Lake County Soap Box
Winning Bears:
Congratulations to the Lake Zurich High School football team on its Class 7A championship. Winning a state championship -- whether it's football or any other sport -- is no small accomplishment. Teams have to perform at a high level each week of the regular season, then survive a grueling playoff schedule just to get to the big game. Once there, players and coaches must deal with the pressure of the game, fans, media and the venue. In the case of football, it's Memorial Stadium on the campus of the University of Illinois. Oh, and you're always competing against one of the top teams in the state. The Bears did all that and returned to Lake County with the championship trophy Thanksgiving weekend.
Saving a life:
How many of us have asked if we should take the time to learn CPR or other life-saving techniques? How many of us have dismissed the notion, thinking we're too busy or because of the low odds it would ever be needed? Well, 20-year-old Eddie Maher put the Heimlich maneuver training he received back in middle school to use this week. The Palatine man was working as a server Tuesday at Max & Erma's restaurant in Deer Park when he noticed Jolene Bowling choking. Bowling, a 48-year-old Lake Zurich plan commissioner, ran outside and Maher followed. He applied the maneuver three times before dislodging the piece of steak and allowing Bowling to catch her breath. Maybe he saved her life. How many of us could have done the same thing?
The secret's out
We all like our hometowns, but it's always nice to get validation from outsiders. In a special report, Businessweek.com is lauding Barrington (25th) and Buffalo Grove (30th) for being among the 50 best places in the nation to raise children -- for less. BusinessWeek.com partnered with the real estate research firm OnBoard to find their winners, taking into account quality of the local schools, cost of living, recreation, culture and a low crime rate. A couple interesting notes: Among the top 50, BG ranked first in recreational and cultural activities, and 50th in crime…Barrington ranked 4th in recreation and culture; 48th and 49th in cost of living and crime, respectively. Number one in the nation? Groesbeck, Ohio, a hamlet of 7,000 near Cincinnati.
Finally:
At long last, the end of construction work on Butterfield Road is in sight. The project, which began in 1998, is scheduled to officially wrap up in the spring. But the major work -- and the major inconvenience to the 16,000 motorists who use the county-owned road every day -- should come to an end this weekend. The new five-lane road cost $36 million to build and was funded by local, county, state and federal governments as well as Metra and developers. That makes the project a study in cooperation, as well as in patience.
Better to give:
When doling out gifts this holiday season, try to remember those who don't normally make an appearance on your shopping list. The Open Arms Mission in Antioch faces the same problems many food pantries across the country encounter: supply isn't keeping up with demand, leaving organizers scrambling to come up with enough food for the area's needy families. The food bank feeds about 250 families from Antioch and Lake Villa Township weekly, with the numbers increasing greatly during the holidays. Be a good neighbor this holiday season, send a donation to the Open Arms Mission, P.O. Box 79, Antioch, IL 60002.