The Soapbox: Transparency at College of DuPage, a St. Charles soprano, new life for Haeger Pottery and more

Right track for COD:

The College of DuPage board hasn't always set much of an example in recent years, but it's making absolutely the right move in its search for a president by scheduling time for each of the three finalists to meet with the public. An open vetting of candidates is a most welcome development.

A good step against addiction:

Naperville is the latest suburban police force to help heroin addicts and their families by providing volunteer sobriety coaches who meet with users and connect them with treatment centers. The program was barely a day old when police were able to help their first user - an encouraging first step.

Get board meetings online:

Some government boards livestream their meetings, but the Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board won't record or post their sessions. All it takes is a cellphone, a tripod, bandwidth, and someone to post it. It's a low-cost, high-impact move toward transparency.

A hearty farewell:

With their retirement papers filed long ago, some area high school teachers and coaches are entering the final months of long, productive careers. They leave behind a great legacy in their students, many of whom have chosen to follow in their footsteps. And that is the greatest tribute of all.

The real high school MVPs:

We salute anyone involved in the preparation of high school athletic fields, especially through this early portion of the spring sports season. Frequently it's the teams and coaches working on baseball and softball fields, but often it involves others. Thanks for making these games happen.

Fit for a queen:

Kudos to former St. Charles resident Sondra Radvanovsky, an acclaimed soprano now playing Queen Elizabeth I in the Metropolitan Opera's "Roberto Devereux," being screened today to movie theaters across the world. Radvanovsky is the first singer ever at the Met to take on the leads in all three operas of Donizetti's Tudor Trilogy.

No phone zone:

National Work Zone Awareness Week ended Friday, a time set aside as construction season begins. Last week's message was "Don't Be THAT Driver" as officers cracked down on needless distractions behind the wheel in areas where utmost attention is required. It's a good start, but there still are too many of THOSE drivers on our roadways.

Speaking of construction ...

If that is a season that begins, when is it that it ends?

Education through involvement:

School spring plays dominate the Neighbor pages these past few weeks. We're especially loving the ones where everyone is welcome. One mom told us her son had just a couple of words in a performance, but it opened the doors to new experiences, new friends, growing confidence and acceptance. Now that's education.

Business is ... booming:

After Haeger Potteries announced last week it would close by the end of May, customers came out of the woodwork. They practically cleaned out the East Dundee showroom shelves, and the business will close for two weeks to restock. And, oh yeah, the new closing date is now a "moving target." Go forth and prosper.

Vets and volunteers:

One volunteer helping to renovate Lisle veteran Len Butler's house this week was Don Smith, a trustee of the Lisle VFW and a Vietnam War vet. Smith, who secretly spearheaded the renovation through a Home Depot grant, doesn't talk about his war experience nor about helping comrades like Butler. Salute to you, Don and Len both.

Tulip time:

In most neighborhoods, those bulbs are just about ready to burst forth with color. Here's to a colorful couple of weeks!