Grayslake officials, teachers need to avoid strike
No to a strike
When both sides in the Grayslake Elementary District 46 teacher contract talks meet today, let's hope the last thing they have in mind is a strike. Unfortunately, things appear headed in that direction. Union membership voted in a closed meeting this week to walk off the job unless an agreement is reached by Nov. 6. No strike date has been set. No one wins when teachers strike - not the community, not the district and not employees. And, certainly not the 4,317 students who are well into their school year and can ill afford several days away from their studies while adults hash out their differences.
Wentz Concert Hall a gem
North Central College has created a glittering jewel in downtown Naperville with the opening of its spectacular Wentz Concert Hall and Fine Arts Center at 171 E. Chicago Ave. The $30 million, 57,000-square-foot structure - built entirely with donations - includes a 605-seat auditorium, a 150-seat "black box" theater, an art gallery and, yes, plenty of space for students and teachers. It's a stunning achievement, both inside and out, that leaders promise will attract productions and performers that normally wouldn't venture out of Chicago. There will be plenty of opportunity for people to take in performances at the auditorium. It's a terrific, can't-miss venue for anyone who cares about the arts.
Welcome back to the mall
Pace and Yorktown Center worked out differences, restoring convenient bus service to the growing mall. Routes that serve Yorktown bring employees to jobs and shoppers to stores. In an area where building public transportation routines sometimes can be difficult, let's hope regular riders who were inconvenienced have come back to Pace.
A needed day-care center
It's good to see the expansion of Children's Home and Aid's low-income day-care center finally coming to a conclusion on Schaumburg Road just west of Plum Grove Road in Schaumburg. For years, the structure's steel frame sat untouched after funds to finish construction were frozen by the governor. When it opens in January, it will accommodate as many as 110 children from low-income families, up from the 42 now being served by Our Savior's United Methodist Church next door.
Thank you, Bill Moran
Generations of Lombardians treasure memories of summer days splashing in the pool or gliding down water slides at Moran Water Park. The person responsible for bringing that treasured resource to town, Bill Moran, died this week. He was 84. The water park is being rebuilt, set to open next summer with new offerings and, likely, a new name. But Moran's impact on the community will live on - particularly in those who learned to love swimming at the facility he helped make a reality.
Tone down the comments
Rolling Meadows aldermen, facing a need to cut the budget, are rightly examining the cost of the Police Neighborhood Resource Center. Unfortunately, some of the comments about the people who live in the area were inflammatory. What's needed is a dispassionate look at how effective the center is in its mission.