Saturday Soapbox

Drac attack:Congrats to Mount Prospect's Lee DeWyze for adding another title to his "American Idol" crown last weekend - top male reality/variety star at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. Not quite sure, though, what to make of vampires ending up the big winners. "The Twilight Saga" sucked up 12 awards while "The Vampire Diaries" took seven.Thank you, jurors:Jurors' frustration came through in their notes to the judge in the Blagojevich trial, but so did their diligence. All of us - not just the lawyers and defendants - should be grateful for the tremendous dedication shown not just in this instance, but among jurors in nearly every case recounted on our pages.The annoyance scale:How would you rank the following this past week from most annoying to least annoying: The Twins taking away first place from the White Sox; mosquitoes taking away our yards; the Cubs calling for yet another rookie pitcher; your air conditioning system calling for help.The Fox is eerie when closed in August:It's good to hear the Chain O' Lakes reopened to boaters. Last weekend the Fox River was eerily quiet in Kane and McHenry counties, as if there had been an evacuation. It was because of the flooding risk, we know, but still, it's an odd sight, especially on hot days.A thread of success:There is a happy success story in Des Plaines, where nearly 600 employees marked the anniversary of their jobs being saved at the Hart Schaffner Marx factory. Since the Hartmax filed for bankruptcy in 2009, the factory's new owners have led a turnaround that has added more suit-making jobs. That's what we call a perfect fit.Choo-choo go shoo:Seriously, is it really necessary during rush hour to have long freight trains rumbling through our suburbs blocking major roadways? Wouldn't it make more sense midday or after 7 p. m.? Just something pondered - while waiting for a freight train to make it through.Sad news:We join Lake County in mourning the loss of two longtime public servants. One-time Fox Lake fire chief Stu Hoehne and former Avon Township supervisor Russell Christian left impressive legacies. Both were pillars of their communities and will be missed.Be a fan, not a fanatic:With the return of fall sports at suburban high schools, it's good to see all that energy from student athletes. It's also time for fans to get into shape again. First, remember these are games. Be courteous of those around you (the referee or coach can't hear your screams, but it is annoying). Cheer your lungs out, but make it a positive experience.Trashing:Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart is working to train Waste Management trash collectors to watch also for the trash who set up meth labs in houses, grow pot or perhaps burglarize or vandalize unincorporated areas. Pretty innovative use of the cleanup crew.Thank you, 1st Lt. Spartz: We've been featuring occasional reports from Army 1st Lt. Matt Spartz of Lombard since he deployed to Afghanistan a few months ago. Spartz is serving all of us both with his military duty and his exceptional, insightful reports. Thank you, Matt. Stay safe.