Fox Valley soap box
Minimal thrill
We're guessing Carpentersville residents and their neighbors weren't all that impressed when the Main Street bridge renovations that turned travel into a nightmare for six months in 2006 was named Project of the Year by the Fox Valley branch of the American Public Works Association. Recognition of the $3.2 million bridge/water project is nice enough. But we suspect area drivers were far more thrilled when the repairs were done and the bridge re-opened.
Sensible choice
Americans don't wait particularly well, and a request for a left turn lane on Boncosky Road for drivers turning onto Fairhills Road in West Dundee may be an indicator of that impatience. Apparently, some drivers were irked at having to wait behind left-turners waiting for oncoming traffic to clear. After the village discovered only about a dozen vehicles made that maneuver during peak traffic times, they rejected the idea of putting in the $200,000 turn lane. Sensible decision.
Danger not far away
We Midwesterners can talk all we want about the benefits of living in an area where natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes won't strike. But the terror of tornadoes hit home to some McHenry County residents this week. The twisters destroyed buildings, homes and barns, toppled trees and knocked railroad cars off the tracks before moving into Wisconsin. It's a reminder to all of us to pay attention to this type of severe weather and know what to do when it hits. Even in the middle of winter.
Hopefully not a futile gesture
How things have changed. This week we saw city councils in and around Batavia urge the federal government to restore the funding level for Fermilab, which is facing serious congressional budget cuts. But think back to a couple of years ago, when a certain U.S. House Speaker who had an office in Batavia was able to twist the arms of Washington decision-makers to keep the Fermilab funding tap running. Now, with no congressman in the district for the time being, the resolutions being passed by city councils are a noble effort, but we'll see if anyone listens.
A sports alternative
Are you a Chicago professional sports fan? Is your frustration level boiling over? Now is the time to follow your local high school or youth sports team. Nothing against the pros, per se, but with the Blackhawks and Bulls following the Bears' frustrating season with inconsistent ones of their own, and with major state-based college basketball teams having a tough year, you need a break. Cheer for kids you may or may not know who are playing for the love of the game. A game … that's what it is, right?
Expensive dreaming
St. Charles School District 303 is considering dropping class sizes in kindergarten through third grade to 13-to-17 students. Smaller class sizes do enhance learning. But we can't wait to see the reaction when beleaguered taxpayers figure out how much that will cost them in additional classrooms and teachers.
Stay alert
Aurora residents can stay on top of crime news by signing up for alerts at citizenobserver.com. The free system gives regular updates on missing people, crime trends and more. It's a simple way for police and people to stay in contact. And Chief William Powell, unlike some other police chiefs, sees the value of getting news out quickly. "Not a single crime has ever been solved without information from the public," he said. "This gives me thousands of more detectives."