Saturday Soapbox
It's a start:
Elgin will play host to the national team handball tournament this month with the hope of making the City by the River the hotbed of activity for USA Team Handball should Chicago land the 2016 Olympics. Exciting, to be sure. And, hopefully, people in these parts will learn to appreciate the obscure Olympic sport. We're just glad it's not that sport where gymnastically inclined people jump and twist while holding rubber balls and twirling ribbons.
Flexible standards:
Our school districts seem to come down on both sides when it comes to deciding whether head coaches for their athletic teams can still coach after they retire. And there are good arguments to both sides of the issue, too. Veteran coaches certainly have a lot to offer to the programs they helped established, but they also prevent younger teachers from getting a chance to direct the varsity team. Makes you wonder, though, if school boards debate those same issues when they fill an interim superintendent job with a retiree from outside the district. It's certainly been done.
Someone has to pay:
If Nalco gets a refund on 2005, 2006 and 2007 property taxes, other companies are sure to take the same tack. If that's the case, we sure hope Naperville Township homeowners get the same consideration. Everyone's property value is declining. And, ultimately, levies are in and someone has to pay for schools.
A fresh perspective:
Andrew Boston is going where no U-46 student has gone before, and it's a move in the right direction. The South Elgin High School junior was named the first Elgin Area School District U-46 student board member. U-46 joins seven other suburban districts with a student trustee. Boston will take a nonvoting advisory role. "It's a good step to see students' point of view," he said to board members. Exactly. Congratulations to you, Andrew.
Saving Miss Daisy:
Sharon Burr and her beloved golden retriever Daisy were quickly reunited after the pooch's head got stuck in the railing of her second-story porch. A big thank-you to Prospect Heights firefighters, who caused minimal damage to the deck and little trauma for the dog.
When finding a job is your job:
It's hard to believe some questioned the need for public libraries a decade ago as the Internet became standard in most suburban homes. Today the public library is a hub for job-hunters who are networking, researching and in need of camaraderie in a time of crisis. It's another example of the way our communities have resources we thought we'd never need - and maybe even forgot were there.
On the job:
No news is good news for Inverness police, who hit the streets for the first time Thursday and have nothing to report. No traffic stops. No calls. No accidents. That's the best kind of day for everyone in the community.
Count to 20 and save your life:
We find it hard to believe people don't know how to wash their hands, but any trip to a public washroom is proof positive. For those in need of a refresher: apply soap, rub hands under warm water while slowly counting to 20. Rinse. It's not just about the swine flu. Every time you wash, you're getting rid of some kind of terrible germ.