The Soapbox

Joe Walsh's concern for his kids:In Wauconda Thursday, Rep. Joe Walsh of McHenry sidestepped charges he owes $117,000 in child support by saying, #8220;There's no way anyone in the media is going to get me to talk about my three kids in public.#8221; Congressman, no one's asking you to talk about your kids; what you need to explain is whether you're a deadbeat dad.Imitation is flattery: So Congress is going to name a group of legislators to recommend where to make huge cuts in federal spending. Hmmm, any reason why Illinois legislators aren't doing the same this summer?Backboards and birds: Clear windows make sense in a house. Outdoor basketball hoops, however, don't need a see-through backboard. They usually cost more than regular backboards and can be deadly to birds, finches in particular from our informal survey.She's a winner:Congrats to Lake in the Hills native Erin Golston, the 97-pound wrestler who earned a bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Romania. Golston, 18, helped Team USA finish third. As she told reporter Jayna Johns, her dream is to wrestle in the Olympics. With Erin's drive, anything is possible.Septemberfest returns:Kudos to movers and shakers in Bloomingdale who found a way to bring back the annual Septemberfest, canceled last year amid financial concerns. Village leaders creatively pared things back, solicited more volunteers, to pull together an event some say is a big part of Bloomingdale's identity.Sports extremes: Friday's Sports section once again proved the adage that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. How else can you explain that the White Sox suffered their sixth straight loss Thursday night while the Cubs earned their fifth straight win? Make you wonder if both sides of town will ever be excited at the same time?Sports extremes, Part II: The boys can't have all the fun. On the same day the Chicago Sky set a WNBA record by scoring 1 point in the fourth quarter, Chicago Bandits pitcher Monica Abbott threw a perfect game in a 5-0 win over the Akron Racers. The Sky and the Bandits, however, have one thing in common over the baseball teams: they're both in playoff contention.Aurora's radios:It's encouraging to hear that slow, steady progress is being made on Aurora's new radio system, which got off to a poor start, malfunctioning a reported 790 times in its first four months of use in Aurora and Naperville. After pinpointing the source of interference in the Phillips Park area, only four trouble spots remain. Right to know:It's obvious why the plaintiff might want to keep confidential the $42,500 she won in a 2005 harassment suit against Des Plaines. It's easy to see why city leaders might want to keep the figure under wraps. But doesn't both parties' secrecy show just why the public should know the amount? Too bad it took six years to answer to that question.Ride on:The 2011 Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove bicycle race is off and running. The event attracts about 1,000 of the best men and women bicyclists in the world. If you like world-class excitement, check them out in Elk Grove Village today or tomorrow.