The Soapbox: Book benches in Naperville, an expensive beer in Wheeling, a coach steps down in Mundelein and more.
Taking the stage
Twenty acts emerged from auditions earlier this month to compete Sunday in the first round of Suburban Chicago's Got Talent. We wish them all good luck and look forward to watching this summerlong talent search unfold.
Colorful display in Naperville
Downtown Naperville is a great place for a weekend stroll during the summer, and it has become even more inviting with the installation of 15 painted "book benches" inspired by popular reads such as "The Wizard of Oz," "Curious George" and the "Harry Potter" series. The colorful sculptures will be on display through mid-September.
Clearing the way
It's time for a friendly reminder to our suburban public works departments: Not everybody who drives through town is familiar with the traffic signals and stop signs. So if it hasn't been done already, it's a good idea, sooner than later, to clear any tree branches or shrubbery from all traffic signs, especially where stopping is required.
Expensive beer, for her and us
A Wheeling woman this week was sentenced to six years in prison after she pleaded guilty to entering a garage last August and taking a bottle of beer from a refrigerator. Court records show she was on parole for a similar past offense. You have to wonder if there isn't a cheaper solution for the taxpayers who will foot the bill for the long sentence.
Respect for the outdoors
Lucy Westlake of Naperville discovered the limits of nature when she couldn't reach the summit of Mount Denali in Alaska because of weather and other dangers. But she also helped raise $20,000 for an organization that works to connect kids to the outdoors, not just electronics. They don't have to climb mountains; hiking suburban trails would do.
All in the family
Congratulations to Joseph Sioui, 16, of Arlington Heights who recently received his Boy Scout Eagle recognition. He is following in the footsteps of his father, Dan Sioui, who earned his Eagle in 1983, and his grandfather Richard, who earned the rank in 1955. What a great family tradition.
A pro's pro
Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa will take a year off to address a medical condition. If it's the end of his playing career, he'll be remembered as one of the all-time greats, both on the score sheet and as a two-way player and team leader.
Kudos to Sherman Hospital
Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin is to be applauded for its outreach to educate Latinos about the danger of high blood sugar. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say more than 50 percent of Hispanics are expected to develop Type 2 diabetes in their lifetimes.
All winners here
Carol Stream Village President Frank Saverino and Hanover Park Village President Rodney Craig are at it again - having a good-natured contest to see who can drop more weight. Craig won last year, but Saverino is ahead this time around. In our eyes, they're both losers and, therefore, winners.
Feder column
We sure hope our discerning readers figured it out, but we inadvertently left the photo/identifier off Robert Feder's Chicago media column in Friday's editions. You can still catch up with it on robertfeder.com.
Man of summer steps down
Mundelein High School baseball coach Todd Parola recently announced he's retiring after winning 603 games over the last 23 seasons. Beyond the easily measurable success on the field, his high marks as a leader of young men will be sorely missed. We wish him well.