The Soapbox: Daily Herald editors offer brief thoughts on suburban topics in the news.
This editorial represents the consensus opinion of The Daily Herald Editorial Board.
This week's Clippable Quote
""A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on." - John F. Kennedy
Enjoy it while you can
After a taste of winter, with freeze warnings and even some snow flakes, it feels like summer again. We know it's fleeting, and maybe we appreciate 75 degrees even more after a cold spell. So enjoy the warmth while it's here. Eat outside, take a long walk, play tennis or do some yardwork. Before you know it, the cold, snow and ice will be here to stay.
Frightfully fun
Up for a fright? This weekend is the perfect time to head out to a haunted house in the suburbs. Or Nightmare on Chicago Street in Elgin, Howlin' at the Moon in Naperville or the James Bond-themed corn maze at Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. Or go not-so-scary at a pumpkin or fall fest. So much to do, so little time.
Robot maker has his day
Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns honored fourth-grader Sawyer Rinn with a day in his honor last Tuesday after the 10-year-old's robot creation Johnny 5 took first place at the World Robot Olympiad in California last August. Next stop for Sawyer and Johnny 5? Dortmund, Germany, to represent the U.S. in a Global Championship. Sawyer, you make us proud.
More high-tech ed
Suburban community colleges have been leaders in developing programs in the jobs-rich high-tech and manufacturing industries. Today, it's College of Lake County showing off its program at a former Lowe's site in Gurnee. School officials and local industries created a program that could provide 40% of the county's skilled labor workforce in the next five years.
Bountiful harvest after all?
Economic inflation and Mother Nature worked together to delay the start of the fall harvest in rural pockets around the suburbs. But thankfully, farmers say they're catching up after falling almost two weeks behind schedule. "Barring any major windstorm from now until November, we're pleasantly surprised," said DeAnne Bloomberg of the Illinois Farm Bureau.
Mountain biking in Cook County?
It can happen - and will, with more than 13 miles of single-track trails opened at the Paul Douglas Forest Preserve near north Hoffman Estates. The system was created by the Forest Preserves of Cook County and volunteers from Chicago Area Mountain Bikers and will take riders through woodlands, grasslands and wetlands. Happy trails, bikers!
A win for all?
Aurora business and government leaders aren't worried about the prospect of Hollywood Casinos moving to a new site outside the downtown area. A location near I-88 could give the casino a boost in patrons and already the city is formulating ideas for developing the downtown if the casino is gone. Let's hope everyone's luck holds.
Sad ending to an enduring quest
Experts say the male mountain lion struck and killed by a car in Kane County probably wandered here from South Dakota, looking for a mate. Biologists say young males are forced out of limited habitat and have been known to reach as far as Connecticut. As far as any danger, it would appear the cats have more to fear from us than we from them.