Saturday Soapbox
Save it in the stands:
The return of high school football also means the return of passionate fans. And we're OK with that - to a point. To those shouting "pass" when an opposing quarterback drops back, the team can't hear you. Leave it to the coaches.
While we're at it ...
Let's let the coaches on the sideline handle protests with referees and officials in all sports. It's not easy being an official, and they do make mistakes, but so do all of us. There are a lot more positive ways to support your team.
Pigskin and lace:
The Lingerie Football League's Chicago debut is next week at the Sears Center. We have to ask, is this where Title IX has gotten women?
It's time to cut Bradley some slack:
It's not our point here to defend Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley, but it seems like he's become the kid at school everyone loves to pick on. He's a troubled guy trying to make his way. Criticize his play, sure, but otherwise, let's knock off the mean-spirited assaults. Meanwhile, Bradley needs to focus on his game and not the pressures that come with being a highly paid player in the public eye.
Ticket to safer streets:
After writing 240 speeding tickets during a single week in August, Mount Prospect police will conduct another crackdown on lead-foot drivers in September. These are not red-light cameras catching sloppy right turns. They are officers doing something about a problem that's a more serious danger to all who use roads, and we applaud them.
Turn on your timer:
We wish North Aurora baker Bob Broughman and his assistants from Batavia and East Dundee the best of luck when he appears Monday night on TLC's "The Ultimate Cake Off." Broughman is a true artist, and we hope he gets his to have his cake and eat it, too, by winning this competition.
A victory for transparency:
Mundelein High School District 120 board members did the right thing this week in resisting calls from Superintendent Jody Ware to reduce the documents supporting agenda items posted online before meetings. Board President Edwin Specht insisted on governing as openly as possible. He's right.
A kind act:
Eight Elk Grove Village children are riding new bikes, thanks to Sue Heaton. Spin instructor and fitness coordinator for the Pavilion Fitness Center at the Elk Grove Park District, Sue sponsors a bike giveaway each year in honor of her late husband, Bill, a biking enthusiast. Thanks, Sue, for the bikes and for setting such a fine example.
It's time to get it right:
It seems to happen every August. A child, often a kindergartner, gets home from school late because of a bus mix-up. That was the case in Winfield, where 5-year-old Gina Colosimo fell asleep and was discovered on the driver's final check of the bus. Now that the school year is underway, we hope this is the last story like this - until next year.
What an inspiration:
Thank goodness Jim Walsh didn't procrastinate. When he saw a tragedy 13 years ago, he quickly learned CPR. That training saved the life of buddy Greg Rose this month. Will this story inspire you to learn CPR? Check with your local fire department or hospital for classes.