Cook County soap box
The secret's out
We all like our hometowns, but it's always nice to get validation from outsiders. Businessweek.com is lauding Barrington (25th) and Buffalo Grove (30th) for being among the 50 best places in the nation to raise children. The magazine partnered with real estate researchers OnBoard to find their winners, measuring the quality of the local schools, cost of living, recreation, culture and the 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. The "best" town in the nation? Groesbeck, Ohio, a hamlet of 7,000 near Cincinnati.
Past time to work on the railroad
A 2006 tally of broken railroad crossing gates in Des Plaines found emergency responders are delayed 41 hours a year due to malfunctions. How many lives are at risk? When will the Illinois Commerce Commission do something about it?
Still a few bugs in the system
Southbound on I-355 going downstate on the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, we couldn't help but notice the cars without I-PASS were merrily speeding through the toll gate near Army Trail Road. Meanwhile, I-PASS users were basically parked for well over 30 minutes. Never did figure out what the problem was.
Term limits live on, apparently
Speaking of Des Plaines, it may be that the initiative to overturn term limits for elected officials is DOA -- not having enough signatures may doom it from getting on the Feb. 5 primary ballot. That's regrettable, since we wouldn't mind seeing this put to voters again, believing as we do that the end of someone's term as officeholder shouldn't be ordained by anything except voters. What about FDR, you say? Well, there's never a shortage of presidential candidates. It's tougher to get people to run for municipal office, where the work is often drudgery, the phone constantly rings and often the only fame to speak of is an unflattering shot on local access TV.
Saving a life worth the trouble
How many of us have thought about taking the time to learn CPR or other life-saving techniques? How many have then dismissed it, thinking we're too busy or the odds are low you'd ever be called on? Well, 20-year-old Eddie Maher put the Heimlich maneuver training he got back in middle school to use this week. The Palatine server was working at Max & Erma's restaurant in Deer Park Tuesday 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, 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?
Digital, schmigital
Oh, come on. We have to buy digital TVs by Feb. 17, 2009, or our analog versions will produce nothing but static and snow? Well, so much for watching the budget. Let's hope that by early 2009 so many businesses will have digital TVs or converter boxes that the prices will drop to all-time lows. So, don't be too tempted to snap up the "great offers" you see advertised now.
Gridiron glory
Congratulations to the Glenbard North Panthers, for a spectacular drive to the Class 8A state football championship game. Although they didn't win the title, just getting to the championship game -- whether it's football or any other sport -- is no small accomplishment. These athletes will remember this for the rest of their lives.