Barbs & Bouquets for Sept. 8

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Bouquet - Many people displayed selflessness in the wake of the recent flooding in DeKalb County. Residents at the Evergreen Village Mobile Home Park just outside of Sycamore were driving around on the first night after being allowed back into their homes and checking on neighbors, helping in any way they could. The dedication shown throughout the community has grown as the cleanup continues. Even though these residents had their own homes and possessions to worry about, they made sure their friends and neighbors also received the help they needed.

Barb - Each year, Illinois lawmakers approve more styles for specialty license plates. There are 60 varieties in production right now, according to the office of Secretary of State Jesse White, and each tacks about $40 onto the usual $78 price. Among those approved this year by the General Assembly are plates honoring sheet metal workers, Illinois PGA Junior Golf and the Rotary Club. The program helps raise money and increase the profile of fine organizations, but are all of these specialty license plates really necessary? Police officers say keeping track of the latest Illinois plate makes their job more difficult. If you really want to show your pride, buy a bumper sticker - they're less expensive and equally unnecessary, and they don't waste law enforcement's time.

Bouquet - Although the Kishwaukee United Way's Day of Caring is not scheduled until next week, it came a little early for the Children's Learning Center and The Growing Place child care facilities in DeKalb. On the Day of Caring, local nonprofits request help with various tasks, big and small. For the past two years the two child care facilities have asked that mulch be put underneath their playground equipment and sand be put in the sandbox. This summer's heavy rains washed out the mulch and sand, making the area inaccessible to children. So 14 volunteers, including Day of Caring committee members and Kishwaukee United Way board members, gave the child care centers a premature Day of Caring to fix the problem.

Barb - Senate Bill 238 would allow undercover police officers in Illinois to use audio recording devices without a court order while working on drug stings. City, county and state police officials say the process to get an order is slow, so officers go without recording devices - putting themselves in greater danger. But representatives from the office of Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, say they were told the system works just fine with the court orders, which is why the bill won't be discussed again until next year. Legislators should be able to craft a bill that protects both the police and state residents' rights.

Bouquet - This summer, members of DeKalb's Moose Lodge 586 volunteered their time and effort to pay tribute to their country with a new flagpole. The official dedication was held Sunday, and the pride the members felt about the project was evident. They used an old electric pole and ordered special flag parts online to complete the mechanism. The group even installed a special piece that keeps the rope from tangling on the pole. Sometimes it's the little gestures that mean the most.