The Soapbox: Balancing bus routes in Barrington, a drone fight in South Elgin, a museum in Wauconda and more.
The Daily Herald Editorial Board
Bus balance
Is it a good trade-off to walk farther to a school bus stop in exchange for pickup being pushed five to eight minutes later? Barrington Unit District 220 administrators think so, but it might be worth taking another look when January comes around.
New frontier for drone battle
Will new case law on regulation of drones come from South Elgin? Perhaps not, but it will be interesting to see if the ticket issued to resident Keith Kmieciak stands up in court. Kmieciak announced - at a village board meeting - his plans to fly the drone near Jim Hansen Park, contending the village has no right to regulate his hobby.
FAA notified, too
Citing its law requiring operators to get a permit to fly drones over public parks, Deputy Police Chief Jerry Krawczyk wrote up Kmieciak the next morning as he flew the drone near the park. For good measure, the village also announced it will report Kmieciak to the FAA for violating its rules as well. Stay tuned.
An honor worth celebrating
Hats off to Don Koz, a retired federal agent and cancer survivor from Bloomingdale who will represent first responders Sunday during the SEA Blue Prostate Cancer Walk/Run in Chicago's Lincoln Park. The honor of representing his peers is a big deal, but it's even more special coming on the 15th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.
Gone, but not forgotten
The Lake County Discovery Museum near Wauconda is closed, as crews pack it up for a move to the forest preserve's headquarters in Libertyville, where it will reopen in about a year. Until then, the museum must stay front and center with patrons through social media and public announcements. We don't want such a local treasure to be forgotten.
Transparency in Elk Grove
It's never pleasant to have dirty laundry aired in public, so Elk Grove Village Police Chief Stephen Schmidt probably wasn't thrilled when the Daily Herald questioned him about a tip that an officer had been caught writing phony warning tickets. But Schmidt was forthcoming and frank, a reminder that even when difficult, transparency is the best policy.
Laying it on the line
With his $40 million contract extension ($30 million guaranteed), Chicago Bears right guard Kyle Long raised the salary bar for the rest of the offensive linemen in the NFL. And that's a pretty high bar. It's not quite quarterback money, but that kind of paycheck certainly takes the anonymity out of working in the NFL trenches.
A shining moment
Hampshire High School junior Trevone Woods, who has been mostly deaf since birth, scored his first touchdown for the Whip-Purs' football team last week in a win over Burlington Central. Woods, from Aurora, attends Hampshire through the Northwestern Illinois Association and is able to play football with the help of an interpreter. Inspiring.
Mix masters
Vanilla, skirt steak, black beans and purple yams. Or, sour cream, chicken breast, apricots and parsnips. Good thing suburban cooks know how to turn such diverse ingredients into tasty menus as part of the Daily Herald's Cook of the Week Challenge.