The Soapbox
Help for the rescuers
Weather extremes hit suburban wildlife hard, and rehabilitation centers are inundated with young or injured birds, squirrels and other animals that need help. Rescuers like Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, Fox Valley Wildlife Center and Willowbrook Wildlife Center deserve thanks, and could use your financial support.
Old cardboard or treasure?
The fraud indictment of Bill Mastro, once a highly regarded sports memorabilia authenticator, has collectors in a dither. Are those plastic-encased rookie cards the real deal or should you put them in your kids’ bike spokes? Memorabilia collecting is always a shaky business. If you collect, the items should have some meaning to you.
Team effort:
Thanks to help from the community, several members of Wauconda High School’s Future Business Leaders of America Club recently earned top-10 finishes in a national competition. Teacher Wendy Mills said local business leaders and Mayor Mark Knigge helped prep the students. Nice to see all that hard work paid off.
Screen savers?:
It sounds like there may be hope yet for the Arlington Theaters, which shut down abruptly because of problems with their lease and digital conversion. And, in Barrington, the historic Catlow is mounting an online campaign to raise money for its own digital conversion. Suburban movie lovers wish them all success.
Tremendous turnaround:
Can any Sox fan — maybe any real baseball fan — not be impressed by the stunning turnaround of Adam Dunn this season after the nightmare of 2011?
Going for gold:
Of course, the heavy attention in sports this week will be on London and the Olympics. Few things incite the same pride and patriotism as watching a young Olympian on the medal podium, hand over heart, as the national anthem is played. We hope to hear “The Star-Spangled Banner” often over the next several days.
Local gleam:
Naturally, to us the moment will shine even brighter for athletes who hail from Illinois and the suburbs — though Evan Jager, Tamika Catchings, Amy LePeilbet and all the other suburb-connected Olympians should know we couldn’t be more proud just to have them represent us.