The Way We Work: Jobs That Are Gone

For Labor Day, Patch looks at how jobs have changed during the last century.

This is a story about jobs that, by and large, simply don’t exist in the United States anymore. Or if they do, are holding on by the fiber-optic thread that will soon extinguish the occupation for good. Some are ancient history, like the iceman who has not cometh since the Eisenhower Administration. And others – including the minimum wage Wal-Mart “greeter” - were here just yesterday. At The Sun newspaper of Baltimore—where many wonder if reporters will eventually go the way of the typewriter (and the skilled folks who repaired them)—there used to be an aged, exceedingly polite elevator operator named Barney Barney. Yes, his first name and his last name were, inexplicably, the same. Though extraordinary buildings like the Space Needle in …

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Detour Delayed: Elsner-Rt. 30 Intersection to Close After Labor Day

IDOT moved the construction start so the road work wouldn't affect traffic for the Frankfort Fall Festival, a village official said.

Frankfort drivers and residents dreading the closing of Elsner Road at U.S. Route 30 for construction are getting a reprieve. But only for two weeks. The Illinois Department of Transportation has changed its construction start for the intersection from this week to Tuesday, Sept. 4, the day after Labor Day, said Assistant Village Administrator Rob Piscia. The move was done so that the construction wouldn't disrupt traffic for the Frankfort Fall Festival, which runs from Sept. 1 to 3. READ: Elsner-Rt. 30 Intersection to Close for Construction The road work will connect Elsner with the new Rt. 30 lanes, and it should take about 28 business days, weather—and other delays—permitting, Piscia said. Only the entrance to Elsner Road will be closed…

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Intersections of Life and Faith

Is Your Work a Labor of Love?

The Labor Day holiday reminds me that doing what you enjoy can be a spiritual gift from God.

Repeatedly over the past nine months as I've interviewed small business owners for Patch, I've heard many of them say in some form or other: "I work 12 hours a day, seven days a week. That's crazy, right? But to me, it's not really work if you're doing what you love." Personally, I'd have to say 84-hour work weeks are a little crazy. I also think it's not really fair to yourself to say, "It's not really work because I love it," because the bottom line is: Work requires effort, plain and simple. And if you're the kind of person who strives to do good work--excellent work even--then you are going to have to labor toward that goal. It doesn't mean work can't be fun. It doesn't mean work can't be worthy. But generally speaking, work is ... …

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Fall Fest: Volunteers are the Backbone and Heart of Event

About 200 individuals give of their time Labor Day weekend to make the annual fest a success.

One of Frankfort Fall Festival volunteer Cheryl Howard's favorite jobs is that of streetwalker. No, not that kind of streetwalker. A fest streetwalker is someone assigned to a block of artisan booths who literally walks that street during fest hours, checking on the artisans, answering visitor questions or covering bathroom breaks for artisans working solo. In fact, even though she has been the volunteer chairwoman for most of her 27 years of fest involvement, Howard still walks a street every fest weekend and loves that she's gotten to know many of the artisans who return annually to their same booth location. The Frankfort Fall Festival volunteer pool numbers close to 200, and while many return year after year, Howard said she makes an …

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Fall Festival Relocates Carnival Rides for This Year

New location at 1 N. White St. will make it easier for organizers to operate the attractions and for police to manage crowds, official says.

The Fall Festival Committee has approved moving the event's carnival rides this year to a new location along North White Street, a village official said Thursday. The carnival rides and attactions will be at 1 N. White St., a large open area owned by the village, Trustee Cindy Heath said in an e-mail. "Astro Amusements and the Frankfort Fire District believe it will be a much easier lot to place their carnival and even have a few more rides," added Heath, who is also a festival co-chair. "The police feel that having the carnival all in one location will be easier to manage and control. That will leave the Breidert Green area completely open for patrons to relax and enjoy the free music from the stage."   The village parking lot across from…

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