The Soapbox
Check those IDs:
Given the problem of teen drinking, it’s disappointing to see so many Bartlett businesses failed a recent age check in which police used two 18-year-olds to test compliance. Employees at seven of 32 businesses — more than 20 percent — were cited for selling to underage customers. With the holidays looming, it’s time to tighten up.
Football pride:
Congrats to football teams from Naperville Central, Batavia, Lake Zurich and Montini for their successful seasons and the way they competed in last weekend’s state championship games at Northern Illinois University. Some won titles, some didn’t, but regardless, players, coaches and fans should be proud.
Good for grocery workers:
The announcement that 11 soon-to-be-closed Dominick’s grocery stores would become Mariano’s stores next year is welcome news. The stores — including those in Gurnee, Buffalo Grove, Aurora and Park Ridge — will keep business and jobs in our suburban communities.
Best and the worst:
On the same day we reported that four gold coins worth $1,300 each were dropped into a Salvation Army kettle in Lake Zurich we also ran a story about a Salvation Army bell-ringer charged with stealing more than $1,000 from his own collection bucket in Naperville. It reminds us that human nature is full of surprises.
Down to the wire:
Those planning to take the GED test would be smart to act quickly. The fee jumps from $50 to $120 on Jan. 1. Contact your Regional Office of Education for more information.
Cyber Mon(ey)day:
Retailers being open on Thanksgiving may have thinned the crowds on Black Friday. Or perhaps more of us used the tablets we got for Christmas last year to order gifts from the comfort of our couches this week. What else could account for Cyber Monday spending to be up an estimated 18 percent this year?
No support for felons:
Two felons are running for Cook County Board: Al Sanchez, convicted for a hiring scheme, and Isaac Carothers, an ex-alderman, for bribery and fraud. But county board President Toni Preckwinkle says she refuses to support felons. Given our state’s record of producing felons from office holders, Preckwinkle deserves a hardy “good for her.”
Right place, right time:
How serendipitous is it that during the first Edward Hospital Naperville Marathon, three nurses, a med student and a cop were nearby when Steve Sloma of Geneva went into cardiac arrest? In giving out awards this week to Sloma’s rescuers, the fire chief said Sloma would not have lived without their help.
Another mention:
We think Steve Sloma’s rescuers, who administered CPR and used a defibrillator, deserve another mention: nurses Stephanie Chang, Merri Lazenby and Traci Iarrobino; runner Amy Drendel, who was with them; Navy reservist and Northwestern University medical student Yousef Ahmed; and Naperville Park District police officer Michael Kurinec.
Celebrating community:
The untimely death of a teenager is always something to mourn, but the Mount Prospect neighbors who light a “Tommy tree” every Christmas season prove it can also be a source of enduring compassion and celebration of our humanity. It’s a wonderful life, you might say.