Saturday Soapbox
Stay away from Route 59!
That's a wise suggestion during the two-year, $90 million overhaul of a Naperville stretch of the road legendary for its congestion. It's doubly true this weekend as the road is closed between North Aurora Road and Glacier Park Avenue for routing of a creek under the rebuilt highway.
I-90 nastiness:
For that matter, this is the first of three June weekends with major lane closures on the Kennedy Expressway. If you've got a date with downtown Chicago, you'd best find another route.
Good company:
Congratulations to Erin Merryn, 29, of Schaumburg, a sexual abuse survivor turned victim's advocate who gets a shout-out in the June 16 People magazine. She's listed in "15 Women Changing the World Right Now" along with Angelina Jolie, Malala Yousafzai and Angela Merkel.
An opportunity well taken:
Ellen Tucker is a Hinsdale mom who, with help from a local agency, went from relying on a food pantry a few years ago to graduating from college this month. She's an inspiration and her achievement reminds us that, given the opportunity, many people with little means are capable of improving their situation.
Let the people speak:
Republicans are calling on the State Board of Elections to extend the deadline to determine whether an initiative to change redistricting in Illinois will be on the November ballot. On such an important - and needed - reform, we agree every effort to validate petition signatures should be taken.
Fee for pickup:
As we reported earlier this week, if you've fallen and can't get up, you might want to check your city codes. Some suburban towns charge a pickup fee to dispatch rescuers.
Campaign sweetener?:
Republican Bruce Rauner says he won't take a salary or pension if he's elected governor because he's so rich he doesn't need the money. Kind of an eerie precedent, no?
But more to come?:
The $175,000 annual governor's salary would barely dent the state's budget problems. Other Rauner ideas have long needed attention - including merging state offices and reforming state purchasing. His proposals still were thin on detail. He promised more "dramatic reforms" to come. We're all ears.
Ups and downs:
Arlington Heights leaders said Monday they can't eliminate vehicle stickers or dog licenses until they can make up the $1.4 million they would lose. Then they went on divvy up a $4.5 million surplus.
Special Olympians:
The NBA and NHL championship series are down to the wire, the World Cup has begun. But there is plenty of local talent to celebrate. Check out our salute in Friday's Neighbor to suburban Special Olympians competing in the USA Games in New Jersey. And here's a special Daily Herald shoutout to a couple of our own awesome athletes in state competition at Normal today: Sam Ritter and Will Slusher.
An icon passes
We're saddened to learn of the death of Carpentersville businessman Jack Roeser at age 90. Roeser had strong political opinions, which won him both admirers and detractors, but the marked impact he had on the state and the suburbs generally and on Carpentersville specifically cannot be denied. He will be missed.