The Saturday Soapbox: Police hiring and artificial-turf wars

Turf war:

Glen Ellyn park officials may be taking a bit of a chance by forging ahead with installation of artificial turf on a Newton Park field. A resident-backed lawsuit is scheduled for a Sept. 28 hearing — long after the turf will be in place.

'Speculative':

The lawsuit argues the synthetic rubber #8220;infill#8221; used in such turf is an environmental and health hazard. But the park district spent extra funds on a nonporous material that doesn't move about as much. A judge on June 15 refused to halt the project, calling the health concerns #8220;speculative.#8221; Maybe it's time to end the litigation.

Stargazing in Chicago:

Lost among sports headlines touting the national media's growing interest in the Cubs and the historic strikeout string by White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was a record-setting effort by another superstar. Thanks to a 45-point game, Sky forward Elena Delle Donne began this week leading the WNBA in scoring at 29.0 points per game. Truly remarkable.

Gaming for charity:

A generation of parents told their children they couldn't play video games for a living. Edwin Castro of Bloomingdale is proving them wrong. His fan base of nearly 600,000 won him sponsorships and a broadcasting deal. But Castro also uses his gaming to raise money for charity #8212; $134,000 so far. That's something every Mom and Dad would be proud of.

Happy Birthday, Barrington:

Barrington celebrates its 150th birthday this weekend as it opens The White House to the public today after a 19-month, $6.1 million effort. The finished product is the result of a truly communal effort #8212; from the volunteers who led the endeavor, to the donors who gave millions of dollars to fund it.

Bowing out early?

Mount Prospect's early exit from a plan to add qualified #8220;green card#8221; holders to the eligibility list of potential police officers is curious. There are legitimate arguments on both sides of this debate, but the village bowed quickly to pressure, not because they were convinced otherwise. Surely they knew objections would be coming.

Top talent

Twenty performers will compete Sunday in Suburban Chicago's Got Talent, with the top 15 moving on in the competition. You can watch it all at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg. Admission is $10; info is at dailyherald.com/entertainment/talent.

Cruising for advice:

Lombard is seeking resident advice for its first villagewide bicycle and pedestrian plan. Great idea to help folks who want to leave their cars at home and great idea to ask residents for their opinions. But are we the only ones to find it ironic that the village twice tried to solicit feedback for a pedestrian plan at Cruise Nights?

World champs?:

Who said Americans can't play soccer? Tuesday's victory at the Women's World Cup means the United States will play in the championship match Sunday, and the Americans will enter the match with a defense that has gone 513 minutes without giving up a goal. Just 90 more minutes and they'll become champions.

Working together:

You've probably noticed we're big on governments collaborating for the greater good. Vernon Hills and the Vernon Hills Park District plan to buy a vacant restaurant, and the park district will be responsible for demolishing it and using the 3-acre site to expand adjacent Century Park. Saving green and green space.

Drinking and drowning

Cautions about setting off fireworks are everywhere this weekend, but it's also a dangerous time on lakes and rivers. Drownings and boat accidents often are caused by alcohol-fueled recklessness. Be extra careful to keep yourself and your family safe.

Election season?

First, Gov. Rauner pokes Democrats in the eye in television ads over the impasse on the state budget. Then the unions buy airtime to jab back at Rauner. It's like election season all over again when you turn on your TV.

Bensenville's recycling effort:

Bensenville police moved into a much-needed new headquarters this week. But the best feature of the $16 million, 47,000-square-foot facility is that it was built in a long-abandoned, formerly blighted industrial building at 345 E. Green St. Recycling at its best.

Trouble brewing in Indian Prairie?:

We hate to worry parents of 28,500 students in Indian Prairie Unit District 204, but it's troublesome to see teachers preparing to start the next school year under the terms of an already-expired contract. The two sides thought they had a tentative two-year pact in May, but the district's 2,000 teachers overwhelmingly rejected it.

Get back to the bargaining table:

Now negotiators in District 204 say they can't meet again until mid-August #8212; just days before classes are scheduled to resume Aug. 20. That means three months without formal talks. Both sides are saying the right things about reaching an agreement, but neither is doing the right thing #8212; getting back to the bargaining table.

Freight safety

The latest hazmat freight train disaster #8212; a derailment that caused a fire, evacuation of 5,000 and hospitalization of 10 first responders near Knoxville, Tenn., #8212; is chilling for many in the suburbs who live near busy freight lines. As our own reporting has shown, It's time for tougher safety standards to prevent disasters like these.

Remember the day:

And while you're out enjoying your time with family and friends, don't forget, as with any holiday, the cause of our celebration. Today, it's freedom. As the saying goes, it is not free. But it is a blessing all Americans share. Remember.