The Soapbox: Brief thoughts from Daily Herald editors on suburban topics of interest
Today's clippable quote
"Ah, well, I am a great and sublime fool. But then I am God's fool, and all His work must be contemplated with respect." - Mark Twain
Unlucky 45
How many times will it take someone with a vehicle taller than 8-foot-6 to smash or get stuck under the Long Grove bridge for something sensible to be done? Multiple signs clearly aren't working. One of these days, someone will be severely injured or worse. Please consider an actual impediment that would stop a tall truck before it hits the bridge.
An excellent idea
Tired of getting bogus "final notice" letters for your car or home warranty? Help might be on the way. State Sen. Rachel Ventura has introduced a bill that would require senders to disclose these are sale solicitations, not past-due bills. That ought to help out seniors, who tend to get caught up in such scams.
Red-light reproach
Hawthorn Woods Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie has introduced legislation that would require automated traffic-violation tickets be dismissed if notices to vehicle owners contain incorrect information. "If we cannot make (these systems) beyond reproach, then we should ban them all together," he said in prepared statement. Anyone care to argue with that?
We selfishly like the pitch clock
With a new baseball season under way and some new rules, we have a selfish reason for liking the pitch clock. It appears to be helping speed up the game, and editors here who work nights like it when games end earlier, so that we can get the results into the paper with less panic. Playoff baseball - featuring the Cubs or Sox? - will be the true test.
It really happened in Town Square
The grocery store space is finally filled in Schaumburg's Town Square. Tony's Fresh Market opened on Wednesday, bringing some business to that big space for the first time in nearly a decade. We have lamented the long vacancy, created in large part by Albertsons' holding onto its lease there. Now we salute that all parties got this store going at last.
Who should pay?
A 2019 state mandate requires communities along Lake Michigan to clean their sewer systems of toxic chemicals. Nine North Shore towns have filed suit arguing the companies that made and sold the chemicals, known as PCBs, should have to bear the substantial cost. The scary thing: PCBs were banned more than 40 years ago and this is still a health issue.
A top administrator
Congratulations to Steve Diveley. The principal of Hadley Junior High School in Glen Ellyn was honored last week as the Illinois Middle School Principal of the Year for 2023. There are many suburban middle schools with excellent administrators. It's great to see one of them receive much-deserved recognition.
Go vote this weekend
In case you haven't been paying attention, there's an election on Tuesday. With expanded early voting, there's no excuse to not head to the polls this weekend and get it out of the way. While we're fixated on state national elections, these local elections affect our everyday lives. So, get out and vote. It's your civic duty - and it's good for you.