Saturday Soapbox: Fox Valley
Waiting room Web
Here's a thought for all the doctors' offices, car repair shops and other places where people have to sit and wait: Invest in wireless Internet access for customers. With many people carrying laptop computers, it would be nice if, when stuck waiting through an oil change or for your turn to see the doc, you could surf the Web or connect to your workplace server. Beats reading old copies of Parenting or Golf Digest.
Weigh in on east-side proposals
Community Unit District 300 has scheduled three public hearings for residents to offer feedback on three plans to fix crowded east-side schools. Be sure to make it to one of the hearings to learn about the proposals and offer input. The last time the district sought residents' input, school board members sifted through dozens of transcripts and e-mails before reaching a decision on boundary changes. The first hearing was Friday; the next two, both Monday, will be from 5 to 6 p.m. at Perry Elementary School and from 7 to 8 p.m. at Algonquin Middle School.
Elburn dances to a good solution
Board members of the Elburn and Countryside Community Center are to be commended for creating a strategy that is likely to save the Blackberry School of Ballet and Dance. After the founder of the 25-year-old Blackberry program retired, the program floundered. It is run by the community center. Board members looked east to the successful State Street Dance Studio and reached an agreement with the Geneva studio to run the program in Elburn. The partnership should enhance the dance program in Elburn and help the Main Street center continue to be a vital part of the village.
Show some love, get a haircut
Getting up in the morning and dreading to go into work must not be pleasant. That's certainly not the case with workers at Riverfront Chrysler-Jeep in North Aurora. A couple weeks ago when Internet Sales Manager Marc Fagot of Geneva arrived at work to find 14 co-workers had either shaved their heads or gotten buzz cuts (the lone woman had 6 inches of her hair cut), he was overcome. Fagot is being treated for cancer and lost his full head of hair as a treatment side effect. He continues to work when he can and no doubt looks forward to going to the office. Who wouldn't, with such a great group of people to be around.
Lighting up the neighborhood
The new Brunswick Zone XL bowling and entertainment center in Algonquin might want to consider adding "how to be a good neighbor" lessons to its offerings. Instead of ignoring nearby residents' complaints about excessive noise and light, Brunswick Zone manager Matthew Fletcher quickly worked with village officials -- who were also very responsive to residents -- to find ways to ease the problem. They're upgrading soundproofing on doors, installing timers to shut off certain bright lights and installing deflectors on other lights to minimize the impact on neighbors. Better still, Fletcher has asked neighbors to contact him if there are other issues. If only all businesses -- and towns -- operated that way.
Time to sandbag excess growth
A wary river watch has become an all- too-familiar refrain for northern Illinois residents the past year. And, yes, you have to accept a certain risk in exchange for the joy of living near the water. But it's become increasingly clear that our massive growth -- covering what once was open land that absorbed excess water -- is a key factor when the whims of Mother Nature overload our waterways. Shouldn't we limit that growth along the watershed … unless we want sandbagging to be a way of life?