Locally, there was lots of controversy over building highrise developments in Oak Park. There was also a good deal of conversation about two referenda that District 97 put on the ballot to ensure sufficient funds for operating and capital expenses, leading up to local elections on April 4. The Cook County Board of Commissioners also approved a tax on sugary beverages to shore up the budget, which caused a major outcry and eventually the Board repealed it.
There were several states that faced big problems approving a budget. Maine and New Jersey experienced state government shutdowns for a few days at the start of July. Washington avoided a shutdown with about 40 minutes to spare, after debate over how best to fund schools. Illinois finally broke past its long-lasting budget stalemate by approving a budget that raised state income taxes, overriding Governor Rauner's veto, a move that followed State Senator Christine Radogno's resignation, after remarking she did everything she could.
In September, Governor Rauner signed HB 40 into law, which provides taxpayer money to fund abortions in Illinois. There were efforts in Congress to rescind government funds for Planned Parenthood. Rallies were held throughout the United States in February, seizing the momentum with a Republican president now in office and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, as part of efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, although it didn't result in any changes. There was greater success in passing tax reform.
Offering commentary on many of these issues was Stuart Shepard at Family Policy Alliance of Focus on the Family, including through his Stoplight videos. The final Stoplight video was posted at the end of November.
The Chicago PBS station WYCC also signed off the airwaves, which I wasn't aware of until several weeks after it happened. (Fortunately, we still have WTTW-PBS in Chicago, which continues to air fine programming, like the Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary.) Valparaiso University's Law School enrollment dropped so low that the school was shuttered.
Among those departing from their current line of work was Ms. Gullo, long-time Kindergarten teacher at Irving School. I am glad that I was among those whose lives she impacted at a young age over the years, through all the delights that Kindergarten involves.
Deacon Lendell Richardson bid farewell to Ascension Parish to take on a new asssignment as deacon at St. Bernardine Parish in Forest Park.
Lisa Madigan decided not to seek another term in office, as did US Representative Luis Gutierrez, who cited the reason of wanting to focus on recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, which was hit hard by one of several destructive hurricanes that hit the United States.
In the midst of a very polarizing atmosphere, one event that united people was the August 21 total solar eclipse that crossed the United States from coast to coast. There was definitely a huge amount of hype, but certainly for good reason, because witnessing a total solar eclipse is pretty spectacular. People flocked to spots outside to view the eclipse, even in the Chicago area where only a partial eclipse could be viewed, and it was somewhat cloudy.
While I wasn't there that day, it was apparently a much busier day than usual at the Oak Park Public Library since it hosted a solar eclipse viewing event out in Scoville Park. The sorting and shelving team had an unusually large volume of materials being returned on the AMH. That machine was replaced in December, and it's a pretty swell machine that's now in place to handle the return and sorting of materials.
The Oak Park Public Library also took a significant step in making the library more accessible by instituting a fine-free policy. The library also hired a Multicultural Learning Librarian, Naomi Priddy, to oversee the recently-acquired Multicultural Collection, and expand opportunities for its use by a larger community of people in accessing its wealth of resources about cultures all over the world.
A new wealth of resources was opened to the public when the Bible Museum opened in Washington, D.C. Mississippi opened a Civil Rights Museum in celebration of its Bicentennial on December 10. Nebraska marked 150 years as a state back on March 1.
Dominican University marked 20 years since its name change from Rosary College, an anniversary that followed the name change of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science to the School of Infomation Studies, offering informatics studies in addition to the library information science studies.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops marked the centennial of its inception in the form of an organization focused on the war effort during World War I. It was 100 years ago that the US entered the conflict.
The world's attention will focus on the United States come 2028 when the Olympics come back to this country with Los Angeles as the host city, decided at an IOC meeting that made Paris the 2024 Summer Olympics host city. That gives us something to look ahead to, even as we wrap up 2017 and take on 2018.
And perhaps greater fruit will be born from the commemoration of 500 years since Martin Luther's 95 Theses, which brought opportunities for ecumenical dialogue and prayer, which we hope continue to bind the wound to Christ's body. Perhaps it will happen in the spirit that is exhibited by Taize prayer services, which marked an anniversary at Ascension Parish back in October, 25 years of gathering together as one body of people in Christ to praise our God, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
In September, Governor Rauner signed HB 40 into law, which provides taxpayer money to fund abortions in Illinois. There were efforts in Congress to rescind government funds for Planned Parenthood. Rallies were held throughout the United States in February, seizing the momentum with a Republican president now in office and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress, as part of efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, although it didn't result in any changes. There was greater success in passing tax reform.
Offering commentary on many of these issues was Stuart Shepard at Family Policy Alliance of Focus on the Family, including through his Stoplight videos. The final Stoplight video was posted at the end of November.
The Chicago PBS station WYCC also signed off the airwaves, which I wasn't aware of until several weeks after it happened. (Fortunately, we still have WTTW-PBS in Chicago, which continues to air fine programming, like the Ken Burns Vietnam War documentary.) Valparaiso University's Law School enrollment dropped so low that the school was shuttered.
Among those departing from their current line of work was Ms. Gullo, long-time Kindergarten teacher at Irving School. I am glad that I was among those whose lives she impacted at a young age over the years, through all the delights that Kindergarten involves.
Deacon Lendell Richardson bid farewell to Ascension Parish to take on a new asssignment as deacon at St. Bernardine Parish in Forest Park.
Lisa Madigan decided not to seek another term in office, as did US Representative Luis Gutierrez, who cited the reason of wanting to focus on recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, which was hit hard by one of several destructive hurricanes that hit the United States.
Other major weather events that made headlines included wildfires and earthquakes in Mexico. There was also major flooding in the Chicago area during the summer, which started out quite hot, enough for me to feel it was worth the money to get a pool pass. The heat subsided in July and it never got quite as hot as it did during that string of days in June. But it certainly heated up for a stretch of days in September. Even November and the start of December featured some rather mild days, before a cold snap hit.
The winter at the beginning of the year started off rather cloudy throughout much of January. Then February followed with some spectacularly mild, and sunny, weather. All the while, there wasn't much snow, until a significant snow event in March.
It was also in March that there was a terrorist attack near the Houses of Parliament in London, which was not the only terrorist attack in the United Kingdom this year, including one that happened close to elections there in June.
There was great upheaval in Spain as efforts were launched to make Catalonia independent of Spain. And there was heated activity over issues of race, like in August when a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville lead to violence. There was also trouble with acts of ill will directed toward Jewish people.
Ill will was also shown toward a passenger on a United Airlines flight from Chicago-O'Hare Airport to Louisville, who was selected to vacate his seat for a crew member. Troubles also occurred when a power outage hit Atlanta's airport. This happened right around the time a terrible train derailment occurred on the Cascades route in Washington--something that hit home for me, because I rode that same route, and train number, back in May, although not on that stretch of track that was inaugurated that day. Another derailment occurred on the Cascades route during the summer.
Long-distance Amtrak train service was one of those services targeted for budget cuts by the Trump administration's budget proposal. That led to rallies to save train service.
There were also big rallies held throughout the months of 2017 as people vented their disapproval of Donald Trump, including a Women's March in Washington, D.C.
It was also in March that there was a terrorist attack near the Houses of Parliament in London, which was not the only terrorist attack in the United Kingdom this year, including one that happened close to elections there in June.
There was great upheaval in Spain as efforts were launched to make Catalonia independent of Spain. And there was heated activity over issues of race, like in August when a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville lead to violence. There was also trouble with acts of ill will directed toward Jewish people.
Ill will was also shown toward a passenger on a United Airlines flight from Chicago-O'Hare Airport to Louisville, who was selected to vacate his seat for a crew member. Troubles also occurred when a power outage hit Atlanta's airport. This happened right around the time a terrible train derailment occurred on the Cascades route in Washington--something that hit home for me, because I rode that same route, and train number, back in May, although not on that stretch of track that was inaugurated that day. Another derailment occurred on the Cascades route during the summer.
Long-distance Amtrak train service was one of those services targeted for budget cuts by the Trump administration's budget proposal. That led to rallies to save train service.
There were also big rallies held throughout the months of 2017 as people vented their disapproval of Donald Trump, including a Women's March in Washington, D.C.
In the midst of a very polarizing atmosphere, one event that united people was the August 21 total solar eclipse that crossed the United States from coast to coast. There was definitely a huge amount of hype, but certainly for good reason, because witnessing a total solar eclipse is pretty spectacular. People flocked to spots outside to view the eclipse, even in the Chicago area where only a partial eclipse could be viewed, and it was somewhat cloudy.
While I wasn't there that day, it was apparently a much busier day than usual at the Oak Park Public Library since it hosted a solar eclipse viewing event out in Scoville Park. The sorting and shelving team had an unusually large volume of materials being returned on the AMH. That machine was replaced in December, and it's a pretty swell machine that's now in place to handle the return and sorting of materials.
The Oak Park Public Library also took a significant step in making the library more accessible by instituting a fine-free policy. The library also hired a Multicultural Learning Librarian, Naomi Priddy, to oversee the recently-acquired Multicultural Collection, and expand opportunities for its use by a larger community of people in accessing its wealth of resources about cultures all over the world.
A new wealth of resources was opened to the public when the Bible Museum opened in Washington, D.C. Mississippi opened a Civil Rights Museum in celebration of its Bicentennial on December 10. Nebraska marked 150 years as a state back on March 1.
Dominican University marked 20 years since its name change from Rosary College, an anniversary that followed the name change of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science to the School of Infomation Studies, offering informatics studies in addition to the library information science studies.
The world's attention will focus on the United States come 2028 when the Olympics come back to this country with Los Angeles as the host city, decided at an IOC meeting that made Paris the 2024 Summer Olympics host city. That gives us something to look ahead to, even as we wrap up 2017 and take on 2018.
And perhaps greater fruit will be born from the commemoration of 500 years since Martin Luther's 95 Theses, which brought opportunities for ecumenical dialogue and prayer, which we hope continue to bind the wound to Christ's body. Perhaps it will happen in the spirit that is exhibited by Taize prayer services, which marked an anniversary at Ascension Parish back in October, 25 years of gathering together as one body of people in Christ to praise our God, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
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