This Day In History - December 13th

2000

Al Gore concedes presidential election

Vice President Al Gore reluctantly concedes defeat to Texas Governor George W. Bush in his bid for the presidency, following weeks of legal battles over the recounting of votes in Florida, on this day in 2000.


In a televised speech from his ceremonial office next to the White House, Gore said that while he was deeply disappointed and sharply disagreed with the Supreme Court verdict that ended his campaign, ”partisan rancor must now be put aside.”


“I accept the finality of the outcome, which will be ratified next Monday in the Electoral College” he said. “And tonight, for the sake of our unity as a people and the strength of our democracy, I offer my concession.”


Gore had won the national popular vote by more than 500,000 votes, but narrowly lost Florida, giving the Electoral College to Bush 271 to 266.


Gore said he had telephoned Bush to offer his congratulations, honoring him, for the first time, with the title ”president-elect.”


”I promised that I wouldn’t call him back this time” Gore said, referring to the moment on election night when he had called Bush to tell him he was going to concede, then called back a half hour later to retract that concession.


Gore only hinted at what he might do in the future. ”I’ve seen America in this campaign and I like what I see. It’s worth fighting for—and that’s a fight I’ll never stop.”


Among the friends and family beside Gore were his wife, Tipper, and his running mate, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, and his wife, Hadassah.


A little more than an hour later, Bush addressed the nation for the first time as president-elect, declaring that the “nation must rise above a house divided.” Speaking from the podium of the Texas House of Representatives, Bush devoted his speech to themes of reconciliation following one of the closest and most disputed presidential elections in U.S. history. ”I was not elected to serve one party, but to serve one nation,” Bush said.


Bush and his running mate, Dick Cheney, took office on January 20, 2001. They were re-elected in 2004 over Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards.

This Day In History - December 11th

1941

Germany declares war on the United States

On this day, Adolf Hitler declares war on the United States, bringing America, which had been neutral, into the European conflict.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor surprised even Germany. Although Hitler had made an oral agreement with his Axis partner Japan that Germany would join a war against the United States, he was uncertain as to how the war would be engaged. Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor answered that question.

On December 8, Japanese Ambassador Oshima went to German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop to nail the Germans down on a formal declaration of war against America. Von Ribbentrop stalled for time; he knew that Germany was under no obligation to do this under the terms of the Tripartite Pact, which promised help if Japan was attacked, but not if Japan was the aggressor. Von Ribbentrop feared that the addition of another antagonist, the United States, would overwhelm the German war effort.

But Hitler thought otherwise. He was convinced that the United States would soon beat him to the punch and declare war on Germany. The U.S. Navy was already attacking German U-boats, and Hitler despised Roosevelt for his repeated verbal attacks against his Nazi ideology. He also believed that Japan was much stronger than it was, that once it had defeated the United States, it would turn and help Germany defeat Russia. So at 3:30 p.m. (Berlin time) on December 11, the German charge d’affaires in Washington handed American Secretary of State Cordell Hull a copy of the declaration of war.

That very same day, Hitler addressed the Reichstag to defend the declaration. The failure of the New Deal, argued Hitler, was the real cause of the war, as President Roosevelt, supported by plutocrats and Jews, attempted to cover up for the collapse of his economic agenda. “First he incites war, then falsifies the causes, then odiously wraps himself in a cloak of Christian hypocrisy and slowly but surely leads mankind to war,” declared Hitler-and the Reichstag leaped to their feet in thunderous applause.

Housing Commission Report - December 8, 2015

The demolition program is moving to remove the blight of vacant properties throughout the village. To date 7 properties have been removed and number 8 is presently in the process and next week #9 will be completed. We are in the legal process scheduling the next 10 properties.

The drawdown for expenditures is and will be February 6, 2016 and the review and payment take between 60-90 days for reimbursement. The drawdown will cover the following expenditures; Asbestos Inspections, Asbestos Abatements, and Dumpsters of which to date housing spent $2,785.00 on Asbestos Inspections and Abatement, village $3,825.00 on Abatement.

The cost of the dumpsters has not been totaled to date (working on that). Due to the large amount of debris inside the structures and illegal dumping in the back yards the number of dumpsters has increased significantly from standard number required of 3-5 to anywhere from 6-12 bringing the cost of dumpsters for the first 9 properties to around $20,00.00 to $24,000.00.

The total cost excluding lawyer fees comes to $2,500.00 to $3,000.00 per property which if the village had to pay for the total demolition would be $25,000.00 to $30,000.00 per property. As stated these are expenditures that will be reimbursed with submission for expenditures quarterly.

As the sheriff’s department wants only 10 properties per phase and it is projected that we would demo around 50 properties within 2016 this is a cost that the Mayor and Board need to consider due to the requirement that we have to pay in advance and then be reimbursed.

There are other issues that need to be considered as to expenditures on these properties. First off the state removed future funding for our grass cutting program and all of these vacant properties will be require to be maintained throughout the summer months. PW does not have the manpower and we can work with the sheriff’s SWAP program on a limited bases.

The issue of vacant properties has been a long standing problem going back as many as 20 years without any action being taken when there was money available so do to the lack of past administration’s looking to the future it has become the blight that it is today. It comes down to what we do now to prevent further blight and move the village forward.

Keep in mind that the housing commission is made up of volunteers and we can only help by doing our part in keeping expenditures to a minimum by doing task the village hasn’t the money or manpower to do.

 In closing I request that the mayor and board in what direction and actions they wish us to proceed as we are only an advisory group the discussion is yours as to how we proceed.

Public Hearings into the Closure of St James Hospital

This Day In History - December 10th

1869

Wyoming grants women the vote

Motivated more by interest in free publicity than a commitment to gender equality, Wyoming territorial legislators pass a bill that is signed into law granting women the right to vote.

Western states led the nation in approving women’s suffrage, but some of them had rather unsavory motives. Though some men recognized the important role women played in frontier settlement, others voted for women’s suffrage only to bolster the strength of conservative voting blocks. In Wyoming, some men were also motivated by sheer loneliness–in 1869, the territory had over 6,000 adult males and only 1,000 females, and area men hoped women would be more likely to settle in the rugged and isolated country if they were granted the right to vote.

Some of the suffrage movement’s leaders did have more respectable reasons for supporting women’s right to vote. William Bright, a territorial legislator who was in his mid-forties, had a persuasive young wife who convinced him that denying women the vote was a gross injustice. The other major backer, Edward M. Lee, the territorial secretary who had championed the cause for years, argued that it was unfair for his mother to be denied a privilege granted to African-American males.

Ultimately, though, appeals to justice and equality did not pass the legislation–most Wyoming legislators supported Bright and Lee’s bill because they thought it would win the territory free national publicity and might attract more single marriageable women to the region.

Territorial Governor John A. Campbell appreciated the publicity power of the policy and signed the bill into law, making Wyoming the first territory or state in the history of the nation to grant women this fundamental right of citizenship.

1901

First Nobel Prizes awarded

The first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. The ceremony came on the fifth anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and other high explosives. In his will, Nobel directed that the bulk of his vast fortune be placed in a fund in which the interest would be “annually distributed in the form of prizes to those who, during the preceding year, shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind.” Although Nobel offered no public reason for his creation of the prizes, it is widely believed that he did so out of moral regret over the increasingly lethal uses of his inventions in war.

Alfred Bernhard Nobel was born in Stockholm in 1833, and four years later his family moved to Russia. His father ran a successful St. Petersburg factory that built explosive mines and other military equipment. Educated in Russia, Paris, and the United States, Alfred Nobel proved a brilliant chemist. When his father’s business faltered after the end of the Crimean War, Nobel returned to Sweden and set up a laboratory to experiment with explosives. In 1863, he invented a way to control the detonation of nitroglycerin, a highly volatile liquid that had been recently discovered but was previously regarded as too dangerous for use. Two years later, Nobel invented the blasting cap, an improved detonator that inaugurated the modern use of high explosives. Previously, the most dependable explosive was black powder, a form of gunpowder.

Nitroglycerin remained dangerous, however, and in 1864 Nobel’s nitroglycerin factory blew up, killing his younger brother and several other people. Searching for a safer explosive, Nobel discovered in 1867 that the combination of nitroglycerin and a porous substance called kieselguhr produced a highly explosive mixture that was much safer to handle and use. Nobel christened his invention “dynamite,” for the Greek word dynamis, meaning “power.” Securing patents on dynamite, Nobel acquired a fortune as humanity put his invention to use in construction and warfare.

In 1875, Nobel created a more powerful form of dynamite, blasting gelatin, and in 1887 introduced ballistite, a smokeless nitroglycerin powder. Around that time, one of Nobel’s brothers died in France, and French newspapers printed obituaries in which they mistook him for Alfred. One headline read, “The merchant of death is dead.” Alfred Nobel in fact had pacifist tendencies and in his later years apparently developed strong misgivings about the impact of his inventions on the world. After he died in San Remo, Italy, on December 10, 1896, the majority of his estate went toward the creation of prizes to be given annually in the fields of physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. The portion of his will establishing the Nobel Peace Prize read, “[one award shall be given] to the person who has done the most or best work for fraternity among nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.” Exactly five years after his death, the first Nobel awards were presented.

Today, the Nobel Prizes are regarded as the most prestigious awards in the world in their various fields. Notable winners have included Marie Curie, Theodore Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw, Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Martin Luther King, Jr., the Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Nelson Mandela. Multiple leaders and organizations sometimes receive the Nobel Peace Prize, and multiple researchers often share the scientific awards for their joint discoveries. In 1968, a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Science was established by the Swedish national bank, Sveriges Riksbank, and first awarded in 1969.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences decides the prizes in physics, chemistry, and economic science; the Swedish Royal Caroline Medico-Surgical Institute determines the physiology or medicine award; the Swedish Academy chooses literature; and a committee elected by the Norwegian parliament awards the peace prize. The Nobel Prizes are still presented annually on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death. In 2006, each Nobel Prize carried a cash prize of nearly $1,400,000 and recipients also received a gold medal, as is the tradition.

Beautification Committee Report - December 8, 2015

There will be no meeting in the month of December. 

On behalf of the Beautification Committee we would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe New Year. 

This Day In History - December 9th

1854

“The Charge of the Light Brigade” by Alfred Lord Tennyson is published

On this day, The Examiner prints Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” which commemorates the courage of 600 British soldiers charging a heavily defended position during the Battle of Balaklava, in the Crimea, just six weeks earlier. Tennyson had been named poet laureate in 1850 by Queen Victoria.

Tennyson was born into a chaotic and disrupted home. His father, the eldest son of a wealthy landowner, was disinherited in favor of his younger brother. Forced to enter the church to support himself, the Reverend Dr. George Tennyson became a bitter alcoholic. However, he educated his sons in the classics, and Alfred Tennyson, the fourth of 12 children, went to Trinity College at Cambridge in 1827. The same year, he and his brother Charles published Poems by Two Brothers. At Cambridge, Tennyson befriended a circle of intellectual undergraduates who strongly encouraged his poetry. Chief among them was Arthur Hallam, who became Tennyson’s closest friend and who later proposed to Tennyson’s sister.

In 1830, Tennyson published Poems, Chiefly Lyrical. The following year, his father died, and he was forced to leave Cambridge for financial reasons. Besieged by critical attacks and struggling with poverty, Tennyson nevertheless remained dedicated to his work and published several more volumes.
The sudden death of Tennyson’s dear friend Arthur Hallam in 1833 inspired several important works throughout Tennyson’s later life, including the masterful In Memoriam of 1842. Later that year, he published a volume called Poems, containing some of his best works. The book boosted Tennyson’s reputation, and in 1850 Queen Victoria named him poet laureate. At long last, Tennyson achieved financial stability and finally married his fiancée, Emily Sellwood, whom he had loved since 1836.

Tennyson’s massive frame and booming voice, together with his taste for solitude, made him an imposing character. He craved solitude and bought an isolated home where he could write in peace. In 1859, he published the first four books of his epic Idylls of the King. Eight more volumes would follow. He continued writing and publishing poems until his death in 1892.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

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1. Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade! "Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 2. "Forward, the Light Brigade!" Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew Someone had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 3. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred. 4. Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air, Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reel'd from the sabre stroke Shatter'd and sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. 5. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. 6. When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honor the charge they made, Honor the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred.

Sauk Village Police Department Report - December 8, 2015

Board Meeting Report 12/08/2015

 -Police Service Case Summary:  During the period of 11/10/2015 thru 12/08/2015 the Sauk Village Police Department had a total of 28 arrests.  Of the arrests reported 10 were felony arrests and 18 were misdemeanor arrests.

-Cases of Note:  On 11/18/15 a subject was arrested for predatory criminal sexual assault of a minor.  This matter was brought to the attention of our investigator through an outcry

On 11/19/25 the police received a call of an accident on Mark Collins Drive where a vehicle ran into the high tension electrical tower.  When the Officers arrived they found the driver to be in an alleged intoxicated state.  ComEd was called due to the severity of damage to the tower. The driver was initially taken to St James Hospital for treatment then transferred to Stroger Hospital due to the severity of injuries. The subject was charged with aggravated driving under the influence (DUI) due to their extensive driving arrest record and an outstanding warrant from the State of Indiana.

On 11/28/2015 there was a shooting on the 22100 block of Merrill St. The victim was shot in the chest and elbow and transported to St. Margaret.  The victim was stabilized and then airlifted to Christ hospital.  The offender was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery with a firearm. 

On 12/3/15 the police department successfully executed a search warrant pursuant to an ongoing drug investigation at a residence on the 22100 block of Brookwood drive without incident.  The search produced positive evidence and an arrest of the subject in this investigation. 

On 12/4/15 a subject was charged with felony identity theft after it was discovered the individual created a fake police report and provided the information to Experian credit bureau for personal financial gains.

-CalCom Report: For a period between 11/10/2015 and 12/08/2015 the police department received 951 calls for service.

-Narcan/Naloxone Deployment: After attending a "Train the Trainer" Narcan/Nalocxone Application in-service through the DuPage Narcan Program (DNP) sponsored by the DuPage County Health Department the Sauk Village Police Department will begin carrying Narcan to administer to victims of an opiate drug overdose. Each officer will be trained on the proper use of administering Narcan afterwards they will be provided the policy and 2 doses of Narcan to be administered at their discretion upon receiving as call of a victim of an opiate induced overdose.   

-LEADS Audit: On October 14th the Illinois State Police, Program Administration Bureau conducted an audit on our Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS).  The results if the audit were recently received and disclosed that of the 30 rules, regulations and procedures they rated in the report 27 of them applied to the Sauk Village Police Department.  The police department was found to be in non- compliant with 15 of the points and compliant in the other 12.  We have addressed all the deficient points and will respond to the Illinois State Police on the resolution.

-Housing Commission:  The Police Department remains committed to continue working with the Sauk Village Housing Commission. 

-New Hire Update: The Police Department received a call from the Police and Fire Commission department inform us that the candidate we selected to fill the COPS Grant withdrew from hiring consideration. We are moving forward with selecting another person from the eligibility list.

Also at this time I would like to announce Officer Jacob Howard resigned from the Sauk Village Police Department effective 12/6/15.  I am requesting the Village Boards approval at moving toward filling this vacancy also.

Sauk Village Annual Carols, Cocoa & More

Join us for a night of fun as we bring a community together
to celebrate the Holidays

Food Baskets will be distributed to the first 50 Sauk Village
families that provide proof of residency

Where: Sauk Village Municipal Center
21801 S Torrence Ave.
Sauk Village, Illinois

When: Thursday, December 17, 2015
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

Presented by: Sauk Village Public Relations Committee, Sauk Village Community Outreach Partnership Committee and Village Clerk Debbie Williams

Sponsored by: Various Community Partners 

This Day In History - December 8th

1941

Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Japan

On this day in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt asks Congress to declare war on Japan in perhaps the most memorable speech of his career. The speech, in which he called Japan’s act a “deliberate deception,” received thunderous applause from Congress and, soon after, the United States officially entered the Second World War.

The day before, Japanese pilots had bombed the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, decimating the majority of U.S. warships in the Pacific Fleet along with most of the Air Corps and Navy aircraft stationed on the island of Oahu. The bombing raids killed 2,403 people, including 68 civilians, and wounded almost 1,200.

Although Roosevelt and his advisors had received intelligence reports indicating an imminent attack by Japan days before, he had hoped that Japanese and American diplomats, then negotiating in Washington, would come to a peaceful solution. He was incensed to realize that while American and Japanese diplomats engaged in negotiations (over Japan’s recent military actions in China and elsewhere in the Pacific), Japanese aircraft carriers had been steaming toward Hawaii intent on attack. His words on December 8 relayed his personal indignation and fury.

Roosevelt had already proven his oratorical skills during the Great Depression when his “fireside chats” rallied the nation’s morale. The same president who once said “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself” declared with equal conviction that the nation “would never forget the character of [Japan's] onslaught against us” and vowed that the “unbounding determination of our people… will gain the inevitable triumph—so help us God.”

The stirring speech was hardly necessary—Congress and millions of Americans, who had been hearing details of the attack in the news, shared the president’s outrage and commitment to defending the nation. Young men flocked to armed forces recruiting stations the next day and both houses of Congress quickly voted to declare war on Japan, with only one dissenting vote.