Soapbox: Be smart, lock up

Be smart, lock up

Just because you live in a beautiful, well-kept neighborhood where your kids can play safely in the back yard doesn't mean you should leave your garage doors open at all hours or your SUV unlocked in your driveway. The arrest of five people --including four teenagers -- this week in connection with at least 11 burglaries and thefts in the Mill Creek subdivision west of Geneva should remind residents to be more vigilant about preventing crimes of opportunity. This isn't Mayberry. Our police have enough to do; let's make their jobs easier by doing our part to prevent crime.

How to help

Kudos to Batavia business owner Thomas Wangler Jr. of Batavia for his role in rescuing two people who had their canoe capsize on the Fox River in Batavia this week. His calm, confident way of dealing with the situation sets an example for the rest of us.

This might be how its done

The Batavia school board and district have given plenty of warning to parents that elementary boundaries will be changed soon. Now they will have to walk the tightrope of asking for public input without it becoming a long, contentious process. But so far, so good. They're not moving too fast and seem to be taking a logical approach. An example is the administrators' goal of keeping kids who walk to school at that same school.

Congratulations, Jean

Jean Gaines, who was honored this week for her 30 years at the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, should be proud of the chamber's success during her tenure. The city's shopping district and its downtown-centered festivals are regional attractions, which is a great achievement. She is still looking for more improvement in both areas, and that says a lot about her.

A wise decision

The Geneva school board was correct to delay a vote on a managed tax rate proposal this week. The administration had asked whether the plan -- which would keep the operating tax rate at the same level for four years, instead of having it decrease -- should be on the February primary ballot. The best reason board members cited for delaying the vote was that the district would lose credibility with voters, who were told that the next operating tax rate increase probably wouldn't come until 2011. Also, the administration will need to explain specifically what the extra tax money would pay for, and get some feedback on whether taxpayers and board members really want to pay more to get those things.

You call this fair?

Because illegal immigrant Felipe Orsonio of Carpentersville stole somebody else's identity and messed up their credit only to live, work, get a mortgage and buy a car, two years' probation is a "fair" sentence, said Kane County Assistant State's Attorney Brian Mirandola. Fair to whom? And with prosecutors like that, who needs defense attorneys?

Let's hear it for Elburn

First, let's ask the question: Will anyone in Elburn miss the ear-splitting, conversation-drowning train whistles once the quiet zone starts? You know the answer. The long-awaited quiet zone can't start soon enough. Let's give credit to Elburn leaders, who have patiently worked with federal officials for years to set this up. There's no firm date for when construction of medians will begin at the First Street and Pouley Road crossings or exactly how much it will cost, but trustee Gordon Dierschow summed it up well: "I'm all set to have a fund-raiser for this."