The Soapbox: Inspiration in Lake Zurich, looking sharp in Lombard, hope growing in Palatine and more.
Summer slipping away
It's not the end of summer, but hitting the last week of August is a milestone. It's time to get back to our summer bucket lists and make these last few days of warmth really count.
The preps appeal
Lake Zurich senior Vinnie Panico's story is an example of what makes high school football so special. Last season, he suffered a devastating knee injury. There was fear he might lose his leg. But he became an inspiration Friday when he played in Lake Zurich's season opener against Fremd. Attaboy, Vinnie!
Watch your speed ...
Drivers, with schools back in session, keep in mind school zone speed limit in school zones throughout the school year (not just when you see a police officer watching). Yes, driving 20 mph feels like you're crawling, but kids are depending on you to take this seriously.
... And be a teacher
While you're at it, be considerate to walkers and other drivers, especially during drop-off and pickup from school. Follow the school's rules to keep the line moving. Practice "give one, take one" in the car line. Stay calm, and remember that kids are always watching for your reaction to situations. Show them that manners still matter.
Get rolling
The sustainability manager at College of Lake County, David Husemoller, and his intern, Daniel Buranosky, hope to start a bicycle sharing program in Grayslake. They've applied for a $150,000 grant to get the effort rolling. If it works, they'd like to expand throughout Lake County. It will be interesting to see if they can make it work.
Dangerous intersection
Could we persuade IDOT to look at the left turn lane from Golf Road onto Goebbert in Arlington Heights? If a vehicle is in the opposing left turn lane, it effectively blocks your ability to see if a car is coming east on Golf, making a turn dangerous. Goebbert gets a lot of traffic, what with the Forest View Academy and Robert Morris College.
Look sharp
Can you really build a going concern around the sport of ax throwing? Hashmath Hussaini hopes to with his new Kick Axe business in a Lombard industrial zone. We wish him luck, and it sounds like he's set things up with safety in mind. But mostly we're glad the village is ensuring that in the way it is regulating the business.
Welcome back
It's exciting to see that the iconic Knupper Nursery in Palatine isn't entirely gone for good. Napleton's Automotive Group, which bought the 86-year-old business's Rand Road property this year, has announced it will open Knupper's Seasonal Flower Bargains Inc. next year next to a pair of planned dealerships. We hope they find it a growth industry.
The end is here
The long, slow demise of the replica of Ray Kroc's first McDonald's finally ended this week when a wrecking ball finally blasted the 33-year-old restaurant building in Des Plaines into suburban history. The end had been coming for a while - the museum had been closed to public tours since flooding in 2008 - but we still lament the loss.