The lieutenant gov sweepstakes: Yearning for a job no one should want

Dean Koldenhoven, a literal profile in courage from Palos Heights, wants to be the next Illinois lieutenant governor.

"Is this for real? I hope it is. I want the job. I want to do it," Koldenhoven told the Southtown's Guy Tridgell. "If I do get the job, you will know the process was honest."

He won't get the job.

Just the fact that Orland Hills Mayor Kyle Hastings was on the panel selecting finalists speaks to the absurdity of how we're going to get the Democratic nominee to the most useless office in the constellation of statewide offices.

A decent man by all accounts, Koldenhoven's claim to Southland fame is his mayoral veto of a smarmy city council effort to buy an old church building to prevent a mosque from moving into Palos Heights. The move cost him his seat in the next election.

So unlikely a finalist is he, in the Beachood Reporter's "lieutenant governor brackets," Koldenhoven plays the role of "who's he? vs. who's she?"

Which is why he should get the job.

Dennis Robaugh can be reached at dennis@southlandsavvy.com

Calumet City teen one of 40 youths at epilepsy rally on Capitol Hill

By Southland Savvy

Monica Manly, 16, of Calumet City, is in Washington, D.C., this week to meet with congressional leaders and gain their support for epilepsy public health programs and more research toward a cure for epilepsy.

Manly is one of 40 young people from across the country participating in Kids Speak Up!, a national program coordinated by the Epilepsy Foundation. The program, which runs today through Thursday, rallies young ambassadors with epilepsy between the ages of 8 and 17 to personally petition congressional leaders for aid in assuring better access to care, improved public education and more research toward a cure for epilepsy.

"Monica was selected to participate in Kids Speak Up! to represent the approximately 350,000 children who are living with epilepsy," said Eric Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. "She is an ideal candidate because of her efforts to spread awareness of epilepsy in her community. Her courage is an inspiration to us all."

New this year is the congressional briefing in which Greg Grunberg, star of NBC's "Heroes," who also serves as a Foundation spokesman in honor of his son Jake, who has epilepsy, will highlight the need for increased support of epilepsy research and the importance of public awareness and understanding of the condition. Joining Greg, will be Jason Snelling of the Atlanta Falcons -- who lives with epilepsy, and Geoffrey Pope of the Philadelphia Eagles -- whose grandmother has epilepsy.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in children and affects nearly 3 million people in the United States. According to the World Health Organization, more than 300,000 children under the age of 15 live with epilepsy in the United States.

Carr Gardens has new home in Blue Island

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Carr Gardens, a home and garden store in Blue Island, recently moved from its longtime home on Western Avenue to new digs at 2357 York St.

“We moved at the end of February after 12 years on Western,” says owner Candace Carr. “It’s a smaller store but in a much better location. There’s more foot traffic. We’re smack dab in the middle of everything.”

Carr says that while she and co-owner husband Steve Carr are evaluating their wares, they have already added clothing to their list of offerings.
“We have men’s Hawaiian shirts and spring scarves for women,” says Carr.

The Carrs live in Blue Island and Candace is a firm believer in the 3/50 Project, which asks residents of a community to spend $50 a month among three businesses in that community.

“It’s not a big commitment,” she says. “But if only a fraction of the community did it, the results would be fantastic for local businesses.”

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call 708-824-9171 or visit www.carrgardens.com

Under construction
A Firestone Complete Auto Care Center is going up next to the Shell gas station at 191st Street and LaGrange Road in Mokena.

Martial arts academy opens
Spire Complete Martial Arts Academy opened recently at 17104 South Park Ave. in South Holland. Owner is Dr. Michael D. Adams. The phone number is 708-357-0279.

Creamery springs back
All six Creamery locations – New Lenox, Homer Glen, Orland Hills, Frankfort, Mokena and Manteno – are now open again in a sure sign that spring is right around the corner. And the Southland eatery chain is once again offering 99-cent hot dogs on Weenie Wednesdays. For more information, visit www.mycreamery.com They also have a fan page on Facebook.

Papa’s Fresh Foods opens in Palos Heights
Papa’s Fresh Foods, a European-style restaurant and deli, has opened in the former White Hen Pantry at 12207 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights. The store offers meats, salads, sandwiches and breakfast. For more information, call 708-923-0109, or check out this video.