The Saturday Soapbox
The big brrrrr:
Another voice of doom this week about the Midwest's predicted bad winter? It's AccuWeather's latest long-term forecast, saying the Chicago area will be in the thick of it. Time to store blankets and boots in the car, stock up on sidewalk salt and snow shovels — or buy those plane tickets out of town.
Speaking of a hard freeze:
That's the term Mount Prospect Elementary District 57 is using for the first year of a new teacher's contract, in which teachers' base pay stays frozen and “step” increases aren't granted. It's a shame for teachers to get no raises, but they deserve thanks for adapting to the district's strained finances.
Grinches, angels:
The best and worst of the holiday season emerged this week in Antioch when gifts worth nearly $1,000 for the needy were stolen from under a Christmas tree at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. Once word got out, an outpouring of help from the community allowed the church to replace the gifts.
Something to smile about:
For Chicago fans, which of the following will get the biggest smile this weekend? Hearing Derrick Rose talk about the NBA season or seeing Patrick Kane get his scoring touch back? Seeing Caleb Hanie succeed or watching the N.Y. Giants upset the Packers? Pick your pleasure.
Nothing quite like it:
With the basketball season here, high schools are again calling attention to their annual “Pack the Place” events to fill the gyms in support of young athletes. Grab some popcorn and join the fun. Bob Frisk, our legendary crusader for prep sports, knew what he was doing when he started the trend.
Driving us crazy:
All right, you know who you are and you have to stop this. So just wait for the left-turn arrow like the rest of us instead of going straight, making a U-turn and going right on red. You're saving yourself about 30 seconds — and being a nuisance on top of it.
Talk about multitasking:
Lt. Amanda Scheller of the Naperville Fire Department wears so many hats — emergency rescue diver, recruiter, honor guard, arson investigator and more — it's easy to see how she was chosen the Exchange Club's Firefighter of the Year. “It's just a great job to ... go into homes in the most difficult times and make positive changes,” she said.
Forward thinking:
The village of Lakemoor, which straddles Lake and McHenry counties, has started a yearlong process to create a comprehensive plan. The approach will help ensure potential growth is manageable. Even better, no tax dollars will be used, thanks to a grant.
There's joy in Whoville:
Make that the Cambridge Lakes subdivision in Pingree Grove. A resident who creates an annual Christmas display that spills into a common area at first was barred from doing so this year, but the homeowners association granted an exception. Consistency is important, but in this case reasonableness is, too.
No cool heads:
COD votes to deannex. Glen Ellyn begins issuing stop-work orders. We once thought that not much separated the two sides. Obviously, they're proving us wrong. Hard to know who, if anyone, is winning this unfortunate standoff, but it's not taxpayers — and the lawyers are sure cleaning up.