The Soapbox
From the suburbs to your pocket:
We all know Thomas Edison invented the light bulb and the Wrights flew the first plane. Perhaps someday the suburbs’ own Marty Cooper, who led a Motorola team in Schaumburg that created the first cellphone, will be a household name. Cooper, 84, now of California, received a top award this week from the National Academy of Engineering.
Glen Ellyn’s new panel:
Not unlike nearly every other suburb, Glen Ellyn continues to look for ways to attract and retain businesses in its downtown. The latest effort is a new economic development council, and it’s a diverse mix of local movers and shakers: business owners, brokers, accountants, attorneys and sales professionals. We wish them well.
Meanwhile, congratulations:
... to Streamwood. Landing Chiquita Brands’ Fresh Express division and the 700 employees it brings is a notable success. Especially coming in a troubled economy and just two years after Duraco Products vacated the Lake Street location.
And elsewhere:
After seeing the old Dominick’s store sit empty for eight years, Rolling Meadows residents now can look forward to Uncle Joe’s Tuscan Market, a grocer that will anchor the site and is likely to attract several other shops. It’s been a long time coming — no community likes an eyesore at one of its key intersections.
Filling those potholes:
Seen on a recent weekday afternoon: Road workers fixing potholes on Higgins Road right by I-290/Route 53 approaching Busse Woods, as traffic is zooming around them. We gripe about the potholes that form from freeze-thaw cycles, and Higgins sure had its share. Now these are the people who have to deal with them. Thank you, road crews.
Proceed with caution:
Daily Herald Political Editor Kerry Lester reported this week that the state is considering a proposal that would give local schools more control over rules governing special education. Local control is always valuable. We just can’t forget that these students may not be a sizable constituency. They’ll need something to add strength to the support of their interests.
Avoid any shocks:
Electrical aggregation is saving many consumers money, says the Citizens Utility Board, but its darker side may be ripping others off. CUB says some suppliers’ practices include misleading marketing and excessive termination fees. If you have an alternative power supplier, make sure you watch what’s happening.
Four doth not a fair make:
Arlington Heights officials are trying hard to offer teenagerss a job fair next month, but so far only four employers have signed up. That’s certainly not a good sign about the local economy; let’s hope more businesses will see a benefit to jumping in by next week’s deadline.
Elevate safety:
The two original elevators in the Elgin Tower Building, which was built in 1928, this week passed their inspections — checks that were overdue by eight months or more. It’s good to know they’re safe, but we have to ask, should inspections in a building that old be that far behind?