“Decisions are made by those who show up.” Our right to vote is the most fundamental right we have as citizens. The right to elect those who will lead us and the right to remove those from office when they forget what they were sent to do should be viewed not only as a right but as a duty for good citizens. Elections are the cornerstone of our freedoms and liberties. In 2012 we will be electing people to serve us at every level of government – state representatives and senators,certain countywide officials, Members of Congress and the President of the United States. Each of these have the …

Dear Editor:            As long as I have been a police officer, I have never gotten used to the sorrow I feel when I am called to the scene of a crash where someone has died.  Making matters worse is all too often when I witness that those in the crash were not buckled up or alcohol was involved. This senseless loss of human life is a harsh reality here in the Village of Palos Park and across Illinois — year after year. The fact is that impaired-driving deaths have declined significantly since the 1980s.  Social activism, including the rise of organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk …

Submitted by Pete Pappas Palos AYSO held their Annual Soccer Tournament this past Saturday and Sunday, at the Palos West soccer fields. More than 2,000 parents and kids were in attendance. Palos AYSO would like to thank all of the players for all of their good sportsmanship, dedication,and commitment that they have all showed throughout the season. AYSO would also like to thank all of thevolunteers that have made this season such a great success. A special thanks goes out to the Palos Patch for their strong support with publicity of the games throughout theseason. AYSO, American Youth Soccer …

As President of Hickory Hills Youth Baseball I am still plagued by the fact that we continue to decrease in numbers. Mostly because of a phenomenon that has hit the entire country like a bad virus: Watered down travel programs. Nowadays it seems like every guy who thinks he is raising the next Ty Cobb starts his own travel program. Guess what? My rec team beat three of those so called travel teams this past year. All they are dong is taking your money. And according to one family that left HHYBS two years ago and are now coming back, LOT’S OF IT!  You can look in any chat room and on any …

The State of Illinois has difficult decisions to make with the tax dollars you pay. The General Assembly faces a substantial budget deficit of its own making. State legislators and the Governor have already increased the personal and corporate income tax rates to try and bring the state's debt under control. The income tax increase will not be enough to balance the state budget. And taking the rates up even higher is not politically possible. The General Assembly and the Governor will therefore be looking at other sources of revenue. This has already begun. As part of the income tax increase …

Palos Patch was never intended to be a one-way news organization. In order for the site to be the best it can be we need community participation. It is in that spirit that I encourage you to send in letters to the editor. This is your chance to voice your opinion on a particular issue to your neighbors. Letters must be focused on a Palos-area issue and adhere to a few basic ground rules: All submissions must be under 400 words. You must include your full name and a telephone number where you can be reached for verification purposes. The letters must retain a civil and honest tone. Send …

Dear Editor- The members of the Palos Park Police Department wish to express their thanks to the Palos Park Women’s Club and the Palos Park Police Foundation.At the February 28, 2011 Village of Palos Park Board meeting Foundation member Darryl Reed was presented with a $1,000 check, which was donated to the Palos Park Police Foundation from the Palos Park Women’s Club. While everyone’s appreciation was noted during the meeting, I would like to expand on the significance of both these organizations and what they do for our community.The Palos Park Women’s Club and the Palos Park Police …