Congratulations to everyone elected. I am praying for our great city and all of our new leaders.

I think he bullied his way to this win. I don't know why so many supported / voted for him. I truly hope he's not so bad like that, and does well running our city.

Chicago Heights can be a great city. Clean up the garbage, stop making buddy deals and just do the job you're elected to do.

Cleaning up the drugs and crime is no easy task, but Gonzalez won on the claims that he can do it. Good luck to you new mayor.

I look forward to a new Heights where my family can walk down Chicago Rd. to get groceries and some carmelcorn without feeling like we might get jumped, shot, or "offered" anything.

A great day for the City of Chicago Heights. Hatred and lies lost, and Unity won. Good luck, Mayor-elect Gonzalez.

The only unification is the Gonzo sweetheart deals

I hear Faso didn't even call to congratulate the winner, or make a statement to the media. Couldn't expect anything more from him though.

Winston, Everything you write is either a campaign poster for Gonzo or whining about everybody else. It's time for Gonzo to put up or shut up. The same goes for you, be constructive for a change. Tell us all about the wonderful new Chicago Heights where everybody is working, gangs and drugs are gone and you house is going to be worth more than 10 cents on the dollar.

sorry, should be your house.

yah that's right Tom; I think Winston's one of Gonzo's campaign workers! lol LOOK Gonzalez played some dirty politics - saw with my own eyes, his cronies had put one of his signs in my neighbor's yard w/out asking, because the next day my neighbor had taken it out and replaced it with a Faso sign... I know of other shenanigans, too, that I can't put on here. Again, I repeat - bullied his way into office. Let's see what he does..

Dear Winston,Joe did in fact call Dave to congatulate him!!However he left a message and Dave NEVER returned his call!!What REAL MAN does that??Just like Joe tried to shake his hand at St.Keiren's and Dave denied,untill Joe stood there and waited!!HELLO!!

For all of the people that spoke out about CARING FOR THE HEIGHTS---"put up or shut up", right Tom?? So, now we have new leadership. What is your plans for HELPING our leaders with Chicago Heights? Are you going to keep bad mouthing them, waiting for four years and praying for their failure? Or do you REALLY CARE about Chicago Heights, and have reached out to PARTICIPATE and lend support to helping our city. PUT UP OR SHUT UP. Politics are over. It is time for positivity and production.

The sign stealing that went on my block and Faso signs stayed up. A big change to see Gonzalez yard signs were still up, but when I made it home election night. The Faso folks took theirs down and hid. Glad the mudslinging is over and Wish Dave and Administration the best to get things done. That is what its all about. Faso folks who were out stealing off "voters" yards in the city, pissed many voters off too.

I have to ask... Are there really a lot of Tarantino buffs in Chicago Heights? Just seems like a random and interesting trend on the site.

Congrats Dave--- I mean WINSTON on winning the election. You kind of remind me of Barak Obama. No one knew who you were until you decided to run for mayor. Then you come out, campaign strong and loud, and promise everyone a "change." Yet in a few years, just like Barak Obama, the citizens will soon realize, as will you...that you CLEARLY bit off more than you can chew with all of your false promises, and it will be a lot of the SAME. Since the election is now over, let's hope that this is not the case and you and your "Unity Party" do what was promised. What's funny is people were saying things like, "Don't vote for Joe Faso...you will just be voting the mob back in." Yet Gonzalez was really the one with the "mob" ties with good 'ol Chuck Panici rallying for him among others.

As far as the sign stealing goes....I believe and KNOW for a fact there was plenty of that going on perhaps on both sides. So you cannot really point a finger to one particular party sign stealing.

Also, since the first thing on the UNITY PARTY agenda is to clean up crime and drugs and gangs, let's start with cleaning up your Facebook page Gonzalez. It is open to the public, and I have seen numerous, NUMEROUS Latin Kings and their girlfriends congratulating you on your win. Is that not the pot calling the kettle black? I won't name names...but I can name about 10 men and women off the top of my head. Be careful!

One more thing---let me just say that it doesn't matter WHO would have one the Mayoral Race. We will never, in out lifetime see a NICE Chicago Heights. Not in our lifetime and not in our children's lifetime. It will continue to get worse and worse. This isn't the 1950's anymore. Chicago Heights HAD it's "hay day" so to speak. You won't see a Starbucks or any decent restaraunts or shopping around this town. We will contiue to venture out to Homewood, Matteson, Orland and other places. No one takes care of their houses, and no one seems to care. And the school systems are getting worse and worse out here. You all have your work cut out for you! Good luck!

Well said Jasmine. I agree with you completely on every one of your points. Here's hoping it wasn't all smoke and mirrors.

I am reading jasmine's blog and imagining this lady, flushed red, with smoke coming out her ears-screaming at her kids for playing too loud and puffing on a cigarette. Jasmine: breathe in. hold it for five seconds. exhale and really feel the air leave your lungs. feel the negativity release. repeat. (or you can just breathe in and hold it. no exhale needed and then we won't have to read anymore of your obnoxious thoughts).

But we still get to listen to you right because deep down inside you know we need your advice and knowledge, Correct? You really need a hobby, if all you do is imagine what everybody else is doing.

Good one Mia. Obnoxious thoughts? More like the obnoxious truth. Here honey...call me in a few years and let me know how much the Heights has changed for the "better." Or better yet, let me know how it has not changed at all and how it's gotten worse. I myself can't wait to see all the new liquor stores, gas stations, ghetto clothing shops, and "mom and pop" taco corner stores that will be going up. Oh and Mia...one more thing. How sad you imagine at me like that. How comical actually. Because you just "imagined" the new breed of ghetto that now lives in and will be moving into the Heights.

Hello all,

Let's move away from the personal insults before this escalates. This is an avenue for conversation. Differences in opinion are allowed and don't have to lead to insults.

I agree with Chris. The election is over. It's time to move on and work together to better our community.

This might be interesting, name 5 things you would like to see changed for the better in Chicago Heights:
(be specific, we'd all like to see less crime, no drugs etc.)

1) Starbucks-Silly request I know, but a small city in America without a Starbucks says a lot.
2) 10% increase in the high school graduation rate
3) Less gang tags-really, who does this anymore? They're usually done half-ass and just make everything look bad. Does crappy spray paint really convey a message of power and control?
4) More police community involvement. There are some fantastic officers in the Heights but nobody really gets to interact w/ them until something bad happens.
5) Take walks. Enjoy the house, the apartment, the street & the community you're in. Obviously if you're still here you're not leaving, so take back what you worked so hard to pay for. It may not be so great, but it's YOURS.

Mayors come and go, maybe they get some things done, maybe they don't, but the people are what make or break the community.

great idea!
here are my 5...
clean up the look of the town
(street corners, trash, weeds, painted poles, remove old signs) on the major 4 roads first
work on eliminating the boarding up of buildings and homes....there must be another way
these look just awful
co-ordinate the traffic lights better...some are ridiculous..no one coming and red light?
would save us all a lot of gas!
make businesses responsible for the appearance of their property, even those vacant or moved
encourage more citizen involvement via city wbsite, volunteer projects and public awareness
of current events
i've got a lot more!

Mr Lahey,

Great ideas! I like the weed thing and those light timers ARE a little strange.

It starts with just one thing looking nicer and spreads. Vacant parking lots can host bicycle safety training, big wheel derby's for little ones or a street hockey league.

There's about 3 vacant houses on my parents street. It takes 10 minutes to pick up the garbage on one of the lawns. My job? No, but it makes the street look 10x better when I drive by.

Winston,
I've talked to some people in the neighborhood and there seems to be this feeling that if things improve w/ the new administration, the credit will go to the party in office. There so much bitterness on all sides, some lifelong grudges that it prevents positive movement. A shame but still a reality in some areas.

I totally agree with you to contact the aldermen and the mayor, but I hesitate to push party names. How about "keep the COMMUNITY momentum going?" In four years it will be clear where the improvements are and who got things done.

Kim, I think some of that comes from the nasty campaign that Mr. Faso ran. It engendered a lot of bitterness, and I am happy that a wide majority of the city rejected it. I think it also contributed to the low turnout (38%). I hope that those who really care about the community will work together, no matter which side they took in the election.

I'm going to start a new party today. It's called "The Take Your Damn Signs Down Party"

Our platform is that we shouldn't see political signs--for the winners or the losers-- still up 4 days after the election. They make everything look ugly as sin.

WOW! OK I agree w/ Christopher P, and also Yeah Winston, why'd u even say "Unity" momentum, anyhow? Just say momentum / good momentum, if u must add a word to it. You keep going on and on about this party.. Didn't you (or someone on here!) say to "forget politics and just move forward" don't keep harping on how great yr party is and how they won, blah, blah

*

I would like to say that school district 170 (pre-k thru 8th grade) is getting better every day! There are so many positive things happening now its unreal! Its easy to make a school district the target of a towns shortcomings but if you are on the inside you could see the great job the people are doing there from the board to the superintendant on down! ISAT requirments are being met, athletics are thriving and becoming a driving force in academic motivation! When critisizing a city dont always attack the school districts, our schools are filled with kids that want a better life and that want to be a part of something they can be proud of....so lets all try to set good examples. Have a great week!

I happen to know both Joey Faso and Dave Gonzalez personally, although Joey's campaign took an ugly turn and Dave returned the favor in a defensive mechanism type situation, both men are good men. They both care about the city and are strong family people. If anyone thinks for one second that either man wants to hurt the city and not help it you are wrong. Lets all wait and see and try to do our part to make chicago heights a better place.