The Soapbox: Finalists take the stage, a superhero in Arlington Heights, an Elmhurst mom's memorial to her daughter.
And the winner is ...
Suburban Chicago's Got Talent wraps up today with a concert by the 10 finalists at Addison's Little Italy West-Fest and an announcement of the winners. Once again, this summer competition revealed the breadth of talent in the suburbs and helped showcase some up-and-coming acts. We wish them all the best of luck.
A real superhero
Some superheroes fight crime. Some save the world. Some just put a smile on a kid's face. Tim Brigham of Arlington Heights is the latter, a guy who dresses like Batman to visit kids in the pediatric unit at Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield and brightens their day. They probably won't make a movie about him, but he's the best kind of hero.
Dangerous squeeze play
Two motorcyclists created a lane of their own recently - right between two westbound lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic on Higgins Road that crawled through the forest preserve. The middle stripe is not a lane, and moreover, it is dangerous and illegal. Ride smart. Ride safe.
Text that matters
IDOT's clever new way to get drivers' attention? Short and witty digital messages to be consumed in a matter of seconds. The reason? Anything to help make drivers aware of the growing number of accidents and fatalities on Illinois roadways, almost all preventable by just paying attention. Whatever helps. Just be sure the messages aren't distracting.
It's about time
A revamped Metra station in downtown Libertyville has been years in the making and will finally come to fruition. Considered a front door to a busy downtown, work (a new look, bathrooms, etc.) is supposed to be completed by the end of the year. The village smartly prepared for this by saving commuter parking fees for years to help with the nearly $1.3 million price tag.
Really public biking
Blue dockless, rentable bicycles now can be seen in the Cook County forest preserves, such as Busse Woods just west of Arlington Heights and Elk Grove Village. Your first half-hour on a bike is free, then you can buy time through an app. The bikes of course can help you see the whole preserve using the trail. And there's even a public tire pump!
Caribbean creativity
Elk Grove Village officials apparently were thinking outside the boundaries of their industrial park when they came up with a novel way to promote the village. They'll spend $300,000 to advertise their "Makers Wanted" slogan with the national Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl college football game. Let's hope it's a score for the village's tax base.
A potential lifesaver
Gov. Rauner signed into law this week a measure that lets doctors prescribe EpiPens to police so they can be used without fear of liability in case of a potentially fatal allergic reaction. It capped off years of effort by Shelly LeGere, of Elmhurst, whose daughter Annie died from such a reaction in 2015. A worthy memorial.