Sandwich police personnel are wearing a special Halloween patch on their uniforms through Nov. 1. The public will be able to purchase patches Oct. 29, at the Pumpkin Festival for $10. Supplies are limited to 150 patches.

STATE

Decade sees teen driving deaths down by half

Fewer teens are dying behind the wheel in Illinois. And, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is crediting a graduated driver’s license law with the 51 percent drop in teenage-driver deaths in the past decade.

White cited Illinois Department of Transportation data that show there were 76 fatalities among motorists aged 16-19 in 2016. That’s down from 155 in 2007, the year before the Graduated Driver’s License program took effect.

The program gives teenagers more time to gain experience behind the wheel under a parent’s or guardian’s supervision. It limits in-car distractions and requires teens to earn their way from one stage of driving to the next.

White, a Democrat running for his sixth term as secretary of state in the 2018 elections, announced the numbers last week at the beginning of National Teen Driver Safety Week.

COUNTY

Conviction stands in 2011 murder

The state appellate court has affirmed the DuPager County first-degree murder conviction of William Clifford, 38, for the murder of his father, William Clifford, Sr.  DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced the Second District Appellate Court of Illinois’ ruling. 

In his appeal, Clifford challenged the admissibility of the DuPage County State’s Attorney expert witness’ opinion that his palm print matched a print that was found on the murder weapon. Clifford also argued that the sentence of 35 years was not warranted because the trial court erroneously refused to consider certain mitigating evidence at the sentencing hearing. The appellate court found that the trial court acted properly and within its power concerning the state’s expert witness’ opinion. Regarding Clifford’s second argument, the appellate court held that assertion was “flatly contradicted by the record” and that “the trial court twice indicated that it considered the defendant’s mental illness to be a mitigating factor.”

Event to raise awareness, money for homeless families

Almost 10 percent of children in DuPage County schools are living in poverty, and more than 1,000 of these students are homeless. To raise awareness about family homelessness and money for these homeless children, nearly 2,000 DuPage County residents are expected to spend a frosty night inside tents, boxes and cars Nov. 4. Called Sleep Out Saturday, the all-night event will be held in more than 25 DuPage County communities.

Participants of all ages will experience a night without a home. They will sleep in parking lots, parks and backyards, and will accept donation pledges for their efforts. All money raised from the event will support families in the Bridge Communities’ Transitional Housing Program, which funds housing, employment training, mentoring, case management, plus tutoring and summer camps. 

Families and other groups are urged to raise funds to help needy families work toward self-sufficiency. Cash donations may be made at bridgecommunities.org.

WHEATON

Do good, make a difference Oct. 28

Do something good … at least for one day … Oct. 28 to be exact.

Oct. 28 is Make a Difference Day, also known as the national day of doing good.

Wheaton’s Community Relations Commission is gearing up to raise awareness and promote projects that give back to the community on Make a Difference Day. Some of the ways the public can get involved include:

• Participate in Donuts for Donations. Bring needed items for PADS, the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans or the People’s Resource Center. Visit www. wheaton.il.us/madd for each group’s wish list. Also, donations can be brought to the City Hall parking lot, 303 W. Wesley St., on Oct. 28.
• Take part in the Stuff-a-Truck with Food Drive for the People’s Resource Center. The People’s Resource Center is collecting healthy, non-perishable food items and cash donations. Businesses, organizations and schools interested in having their donations collected on Oct. 27 can contact Laurie Swanson Oberhelman at lswanson@ lasocareers.com.
• Create your own project: rake leaves for a neighbor, volunteer for a local organization, visit a senior center. The Community Relations Commission encourages individuals to register their projects on the Do Good DuPage website at givingdupage.org/dogood/service-days.

For more information about Make a Difference Day, visit wheaton.il.us/madd.

HINSDALE

Citizen Police Academy  looking for students

Residents can look into Hinsdale residents can get a first-hand look at police work by enrolling in the village’s 13th Citizen Police Academy. The Hinsdale Police Department will conduct the academy; students will get the opportunity to learn about police work in general and also gain insight into the Hinsdale Police Department. Sessions will be held on Thursday nights from 7-10 p.m. for 12 weeks, starting Oct. 26.

The classes are free and open to Hinsdale residents and those who are employed in the village. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Classes will meet in the Hinsdale Police Department, 121 Symonds Drive. During this course, officers will instruct citizens in several areas including law, crime prevention, patrol, investigations, D.A.R.E., juvenile, traffic, recruitment, S.W.A.T., K-9 and firearms training. The Academy is not designed to make participants certified police officers, nor does it give the graduates authority to act as police officers. The focus of the curriculum is to provide an informative overview of the fundamentals of police operations.

Those interested in attending the Citizen Police Academy should fill out an application available at the Hinsdale Police Department. For more information on this program, contact Officer Michael Coughlin at the Hinsdale Police Department, (630) 789-7084 or mcoughlin@villageofhinsdale.org.

–DuPage County News Briefs–