The Soapbox: Brief thoughts from Daily Herald editors on suburban topics of interest
This editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
Today's clippable quote
Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.
- C.S. Lewis
Bicycle benefits
Kudos to Schaumburg for considering a plan to improve the village's bicycle program. Priorities include encouraging bike riding, promoting safety and expanding the town's bike pathways. Not only is hopping on our bikes good for our health, but encouraging it can also cut back on traffic and make drivers more aware. So tune up those bikes and get riding!
Books bring hope
After fleeing your home in the middle of an invasion, simple pleasures like reading a new book can provide an important respite. A group of suburban teens with the group Mission: MathMinds helped provide that relief recently, when they shipped 8,000 books to overseas refuge camps and schools for children who've escaped war-torn Ukraine. Their efforts are admirable.
Highway hazards
Are there any lessons for motorists from the tragic pileup caused by a sudden dust storm in central Illinois on I-55? Obviously one is that some dangers are impossible to predict. But another is to heed authorities: If visibility is near zero, don't try to muddle through. Pull over and use your emergency flashers.
Chasing safety
First, police rules moderating when it's OK to chase fleeing crime suspects and how to do it are valuable and help ensure public safety. But the "epidemic" of fleeing suspects that authorities say they're seeing is a true concern. Will harsher penalties for those who flee help? That's at least one idea to explore. Let's find others.
Preserving the past
Four suburban sites are on the newest list of Landmarks Illinois' list of Most Endangered Historic Places. To grow, we in the suburbs always have to have our eyes on the future, but remembrances of the past help us keep our goals in focus. Here's to Landmarks Illinois for its efforts to work with local communities to preserve these important cultural memories.
And, by the way ...
The sites to watch this year: The Alexander Brothers Blacksmith Shop in Geneva; Oak Cottage in Naperville; the Baxter International headquarters in Deerfield; and Richmond's historic wooden bridge. See the entire list at Landmarks.org.
Help from the village
Buffalo Grove may bring back a new and improved program to help homeowners make costly sewer line repairs, draining improvements and other utility upgrades. A previous effort was abandoned for lack of popular interest because it was considered too unwieldy. Changes may give new life to a program that can help people solve expensive, critical, often-unplanned problems.
Remembering Rosanne Plencner
Roseanne Plencner began her public service in South Barrington at a pivotal time in the 1960s and would go on to serve on the village board for 12 years. In addition to her official duties, she and her husband provided an annual holiday treat arriving at village hall by helicopter dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus. She died last month at age 87. Our condolences to her family and friends.