The Soapbox
Really, Rosemary?
Des Plaines Republican state Rep. Rosemary Mulligan finds herself waging a write-in bid against two others to try to keep the seat she’s held since 1993. Hard to fathom how she could have let this happen, especially after she first won all those years ago only after a historic ballot battle against then-Park Ridge Republican Penny Pullen.
Wheaton boom?
Let’s hope Wheaton Mayor Michael Gresk was right that the sale of the former Hubble Middle School at the crossroads to downtown could spur a redevelopment boom. Other activity looms, including plans for an apartment complex on Wesley Street. Wouldn’t it be great just to see some construction activity?
Hubble talk
Speaking of the Hubble sale, park officials and the developer of the Mariano’s Fresh Market grocery planned for Hubble are holding an informational session at 10:30 a.m. today at the DuPage County Historical Museum to brief the neighborhood. That’s an extra effort you don’t see every day, but one that’s certainly welcome.
But sign up first
The park district sent out invitations to 270 households and businesses in the immediate area, asking residents to RSVP. That’s great, but would it have been so bad to let people just show up?
Super Bowl showdowns
Sure, there’s a lot of hype about superstar QBs Tom Brady and Eli Manning possibly playing in the Super Bowl. We’re pulling for their opponents, however. At Buffalo Grove High School, safety Tom Zbikowski of the Baltimore Ravens was a star quarterback, as was San Francisco’s third-string QB Scott Tolzien at Fremd.
Puck power
Kudos to the Chicago Wolves and the fans who have been supporting their cancer research fundraising through sales of commemorative Cancer Survivor jerseys. They’ll wear them again tonight against Rockford. In a nice move, Stevenson High School junior goalie Michael Goldfine, who has been battling leukemia, will drop the puck tonight.
Smart move:
Nice business deal by the Lake County Forest Preserve District to allow Walsh Construction Co. to use its former headquarters building and parking lot, which were slated for demolition, as an office and staging area during the big Milwaukee Avenue/Route 137 road project. Walsh will restore the property at no cost — saving the forest district $50,000.
Tough choice ahead:
We don’t envy the District 59 school board. At two public forums, most parents preferred an addition to address overcrowding at Frost Elementary — probably the most expensive option — over changing attendance boundaries or going to grade level centers. The board’s choice: What parents want vs. what the district can afford.
Avalanche of complaints:
Tax officials in Kane County had to know they’d be bombarded with challenges to property assessments when many tax bills still go up as home values drop. In Dundee Township, complaints more than doubled over last year. In Rutland, it’s close to triple. Good luck, Board of Review. This will be a long haul.
Ah, politics:
State Sen. Chris Lauzen cried “pay-to-play politics” in campaign contributions to Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay. McConnaughay, a Republican running for state Senate, is an interesting target for Lauzen, who is running for the chairman’s seat in the Republican primary against Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns,