By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
Aurora area letter carriers collected about 26,000 pounds of food May 12 during the 20th annual Stamp Out Hunger event.
It was the 19th year Aurora has participated, and the food collected for those in need totalled about 31,000 pounds, including surrounding communities. The Stamp Out Hunger food drive is the nation’s largest single day food drive, having collected more than one billion pounds of food since its inception in 1993.
In 2011, generous Americans donated 70.2 million pounds of food, which marked the eighth consecutive year that at least 70 million pounds were collected.
Head organizer, Aurora letter carrier and National Association of Letter Carriers Local 219 Trustee Mary Kluber said donations were down about 6,000 pounds since last year, but she’s not discouraged.
“I really think it just means people don’t have the extra food to give. Everyone’s struggling,” she said. “The way I look at it, this is 31,000 more pounds of food than what people had to eat before. So I’m glad we did it, and I’m happy with the totals.”
Aurora letter carrier Suzie Murray was busy May 12, unloading postal service boxes full of food from her van at the Aurora processing facility on Broadway Avenue. She’s been a letter carrier in Aurora nearly 10 years and participated in the Stamp Out Hunger drive every year.
She said her favorite part of the job is being independent, out in the neighborhood talking to the people on her route on the west side of the city, but she’s noticed more housing foreclosures in the last few years.
“It’s a good feeling to collect food for those in need. The last few years, yeah, we haven’t collected as much food. I just think money’s tight,” she said.
A recent survey conducted by Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief organization, found that nearly half (46 percent) of households served reported having to choose between paying a utility bill or purchasing food. This is a decision that hits close to home for many letter carriers as postal facilities are shut down throughout the country, and hours are cut back.
Murray said she is opposed to the Postal Service moving to a proposed five day delivery schedule. She’s happy to walk her five mile per day route even on Saturday, during the winter.
“Things will be delayed if we go five days. Not a lot of people realize they need things delivered on Saturday. Medications, paychecks, bills,” she said.
Kluber looks forward to organizing the Aurora food drive for years to come, and thanks all those who help out.
“All the volunteers are a Godsend. By the end of the day I’m glad it’s over, it’s a lot of work for us,” she said. “But we’re so happy when this food goes to people. Our hearts go out to them, I really hope we’re helping people. And of course, I’m already coming up with ideas on what to do next year to make the food drive even better.”

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
JOLIET — An estimated 500 union workers arrived by bus, car, foot, motorcycle and bicycle May 11 to rally in solidarity with the striking machinists outside the Caterpillar plant in Joliet.
While Caterpillar’s history of union busting policies weighed heavily on everyone’s mind, several speakers took to the portable stage in front of the plant to remind the 780 workers that they do not stand alone.
“Brothers and sisters. Look around you. You are not alone. Do you see red?” asked Steve Jones, directing business representative of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 851. Jones repeated the question after taking the stage in between speakers, referencing the red T-shirts that everyone wore in solidarity.
“For America to be strong, the middle class must be strong,” said Congressional candidate Bill Foster as he took the stage. “Let’s not forget that the middle class needs a champion, and labor is that champion.”
Foster said he believed Caterpillar should share its 2011 profit of more than $4 billion.
“There used to be an understanding that if companies were doing well, they would share their wealth in good times,” he said. “Not any more.”
Back at the main Caterpillar gate, everyone was on their best behavior as they picketed while at least six security guards and two police officers stood watch. Gone were the over the top taunts to every car earlier that week that dared enter the Caterpillar grounds.
“We just don’t want to give them a reason to shut us down, so we toned it down,” said a man on the picket line.
Dozens of others lined Channahon Road, holding signs and getting honks of encouragement from passing motorists.
Back at the stage, Congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth used the opportunity to voice her disdain for Caterpillar the company.
She explained how she and her husband had invested in Caterpillar stock years ago when she received a payment from the government over her military injuries.
“I’m a stockholder. We believed in the company back then and what it stood for. Now, this is not OK. I don’t like this,” she said.
Local Lodge 851 President Tim O’Brien said he was proud of his membership for showing up in strong numbers.
“I’m proud of the membership standing tall at the picket lines and coming out today,” he said. “We’re showing this company that we mean business.”

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
Officer Pedro Rodriguez of the Aurora Police Department said he re-lives the actions that he took everyday during the fateful drive home of Jan. 7, 2011.
Rodriguez, a 12 year veteran of the force, was awarded the Aurora Exchange Club’s Police Officer of the Year award May 15 for his actions that day.
Rodriguez had just finished his shift and picked up his 13-year-old daughter from school. At about 3:30 p.m., as he was driving his personal vehicle northbound on Fifth Street at South Avenue, he saw a subject shooting a revolver at a group of other teenagers.
Officer Rodriguez, who was in full uniform, stopped and exited his vehicle after telling his daughter to “get down.” He confronted the gunman as the offender chased one of the other teens across Fifth Avenue with the gun still in his hand.
Rodriguez identified himself as an Aurora Police officer and ordered the subject to drop the gun. The offender refused, continued to run toward the other teen, turned toward Rodriguez and pointed the gun at him.
Fearing for both his life and that of his daughter, Officer Rodriguez fired, fatally wounding the suspect. When the assailant fell to the ground, Rodriguez immediately radioed for medical assistance for the offender who was a 15 year old Aurora juvenile.
Rodriguez said he was overwhelmed with emotion when it was announced he won the award.
“When the event is talked about, you tend to re-live it in your mind. I re-live it everyday,” he said.
Rodriguez said he credits his training for ensuring a positive outcome that day.
“You have to make quick decisions and not second guess yourself,” he said. “People say I didn’t decide that person’s fate that day, they did.”
This year’s keynote speaker at the event was Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon, who credited Rodriguez with protecting lives.
“We don’t celebrate death, we celebrate life here today, which Officer Rodriguez served to protect. I thank all the officers here for their dedication. With that, Aurora will continue to be a great place to work, live and raise a family.”
Four other officers were nominated for displaying outstanding efforts during 2011. Special Operations Group Investigators Nick Gartner, Chris Converse, and Abel Villanueva, whose actions resulted in attempted murder and other felony charges against four men in connection with a July 20 shooting.
Also, Investigator Robert Myint was nominated for establishing the needed resources to investigate the possession and trafficking of child pornography in Aurora. He also networked with child pornography investigators from other law enforcement agencies to gain knowledge and experience and eventually enlisted their assistance on cases being worked by Aurora Police.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

By Dan Richardson
These verses are often misunderstood. In one sentence, John says Christ came to take away our sins. In the next sentence, he says those who abide in Christ do not sin. Then he says whoever sins has never known Christ. Do followers of Christ ever sin again? What is the difference?
Many do not come to Christ because they think becoming Christian means a person will never sin again. The same people are perplexed when they hear of a Christian falling into sin. The whole thing makes no sense they say.

Things we commit to
The key to understanding 1st John 3 is paying special attention to the word ‘commit.’ Strong’s Greek Lexicon uses the following terms to convey the original meaning: continue, without any delay, exercise, to provide, purpose, observe and ordain. We see John is not talking about a one-time act but rather a continuing trend. When provision and planning is made for a sin, it shows the person finds purpose and contentment in it.
Being committed to a certain sin is not the same as a sin being a matter of happenstance. Living in anger and bitterness is not the same as being angry and then forgiving and forgetting. Looking forward to and enjoying pornography is not the same as fumbling with a random impure thought. Yes, single acts of sin are certain for fallen people; however, a lifestyle or practice of sin is lawlessness. The wild west of sin is not overcome without the power of Jesus Christ.

He takes away our sins
The good news is that Jesus suffered on the cross to take away the curse of sin, namely, its ability to lure and dominate. Though Jesus didn’t commit sin because He is holy; in a mysterious and real way, He became sin for us when He suffered and died. Like a scapegoat, Jesus took our sin and was sacrificed in our place. It was all part of the Father’s plan to satisfy justice to and demonstrate His great love. Jesus died for sinners.
Those who follow in the love of Christ and trust in His death, burial and resurrection practice sin no longer. Jesus breaks the power of sin so those who love Him can live for Him without condemnation and fear. A Christian sees sin as a fight and no longer a delight.

Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him
Remember, John is referring to those who practice sin — those who are committed to favorite pet sins. When Christ makes someone a new creation, old things pass away and all things are new (2nd Corinthians 5:15, 17). It is impossible for a new creation to love his old past. When Christ is found as most precious, old sin habits become as rotten fruit, never to be relished again. Professing Christians who continue practicing sins of their former life reveal they never came to know Jesus in a saving, heart changing way.
Parenting Application: Unfortunately, the organized church purveys a ritual often referred to as “The Sinner’s Prayer.” In and of itself, the wording of the prayer is fine. The problem occurs when someone declares or confirms salvation upon a person who says the prayer. It happens a lot at vacation bible schools or special nightly services. Here’s how it goes. A church person will ask a seeker to repeat a prayer. When the recitation is over, the church person asks, “Did Jesus come into your heart?” He will guide the person to consent and then say, “If you ever doubt Jesus is in your heart, remember the day you prayed.” Days following, the seeker tries to follow Christ in his own strength only to become frustrated because he never experienced a true heart change by God. Many professing Christians discredit the power Christ gives to overcome sin because they do not know Christ in a true saving way.
You can learn more about this problem from a message entitled “True and False Conversions” by Ray Comfort. Full text and audio is found at www.livingwaters.com.

“Intelligence, patriotism, Christianity, and a firm reliance on Him, who has never yet forsaken this favored land, are still competent to adjust … all our present difficulty.
—President Abraham Lincoln

Dan Richardson’s e-mail address is danrichardson@foxvalleylabornews.com.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
JOLIET — The men striking in front of the Caterpillar plan in Joliet May 8 were thankful for the sunny weather.
“It felt like a monsoon here yesterday, it seems it’s been raining almost every day since we started out here,” said machinist Dan Frey, who has been working at Caterpillar for 34 years. He joined about 20 other men from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 851 on the picket line, raising signs, waving at passing supporters, and jeering at others who turned into the plant.
The strike began May 1 at 12:01 a.m., with about 800 workers walking off the job. They strike in different shifts in front of the plant, 24 hours a day, and they plan to be there awhile, with shade tents and plenty of water.
“We’re standing strong. All we are asking for is a fair contract,” said Local 851 President Timothy O’Brien, who was busy fixing picket signs that had grown tired from the constant wind.
O’Brien said the outreach from other unions has been great, with unions from as far away as Pennsylvania and Missouri showing their support.
“This is a union county. The outpouring of support is wonderful,” he said.
Many workers on the line have worked at Caterpillar for decades, and said they have seen many jobs outsourced to other countries, with a decrease in quality of the product, with no decrease in price to the consumer.
At stake for the workers is a proposed doubling or tripling of how much the machinists pay for health insurance. Pay cuts of up to $8 an hour are also on the table, as well as decreased overtime pay and pensions for senior members, all while Caterpillar recorded record breaking sales in 2011 and revenues of $60 billion.
“There’s only so much you can take, enough is enough,” said Frey.
A statement from Caterpillar spokesman Rusty Dunn said it’s business at usual at the plant, which manufactures hydraulic components for tractors.
“There are no significant new developments to report. The Joliet facility contingency plan is working effectively. While a work stoppage is not the desired outcome in a labor negotiation, the company was well-prepared for such a possibility,” wrote Dunn in an email. “The Joliet facility will remain open and we continue to run the business as normal to provide uninterrupted service to our customers. While no new talks are scheduled, the company has a fair, reasonable and comprehensive offer on the table. In the meantime, the Joliet facility will continue to work safely, meet production levels and conduct business as usual.”
As for the machinists, they will continue to picket until an agreement is reached.
“Caterpillar has deep pockets. They’ll make people suffer for awhile. Our members are standing strong,” said O’Brien.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

By Pat Barcas
Staff Writer
CHICAGO — Chicago’s lunchroom workers have struck a win-win deal with Chicago Public Schools, a move that will give them job security in the years to come, and will also give schoolchildren freshly prepared meals.
In addition to important improvements in wages, protecting health care and job security, the contract begins to change the food model in Chicago’s schools by halting any expansion of “frozen food” schools.
UNITE Here Local 1 President Henry Tamarin and Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean Claude Brizard met May 4 at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences to announce the new contract.
“We’re proud that the lunchroom workers brought the issue of palatable, freshly prepared food to the table,” said Tamarin. “It’s a fair settlement but we still have some work to do with the Board of Education. There are still some students in the system subjected to pre-packaged, frozen food every day from the time they start kindergarten to the time they leave 8th grade. All students deserve freshly prepared food.”
Included in the new 5-year union contract: Workers will receive a minimum 2 percent raise for at least two years and see a five-year freeze on converting “cooking” kitchens to “warming kitchens,” ensuring their jobs security. CPS will also actively solicit and incorporate input from lunchroom workers.
A “Good Food Committee,” with representatives from both the Board of Education and front line workers, will meet monthly to identify best practices regarding healthy food. A bi-annual survey of lunchroom workers will also be conducted to ensure worker input on menu or program changes in schools.
The agreement covers more than 3,200 lunchroom workers who prepare and serve more than 77,000 breakfasts and 280,000 lunches every day in more than 600 schools.
UNITE HERE Local 1 is the first of seven currently negotiating unions to reach a collective bargaining agreement with CPS and will also reap the rewards if the Chicago Teachers Union smartly negotiates a deal in the future. If teachers negotiate an additional raise throughout the five-year lunchroom workers contract, then the lunchroom workers are also entitled to that raise, per the terms of their new agreement.
“This is a great victory because our voice was heard. We have not only stopped the expansion of frozen food in our schools but also maintained our benefits and our jobs,” said Constance Hatchett, a 12-year CPS lunchroom cook from Hope Academy.
Nationally, UNITE HERE is working to transform the traditionally low-wage food service industry to an industry that provides affordable family health care, retirement security and respect on the job. Its Real Food Real Jobs program aims to involve front line workers in the movement to create sustainable food service models in schools, college cafeterias and beyond.

Pat Barcas’ e-mail address is pat@foxvalleylabornews.com.

“My advice to Sunday Schools, no matter what their denomination, is: Hold fast to the Bible as the sheet anchor of your liberties; write its precepts in your hearts; and practice them in your lives … ‘Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people.’”
—Ulysses S. Grant to the Editor of the Sunday School Times in Philadelphia, June 6, 1876

Dan Richardson’s e-mail address is danrichardson@foxvalleylabornews.com.