Lemont Invades the 'Twitter-verse'

It wasn't so long ago that any "tweet" resonating through Lemont was strictly from the birds.

Not anymore.

Like many other towns, Lemont has established a strong presence on Twitter, one of the Internet's latest social media sensations. 

The concept behind Twitter is simple: Users of the web site can post brief statements, or "tweets," no longer than 140 characters. While most tweets are random thoughts or observations, they also can include links to photos and web sites.

In Lemont, the Twitter sensation has hit home. From local celebrities to local government, there's a bevy of information related to the village on Twitter. If you are looking to bolster your "Following" list, here are some of Lemont's most noteworthy "tweeters":

Local Celebrities

Who doesn't love some "celebrity following"? Lemont does indeed have its share of native and local celebrities who call the village home. You can keep up with the following local stars on Twitter:

• Christian Vande Velde (@ChristianVDV): Vande Velde is a professional cyclist originally from Lemont. He rode for the 1999 and 2001 US Postal teams that helped Lance Armstrong to Tour de France victories both years. VDV, as he is known, tweets about his travels to races around the world, occasionally adding pictures of beautiful locations.
• Diablo Cody (@diablocody): While locals may know her as Brooke Busey, her pen name, Diablo Cody, is a hot one in Hollywood. Cody, a Lemont native, is best known for writing the Academy Award-winning screenplay for the 2007 film, Juno. She continues her screenwriting work, but is also an avid blogger and tweeter, offering funny random thoughts and even some beauty tips.
• Jerry Taft (@jerrytaft): A standby in Chicago news circles, Jerry Taft is a meteorologist for ABC 7 Chicago and a Lemont resident. Taft's tweets are frequent, funny and even feature weather observations. He often posts photos of the sights outside of ABC 7's State Street studio, as well as his thoughts as a self-admitted "Mac geek."

Government and Services

Despite sometimes being perceived as a "small town," Lemont's government and services feature technology that can keep up with any municipality.

• Village of Lemont (@VillageofLemont): The village keeps a very useful and active Twitter feed where they post updates on "breaking news" such as power outages and street closures, which were useful during the summer's early rash of storms. On a brighter note, the village's tweets also remind you of upcoming events and even services deadlines, such as buying those pesky parking stickers.
• Lemont Public Library (@LemontLibrary): The library's Twitter feed is an obvious follow for book lovers, but it also updates library events nearly every day. Links to registration and information pages on its web site
• Argonne National Laboratory (@Argonne): Argonne National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Energy's research laboratory located just north of Lemont, operates a fascinating feed. Regular tweets link users to new studies or simply state fun facts and thoughts to ponder, such as "You have three pounds of bacteria in your gut right now. What are they doing?"

Lemont Businesses and Organizations

Lemont businesses continue to grow and the area features unique attractions that draw citizens from far beyond village limits. This Twitter feeds provide the latest on commerce in Lemont:

• Lemont Deals (@LemontDeals): For the frugal and thrifty, Lemont Deals is a must. This Twitter feed offers frequent updates on coupons, specials and other deals offered exclusively by Lemont businesses.
• Cog Hill Golf and Country Club (@CogHillGolf): Cog Hill's feed is all things golf (of course) and more. Recent tweets include Cog Hill media mentions as well as member news. If you are a golf fan or just have an interest in a major local event, Cog Hill is a "must follow" as the PGA's BMW Championship arrives in Lemont.
• Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago (@HTGC): The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago is one of Lemont's most popular locations, drawing visitors from all over the country. The Hindu Temple's account features information on upcoming events, fundraising opportunities and links to additional information on Hinduism.

News and Information

As Lemont has grown, so has the demand of local information.  The following Twitter feeds can keep you in the know on all things Lemont:

• Lemont Reporter (@LemontILNews): The Lemont Reporter-Met's account features updates from reporter Matt Piechalak, including links to stories and updates from "The Quarry Blog."
• Just Lemont (@JustLemont): Many of Twitter's most useful feeds come from community members and Just Lemont falls into that category. While many tweets are "retweets" (RT) from other sources, JustLemont does add in observations from around town, such as street closures and events.
• Living in Lemont (@livinginlemont): This Twitter feed is run by Cynthia Malak, who describes herself as a "hometown girl with all the info," and her tweets certainly make that case. Tweets on this list include observations on schools, restaurants, businesses and more.
• Lemont Patch (@LemontPatch): What's wrong with a shameless plug? Follow Lemont Patch on Twitter for links to stories and updates on breaking news. You can connect to our Twitter feed very easily by clicking the link to the right of this article.