60185 🇺🇸

Earth Day 2026: Big News for WeGo with Rick Gieser!

Rick Gieser, DuPage County Forest Preserve District 6 Commissioner, shares about the timeline for the project connecting the West DuPage Woods with Blackwell. He tells us about the District’s goals to acquire 250 additional acres using increased funding from the 2024 referendum, and a little-known piece of civil rights history that took place in one of the preserves. Plus, did you know that the Forest Preserve District owns one-seventh of the land in DuPage County? We also hear an update on the conflict over the land north of Menards that the City of West Chicago approved to be a housing development but the Forest Preserve wants to annex into Pratt’s Wayne Woods, and why Rick loves the West Chicago Prairie and the Elsen’s Hill Area of the West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve… PLUS: where to find native, wild orchids in 60185. Email Rick with your ideas and feedback at rgieser@dupageforest.org. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe [https://60185.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Gym Teacher Resigns

UPDATE: The Tribune (and apparently the AP?) were there at the board meeting last night. They chose not to name the teacher in their story, but you can find it. We cover a whirlwind of West Chicago news, starting with the elementary school gym teacher controversy that drew large crowds to a City Hall listening session (Jan. 26) and a school board meeting last night (Feb. 5). The board accepted the teacher’s voluntary resignation before public comment, and we reflect on the community reaction and how social media amplified the situation. The bulk of the episode focuses on City Hall: the January 31 departure of longtime City Administrator Michael Guttman, the history of his contract dispute, and the mayor’s December disclosure of an EEOC complaint that led to a $300K+ settlement. We discuss (again) why this history matters, how residents can better engage with their alderpeople, and what comes next—including the search for a new city administrator, downtown revitalization plans, a new Ward 3 council member, and recent appointments to the Building Board of Appeals—a commission that is mandated by ordinance, but had not operated until Mayor Bovey’s tenure. Links Mayor’s statement on former city administrator complaint: https://westchicago.org/news-archive-2025/mayor-statement-on-former-administrator-complaint/ May 5 swearing-in ceremony recap: July 15 Guttman settlement and Bond replacement recap: Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe [https://60185.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

West Chicago Police's Approach to ICE Enforcement

Below is my ChatGPT-generated, Laura-approved summary of our conversation with West Chicago Chief of Police Colin Fleury. Our biggest takeaways: 1) Angry people driving out of—or into—their driveways during a parade is one of Fleury’s bigger fears about bringing them back; 2) Despite requests, ICE has provided no list to West Chicago of who they are arresting, why, or whether targets have criminal histories.—LF Key Topics Covered — Parade Conversation * The chief’s background organizing large-scale events and how that shapes his safety expectations. * Why parades create unique risks: long footprint, many uncontrolled access points, vehicle hazards, and crowd unpredictability. * Staffing limits at the department and how manpower affects what can be safely covered. * The need for clear participant check-in, assigned slots, and no last-minute additions. * Insurance and alcohol-use requirements for certain participant groups (e.g., riders). * Past incidents the chief referenced—such as animal-related injuries and drivers bypassing closures—that inform current caution. * The role of trained volunteers (CERT/ESDA) for staging, barricades, and first aid. * The importance of confirming dates early so the department can adjust schedules and avoid staffing conflicts. * A collaborative but safety-first tone: supportive of the event if proper controls and planning are in place. Key Topics Covered — ICE Conversation 1. Training & Department Procedures (how are West Chicago police officers trained to react to ICE?) * Officers document ICE encounters and provide warnings to federal agents who are violating city resolutions that city property cannot be used from civil immigration enforcement. * City-wide directive: any staff member encountering ICE is to alert the highest-ranking police member. * Officers respond when residents report unknown individuals who may be ICE. Residents can always call 911 if they spot a suspicious vehicle and responders can let them know if the vehicle is a concern. * Local law enforcement vehicles can be distinguished from ICE vehicles by their license plates, which have letters “MP” on side. 2. The TRUST Act / “CARES Act” Confusion * Fleury frequently refers to “CARES,” but the policy he describes aligns with: * Illinois TRUST Act (2017) * Way Forward Act (2021) * Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s guidance restricting cooperation with civil immigration enforcement * Key restriction: local police cannot assist ICE in civil immigration enforcement (e.g., information sharing, detainers). 3. Chief Fleury’s Central Claims * Communication restrictions by the state have created serious safety issues. * ICE is operating without sufficient local intelligence, making operations chaotic. * Local police are “caught in the middle”—unable to help ICE but unable to obstruct. * Public misidentifies undercover units, fire vehicles, or unmarked cars as ICE. * Community trust is eroding due to visible tensions and crowd clashes. * ICE has provided no list of who they are arresting, why, or whether targets have criminal histories. 4. Examples Chief Fleury Shares * ICE use of spray during Thorntons gas station encounter. * Allegations that an undercover (non-ICE) vehicle was rammed by someone who assumed they were ICE. * A local person was chased and harassed in an apartment complex because he was mistaken for ICE. * Prior town hall meetings where residents expressed support for deporting violent offenders. 5. Community Reporting Options * Tip411 system. * Calling 911 for verification of suspicious vehicles or activity. 6. Perimeter Problems * State law prevents local police from creating a barrier around ICE operations. * According to Fleury, this increases likelihood of clashes between ICE and crowds. 7. Transparency Concerns * Chief Fleury says ICE has given zero information to West Chicago about: * who is being arrested * whether arrests are criminal or civil * what charges people have * Only one confirmed case: an individual at Thorntons who filed a police report. He was a U.S. citizen. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Chief Colin Fleury 02:56 Chief Fleury’s Background and Career Path 05:51 Challenges of Organizing Parades 14:47 Police Department’s Role in Immigration Enforcement 36:23 Challenges of Communication with ICE 39:13 Public Safety and Trust Issues 40:47 The Impact of ICE Operations on Local Communities Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe [https://60185.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why 60185?

May 6, 2025, 12:15 am I (Liuan) received an email from Laura with the title “Hear me out.” We had just survived an epic swearing-in ceremony for West Chicago’s new mayor Daniel Bovey and several newly-elected city council members. Dan had warned us there might be some fireworks, but I don’t think anybody in the audience was ready for the level of conflict that took place. Laura wrote: “I just recorded a 22 minute Marco Polo for a handful of friends explaining everything that happened tonight. “That’s… a podcast. “I am going to start one purely for WeGo residents — possibly time limited — to process all of this stuff. I think podcasts are so much more constructive than social media. People are always asking what is going on… this is how to fill them in.” The first recording I sat in Laura’s dining room later that day, admiring the blue and white porcelain dishes on the wall. I thought, “No biggie, just talking with a friend over tea and sending it to a few other friends.” Laura has podcasting experience from previous jobs, and somehow managed to drop the first episode [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/swearing-in/id1812737397?i=1000706587672] about an hour after we recorded it. In the first couple days, we got over 100 downloads. We were expecting, maybe, 15. There was definitely an information gap here that people have been hungry to fill. Since then We’ve had Attorney Jeff Jacobson [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-happens-next/id1812737397?i=1000707005829], Mayor Dan Bovey [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mayor-bovey-reflects-on-his-first-12-weeks/id1812737397?i=1000718498945], Maria Correa and José (Pepe) Gutierrez from Casa Michoacán [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s%C3%AD-se-puede-the-power-of-latino-voters-in-shaping/id1812737397?i=1000710743571], Jonathan Wolfe from We Go for the People [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wego-for-the-people-and-their-peaceful-protest/id1812737397?i=1000708942023], Winfield Township Trustee Rebecca Holmes [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-a-township-what-does-it-do/id1812737397?i=1000720618455], and several aldermen on the show. When we can, we record episodes in both English and Spanish. While social media can be a helpful place to get the latest scoop, our community needs more than hot takes and rumor mills. A podcast format gives listeners a chance to go deeper into a topic, getting past surface-level arguments that fuel an us-them mentality and truly understanding where decision-makers are coming from and the issues on the table. It’s not us-them. It’s all of us. We all have a place here in West Chicago, and it’s time to sit down to an honest, respectful conversation. Moving forward We started the podcast specifically explain what happened on May 5 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/swearing-in/id1812737397?i=1000706587672] for our friends and neighbors, but with a larger purpose in mind: our community cares a lot—and has a lot going on. Our goal was (and is) to provide easy-to-digest updates on West Chicago’s taxing bodies, especially our city council. After overwhelming interest in our episodes so far, we’re planning to keep this up! You can expect episodes every few weeks or more frequently if we’re feeling ambitious. We’re busy working moms, so this is a side project for us. We’ll cover major city council decisions, interspersed with news on township, school district, and park district happenings, and anything else that’s of interest to West Chicago residents. Subscribe below to get an email in your inbox every time a new episode drops. We’ll also post informative tidbits that don’t make it into an episode here on this Substack page. Have ideas for topics? Comment below. If you think our work is valuable, would you become a paid subscriber? We’re looking for 20 committed residents to become paid subscribers at $5 a month. That will help us pay for our graphic designer (Joey Waltz) who made our beautiful banner and logo, as well as tech subscriptions and other costs here and there. And honestly, maybe a cup of coffee every once in a while. And please share this with your friends and neighbors. We want everyone to be part of the conversation. You—each and every one of you—are what make West Chicago the quirky and wonderful town that we all love. Thanks for reading 60185 Podcast! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. P.S. A couple of updates since we recorded this episode several months ago— * Liuan and Matt’s children’s book, My South American Classroom, has launched!! Find it here [https://slowcamino.com/product/my-south-american-classroom-hardcover/]! * Heather Niziolek of The West Chicago Voice [https://westchicagovoice.com/] has concluded the platform, and Merle Burleigh’s column on the city website [https://westchicago.org/at-home-with-merle-burleigh/] will not continue after this year… so we’re feeling even more committed to keeping this podcast and Substack active going forward. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe [https://60185.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

2026 Budget with Ald. Dan Beebe

Happy Cyber Monday! Buy local please! Ward 1 Alderman Dan Beebe describes the 2026 budget proposal that will receive a vote tonight, December 1, 2025. We catch up on what is happening to the grocery tax (!!), explain sewer and water rate increases and why West Chicago treats its own water, and hear the story of how Dan got onto the city council (he wasn’t appointed!). We also discussed a couple of things I’m still grappling with: * Why is the council so… quiet? We joke often about how long the meetings are now, but it’s because they used to be 10 minutes, with very little public comment. Now we see lots of public comments, but still less conversation among council members than I would expect. Is it possible that the council before April 1 was borderline rubber-stampy? Which leads into my next question: * Do we rely more than necessary on consultants? I’ve been thinking about this a lot in the last few months, both in the context of the City and the Library (where I am a board member). On the one hand, consultants provide institutional knowledge that you just don’t get from a group of 15 ever-changing volunteers. At the state and federal levels this is provided by staff and (gulp) lobbyists, who have been around for decades and may have deeper knowledge and time on an issue than either staff or electeds. Dan Beebe also explains to us in this episode that staff simply just don’t have time to do some of the tasks that we need done, like modernizing city code. HOWEVER: Dan also told us that in his time with the city (on commissions and on the council), he has watched the city pay consultants to develop at least 3 plans to revitalize the downtown. Then there’s the 20 year old Strategic Vision that basically went untouched. In April, we overwhelmingly heard a direction from voters to work on our downtown—but here we are budgeting even more money for consultants to advise us how to do that. As a resident, I’d love to not pour more money into consultants when we haven’t tried ideas from the last ones yet. And I’m not talking about real estate deals with bad timing. How about basic recommendations for improving downtown? How about trying out the idea in one of our consulting plans to allow residents to build separate mother-in-law suites in town? This would address our housing shortage while giving residents more chances to make ends meet in our challenging economy. What do you think? Am I off base here? If you’re a member of the council or city staff, would you be willing to come on the show to explain to me why we need even more consultants? 💙 P.S. We sponsored a soccer team! Eusebian is a longstanding outreach program at New Life Bilingual Church in West Chicago. Cover photo courtesy of the West Chicago Voice. Alderman Dan Beebe (far right) speaks with protestors in spring 2025 at city hall. Get full access to 60185 Podcast at 60185.substack.com/subscribe [https://60185.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]