A Year in Review

When we look back towards accomplishments, we need to look at the entire two years.  Our web site has informed thousands of Bolingbrook residents on the serious issues in our community.  We have overcome many rumors of false reporting and have become a very reputable news source.  We leaped during election to 2,000+ hits per day!  We are closing in on 100,000 hits in less than two years and counting. 

We have used our overly opinionated writers to spark controversy and get the point across to show different voices in our community.  We have allowed residents to post their opinions and have given them a voice in a community that not had a voice in over 20 years. 

We have exposed corruption and corrupt practices, while showing where people walk the thin line between law abiding citizens and non law abiding citizens.

We have given good stories and bad stories, reported on hero's and villains.  We have sparked residents talking in many social networks, from online blogging to restaurants, stores, bars, and neighborhood organizations, clubs, and block parties.  We have brought people together with common interests and goals, agenda's and news. 

When people in Bolingbrook want to hear the truth, they come to us.  We receive over 500 emails a week asking questions and we respond promptly.  We have grown from 5 residents working the site to over 30 whom volunteer their time to attend functions, write stories, respond to mail, and even help campaigns.  We are known to be the site that people go to when they have a problem or find an issue in Bolingbrook.  We investigate and report for them, so they can get on in their busy lives.  We have become every residents helping hand.

Over the years we have seen residents step forward in need.  We have seen public workers step forward in need.  We have even assisted other communities to start local watch dog groups.  We have seen the birth of an Independent Party and seen the demise of the Democratic and Republican Parties locally.  We have been there to report on it. 

Some say we are only about uncovering conspiracies of elected officials.  However, we have shown the residents otherwise with such stories as Devon Hodges, the basketball star being stripped of his rights to get into a good college with scholarships and stores who prosecute theft illegally.  We have shown stories on bravery amongst the Police and Fire Departments.  We have mentioned fundraisers and supported local events.  We have been there to cover local elections, local government, and local activities for the residents.  We are multi faceted and ever changing, thanks to the dedicated staff.  We do all this, even though NO OTHER PAPER in Bolingbrook dares to. 

We have our critics, which make us work harder to become better.  They want to spread allegations of falsities and lie about our members.  They want us to look like crazy people, in order for themselves to look sane.  They need to do this to protect themselves from our truths.  The truth can be damning.  It can hurt people and their families.  We are aware of this.  However, we are dedicated to report the truth because hurting one person that has hurt 75,000 is the Karma that person has coming to them.   Sometimes, we do feel bad to have to report it, but the public has a right to know. 

On the other hand, these same critics have spent two years trashing some of our dedicated members with comments about their looks or spreading false information about them.  They do not report the truth about these members or expose how these people have hurt thousands of residents, because they have done nothing to be exposed of.  The difference in what these government thrashers do and what we do is that we expose people's wrong doings as it impacts others, while their tactic is to go after people with families who have done nothing wrong.  These dedicated members have done nothing except ask the government questions, and in return, get bullied by the thrashers.

So we have spent two years in this never ending battle between the "good and the evil".  We see it as two fights.  One is to ensure the residents are current on information and the other is to ensure that the "thrashers" do not stop us from supplying the first goal.  Most viewers on here do not understand what our dedicated members have endured at the hands of the thrashers.  One member, Bonnie has been publicly called a murderer and had her home threatened with her 2 year old there, just for telling the truth to the public.  She has endured over two years of weight related comments on Topix by her government stalker that the police refuse to arrest(even though he has a warrant and threatened her body in the everglades wont be found). 

Another member questioned a "bill" and had his family threatened.  Every day our staff risk their lives and families lives to bring you these stories and ensure they are accurate.  Every day they play the hero for the sake of 75,000 residents, while the non-transparent government hides as the villain, trying to discredit or stop the information from being released.  Our writers offer the truth and state their opinions and that is what makes our site so great.  We wish we had more residents like them that could devote a few hours per week!

It is a risk that makes us want to step out and thank these contributors for putting their lives and reputations on the line to make Bolingbrook a better place for us all.  For taking the hits for all of us that write or contribute.  It does not seem fair that three of them would take the hits for so many of us that participate, but one time a year you should be honored for your actions. 

So on behalf of the Bolingbrook Report and its readers, thank you for your dedication, tenacity, risk,and time that you have devoted to the cause.  Each stone you uncover topples over another mountain to clear the way to a better Bolingbrook.  Thank you.

We also want to thank the readers for staying tuned and spreading the word!