E-mail: Dawn.Aulet@patch.com
Phone: 815-531-7412
Hometown: Westchester
Birthday: Dec. 24

Although I did not grow up in the area, I chose to buy my first home in the village of Channahon. In my years in the area, I have had the pleasure of getting to know a number of residents through my work at two local newspapers. I have a Bachelor of Arts in journalism, with a minor in theater from Northern Illinois University. I am currently working on a Master in Education. In the past, I have reported on news, features and education issues and have won awards for my news and feature coverage. I am an avid reader, love theater, whether on stage or on film, and am a fan of TV shows including Bones, Criminal Minds, Law and Order SVU and, of course, Glee.

I lived in Germany for two years and in Georgia for one. I have two beautiful boys, ages 8 and 6 and have been married for 17 years.

My Beliefs

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Politics

I have voted in every election except one since I have been old enough to vote. This includes primary elections. I believe a lot of people fought for me, as a woman, to have a right to vote and I do not take that lightly.As a journalist, I do not take sides. As an individual, I have an opinion. I do not vote along party lines. I vote by issues and take each candidate on an individual basis. I think debate is healthy and that even if I do not agree with someone on an issue, I would gladly share my opinion in an environment in which it would be respected.

Religion

I believe we are all spiritual beings having a human experience. I believe in the divinity of all things. And, I believe we each have a spark of the divine within each one of us. We are not all climbing the same mountain of meaning. I believe we need to respect everyone's search for what moves their soul. If we could see past our differences to see the spark of the divine, the world would be a better place. Namaste.

Local Hot-Button Issues

For both Channahon and Minooka, growth is an issue. A few years ago, the issue was too much growth. Now, that growth has slowed down. The fact that it slowed down so quickly means that housing developments stand half finished. In some cases, villages have had to take over portions to keep residents safe by creating access points or completing infrastructure, just to name a few.

Schools in both areas also face the same challenges as schools across Illinois. The state is constantly cutting educational funding and the payments that do remain are often late getting to the districts. All three elementary districts that serve this area, Minooka School District 201, Channahon District 17 and Troy District 30c have done their best in difficult times. Those tough times, though, are not over and unfortunately, I think more budget cuts and perhaps staffing cuts are in the future. 

Lastly, for Channahon and Minooka, the idea of progression versus tradition is a challenge. While not a hot-button issue per se, it is always a consideration for the officials in the towns.