Your Views

Clubs seek success for all youths

At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dundee Township in Carpentersville, we see every day the inequities and roadblocks facing our country's young people. It's with that in mind that we commit to providing every child the opportunity for a better future, no matter their background, to assure that success is within reach for every young person who enters our doors and that everyone reaches their full potential. But we can't do it alone.

As a board member of our local club, I traveled recently to Washington , D.C., to join Boys & Girls Clubs from all across our nation in advocating for our youth. We met with Illinois senate and congressional offices to discuss the imperativeness of providing solid after-school care resources with a particular focus on the comprehensive and collaborative workforce development and readiness programs that reach kids as young as the elementary level through high school. Whatever path our teens choose after high school, be it a two- or four-year college, vocational training or immediate full-time employment, they need the resources to be prepared for success.

Our kids" success isn't just on Congress or our state lawmakers; it's on all of us to move the needle for youth in America, creating real opportunity based on kids" potential - not on the circumstances that surround them. Our young people are the promise of tomorrow, our future leaders and innovators of our economy.

We owe it to them to invest in their futures today. Support your local Boys & Girls Club.

Karen Trzaska

Barrington

Amid postal problems, there are alternatives

I am aware of the many issues some residents have with mail delivery in Arlington Heights. There have been many comments on various websites and now the news media has had its segments.

I am blessed with a very conscientious carrier and even the occasional substitutes have been efficient. I may get a neighbors item every now and then but that's an easy walk over. No big deal.

I can understand the concerns of not receiving important items such as checks and billing statements. However, hasn't the public been hammered for, oh, say, the last 20 years, to do everything we can to protect our identities? If receiving checks is a concern, perhaps looking into direct deposit would be the way to go.

In fact, entities like the Social Security Administration recommend it and most employers encourage it. Almost everything can be done on the internet with minimal self-protection. If this mail issue affects a non-tech savvy senior, a family member should assist them. I don't mean this to be glib or snarky, but there is always a solution.

My concern is the lack of response from the local office manager. We're not even getting the milquetoast "It's being looked into" or "We are aware".....only the sound of crickets. I hope whatever the problem is, it will be addressed (no pun intended) and resolved to everyone's satisfaction.

DeLynn Winkelman

Arlington Heights

Fear of autocracy

Trump and the Republicans may win again in November because they know well the art of manipulating information. They learned it from the Russians, and Fox News is spreading it all day long. I am not fearful of the browning of America or a little bit more "democratic" socialism. What I fear, not for myself but for my children and grandchildren, is a country that turns autocratic so white males can remain powerful and wealthy.

While Trump wants to Make America Great Again, he now defies the laws that ruled before him and retaliates toward those who disagree with him. He claims to be for the hardworking Americans, but is health care more affordable, have our schools improved? What has been done on rebuilding the infrastructure or minimizing the effects of climate change? Instead, his policies seem to favor political donors and making deals with the wealthy.

I would like to think that most Americans would prefer a free society where people speak with compassion, tolerance and respect for one another, rather than one dominated with corruption, discrimination, insults and retaliation. If Trump loves this country, then why is he acting like a wannabe dictator? That was never the USA in the past.

Diane Crawford

Arlington Heights

Trailer-fee surprise

As I sit here writing this letter, I find it amazing how many people have no clue of what's to come in your mail for renewing your trailer license fee. The fee is going from $18 to $100, A 500%-plus increase. I hit the deck when I found out.

All I have is a rowboat and 15 hp engine on a trailer, and I'm going to be fleeced by our governor by 500% just to go fishing. It doesn't matter what size trailer you have, it's $100. That's an awful expensive cost of going fishing.

If you haven't heard about this fleecing, I suggest you call your state senator and representative. and the governor's office and put them to task.

Pass on what's in this article to your friends if they have trailers. All it takes is a few minutes of your time to call the governor's office, your state rep. and state senator. You're in for a big surprise compliments of the state of Illinois in your mail.

Larry Maurer

Mount Prospect

We need better, not just more, voters

There seems to be a constant use of the term "voter turnout" on the heels of any statement of displeasure with elected officials. The release of former Gov. Rod Blageojevich is a stark reminder that we shouldn't expect good outcomes when voters are not equipped to objectively assess information and employ critical thinking about the results of their decisions. The "voters" of Illinois elected Blagojevich multiple times, even in the face of glaring signs of inadequacy.

Society would benefit if, instead of greater turnout, there were programs or criteria so that voters were better consumers of information (i.e. be more discerning about the source/timing/context of what passes as "information," especially via social media) and were equipped with critical thinking skills so that they can make choices based on fact, reasonable assumptions and have an understanding of how candidates fit into a larger picture if elected.

It's interesting that the same people who think although there is a constitutional right to own a gun that there should be rules/regulations/training etc. to do so, but that everyone with the constitutional right to vote, should, regardless of their capacity to fully understand the consequences of their decisions.

The Constitution framers knew well the reliance of an educated electorate for a democracy to work and be sustainable. Quality over quantity.

Keith Gray

Mettawa