American Legion posts to hold Memorial Day services on Monday

By Bob Bong
Desplaines Valley News

Argo-Summit American Legion Post 735 will conduct a Memorial Day service at 9 a.m. Monday at the Justice Veterans Memorial at Commissioners Park at 7701 Oak Grove Ave.

Post and Auxiliary members will then head to Summit Park at 5700 S. Archer Road for a service at 10 a.m. near the Summit Police Station at 5810 S. Archer Road.

There will also be a service at 11 a.m. at the post, 6050 S. Harlem Ave. Doughnuts and coffee will be served afterward.

Post 735 and Auxiliary members also will be distributing poppies in the Argo-Summit area from today through Sunday.

"The idea of the poppy as a memorial flower to those who died in WWI arose as naturally as did the little wild red flowers that grew in the fields of France and Flanders, one bit of beauty that survived the awful destruction of war. The poppy came to be seen by soldiers as the living symbol of the sacrifices made by those soldiers who had died in the war," explained Auxiliary member Judith G. Pollick.

"Donations will be used for veterans hospitalized or in nursing homes," Pollick said.

For more information, call the post at 708-458-0735.

Robert E. Coulter Jr. American Legion Post 1941 in LaGrange will conduct services on Monday in Indian Head Park, Countryside, Hodgkins, LaGrange and LaGrange Park.

The day begins with a memorial ceremony at Lyons Township High School North Campus at 8:30 a.m. There will be a ceremonial bell ringing honoring area residents who gave their lives in service to our country from the Civil War to the present time.  Following this service, there will brief memorial services at the following locations (times approximate): Parkholm Cemetery at 9:15 a.m. Lyonsville Cemetery at 10 a.m. St. John's Cemetery at 10:45 a.m. Hodgkins Veterans Memorial at Lyons Street and Wenz Avenue at 11 a.m. Countryside Memorial Park at 55th Street and Plainfield Road at 11:45 a.m.

The final ceremony will be at the American Legion Post Home located at 900 S. LaGrange Road at approximately noon. There will be a guest speaker from the Illinois Army National Guard. Coulter Post members will be remembered at that time.  Refreshments will be served immediately following this service. All ceremonies are open to the public.  For more information, call 708-354-3300.

Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty and other village officials will join Emil Sheive American Legion Post 699 at the annual Memorial Day ceremony at 11 a.m. in front of the Eternal Flame Memorial Site, 7826 Ogden Ave. in Lyons.

"Once a year, we pause to remember those who have given their lives in conflict and those who have served to defend this great country. I'm proud to be able to participate in that commemoration of the service and the sacrifices of our veterans this Memorial Day," Getty said.

"While it is just one day, and one weekend, it's one of the most important commemoration we can make. I hope the public will join us this holiday weekend to remember the great sacrifices and the courage that so many in our country have shown to defend this nation."

The Memorial Day commemoration ceremony is a valued tradition in Lyons, Getty added.

"Everyone is welcome to attend," he said.

Bridgeview brothers plead guilty to stealing converters in Orland

Phillip Orbeck

By Desplaines Valley News

Two brothers from Bridgeview have begun serving their three-year sentences after pleading guilty earlier this month to stealing catalytic converters from two vehicles in Orland Park.

Nicolas Orbeck, 31, and his brother Philip Orbeck, 28, both of Bridgeview, were charged with two counts of felony theft after police arrested them on March 25 after receiving  a call of suspicious men at McCarthy Farms, 10301 W. 159th St., while it was closed.

Nicolas Orbeck

Police said the men had removed a catalytic converter from a vehicle at McCarthy Farms and another from a bus at the Orland Park SportsPlex, 11351 W. 159th St. 

Catalytic converters are prized by thieves because of the precious metals they contain, including platinum, palladium or rhodium. They are fairly easy to remove from a vehicle and the converter can fetch from $100 to $150 at a scrap yard.

The brothers pleaded guilty on May 9 at the Bridgeview courthouse and were taken into custody.

The next day they were transferred to the Northern Reception Center in Joliet for processing. They will likely be sent to a minimum security prison to serve their sentences.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, they will be eligible for parole next year.

Desplaines Valley water restrictions kick in as summer approaches

By Bob Bong 
Desplaines Valley News

With all the rain we've had so far this year, you might be wondering why towns are starting to impose restrictions on outdoor water use.

Turns out, it's not all about being environmentally responsible. 

There's a state rule that towns that get Lake Michigan water are required to have some sort of water conservation plan and restricting outdoor water usage during the summer is the preferred method.

"Rules included in the Lake Michigan Water Allocation Program require communities to have some kind of water conservation plan in place," said Jim Casey, an engineer with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Water Resources.

"We keep the requirement language purposely vague to encourage towns to comply," he said.

For most of the towns in the Desplaines Valley that means a ban on sprinkling except during set hours from mid-May to mid-September.

"If we learn of a town that doesn't have a conservation plan, then obviously we would ask them to create one," Casey said.

"We have restrictions but we have not been as diligent in enforcing them as we should," said Bedford Park Mayor Dave Brady.

"And, obviously, we can impose even tougher restrictions if we need to, such as during a drought," he said.

A brief survey of area communities showed that all but  Justice and Willow Springs have village-imposed water usage restrictions.

"Our water is controlled by the Justice-Willow Springs Water Commission," said Justice Village Clerk Kathy Svoboda. "They would be responsible for any conservation plan."

Officials with that agency did not return messages.

Restrictions in other communities include:

• Summit: No watering, sprinkling, washing cars etc. from noon to 6 p.m. from May 15 through Sept. 15.
• Bedford Park: No sprinkling or cleaning of streets, curbs and alleys between May 15 and Sept. 15 except from 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.
• Bridgeview: Watering hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and 8:30 p.m. to midnight from May 15 to Sept. 15. Even numbered addresses water on even numbered dates, odd numbered addresses water on odd numbered dates.Brookfield: From May 15 to Sept. 15, lawn watering, the filling of swimming pools and watering of new sod is not allowed from noon to 6 p.m. daily. There are no restrictions for gardens, shrubs or car washing.
• Countryside: No watering of lawns or gardens from noon to 6 p.m.  from May 15 to Sept. 15. Residents may water during other hours on an even/odd basis depending on the last number of the home's address.
• Hodgkins: Watering is restricted to evening hours from 5-9 p.m. daily from May 15-Sept.15.
• Indian Head Park: No outdoor water use from noon to 6 p.m. daily from May 15 to Sept. 15.
• Justice: No restrictions
• Lyons: Lawn sprinkling and watering is permitted from midnight to noon and from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday of each week from May 14 through Sept. 15, unless a total ban is ordered by the village president.
• McCook: Sprinkling is permitted only from 6 a.m. to noon and from  4-10 p.m. from May 15 to Sept.15.
• Willow Springs: No restriction.

Communities with restrictions will usually give first-time offenders a warning. 

In Lyons, offenders will be given local tickets with fines ranging from $25 for a first offense up to $750 fine for repeat offenders.

Bedford Park will issue a warning followed by a $50 ticket for a first offense to $500 for repeat offenders.