The Soapbox: Daily Herald editors offer brief thoughts on suburban topics in the news.
Good company, indeed
That's one way to describe it, and Schaumburg's Judy Schreiber did just that after becoming Escorted Transportation Service's milestone 30,000th ride. The agency provides rides to seniors heading to medical appointments. The nearly 100 volunteer drivers pick up their passengers, wait until they are done, then drive them home. A true spirit of giving.
Our Newbery Medal judge
Anyone interested in children's literature has heard of the John Newbery Medal for excellence. But how cool is it to know that one of the judges is Naperville librarian Emily Mroczek? Mroczek worked with 13 other nationwide members of the Newbery Medal Committee to pick the 2019 winners. "It forever changed the way I look at books," she said. Bravo!
Birds & the bees
And deer, foxes, walruses - love is in the air for our animal friends. Kudos to our Neighbor columnist Valerie Blaine whose recent Valentine's Day article gave us a humorous - and tasteful - explanation of local animals' mating habits.
Time is not on their side
It's been nearly a year since Elgin Police Lt. Christian Jensen fatally shot resident Decynthia Clements, who led police on a car chase followed by an hourlong standoff. Angry people will pack city council meetings until the Cook County state's attorney determines if the shooting was justified. Why is the investigation taking so long? Its duration is not helping.
To Wit
Kudos to students and staff behind Stevenson High School's literary magazine, The Wit, which received national recognition. The magazine earned the First Class award in the Recognizing Excellence in Art and Literary Magazines program. We're glad to see thoughtful student writing rewarded. Keep up the good work!
Clean up, please
A high school custodian scooped gobs of garbage from the bleachers after a basketball game and grumbled. Sure, it's his job to clean up. But can we please try not to be slobs and expect others to pick up after ourselves? There are garbage cans aplenty in gyms. The worker was disgusted. Can't blame him.
Return engagement?
A sports marketing company told Elk Grove Village officials last week that their $300,000 Makers Wanted investment in sponsoring the Bahamas Bowl last year returned near $12 million in marketing value, a 40:1 ratio. Board members are scheduled to vote Feb. 26 on whether to renew the sponsorship. Wonder how they'll vote.
Welcome, Dr. Proctor
Harper College trustees voted this week to give Avis Proctor a three-year contract as the college's new president. Proctor will have big shoes to fill in replacing outgoing President Ken Ender, but trustees hope the current president of a Broward College campus in Florida will do so well here she'll be serving long past her first three-year deal. We do, too.
Remembering Mary Lacey
The Rev. Mary Climons Lacey, of Waukegan, watched other people's children so they could go to work. She launched a homeless shelter in Waukegan and taught families how to grow and can their own food. She was a volunteer comforting inmates at the Lake County jail since 2002. She died last week at the age of 80. The community will miss her.