Saturday Soapbox: A roof with style

A "green" roof is a nice touch on the new Lake County permit facility in Libertyville. This summer, instead of a view of sizzling black tar, workers and visitors in an adjacent cafeteria can look out on - and walk out in - a roof garden designed to filter pollutants, prevent land erosion, moderate indoor temperatures and create a habitat for birds.

Ambitious Hoffman bike plan:Kudos to Hoffman Estates for the bicycle routes and paths it's planning for the village, especially to address the problems of getting across the tollway and around the Roselle-Golf-Higgins triangle. It might take years to get it all done, but it could be great for transportation, recreation and residents' health.Getting it in writing:Patrick Collins, who prosecuted former Gov. George Ryan and led the Illinois Reform Commission, is well-versed in the state's corruption problems. The Lisle native has written a book that looks at the failures of reform efforts last year and urges the jury - the people of Illinois - to keep that first in their minds as they vote. We certainly agree.Snow and rain won't stop them . . . But biting dogs? Mail carriers fear those the worst. As National Dog Bite Prevention Week wraps up, please remember to keep your pets out of the way. Carriers won't deliver if they feel threatened.Same trees, new look for memorial:Call it ironic, or coincidental - or maybe there's no connection at all that four trees planted at College of DuPage to honor those slain in the 1970 Kent State shootings were removed to make way for a homeland security education building. The trees were sickly, officials said, and needed to be cut down anyway. We like the proposal to create a permanent memorial using wood from the silver maples.More power to them:It's a high-reaching goal, but the South Elgin High School Booster Club's effort to raise $3 million for a stadium would be a win-win. The school would finally have its own place for home games, and no public funds would be spent. We applaud the group's energy and innovation.Keep an eye on kids' jewelry:Reports of cadmium found in a Miley Cyrus line of costume jewelry at Walmart are, unfortunately, nothing new. Toxic metals turn up in kids' jewelry with pathetic frequency, posing risks to children who chew or suck on the pieces. Since retailers show little success at controlling the problem, it's incumbent on parents to be aware of what their kids are wearing.Speaking of kids: Leave the clown alone. Protesters were in Oak Brook pushing McDonald's to retire Ronald McDonald, saying he promotes unhealthy eating habits. Of all the things threatening children, it seems Ronald is the least of our worries.Pinnacle of recognition:Congratulations to Elgin's Gail Borden Public Library, one of 10 winners of the 2009 National Medal for Museum and Library Service, which is the highest honor a library can receive and recognizes contributions to communities.Road agony lives on:Finally, I-90 commuters get relief from major road construction. But wait . . . traffic backups are worse than ever since commuters from other tollways with major projects all seem to be jamming onto it. We can't catch a break.Food for thought:Relying on the dubious tactic of poisoning Illinois rivers to stop Asian carp and facing lawsuits from surrounding states who want the fish kept out of the Great Lakes, Illinois is urging anglers to eat the offenders. The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant program in Urbana is touting a video (youtube.com/watch?v=T1NVUV8yhmU) that tells how to fillet past the pesky bones. We can't vouch for the carp's flavor, but we appreciate the creativity.