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The Soapbox

Two swings, two misses:

For the second time in two years, the Arlington Heights electoral board will keep voters from making any decisions on local term limits. While we are skeptical about electoral boards ruling on ballot initiatives that affect them so directly, in this case we agree with their reasoning: that, also for the second time, mistakes were made that couldn't be ignored.

Aurora library's dream:

Congrats to Aurora Public Library officials on getting a $250,000 grant for the new downtown Richard and Gina Santori Public Library. The building is still a steel and concrete shell, but officials were eager last week to unveil an image of a 14-by-12-foot glass sculpture called Dream Catcher. Beautiful to look at, it also will have educational components.

Don't cross the line:

Construction zones, especially on the expressways, are scary and dangerous enough for most drivers. So for those of you who feel you just have to change lanes and cross the cautionary solid white lines, please think again.

Preventing the jams:

Warren Township High School District 121 parents heeded the administration's request to have kids ride school buses rather than drive them to the O'Plaine Road campus, to help ease congestion caused by road construction. Officials reported a smooth start as classes started Thursday. Let's hope parents will continue to cooperate.

Buses with eyes:

We're not fans of red-light cameras that do not prove to increase safety, but we'll watch to see what happens with cameras on school buses. Palatine Township Elementary District 15 has signed a deal to test them this fall. Too many drivers continue to sneak by the stop signs when they're extended.

Silliness at the board meeting?

As Kane County Coroner Rob Russell presented his budget, Chairman Chris Lauzen asked about a $1,221 line item for Silly Putty. Russell said he hands it out to entertain children during visits. Lauzen also pointed to a 40 percent raise for Russell's deputy amounting to $19,000. While budgets do need scrutiny these days, clearly one of these was worth questioning, but the other?

Get the numbers straight:

DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba is seeking funds to increase the pay disparity between supervisors and the rank-and-file. But the current disparity was in dispute: 13 percent if talking about sergeants, 30 percent if lieutenants, or only 2 percent between supervisors and the highest-paid detective. As board member Robert Larsen said, "The question is, what are the numbers?" The public needs to know, too.

Again and again and again:

Bulls rookie Doug McDermott was asked this week by 6-year-old Bulls/Sox Academy camper Charlie Gurgone of Lisle how he became so good at shooting three-pointers. "A lot of reps," the Creighton standout responded. That is a concept unfamiliar to a lot of 6-year-olds - with the exception of asking "Why?"

Quit your gripin':

Oct. 28 is proposed to be Complaint Free Day, and October a complaint-free month, in Wauconda. It's an idea of the Friends of the Wauconda Area Library to be more positive in the village, based on the work of author Will Bowen. Other governments in the suburbs could stand to do this. Perhaps some residents, as well.

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