TribLocal Arlington Heights - 16 2 September 2010
TRIBLOCAL.COM
St. James School celebrates the start of new school year Christian Lombard contributes to Fremd’s offense
Page 16
Arlington Heights | Wheeling | Mt. Prospect Prospect Heights | Buffalo Grove
VOICE OF THE TOWN
Page 7
SEPTEMBER 2-8, 2010 | SPONSORED BY THE
Wheeling gives more time to developer
By Graydon Megan
SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE
Patrons enjoy outdoor dining at Peggy Kinnane’s in downtown Arlington Heights.
TribLocal photo by Michelle Stoffel
Smoking inhibits outdoor eating
By Michelle Stoffel
TRIBLOCAL REPORTER
With smokers forced outside restaurants by state law, some al fresco diners are complaining in downtown Arlington Heights that their meals are being spoiled by the smell of cigarettes. Not wanting to alienate either group,
restaurants are looking for ways to take care of the problem. State law and village code prohibits lighting up within 15 feet of an entry or patio, but it’s rarely enforced by authorities or restaurants who don’t want to appear heavy-handed. A better idea may be to entice smokers somewhere else with ash stations, shelter
from the rain and other amenities. Eateries like Egg Harbor Cafe and Sabor have had complaints from customers about people smoking too close to open doors and windows. Weekend and night smokers have clustered by Big Shots and Grand Station and near eateries at
PLEASE SEE SMOKERS, PAGE 6
When Wheeling trustees voted in July to commit up to \$6 million of additional tax increment funds to bail out developer Mark Smith and his Prairie Park condominium project, part of the agreement called for a number of milestones to be reached by Aug. 30. Trustees had already been warned that the deadline would be missed for several items in the redevelopment agreement, including confirming total TIF-eligible expenses, securing construction bids for the completion of a clubhouse and ring road and a forbearance agreement between Smith and his bank. “Those items have taken more time than we all anticipated,” village attorney James Ferolo recently told trustees. He said another month should see completion of all items, and the board is expected to be asked Tuesday to push the deadline back formally to Sept. 30. Ferolo had said that, as of Aug. 23, only two bids had been received for the clubhouse construction — not the three the bank had sought — and included one from Smith’s own company, Smith Family Construction.
PLEASE SEE WHEELING, PAGE 7
<1>
<2>
<3>
<4>
<5>
<6>
<7>
<8>
<9>
<10>
<11>
<12>
<13>
<14>
<15>
<16>