Soapbox: Bridge of sighs
Batavia's downtown bridge won't be completed by Dec. 14. It might not even be done in January if the weather is too cold. Worse yet, the westbound lanes that are completed aren't even smooth. Batavia residents and others who often travel through town deserve kudos for their patience, and here's hoping they patronize the businesses that are most affected by this delay. For most of us, the bridge work just means an extra few minutes in our day. But for others, their livelihood is at stake.
Hey, Rudolph liked red
Why is it that nobody in the Tri-Cities seems to put up anything but white Christmas lights, and not many of them at that? While pretty, it's also so, well, understated; just so, so tasteful. Take a field trip to places like Fairview Avenue in Downers Grove to see what can be done with colored lights, and lots of them. While we're at it: Enough with the faux wire deer grazing on the lawn.
Too many chiefs …
Fewer administrators in St. Charles School District 303? Now there's a novel idea -- and one we couldn't help but chuckle about. It came up this week at a "community engagement" forum brought to the public by -- you guessed it -- administrators. By the way, those administrators deserve kudos for bringing up on their own that District 303 has more administrators per student than the state average. You don't tell an audience of taxpayers something like that without expecting at least a little guffawing.
Sensitivity training for all
It's hard to believe in this day and age that a manager of a major restaurant chain would turn away a disabled girl, her family and her help dog. And on her birthday in the middle of an ice storm no less. Glad the restaurant apologized and is getting this employee some training. Here's hoping we can quit writing these kinds of stories in 2008.
Cold wars
It's great that we remembered Pearl Harbor survivors this week and the day 66 years ago when the world changed for millions. But winter cold this week is also a reminder of soldiers who endured extreme cold conditions in wartime, such as at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II and in the Korean War. This season, look around you -- not only in your family but your neighborhood -- and talk to veterans who might help future generations understand their sacrifices. You'll be glad you did.
New academy support?
Despite the fanfare with which they were created, Elgin School District U-46's high school gifted academies have always been sort of the district stepchildren. That's because gifted programs get no state or federal funding. Thus, they are first on the chopping block when money gets tight. An audit of the programs showed just that -- the five programs have suffered since the budget was whacked a few years back. And unqualified students have been admitted to reach class size targets. Now the district intends to remedy both complaints. Good investment.
On unsafe ground
O'Hare may have a leg up in the safety game thanks to a new ground radar system, but a scathing U.S. General Accounting Office report to Congress said there's a good chance "a catastrophic runway collision" could happen at the nation's airports due to poor technology, lack of controller manpower and lousy leadership. O'Hare has had three serious close calls in just over a year and several less serious. Worse, the GAO said, "no single office is taking charge of assessing the causes of runway safety problems and taking the steps needed ... ." Lack of leadership from government. What a shock.