Saturday Soapbox

Dust off your shovels:

We've all gotten a little lax during this warm winter, but we shouldn't forget to clean off our sidewalks when snow falls. It's awful to see people walking in the street, especially schoolchildren.

Crime control:

Kudos to Hanover Park officials for policing improvements that have helped produce the lowest crime rate since the department began tracking it in 1974. The effort followed four horrific murders in a few weeks in 2009 that shocked the community. While murder is a crime so random it's difficult to prevent, the overall stats represent success on the deeper level that determines how safe a community feels.

Award of Valor:

Congratulations to Aurora police officer Pedro “Pete” Rodriguez, who this week joined only nine officers who have been given the city's highest heroism award since 1994. Rodriguez was off duty but in uniform when he saw someone shooting at a group of teens. He told his 13-year-old daughter who was in the car to get down, and confronted the gunman ...

And then ...

Rodriguez ordered the teenage shooter to drop his gun. He did not and pointed it at the officer. Rodriguez then fired, fatally wounding the suspect. The other teens said Rodriguez saved their lives. Three weeks later, the officer's actions were deemed justifiable.

Ironically:

Our story about Pete Rodriguez's heroic actions appeared in some of the same Friday editions as our story providing the first details from the carload of young people who say they were fired upon by an off-duty officer a week ago after they had a traffic collision with the officer on Route 59 in West Chicago.

Scrutiny:

It is far too early to rush to judgment about that officer's actions. But it's clear from the no-comments of law enforcement officials the matter is being given careful scrutiny. Both shootings serve to remind of the weighty responsibility and level of trust we put in our men and women who serve and protect.

Congratulations, Judge Brown:

F. Keith Brown, current judge in the 16th Judicial Circuit and the circuit's first black chief judge, will be honored Thursday as Aurora's Outstanding African-American for 2012. Well done.

Time for a shower:

With the back-and-forth attacks in some of the local primary races, it'd be nice if the offending candidates could get back (or start) talking about improving the economy, saving tax money and making our lives more pleasant.

Eager for ESO:

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra's year of leadership changes continues with CEO Dale Lonis following music director Robert Hanson and four board members out of the organization. Change is inevitable, and it's both exciting and unsettling. The ESO, after all, has been world-class for quite some time. Let's hope the tradition continues.

Sign of the times:

Message recently seen on a community sign outside the Schaumburg police and fire departments: “Design8 a txtr. It saves lives.” A good reminder. An important reminder. But kind of disappointing, too, that it's still necessary.