Saturday Soapbox; Thankful for people like you

Thankful for people like you:

Hats off to a Crystal Lake woman who invited people in need of food or family over to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. The woman, who asked for anonymity, said her life isn't perfect she's unemployed and her family is living on one income but they have more than some. Turkey, ham, lasagna and “all the fixings” were on the menu.

Watching our dollars:

In the past few weeks, several of our local government officials that had considered significant tax and fee increases in their budgets thought better of it and scaled them back or found another way. To the officials in those towns we say, thank you.

Shows of excellence:

For several suburban schools, Thanksgiving weekend's dessert is a trip today to the state football championships. Lake Zurich, Wheaton-Warrenville South, Marmion, Montini and Maine South all have made it to the Big Show in Champaign in their respective divisions. Win, lose or draw, it's an achievement worth celebrating for all.

... And then some:

Speaking of excellence in sports, how about Stevenson's Tom Dineen who, with a victory this week over Maine West, coached his 700th win as a girl's basketball coach? In a fitting show of class, he was given the game ball by Maine West's coach, Derril Kipp, the Northwest suburbs' only other 700-game winner.

Burris for mayor?

Roland Burris just left a U.S. Senate seat no one elected him to hold after a long and solid career as state comptroller and attorney general. And within days, he's a candidate for Chicago mayor. Really?

Black Friday fatigue?

If you're resting after a busy day of shopping, you may want to pause and think about where you're putting the rest of your holiday dollars. Remember independent stores scattered throughout the suburbs may be struggling in this economy and could use your business. And don't forget local charities in need of those end-of-the-year donations.

Keeping it professional:

Barrington Unit District 220 is wise to bar teachers and students from e-mailing and “friending” each other though private social media accounts. Other suburban schools have already created such policies, and we encourage more to do the same.

Better late than never?

It took a while, but hundreds of seniors living on the Cook County side of Elgin finally are getting property tax rebate checks that other seniors in the city got last summer. Elgin says the delivery, funded through riverboat casino revenue, comes late because Cook County was late in sending out tax bills this fall and they were higher than expected.

Give the lunch award to Quinn-Brady:

Pat Quinn and Bill Brady had lunch at Manny's Coffee Shop in Chicago. Recall that Alexi Giannoulias and Mark Kirk had dinner at the Billy Goat in Chicago. Except they didn't even eat their cheeseburgers how do you not eat the cheeseburgers? and Giannoulias dressed like a college boy. Quinn and Brady both dressed up and kept their suit coats on and ties fully knotted, and actually ate their sandwiches. They win.