Saturday soapbox
Design your park:
Very nice approach by the Bloomingdale Park District, which is holding an open house next week about playground equipment for Seasons Four Park. The park belongs to the community, said Carrie A. Fullerton, parks executive director, so citizens "should absolutely have the opportunity" to express their ideas about its design and use.
On to the semifinals:
No, not a local sports team. It's Buffalo Grove High School's Selena Groh, who advanced this week as a contestant on the TV quiz show "Jeopardy!" You can see her compete again in the annual Teen Tournament at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday on WLS-ABC Channel 7. And it's OK to cheer.
Chicago in baseball's spotlight:
It's not often that Chicago takes the center of baseball's stage. But this weekend we do, with not one but three inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame - Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Tony LaRussa, all with strong Chicago ties. That's got to be some kind of record. Our congratulations to all.
Kudos to Mayor Craig:
We're happy to see Hanover Park Village President Rodney Craig named to the Metra board. His background in transportation should serve us well and his unique perspective of the needs of three suburban regions - DuPage, the Fox Valley and Northwest Cook - is especially valuable. Besides all that, he cares.
Scent of a Wing Park:
Sometimes it's important to appreciate something as simple as a nice day - especially after the winter we endured. Wednesday was such a day: sunny, 70s, low humidity. Driving past Wing Park Golf Course in Elgin, windows down while the gang mowers were trimming the fairways, we caught the intoxicating aroma of freshly cut grass and felt just how deep that appreciation can go.
A tip of the cap
A tip of the police cap to the Buffalo Grove force, which went way out of its way last week to provide an amazing experience for a 7-year-old boy with a serious heart condition. Maybe it's all the negative contact they have with humanity that makes police and firefighters seek out the sweet spots for projects like this, but whatever the motivation, the result makes us proud.
Declining market?:
Don't know whether it's the economy or what, but Cook County Clerk David Orr noted this week in a semiannual report that lobbying has decreased in Cook County. Orr said contacts between lobbyists and county officials fell to a four-year low. Whatever the cause, it doesn't break our hearts to see influence peddling on the decline.
People power:
We've expressed our reservations before about the term limits referendum being pushed by Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner. But we can't agree more with his theme this week as he vowed to push ahead despite court setbacks. "Voters deserve a voice," he said. On this and other initiatives, we have to give them one.
Remembering Mary Cadigan:
Our thoughts go out to the family of Mary Cadigan of Arlington Heights. As a founding board member of Journeys The Road Home in Palatine, she played a major role in helping the homeless in the Northwest suburbs.