Government Is Our Friend- - - -Not! (My Title)

Cancer survivor sues over firing

May 21, 2006

BY STEVE WARMBIR Staff Reporter Advertisement

Ronald Michalowicz, a fire inspector for the village of Bedford Park, was given a 27 percent chance to live as he battled a rare form of tongue cancer.

The community rallied around him, raising about $25,000 to help.

He fought the cancer into remission.

But the village where he had worked for 28 years fired him for taking the contributions, in alleged violation of the Illinois Gift Ban Act and village code prohibiting employees from soliciting gifts that could affect their decision-making.

On Friday, Michalowicz sued Bedford Park, its mayor and village board in federal court for allegedly violating his rights. "The emotional stress I'm going through is unbelievable," Michalowicz said.

'His crime . . . he recovered'

His attorney, Michael Ettinger, said he doesn't understand why the village fired his client.

"His crime seems to be that he recovered from cancer," said Ettinger, who is representing Michalowicz with attorney Richard S. Zachary.

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Just when you think you've heard all the horror stories about government nitwittery, government manages to one up themselves. I swear that no government from the Fed's to the locals has clue as to what they're doing or is being done in their name.