DuPage County Soap Box
Gridiron glory
Everything fell in place for Naperville North High School's football team to capture the 8A state championship last weekend over Glenbard North. We congratulate the Huskies for being able to forever claim that they were the best there was in the state in their division in 2007. And congratulations to the Panthers for a spectacular drive to the title match. Winning a state championship or getting to the championship game -- whether it's football or any other sport -- is no small accomplishment. These athletes will remember this for the rest of their lives.
A sacred place:
For the second time in recent weeks, police arrested men for allegedly pilfering from suburban gravesites, most recently in Elmhurst. Apparently, the cemetery is a real free-for-all for would-be thieves looking to cash in copper and bronze vases and gravestones for scrap metal. How desperate do you have to be? Instead of disturbing the final resting place for someone's loved one, how about getting a job, or a heart.
A fitting memorial:
Despite all the bad news nowadays, every so often a story arises out of heartache that just makes you feel good again. On Oct. 15, DuPage County lost a beloved sheriff's canine officer, Astor, who died of cancer. Astor was loved at the courthouse, where he was stationed for eight years. A secretary, Marge Kaczmarek, began collecting donations for a portrait of Astor to hang in the hallway. She taped up a few fliers. People responded. Within weeks, she had $1,400 -- enough for the portrait and a sizable donation to an animal shelter in Astor's name. It's a nice reminder how much we all matter, even our furry, four-legged friends.
Warning: Expect long court lines:
The security line to get into the DuPage County courthouse in Wheaton this week actually meandered all the way to the outer parking garage on a few mornings. The start of an ongoing murder trial was delayed a bit one morning until all the parties could get in the building. The problem is because the sheriff's office is short-staffed due to the county budget crisis. We recommend mailing in a speeding ticket or handling your business over the phone if possible. If not, come early and get ready to wait. And, if satellite traffic courts get moved into the main courthouse building as suggested, bring a lunch and sleeping bag.
Be careful what you ask for
Naperville's city council approved an advisory commission that will help decide who gets how much from the city's Special Events and Cultural Amenities fund in the future. The decision came at the behest of agency heads seeking the funding. What makes the request odd is that no one has publicly complained about the process now in place, and you have to hope a volunteer commission can cut the red tape.
Chamber challenge
The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce's pick to be the group's new executive director wasted no time choosing a gauntlet to throw. Richard Greene suggested the Naperville chamber could one day unseat Chicago's chamber as the state's top business group. At the very least, it will be fun to watch them try. Best of luck.
Still a few bugs in the system
Southbound on I-355 going downstate on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, we couldn't help but notice the cars without I-PASS were merrily speeding through the toll gate near Army Trail Road. Meanwhile, I-PASS users were basically parked for well over 30 minutes. Never did figure out what the problem was.