Naperville park police set up Toys for Tots collection sites
The Naperville Park District’s Park Police have set up six collection sites where new and unwrapped toys can be dropped off through Dec. 14 for the annual Toys for Tots program.
Sites are located at the Naperville Park District Administration Building, 320 W. Jackson Ave.; Central Maintenance Facility, 427 Martin Ave., Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave.; Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive; Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 320 Knoch Knolls Road; and Springbrook Golf Course Golf Shop, 2220 W. 83rd St.
Collection boxes are available inside building lobbies or vestibules during operating hours.
The toys will be donated to the 2024 DuPage County Toys for Tots program hosted by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Stuffed animals or toy weapons are not accepted.
Last year, the park district police effort collected 1,769 toys and was recognized as the largest donor in DuPage County.
A memorial service will be held Sunday for Naperville Sun columnist Hilary Decent, who died Oct. 15 after a short battle with cancer. (Abi Jane Davis)
Memorial service Sunday for columnist Hilary Decent
A memorial service for longtime Naperville Sun columnist Hilary Decent will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27, at the Congregation Beth Shalom, 772 W. 5th Ave., her family said.
A funeral service was held Tuesday in England, where she was born and lived prior moving to Naperville in 2007.
Decent, 67, died Oct. 15 after a short battle with cancer of the brain and spine.
In addition to writing for the Naperville Sun and Naperville magazine, she had been a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Naperville, active with the Congregation Beth Shalom, an advisory board member for the Illinois Conservatory for the Arts and previously did a show for NCTV17, Naperville’s local nonprofit TV station.
Decent is survived by her husband Ross, son Robin and daughter Abi Jane Davis.
Donations can be made to the Illinois Conservatory for the Arts in Decent’s honor, her family said.
Winter coat donations being taken for Cradles to Crayons
Naperville Bank of America at 1301 E. Ogden Ave. is accepting new or like-new winter coats and other winter essentials as part of Cradles to Crayons Chicago’s mission to provide 50,000 coats to children in need this winter.
The bank’s donation unit will be set up in its parking lot for donations through February. No large toys or furniture should be dropped off.
Cradles to Crayons Chicago has paired up with several businesses and organizations throughout the Chicago area as part of its “Gear Up for Winter” initiative. The nonprofit is seeking coats in all sizes as well as other winter items, such as hats, gloves, boots and warm clothing.
It will distribute the donations through its network of more than 70 partners, including schools, community organizations and city agencies, a news release said. Items will help children across the Chicago area who are low income, homeless or in crisis situations, organizers said.
The cost of children’s clothing has increased by nearly 12% since January 2020, which puts added strain on already-struggling families, the release said. Chicago has seen a 14% increase in the number of people staying in homeless shelters.
Items also can be purchased for the effort through the Cradles to Crayon’s wish list on Amazon. Monetary donations are accepted online at www.cradlestocrayons.org/chicago
.
A lawyer for ex-House Speaker Michael Madigan’s longtime confidant told a federal jury Tuesday that the allegations of bribery and corruption against the pair attempt to criminalize legal lobbying and relationship building at the center of the state’s politics.
“The evidence will show Mike McClain was a lobbyist, and like all lobbyists, (he) understood if you want to get access to a politician you need to develop a relationship of trust,” defense attorney John Mitchell told the jury in his opening statement.
Mitchell likened lobbying to sales, saying it’s all about the “hope” of getting a meeting, having that relationship. Bribery, he said, is an exchange, an envelope of cash for a vote.
“A good lobbyist builds good positive relationships with elected officials,” Mitchell said. “If you don’t have access to a politician, you have no hope of convincing them.”
He said McClain did “perfectly 100% legal favors for Mike Madigan” for the purpose of “building trust and maintaining and increasing access to Mike Madigan.”
The government’s view of the evidence “is just wrong,” Mitchell told jurors.
“They were so focused on Mike Madigan that they missed it,” he said. “He did not act with an attempt to bribe Mike Madigan or help him obtain bribes…He is 100% innocent.”
Madigan, 82, who served for decades as speaker of the Illinois House and the head of the state Democratic Party, faces racketeering charges alleging he ran his state and political operations like a criminal enterprise, scheming with utility giants ComEd and AT&T to put his cronies on contracts requiring little or no work and using his public position to drum up business for his private law firm.
Both Madigan and McClain, 77, a former ComEd lobbyist, have pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing.
Prosecutors, not surprisingly, have painted a much different picture, telling the jury in their opening statement Monday that Madigan ruthlessly used his perch at the very top of state politics to betray the public trust, increase his power, enrich his friends and line his own pockets.
“Madigan abused his power and used the organization he led to engage in a pattern of corrupt conduct over and over and over again,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Streicker told jurors.
Alongside Madigan, Streicker said, was McClain, his longtime friend and political ally, who “shielded Madigan, disguising Madigan’s involvement in corrupt activity.”
“Together the defendants engaged in a campaign of bribery,” she said. “A campaign of bribery through which they seized opportunities to leverage Madigan’s immense power in Illinois government to seek and accept bribes from people who needed something from the government. … This racket went on for years.”
At the core of the prosecution evidence are hundreds of wiretapped recordings of McClain’s phone as well as undercover videos made by secret cooperators, such as former ComEd executive Fidel Marquez and then-Ald. Daniel Solis.
Mitchell told the jury that despite all the secret recordings, there is no evidence that ComEd ever agreed to give Madigan anything in exchange for his help passing any legislation — which would cross the line from legal favors to bribery.
“You would think if there was an exchange there would be something on there, something hinting of an exchange,” Mitchell said.
Madigan’s attorneys, meanwhile, described the Democratic stalwart as a soft-spoken, nonconfrontational Southwest Side guy trying to advance his party’s blue-collar agenda.
Decrying the government’s cooperating witnesses as liars with an “axe to grind” who were operating without the speaker’s knowledge or authorization, attorney Tom Breen urged jurors to focus on what Madigan’s intentions were, “not what somebody else says” on some 200 wiretapped audio and video recordings that will dominate the 11-week trial.
What they’ll find, Breen said, is a man trying to provide jobs and opportunities for his constituents following in the footsteps of his father, a 13th Ward superintendent.
“What you will see is that his intention, like his daddy taught him, was to protect the Democratic agenda. The working stiff,” Breen said. He said that while others may have been scheming behind Madigan’s back, “He doesn’t act that way.”
“He has never made a demand on anybody,” Breen said, at one point slapping the lectern for effect. “If someone says he did, that’s bull. That’s just bull.”
The jury of eight women and four men is expected to start hearing evidence after Mitchell’s opening statement.
Among the government’s first witnesses are former state legislators Carol Sente and Scott Drury, who are expected to give the jury an overview of how the General Assembly in Springfield works and why Madigan wielded so much power and influence over legislation.
Also on the witness list for Tuesday is former state Rep. Lou Lang, a then-Madigan ally who was forced to step down in 2018 by Madigan, allegedly with McClain’s help, after word had begun circulating that a woman was threatening to go public with an allegation of sexual harassment.
Hosting guests means you’ll be serving them all sorts of food, from crudités to cake bites — but you might be wondering how to plate them. A serving tray is your best option.
When it comes to serving trays for entertaining, it’s all about presentation. Some people prefer simple, organized arrangements, while others are more creative. Take charcuterie boards, for example. Some of them have surpassed the line of being Instagram-worthy — and entered the territory of going viral.
To help you find the right serving tray for entertaining, we’re sharing an overview of everything you need to know about them.
What do I need to know about serving trays for entertaining?
What is a serving tray?
A serving tray is any type of tray that is used to present food or drinks.
Some are plain and flat, whereas others may have divided sections, different tiers, modular designs or mini bowls for dips. A subset of serving trays are charcuterie boards
, many of which have drawers or hidden compartments that house cheese knives.
What goes on a serving tray?
Serving trays can hold almost any type of finger food, such as cheese, cold cuts, hors d’oeuvres, crudités, fresh fruit and dessert. They’re also useful for serving cooked appetizers, like sliders, mini meatballs and kebabs.
Provided the foods aren’t too messy, there isn’t much you can’t put on a serving tray. It’s unlikely you’ll be serving salad or gooey pasta dishes from a flat serving tray.
How big should a serving tray be?
Serving trays are designed to be practical, giving you plenty of space to arrange or spread food. With that said, how much space you need depends on the size of the foods and how you intend to arrange them.
Ideally, a serving tray shouldn’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of food stacked on it. Each piece of food should be easy to pluck from the tray without disturbing others too much. However, some platters benefit from elegant overlaps, such as cheese slices that lean on crackers.
In short, there’s no hard and fast rule on serving tray sizes. Many consumers invest in a variety of sizes. At the very least, it’s helpful to invest in a classic rectangular tray and a few smaller serving trays.
What materials are used for serving trays?
Serving trays are made with a wealth of materials, including glass, metal, plastic, ceramic, porcelain, acrylic, melamine, wood and bamboo. Some people use their Himalayan salt blocks
as serving trays.
How much are serving trays for entertaining?
Cheap serving trays, usually made of plastic, cost $20 or less. Mid-range serving trays, priced between $25 and $60, include better-quality designs. The most expensive options, made with premium materials like ceramic or porcelain, cost $75 or more.
If you’re looking for an eco-friendly option for disposable trays, this 10-piece set is 100% biodegradable. The trays are microwaveable and oven-safe to 340 degrees.
The bold color of this oblong, art deco-inspired design is ideal if you’re looking for statement serveware. Made from vitrified ceramic, it’s safe to place in the dishwasher, microwave and oven.
Best serving trays for entertaining in the $25-$60 price range
This outdoor-friendly serving tray by Lenox is popular for casual al fresco dining. The soft, pastel colors of the design let the food remain the focal point of the presentation.
Look no further for an upscale dip tray. The practical design, which is oven-safe to 400 degrees, features a bamboo tray with three cups containing dip, olives or garnishes.
It’s hard to beat the chic aesthetic of this tiered crystal rack, which draws inspiration from midcentury serveware. Each plate is 12 inches in diameter.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin is hosting the annual summit of BRICS, a high-prestige stage that offers him an opportunity to showcase his defiance of U.S.-led efforts to isolate his regime and punish the Kremlin for its decision to invade Ukraine more than two years ago.
Jessica Baynes was not in a place she wanted to be in early 2019 — the Decatur Correctional Center for Women — but it turned out to be the right place and the right time for her after all.
Charged with aggravated battery and the discharge of a firearm in 2013 because the actual perpetrator fled to her home after committing the crime, Baynes said she was equally guilty under the law.
“I fell in love with the wrong man,” she said. “He was at my house. He was convicted of the actual crime.”
Sentenced to 10 years in prison, Baynes was first assigned to the Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, where she spent 23 hours a day in her cell with an hour out to take care of personal needs like showering.
Reassigned to Decatur after several years, she was performing in a prison-produced production of William Shakespeare’s “Three Gentlemen of Verona.” Two of the people in the audience were the newly inaugurated Gov. JB Pritzker and his wife, MK.
After the performance, Baynes said she was told the Pritzkers wanted to meet with some of the cast members. She was one of them. During the meeting, she and the other inmates learned about the executive clemency program.
“He said we were amazing,” Baynes said. “He wanted to know why we were there. He wanted to know about the Truth-in-Sentencing law in Illinois. Only Illinois and Texas have laws like that.”
On Pritzker’s suggestion, Baynes said she filed a petition for clemency. She was summoned before prison officials on April 13, 2020, and told she was a free woman entitled to immediate release. She is now a grant writer for a private school in Waukegan.
Baynes was one of several people who told their stories of making unwise choices, receiving a second chance and making the most of it at Waukegan Township’s 21st-annual Coalition to Reduce Recidivism lunch Friday in Waukegan.
Waukegan Township Supervisor Marc Jones said as he opened the event, helping people make good on second chances they are given requires a community effort with counseling, workforce training, legal advice to get criminal records expunged, a strong personal network and more.
“A conviction should not be a life sentence,” he said. “A community like ours needs to give them the tools to become a proud member of society. This is a message of the need for collaboration.”
Shortly after Baynes returned to Waukegan and her children, the community collaboration began. In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in May 2020, she met with Yvette Ewing, the co-founder of Community Works in Waukegan. A temporary job quickly turned into permanent full-time work.
“I’ve known her since she was a little girl,” Ewing said. “She wanted to be a mentor. We gave her a job working with kids here and she killed it. I worked with Workforce Development (of Lake County) and we got funding for a permanent full-time job for her.”
After two years in her initial position, Baynes said she went to work for Lions Math &
Science Christian Academy in Waukegan. She said she has helped the school receive more than $1.5 million in funding.
Along with listening to stories about people like Baynes, seven awards and an individual public recognition were announced for educators, employers, faith-based organizations, social service groups and more.
Among the award winners were Latasha Kennedy, the house manager at Staben House in Waukegan, as the Female Repatriate of the Year; and Eugene “Ace” Banks, who is both a machine operator for a company in North Chicago and a small business owner, was named Male Repatriate of the Year. Both rebuilt their lives after serving time in prison.
Lake County Court Judge Christy Bishop was honored as Justinian of the Year, the College of Lake County as the Employer of the Year, Waukegan Baptist Bible Church as the Faith-Based Organization of the Year, the Community Works as the Service Organization of the Year, and the Volunteers of the Year were Dr. Lori Moss and Gary Ottmans.
