The Soapbox: Daily Herald editors offer brief thoughts on suburban topics in the news.
It was worth a try
Taking a walk through the neighborhood and noticing a pair of small signs in the parkway of a house near a sharp curve in the road "Slow down, kids and pets at play." Seconds later, two cars zip around the bend at speeds well above the limit. Good intentions, bad results. People always in a hurry, getting nowhere fast.
Amazing Grace
Congrats to Crystal Lake Central grad Grace Kinstler for making it into the Top 12 of "American Idol." The Lakewood native continues to wow the judges with her powerful voice, and we can't wait to see where her musical journey takes her.
What a change it would be
Lake County will consider a railroad underpass at Old McHenry and Quentin roads around Midlothian and Fairfield roads. This can be a busy traffic spot within an otherwise open and pretty area in Hawthorn Woods, Lake Zurich and Kildeer. Nothing will happen until 2025 at the earliest, but what's being studied would really be such a change.
Bring Jimmy home
Don't believe for a second Ryan Pace thinks Andy Dalton is the answer. Arlington Heights' own Jimmy Garoppolo is available from San Francisco, and a better quarterback than anyone the Bears have had under center in several seasons. Make it happen.
Wakey, wakey!
If the Cubs don't warm up those bats soon, it'll be a long season for them with no post season. Let's go, Cubbies!
Deputies getting body cameras
Long before state lawmakers passed criminal justice reform legislation, the DuPage County sheriff's office wanted to purchase body cameras. This week, Sheriff James Mendrick finally was able to get the county board's approval for a body camera proposal. It took years, but DuPage sheriff's deputies will get the devices.
This week's Clippable Quote
"We're all water from different rivers." - Yoko Ono.
Good to be back on the field
Youth baseball is back in the suburbs, and it felt like a little slice of normal to be on the field, even if we're still wearing masks and socially distancing as much as you can get young kids to socially distance. The ping of the bat and chatter in the park was a welcome change to the eerie silence of last spring.
Happy homecoming
Keisha Campbell won't need some of the usual initiation when she takes over as superintendent of Elmhurst Unit District 205 July 1. As a graduate of the district's Bryan Middle School and York High School, she has a head start on finding her way around. Campbell calls her new job "an absolute dream come true." Congratulations and good luck.
Somewhere, over Lombard
Soon, ice cream lovers in Lombard, and near select Buona Beef locations, will have a unique burst of color and flavor to enjoy. Original Rainbow Cone owners announced they're expanding the Chicago franchise to the village and partnering to place ice cream trucks at some Buona restaurants. Sweet.
News we can use
Pete Weiss pretty much summed up our reaction to the news that his Northbrook restaurant Little Louie's was among suburban locations getting help from The Barstool Fund effort to support companies hit hard by COVID-19: "There is a lot of good in the world, and it's nice to see people helping people, instead of the opposite." Here, here.