Latest news with #McDade
Chicago Tribune
02-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Tom McDade, a Park Forest developer, landed on Utah Beach on D-Day
For those of us of a certain generation, June 6 has a special meaning. It is and will always be D-Day, the day American and British forces stormed the beaches of France during World War II. As in past years, there will be few if any public memorials commemorating the events that took place that day 81 years ago. It was only one of numerous historic events that took place in four-plus years of worldwide conflict Casualties were high. Some 2,501 Americans were killed and allied forces suffered about 10,000 casualties. Estimates show some 5,000 Allied troops were wounded with German casualties to have been between 4,000 and 9,000. There are, however, strong links between the fighting on the beaches that day in June and the development of Park Forest, a 'G.I. Town' built to house returning veterans from the war. One is the story of Tom McDade. The other two are the vial of sand I see every day and the flag honoring the man. No one knows how many D-Day veterans lived in Park Forest, but one who did, Tom McDade helped forge an unbreakable connection between those two points on the map. McDade was born in Scotland, and along with his family emigrated to Hillsboro, Illinois when he was 5 years old. He was 29 when Pearl Harbor was bombed Dec. 7, 1941. He was part of the 4th Infantry Division which landed on Utah Beach in Normandy on D-Day. After the war he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina, did graduate work at the University of Chicago and worked for the Chicago Housing Authority before joining Urban Investments and Development. The company was headed by Philip Klutznick, the man who helped reshape an old golf course and vacant farmland into a new kind of community called Park Forest. McDade was a jack-of-all-trades, including taking charge of all the rental units. Trying to keep tenants happy was never an easy task. Klutznick wrote in his book, 'Angles of Vision,' that Tom invested himself in the village, living in the young community while at the same time in charge of planning and development both as a trouble shooter for the company and as a social conscience. He often directed funds from the company to worthy organizations and corporations. He may not have been the only D-Day veteran who came to Park Forest, but once said that no matter where he lived, his heart never left the community. Later in life, Tom and his second wife, Mignon, lived in a Lake Shore Drive apartment overlooking Lake Michigan. But when he retired in 1985, he moved back to a more modest abode in Park Forest, moving into a house on Lakewood Boulevard when its former owner, Mayor Mayer Singerman, left town. He was never a company man. He was always a local in his heart. Never one to test the water temperature with his toes, McDade jumped headfirst into the pool of community life. It was as if he never left town as he renewed his interest in all phases of village life, including a stint on the board of the Park Forest Historical Society. When he was inducted into the Park Forest Hall of Fame three years after his death in 1992, his widow said, 'you could take him out of Park Forest, but not Park Forest out of him.' We made the trip to the Normandy beaches nearly 30 years ago and came home with a lasting memory. This was a time before our cameras were part of our cellphones, and when people needed to load film in their cameras in order to snap a photograph. On my desk, there sits a plastic container which once stored such a film roll. Inside there are a few thousand grains of sand from Omaha Beach. I see it every day. It sits in front of a folded flag given to his wife, my wife's mother. I see both and I remember.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
'There's nothing between the teams' says McDade ahead of Wexford
Skyscraper! For the new rules have certainly benefitted Lisnaskea and Fermanagh midfielder Joe McDade. And the sight of the towering McDade plucking the O'Neill's from the clouds has become one of the iconic images in the Erne County and beyond. As a boy, he admired the late great Brian Óg Maguire and Marty McGrath, powerful men, who like Cristiano Ronaldo, seemed to hang in the air before making those jaw-dropping catches. Still only 23 McDade is in his fifth season in the county senior colours and is enjoying every minute of it. 'Those old-style midfield battles had kind of gone away with all those short kick-outs but the new rules have given midfielders like me a new lease of life and an opportunity to put myself in the game," he said. 'With 80 per cent of the kick-outs going short in recent years it is a nice change to be able to compete for the ball in the middle of the field and I really enjoy that element. 'When I was younger, I looked up to the late Brian Óg Maguire and he was on the Skea team that won the All-Ireland Intermediate title in 2011, and Marty McGrath for the county. 'Sadly, Brian passed away the following year and that was a terrible tragedy, and he is still deeply missed." Joe made his competitive debut against Antrim in the NFL in 2021 and he had to go off injured after 15 minutes in Kieran Donnelly's first year in charge so that was not a great start. McDade who is a shop manager for his father in Clogher and Ballygawley, added that he is really enjoying the lifestyle of a county footballer. 'I am working in Clogher and Ballygawley, and Ballygawley is a very good football town as you might guess. 'It's never easy when you are not playing, and those first few years are hard when you are trying to get into the team. 'But once you are in, the enjoyment levels are huge, and we are a very tight and close-knit squad. 'So, there is that aspect and I would not have it any other way. It's another job but you would not give it up for the world. McDade has arguably been Fermanagh's stand-out performer in a decidedly mixed season pockmarked by two disappointing defeats to Down (a game they literally threw away) and a shock defeat to Carlow. There was redemption of sorts last weekend with a big win over lowly Longford. But Division Four table toppers Wexford are up next weekend in Croke Park in a must-win match for the Erne County. 'In the Carlow game, there was probably a bit of a hangover and a bit of soreness going into the Carlow game from the Down game," he added. 'With the new rules, you never know what any team is going to bring especially those teams who can hit two-pointers. 'But we knew going into the Longford game, it was all or nothing for us and I think when we have our backs against the wall, we do tend to perform a wee bit better, so it was good to put in a better performance in the second half.' Fermanagh now have some considerable height and physique in central slots in Che and Lee Cullen, McDade, Darragh McGurn, Conor McGee, Ryan Lyons and Garvan Jones and Brandon Horan has been on the bench. So how much of a boost is this improved aerial power? 'That physical power is vital with the new rules and the kick-outs going long and contests at an all-time high and it is good to have that physicality and size around the middle. 'It is the one thing you can't coach so we have a squad of lads who are well capable of fielding a high ball and that can only be a good thing.' Before the Carlow game Fermanagh were being rated as one of the sides who could go all the way and actually win the Tailteann Cup. 'But in every division, there is less and less between the top teams and that is why you are seeing so many so-called better teams being overturned, and I think the new rules feeds into that with less certainty in winning possession and especially the two pointers who have had a huge impact on results already. 'Fermanagh would believe we can beat any of the teams in the Tailteann Cup on any given day, but the likes of Wexford bring that element of two-pointers with them. 'They waltzed through Division Four but did not do themselves justice against Limerick in the final in Croke Park.' But they will use that hurt to go far in the Tailteann Cup and they will see Fermanagh as a scalp they can take and both teams will be fairly confident they can win. Wexford grabbed a draw with Fermanagh with a last-minute pointed free from keeper Darragh Brookes, but McDade was out that year through injury. 'It just shows there is nothing between the teams, a bounce of a ball.'
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Perth and Kinross Council votes to start process to create Scotland's third short-term let control area
The move was rejected by PKC's Economy and Infrastructure Committee last August but on Wednesday all councillors were asked to vote on the proposal After previously rejecting the move, Perth and Kinross councillors have voted to begin the process of creating Scotland's third short-term let control area. In August 2024 Perth and Kinross Council's (PKC) Economy and Infrastructure Committee voted against introducing a planning control area for Highland and North Eastern Perthshire. But on Wednesday, May 7 the proposal was once again recommended for approval and was this time put before all elected members for consideration, rather than just those on the relevant committee. Previously it was rejected by a single vote. This time - with all councillors able to vote (except Provost McDade who declared a financial interest and Cllr Frank Smith who was absent) - it was voted through by 24 votes to 14. One Labour, four Liberal Democrat, two Independent and all 17 SNP councillors voted to start the process of creating a short-term let (STL) control area in Highland Perthshire and North Eastern Perthshire. Twelve Conservative councillors, Liberal Democrat councillor Willie Robertson and Independent (former Conservative) councillor Colin Stewart voted against it. Last year Liberal Democrat councillor Claire McLaren voted against the proposal. On Wednesday, the Strathtay ward councillor voted in support of the proposal. At Wednesday's meeting, Conservative councillor Angus Forbes asked why councillors were being asked again to vote on the proposal. Depute provost Andrew Parrott said: "My understanding is we are perfectly entitled to bring the matter - after a six-month period - so that is what we are doing and it is perfectly proper to bring it to full council so that is what we are doing." Cllr Forbes questioned if it was "because the political arithmetic is better for the administration at this meeting". SNP council leader Grant Laing suggested a precedent was set when councillors were asked to vote again on the controversial Central Production Unit (CPU) for school meals. PKC initially rejected the recommendation for its nursery and primary school main meals to be provided on a cook fresh/freeze basis by Tay Cuisine at its CPU in Dundee, which opened in 2020. But - after the Scottish Government pledged in May 2021 to deliver free school meals to all Scotland's primary pupils - Perth and Kinross councillors were asked to vote again on the issue in June 2021 and approved it by 21 votes to 16. Cllr Laing said: "So there is a precedent to bringing something back. "I think it's such an important thing, the whole council should do it rather a committee. I think that everybody who lives and has voted in that area should have the chance to show where their allegiance lies or what they think is the best way forward." Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers chief executive Fiona Campbell urged Perth and Kinross councillors to reject the proposal. She said: "Across Perth and Kinross, only 1.7 per cent of properties are STLs, compared to 3.5 per cent sitting empty. "In Dunkeld and Birnam, council data wrongly claimed 15 per cent STL saturation — when actual self-catering units (SCUs) account for just 5.7 per cent. That's a fundamental misrepresentation. It is critical to differentiate between SCUs and second homes - second homes generate no economic benefit. You're being asked to legislate on flawed figures. She added: "STLs are not the cause of housing scarcity — but they are being treated as such. This narrative ignores larger structural issues: a lack of new supply, demographic shifts, and poor delivery of affordable homes. "The economic cost would be severe. Independent analysis from BiGGAR Economics shows STLs in Perth and Kinross generate over £51 million in local economic value, and support nearly 1,800 jobs. On average, each STL contributes more than three times the economic output of a private home." She added: "The Highland Council introduced a PCA in March 2024 — triggering over 200 applications, overwhelming their planning system, and creating confusion and huge expense to the sector. One year on, there is zero evidence that it has delivered a single additional home." The entire City of Edinburgh council area and Highland Council's Badenoch and Strathspey ward are Scotland's only two short-term let control areas. Moving it for approval, SNP council leader Grant Laing said: "It will introduce stronger and clearer planning controls to manage the number of new short-term lets across these areas. "The introduction of a short-term let control area will require all residential property owners to apply for planning permission for change of use from a residential property to a short-term let. "The introduction of an STL control area will have no new impact on many other property owners as they already have to apply for a change of use. It will also not impact existing STLs. Irrespective of the STL control area, the requirement for a licence remains." Seconding the move, deputy SNP leader Eric Drysdale stressed: "We are only talking about seeking to better manage new short-term lets, not to close down any existing STL businesses." Tabling an amendment to reject the proposal, Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor John Duff said: "This same proposal came before the Economy and Infrastructure Committee in August 2024 and was quite rightly rejected then. Nothing has changed in these last nine months to alter that position, and we should reject the proposal again today." The Conservative group leader said it would further hit the tourism and retail sector which had still not recovered from COVID. Cllr Duff added: "It's not that long ago that we, in this chamber, approved a bid to make this exact same area the Tay Forest National Park; remember that? National Park status would have significantly increased tourism for Highland Perthshire. And yet now, the administration is bringing forward a short-term let control area. Quite frankly, you couldn't make it up!" Councillors voted by 24 votes to 14 to proceed with the notice of a proposal for the designation of an STL control area for Highland Perthshire and northern part of the Eastern housing market areas.
