Happy birthdays in Naperville, Emmys in Highland Park, opioid combat in Elk Grove Village and more.

Are you safe?

Lightning has been in the news, with Brittney Prehn surviving a strike July 20 at the Country Thunder music festival and Round Lake Heights students being jolted Thursday at a bus stop. What's your plan if a storm hits while you're on a bike or a boat, or even indoors where you think you're safe? Review what to do at weather.gov/safety/lightning.

Oh, baby

Naperville's Edward Hospital this week celebrated its 2,000th multi-baby birth since it gained the capacity to care for the tiniest and neediest premature newborns in 1996. The numbers include 1,931 pairs of twins, 64 sets of triplets, four sets of quadruplets and one instance of quintuplets. Talk about a birthday party!

Oh, baby, Part Two

Oh, and let's not forget Sarah Esche-Lange and Erik Lange of Aurora, the proud parents of Madison Josephine Lange and Dylan Jeremiah Lange, who found themselves cast into an unexpected limelight at Edward as the focus of the 2,000 celebration. The new parents handled their sudden fame with humor and grace.

Do nothing, be nothing

Three cheers for Gov, Bruce Rauner eliminating 53 state boards and commissions that never meet and never do anything.

Highland Park's Emmy winners

Congratulations go out to actress Rachel Brosnahan (she grew up in Highland Park) for her Emmy win Monday for best comedy actress in "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Alex Borstein, who was born in Highland Park and grew up in Deerfield, earned the supporting actress trophy for the same show.

All alone ... waiting

A question that all who drive in the wee hours ask themselves Why are the traffic lights not synchronized for all this non-traffic? Without another vehicle in sight, we sit and wait for a red light that never seems to go green - and wonder why the entire time.

This week's recommended reading

"Chase can be arrogant, unpredictable and mean ... He can be blunt or tone-deaf ... and he doesn't always seem to understand the fine line between comic provocation and publicity disaster. But Chase can also be hilarious, sensitive and surprisingly supportive." Sept. 19, Washington Post, "Chevy Chase Can't Change."

Way to go, Rose

In the long history of Fremd High School football, no female had ever scored a point in a Vikings varsity game. Until last Friday, that is. In the fourth quarter of the Vikings' 38-7 win over Glenbrook South, sophomore Rose Kentish kicked an extra point, then followed that with a 27-yard field goal. Nice job, Rose!

Spread the love

Kids can be cruel, but students at Stevenson High School are proving that's not always the case. Students handed out more than 2,000 cards to classmates this week with messages like "Your smile brightens my day" and "You are so helpful and caring, " part of a campaign by the school's Peer Helpers to spread positivity.

It's a start

Elk Grove Village's anti-opioid campaign is having an impact. Already, seven people have sought addiction treatment and five remain in the program. This week, the village announced it had made the anti-overdose drug Narcan available at about 20 locations. Next up: A family support meeting at village hall on Oct. 1.