How To Post Your Garage Sales on Plainfield Patch

Taking part in the village-wide garage sale this weekend? List it for free on Plainfield Patch.

It's May, which means most of us have made a dent in our spring cleaning -- which also means garage season is under way. Here at Plainfield Patch we pride ourselves on local, useful information. That includes who has books for a bargain, a dresser in their driveway or some clothes laid out on the lawn. Posting your garage sale on Plainfield Patch is easy ... and even better yet, it's free. You must be registered on Patch and logged in to enter an event, so do that first at plainfield.patch.com/signin. Then click on our "Events" tab on the top of the page and on "Add an Event" near the top right corner. Or just go to plainfield.patch.com/events/new. Fill out the information in the form. You can enter as little or as much as you'd like but …

• Photos (1)

Look for Your Family Via New 1940 Census

The documents have just been made available, and the Plainfield Public Library can help residents track down family members.

This month, free access is being made available to images from the 1940 U.S. Census and the Plainfield Public Library can help residents track down family members if they know where they were living at the time. There were 132 million people were living in the United States in 1940, according to the census, http://1940census.archives.gov/. These families survived the Great Depression and fought in World War II, and many who were counted then are still alie today, librarian Tina Beaird said. Information available in the 1940 census includes name, age, place of birth, occupation, highest grade level completed and home address in 1935. However, the records are not searchable by surname, only by location. Enumeration maps are available to the …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

Blogs: How to Save Money This Holiday Season

A little creativity -- and help from online sources -- can save you a lot of money in this season in which people are encouraged to spend too much.

It seems this year the retailers have embarked on a particularly aggressive campaign to extract every last dime of disposable income in circulation. Price slashing, extended store hours, in-store credit and payment plans are being offered as an incentives to get you to scoop up merchandise, most of which was likely not even made in the USA. For many people, however, this year's holiday season will be very much like last year's: bleak and depressing. With limited funds, you are essentially disenfranchised from the annual holiday spend-a-thon but not so if you live "green 4 less." I would like to share some money-saving ideas so you may have an enjoyable holiday season without spending yourself into oblivion or getting caught up in a feeding…

• Photos (1)

Student Info Available Via Online Account

The Parent Web Module, set up using the student's ID number, provides individualized student info, including schedule, grades -- even locker location.

Want to know what your child's schedule looks like before school starts Aug. 18 or what homeroom they're in or where their locker's located? Look no further than the Parent Web Module, which Plainfield School District 202 posted an online Thursday. It lets parents create individualized student accounts that right now provide information on back-to-school details and later will provide grades, attendance records, demographics and other information. The site is available at http://www.psd202.org/ParStu/pwm.php. Parents will need their student's ID number in order to create an account, according to information released by the district. The number can be found on the child's student ID card, registration paperwork, report cards and student fee…

• Photos (1)

Plainfield Soldier Vying in "Hero" Contest; Online Voters Pick Winner

The winner is chosen through an online vote and wins free use of a new General Motors car for a week.

James Hart is one of five finalists in General Motors' Our Town, Our Heroes contest, but whether the Plainfield soldier wins the top prize depends on his family, friends -- and complete strangers. Hart must receive more online votes than the four other nominees from Illiniois by Sunday in order to win the use of a new GM Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac for a week and a full tank of gas. Votes are cast at DrivingtheMidwest.com, with the goal of supporting and rewarding "local heroes." GM selects five nominees every two weeks, with an Internet vote determining the winner. In Hart's case, his nomination came from his wife, Elizabeth, who had this to say about her personal "hero": "My husband is my hero because he will do anything for his …

• Photos (1)

Have an Opinion on the Library? Comment on its Strategic Plan

The public can offer input on the document in writing through June 3; it's available online or at the library.

It's not too late to weigh in on the Plainfield Public Library's strategic plan for the next five years. Before the library board approves the document this summer, the public can review at it online or at the library,15025 S. Illinois St., and offer comments through June 3, library Director Julie Milavec said. Online, you should go to http://plainfield.lib.il.us, click on "What's New at Your Library" and go to "Strategic Plan 2011-2015 Draft.” To access the document directly, click here: http://plainfield.lib.il.us/general/board/2011%20strategic%20plan%20draft.doc. The proposed plan is the result of six months of work, including an analysis of the current state of the library and community, input from residents and the creation of goals …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Lori Janiec

8:57 am on Saturday, May 21, 2011

I am so glad that the Plainfield Library wasn't afraid to jump on the eBook wagon! Since getting my eReader for Christmas, I have been enjoying the option of a virtual check out. It was especially nice during our February blizzard! I think our Library does an excellent job!   more ›

Local Voices: A Note From Arianna Huffington, Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post Media Group

This week we launch a new chapter for Patch.com, the national network of hyper-local news sites currently covering community life in 800 towns across America.

When Kenny Lerer and I started The Huffington Post on May 9, 2005, we would have been hard-pressed to imagine this moment. With The Huffington Post, the idea was to take the sort of conversations found around dinner tables and at book parties – about politics and books and art and music and food and sex – and put them online, open them up, and invite interesting people to participate, creating a one-stop site for news and opinion with an attitude, in real-time. Our merger with AOL, Patch's parent company, in February, allowed us to broadcast those conversations to a much wider audience. By combining The Huffington Post's attitude, journalistic acumen, and sheer energy with AOL's resources and technical expertise, we were able, as we say, …

•  6 Comments
• Photos (1)

Julie Ferenzi

10:54 am on Monday, May 9, 2011

"choked". Oops.   more ›

About Town

Time to Vote -- Comcast's Fan Battle Down to PNHS, Challenger

Ballots being cast now will determine if Plainfield North's Crimson Crazies defeat Warren Township High School for the "madness" crown.

Way to be a winner, Plainfield.  The fans have come through for Plainfield North High School in Comcast's Battle of the Fans Madness tournament. Only two schools are still standing the championship round of tournament – and Plainfield North is one of them.  On Monday, the final four results were announced, with the Plainfield North "Crimson Crazies" taking 40 percent of the vote, followed by Warren Township High School, with 35 percent, St. Patrick High School in Chicago, with about 22 percent of the vote, and Benet Academy in Lisle, with about 2 percent. The final battle is now between Plainfield North and Warren Township, and you can cast your vote anytime between now and April 17 at www.cn100.tv/battle_of_the_fans.aspx. As of 11:15 a.m…

• Photos (1)

We're No. 1! But the Battle of the Burbs Not Over Yet

Plainfield beat Oak Forest today in the first round of Eric and Kathy's annual contest; next week we face off against Palatine.

Pfew! Plainfield has made it through round one of 101.9-FM/The Mix's annual Suburban Madness Battle of the Burbs, handily beating Oak Forest in the online vote conducted this morning. The contest is radio personalities Eric and Kathy's answer to March Madness. Sixteen finalist towns -- as determined by listeners -- face off against each other for the title of best suburb. Last year's winner was Bartlett. Every day, two sets of towns compete for votes to make it to the next round of competition. Also winning today was Palatine, which knocked off Burbank and will face Plainfield next week. To see the bracket lineups, go to http://www.wtmx.com/pdf/battle_of_the_burbs_11.pdf. If you want to vote for other towns that competing this week, go to …

• Photos (1)