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The Soapbox: Musical excellence, pay hikes, an outpouring of support

Music to our ears:

The three high schools in Indian Prairie Unit District 204 - Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley and Metea Valley - long have been known for their excellent music programs, combining to win 16 Grammys over the years. A hearty bravo to all the students, faculty and others who clearly know how to hit all the right notes.

Racing for charities:

One of the coolest fundraisers of the year takes place today in Downers Grove when Giving DuPage sponsors the DuPage Human Race. An expected 1,800 runners and walkers will participate, but here's the best part: They're raising money for 72 charities. Check out dupagehumanrace.org for more info.

Mail it in:

A recent letter to the Neighbor Fencepost asked a good question: Exactly why is there still no post office in Rolling Meadows? There was one for 50 years on Kirchoff Road until it closed four years ago over a leasing dispute with the shopping center that housed it. Isn't it about time one returned to senders?

'Better' and better:

Wheeling native and former "American Idol" finalist Haley Reinhart has a big weekend. Her second album, "Better," dropped Friday, though the album's first single - a cover of "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" - is already a hit. And tonight, she'll play a benefit at Durty Nellie's in Palatine. Welcome back, Haley.

Facing her monsters:

What an inspiring story by Harry Hitzeman in Thursday's Neighbor about Carol Stream's Jamie Koala, 25, who has thrived as an artist, despite her neurological disorders. She says, "Stuff that scares me, sometimes I'll paint that." Koala creates, among other things, designs for heavy metal bands; and she is passionate about her business, which is thriving. Perhaps we should all face our demons.

A flooded bike trail doesn't work:

Since the snow melted and the rains began, a portion of the Poplar Creek bicycle trail southwest of Golf and Barrington roads in Hoffman Estates is covered deep in water. Sure, such things happen, but when the 70-degree days come and it's late April, the Cook County Forest Preserve district has to do something about that.

Hospital thinks long term:

Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin is the first hospital in the state to send paramedics out to visit certain patients weekly for 30 days. The goal is to keep patients out of the hospital. It also doesn't charge the patients, in hopes the program will save the hospitals money as well as the patients. Salute to the hospital's long-term thinking.

Wahlberg's Illinois geography:

TV star Donnie Wahlberg said on the "Live! With Kelly and Michael" show last week that half of each week he and Jenny McCarthy "live in the real Main Street USA of western Illinois" in a "tiny town." They live in St. Charles - sorry, Donnie, but not quite western Illinois, and it isn't that small of a town. Not like La Fox, Lily Lake, Maple Park, Virgil ...

Raise the roof (on pay increases):

Kane County Circuit Court Clerk Tom Hartwell worked this week at putting the arm on county board members to approve raises for some elected officials. He was poised to get a 21 percent bump on his $90,655 salary. It failed. And then Hartwell got laryngitis or ran out of minutes, because he never responded to multiple requests for an interview.

Building a legacy:

For Bob Mariano, breaking ground in Des Plaines this week on a new addition to his list of namesake grocery stores marked a return to the city where he started out in the business slicing deli meets at Dominick's. His rise to CEO is a symbol of the promise still to be found in America.

You move mountains:

Last week, Eileen O. Daday told of the need for donations to Help USA Troops, a charity in memory of James Stack, an Arlington Heights Marine who died in Afghanistan in 2011. You stepped up. A hundred volunteers turned out the following Sunday, and together they shipped 6,153 pounds of goods overseas to active troops. Thank you all.

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