reports in the Buffalo Grove Countryside, all appointment slots were filled. The March 6 event was one of four blood drives the village hosts during the year. And yes, it’s supposed to be vein. Just a play on words.

Got News?

If you have news about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization, please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Articles should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are also welcome.  They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling, and libelous content.

Questions about B.G. News & Info. should be sent to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Subscribe by email

If you want to receive Buffalo Grove News & Information by email, send your email address to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Pandemic playing havoc with summer events

(Scroll down for the police reports that are included in this edition)

 

Village-sponsored activities this summer will continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

            The question is – to what extent?

            Village staff and the Village Board discussed four major events; the Farmers Market, Fourth of July Fireworks, the Symphonic Band and Buffalo Grove Days during a Village Board Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting Monday night and at least one thing is certain – there’s still a lot of uncertainty – especially around Buffalo Grove Days.

            However, two events appear to have their 2021 fates sealed – the Farmers Market, which will be held as it was last year -- and the Symphonic Band performances, which will not be on the docket for summer 2021. The Board will take definitive actions and an upcoming regular meeting, as votes are not taken during COW meetings.

            The Board called last year’s Farmers Market, which operated with tight mitigations, including social distancing and the mandatory wearing of masks, a success. Food sampling and entertainment were not allowed.

            A lack of rehearsal space for the Symphonic Band was cited as a prime reason the Band, now in its 21^st year, will have its summer season axed. Rehearsals are typically held at areas schools, but none have resumed large scale rehearsals or performances for student music groups, let alone outside groups. Constraints on performance spaces, such as Ernie Karge Rotary Village Green will also keep the Band from performing.

            The annual July Fourth fireworks display remains possible, but in a vastly different format.  Village Manager Dane Bragg told the Board that one recommendation by staff is to do a “drive-in” display. This would entail residents parking at a series of parking lots to watch the display.  Parking lots under considered include the Hamilton Partners parking lot on Lake-Cook Road Willow Stream Park and parking areas at the village complex at Raupp Boulevard and Church Road.

            To no surprise, most of the discussion centered in Buffalo Grove Days. Held Labor Day weekend, among the activities included are a carnival, concerts, parade, food tent, children’s craft areas and an array of activities, such as ‘Buddy Baseball’ for residents with challenging conditions.

                        Both Board members and village staff expressed concern about sanitation of portable restrooms, eating areas and carnival rides in addition to golf carts used to transport people with physical challenges.

            There was also considerable discussion about when a decision could be made so there would be ample time to execute contracts for entertainment and vendors.

            In Bragg’s report, he noted that if the village decides to go ahead with Buffalo Grove Days, contracts totaling $34,185 would need to be signed in March.  Bragg noted in his report that “A majority of these contracts have a 30-day cancellation policy so if the event was not cancelled in addition to losing the deposits the Village would need to pay the full contract amounts which comes out to about $75,000 on the low end.”

            The packet containing the complete report to the Board is available here.  The next Village Board meeting is Monday, March 15.

Blood Drive is March 6 at Alcott Center

A Buffalo Grove Community Blood Drive Saturday, is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday in the large gym at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive.

            For more information or to schedule a donation, call 877-258-4825 or visit vitalant.org and use group code BG98. Appointments and face covers are required. For additional information, click here.

 Wanna be a cop?

The Buffalo Grove Police Department is accepting applications for an entry level police officer. This position offers opportunities for growth and advancement, with excellent salary and benefits. Interested candidates should apply online here.

 Deadline for Rotary Club scholarships approaching

The Buffalo Grove Rotary Club is offering vocational scholarships of up to $1,500 each to assist residents with tuition costs. The application deadline is Monday, March 22.

The education required for the vocation should be less than a four-year (baccalaureate) degree, and scholarship funds are limited to programs that prepare individuals for immediate entry into a career field (Associate of Applied Science Degree, trade school diploma, certificate or license). Visit this link for more information and to apply.

Congressional art competition open to residents

U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-10) is encouraging Tenth District students to participate in the annual Congressional Art Competition. The theme for this year’s contest is “Unity.”

            Area high school students are invited to submit a piece of art they have created in the past year, which will be judged by a panel of local educators and artists. Students are encouraged to interpret the theme of “Unity” creatively and submit artwork that reflects their personal interpretation.

            Submissions can be submitted online here. Students should continue to create artwork in their preferred medium and upload high-resolution, well-lit photos of their projects (there is a 35 MB limit to photo uploads).

            The deadline to submit artwork for the competition is 5 p.m. Friday, April 16.

            Due to COVID-19 school closures, the competition rules were modified to allow both teachers and students to directly submit student artwork directly. Additionally, the restriction was lifted on five pieces of artwork per school; however, there is now a maximum of one submission per student.

            The winning submission will be exhibited in the U.S. Capitol for a year. The second and third place pieces will be displayed in the Congressman’s District and Washington D.C. offices, respectively.

            Additional information, including important guidelines for submissions, is available on Congressman Schneider’s website: https://schneider.house.gov/services/art-competition.

 Library to host author Jacqueline Woodson

Hear from Jacqueline Woodson, one of our country’s most acclaimed authors, in a live online event at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 18. She will talk about her storytelling and shares her inspiration for this year's One Book selection, Red at the Bone. This program is a live presentation and will not be viewable after the event.  Click here to register

 Scout troop recognized

Girl Scout Troop 45133 from St. Mary School in Buffalo Grove was honored for its projects at area facilities serving senior citizens. Details are here.

 POLICE REPORTS

Man faces two charges in theft -- A Glenview man was charged with retail theft and resisting a peace office following an incident at Woodman’s Market. 1550 E. Deerfield Pkwy.

Reports say Mohammed Mahdi, 41 was at one of the registers still checking, when store officials noted that he was allegedly putting items in the outer pockets of his coat.  When officers wanted to speak to him after he left the store, reports say that while officers tried to apprehend Madhi, he started to run through the parking lot towards Deerfield Parkway. Officers were able to catch up with him at which time he was arrested. Reports note that once in the patrol car, he became apologetic and said he could pay for the items he took without paying for. A nice gesture, but he still has to appear in Lake County Court.

Life in the slow lane irks driver -- A 59-year-old Chicago man told police that while he was driving westbound on Deerfield Pkwy a 29-year-old Chicago woman drove up behind him and started tailgating him. The man said the woman the pulled up next to him, pointed her middle finger at him and said something very uncomplimentary and drove away. The man then followed the woman to a nearby parking lot, where he spoke to the woman who she said she was upset because he was driving below the speed limit.

            The man contacted police be he “just wanted the incident documented.”  In the spirit of the new friendship, the woman said the same thing, but denied sticking her middle finger up at the man until he followed her into the parking lot.

The woman was told driving five miles under the speed limit was not a crime. Both parties were spoken to about their behavior and the dangers of confronting a total stranger over their driving.

            Man charged with battery -- A 37-year-old Hoffman Estates man was charged with one count of domestic battery after allegedly hitting his wife in the face. The man told police said he got into an argument with his wife because he was in the shower and she wanted to give the children a bath before bed.

            Bogus Amazon call – A Buffalo Grove resident told police she received a phone call from a number which displayed Amazon. The caller told her there was a charge on her Amazon account for $350 for an iPhone, which the woman said she did not purchase.

The caller requested the woman sign into her Amazon account on her computer to clear up the misunderstanding. The woman said when she did log in, the mouse pointer began moving on its own and another person began logging into her bank information.

The caller informed the woman that they had control of her accounts and would delete all her money if she did not go to Target and purchase five $100 gift cards and provide them access to the money.

The woman refused and hung up, but stated she had been receiving phone calls demanding money all day.  The woman told police she contacted her bank and credit card companies and informed them her accounts had been compromised. All purchases were blocked and the woman did not lose any money.

            Scanner swiped -- Officials at the CVS pharmacy at 20 E. Dundee Rd. told police that while an employee was stocking a liquor delivery in the wine section, he placed a handheld scanning device set on top of the wine shelf. The employee said he stepped away, but when he came back 30 minute later, the scanner was missing. Surveillance video indicated that a female customer picked up the scanner and left the store.

 Got News?

If you have news about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization, please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Articles should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are also welcome.  They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling, and libelous content.

Questions about B.G. News & Info. should be sent to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Subscribe by email

If you want to receive Buffalo Grove News & Information by email, send your email address to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.