McDaniel-Hale: New state laws improve quality of life for residents
The New Year has started out with more than 250 new laws in Illinois, the vast majority of which will impact our daily living for the better. Some traffic fines...
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McDaniel-Hale: Consolidating and closing Catholic schools in Elgin a necessary evil
The Rockford Diocese plans to announce by the end of the year whether it will close or consolidate three of the four Catholic elementary schools in Elgin. The schools are...
McDaniel-Hale: As pot legalization looms, Elgin must protect citizens
Elgin is taking steps to regulate the sale of marijuana, which will be legal throughout the state as of Jan. 1, but is confronting a lot of unknowns about what...
McDaniel-Hale: Work delays are never fun, but upgrades Randall Road definitely worth the inconvenience
The estimated 46,000 vehicles that daily travel the Randall Road-Route 20 intersection have suffered long construction-related delays since spring, but the now-completed access ramp to Route 20 is worth the...
McDaniel-Hale: Elgin considers adding 911 operators, auxiliary police officers
The hiring of two new 911 operators and four auxiliary police officers is being proposed in Elgin to improve safety and efficiency. Additional 911 operators would help relieve the current...
McDaniel-Hale: Skaters out in the cold in Elgin while plaza under renovation
A $1.7 million renovation project at Civic Center Plaza in Elgin means there will be no ice rink this year. The city council gave preliminary approval last month to plans...
McDaniel-Hale: It’s the end of an era for Sears in West Dundee
The Sears store in West Dundee's Spring Hill Mall will be closing its doors by February, company officials said. That means the only remaining Sears stores in Illinois are in...
McDaniel-Hale: Parental involvement, not per-student spending, key to how well children do in school
Financial data in the new Illinois Report Card recently released reports that School District U46 spent an average of $12,000 per student during the 2018-19 school year. Per-pupil spending is...
McDaniel-Hale: Being fiscally responsible with the overhaul of Elgin’s Civic Center Plaza the right move
Elgin City Council members have given preliminary approval to a $1.7 million plan to upgrade the Civic Center Plaza, located between city hall and the Hemmens Cultural Center. The plaza...
McDaniel-Hale: U46’s Career Pathways program charts practical course for students
In the 2021-22 school year, students in District U46 will begin participating in a new academic program called Career Pathways in which they'll select from 16 different career clusters and...