Patch and Starbucks Ask Washington to 'Come Together' to Avoid Fiscal Cliff

Patch and Starbucks, calling for Republicans and Democrats to join forces to avoid the fiscal cliff, announce an initiative in the Washington DC area.

As an organization, Patch is built on the idea of strengthening local communities _including Huntley _ and bringing democracy to life. Our network of websites delivers not only relevant, hyper-local information, but also amplifies the voices of our users. And with difficult choices facing our elected officials in the coming days and weeks, the need for citizens to speak up and be heard has never been greater. It is why I am proud to announce that starting this week, Patch is partnering with Starbucks – another staple of the community – on its “Come Together” initiative. Just as Patch serves great content and Starbucks serves delicious coffee, we need Democrats and Republicans to join forces and serve meaningful solutions to the pending …

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Letter to the Editor: Lauzen Should Not Use Sons' Military Attire for Campaign Materials

Tom O'Neil: A Department of Defense directive prohibits members of the armed forces on active duty from “participating in any political activity while in military uniform.

To the Editor:  Last weekend, my wife and I received a political advertisement from Chris Lauzen in the mail. It was a handsome political piece which contains, among other things, a color photograph of Sen. Lauzen and his family. Two of the senator’s sons are shown in their full dress uniforms, one from the Marine Corps and one from the United States Navy. Sen. Lauzen is justiflably proud of his two sons in the military. However, Department of Defense directive No. l344.10, effective Feb. 19, 2008, prohibits members of the armed forces on active duty from “participating in any political activity while in military uniform.” (DoDD 1344.10 E32) Political activity is defined as “activity supporting or relating to candidates representing, or …

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Patch Offers Help to Claim Your Biz Listing

Do you have a business in a Patch community, and are not sure how to edit and claim your listing? Watch the video to learn how.

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Heart Disease Is No. 1 Cause of Death in Kane County

American Heart Month: The Kane County Health Department says heart disease and stroke and No. 1 and No. 3 leading causes of death here. February is the month to do something about it.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of the heart, which is why we recognize American Heart Month during the month of February. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 3 leading causes of death in Kane County, and the Kane County Health Department will be emphasizing heart health throughout February.  The recently completed Community Health Assessment shows that heart disease is the leading cause of hospitalization in Kane County, accounting for 23 percent of total patients; further, as much as 4 percent of the population reported ever having a heart attack. Throughout February, the Health Department will be emphasizing five themes via social media:   This article is courtesy of the Kane County Health Department.

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Lauzen Announces Mortgage Relief Program

County Board chair candidate creates a Kane County portal for the federal Home Affordability Refinance Program 2.0.

Today state Sen. Chris Lauzen, candidate for Kane County Board chairman, announced a Kane County portal for the federal Home Affordability Refinance Program 2.0 at the website LauzenKaneCountyMortgageRelief.com or the new Lauzen.com. Homeowners who have kept current on their mortgage payment, but who have seen their property values dramatically decrease thereby disqualifying them for refinancing at lower interest rates, are encouraged to log onto the “LauzenKaneCountyMortgageRelief.com” website. When they enter their address and press either the Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac buttons, they will see if their mortgage is guaranteed by one of the federal agencies that underwrites hundreds of billions of mortgage loans. The benefit of this program …

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Letter to the Editor: Fitzgerald Endorses Lauzen

Former U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald writes to endorse Chris Lauzen as the GOP nomination for Kane County Board chairman.

Dear Editor, Illinois state Sen. Chris Lauzen is running for Kane County Board chairman. His credentials as fiscal conservative, pro-life, pro-Constitution including Second Amendment rights, and pro-traditional family are impeccable. Sen. Lauzen has served the people of Kane County with distinction for 19 years. We first served together in 1993, as two of the “Fab Five” freshman state senators who came from various business backgrounds and demonstrated independent thinking. We successfully co-sponsored Truth-in-Pensions that took three years to pass both chambers of the legislature and Truth-in-Budgets that took five years to pass before Gov. Jim Edgar signed it into law. Sen. Lauzen has built a solid reputation, on both sides of the …

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Candidates Ready to Square Off at Jan. 23 LWV Kane Forum

Voters can meet the candidates running for countywide offices at a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters.

Republican and Democratic candidates in contested primary races for Kane County Board chairman, Kane County circuit clerk, Kane County auditor and Kane County coroner are invited to share their views with voters at a candidate forum at 7 p.m. Mon., Jan. 23 at the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles.  Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County, those candidates invited include: Kane County Board Chairman Kane County Circuit Clerk Kane County Coroner Kane County Auditor

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Charles Menchaca

10:17 pm on Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Scott, that's correct. The headline was changed to say Jan. 23. That was our fault, sorry about that. Thanks for letting us know. —Charles Menchaca, Editor, Batavia Patch   more ›

Kane's Health Improvement Plan Points to 6 Major Threats to Community Health

Assessment also shows that Kane has the second-youngest population in the Chicago metropolitan area, and the largest proportion of Latino or Hispanic residents of all Illinois counties.

A Kane County health needs assessment has targeted six major threats to the community's overall health. The assessment also reveals that the county has the second-youngest population in the collar counties and the highest proportion of the Hispanic population in the state. At the same time, the fastest growing age group in Kane County is 45-to-64-year-olds, the assessment said. "So, our plan calls on the health system serving Kane residents to focus health improvement efforts across the life span and make sure that services are offered in ways that effectively reach our diverse community," said Paul Kuehnert, executive director of the Kane County Health Department. The Kane County health assessment results pointed to six major threats to …

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On the Web: Kane County's Electric Vehicle Standards May Be First In State

Kane County may lead the way in electric vehicle standards in the state and Fermi's Tevatron isn't dead yet.

The Kane County Board will be voting on an ordinance in a few months that will set standards for electric vehicles, making it the first governmental body to do so in Illinois. According to a recent article in The Beacon News, a task force including several industry experts has been meeting to draft the content of the ordinance. Following a presentation expected at the January Committee of the Whole meeting, the ordinance will then go to the full board for approval. The county is planning to build charging stations, according to another good story by Chicago Tribune freelance correspondent Clifford Ward, but it is setting the standards so that private enterprise can jump in. That story has been picked up via Tribune syndication in a lot of …

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Kane County Negotiates Reduction in Costs for Employee Health Insurance

Study of benefits allows for changes that save taxpayers significant healthcare costs in 2012.

At a time when health insurance and benefit costs continue to rise across the county, Kane County has negotiated a reduction in the amount taxpayers will pay for health insurance to cover county employees.  “For years the county, like private employers and families, have seen health insurance costs  jump 8 to 10 percent every year,” said Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay. "Those increases are unsustainable in a recession, when budgets are stretched to the limit. We studied how our employees use health care and tailored coverage to meet their needs while reducing the premiums for  both the county and our workers."  The county Human Services Committee looked at employee healthcare utilization to negotiate coverage that would be more …

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Karen Phillips

4:20 pm on Sunday, November 13, 2011

Sandy, If I wanted to stay in government circles or was interested in self promotion, I don't think this would be the form of "self promotion" that I would take. Just like the journalistic field or any other, I am not implying that I am a fly on the wall. I am implying that I have been told to quit talking. In fact, you can find the chairman in a closed session (and will not release the minutes) …   more ›