Whole (Foods) new view
It's still a ways off, but the new Whole Foods in Schaumburg moved closer to reality this week with the village's formal approval of the plans and the imminent demolition of the long-vacant Homemakers warehouse it will replace. Schaumburg officials are thrilled to get rid of what they see as a major eyesore and to add to the village's vast array of retail delights, hoping shoppers have an appetite for organic vegetables or free-range meats.
A touch of history:
It's a real treat when we get a chance to walk amid history in places where great people lived and met. Just such an opportunity is June 15, July 20 and Aug. 3 when the Lake County Forest Preserve District opens the restored historic Stevenson home on St. Mary's Road to free tours. The home was considered a sanctuary for former governor and ambassador Adlai E. Stevenson II, the man widely regarded as one of the 20th-century's greatest American statesmen. Stevenson hosted senators, first ladies, civil rights leaders and other dignitaries in the house where he lived for most of his adult life. John F. Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt were among the notable visitors. During this summer's guided tours, guests will learn things about Stevenson not included in history books. What a great opportunity to learn about one of Lake County's most famous residents.
Feeling our financial pain
In a move rarely seen by government at all levels this year, DuPage County Board members this week decided to freeze their pay for the next four years. They also cut stipends for leading board committees and eliminated mileage reimbursements. Of course, people taking pay cuts in their private sector jobs sure wouldn't mind government officials trimming instead of freezing their pay. But with so many of us feeling pain in the pocketbook, it's refreshing to see elected officials acknowledge that times are tough financially -- and that yearly pay raises aren't guaranteed. We hope other elected leaders will follow DuPage board members' lead of recognizing the economic realities out there.
This is first class?
We appreciate that to keep prices as low as possible, airlines have suspended meal service and charge you a la carte for snacks. But when did it become de rigueur on a four-hour flight from Chicago to Portland, during which the lunch hour passes, to only provide "snack" service for passengers flying first class and paying $1,840 round-trip for the privilege? Furthermore, when asked whether an 89-year-old man with a heart condition could get some assistance stowing his carry-on suitcase in an overhead bin, a member of the flight crew responded: "Flight attendants are no longer required to assist passengers." For that kind of dough and that little service, you'd think you could take your extra-wide seat home with you.
Diplomas and dilemmas
Every year, area high schools send a new crop of graduates into the world. Their accomplishments are worthy of praise, but now more than ever their future seems uncertain. It's difficult to land a job that pays a living wage without a college degree. Yet rising costs of higher education have put a degree out of the reach of many. Parents and students find themselves signing paperwork on loans reaching six figures. To complicate matters, a degree -- even a master's -- is no guarantee of a well-paying job in this shaky economy. We congratulate the class of 2008 and wish them the best of luck, but something tells us they'll need more than luck.