“Coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous.” - Albert Einstein

Coincidence. How many of us have had experiences that we could not explain, that occurred without our planning or “hit” us as an unexpected occurrence in our life? Merriam Webster defines coincidence “as the act or condition of coinciding or the occurrence of events that happen by accident but seem to have some connection.” Cambridge Dictionary states that a coincidence is “an occasion when two or more similar things happen at the same time, especially in a way that is unlikely and surprising.” Regardless as to how we define it, all of us have found ourselves in a situation where our only response is to say, that was just a coincidence.

I might ask you to consider several questions, how many times in your life were you experiencing a difficulty that you seemed to have no way of coping with, and then someone, or something enters your life, and assists you in finding a direction that lifts you and presents you with a new and positive direction? Or when was the last time you were away from home and unexpectedly ran into an old friend or a former classmate? Some might say that it was “coincidental” that this person or event entered your life just when you had no solution for your problems, or that meeting your old classmate was just by chance. Other might say that “sometimes a coincidence is no coincidence at all, but a purposeful action in disguise,” or that “coincidence is the word we use when we can’t see the pulleys and the levers.”

These are but a few of the occasions when we might find ourselves attributing something to coincidence, but we really need to ask ourselves the question, do these events happen by chance or is there some mystical or religious force at play in each of these scenarios. Albert Einstein, an intellectual who looked at everything from a scientific standpoint stated that “coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous.” I guess the answer to that question all depends on an individual’s makeup; do you attribute these events in your life to “accident,” or do you believe there is an underlying reason for those events we label as a coincidence.

Next time an event occurs or you run into an old friend, give some thought to the following: is it just a coincidence, or was this a result of some force in nature. As I end, I’ll leave you with a short story that while it is meant to be humorous, has a lesson that speaks to coincidence and how we live our lives.

“Two babies were born on the same day, at the same hospital. They lay there and looked at each other. Their families came and took them away. Eighty years later, by a bizarre coincidence, they lay in the same hospital, on their death beds next to each other. One of them looked at the other and said, so what do you think?” - Steven Wright

Year after year, the rate of impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes is higher at night on St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t push your luck this St. Patrick's Day, plan ahead for a sober ride home.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate Valerie Kazich, the 2024 Citizen of the Year, and the other honorees at our annual recognition event at Alpine Banquets. It was a beautiful evening and a reminder that it is the residents of Darien who truly make this a Nice Place to Live.

In addition to our Citizen of the Year Recognition, this year the committee also recognized Service and Volunteer Club and Organization honorees for their countless hours of service and dedication:

Mayor Marchese honored Bonnie Kucera with a Heart of Darien Award for her continued dedication to our City of the Year (COY) Committee. Mayor Marchese stated that “Bonnie works tirelessly as Committee Chair, and plans and implements our COY program flawlessly.” The Mayor added that Bonnie not only serves the city as chair of the COY committee, but she gives her time to other city groups, and in effect gives a bit of her heart to all the groups she serves. We are proud to return the effort by presenting her with an award that symbolizes her dedication to our residents and our community.

March is Women's History Month – commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebration of the vital role of women in American history. Learn more.

Rotary Club of Darien 2024 vehicle stickers are available at both City Hall and the Police Department for a $3 donation. Vehicle stickers are not required by the City, they are offered each year by community service organizations as a fundraiser for the organization.

March 18 - 24 is Fix a Leak Week. A few drips may not seem like a huge deal, but according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day.

By finding and fixing common leaks, households can save about 10% on their water bills. Use this handy checklist from the EPA to start tracking down those pesky leaks during

With a higher risk of severe weather and nicer temperatures, springtime can be a prime time for home repair fraud. The Illinois Attorney General warns us to watch out for these warning signs of fraud:

Take your time when planning a home repair and get multiple estimates. Find more tips on avoiding home repair fraud here. If you've been a victim of fraud, you can submit a complaint to the Attorney General's office through this form.

The storm drains on our streets feed into nearby rivers, creeks, and aquifers. You can help ensure that our rivers and drinking water sources ar clean by keeping pollution out of neighborhood storm drains. You can also help by checking the drains in your neighborhood to keep them clear of leaves and other debris to reduce water pollution.

IPPL needs your help planning for the future. Your opinion counts! Complete the Indian Prairie Public Library survey here by Friday, March 29.

In our continuing effort to keep Darien residents informed, the Darien Police Department is introducing Emergency Notifications via text. Please visit our Direct Connect Signup page and provide your cell phone number to receive text notifications in case of an emergency. These texts will be sent at any time (day and night) when an incident within the City may impact the community (e.g. police activity, accidents where there are road closures, etc.). There is no cost to sign up for this service. The Police Department will continue to use X/Twitter for non-urgent notifications.

As a reminder, election and other temporary signs are not permitted on City property. The City does remove and dispose of signs on a daily basis. Many of these signs are placed on roadways and the road rights-of-way and violate city code section 4-3-8-S: EXEMPT SIGNS. Election signs on county roads, such as 75th Street, Plainfield Road, Cass Avenue and Lemont Road are regulated by DuPage County and not the City.

The City of Darien Police Department is accepting applications for a Part-time Community Service Officer (CSO). The candidate has to be able to work Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (excludes holidays).

Learn more about this position here and apply today!

The agenda will be posted here.

The Planning and Zoning Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 has been cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for April 3. Check out the Community Calendar for all future meetings and events.

Darien’s Direct Connect E-Newsletter (DC) is the City’s primary source of information for residents and businesses. Please tell your friends and neighbors about DC, forward this email to them, and ask them to sign up. Signing up is simple and can be done here.

Click on the links below for more information on these upcoming community events!

Lions Club Big Raffle 2024: link

Darien Garden Club Meeting - April 1: link

Historical Society and Woman’s Club Plant Sale - Order by April 8: link

Spring Craft and Vendor Fair - April 13: link

Hinsdale South Musical: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - April 18-20: link

Darien Swim Club 2024 Registration: link

DYC Baseball Early Registration: link

DYC Soccer Early Registration: link

Mayor Joe Marchese, (630) 200-2390

Bryon Vana, City Administrator,

City Hall (630) 852-5000

Police Department (630) 971-3999

Public Works Streets & Water (630) 353-8105

Community Development (630) 353-8115

Visit the City of Darien's website for information on City services.

Follow us on Facebook at @CityofDarien.

Follow us on X at @CityofDarien.

Follow the Darien Police Department on X at @DarienPolice.

Join your Darien neighbors on Nextdoor.