A ray of sunshine in these turbulent times

Sabrina Thompkins is home again.

Odds are, and it’s a safe bet, you don’t know Sabrina Thompkins.

But there’s a chance you may have seen her without batting a second glance.

Thompkins, a 45-year-old Black woman from Georgia was seen earlier this month by Buffalo Grove Police officer Danielle Baron at the corner of Rose Court and Arlington Heights Road.

Noting that Tompkins was sitting under a tree with a shopping cart, Baron asked if she needed any assistance.

And that’s when the story began to unfold.

The reason Thompkins had a shopping cart is that she is homeless and, note police reports, has been “on and off for 20 years.” And she’s a long way from home.

Thompkins told police, reports say, is from Georgia. It’s not indicated how she ended up in Buffalo Grove, but she told Baron that she has a sister in Ft. Riley, Georgia, and a step mother who she said lives “in Georgia.”

Thompkins did not have contact information for her sister, but did for her step mother.

Baron was able to contact Betty Lawrence, Thompkins’ step mother, who told Baron that “…she hasn't spoken to Thompkins since she lived with her as a child and she couldn't offer any assistance.”

It seems as though no one has been of assistance to Thompkins.

Not until July 11.

Baron could have ushered Thompkins on her way. But she didn’t. Instead, reports say, Baron offered to get Thompkins a solid meal, which she did. Baron picked up food and a beverage at the Continental and brought back to Thompkins.

The story could have ended there. But it didn’t.

Officer Kurt Lowenberg arrived on the scene and along with Baron got to know Thompkins a bit more. She told them that she often slept on benches at the Target or Walmart in Wheeling, but didn’t stay there during the day.

Lowenberg and Baron asked Thompkins if there was anything she wanted.  The request? A change of clothes and a place to take a shower.  She hadn’t had either in 30 days.

Baron reached out to Buffalo Grove resident John Kleeman, described in reports as a friend. Kleeman and his wife provided Thompkins clothing, personal hygiene products and an undisclosed amount of cash.

Baron and Lowenberg also did some shopping for Thompkins, getting her some additional personal hygiene products, a poncho and bottled water.

As they got to know more about Thompkins, more aid – and generosity – came her way. It turned out that she had Social Security information and told Baron and Lowenberg that she needed assistance to get to the Social Security Administration office in Mount Prospect to complete the process so she would be able to get some benefits.

With the help of Sgt. Vince Positano and Police Department Social Worker Brittany Wilson, arrangements were made to get Thompkins to the Social Security office two days later.

But where would Thompkins stay in the meantime?

Through Wilson’s efforts, Thompkins was able to stay at the Sheraton Four Points on Lake-Cook Road. Baron and Lowenberg made sure she got there safely. Wilson met with Thompkins on Monday, July 13 to discuss getting her to a shelter in Chicago, since area shelters are closed due to COVID-19.

And while it a shelter seemed like a good idea, it appeared that Thompkins wanted to head back to Georgia.

But how would she get there? Arrangements were made for Thompkins to head back to Georgia on a Greyhound bus from Chicago.

And how did she get to the station? She was taken there by Buffalo Grove police.

Police reports don’t indicate where Thompkins ended up in Georgia, nor they indicate if they’ve heard from Thompkins.

Odds are, however, that she won’t forget the generosity and compassion of Baron, Lowenberg, Wilson, Positano and the Kleemans.

How could she?

In these turbulent times this is more than just a little ray of sunshine.

No more 'phoney' excuses -- just keep your hands off

As June morphed into July, much of the talk and banter on social media has focused on new laws, new taxes and, of course, Chance the Clapper.

            Of particular interest, especially in Buffalo Grove-themed groups on social media, has been the enforcement by the Buffalo Grove Police Department of the change in the Illinois law that make using wireless devices while driving a moving violation.

            At issue, as much as there can be issues on social media, was the level of enforcement. However, the reality, however, is the law hasn’t changed, just the consequences.

            And with any change comes a plethora of interpretations, mostly by drivers who take seemingly take offense on social media to enforcement by the Buffalo Grove police.

            The law, and now the enhanced enforcement, are pretty clear as to what drivers can – and cannot – do with their wireless devices while driving.

            Rather than rely on social media posts, I checked with Sgt. Michelle Kondrat, who coordinates the Traffic Unit for the Buffalo Grove Police Department because, my guess was, that she would probably have more accurate information than some folks on social media. Again, it was just a hunch.

            According to Kondrat, the key is that a wireless device should not be in your hand.

            Period.

And this, Kondrat says, applies to when you are stopped at a stoplight as well.

Not in your hand.

No en tu mano.

не в твоих руках.

Aapake haath mein nahin.

Bùzài nǐ shǒuzhōng.

            But as sure as the sparrows come back to Capistrano and the buzzards to Hinckley, someone will try and find a loophole best known as an excuse.

            There aren’t any.

            What do exist are a few exceptions.  For example, if you are at a railroad crossing waiting for a train for an extended period of time, you can manipulate your device. However, according to Kondrat, your vehicle needs to be in park or neutral.  The same holds true where traffic is stopped for an extended period of time due to construction. Slow traffic in a construction zone is not a time to grab your cell phone.

            It is acceptable, although many people may not think advisable, to make adjustments to equipment that Kondrat says “integrated into the vehicle” or even in a windshield or dashboard mount.

            So, what results in a motorist getting pulled over? “Most of the contacts are the result of the vehicle moving with phone in driver’s hand,” Kondrat says.

            Still not sure?  Check out the  law as approved by the state legislature.

            It’s not a new law, just new penalties.

Campaign has its own 'F bomb'

In his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt told Americans “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

According to an analysis by the U.S. National Records and Archives, the speech “is particularly memorable for its attack on the psychology of the Great Depression.”

Ah, psychology – as in mind games.

While Buffalo Grove is not facing a crisis the magnitude of the Great Depression, campaigning for Village Board seats has degenerated to acrid and personal attacks which brings us to that word brought to you by the letter F.

Fear.

Fear can be a great motivator if not intimidator.

It’s role in a political campaign, at any level, is questionable.

In what appears to be a flurry of activity by Village Board trustee candidates Rachel Hausman Masse, Larry Steingold and Tim Kobler, fear has apparently become a key element. Two recently mailed flyers have targeted Village Board President candidate Mike Terson, which seems a bit odd because that’s not who they are running against. The three are supporting Terson’s opponent, incumbent Village Board President Beverly Sussman.

The first of the flyers targets questionable contributions to Terson’s campaign by Chuck Malk of CRM Properties and by Butera Center Management, which, according to the Daily Herald Town Center developer.., is a “Hoffman Estates-based company described on the Buffalo Grove Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce website as owner of the Chase Plaza shopping center at the corner of Lake-Cook and Arlington Heights roads.” Malk’s firm proposed a mega retail development in 2012 when Terson was a village trustee. Malk’s donation was for $5,000; Butera’s was for $1,000.

This image used in a campaign flyer by Rachel Hausman Masse, Lawrence Steingold and Tim Kobler depicts possible flooding in Buffalo Grove.  The image is of flooding in Houston, Texas

The Herald’s story details the nature of the donations, the background and responses by both Terson and Sussman. The ensuing flyer, which apparently was not sent to all residents, made for interesting reading. It’s likely that people who read it wondered what Terson was thinking. The flyer touts that Hausman Masse, Steingold and Kobler will fight Terson’s plan to “pave over Buffalo Grove Golf Course and spend $90 million of our tax dollars to eliminate the community’s vital green and open  spaces.” Typical campaign rhetoric.

The second flyer, which like the first appeared to have limited circulation, again targets Terson and not the other trustee candidates, screamed a headline “Flooding alert!” followed by “Mike Terson’s plan for Buffalo Grove.” This ran under a picture of what gives the connotation of massive flooding in Buffalo Grove. The back of the flyer includes panic-themed copy that Hausman Masse, Steingold and Kobler understand flooding.

Apparently, they don’t. Despite inferences by some folks on social media that they remember flooding like that, the truth is that flooding pictured never occurred in Buffalo Grove. The northwest suburbs endured torrential rains in the early 1980s, but not to the magnitude shown in the flyer.

That picture was not taken in Buffalo Grove. Or anywhere else in the northwest suburbs.  Or anywhere else in Cook County, or for that matter, in Illinois.

That picture is of storm water in Houston after Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

So, what does that image invoke? Fear. And this is what will happen if the golf course is paved over. So, they say. While there are no plans to develop the golf course, it makes for good reading and scare tactics.

While flooding, not matter where it is at can be horrific, the flooding shown in the flyer was from one of the strongest storms to ever hit Texas, let alone Houston. Not Buffalo Grove.

While it’s clear the flyer was sent out by Hausman Masse, Steingold and Kobler, questions were raised as to who else, if anyone, was involved.

The first finger was pointed at State Rep. Daniel Didech (R-59) because the flyers came shortly after many voters received a letter from Didech supporting Hausman Masse, Steingold and Kobler. It was sent out by “Friends of Rachel, Tim and Larry.”

There’s nothing wrong with a public figure or official endorsing candidates. Didech has endorsed Sussman as have former Lake County Board officials Sidney Mathias and David Stolman along with former Buffalo Grove Village Board president Elliott Hartstein. As if anyone cares.

Didech seems to have drawn the most fire because of his recent election to the state house in November.

In Facebook conversations with Didech, he confirmed that he is supporting Sussman and the Hausman Masse-Steingold-Kobler slate and has personally made a “small contribution” to the campaign.

In the scope of things, it’s no big deal who supports the slate.

Interestingly enough, Didech’s letter appeared to go to most residents while the panic-loaded flyers did not. It’s easy to have conjecture as the where they were sent, especially given the strength Sussman had four years ago in the areas with proximity to the golf course.

Does history repeat itself? Possibly. If it does, then the question is why didn’t Sussman take the lead on the flyers instead of three first-time candidates whose involvement in the village has been limited?

Residents should know not only why the message was sent, but by whom, especially since communication and transparency have been frequently discussed during this campaign.

As FDR said, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

That fear should not come from people seeking public office.