Timing of school sidewalk replacement makes no sense
I walk to the Naperville train station three times a week past Ellsworth Elementary School on North Sleight Street in the historic district. All summer I noticed sections of the sidewalks surrounding the school marked for replacement. Most notably, a section on the north side of the school where the buses drop off and pick up the children.
This month I started wondering when these sidewalks were going to be replaced as the new school year was fast approaching. It reminded me of the first day of school back about 2005; the roads in the historic district had been repaved that summer. The first day of school arrived and the streets were abuzz with activity when the crew assigned to stripe the new roads showed at 8 a.m.!
Fast forward to 2023 — I walked past Ellsworth on the day before the first day of school and there was no sign of those sidewalks being worked on. But what do I find on the first day of school? Large pieces of the sidewalk missing around the school!
After a Facebook post, I was reminded of curb replacement occurring one time on the first day of school, and one year at Washington Junior High School new sidewalks were poured 10 minutes before dismissal. You just have to wonder, Who’s in charge of the scheduling?
Brenda McDowell, Naperville
Race breakdown of high school tickets ‘discriminatory’
In the article “Former Naperville student fights AirPods theft charges” written by Rebecca Johnson (Naperville Sun, Aug. 9), one sentence said, “Black students at Naperville North High School were almost five times more likely than their white classmates to receive tickets (for violations).”
Why not just publish a pie chart or graph with all races included? I am being facetious and truly believe this statement should never have been published. As a Realtor, I am not allowed to give out information on schools, good or bad. Clients must do their own research.
Publishing this information is discrimination at its finest.
Marianne Hofmann, Naperville
Trump voting results trial needs to be before next election
Bill Fischer’s letter to the editor (Naperville Sun, Aug. 6) states “the U.S. Department of Justice continues to persecute Donald Trump with phony allegations” and questions whether a trial would reveal “the reasons for his doubt about the validity of the election results.”
A trial will provide Mr. Trump the opportunity to disclose his motives for questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election outcome. But will Mr. Trump seek to delay his trial to prevent Americans from learning that information before next year’s election? Will he put his political self-interest ahead of the voter rights that the U.S. Constitution guarantees?
James Kadlec, Naperville
Act of kindness shows race plays no role in God’s eyes
My wife and I were standing in line to be seated at First Watch restaurant. A Black gentleman and his young son were in front of us.
I noted that he had a athletic sweater that had Boss written on it. I asked him who bought it and he said it was his wife and she was really the boss. I told him I understood because my wife had been the boss for 65 years. When the waiter asked to seat them, he insisted we go first. I thanked him.
Later, when we were almost finished eating, he came to our table and told us he had picked up our check. We were so surprised and thanked him once again.
He is Black and I am white and under God, we are both his children.
Charles Brown, Naperville
Nuclear power has been a good thing so let it expand
Illinois’ charge into nuclear power in the early 1970s, when the feds gave out huge grants to allow the industry to expand, tremendously benefited the state of Illinois.
Per a report to the Illinois Commerce Commission a couple of years ago, our energy companies stated the state had a “50% excess energy generating capacity.” They asked for, and received, ICC permission to sell that excess capacity on the open market.
Why not keep the good thing going and allow new reactors to be built? If the governor’s worried about companies increasing energy rates to fund building new plants, just freeze the price of energy. He has the power and they have the huge income from selling our excess energy on the open market, right?
Bill Voda, Warrenville
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