The Soapbox: Daily Herald editors offer brief thoughts on suburban topics in the news.
The Daily Herald Editorial Board Milestone for Mr. D
Richard L. Duchossois of Barrington Hills turned 100 on Thursday, and what a century it's been. The legendary former owner of Arlington Park, who engineered its rebirth after a 1985 fire, was a tank commander in World War II awarded the Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars, a military governor in post-war Germany, a manufacturing magnate, a thoroughbred horse breeder and a major donor to the University of Chicago Medical Center and many other causes. Happy birthday, Mr. D!
Kudos to Mayor Craig Johnson
No matter what you think of Joe Biden, it was quite the plum to have the president of the United States show up in Elk Grove Village.
A friendly word to Mayor Tom Hayes
We are as excited as anyone about the Chicago Bears moving to Arlington Heights, but don't let your enthusiasm get the best of your public relations, Mayor Hayes. We agree the Bears-centered redevelopment of Arlington Park will be a huge boost to property values. But keeping a lid on taxes? C'mon. Rising property values mean rising taxes.
Ray Lang's breathtaking photo
Did you happen to see the travel photo of the Forest Tower in Denmark that Ray Lang of Wheeling provided for last Monday's "Your Best Shot" feature? Wow. Just wow.
Black and white and sped all over
Two zebras escaped Sunday from an indoor zoo at Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard in Pingree Grove. What a sight that must have been for residents and drivers on Route 47. We're relieved authorities were able to corral the strays, which must have been stressed and scared, safely after about a two-hour chase.
Winding down the fall season
This weekend's state high school golf tournaments are the first traditional IHSA state final tournaments since February 2020. While we're happy for that, we continue to suggest everyone involved in high school sports be mindful that COVID-19 is still with us. So, please, follow IDPH guidelines so that this fall postseason in all sports comes off without a hitch.
This week's Clippable Quote
"All we have to do is discover our own gift, even if it is just one thing, and use it for the good of all." - spiritual author Richard Rohr
Halloween 2021
People are excited for Halloween - a more normal Halloween, that is. But some liked last year's quieter holiday. They had fun making candy chutes and appreciated not answering the door every 5 minutes. However you decide to celebrate this year, be safe and be kind to all kids enjoying Halloween 2021.
Enter if you dare
And, with Halloween only a few weeks away, now is the time to check out some of the spine-tingling haunted houses that have popped up across the suburbs. A new haunt that sounds particularly creepy is The Old Joliet Haunted Prison, which takes over a real abandoned prison that closed in 2002. For more frights, see dailyherald.com/entlife/.
Farewell to a trailblazer
While the circumstances of her departure are still murky, one thing is clear: former Hawthorn Woods Police Chief Jennifer Paulus is a trailblazer. The first female police chief in Lake County, one of just a handful in Illinois, stepped down last week after 16 years as the small village's top cop. "I've always considered myself lucky to have such a beautiful place to work," she said.