MARCH 22, 2023
Vol. VII No. 12
vfpress.news
Two young adult books in Hillside library targeted Library trustee candidate wants books with allegedly sexually explicit content relocated to the ‘Adult’ section, but that’s the library staff ’s responsibility By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
Two of the 10 most challenged books in 2021, according to a list compiled by the American Library Association, sit on the shelves of the Young Adult section at the Hillside Public Library. Library trustee candidate Ron Vaisvila is concerned the two books – Gender Queer and Lawn Boy– are available to youth as they contain allegedly graphic text and illustrations he believes are “inappropriate for young developing minds.” According to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, the titles “Lawn Boy” by Jonathan Evison and “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe were the top 2 out of 1,597 books challenged across the U.S. in 2021. The reasons why the books were often challenged are similar to Vaisvila’s: the books were considered to have sexually explicit content or images. Another reason for challenging the 2 titles was it included LGTBQIA+ content, something Vaisvila said he has “no issue with.” “I don’t think books should be banned...” said Vaisvila. “I am not against LBGTQ anything, I See HILLSIDE LIBRARY on page 4
FREE
Tracy Jennings
Daniel Maldonado
Kevin McDermott
In tough moment, 7 candidates seek top Westchester post
Photo: Wikipedia/Captainandy1310, CC BY-SA 4.0
Candidates agree relocation of village hall needs to be re-evaluated By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
This April 4, Westchester residents will choose between seven candidates vying to be Westchester’s new village president. The names of five candidates – Tracy Jennings, Daniel “Danny” Maldonado, Kevin R. McDermott, Edward S. Lezza Jr. and David S. Galandak – will appear on the ballot. Former acting village manager Greg Hribal, who resigned from the position last year, and Lowell Martin Seida will not
be on the ballot, but residents can write in their names. The village is at a critical moment with a financial audit underway. The audit started in June last year after the abrupt resignation of former village manager Paul Nosek and halted plans on the relocation of Village Hall and a development project of the villageowned land at 1107 S. Mannheim Road and 10300 W. Roosevelt Road. While the village president shares decision-making powers with the board of trustees, there is no doubt the next village president has important issues to resolve at hand. The Village Free Press asked candidates how they will address these issues and what they think went wrong in the prior administration. Candidate Daniel Maldonado, who
has held a visible campaign knocking on doors and hosting events since he announced his candidacy last September, said his first priority is to stabilize the government by hiring a qualified and experienced village manager with a proven record. Maldonado said he will ensure the new village manager seeks top talent to fill other department vacancies such as the finance, communications and public works. He vowed to work with the new village manager to assess the results of the forensic audit and evaluate the previous plans to move Village Hall, Public Works and the Police Department to Enterprise Drive. Maldonado is running because “it’s time for change and leaving the status quo behind,” with transparSee WESTCHESTER on page 11