Saturday Soapbox
Eat, drink and be ... disrespectful
It'd be a character-building lesson if everyone - at some point in their life - could work in a restaurant. Being a waitress, waiter or bus-person is a hard job. It also helps teach one how to treat people even when the people lack decency. A new restaurant on Randall Road isn't giving away free food, it only seems that way because the place is always packed. Last Sunday there was a group of 12 sitting at two tables. What they left was an inexcusable animal-like mess that four young employees had to deal with. What the group didn't leave was a tip. The young people cleaned up while trying to stymie facial expressions of disgust. Given the opportunity, there's little doubt what the kids would've liked to say to the adult slobs: Stay home next time. Please.
Celebrate by helping others
Many of us will be gathering this weekend with friends and family for a holiday barbecue. While you're at the store shopping for those hamburgers and potato salad, remember to pick up an extra couple of jars of peanut butter or cans of tuna, or any nonperishable food items. You can drop them off at many of this weekend's holiday events and festivals to benefit your local food pantries. Even though Fourth of July isn't the holiday normally associated with helping stock shelves, local officials report that more people are in need. So please take a little time from your celebration to make the holiday a little bit easier for those less fortunate.
Beyond parenting
Some of the best stories - and the best-lived lives - too often go unnoticed. This came to mind with the recent death of Rolling Meadows' Kenneth Johnson. Kenneth, along with his wife, Dolores, who passed away four years earlier, were foster parents to 87 children over the span of 25 years. That's right, 87. One can only imagine what the Johnsons' caring and inviting hearts did for those 87 children, now adults, and how their kindness has flowed out into our world touching people in ways nobody can ever measure. But Kenneth and Dolores, who also raised five of their own children, knew. And what they knew is that all people, especially the smallest of people, matter. And that's worth remembering.
Things to avoid
Two of the most destructive things you can do over this holiday weekend is to use illegal fireworks and drive after having had too much to drink. In the first instance, a mishandled firecracker usually just causes injury to the person who set it off. But in the case of driving drunk, the lives of many motorists are at risk. Make the responsible - and safe - decision to not get behind the wheel after drinking.
Good financial news
Some good news in this gloomy financial environment - interest rates on some student loans for college are going to come down a bit, according to the federal government. Every bit helps in reducing the cost of these loans which can amount to tens of thousands of dollars.
Federal funds in waiting
Just a reminder to the governor and state lawmakers who have yet to reach a budget deal - those billions of dollars in federal aid for road and bridge repairs in Illinois aren't going to forever wait for state action required to release those funds from Washington.
Be in the first in the fall
It's the beginning of July, and the White Sox and the Cubs are in first place. What would be even better is if both teams held this same position in the rankings come October - and ready to square off in a World Series.