Suburban Life is looking for the best and brightest outdoor holiday decorations. You send them in, and we will publish them the week of Christmas.

Two weeks ago the Hinsdale Village Board received a dim financial report outlining what officials had suspected for more than a year — not enough revenue coming in to cover expenses, as well as a whopping $90 million cost estimate to rebuild and maintain the town’s aging infrastructure.

The Village of Hinsdale plans to apply for Open Space Land Acquisition and Development funding in 2010 for the first time in its history, but the project and funding level likely will not be decided until at least January.
 

Hinsdale’s 44th annual Christmas Walk and StoryBook Village blends traditional holiday charm with a new concept this year — story books created by area students.

YOUR VIEW
In addition to more-frequent local editorials, our expanded opinions coverage features a forum seeking your take on a key issue being talked about around town. Here's the current topic:

Community Consolidated School District 181 has asked the Illinois Department of Transportation to declare two intersections ? 47th Street and County Line Road as well as Garfield Avenue and the BNSF crossing ? as hazardous. This would allow for partial funding of busing to students living in specific areas. Should the intersections of 47th Street and County Line Road as well as Garfield Avenue and the BNSF crossing be declared hazardous by IDOT as requested by SD181?

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The Village of Hinsdale will once again ask voters to approve a 1 percent retail sales tax increase, although the timing of the vote remains in doubt.

Some school board members want answers before voting on an agreement that would allow four communications companies to access a water tower near Hinsdale Central High School.

In debating whether we should abolish capital punishment, it’s important to decide which aspect of this story dominates — the psychopath who deserves the ultimate punishment or the wrongful conviction of two men. Is it better for us to enhance public safety by eliminating society’s most serious threats or to protect civil liberties by making sure innocent people are never put to death?

The Hinsdale Chorale will perform its annual Holiday Concert beginning at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29 at Redeemer Church, 139 East First St., Hinsdale.

A lapse in financial bookkeeping has left the DuPage Water Commission millions of dollars short, and leaders are considering increasing water utility rates, among other fundraising options, to cover the hole.

The DuPage Health Dept. is hoping to get its H1N1 flu vaccines to more of those who need it most with a pair of appointment-only clinics next month in Glen Ellyn and Downers Grove. The first session will be Saturday, Dec. 12 at Building K of the College of DuPage, and the second will be Sunday, Dec. 13 at Downers Grove South High School.

Three Elmhurst men arrested and charged Nov. 13 with taking part in a spree of 40 burglaries to vehicles in DuPage County communities will be arraigned in December.

Check out police and fire reports for Hinsdale and Darien.

Those who want to memorialize lost loved ones in a unique way can do so by making a contribution to the Adventist St. Thomas Hospice in support of the Tree of Remembrance.
 

Big-time college recruits and state title contenders take the court next week when the high school girls basketball season tips off. Check out your team's prospects here.

If there were a more effective way of weeding out ne’er-do-wells on the Internet, I’d strongly recommend using it. Such a mechanism would be helpful in identifying those who have good intentions and those who want to rip you off.