Soapbox: Round-the-clock heroes
Whatever it is that firefighters are paid, it probably isn't enough. How do you put a value on what these folks do, even when they're off duty? When an early morning house fire in Round Lake Beach broke out last weekend, three off-duty firefighters -- one from the Lincolnshire-Riverwoods district, one from the Countryside district and one from Grayslake -- happened to be in the vicinity and sprung into action, escorting some family members and searching for an unaccounted-for daughter until a Greater Round Lake district crew could arrive. The house was destroyed, but the entire family escaped safely. And again, who can put a price on that?
Unit district worth a look
Millburn Elementary District 24, tucked up in the county's north end, is not large now -- about 1,300 students. But the district includes a vast stretch of undeveloped land, which, of course, means a potential for all kinds of growth. Currently, District 24 students split up after graduating from eighth grade and attend high school in either Antioch District 117, Warren Township District 121 or Grayslake District 127. Does this make sense? In the long run, would it be better for a new unit district to serve all students from kindergarten through high school? Those are questions freighted with all kinds of uncertainties. But it makes sense, as officials from these districts are doing, to talk it over and study the feasibility of creating a unit district.
Making a difference
In just a few hours this week, some 200 Warren Township High School students armed with gloves and trash bags cleaned up a two-mile stretch along the Des Plaines River. A small effort, in the scheme of things. But how much better would the world around us look if all of us made that kind of contribution occasionally?
Still kicking
Good luck to Lake Zurich and Carmel, the two county high school football teams still alive for this weekend's quarterfinal competition. A win for each, and the two would square off in next week's semifinals, with one guaranteed a trip to the state title game.
Who loses here?
The Big Ten Network-vs.-Comcast television war is getting a lot of attention, but in this battle -- like most between rich and powerful competing interests -- the public is losing. You could say the cable company is squeezing everyone for more profits. But are the public universities planning to dump some of profits back to the states -- and taxpayers -- who support them? Maybe the two parties could agree to air the games and taxpayers could get some relief in the form of a cut of network profits.
Still doesn't get it
Isn't it a sad thing that when an Illinois politician is sent off to serve his prison sentence, as former Gov. George Ryan was this week, there's a ready supply of ex-con politicians available to give him advice. "You can't change things now, so you get on with your life," said Ambrosio Medrano, a disgraced former Chicago alderman. "Corrupt politicians, corrupt police officers, corrupt attorneys are generally looked down upon" by prison administrators. "I assume that it's because we've so-called 'betrayed the public trust.'" There's nothing "so-called" about it. And it's clear Medrano still doesn't get it. May George Ryan be a quicker study.
Payback for corruption
Another corrupt Illinois politician goes to jail. Wouldn't it be great if the cost of each individual act of corruption could be calculated? Then, that amount would have to be refunded to taxpayers by the crooked politician as part of his or her sentence.