Advisory Board Appointment Controversy
More than a hundred people showed up at Tuesday night’s Naperville City Council meeting to show their concern about the controversy surrounding possible advisory board appointments by Mayor Steve Chirico. Former Naperville City Councilman Kevin Coyne and Naperville resident Shannon Adcock are seeking to serve on the Naperville Library Board and Special Events and Cultural Amenities Commission (SECA) respectively. About 20 people spoke during public forum. The majority opposed the appointments. Many mentioned Awake Illinois, a group Adcock founded, saying its mission is counter to that of Naperville’s mission statement, which speaks to inclusion and diversity. Supporters of the appointments, including Adcock and Coyne, expressed concerns about what they called a new type of politics in Naperville that discourages debate or differences of opinions. No decisions on appointments were made last night, as the item was not on the council agenda. Typically potential appointments are vetted before names are released publicly, which were not the case for Adcock and Coyne. Council will vote on any appointments at a future meeting.
Voting Equipment Demo
On Tuesday the public got a chance to test out the new DuPage County voting equipment that will be used in the primary election on June 28. The League of Women Voters of Naperville and the DuPage County Clerk’s office set up the special demo at Nichols Library. The new equipment was purchased to replace out-of-date models, and is a purely paper ballot based system: the only of its kind in Illinois. More demonstrations are scheduled this week at the Naperville Woman’s Club on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday at the Islamic Center of Naperville from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Information on more demos being held next week can be found on the League of Women Voters of Naperville website.
Turtle Crossing Season
Turtles are on the move, and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is alerting motorists to keep a watchful eye. Turtles become more active from April through October as they head out in search of a mate, food, and the perfect nesting spot, often crossing roads in the process. Though a turtle’s shell is hard, it’s no match for a car…and with 90% of adult turtles needed to survive each year to sustain a population, any loss is significant. The forest preserve district asks drivers to focus on the road, leave a good amount of room between cars so you can spot turtles, and be extra observant if you’re driving near a lake or pond. If you find an injured turtle, call the Willowbrook Wildlife Center for guidance at 630-942-6200.
Naperville Native Book Release
Naperville native Trisha Prabhu is adding author to her list of accolades, with the upcoming release of her new book ReThink the Internet: How to Make the Digital World a Lot Less Sucky. Prabhu developed the anti-cyberbullying technology “ReThink” as a teenager, which led to a Shark Tank offer, an Elevate Prize, and her becoming the youngest honoree ever named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Social Impact list, among other honors. The Harvard graduate will take part in a virtual event with founder of Girls Who Code Reshma Saujani through Anderson’s Bookshop to promote her new non-fiction kids book. It takes place May 31 at 7 p.m. Ticket information is available on the Anderson’s Bookshop website.
