The Soapbox
A stalwart example:
Cardinal Francis George, diagnosed with cancer for the second time, is facing it with courage, optimism and openness. He is a model for anyone with serious health challenges. Our prayers are with you, Cardinal.
To hunt or not to hunt:
As if deer culling to test for chronic wasting disease didn’t cause enough of an uproar among animal lovers, now a Kane County Forest Preserve committee is recommending bow hunting to keep the deer population down. The issue: Too many deer chew up too much plant life and disrupt the habitats of other critters. Brace for a battle.
Too like-minded?
Does it bother anyone else that members of the Drew Peterson jury have chosen to dress like one another every day of the trial? While they ultimately must reach a unanimous decision, what does such a display say about their impartiality and ability to think for themselves? Peterson’s defense team says it’s not a problem. But really.
Bad Idea No. 1:
A 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “cookout” held a block from Duchon Field the day of Glenbard West High School’s home football opener seemed to be a thinly disguised pregame tailgating party. After getting wind of the inaugural event last week, village leaders and school officials let their displeasure be known and let us add ours.
Good Idea No. 1:
The organizers, the Tap House Grill, got the hint and canceled all subsequent events. Good move. The link between drinking and high school sports sent a poor message. As a District 87 official put it, “Kids hear 1 percent of everything you say and 100 percent of everything you do.”
Voter input:
With the decision to drop the petition challenge to a November referendum regarding a proposed new village hall in Island Lake, voters will get a chance to weigh in on the issue. That’s a good idea. Though the question is advisory only, the measure should force leaders and residents to engage in a meaningful discussion on an important project.
Mayor’s generous display:
Thank you, Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson, for taking on the $4,651 expense for your trip to Europe with the Schaumburg Youth Symphony Orchestra next June. Your presence will help open doors for future performance venues while you’re there, and your financial sacrifice benefits the village in another very important way.
Urban chicken consultant?
Arlington Heights residents starting a petition to appeal the village board’s rejection of a backyard henhouse got an urban chicken consultant to testify on their behalf back in February. Urban chicken consultant? We looked her up. She has a rather impressive business presentation. Yes, every business has a purpose and a calling.
An apology to Tammy Duckworth:
We all make mistakes. Congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth did when she accepted a homestead exemption on rental property. But we did too when we described her as a “tax cheat” in last week’s Soapbox. While we’re disappointed in Duckworth’s error, we’re also disappointed in our flippant language. There’s nothing to indicate her mistake was anything more than an error, and our criticism should not have implied otherwise.