The Soapbox: Brief thoughts from Daily Herald editors on suburban topics of interest
This week's Clippable Quote:
"It sounds so simple, but if you just be yourself, you're different than anyone else." - Tony Bennett
Bonus Clippable Quote:
"Don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs, but (by) how high he bounces when he hits bottom." - George S. Patton, whose forces captured Palermo 80 years ago today, giving the Allies a key foothold to begin the invasion of Italy.
Our warming climate:
Last month was the hottest June on record, scientists say. But July will end up being even hotter. Ah, but unfortunately, records are made to be broken.
Pay now, or pay later:
If you're a suburban homeowner in Cook County, your initial reaction to a delay getting property tax bills out is one of relief. But delays actually force local governments to borrow, and the interest on that borrowing ultimately means taxpayers end up paying more. It's time for the county to get its act together.
The end of cash bail:
Illinois begins a great experiment in September beyond anything any state has ever tried. Thing is, the end of cash bail has been set up as an experiment without criteria for judging its effect. Legislators, pro and con, should join together to ask what are the hopes, what are the fears. And to mandate metrics to allow for objective evaluation.
Call for festival volunteers:
News that the future of the Sugar Grove Corn Boil is in jeopardy serves as a reminder of the importance of volunteering. The festival is run entirely by folks committed to devoting their time and effort to making it happen. But lately, there haven't been enough of them. So if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please do.
Suddenly, Midwest doesn't look so bad:
We have an aging friend who always dreamed of retiring to the Sunbelt. But extreme heat, wildfires, dwindling water supplies. Hey, plans change.
Million, billion ... we'd take either:
So many of us had dreams of winning the $1 billion jackpot in Wednesday night's Powerball drawing, but we happily would have settled for a $1 million consolation prize. Congrats to the lucky person who bought a ticket from Williams Liquor in Elmhurst that matched five numbers.
Happy 20th, Wildfire!
Wildfire has been a go-to place for steak or seafood in Schaumburg for 20 years now, and we love how the restaurant is celebrating. Classic menu items are back for a short time, helping customers remember what they loved about Wildfire when they first opened. Now only if throwback prices matched those throwback meals. Regardless, congratulations on the milestone, Wildfire!
Human trafficking:
Hard to believe that human trafficking is happening right under our noses, but a roundup of suburban people in Kane County suggests local people have brought women in from South America to sell them for sex. How disturbing that there is even a market for such a thing here.
I smell garlic:
News that Bella Notte Ristorante is leaving Chicago for the suburbs is making our mouth water. The famous West Town Italian restaurant is looking at Downers Grove and a number of other suburbs. Which will win this lottery?