The Soapbox: Daily Herald editors offer brief thoughts on suburban topics in the news.
This editorial represents the consensus opinion of The Daily Herald Editorial Board.
This week's Clippable Quote
"Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." - Theodore Roosevelt
What the FBI can do
"If they can do it to a former President, imagine what they can do to you," tweeted an account for Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee after the FBI raided Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. True enough, but they'll still need to go to a judge and get a warrant before searching your home to investigate a crime. Same as for a former president.
Suburban island time
Tiki bars are all the rage, and Rosemont is bringing Pete's Tiki Tiki to the suburbs. Facebook commenters are both excited and skeptical. "Mixed feelings about slapping tiki on nearly every bar that has rum and some island/tropical decor," says one. Others are excited for a girls' night out. Who wouldn't want to share a drink out of giant shark head exhaling dry ice?
A new leash on life
Can beagles smile? The dogs pictured in Rick West's photos this week at Anderson Humane in South Elgin sure looked overjoyed as they awaited their new foster families. The 91 pups, which had been bred for scientific research and had never set foot on grass before their rescue, now are in line for lives filled with love.
Reviving Restaurant Row
The luster of Wheeling's Restaurant Row has faded a bit in recent years, so we're excited by new efforts from the village and business owners to restore the avenue to its former glory. That informally kicked off this week with the painting of a striking outdoor mural on the new District Brew Yards, on the north end of the strip. A great start to a worthy effort.
So long, Found
It's always sad when a restaurant closes. After 10 years in downtown Evanston, Amy Morton's Found Kitchen + Social House will shut down on Oct. 2, because the building housing the farm-to-table restaurant is being torn down. Luckily for diners, Morton's other restaurants - Stolp Island Social in Aurora and The Barn Steakhouse in Evanston - are still going strong.
Happy birthday, Randhurst
The three retail giants that helped launch the suburbs' first enclosed shopping center in 1962 - Carson Pirie Scott, Montgomery Ward and Wieboldt's - are all gone now, but as it turns 60, the location now known as Randhurst Village continues to change with the times. With a HomeGoods on the way and new opportunities coming, we're excited for what still lies ahead.
So long, 'Eddie O'
First, we lost the legendary Pat Foley. Now, Blackhawks legend Eddie Olcyzk has left the team's broadcast booth for brighter horizons in the Northwest. At least we'll have a great team on the ice to watch, right? Dark days for a franchise that stoked such pride only a few years ago.
Remembering Richard Calendo
The people who define a community aren't just office holders and agency volunteers. Many are everyday people and small business owners whose smile, camaraderie and helpful spirit are never forgotten. Richard Calendo, who died Aug. 1 at 78, brought that spirit to Calendo's bar in East Dundee. He'll be missed. Our condolences to his family and friends.