Apr 10, 2021

IN THIS EDITION: Board mulls scaled-back Buffalo Grove Days, cops probe burglary

Burglary investigation continues -- Buffalo Grove police are continuing their investigation into a reported burglary in the 300 block of Mohawk March 27.  Reports say the burglary occurred while the homeowner was on a bike ride.  Entry, reports notes, was apparently made through a patio door that had been pried open. A list of items taken was reported at the time the report was filed.

Uber scam reported – A 56-year-old resident reported that he was the victim of a scam from “"Support for Uber" shortly after he had placed a called requesting a ride which failed to materialize. Reports say the resident the call was a legitimate “support call” because they knew about the 72-hour lockout rule the company reportedly has in place. The resident, reports say, provided personal information and then found $956 in charges on his Uber that were transferred to a debit card, and $90 in false Uber rides.  There was also a reported attempt to withdrawn $456 from his bank account. The resident contacted his credit card company and did not incur any losses.

Community News & Notes


Board hears plans for limited BG Days

            If Buffalo Grove Days is held this year, it will be an abbreviated format due to COVID-19. The Village Board April 5 heard ideas that would maintain the carnival at Rylko Park and concerts at Willow Stream Park. A fireworks show launched from the Buffalo Grove Golf Course would be held with viewing from Willow Stream Park. While a dedicated food tent is not part of the plans, Public Works Director Mike Skibbe said food trucks are being considered and that it is possible independent food operators could have their own tent. The Daily Herald reports that the popular beer tent would not be included, but other considerations are being discussed.

Beth Am food pantry open Sunday

The food pantry at Congregation Beth Am in Buffalo Grove, 1370 Abbott Court, will be open from noon to 2 pm this Sunday, April 11. The food pantry is open to anyone of religious background. No ID or financial documentation are required. Donations of non-perishable food and paper goods are acceptable at the same time.

Police Department reaccredited

The Buffalo Grove Police Department received its 9th reaccreditation after a virtual hearing conducted by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).  In addition to the reaccreditation, the department was one of five agencies, out of 108 reviewed, to receive the CALEA Accreditation with Excellence Award. This credential is an additional indication of the agency’s effective use of accreditation as a model for enhanced public safety services and management professionalism.

Stevenson family programming set

            Stevenson High School’s Patriot Family Programming has two programs scheduled. On Monday, April 12, the topic is Strategies to Connect with Your teen, that will address discuss how parents can build relationship with their teen. The Zoom link for this program is here. On Tuesday, April 13, the topic is How to notice good things in your life, which will focus on helping teens find ways to acknowledge the good things in their lives. The Zoom link for this program is here.  Both programs begin at noon.

April focuses on alcohol responsibility, impaired driving

The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility is working with law enforcement agencies to heighten its fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking, while promoting responsible decision-making with alcohol consumption.

Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steven Casstevens a member of the organization’s national advisory board.

The Department is also focusing on distracted driving during April.  The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration reports more than 3,100 people died in 2019 due to distracted driving. Buffalo Grove Police are partnering with the Illinois Department of Transportation during April to increase enforcement, with a goal to reduce accidents and fatalities.

Also in April, Blue Kids a program offered by the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center is striving to raise awareness about child abuse during April, which is Child Abuse Awareness Month.

Student Voices

Here are links to the student newspapers at Stevenson and Buffalo Grove high schools.

Buffalo Grove High School Charger

Stevenson High School Statesman

 

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Got News, Opinions?

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.

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Apr 1, 2021

Longtime trustee DeAnn Glover dies

 DeAnn Glover, who served as a Village Trustee for 14 years died Monday, March 28 in at her home in Gardner Kansas. In a Facebook post, her grandson, Michael Glover, wrote “We hope everyone remembers her as a loving kind person who loved her family, Buffalo Grove Days, the village of Buffalo Grove and all her friends.”

            He added that “we are looking at doing some sort of memorial for my grandma in Buffalo Grove this summer.”

            Funeral services for Ms. Glover will be Thursday, April 8 in Olathe, Kansas with burial April 10 in her native Kearney, Nebraska

 

Police Reports

‘Party’ leads to arrest – A Streamwood man was arrest and charged with theft and issuance of a warrant following an incident at the Extended Stay Hotel, 1525E. Busch Parkway.  Police were summoned to the hotel in response to a complaint by a Prospect Heights woman who said she woke up on the floor of her room and found multiple items missing.

            According to reports, the woman said she met the man and his girlfriend at a hotel on Chicago’s west side and drove them to the Extended Stay where, she told police, the three “partied” in the room. The woman denied using any illegal substance, except marijuana, and that she “passed out” at around 2 p.m.  She at first told police she woke up at 4 p.m., but later said it was 7 p.m.

            The woman said when she woke up, she tried to contact the man and his girlfriend regarding the missing property but, and this should not come as a surprise, they did not respond. The woman told police she was missing cosmetic products, clothing and perfume, a bank debit card and $400 in cash. The woman told police she believed she was drugged by the couple because, say reports, she didn’t “consume anything but marijuana.”

            But the story doesn’t end there. Reports say that around 10 p.m. they were summoned to the Metra station on Commerce Court in response to a call by a cleaning crew that a male and female were using drugs inside the locked train station. When police arrived, they identified the couple as the one mentioned in the Extended Stay incident. During routine checking, Buffalo Grove police learned that the man, Joe Rojas, 36, of Streamwood, had an active bond forfeiture warrant for his arrest for retail theft by the Schaumburg Police.

            During processing at the Buffalo Grove Police Department, officers contacted the woman who made the initial complaint at the Extended Stay.  She identified items allegedly taken by Rojas and his girlfriend.

            Police charged Rojas and his girlfriend with a local ordinance of theft.  However, that wasn’t the end of Rojas’ problems. Reports say as he was trying to arrange for a ride home from the police department, he “continued to lose his balance, fall asleep and fall over.”  Paramedics were called and transported him to Northwest Community Hospital.

            There’s a footnote to this incident. In a separate incident, police were summoned to the Walgreen drug store at Lake-Cook and Buffalo Grove at 3:05 a.m. the day before in response to reports of a customer trying to check out even though she allegedly had “unpaid” merchandise in her purse. Police checked and found a bottle of spray cologne in her purse. She was given a trespass warning and told not to return to the store.

            The woman? The same one who made the initial complaint at the Extended Stay.

This will impact the Yelp rating – Police were summoned to the Sheraton Four Points Hotel on Lake-Cook Road to quell a dispute between the manager and a guest. According to reports, the guest was complaining about not being able to use the pool despite being told all the times to use the pool were booked by other guests. He told police that his stay at the hotel did not meet his expectations and was voicing his displeasure and that he would be checking out that day. So there.

Phone scam hits resident – Scammers claiming to represent Norton and McAfee kept a Buffalo Grove resident on the phone for hours as part of the scam during which they allegedly tried to drain her bank account and force her to try and buy $5,000 worth of gift cards. The resident realized it was a scam thanks to quick thinking by a Target employee who recognized the bogus nature request. The resident contacted police who helped her contact the bank which indicated that no money was withdrawn from her account.

Altercation at gas station – Police were summoned to the Shell station at Lake-Cook and McHenry roads in response to a confrontation between two customers. According to reports, as one customer was backing his vehicle, another customer started honking his horn and calling the other customer a variety of derogatory names. The customer then threatened to fight the first man’s girlfriend who was seated in the front seat. Reports say that during the course of the argument, the second man hit the other man in the face with a gas pump and then sprayed gas on him. Reports say the first man responded by kicking the first man in the groin and then pulled a knife out his pants and pointed it at the second man in a “defensive manner.” After reviewing security video and listening to both sides, police opted not to file charges.

Man charged with burglary, theft – A month-long investigation led to the arrest of a 31-year-old Des Plains man after her allegedly stole a ring from a home in the 600 block of Farrington Drive. Reports say Anthony Miller was charged with one count of residential burglary and two counts of theft following an incident Feb. 14 when he allegedly posed as a water inspector in order to gain entrance into a home. Reported missing was a ring valued at $250. Reports say Miller was arrested at a gas station in the 200 block of west 31st street in Chicago.

Retail theft – A Wheeling man was charged with retail theft after he allegedly stole more than $325 worth of groceries from Woodman’s Market, 1525 Deerfield Rd. According to police reports the man said he went into the store purchase an item for his child. When he began looking around, reports say he started grabbing things he needed for his house and family. He then walked out of the store with a cart of goods without paying.  As he waited outside the store for a ride, store officials stopped him and asked for his receipt. The man ran, but was located by police behind a nearby building.

From the roads again – Some folks don’t seem to understand various aspects of motor vehicle operation.  Buffalo Grove police recently issued three tickets for driving on a revoked or suspended license, two for driving without a license and one each for driving without insurance, driving a vehicle with expired registration, one for speeding and, by the way, one for excessively tinted windows.

 

Community News and Notes

 Election Tuesday

Buffalo Grove residents can vote on Tuesday, April to elect representatives for Village Board, school boards, library boards, townships and other positions. Lake County voter information is available here; Cook County voters can click here. Early voting is available until Monday, April 5. The polls are open from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. on Tuesday.

Village Board meets Monday

          The Buffalo Grove Village Board will host a Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 5. COW meetings are workshop meetings in which Village Board members and village staff discuss various issues and projects.  The agenda for Monday’s meeting can be found here. There will be limited in-person attendance.  The meeting will also be available online on Facebook or at this Zoom link.

Landscape waste pickup begins April 1

Waste Management will begin collecting yard waste on Thursday, April 1. Residents are reminded of the following guidelines for yard waste collection:

·         It should be put out in 32-gallon special yard waste paper bags or 32-gallon rigid, unlined waste containers marked with a 12-inch "X" on it.

·         Only grass clippings, leaves, vegetative plants, brush and small trees are allowed.

·         It does not include indoor plants, flower arrangements, trees larger than 3.5 inches in diameter, dirt, stones, pine cones or sod

Library plans used book sale

            The Indian Trails Public Library, 355 Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling, will have a “Pop-Up Used Book Sale” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 17. The sale, which will be in the front of the Library, will include adult fiction and nonfiction, children’s fiction and nonfiction as well as adult materials in Spanish, Russian, Polish and other languages.

            Masks are required and social distancing will be enforced. Payment will be by cash or checks only.

Golf courses now open

Buffalo Grove’s two golf courses, the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and the Arboretum Club, are now open and scheduling tee times. Information about the Buffalo Grove Golf Course can be found here, while information about The Arboretum Club is available here.

Wild Buffalo changing name, menu

          After nearly five years as the Wild Buffalo, the restaurant at the Buffalo Grove Golf Course is changing its name and menu. The Daily Herald reports that the Cardone Restaurant Group will reopen the eatery in June as Sal and Tony's Italian Restaurant.

Drug take-back day April 24

Buffalo Grove police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are partnering again to host a prescription drug collection event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 24 at the Buffalo Grove Police Department, 46 Raupp Blvd. Expired, unused or unneeded medications can be dropped off. For more information, please visit the DEA website or call 847-459-2560. The Police Department has a permanent receptacle in the station’s lobby where medications can be disposed of year-round.

Former teacher faces charges

Ilan Gibori, 46, a former teacher at Cooper Middle School is expected to face multiple counts of criminal sexual assault after he was nabbed at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. According to reporting by the Daily Herald, “…Police said the investigation is ongoing and any parents of a student of Gibori is encouraged to speak with their child. Anyone with information can call the Vernon Hills police investigations unit at (847) 247-4891, or Buffalo Grove police at (847) 459-2560.”

 

Point of View

There’s more at stake in the race for the D125 School Board and the Village Board on Tuesday. There is a need for clarity, transparency and accountability writes Stan Zoller in his Gaggin’ in the Grove blog. Zoller is editor and coordinator of Buffalo Grove News and Information.

 

Student Voices

Here are links to the student newspapers at Stevenson and Buffalo Grove high schools.

Buffalo Grove High School Charger

Stevenson High School Statesman

 

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.

Mar 23, 2021

Cops detail attempted burglary


Anthony Garcia, 25, of Rolling Meadows, was charged with residential burglary following an attempted burglary in the 900 block of Beechwood Road. Saturday, March 20. According to police, they received a call from homeowners regarding an unknown subject in their residence just before 8 p.m. The residents, who were not at home at the time, told police they received an alert from their video doorbell that showed a male subject on their property.

Responding officers responded located a damaged open window on the lower level of the residence and observed Garcia inside. Police say that despite repeated efforts to make contact with Garcia, he reportedly ignored attempts and fled to the basement of the residence where he barricaded himself.  Police say they provided Garcia numerous opportunities to respond to their requests, but he remained non-compliant.

Buffalo Grove police requested assistance from the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) and other agencies.

Garcia was taken into custody after negotiations with him.

Buffalo Grove’s membership in NIPAS allows for officers specially trained in hostage or barricaded subject negotiations.

Phone swiped – A resident in the 0-100 block of Fabish Drive told police an iPhone she ordered from her cellular carrier was never delivered. Reports say the provider told the resident that the phone, valued at nearly $1,400, was reportedly delivered several weeks ago. The resident told police no phone was delivered.

Stupid is as stupid does – Folks driving the roadways in the village continue to raise eyebrows.  In the past week, Buffalo Grove Police report two arrests for driving in a revoked or suspended license, one for DUI and one for driving without a license.

 

Community news and notes

Thompson, Brandywyn work resumes

Work on Thompson Boulevard and Brandywyn has resumed. This project includes storm sewer work and is expected to run through November, similar to the project in the same area during 2020.

A detour will be established for Thompson only on March 29, with work starting and focusing on that area at the same time.  A detour will follow on Brandywyn as well, however information on that will come to residents interested through the project specific E-newsletter.  The project and detours will run through November 2021.

This is the second of the three-year project, which is covered, in part, by $9.8 million in federal funding. Residents who live in the area of this project will receive a letter in the mail with additional details.

ITPLD offers virtual tours of Chicago attractions

Indian Trails Library is one of several public libraries participating in the Your City @Home program, which offers a series of virtual tours where you can explore places in Illinois.

On Saturday, April 3, participants can tour the Shedd Aquarium from 3-4 pm:

Meet the penguins that call Shedd home and discover why these birds are so amazing.

Your City @Home will present nine different programs, Saturdays through May 29.

Registration is available at this link.

Village mulls aid use

Buffalo Grove officials are considering how to spend $5 million in federal aid. According to then Journal & Topics, Village Manager said funds can generally be spent toward certain capital projects, infrastructure costs, broadband upgrades, as well as expenses related to public safety.

Rotary offers grants

The Buffalo Grove Rotary is offering one-time community grants of up to $2,500 for organizations planning to make a positive difference in Buffalo Grove. Recipients must demonstrate that efforts and initiatives can provide long-term and sustainable benefits for the Village, as well as for residents. The deadline to apply is Sunday, May 30. More information is at this link.


BG Delivers up and running

BG Delivers, the online business directory, has launched. It can be found at BGDelivers.org.

This allows businesses to create an account and enter pertinent business information, including the location, hours, amenities, and any specials/sales/promotions. Businesses are responsible for adding and maintaining/updating their information. The village has started to encourage local businesses to participate through its business bulletin, targeted emails, and the “Here to Help” campaign. While the webpage is complete, it stills needs to be populated by the businesses.

 

Student Voices

Here are links to the student newspapers at Stevenson and Buffalo Grove high schools.

Buffalo Grove High School Charger

Stevenson High School Statesman

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.

 

Mar 19, 2021

Meet the Candidate: Mike Terson

This is the fifth and final installment 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's name

Mike Terson

How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove?

This time around, 16 years.

Please provide brief biographical information.

I am a graduate of Buffalo Grove High School, Harper College (inducted into Harper College’s Distinguished Alumni in 2013) and Northern Illinois University, with a degree in communications. I have worked as the head of Buffalo Grove Park District’s marketing department since 2004. I also worked for Walter Payton for 7 years; and, I am the former public address announcer for the Chicago Cubs and Chicago Wolves.

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. If people would like to get an idea of how I lean politically, I am a fiscal conservative, and a social liberal. Some of the people I have voted for in my life include Barack Obama, Mitt Romney, John Kasich and Joe Biden. I find it problematic that party politics are starting to infiltrate our local elections that are supposed to be nonpartisan.

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

I currently serve on the board for the Lake County Youth Empowerment for Success Coalition and the College of Lake County Southlake Campus Advisory Board. I have also served on the Board for the Link Together Coalition. I currently volunteer in Harper College’s mentoring program, and as a coach/mentor with the One Million Degrees program, also at Harper College; and, I volunteer with the Buffalo Grove High School Parents Association, currently setting up their restaurant fundraisers.

Why are you running for the Village Board?

In 2019, I recommitted myself to being the kind of leader I think our community wants and needs, and ran for Village President. And, while it was ultimately an unsuccessful bid (falling 150 votes short), there were a lot of successes that came out of that campaign. Within a year, my opponent and critics implemented some of the very economic development strategies on which they campaigned against me. I plan on running for Village President again in 2023, and making up those 150 votes. But, my first step of that plan is to first return to the Village Board as a trustee this year, so I can go into that role with the benefit of being involved in our community’s issues for the two years leading up to 2023, rather than just sitting on the sidelines and waiting to get started on that work.

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 involved with the Village in various capacities since 2005. I served on the Village’s 50th Anniversary Committee from 2005 through 2008, the Bike Committee (I think around 2007-08), and I was a Village Trustee from 2011 - 2015.

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

I think our town did an excellent job; and, not just the Village, but all of our local units of government. But, specifically to the Village, I thought they did an excellent job of pivoting in how they made services available to the community. One example was when they installed a walk up window at Village Hall, so that people could conduct business without having to walk into the building. I also think all of our public entities handled things appropriately when employees were diagnosed with COVID-19.

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

In the short term, I think we can defer certain fees until things get back to normal and business picks up again. But, there were measures being suggested by some of the people on our Village Board that are completely inappropriate; and, frankly, it makes me question whether or not those individuals can be trusted with being the stewards of our community’s finances. To be clear, any kind of economic stimulus or relief (for businesses or individuals) is the role of the state and federal government, not local municipalities. And, as much as I value and appreciate our business owners (I too am friends with many of them), I don’t understand how anyone on our Village Board can prioritize the financial struggles of businesses during a pandemic over those of our residents, many of whom have lost their job. If we are not going to discuss holding off on collecting residential taxes and fees in the context of people struggling financially, I don’t see how we can do it with businesses, let alone restaurants only. Every level of government has a lane; and, when it comes to local government, financially supporting certain private businesses that might be struggling is not their lane. It simply is not appropriate to use the community’s money to subsidize private businesses.

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.

The Lake Cook Corridor should be the priority, because it has the potential to have the biggest impact. It also has the potential to have impact on the other corridors – especially the Dundee Road corridor. Currently, we have some on our Board who campaigned on never developing the golf course, or never implementing tax increment financing (TIF districts), which has left us with the kind of planning that is more of a political compromise than an actual effort to redevelop aging and dilapidated properties. The Lake Cook Corridor plan was adopted in 2018, yet there still haven’t been any changes. And, I know there’s talk of Town Center getting redeveloped; however, there’s been talk of that for years. At this point, I fear that we are so desperate for something, that we will end up with a project that will be just another shopping center, rather than something that can tie into an actual downtown, which would maximize the long term potential for that property, and not just something that is better than the eyesore it has been for decades. In short, I think the moves we are making with the Lake Cook Corridor are checkers moves, when what we really need to be playing is chess.

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

Short answer, yes; however, TIF isn’t a one size fits all solution. So, we should continue to consider TIFs; however, we need to go through that process carefully and strategically. But, with communities around us competing with us for economic development, we absolutely need to be able to utilize the same mechanisms they have, and be competing on an even playing field.

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

By creating a central business district that will spark redevelopment of other nearby properties that want to take advantage of that opportunity. I think that a downtown dining and entertainment district, that is situated within over 60 acres of walkable open space can completely change the commercial landscape of Buffalo Grove.

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?

I think the Engage BG initiative is an excellent start. But, what I think we as elected officials could and should do is stop expecting our constituents to just come to us to have conversations at Village Hall, or at public hearings and meetings, and instead start going out into the different areas of the community and bringing that dialogue to people in their neighborhoods. It is through those conversations that we will not only recruit people to get involved with the Village, but we will also do it in a way that will foster the kind of diversity we say we are looking to accomplish. If elected, I plan on doing exactly that.

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

I think that one of the areas that Village excels in is communication. I also think that the Village does a great job of adapting and evolving as communication platforms change over time. Just this past month, I was able to inform the Village of an issue on my street through their website (using my phone), and someone was out there the next morning. As a communications professional myself, I would look forward to working with the Village’s team, and constantly looking to provide the community with new and innovative ways to inform residents, as well as make it easy for them to communicate with the Village.

New village hall / Apartments trendy / Oh, thank heaven

  New village complex gets green light             The Village Board approved the acquisition of a 96,731-square-foot office building and 8....