at the end.” - Sid Caesar

I love a good laugh, one that keeps me laughing so hard, my eyes start to water, and those around me can’t help but join in the laughter. It could be the result of a good joke, a funny scene from a movie, or a situation from real life that just “hits” me the right way. When I have a moment like this, it has a way of allowing me to temper my worries and to refocus my attention on what is truly important in life. Anita Hassanandani Reddy states, “With our hectic lives, a dose of comedy is a must,” and I agree, life is unpredictable, and we sometimes feel that we are fending off one crisis after another. Laughter allows us to look at life from a different, funny perspective; it is as Peter Ustinov states, “Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.”

We would all be dull individuals without humor and laughter; the world we live in will always find ways to bring us low, so we each need opportunities to see things from a “lighter” perspective. Give some thought to the last time you had a real good “belly” laugh, and try to remember how good it made you feel. I bet just thinking about that moment has put a smile on your face and a warm feeling in your heart.

The Morton Arboretum wants to prepare you for the emergence of millions of cicadas this coming May. This is particularly exciting as it only happens once every 17 years! The Arboretum shares, "For about four to six weeks, there will be millions of big, red-eyed insects flying around and making an ear-splitting noise, especially in areas with lots of old trees. They will be annoying, but they are harmless to people and pets; they can’t bite or sting. Children are often fascinated by the huge, slow-moving, easy-to-catch bugs. By the end of June, it will all be over."

Find more information on the Morton Arboretum's website.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has recently awarded a contract to Martam Construction for the curve correction on the I-55 North Frontage Road at Cass Avenue within the City of Darien in DuPage County. Traffic control devices and informational signage will be in place during the project. The project will entail a Road Closure between Bailey Road and the Mount Caramel Church entrance on Frontage Road. Access for the Shell Gas Station, Alpine Banquets and Church traffic will not be impacted and will be able to enter and exit onto Frontage Road during construction. The Carriage Greens Country Club and Center Cass School patrons and residents will need to detour to Plainfield Road and Bailey Road south to Frontage Rd.

While the City of Darien looks forward to the safety improvements, we request of all to be mindful and patient of the speed limits within the detour area of the neighborhood roadways.

The City is required to publish a consumer confidence report about your drinking water and our efforts to provide safe drinking water to the community. The report includes the quality of water, including details about where your water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to standards set by regulatory agencies. View the report here.

Starting April 1st through the second full week of December, residents can take advantage of weekly yard waste and food scrap collection services (composting) with Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS).

Composting can sound intimidating, but once you get started, you'll find it's pretty simple. Just collect bread, cereal, coffee grounds, dairy, eggshells, eggs, fruits, grains, pasta shells, and vegetables in a bowl or bag instead of putting them in the garbage. You can put these food items in the same biodegradable paper bags or containers used for yard waste - in fact, they can be mixed together! These services are included in the monthly fee and help keep compostable items out of the landfill.

Did you know that 1 in 5 U.S. adults and 1 in 6 U.S. youth experience mental illness each year, and only half of them receive treatment? The National Alliance on Mental Illness encourages us to each take a moment this month to prioritize our mental health.

The NAMI HelpLine is a free, nationwide peer-support service providing information, resource referrals and support to people living with a mental health condition, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public. The NAMI Teen & Young Adult (T&YA) HelpLine offers a direct connection with another young person who shares similar experiences and is prepared to offer information, resources, and support to help you move through difficult times to a better place.

If you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis: Call, chat or text 988 to speak with a trained crisis counselor 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You are not alone and there is support.

Check out Tony & Tina's Deli, a delicious new business in Darien found at 8133 S Cass Ave. You will find quality food, a fun atmosphere, refreshing drinks, and more! Learn more here.

The City of Darien will be providing residents interested in replacing their driveway, apron

and City sidewalk the opportunity to participate in the 2024 Concrete Replacement Program. Suburban Concrete, Inc. is the vendor for the program this year with pricing as follows:

Residents may be able to obtain a lower price quote from a local concrete company. Suburban Concrete, Inc. may be higher as they pay employees prevailing wages established for DuPage County. Private companies may not be required to pay those same employee rates. Additionally, Suburban Concrete, Inc. uses a cement mix of 6:1 as others may use a less expensive/desired cement mix ratio of 5:1.

Residents interested in participating in the program should contact Diane with the City of

Darien at 630-353-8102 to request a proposal. The deadline to participate in the program is June 30.

Be on the lookout for scams by mail. The letters may have agency names that include words like United States, business regulation, and trademark to make them seem legitimate and they may include forms. Usually, the letters warn about fines if you don’t respond fast.

Use the following tips from the Federal Trade Commission before responding to any suspicious mail:

The City of Darien is accepting applications for the following positions:

Applications can be obtained here and can be sent to the City of Darien at 1702 Plainfield Rd., Darien, IL 60561 or emailed to lklemm@darienil.gov.

The Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on May 15, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1702 Plainfield Road, Darien, IL 60561.

The purpose of the public hearing will be to hear testimony from interested persons and make a recommendation on CASE NO. PZC2024-03, CASE NO. PZC2024-04, and CASE NO. PCZ2024-05. View details of all cases here.

In-person attendance at Planning and Zoning Commission meetings is allowed and you are encouraged to participate by submitting questions and comments via email to the City Planner Jordan Yanke.

The Economic Development Committee scheduled for Thursday, May 2, has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 9, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. The agenda will be posted here.

Residents can now submit their property maintenance concerns on the City’s new online site, OpenGov. This streamlined site allows users a way to submit their property maintenance concerns, commonly referred to as property maintenance violations. In order to access the portal, please visit the City’s website. If you have any questions, please contact Jordan Yanke, City Planner, at (630) 353-8113.

In our continuing effort to keep Darien residents informed, the Darien Police Department is introducing Emergency Notifications via text. Please visit our Direct Connect Signup page and provide your cell phone number to receive text notifications in case of an emergency. These texts will be sent at any time (day and night) when an incident within the City may impact the community (e.g. police activity, accidents where there are road closures, etc.). There is no cost to sign up for this service. The Police Department will continue to use X/Twitter for non-urgent notifications.

Darien’s Direct Connect E-Newsletter (DC) is the City’s primary source of information for residents and businesses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about DC, forward this email to them, and ask them to sign up. Signing up is simple and can be done here.

Click on the links below for more information on these upcoming community events!

Lions Club Big Raffle 2024: link

Eisenhower Junior High Musical: The Little Mermaid - May 2-4: link

Darien Park District Family Fun Night - May 10: link

Darien Arts Council Meeting - May 14: link

DGC Sprouts Learning Garden Planting Day/Pizza Party - May 18: link

Mayor Joe Marchese, (630) 200-2390

Bryon Vana, City Administrator,

City Hall (630) 852-5000

Police Department (630) 971-3999

Public Works Streets & Water (630) 353-8105

Community Development (630) 353-8115

Visit the City of Darien's website for information on City services.

Follow us on Facebook at @CityofDarien.

Follow us on X at @CityofDarien.

Follow the Darien Police Department on X at @DarienPolice.

Join your Darien neighbors on Nextdoor.